Minute Meditations

Are you a Christian? If your answer is yes, come along with us since we are burning all Christians at the stake. Not too many years ago this was happening regularly. Today we have what is called religious freedom and it is considered to be a great blessing. It is true that we are thankful that we can worship God as we see fit but religious freedom has brought religious laxity. Where are the stalwarts who are willing to confess Christ and die for it?

Are we strong spiritually? Has the soft life made us flabby Christians? There was a time when reading the Bible was done at the risk of one’s life, yet it was read, even if it was done under the covers in the middle of the night by the light of a flickering candle. Today we can sit in our arm chairs and read with the aid of soft indirect lighting anytime we wish. There is no danger, no threat, and sadly to say, all too often there is no reading.

Small groups of believers used to meet together to remember Jesus at the risk of losing their heads. Today we can drive in our fancy cars over paved roads to our meeting places to hear the word of God preached to all who will hear and they are staying away in droves. Did Christ die in vain for us? He denied himself and he tells us, ”If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Are we following him? Has easy living, television, sports, so infected us that we are spiritually sick? Can we hope to be saved if we continue to drift?

Sometimes we seem to lose our perspective. What is our goal, our mission, our purpose in life? Is it to have a good time, eat, drink and be merry? Count the things we do. How many are done to please self and how many are done to please God? We should be laying aside everything that hinders us and running with patience the race set before us. Are we true Christians? We know a true Christian follows Christ. Most who call themselves Christ’s are not following Christ at all. They don’t even believe what he taught. Do we? Jesus said, ”I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Can we say that? Those who lost their jobs, their homes, their lives for Christ’s sake could.

Christ has assured us that everyone that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life. What can we honestly say we have given up for the Lord? If we merely attend Bible Class or Lecture when we are tired we think we have made a great sacrifice. Have we really forsaken the things that please self? We are not called upon to be crucified for the Lord but we are told that ”they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Are we Christ’s? Have we done enough crucifying?