“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
--Matthew 11:29-30
I was on an airplane one day on my way back to Texas, and as I usually do on flights, I sat back, relaxed, and pulled out a book to read. I had full confidence in the pilot, and wasn’t worried in the least about arriving safely.
But I noticed a lady across the aisle from me who was visibly nervous. She just sat there wringing her hands and staring out the window for the whole trip. I don’t know whether she was afraid to fly, but she certainly wasn’t enjoying herself. We both got to our destination, but I enjoyed my flight, and I’m pretty sure she didn’t.
There are a lot of Christians today who just sort of survive through the Christian life rather than thrive through the Christian life. They get up every day, try to make it to work with smiles on their faces, and pretend they have the joy of the Lord when really, they’re not enjoying life at all.
The truth is that if you’re in Christ, we’re going to make it to the same destination. So instead of just making it through every day, enjoy the journey of life. Live in faithful obedience, and experience God’s immeasurable peace each and every day!
ENJOY THE JOURNEY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BY LIVING IN OBEDIENCE AND LETTING GOD’S PEACE RULE IN YOUR HEART.
The Main Attraction
Thursday, March 05, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
1 Corinthians 1:22–25
It is no secret that the world around us wants less and less to do with Christianity. The number of people going to church continues to decline and the number of people without formal religious affiliation continues to climb. In response to this, many people are trying to come up with new ways to draw people to Jesus. But God has already given us the only way that works, which is to lift up Jesus Christ as the center of everything we do. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). In both our individual lives and in our churches, Jesus must be the main attraction. Reaching people is not a matter of technique or program, but a matter of the heart.
More than one hundred years ago, E. M. Bounds wrote, “The masses of people are not in the church, and to get them there is of the first importance. Under the stress to do something, many ingenious expedients have been devised and adopted. At times some of these expedients are successful in drawing crowds to the church. The main objection is that the spiritual force of the service must be lowered to get the people there, and still further depraved to hold them there. The crowds who are drawn by an appeal to itching ears, by sensational methods, must have their itchings gratified or else they will not come again.”
Today's Growth Principle:
Nothing can be allowed to take the place of Jesus in our churches, our homes, and our lives.
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