You're not who you think you are...

That's an interesting thought isn't it? Now some of you reading this will realize that and accept it. Others...well, it may be somewhat of a challenge. Follow the link below and maybe you'll get a glimpse of what I'm talking about:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/international/2013/11/12/nr-tell-white-supremacist-learns-he-is-biracial.cnn&hpt=hp_t2&from_homepage=yes&video_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

I think you can agree that would be a bit embarrassing. But here is something more shameful: many of us think we are good the way we are. We don't need changing...everyone else does. Sound familiar? Now, I don't mean to bash anyone but I have it from a very reliable source that there is no such thing as a "good person".

Rom. 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 

Rom. 3:11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 

Rom. 3:12  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does    good, not even one.” 

Rom. 3:13  “Their throats are open graves;  their tongues practice deceit.”  “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 

Rom. 3:14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 

Rom. 3:15  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 

Rom. 3:16   ruin and misery mark their ways, 

Rom. 3:17   and the way of peace they do not know.” 

Rom. 3:18   “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 

See what I mean? Deep down inside, we are of the same mold, the same material, the same essence as the worst, most degenerate person who's ever lived. How can I say that? Simple: we're all human beings. That's our link. That's our heritage. And there's no escaping it...except one way.

All we can do is change ourselves on the outside. We can't actually change who we are. But Jesus can. Jesus can give you a new identity, a new purpose, a new mindset, a new world-view, a new heart. How does this happen? By making you a part of His family through faith. Look at this:

John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 

John 1:13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 

If you believe in His power to save you from yourself, then you become children of God! That is the victory of life; that is the right you can have...to be a child of the Creator of the universe! Not through how you came into this world or your parents...but because God Himself wants you! You can become the complete child of God.

That's a lot more than 14%. ;)

Laodicea in a glass...

My daughter came to me and asked me to help her with her science project this week. Of course, I agreed. But now that I was on board, we had to find an actual experiment that would be 1. fun and 2. educational. She settled on the question of whether or not mint actually decreases temperature or if it is simply the sensation of cooling; i.e. it seemed cooler. And before I realized it I had in front of me an even more important experimental project: Laodicea in a glass.

For those who don't understand the term "Laodicea", it is the 7th of 7 churches in the book of Revelation chapter 3 and it is known for something not attractive (at least not in the spiritual sense): it is lukewarm.

So what's the big deal with lukewarm? I mean, lukewarm is "room temperature" which means its a comfortable temperature to dwell and live in, right? But you see...that's the point. It's comfortable. It's nice. Which means it's also a state in which change is not necessary; and God's all about change. Not on His side...let's face it, you can't change perfection. But us...us. Now that's a whole other problem isn't it?

What am I talking about? Let me quote the matter succinctly from a song called "Stained Glass Masquerade" by Casting Crowns:
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade.

You see...that's how people act when they're lukewarm. They have no spine...no drive to really live. And so because of that, people just pretend. Now listen to me carefully here...especially in church! We don't want to change...we just want to seem like we have changed. We are just like that lukewarm water in the glass for the science project. We want to say we are changed when we are really unchanged! 

And that's exactly what God refers to in Revelation 3:16--

"But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the lukewarm church of today: LAODICEA. Desire change. God's change, not yours; not mine. We can only change ourselves on the outside, but real change comes from the inside and it only comes from Jesus Christ. Don't be the Laodicea in a glass. You'll drown.