Put God First - "The Principle of Priority"

This is a reprint of an article originally posted in August of 2011.

Pt. 1 of 6
I’m starting a new series today to help those of us who want to get traction in our lives for positive change. I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when it just seemed like I got stuck. I didn’t mean to, it just happened. I maybe made some bad decisions, I hesitated when I shouldn’t have and missed an opportunity, or maybe I just got caught up in the ebb and flow of life and ended up where I hadn't intended.

So, how does that change? How do we create enough momentum to do what is necessary? That’s what this series is about. It’s about how to get back to that vital relationship with God, it’s about cooperating with the grace that God extends to us so that we can become all that we’re intended to be. It’s about adjusting the trajectory of our lives so that we’re headed in the right direction.

In Chip Ingram’s book, Good To Great in God’s Eyes, he mentions 6 habits that help us to cultivate God’s grace in our lives. I’m going to be building this series off of those six habits. I think you’ll find that if you apply these to your life, things will start moving in the right direction.

The first habit to put in place is the subject of this article: Put God First. It’s also called “The Principle of Priority.”

In Matthew 5-7 Jesus gives his most famous teaching called “The Sermon on the Mount.” In that message He speaks to His followers about what life ought to be like for those of us who are a part of the Kingdom of God. I’ll just define that term before we go any further.

A very simple definition is this: anywhere that God reigns is the Kingdom of God. According to the Bible, one day everything will be brought into the Kingdom of God, but for now, you and I choose whether or not we want to be included. Right now God’s Kingdom co-exists with the kingdom of this world. Sadly, many people believe that they are a part of the Kingdom of God because they go to church or because they’re “good people.” But it doesn’t work that way. Jesus asked a question in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” That’s the priority question. When you call someone “Lord” or “King” what you’re implying is that they are in charge.

As Jesus was teaching the disciples how they ought to pray, in the Lord’s Prayer, He started out like this: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done; thy kingdom come…” It’s actually a prayer of surrender. It’s a prayer that acknowledges that we’re not God. Later in that same chapter, He tells us to stop spending our time worrying about everything but, instead, to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33)

Let me talk about why this habit of putting God first is so important.

God is God, and you’re not.

That seems like an obvious place to start, but it’s not all that obvious to a lot of people. When we make this statement, what are we really saying?

Firstly, we’re recognizing that God is all-powerful and we’re not. There’s nothing that God cannot do, but there are all kinds of things that we can’t do. That’s the whole point of Matthew 6:33. There are so many things that are outside of our control, but nothing is outside of God’s. I used to worry a lot. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about what might happen if… That kind of thinking didn’t get me anywhere but depressed.

Over the years I’ve learned that the Apostle Paul was dead on when he wrote Philippians 4:6-7. He said: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Acting on these verses is an acknowledgement that God is in charge.

Secondly, we're recognizing that God is good.

A lot of people have a hard time with this statement. Your life may have been filled with hardship and difficulty. Perhaps there are many times when you’ve thought to yourself, or even yelled out loud that LIFE ISN’T FAIR. That’s true – it isn’t. In fact, the Bible makes it very clear that life isn’t fair. If you read through the Bible, you’ll find the very clear teaching that each of us are born into a world that is rocking and reeling. Most other parts of the world have a clearer picture of this than we see in Canada, where problems are usually hidden behind a façade, but they’re there just the same.

The question to be asked is, where did all these problems, this evil, even, originate? In the very beginning we see that it started when mankind rebelled against God and decided that we could run our lives better on our own than under God’s leadership. A very brief review of the daily news should tell you how that’s going. By our own disobedience, we introduced a storm of pain and trouble into the world that continues today. Jesus Himself said in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” You can’t live life to the full until you deal with the thief who’s trying to destroy you, and you can’t deal with Him on your own. Jesus came to give us life.

Jesus also said in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” What is He saying? He’s telling us that life is hard. There will be challenges and hard times that each of us will face. But in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, He will be there for us if we invite Him.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, speaking to us. He’s telling anyone who will listen, “you’re not alone.” God is here, and God is good. He backed up His words by laying down His life on a cross to pay the price for all of our sin and disobedience. He said there is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friends: and then he did it. God is good.

Thirdly, we’re recognizing that God has a plan for each of us.

God knows you. He knows you more than you know yourself. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “…the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” For some people that’s comforting, for others it’s terrifying. There are no secrets with God.

In Psalm 119 we find that God “knit us together in our mother’s womb.” In Jeremiah 29:11 it says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I could take you to Scripture after Scripture that speaks of the great care with which God made you. He knows how many hairs there are on your head. He knows your gifts, your talents and abilities. He knows what fires you up and what brings you down, and He knows the very purpose for which you were created.

You see, God’s plan for you fits in with His plan for the world. To each of us, God extends an invitation to join Him in His plan of redemption, the very reason that Jesus Christ came to this world. For some, that means full-time ministry. For most it means serving Him in whatever secular vocation to which they may have been called. It means serving Him by raising our families with integrity and modelling within our communities what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It means living our lives to enhance God’s reputation in this world. How does that look?

It means that we recognize that Christ wants to live in and through us. When we receive Him He comes and lives in us by His Holy Spirit. As we cooperate with Him, we start to see incredible things begin to happen. He begins to make changes in us if we let Him. Even over the past few weeks I’ve had new Christians come to see me, so excited at how God answers prayer. They invite Him into their lives and each morning they welcome Him to have His way. I try to do this every day.

What I find is that God opens doors of opportunity for me that I could not have opened for myself. I often find myself with what I call “Divine appointments,” times when I run into people at places or times that are improbable but reflect God’s perfect timing and sovereignty.

This principle of priority is really all about a very simple question: who is in charge of your life? For most people, the answer to that question is easy: it’s my life and I’m in charge! I get to decide what I want to do and where I want to go and how I want to live. The problem with that view is very simple: it’s wrong! It ignores all of the truths that we’ve listed. It ignores the fact that God is all-powerful and we’re limited. It ignores the fact that God is good, and we’re flawed. It also ignores the fact that God knows us better than we know ourselves and has a plan for us. Proverbs 14:12 tells us: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

Jesus, at the end of His Sermon on the Mount, compared our lives to building a house. He said that there are some people who hear what He has to say, but do what they want anyway. Those people are like someone who builds a big beautiful home on the sand. It looks great. But one day a storm comes. The winds lash at the house and the waters swirl around the base, washing away the sand. The house collapses with a great crash because there is no firm foundation. Their life’s work is destroyed.

The other group of people hear what Jesus has to say and apply it to their lives. Those people are like someone who builds a beautiful home on solid rock. For those people as well, one day a storm comes. The winds and rain beat against the house but the house doesn’t move. It stands strong because of the firm foundation. They may have some minor repairs to do, but they’re still standing.

The principle of priority means that you recognize that God is first and He has the right to tell you what to do. It means you pray, like Jesus, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I’ve found that when my life starts to get crazy, often it’s because I’ve gotten too busy and have neglected to put God first. I’ve let my relationship with Him slip and I end up finding myself trying to accomplish things on my own. That gets me nowhere in a hurry. So I have to stop and re-center myself. I come back to Him and acknowledge that I’m not God – He is. I might think I know what I’m doing, but He actually does know what He’s doing. I need to put Him first again. If you need to make some positive change in your life, the best way to start is with a decision that, as of today,God is first.

Related Articles:
Developing Great Habits
What To Do When You Fail
What have you got to lose?
Transformation

Triumph and Tragedy - Whitney Houston

It's now been almost two weeks since the death of Whitney Houston at the age of 48. I don't normally pay too much attention to the hype surrounding the death of celebrities, but I have been watching and reading with interest the pieces and articles about Whitney. I believe she was one of the greatest talents of our generation, but also one of its saddest characters. Her challenges, once fame took hold, are well documented and put her in storied company.

I look out on my church on any given Sunday and see a lot of talented children and young people. They, all of them, have dreams. Many of them have probably pictured themselves on a stage with the bright lights on and the house lights down, playing to a packed crowd. That was one of my dreams. It's amazing how many of the greatest stars got their start singing in church choirs or doing special songs on Sunday morning.

I think of people like Elvis Presley, who actually was cut from the choir of his church! Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Bobby McFerrin, Tina Turner, Johnny Cash and a host of others got their starts this way. Yet, for many of them, success did not bring them happiness - far from it. It has really made me stop and think over the past couple of weeks.

Whitney and Elvis and Johnny Cash, at least, appeared to be very sincere in their faith. Elvis did a number of gospel albums and regularly performed gospel songs in his concerts. Johnny Cash publicly returned to his faith before he died. Whitney appeared with Be Be and Ce Ce Winans on numerous occasions, and, according to Be Be, wanted to go on tour with them. Both Elvis and Whitney spoke often and openly of their faith, yet both of their lives spiralled out of control due to substance abuse.

Many blame former husband, Bobby Brown, for Whitney's fall from grace, but others have pointed out that she was a "party girl" long before Bobby was in her life. No, it seems that there was a conscious choice to involve herself in a scene that was far removed from her church background. The same can certainly be said of Elvis, and of Britney Spears.

A trade-off was made: the glamorous life of a star took the place of a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's the parables and teachings of Jesus lived out in real life. In Matthew 16:26 Jesus said, "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" In The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl, Jesus teaches that a relationship with God is to be valued above all other treasures.

He speaks to this directly in Matthew 22:37-38 when He said, “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment." Yet this kind of commitment is foreign to a great many North American "Christians." We have become used to a Christianity that accommodates and excuses. Rather than making God a priority in our lives, many settle for including Him, like one of many options. He's an influence - but not the Lord. He's an interest - but not the focus. When that occurs, our lives can spiral out of control.

We have seen this in the lives of these and many other celebrities, but we also see it in the lives of many ordinary people who have attended church at one time or another. They profess to "love God," and we believe them to be sincere. But Jesus asked a good question in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?"

So, what are we to make, then, of the claims that Whitney was a Christian, and Elvis was a Christian? Do those who live lives contrary to the clear commands of Scripture go to heaven? Here we turn to what has been called the "scandal of grace." Grace is defined as "the unmerited favour of God." It cannot be earned. Heaven is not for "good" people; it is for sinners saved by grace. If Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley called upon Jesus Christ in sincerity and accepted His sacrifice for their sins, I have no doubt that God received them as His children. But we look to 1 Corinthians 3, which speaks of people whose works produce no eternal reward but who will be saved "though only as one escaping through the flames."

One of the greatest tragedies I find in all of this is the wasted potential; the years spent wandering in the wilderness, destroying their God-given gift. I just find it so sad.

From what I've seen and heard, Whitney was a wonderful person, but one who was a slave to alcohol and drugs (both illicit and prescription). A friend of mine shared that her pastor was giving counsel to Whitney on a regular basis. We all heard the many reports of other Christians who were sought out by Whitney. I believe that she sincerely desired to live her life as a Christ-follower. Fame exacts a heavy price.

Each of us can learn a lesson from these stars' very public tragedies. We must be sure that we get our priorities in order. It's like the leadership lesson of "The Mason Jar," if we don't put the most important things in our lives first, there's no room for them later. I teach this on a regular basis because I believe it's one of the most important things we can learn. Put God first and the other issues will take care of themselves. Much of it comes down to trust.

Do we really trust God with our dreams? What if God wants me to be a missionary in Africa rather than make it in Hollywood? Here's what we need to remember: God made you and knows you better than you know yourself. He knows how you're wired and what will provide you with fulfillment. He wants what is best for you. Make the decision early on to trust God with your future and live your life accordingly.

I think a large part of the reason that more people don't do this is that our culture views faith as merely a quaint relic of the past that can be a source of comfort. The Biblical view of Christianity is all encompassing. It informs and affects every area of our lives. As C.S. Lewis rightly said: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

So what can we learn from the tragic lives of Whitney and Elvis and the rest?

Fame is not all that it's cracked up to be and the rich and famous are often to be pitied rather than envied.

Having a purpose beyond simply fame or wealth for their own sake can help avoid pitfalls.
See Tim Tebow as an example, who views the fact that he has gained some notoriety as simply a greater opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives.

Building your life on principles enables you to keep a moral compass.
See the words of Jesus at the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

In all of our lives we will have challenges and problems, some our own making, some not. It is there that our foundation will be tested. Let's avoid the big crash, there's too much at stake.

Related Articles:
I Love Me!
“Put God First” - The Principle of Priority
What Is A Christ-follower?
Linsanity!
Tim Tebow Mania

“Put God First” - The Principle of Priority

Pt. 1 of 6
I’m starting a new series today to help those of us who want to get traction in our lives for positive change. I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when it just seemed like I got stuck. I didn’t mean to, it just happened. I maybe made some bad decisions, I hesitated when I shouldn’t have and missed an opportunity, or maybe I just got caught up in the ebb and flow of life and ended up where I hadn't intended.

So, how does that change? How do we create enough momentum to do what is necessary? That’s what this series is about. It’s about how to get back to that vital relationship with God, it’s about cooperating with the grace that God extends to us so that we can become all that we’re intended to be. It’s about adjusting the trajectory of our lives so that we’re headed in the right direction.

In Chip Ingram’s book, Good To Great in God’s Eyes, he mentions 6 habits that help us to cultivate God’s grace in our lives. I’m going to be building this series off of those six habits. I think you’ll find that if you apply these to your life, things will start moving in the right direction.

The first habit to put in place is the subject of this article: Put God First. It’s also called “The Principle of Priority.”

In Matthew 5-7 Jesus gives his most famous teaching called “The Sermon on the Mount.” In that message He speaks to His followers about what life ought to be like for those of us who are a part of the Kingdom of God. I’ll just define that term before we go any further.

A very simple definition is this: anywhere that God reigns is the Kingdom of God. According to the Bible, one day everything will be brought into the Kingdom of God, but for now, you and I choose whether or not we want to be included. Right now God’s Kingdom co-exists with the kingdom of this world. Sadly, many people believe that they are a part of the Kingdom of God because they go to church or because they’re “good people.” But it doesn’t work that way. Jesus asked a question in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” That’s the priority question. When you call someone “Lord” or “King” what you’re implying is that they are in charge.

As Jesus was teaching the disciples how they ought to pray, in the Lord’s Prayer, He started out like this: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done; thy kingdom come…” It’s actually a prayer of surrender. It’s a prayer that acknowledges that we’re not God. Later in that same chapter, He tells us to stop spending our time worrying about everything but, instead, to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33)

Let me talk about why this habit of putting God first is so important.

God is God, and you’re not.
That seems like an obvious place to start, but it’s not all that obvious to a lot of people. When we make this statement, what are we really saying?

Firstly, we’re recognizing that God is all-powerful and we’re not. There’s nothing that God cannot do, but there are all kinds of things that we can’t do. That’s the whole point of Matthew 6:33. There are so many things that are outside of our control, but nothing is outside of God’s. I used to worry a lot. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about what might happen if… That kind of thinking didn’t get me anywhere but depressed.

Over the years I’ve learned that the Apostle Paul was dead on when he wrote Philippians 4:6-7. He said: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Acting on these verses is an acknowledgement that God is in charge.

Secondly, we're recognizing that God is good.
A lot of people have a hard time with this statement. Your life may have been filled with hardship and difficulty. Perhaps there are many times when you’ve thought to yourself, or even yelled out loud that LIFE ISN’T FAIR. That’s true – it isn’t. In fact, the Bible makes it very clear that life isn’t fair. If you read through the Bible, you’ll find the very clear teaching that each of us are born into a world that is rocking and reeling. Most other parts of the world have a clearer picture of this than we see in Canada, where problems are usually hidden behind a façade, but they’re there just the same.

The question to be asked is, where did all these problems, this evil, even, originate? In the very beginning we see that it started when mankind rebelled against God and decided that we could run our lives better on our own than under God’s leadership. A very brief review of the daily news should tell you how that’s going. By our own disobedience, we introduced a storm of pain and trouble into the world that continues today. Jesus Himself said in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” You can’t live life to the full until you deal with the thief who’s trying to destroy you, and you can’t deal with Him on your own. Jesus came to give us life.

Jesus also said in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” What is He saying? He’s telling us that life is hard. There will be challenges and hard times that each of us will face. But in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, He will be there for us if we invite Him.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, speaking to us. He’s telling anyone who will listen, “you’re not alone.” God is here, and God is good. He backed up His words by laying down His life on a cross to pay the price for all of our sin and disobedience. He said there is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friends: and then he did it. God is good.

Thirdly, we’re recognizing that God has a plan for each of us.
God knows you. He knows you more than you know yourself. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “…the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” For some people that’s comforting, for others it’s terrifying. There are no secrets with God.

In Psalm 119 we find that God “knit us together in our mother’s womb.” In Jeremiah 29:11 it says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I could take you to Scripture after Scripture that speaks of the great care with which God made you. He knows how many hairs there are on your head. He knows your gifts, your talents and abilities. He knows what fires you up and what brings you down, and He knows the very purpose for which you were created.

You see, God’s plan for you fits in with His plan for the world. To each of us, God extends an invitation to join Him in His plan of redemption, the very reason that Jesus Christ came to this world. For some, that means full-time ministry. For most it means serving Him in whatever secular vocation to which they may have been called. It means serving Him by raising our families with integrity and modelling within our communities what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It means living our lives to enhance God’s reputation in this world. How does that look?

It means that we recognize that Christ wants to live in and through us. When we receive Him He comes and lives in us by His Holy Spirit. As we cooperate with Him, we start to see incredible things begin to happen. He begins to make changes in us if we let Him. Even over the past few weeks I’ve had new Christians come to see me, so excited at how God answers prayer. They invite Him into their lives and each morning they welcome Him to have His way. I try to do this every day.

What I find is that God opens doors of opportunity for me that I could not have opened for myself. I often find myself with what I call “Divine appointments,” times when I run into people at places or times that are improbable but reflect God’s perfect timing and sovereignty.

This principle of priority is really all about a very simple question: who is in charge of your life? For most people, the answer to that question is easy: it’s my life and I’m in charge! I get to decide what I want to do and where I want to go and how I want to live. The problem with that view is very simple: it’s wrong! It ignores all of the truths that we’ve listed. It ignores the fact that God is all-powerful and we’re limited. It ignores the fact that God is good, and we’re flawed. It also ignores the fact that God knows us better than we know ourselves and has a plan for us. Proverbs 14:12 tells us: “There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.” Jesus, at the end of His Sermon on the Mount, compared our lives to building a house. He said that there are some people who hear what He has to say, but do what they want anyway. Those people are like someone who builds a big beautiful home on the sand. It looks great. But one day a storm comes. The winds lash at the house and the waters swirl around the base, washing away the sand. The house collapses with a great crash because there is no firm foundation. Their life’s work is destroyed.

The other group of people hear what Jesus has to say and apply it to their lives. Those people are like someone who builds a beautiful home on solid rock. For those people as well, one day a storm comes. The winds and rain beat against the house but the house doesn’t move. It stands strong because of the firm foundation. They may have some minor repairs to do, but they’re still standing.

The principle of priority means that you recognize that God is first and He has the right to tell you what to do. It means you pray, like Jesus, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I’ve found that when my life starts to get crazy, often it’s because I’ve gotten too busy and have neglected to put God first. I’ve let my relationship with Him slip and I end up finding myself trying to accomplish things on my own. That gets me nowhere in a hurry. So I have to stop and re-center myself. I come back to Him and acknowledge that I’m not God – He is. I might think I know what I’m doing, but He actually does know what He’s doing. I need to put Him first again. If you need to make some positive change in your life, the best way to start is with a decision that, as of today,God is first.

Related Articles:
Developing Great Habits
What To Do When You Fail
What have you got to lose?
Transformation

What Is A Christ-follower?

You've seen them, and so have I. They're loud; they're in your face, and they're certain they're right. They picket soldier's funerals because they're convinced that God is judging America by letting its young men die in Iraq. They carry signs that say things like "God hates fags," or "God hates..." whatever they hate. It's all so very sad.

I've been teaching a series lately based on the question what is a Christ-follower? The vast majority of people in North America, surprisingly, call themselves Christians. But there are so many different definitions of that word that it's no wonder there's so much confusion. There are certainly no shortage of people who claim to have a hedge on the truth. But I think if you want to answer that question, the best thing to do is to look at what Jesus actually said and what his first disciples actually did and taught.

An obvious thing we see is a person who was more inclined to relationship than religion. He took great issue with the Pharisees (a sect of Jews who took great pride in their ability to keep all of the rules and regulations and who even expanded them). He called them hypocrites who would be concerned about the smallest detail of the law yet would turn their back on someone in need. Jesus, on the other hand, took pains to step across culture barriers to care for people who were often considered outcasts. Mind you, Jesus did not endorse breaking the law either. He, rather, encouraged us to live out the law by boiling it down to its purest form. He said that all of the law was based on two commandments: (1) Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

So let's start with what does not make you a Christ-follower. Obeying the rules does not make you a Christ-follower. Otherwise the Pharisees would have qualified. Neither does going to church make you a Christ-follower, or giving money to charity. Those may be good things, but they don't cut it by themselves.

Neither does praying the right prayer, or saying the right words do it for you. In Matthew 15:8 Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." He asked a question that anyone calling themself a Christian should look at seriously. He asked, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things that I say?" I believe that to be the question of the day for the North American church. Someone said that the church in North America is growing, yes, it's a mile wide but an inch deep.

Jesus called for surrender. He called his disciples and expected them to leave their nets and follow him - and they did. He also called for obedience. When the rich young ruler came to him and asked what he must do to enter the Kingdom of God, Jesus responded that he knew the commandments - do them. The young man was thrilled because, as he said, he had kept them all from his youth. But Jesus looked through his impressive facade into his heart and saw that what ruled his life was money. He told him that for him to enter the kingdom of God he needed to sell all that he had, give to the poor, and come follow him. (Note that he didn't require that of all of his followers). The point was that God will not play second fiddle to anything else in our lives.

So, Jesus also called for obedience - regardless of the cost. The picture we get through the New Testament is that of a community of people who were committed to following Christ, even if it cost them their lives - and for many it did. The world was changed because Jesus' disciples believed with every fiber of their being that Jesus Christ was who said he was and that this world was not their home. They knew that life had meaning because God created each of us for a purpose. And because Christ is with us by his Spirit, there is no challenge too great; no difficulty which can't be overcome.

Society was changed for the good because Christ-followers did just that. They followed Christ. They loved people regardless of who they were or where they were from - or what they'd done. They were a community of sinners saved by grace who lived lives of grateful obedience. Perhaps the greatest leader in the history of the church, apart from Jesus - the Apostle Paul - stated that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

Are you a Christ-follower? I don't know. Who's your boss? Who gets to tell you what to do? My boss is a Jewish carpenter who carried his own cross up a hill to his death and who said to us, "Take up your cross and follow me." Any takers?