No guts no glory

Jesus warned of a wave of deception that would come in the times we live in. One of the dangers of our generation is that we are increasingly elevating image over reality. Think about it, with the introduction of the internet, many people today have much of their identity wrapped up in their online "image".

My space, face book even blogs can present an image that isn't exactly reality. Even our communication e-mail, texting etc...takes away some of the face to face accountability and reality of life.

Although these tools can be useful we need to be careful. Worshipping image over reality will be one of the greatest tests that comes upon the world. We are extremely vulnerable, if we don't hold to the truth we will be deceived.

Sadly many believers are caught up in this as well. Many of our websites, blogs, my space etc.. even our vision statements can be designed to impress and portray an image that isn't reality at all. Don't get me wrong I'm all for technology but we need to be careful we don't leave reality behind.

I began to think about this last year as I visited a church, they had a holiday outreach with a handbook to go with it. The pastor gave some of his testimony in the first part of the book and he prefaced it with an apology. He said he usually writes more academically, but so people could better understand, he would write more plainly. (I guess he was referring to us peasants and chickens.)

Well since I don't have as many letters in front of my name as this "highly intellectual" pastor, I went and looked up the word academic. Here's one of the definitions:

Theoretical or hypothetical; not practical,realistic ,or directly useful.

Bingo, that describes much of whats going on in these times. Much of what is preached today is very theoretical, not practical, realistic or directly useful at all. It's evident in a lot of christian bookstores where the christian fiction section is growing and growing and the applied truth section is shrinking. This breeds a comparing of ourselves among ourselves mentality and a false image based Christianity.

This type of deception is what Jesus warned us of. He also warned of the leaven of the Pharisees. He said do as they say but don't do as they do. They had a religion of image and not truth, sacrifice but not mercy.

The never ending search for another way will always be a temptation. There is a way that seems right, but it's end is the way of death.

Living for God will never be convenient, true love never is. Reaching the world with the gospel of the kingdom will never be easy it will always require courage and sacrifice.

The testimony for every follower of Jesus Christ will always be, he who endures to the end will be saved........No guts.......No glory!