En Español: ¿Cuánto es suficiente?
Know the song, right? … Summertime Blues -by Eddie Cochran? -YouTube
I’m gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler…
…Sometimes I wonder what I’m a gonna do
But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
For Eddie Cochran it was always, “you gotta work late”, “you didn’t work a lick”, or “you’re too young to vote”… and so, “I wonder what I’m a gonna do.” Never seemed to quite make the grade. Something always foiled his plans. Always came up short!
What about you and God? What is “enough” – for Jesus to approve of you? Approve of your repentance? Approve of your life? What is enough for Christ to actually save you? Seems like a dumb question, but…
sometimes I wonder what God’s a gonna do –
But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
What’s God “a gonna do” when He comes for you? Remember that song? …Bad Boys -by Inner Circle -YouTube.
Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you
When God, the Three-In-One appears, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, …”whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they (singular – but “three-in-one”) come for you”? There will be no viable excuses on That Day.
“You chuck it on that one
You chuck it on this one
You chuck it on your mother and
You chuck it on your father
You chuck it on your brother and
You chuck it on your sister
You chuck it on that one and
You chuck it on me…”
– Bad Boys, by Inner Circle –YouTube
In this life “Acting like a bloody fool” will surely get you down – not up to heaven. So, what is “enough” – with God? It will be a sorry day in hell when so-called “christians” arrive there wondering, “What the hell!? How did I end-up here!?
Don’t wait till hell! Now is the time, now is the moment to pause and ponder: What does God expect of me? Read the Bible. Ask yourself: What do I need to do to make sure God accepts me into His Kingdom? Is there something missing here with me and God – now?
Get “the heaven” into you. Get “the hell” out of your life now! Don’t leave the equation working in the background of your life.
Jesus said,
“Come to Me,
all who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest.
– Matthew 11:28
But there are caveats to receiving salvation in Christ that many fail to fulfill. [Caveat: a warning against certain acts. -Babylon] Here are three warnings by Christ Himself – for those who wish to be blessed by God on That Day:
(1) deny himself,
(2) take up his cross,
(3) follow me.
Have you done that? Are you doing that? Jesus basically says to us, If you want to get to heaven, you must do these three things….
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples,
“If anyone wishes to come after Me,
he must deny himself, and
take up his cross and
follow Me.
– Matthew 16:24
It is one thing “to wish” for and really really want God’s offer of salvation, but quite another thing to really, actually… deny, take up, and follow. For instance, Jesus made it clear to us that some folk are so tied-up by riches that they cannot “follow” Him. They like the idea — but not enough!
This one guy actually thought he had it all together and went as far as asking Jesus (Matthew 19:20),
“What lack I yet?“
This is the case of the rich young ruler: Jesus told him to sell all he had, give it to the poor and THEN come follow Him. But the man left, grieving, unable to truly follow Christ.
“22 But when the young man heard this statement,
he went away grieving;
for he was one who owned much property.
Matthew 19:22
Jesus knew that was his problem. So Jesus asked the key question. He knows your heart also.
What’s your problem? What is keeping you from truly following Christ? Riches which control you, ego, vanity, sex outside marriage, rebelliousness, pride, fame, power, self-centeredness, willfulness…? Keep it and you stay under condemnation, on the path to hell.
Matthew 19:21
21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be [perfect]complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Mark 8:34
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
It is not a matter of being perfect, because none of us is. If that was the prerequisite we would all go to hell! What it is – is a matter of your genuineness – giving yourself just as you are — and allowing Him to begin His work in you.
It is not a matter of speaking words, or saying a prayer of repentance.
We must be genuine in our repentance and accepting His Lordship. We must follow Him. Anything less means we are on the broad road that leads to destruction. Kind of scary, eh?… living on the brink! One heartbeat away from forever-heaven or forever-hell. Are you dancing on the brink? Or are you secure in Christ?
Credits:
– Summertime Blues -by Eddie Cochran
– Bad Boys, by Inner Circle
FOR MORE:
The Chutzpah of Wannabe Christians
Practicing Sin – Not Following Christ
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty
1 Corinthians 1:17-25 “…the simple message of the cross of Christ.”
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