If you are experiencing increased attacks from the enemy, let’s claim all this is because we are on the right side of the war, on Jesus’ side.

The most dangerous place is where a Christian avoids the battle.

Several responses to that question:

+Some despise the question because they simply don’t want Jesus in their boat.  But . . .

“One day every knee will bow;

One day every tongue will confess, ‘You are Lord.’

Still the greatest treasure remains

For those who gladly choose You now.”

+Some who follow Jesus forget that He is in the boat.  But He said . . .

“I will never leave you or forsake you.”

“I am with you always, to the end of the world.”

+Some who started following Jesus expected a smooth ride.  Truth is, Jesus said . . .

“In this world you will have trouble;

But be of good cheer—I have overcome the world.”

“If the world hated me, they will hate you.”

+Some who have Jesus in the boat still try to row it alone.

Personally now:  Do you face the storm with frantic fear, or faith?

We try harder and find the storm gets worse—it’s too much for us.  Jesus reminds us . . .

“Come to Me, all of you who labor and are heavy loaded, and I will give you rest.”

“My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”

+Some remember to call on Jesus at the last desperate moment, and yell at him.

Does Jesus help then, or fuss them?  Both.

He rebukes the storm, and it is calm.

And, He rebukes his followers, “Why were you fearful, Oh you of little faith.”

+But what if Jesus is not in the boat?

Whose fault is that?

And who caused the storm anyway?

Sometimes Jesus shows up in the storm, not in the boat (and scares the living daylights out of us).

Sometimes Jesus causes the storm, without consulting us.

Unbelievable—can we trust Him then?

Yes—we have to.  Yes—we choose to.

“Trust in the Lord, and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Walking in the dark makes you stumble.

Walking in the light makes you a target.

If you have answers, does anybody know?

If you have light, does anybody see?

If you have the light of Jesus, will you risk letting it shine?

“Let your light so shine before people, that they may see your good deeds, and give glory to your Father in heaven.”     —–Jesus

Denominations within Christianity create a danger for people to worship their church more than God.

Here is one example, and it could apply to others.

+++Lutherans have a struggle completely accepting Non-Lutheran Christians.  Incompatible with many of their written doctrine statements.

+++Lutherans absolutely don’t know what to do with Ex-Lutheran Christians.  Intolerable to think something is missing in their tightly held system.

+++Lutherans totally lose it and simply can’t relate to Ex-Lutheran Christian Relatives.  Inconceivable that such an impossible happens.

You see, we all want to think we have arrived at answers to everything.  So from day one, man has created spiritual systems to give people security, but often with help from the enemy of our souls.

If we have Jesus, we have all the answers we need.  When we add to that with man-made structures, we start to lose the real thing.  Then the religious system gets big and strong, and has to control and question anyone who veers from it.  Often that is not pretty.

There are two parts to this issue, but first raise the more significant question, “Why do you ask?”

Most people have issues with God because they don’t want to be accountable to Him.  We know we will fail the accountability test, so we grasp for anything that may help distract from that reality.

If God was fair,

One—You and I would be toast.  The ten commandments provide plenty to explain the bad in the world, and the bad inside every one of us.

0r,

Tw0—Someone would be toasted for us.  And that is what happened.  We can all comprehend someone doing us a favor, giving us a gift, paying a debt for us.  But the big one—someone dying for us so we don’t have to die and go to hell—most people want to avoid that.  And yet it is the best deal in all of history, and forever.

Maybe God is not fair—making his own son die so we can go to heaven.  But that’s what He did.  He told us all about it in the Bible.  It’s a free ticket out of the worst place to the best place to go after we die.

The catch—He just expects to be in charge of  our entire life from then on.  Not only the best deal—the only deal.