When Was the Last TIme You TRULY Relied on God?

I ran into a friend at the gym last night on my way to play racquetball. She and I talked for a few minutes about her trip next month. She is going to Georgia for 9 months. Not the state, which would still be a big step for a young adult. For most of us, moving several states away from all of our family and friends with no one that we know living there would be a huge move. She is going to the country of Georgia for almost a year. 


Her mother had a one word question for her, "Why?"


She could have given many answers, but the one that she gave put another question in her mom's mouth. "I feel led by God to do this." 


"Then why not go on a mission trip for a couple of weeks or a month, why do this for 9 months by yourself?"


"Because I want to know what it feels like to rely on God."


With that answer, there were no more questions from her mother. Why? Because it is true, if you go to another country with a group of people you know for several weeks you are doing a great thing. If you are building schools, digging wells, bringing food/water or teaching children it is a good thing that you do. But you are surrounded by people that you know, and you get to come right back home. If you go there by yourself to teach for 9 months, there is a lot more reliance on God than if you go with a group for a short while.


It brought to mind a question that I would ask you. When was the last time that you TRULY relied on God. I do not mean relying on him as in, "I have a test at the doctors tomorrow and I want you to pray for it to turn out well" or "I got laid off and I am trusting that God will help me find a job." I mean TRULY relied on him. When did you tithe when it meant that you might not be able to go to the movies and out to eat with your friends/family? When did you volunteer when it meant that you would have to miss your favorite television show?


It is easy to say that we rely on God in America, where even our poor are rich by the standards of most Third world countries. Our hungry here still generally have options, but sometimes there pride gets in the way of going to the pantry at church or applying for food stamps. When most Americans say that they have no money it does not mean that they do not have a penny. In some countries, no money means no money.  Most countries do not have unemployment, food stamps and Medicaid! When there are no jobs, it does not mean that their pride won't let them apply at McDonald's because they are too good to work there. It means that there are no jobs, period!! 


Just so you know, being prideful and following God do not belong in the same sentence. Let alone in the same life! God did not call us to be comfortable. To quote the poem at the end, He calls us to be "righteous, not right-ish" I had a friend who went to work for a state agency and in training she was told that if she was not stressed out, that she was not doing her job right. I would argue that if you are not uncomfortable, you may not be following Christ right:


John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."


1 John 3:13 - "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you."


Acts 14:22 - "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God"


We shall not be comfortable in this sinful world, if we are following Christ. How many of us watch movies and listen to music that glorify the same conduct that God flooded the world for in Genesis? How many of us watch shows on television that glorify the lifestyles and attitudes that God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah over? How many of us make excuses to continue committing the same sins that Christ died on the cross to forgive us for? When have you had to make a choice in your faith that would make you uncomfortable? 


Global University has a student who tells a story of unimaginable faith. She lived in Iran at the time this story occurred. She was marrying a man who lied to her and told her that he was going to convert to Christianity with her. After their marriage, she got pregnant. When she had the baby, the government stepped in and gave her a choice. She could either keep her baby and renounce Christ or remain a Christian and they would take her baby. Long story short, she no longer lives in Iran but her baby still does. 


This is the faith that we are called to have. Many of us would instead renounce Christ in public to keep our baby but would justify it by worshipping Christ in private. That does not follow with the examples in the Bible. Daniel 3:13-18 tells a story about 3 men who refused to worship in private:



Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

There are also stories of Daniel himself, who was cast to the lions. Or the deaths of 10 of the 12 disciples by martyrdom! We are to follow in Jesus footsteps, and he was crucified. So I ask you, when has someone belittled Christianity in front of you and you remained silent? When has someone expressed doubt in God and you did not testify? When has a brother in Christ that you have known for years sinned and you did not hold him accountable but were instead silent? When have you excused little sins because they are in your nature? To quote the poet at the end, "You don't almost go to hell when you almost get saved!"

And these are the little things I am asking about, I hope you understand. If you cannot do the least of these, how can you follow Christ when the going gets tough. In the end we will be hated and persecuted, but you cannot even take a stand when you can worship freely! I challenge you to stop being what Francis Chan calls "Lukewarm Christians." 

You cannot be "almost" saved and you cannot pick and choose how you "almost" follow Christ. Christ led us to not be seen as part of this world. The Bible instructs us:

Mark 4:19 - "but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

1 John 2:15 - "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."


We are called by Christ to live as he lived. We have been reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). We are made new in the attitudes of our minds (Ehpesians 4:23) which gives us the ability to find out what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:10) and then follow His example in both true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). What does this mean? It means that we will not almost appear to be Christians. They will know us by OUR WORKS!!!

Everything else is lip service. Do you know what I am talking about. Here is a great example in the form of a  poem by the Passion for Christ Movement (P4CM) poet Ezekiel Azonwu that tells us what can happen to us if we live as though we "Almost" have faith: