The True Amen

"The only real test of conviction is the desire and willingness to sacrifice."
-E. Gideon

I've shared before on various occasions from the pulpit that if the audience were to see me during the weakest points of my life they would drive me out of the church and never listen to me again.
Yet, if I were allowed the ability to share every thought they'd ever had (in traffic, at work, during those difficult moments or times of temptation) on a big screen with the entire congregation- then they'd be so ashamed that they'd run all the way to Mexico and never look back once.

I say that to state that I am far from a perfect individual and am in no way qualified to lead SGM, Inc. or to plant Teen Challenge in Peru- yet I am willing.
I will do whatever it takes to ensure that the Lord's name is glorified amongst the forgotten people of our world.

This, in my estimation, is the reason that the Lord is willing and able to use my wife and I- because we are willing to be used.

It is easy in a charismatic and many evangelical churches to get a hearty "AMEN" during a sermon. We're so used to saying "Amen" with our mouths in the church,

but as soon as Monday rolls around we say "No Man" with our actions.

The best AMEN we can give is to live out the message in it's fullness!

The truth is that our convictions don't mean ANYTHING if we aren't willing to change our lifestyle, our spending habits, our behaviors, etc... We can tell the world what we believe till we're blue in the face and NOT ONE HEART WILL BE MOVED. Yet, if we live out even a small fraction of what we believe we will see hearts all over our world melt in the light of our lived out convictions.

After speaking with a close friend tonight I was surprised at how someone he knew worked like a dog at two very high paying jobs putting in 90+ hours per week in order to purchase the house he desired. I was reminded of the times I worked 2 or 3 jobs at the same time in order to purchase something I wanted or to pay for a trip I desired to take. I pictured the average American worker who sweats, toils, suffers hardship and often insult and does it all so that they can have a better lifestyle.

We do it so that we can have a nicer car or a bigger home,

newer toys or better standards of living.

THEN I HAD TO ASK MYSELF- WOULD WE TOIL IN SUCH A MANNER

IF OUR ONLY REWARD WERE THE SOULS OF THE LOST?

I don't have to search long for an answer. The simple answer is NO.

The vast majority of Western Christians DO NOT toil and labor in order to advance God's will or His kingdom, we toil to advance OUR LIVES. We don't work hard to ensure that the lost hear the message of the Savior. We work so that our houses and attics can be filled with goods.

We are so focused on this temporal life that we are missing out on the ONLY REASON we are here on this Earth...TO DO GOD'S BIDDING.

The church is here on Earth for one reason only, and that is to glorify the name of Jesus Christ amongst mankind. Any other reason or motive for our labors, our lifestyle, our expenditures, etc.. is WORTHLESS in the light of eternity. Yet we've settled for smoke when we could have had the fire. We've settled for a message of prosperity when we could have had life change.

Lord help us to be eternally profound and temporally shallow. Help us God to live out the true amen and be willing to sacrifice everything if it means it will bring honor to Your name.

I INVITE EACH READER TO WATCH THIS 50 SECOND VIDEO

AND LET IT SPEAK TO YOUR HEART:

http://youtu.be/dZdMHZ5IZUI