Author Archive for: meiling

The Christian race is demanding, grueling, and sometimes agonizing. It takes a massive effort to finish strong. But many don’t. They may come to church and warm a pew, but their hearts aren’t in the race.

Jesus is the classic example of one who endured, in spite of temptation, accusations, and shame. The devil tempted Jesus nonstop for forty days. Jesus’ own family called him a lunatic. And, on the cross, he bore the collective shame of all humanity. How did he endure? By focusing on “the joy that God put before him”—that was the prize of heaven. And what he saw gave him strength to finish—and finish strong.

Someday we will be seated, and Christ will christen the meal with these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And in that moment, the race will have been worth it.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories of something lost and something found. A lost sheep. A lost coin. And a lost son. At the end of each story, Jesus describes a celebration. The point is clear. Jesus is happiest when the lost are found.

Jesus rejoices because he knows what awaits the saved. In Heaven, you will at long last, have a heart just like his. Guiltless. Fearless. Tirelessly worshiping. Flawlessly discerning. Jesus also rejoices that we are saved from hell. He says there’s only one sound there, and that is the “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Every person you meet has been given an invitation to dinner. When one says yes, celebrate! When one hesitates, urge him to get ready. You don’t want anyone to miss the party.

Proverbs 4:23 advises, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Think of your heart as a greenhouse and consider your thoughts as seed. We must be selective about the seeds we allow to come into the greenhouse. To have a pure heart, we must submit all our thoughts to the authority of Christ. You see, your mind is the doorway to your heart. The Holy Spirit stands with you on the threshold, helping you manage and filter the thoughts that try to enter. If Jesus agrees with the thought, then let it in. If not, kick it out.

How do you know if Jesus agrees or disagrees? You open your Bible. Armed with the opinion of Christ and the sword of the Spirit, guard the doorway of your heart. The more selective you are about seeds, the more delighted you will be with the crop.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world” (MSG). We are God’s witnesses.

And we are to speak truthfully. God loves the truth and God hates deceit. But Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things” (NIV). How do we explain our dishonesty? Well, for one thing, we don’t like the truth because the truth isn’t fun. The wages of deceit is death. Not death of the body, perhaps, but death of a marriage, a conscience, a career, or faith. But perhaps the most tragic death that occurs from deceit is our witness.

Examine your heart. Do you tell the truth…always? If not, start today. Be just like Jesus. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.