The last few weeks have been huge in my life. Primarily because as I've been going more to the Word of God, I've been feeling miserable. Miserable because I've been trying to find examples of lives transformed by God today, just like I read in Scripture, and it's painful to not find any. I mean, maybe you can point out someone, but here's the thing: Shouldn't all who call themselves "Christians" reflect the faith they so boldly profess?

If our churches seized to exist, would our communities feel the impact? Would the suffer the consequences? Or would things just go on the same?

If Jesus walked in our time, would he go to our churches? Would he be content at what our churches have turned out to be? or would he start his own thing? Would he leave after worship or not even bother going at all?

James 1:22 says "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."

More and more I see our churches like this. Lot's of faith from the mouth out, but no changed lives to show for it; no love towards the lost, despised, poor, unpopular. We play church very well on Sundays, and blend it so great the rest of the week.

Sometimes I feel we need to re-evangelize our own churches and remember that becoming a Christian is not just about receiving Jesus and going to heaven, but actually surrendering completely and with everything to him instead. While most churches will say what people want to hear, to keep them happy, I think Jesus would simply say, "If you don't give me everything, don't even bother!"

The church seems lukewarm. That is a problem. Too many Christians are too comfortable and too warm. Too many are only fooling themselves.

We need to be bold with the Gospel message; we need to give the complete Gospel. Not just the benefits, but the demand; the cost of following Jesus. Scripture says that by their fruit you will know them. My question is, in today's Church, where's the fruit?

Labels: james, lukewarm, re-evangelize