HE'S ALL THAT

Date: Sun Feb 11 21:20:30 2007

When a woman meets a man, she is often swept off her feet. She is blown away by his charm, his knowledge, and the wonderful way he treats her. Often that feeling is short-lived and changes when reality sets in. In some cases, the woman is fortunate enough to see the truth before getting married. Other times, the charade lasts only long enough to tie the knot and then bitter reality sets in.

Some people meet the Lord ñ sometimes at an altar when the appeal is to come for salvation. A free ticket to eternal life. A more fulfilled life and a release from the burden of sin is great and euphoric and ìall thatî.

If the relationship does not progress, and if the love freely given by Jesus is not reciprocated by the person, there can be real disillusionment. A life that doesnít bear fruit brings guilt and the relationship with the Lord can decline and become unsatisfying. We like the benefits of a relationship, but we starves the relationship by not reciprocating his love. We believe he will be a great provider for us, but arenít thrilled about all that he expects from us. Often, we begin to pursue other love interests without divorcing him, and believe that his benefits remain intact. We mistake his longsuffering for acceptance of our ungodly life.

I want to propose a better solution. Rather than trying to milk Christ for what you can get out of him, have a straight-up relationship with him. Come to him and let him have full reign in your life. After all, the Bible teaches us that we are the bride of Christ. Christ is our husband ñ our provider, yes, but more than that our lover, our protector, our FRIEND. Jesus Christ is perfect and he is the only one worth committing ourselves to. HEíS ALL THAT! Heís the Rose of Sharon, the Bright and Morning Star, the Fairest of Ten Thousand. Heís Wonderful, Heís Counselor, Heís the Mighty God. Heís the everlasting Father, Heís the Prince of Peace.

What more could ANYONE want? Yet MOST people chose a lying chameleon, the Prince of the Power of the Air. They chose as their lover the one who inspires Howard Stern, Britney Spears, Osama Bin Laden and others. The one who expressed himself best in Hitler, Saddam, Stalin, and Mao. The one who has billions of children of disobedience. The one who set sin and death in motion on the earth. What a loser! Why would any sane person listen to such a deceiver? Simple, he doesnít cross the human will, at least initially. Drugs? OK. Sexual lust? For sure. Money lust? By all means. Pride? Like Father, like son. They exchange the treasures of God for empty promises and certain destruction.

Yet, some who have come to know Christ still like to date the devil. They want the benefits of God, the stability of a solid husband while still engaging their desires on the wild side with the Prince of Darkness. This ought not to me. Donít you know you adulterous people that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God?

Our God IS all that. Our Lord and Savior is ALL we need. We are only truly happy when he is the head of our home and we are satisfied with what he gives to us. He WILL cross our will and ask us to sacrifice for him. He has that right, since he sacrificed for us. Yet, we want the benefits of his sacrifice without reciprocating, without truly identifying with him in his death and resurrection.

I say, forsake all other lovers! Throw away the pictures from all other suitors. Tear up their letters and be set free from the grip they have on your soul. Throw yourself only into the arms of the Lord Jesus and forsake all others. You will swoon at the love he will shower on you. You will be filled with inexpressible joy and gladness. You will be ecstatic in his love. I have known the Lord for over 50 years. I tell you this, and so will millions of others if you will only listen to them, HEíS ALL THAT!