Stand up for Jesus

James Patterson and Peter Kim conducted a large survey of the American public. Out of the date, they wrote the book, “The Day America Told the Truth.” Some interesting facts emerged from the survey about our nation’s religious life. They reported that ninety percent of all Americans say the believe in God, but fewer than 15 percent turn to God or the Bible in making their decisions. Religion plays very little in shaping their opinions about public policy. More than half the people in our country do not go to church. The majority of the rest who do go to church are not aware of what their church believes on important issues. Only one in five will go to a minister or the Bible for guidance on an issue, and only one in 10 believes in all Ten Commandments. It is hard to believe a supposed revival is happening in our country.

This is similar to what was happening when Jesus Christ came to earth. People were religious, but it did not affect their lives. The Lord Jesus Christ told people they had to make a decision — either god was to rule their lives or they would rule themselves. He said the could choose the narrow path or the wide path, one is the road to life while the other is the road to destruction, one produces good fruit, while the other produces bad. Read Matthew 7:13-20. This message was not very popular then and is not very popular in our times either. Most people want to have a little religion but not enough to impact their lives, obeying God when it suits them and disobeying when they want to go their own way.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this is impossible. We must not twist the Bible to make it more acceptable to our culture and lives. We are to read, believe and obey the word of God. We must stand up for Jesus and His word without fear of what others think. Jesus did not leave us much wiggle room, either we follow God or we reject Him. Let me encourage you to read Matthew 7:21-23 about entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us stand up for Jesus in truth, obedience and love.