I Give Up!

I have been contacted by a number of people this year who have said in essence, "I give up! I cannot be a Christian. This is too hard. I can feel my heart growing harder towards God. Those who claimed to be saved have shown themselves to be hypocrites and have let me down. This whole faith thing cannot be real. I just thought Jesus would be different."  I received another of those messages tonight.

These statements remind me of a dream the Lord gave me years ago, about which I began to write a book entitled, "Why Adam Cannot Be Saved". It is like I am watching this dream come to life before my eyes, which confirms for me that I need to complete that writing. However, I am just tonight finishing another book with my pastor called "The Organic Gospel"; and that too is very fitting.

Don't get me wrong.  I completely understand that each individual must make their own choices in life.  I also know that there will be (and is currently) a great apostasy as people turn away from God and go back to the world.  Yet, a big part of the issue I believe is that people have no idea what it means to be saved.

The Help

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." I Corinthians 12:28

It is interesting how we see ourselves, including after salvation.  Even our perceptions of who we are and what God can do through us must be cast down (II Corinthians 10:5).  Our image of ourselves, our past, our experiences, our weaknesses, our inabilities, our shortcomings, our comfort zones...must all be brought to naught and made new in Christ in order to move forward in Him. 

I have long thought that my calling in the Lord was to be in the ministry of "helps".  It seemed to be what I was good at: helping others.  Someone needed help finding a job?  I could help.  Someone needed help with a particular writing?  I could help.  Someone needed a website created?  I could help.  Adults needed for children's church?  I could help.  A performance by the dance ministry was desired?  I could help.

I was always happy to help others as it gave me a sense of purpose.  I was being fruitful in the things of the Lord.  After all, God has given us all talents for the benefit of the Body of Christ.  Yet, there may come a time when God expects you to use your talents directly and not just lend them to others for the work He has called them to do.  What about the work He has called you to do?

In the parable of the talents, each person had individual responsibility for investing the talents God had given them and bringing about their own resulting increase to the Kingdom.  God gives "to every man according to his several ability" and each was held individually accountable.  It was not enough for the servants to just give their talents to others to invest (Matthew 25:14-30).  Similarly, we must prove our own selves faithful with what God has entrusted to us.