Has Your Check to God Bounced?

Have you ever written a check thinking that you had the funds in the bank to cover it only to find out a few days later that it bounced?

I have some bad news for you: "Every day you write one to God only to have it bouncing on you." Wait you might be saying I have never had a check bounce that I write to the church or I have not failed on my obligations to the church because I do all of these good deeds or even as some think "I keep the Sabbath, the Holy Days and observe all of the rules, or I go to church every Sunday and pay my tithes, etc.".

Let me explain what I am talking about. We often have the idea that the checks we write to the church or the good deeds we perform make us right with God. That is a wrong way of thinking because it is a gospel of Jesus plus. It is also wrong because no matter how hard we try we will always end up sinning. Oh we might not commit murder, rob a bank, have an affair but almost every day we are going to get angry with someone, lie, think more highly of ourselves than others, or not grant grace or mercy to others. At that point our check bounces and we again owe God.

Paul tells us in Romans 3: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

and he tells us in Romans 4: 4 when we try to work for our salvation we miss the mark

Romans 4: 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

Now you might be thinking so what is the good news in all of this. What can I do to be made right in God's eyes?

Paul answers that in Romans 3: 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

and in Romans 5: 9-11 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

The Good News about your bounced check is the Banker has set up an over draft system that covers you. God knew you and I could not possibly go through a day, a week, a month, a year or a life without sinning and there by bouncing our check to Him and falling back into debt. To cover our failing to have sufficient fund deposited in His bank He provided a way to have our bounced check covered through the sacrifice of His son.

The bad news you will never be perfect in this life and the Good News is God knows that and made a way to shield you from your sin. All you have to do is recognize He is God, His son Jesus died for you and rely on His Holy Spirit to help you in your daily walk.

Sounds simple doesn't it? The answer is Yes and No.

This post resulted from a sermon heard at Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS.

The American Dream Stolen

It is true! The American Dream has been stolen and replaced by one of success, fortune and fame. It is not only true about the American society as a whole but it is also true in the Church.

It seems everyone is dreaming of a bigger home, a faster car, more powerful ipod, iphone, or laptop. It seems that success is measured by the clothes one wears, the car one drives or the home or area one lives in.

Let's look at what the founding fathers of the United States saw as measurements of success.

From the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The United States Constitution was written to protect the people from their government taking away those rights.

The American Dream is really about being free and having the security that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness protected.

The American Dream is not found in a bigger home, a faster car or even wealth. Our founding father's knew that a home can burn to the ground, wealth can disappear over night and those can be replaced but freedom true freedom is much more valuable than any material thing.

Today we find mega-churches and other church organizations preaching a wealth and health message instead about the freedom found in Jesus Christ. I believe God is not against good health or even wealth but He detests a life that is focused and measured in those.

I am reading a book by David Platt that encourages us to "Take back your faith from the American Dream". The book is called, "Radical" and is all about Jesus teaching about what it means to follow Him. I encourage you to get this book and read it with an open mind. Let God show you where in your own life you have abandoned Jesus idea of what being His follower is all about. Then if you are Radical enough make the changes to become His disciple.

WARNING!!!! To be a follower of Jesus will mean buying completely into His teachings and selling out to His way of life.

David Platt is the pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, which is a 4,000 member congregation so I think he knows what it means to get caught up in the thrill of seeing numbers as success.