Salvation and Regeneration

American Idol: They removed “my JESUS.”

What a great heart warming performance from another touching episode of American Idol! During the “Give Back” Campaign of American Idol, they closed their program with a shocking and moving song written by Worship Leader: Darlene Zschech from Hillsong Church in Sydney Australia! The only “ironic problem” to this song and performance was that the lyrics were changed. They mentioned “shepherd” and “savior” which is true to the lyric of Darlene and the intent of the song, but void of one major word: JESUS!

Here is the original lyric written by Darlene Zschech:

My Jesus, My Savior
Lord there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love
My Comfort, My Shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Now I know that anyone who is a Christian will know who the “shepherd” is as defined in scripture, but Christians also need to be careful in thinking that this was a message that “glorified God”. The big problem with this however is the subtlety of removing the name of JESUS and allowing every person to insert “their own savior” into the message. A message without Jesus Christ is no message. While God is being “SHOUTED” and performed with good intentions, Jesus Christ (The only way, truth and life) is not being seen, acknowledged or even worshiped. The greatest demonstration of God’s glory was found in His son!

I know that God can speak to people’s hearts through that song, but be careful to glorify things that do not ultimately Glorify the Son.

To see for yourself check out the live video in my blogroll list…………

(The Gospel begins and ends with Jesus.)

Jesus vs. Religion

Kirk Cameron?

The Truth

Can you handle the truth?

The gospel message at it’s core is not something that is easy to swallow. Jesus came into this earth to die for every sin and sinner that put him to the cross! Unless we repent, accept and believe in that work, there is no way that we are able to be re-connected with God the father in a joined relationship with Him again. What kind of message is that you may ask? IT IS THE TRUTH! The problem with every human on this planet is that we think that we are naturally good and have no need of a savior. When we can admit to ourselves that we are born sinners and desperately are in need of a savior is the moment at which God’s saving Grace can be shown to our hearts. It is pride that causes us not to bow our knee to God and to our savior. Ultimately, we all one day will bow our knees to God as we stand before His judgment. The question is when will you decide to bow your knee? Will it be too late? In fact, we are all “bowing our knee” to something right now! Whether or not you believe it or acknowledge it. YOU ARE! The clothes that you wear. The music that you listen to. The boss that you work for. The business that you want to start. The person that you want to be like. There are so many things that we are consciously and unconsciously a slave to. We are bowing our knees whether or not we see it. WE WERE CREATED TO WORSHIP GOD! If we do not bow our knee to God in love and devotion, then we will be slaves to things that have no worth for the rest of our lives and those things that we are a “slave” to will end up controlling our affections and our attentions. Pride and selfineshess is coded into each one of us and causes us to sin no matter how good we think we are! It all leads and led to SIN! There needs to be a payment in my place to take away the sin that has offended my God!

The amazing part of the “good news” of Jesus is that God gave His son as a replacement for the sins of the world and for yours personally! You are no longer in debt to your sin as long as you repent to God and ask him to give you a new life and a new heart that is able to accept God’s grace and mercy. Left alone to yourself and sinful nature, you will not naturally want to seek after God. It is through His divine process where He changes your heart and gives you the eyes to see your faults, your flaws and your sin for what it really is! Until that point, there is no way that we ourselves (in our natural state) will surrender and submit ourselves to God.

The truth is that we have fallen from the Grace of God and that there is nothing that you can do or be to earn your way into heaven. Not by being a better person! Not by going to church every Sunday! Not by serving in the ministry! Not by saving the whales or even the planet! Truth is found only by accepting and believing in Jesus Christ and following His life’s example (as fully God and man) that leads us to a regenerated and restored relationship with God the Father.

The truth is until you accept that love and Grace, you are dead! You are walking around this planet searching for the truth. Though you may have some sort of “truth” or belief that you have stumbled upon finding in our relativistic society, THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUTH, ONE WAY, ONE LIFE! There is only one person who claimed to have that answer! It was in the person and in the work of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully man.

If you believe that Jesus was only a man and a good teacher, YOU ARE WRONG! I am not here to debate, but to point you to the scriptures. What will allow you to see the truth?

Can you handle it?

Click on the “Gospel in 6 minutes link” on this blog for a concise message of the gospel!

The Gospel in 6 minutes….