Fish or Cut Bait!
I’ve heard it said that the most miserable person in the world is the one who straddles the fence, not committed to either the world or Jesus.
Pastor Francis Chan, in one of his sermons, tells the story of meeting Christians in Asia and observing their “all-in” lives for Jesus. He witnessed Christians fill an entire church until there was only standing room for a very early morning prayer meeting. He related that Christians from the United States were very “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:15–18), and the Asian Christians were all astounded and shocked that Christians here in the United States would leave a church because they didn’t like a particular part of it (music, preaching, etc.). When Chan asked them why they were so incredulous about that fact, they responded in unison, “There are no lukewarm Christians here. When we each made the decision to become a Christian, we were threatened with persecution, imprisonment, and death! Many of us have been disowned by our families and have lost our jobs, places to live, and our livelihoods. . . . In our country, the only people who choose Jesus are serious—because it could likely mean them losing their very lives!”
I know, that’s pretty heavy stuff, but I want you to understand that your eternal life hangs in the balance.
“Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him’ ” (1 Kings 18:21, NIV). The prophet Elijah, when speaking to the backslidden people, was straightforward with them: it’s decision time! Fish or cut bait! We have reached a point in our world where there is no time to waste. If you call yourself a Christian . . . then stand up and be counted. Don’t just live it for several hours on one day or for several minutes during worship time—but live it all the time.
As this New Year begins—hopefully our last one here on earth—make a decision to be on fire for Jesus. Don’t be cold or just lukewarm. Be all-in for Him. After all, He was all-in for you!
