I am quite sure you have heard the title of my blog before. Its my way or the highway Bub. Or perhaps this one…take it or leave it Mack. When a man or a woman comes to the point in his or her life…that they make a decision for Christ. This process is not a negotiation. You don’t say yes Lord I want you in my life…But! To begin with. Lets talk about how this scenario unfolds in ones life. And then we will dig a little more deeply into the reality of what can be expected. The gospel of John chapter 6 verse 44. Jesus is speaking to the crowd….No man can come to me unless the Father who sent me first draws him near… And just 0ne more scripture before I begin.. which is found in Matthews gospel chapter 20 and verse 16….For many are called but few are chosen. Now that we have set a little ground work in place. What do you say we try to do a little building? First of all Jesus himself just said that nobody can even walk down the path of salvation unless God the Father calls him. As you can plainly see and read. The plan for your and my salvation is initiated by a call from God. That still  small voice within us that begins by telling each of us that things need to change. And they need to change now. We then read that Jesus said…that he calls many people but few are chosen. The word chosen simply implies those who finish the course of their Christian walk to its ultimate conclusion. Judas Iscariot for instance was 0ne of the initial twelve apostles. And yet there came a time when he gave himself back to the temptation of Satan. And he sold out our Lord for a bag of silver coins. In Matthew chapter 26 verse 24…Jesus speaks about the betrayal. Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. For it would be better for him if he had never been born.

God does not take it lightly when he is rejected. One can not begin to imagine the fate that awaits you when God himself says it would be better that you were not born. And he’s not talking about abortion for those of you who think that’s okay as well. Unless you repent of that sin you will wish you weren’t born as well. And for a further layer of intensity we will peruse what the apostle Paul says about behaving badly in the book of Hebrews chapter 10…beginning in verse 25. By the way my wayward reader. If you think in some twisted way…and I know you do…that what you don’t know cant hurt you. You couldn’t be more wrong. You will be held even more accountable for having the bible readily available and choosing not to read it . And instead… doing things your own way. You know the gig…a little God a little rap music…a little God and a little homosexuality…a little God and a little pornography…a little God and tying one on once a week. A little God and a little tax evasion. Are you getting this?

And now back to Paul’s lesson…Do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together…That would be going to church…we continue..as the manner of some is. But exhort one another to do so. Verse 26…For if we continue to sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth. There remains no further sacrifice for your sins. But a certain looking forward for judgement and fiery wrath…which will devour you and the adversaries of God as well. Verse 28…those who despised Moses law were killed without mercy under the vision of two or three witnesses. Of how much greater a punishment do you think that he shall be thought worthy of…who has trampled under their feet the Son of God? And has counted the blood of the covenant…with which he was sanctified an unholy thing. And has done this despite of the Spirit of grace that was given to them.

For we know Him who has said…Vengeance is mine…I will repay says the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. I cannot remember in my Catholic church the last time I heard a message on wrath..sin..and the fires of hell. And that has allot to do with money..Unfortunately greed and comfortablity has made its way into the House of God. But of course you already know that because greed and sin and being comfortable are three of your own favorite things. Aren’t they? And since most of the people who are going to church. When they decide to go…are like you. The pastor has decided to keep the messages nicety nice. After all he doesn’t want you to stop coming and leaving your lousy George Washington in the basket. Pastors can also be lead astray by the money and their own comfort as well. Tell your Pastor or priest that you are sick and tired of this trash. They are doing the entire body of Christ a disservice by not preaching the Word of God in its entirety. This is not some walk in the park my friends. Christianity is for real men and women. It will try every aspect of your humanity over and over and over again. Like the heat or a furnace which is used in the process of tempering steel. It going to get a little hot at times. You can count on it.

The bible says that many are the afflictions of the righteous. But then He adds that He will deliver you through them all. He doesn’t say that he will take you out of them or cause you to avoid them. He says that He will deliver you through them. They are designed and implemented to make you stronger and stronger as your walk with Christ progresses. This is not some Honky Dory scenario folks. Walking with Christ will test the very fiber of your being day in and day out. So what do you say? Would you like to join our little group? Sounds like a good time doesn’t it? Frankly I don’t believe that you are man or woman enough to do so. But that’s not my decision. If you are like most you will maintain your current course of action. But the coordinates that your vessel is cruising towards. Will end in a collision with an iceberg. And we know how that ended…To be continued