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NewsletterWhere's the BeefBack in the 1980’s Wendy’s restaurant had a series of commercials that featured actors asking, “Where’s the beef?” when they were eating competitors hamburgers. The insinuation was that other restaurants did not have much substance (or “beef”) in their burgers as compared to Wendy’s hamburgers.While the commercials were definitely entertaining, I think it’s time we start asking ourselves the same question. Where’s the beef? Or in spiritual terms, where is the fruit? The Bible is very clear that true Christians – men and women whose lives have been transformed by the living God – can’t help but bear fruit. Jesus himself pointed this out to His disciples in Matthew 7:17-19: “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Jesus’ brother, James, puts it this way: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? …In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. …You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 1:15, 17, 19 It’s not enough to just believe that God exists and claim to be a Christian. Nor is it enough to just go sit in a church for an hour on Sundays. According to the Bible, true, authentic faith cannot help but permeate all facets of our life. It’s the natural result of a changed (aka “regenerated”) heart. The problem is that many Christians today are completely ignorant of what the Bible actually teaches. Researcher George Barna recently conducted a study that revealed that less than one in every 10 believers possess a biblical worldview as the basis for his or her decision-making and behavior. His conclusion was that the Christian body in the United States is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy. The most widely known "verse" among adults and teens who claimed to be believers was "God helps those that help themselves." The problem is that you won't find it in the Bible. Men, this falls squarely on our shoulders. As the spiritual leaders in our homes we have to lead by example. It’s scary to think that 90% of self-professed “Christians” really don’t know the Bible. And I’m not talking about a doctorate-level mastery of Biblical history here. According to the statistics, 90% of Christian men do not know enough about the Bible to impact the decisions they make or the actions they take. So the question is, can we really call ourselves Christians (literally translated ‘disciples of Christ’), if we don’t know enough about God and His Word to even shape our lives? For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom. Colosians 3:16a It’s time to stop playing “church” and start living for Christ. Start today by making a commitment to spend time in the Word every day. Even if it’s just 5-10 minutes a day – your life can’t help but be changed when you embed the Word of God into your heart. And you’ll also have an answer the next time you hear someone ask, “Where’s the beef?” Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 |
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