I am going to share with all of you the most
encouraging message I have ever heard in my life. Here is the best advice I
have ever received, and now I am going to pass it along to you. Do you want to
know what it is? Here you go: You can't do it. There. That's it. It's that simple. We
live in a society where we are constantly told, "You can do it!"
"You can achieve success!" "Be yourself." "Believe in
yourself." "Go after your dreams!" and more. If you ask me, that
sounds like a lot of pressure. You might say, "Well, not if you try
hard." "Not if you put your mind to it." "Not if you have
the will." or what about the famous, "Where there's a will, there's a
way." Chew on this: "There is a Way, and He will." Just made
that up.
Now, let me try to explain this as briefly and as best as I can. To sum it up, life is hard. Whether you're a Christian or not, this life is hard. Let me tell you something else. If you think that Christians have it easy, think again. If you think that by becoming a Christian, you're taking an easier road, you've got it all wrong. If you think all your problems will be solved, nothing bad will ever happen to you, you will always have the best of everything, then let me share this with you. I've already said, Christian or not, we all face hard times. Now, let me tell you the difference that I've discovered. If you are without Christ, you are alone. You are trying to make it through this life on your own. You are trying to make decisions for your family, you are trying to go in the right direction, you are trying to get through this life, until it ends; but I bet you are frustrated. I bet you feel like giving up. Well, let me tell you, giving up is the best thing you could ever do. Does that sound like the message we hear today? "Never give up! Keep trying! Don't quit! Keep going!" is what we're hearing, but I'm here to tell you, GIVE UP. That's the difference. That's how you "become a Christian". You give up, you quit trying to do it on your own, and you stop right where you are and admit you need help.
Now a word to the "Christians" or "followers of Jesus Christ". Even if you are a Christian, you may feel alone at times. You may feel like you don't know which way to go. Even if you don't, I can guarantee you that you've fallen somewhere along your path and thought to yourself, "I'm gonna try harder next time." "I'm gonna be really committed this time." "I reallymean it this time, I'm not going back." "I'm gonna get up every day and have my quiet time." "I'm gonna try harder to make time to read my Bible." "I'm gonna try harder to be a 'better Christian'" Do you hear that? I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna? Guess what! It isn't about you! In fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with you at all! *"The Christian life is not difficult, the Christian life is not hard, the Christian life is IMPOSSIBLE!" Isn't that encouraging? Now think about it. Don't you feel better knowing that living the Christian life is impossible? Living is impossible anyway, but it gets worse when we're in control. Things go wrong when we're calling the shots, trying to do it in our own strength. That's when we fail, and I can guarantee you that you will fail every day if you try to do it all by yourself. So you're thinking, "Well what am I supposed to do then?" and here is the answer to your question. "You are supposed to die." "WHAT?" "Yes, die." "What do you mean by that?" I mean, every day when you wake up, you say, "I am dying to myself, to my desires, to my wants, to my needs, and I'm giving up right now, and giving all control over to God." That's all you have to do. Sounds pretty easy doesn't it? Well, it's not. You can't be perfect, so don't try. *"There was only one Guy who did it perfectly right and they named it after Him." So, when you do make an effort, do it believing that it's not you who's doing it, it's the Power within you. Jesus not only died for you, He lives for you today. He can live IN you today, if only you will let Him. You can face today, tomorrow, or any day after that, "just because He lives". Go on, let it sink in.
*Quotes from Louie Giglio--Passion '05
Now, let me try to explain this as briefly and as best as I can. To sum it up, life is hard. Whether you're a Christian or not, this life is hard. Let me tell you something else. If you think that Christians have it easy, think again. If you think that by becoming a Christian, you're taking an easier road, you've got it all wrong. If you think all your problems will be solved, nothing bad will ever happen to you, you will always have the best of everything, then let me share this with you. I've already said, Christian or not, we all face hard times. Now, let me tell you the difference that I've discovered. If you are without Christ, you are alone. You are trying to make it through this life on your own. You are trying to make decisions for your family, you are trying to go in the right direction, you are trying to get through this life, until it ends; but I bet you are frustrated. I bet you feel like giving up. Well, let me tell you, giving up is the best thing you could ever do. Does that sound like the message we hear today? "Never give up! Keep trying! Don't quit! Keep going!" is what we're hearing, but I'm here to tell you, GIVE UP. That's the difference. That's how you "become a Christian". You give up, you quit trying to do it on your own, and you stop right where you are and admit you need help.
Now a word to the "Christians" or "followers of Jesus Christ". Even if you are a Christian, you may feel alone at times. You may feel like you don't know which way to go. Even if you don't, I can guarantee you that you've fallen somewhere along your path and thought to yourself, "I'm gonna try harder next time." "I'm gonna be really committed this time." "I reallymean it this time, I'm not going back." "I'm gonna get up every day and have my quiet time." "I'm gonna try harder to make time to read my Bible." "I'm gonna try harder to be a 'better Christian'" Do you hear that? I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna? Guess what! It isn't about you! In fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with you at all! *"The Christian life is not difficult, the Christian life is not hard, the Christian life is IMPOSSIBLE!" Isn't that encouraging? Now think about it. Don't you feel better knowing that living the Christian life is impossible? Living is impossible anyway, but it gets worse when we're in control. Things go wrong when we're calling the shots, trying to do it in our own strength. That's when we fail, and I can guarantee you that you will fail every day if you try to do it all by yourself. So you're thinking, "Well what am I supposed to do then?" and here is the answer to your question. "You are supposed to die." "WHAT?" "Yes, die." "What do you mean by that?" I mean, every day when you wake up, you say, "I am dying to myself, to my desires, to my wants, to my needs, and I'm giving up right now, and giving all control over to God." That's all you have to do. Sounds pretty easy doesn't it? Well, it's not. You can't be perfect, so don't try. *"There was only one Guy who did it perfectly right and they named it after Him." So, when you do make an effort, do it believing that it's not you who's doing it, it's the Power within you. Jesus not only died for you, He lives for you today. He can live IN you today, if only you will let Him. You can face today, tomorrow, or any day after that, "just because He lives". Go on, let it sink in.
*Quotes from Louie Giglio--Passion '05
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