Bankrupt God

For some Americans, god went bankrupt last fall. How? Because money was their god. And when the economy crashed, their god failed them. Many lost everything.

For others, sports is a god. That god has been morally and ethically bankrupt for a long time.

“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that a little extreme?”

Not if we listen to Jesus. He spoke truth in a way that helps us understand the lies we believe.

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Your master, your god is what you serve. It’s what makes you feel alive. For some folks it’s money. It occupies their every waking thought. Follow the money. It’s all about the money.

For others, it’s sports. It starts out as a harmless hobby. But soon they eat, sleep and breathe sports. It’s all they want to talk about. It’s the most important thing in their lives. They live for sports. Sports becomes their god. But sports makes a poor god.

You hear at school how great sports is. How it builds character.

Tell that to all the disappointed fans of sports stars who used performance enhancing drugs. Tell it to the coaches who have all they can do to keep some players out of jail.

If money, sports or anything else is your god, it will let you down every time. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy your soul and give you peace, purpose and provide for your needs.

When you follow Jesus, he blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about getting religion. I’m speaking of a one to one, heart to heart relationship with your creator-God, Jesus Christ. He loves you and died for your sin on the cross almost two thousand years ago.

I’m also not talking about just going to a church or joining an organization.

Just as Jesus came to serve others, so Christ’s followers find joy and purpose in serving others together in his name. Local churches give the opportunity to do that. But a church can’t save your soul or change your life. Only Jesus Christ can do that.

Following Jesus is a journey. It begins when one puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ.

The first step is to hear the gospel and believe he is the Son of God as he claimed. That his death paid the penalty for your sin. And that his resurrection is the basis for a new life through faith in Christ. (Don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.)

You continue the journey by becoming part of a local church. There you can explore and grow in your faith in Christ. You can worship God in spirit and in truth. And you will find opportunities to put your faith in action by sharing your faith with others and serving the needy.

Through the trials of life you learn that God is faithful. As you grow closer to him, your life takes on a whole new purpose and meaning compared to what you were before. Soon you realize that every task and every person in need is an opportunity to serve God and grow in your faith.

Sadly not everyone follows Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

When it comes to worshipping God you have a choice. Don’t serve any of the bankrupt gods of this age. You can’t depend on them. Instead choose the narrow road, the path less traveled.

Follow Jesus. Learn from him. Live for him. Because in the end, that’s all that matters.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!