I once had someone tell me she believed “a little of each religion.”  She chose her favorite parts of each, and went with it. Interesting approach. Maybe she thought if she believed a little of everything, she’d be more certain of heaven after death. Or a good afterlife. Or better reincarnation… Depending on the religion. 

But I shared with her the one thing that makes Christianity different. The majority of other religions (apart from atheism and Satanism I guess) is about man’s effort to reach God (good works, a list of rules, trying to be better than average). But Christianity is about God taking the initiative to reach us. For those who realize we can’t make it to heaven on our own effort. 

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of watching a young man be baptized. He had been raised Muslim, and he said its so amazing to be able to KNOW you are going to heaven… Through Jesus’ effort, His forgiveness, Him being the Way. See, the Muslim faith is one of many with an emphasis on works- being good enough to get to heaven. 

But what a scary standard!  How good is good enough? Does God grade on a curve? What if you have an A average in life but have a few inevitable F’s?  Is it enough to get to heaven?  Does the fact you’ve never murdered, never been in jail, never done (you fill in the blank) mean you are guaranteed a good seat in heaven? Or are you not so sure?

The Bible says that if you hate someone, that’s the same as committing murder in your heart (1 John 3:15) So if God is looking even at the heart… Your thoughts… How certain are you that God sees you as fit for His Kingdom?

I have been reading a book series about the Muslim faith, and my heart has softened with compassion towards these people. It seems some Muslims believe you are guaranteed heaven if you die as a martyr for Allah, especially if you kill Jews or Christians in the process. No wonder people do this, if they doubt their own goodness is enough to get to heaven, they may cling to this hoping they will then be going to heaven for sure. 

But I serve a God of Love, not a god of hate. 

And Jesus, God’s Son, has taken the initiative, left heaven to clothe Himself with humanity, suffer, die in our place (since our failures prevent us from getting to heaven otherwise), taking the full measure of the wrath of God for our sins on Himself, dying, and defeating death by coming back to life, and now being the Bridge through whom we can reach out to this God who has reached out to us. Forgiven. In right standing with a Holy God. With our sins washed away, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We just need to believe it, ask for Jesus’ forgiveness, and give our lives to His leadership. 

How I thank God that we can KNOW we are going to heaven!  

Have more questions? Want to talk to someone about this more? Click here.  Or leave me a comment, I’ll do my best to answer. 

Don’t try to make it to heaven on your own good works any longer. Good works alone can never cross that bridge. Jesus is the only Way. 

Not secure. A chronic sense of not being enough, not having enough.  A belief that you would be secure IF ….  

Insecurity by definition. 

I’m reading a book by Beth Moore called, “So Long, Insecurity. You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us.”  I can’t recommend this book enough to all my female friends. 

See, we assume we have a picture of what a truly insecure woman looks like, and we probably don’t fit the mold. Sure, we have some insecurities, but we aren’t THAT person. 

But Beth Moore deals with our preconceived notions such as these, helps us get to the root of some insecurities in our own lives, and start seeing ourselves as God sees us- beautiful, whole, beloved. Complete in Him. 

The line that got me most in her book so far is this:  “Perfectionism is insecurity in art form.”

I actually debated with her (in my own mind) when I read this line- but the more I thought about it, she’s right. The times I am trying most to be perfect and have everything under my control are the times I am really (if I’m honest with myself) most afraid of failure or terrified that others won’t hold me in as good of a light if I’m not perfect in that situation. 

Can you relate?

Sometimes I even avoid doing something good because I fear it won’t be great- exactly as she described in her book. How sad!  No wonder Satan wants to keep struggling with insecurity because then we don’t step out in faith and obedience because we fear we will be rejected or laughed at.  Maybe we fear our passion for something God has called us to do will at best just be tolerated or at worst even go unnoticed. 

Yet God loves us, delights in us, sees us as beautiful and wonderfully made, rejoices over us, and wants us to find our security in the only place that will give us lasting security, true security- in Him. 

Thank You Jesus for who we are in You. Thank You for loving us. Pull out roots of insecurity in us and help us find perfect security in You alone.