Extreme Faith

Admittedly, I am a person given to extremes.  My husband can attest to that.   He has had to endure many of my, “I am not going to ever again,”   “this is the best thing ever,”   “I will Always”  speeches.  God bless his patient soul.  If I find something new, I take it and I run with it.  I mean sprint.  Like the time I found out about the negative impact of hormones, high fructose corn syrup, and non organic products on your health.  I made up my mind that I would never again purchase foods that aren’t ALL NATURAL.   Then the inevitable moments came.  I  saw our bank account and remembered the power of praying, “Lord bless this food and remove all impurities (pesticides, hormones & all) In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!”   Money in the bank, food in my tummy!    Or the time I told myself I would never buy store bought cosmetic products, making my own was cheaper and better!  Then the reality of having 5 children, a small house that couldn’t house an amateur chemistry lab, and time to barely get  dinner on the table most nights set in.  While this is an ambitious idea, it’s not always possible.  My family will not be scarred for life if they have to use store bought products  once in awhile instead of my homemade  concoctions.  Thank God for those $5 off $15 coupon from Bed Bath & Beyond.  With these coupons, I can get ready made products when I am not able to be the next Carol’s Daughter. 

Yes I have had to soften my stance and back down on many of my extreme statements BUT there are some EXTREMES I hold to.

• Jesus is still the only way.  I mean ONLY! (John 14:6)
• Holiness is still a command, not an option! (1 Peter 1:16)
• God is still good, even when things don’t turn out the way I want them to and I hurt (Job 13:15)
• He still perform miracles, not just paying my light bill miracle.  I am talking about dead coming back to life miracle!  (Hebrews 13:8)

 I am amazed and even disheartened at how compromise has seeped into the church because we avoid being too extreme in our faith. Remind me again, did Jesus not die an extreme death!   We don’t want to be considered politically incorrect.  We worry too much about offending people so we bite our tongues when we have opportunities to share.  We want to fit in.  We want to be liked.  We have become sophisticated cowards.   But let me remind you, the gospel is offensive and it cuts, no way around it.

 Do you currently have any areas of compromise in your life?  In what ways have you strayed from  the extreme truth of the gospel?  I encourage you to repent and ask God to give you the grace to WALK IN ALL OF THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD!  No matter how Extreme!

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 Hebrews 4:12-12 NLT

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.