Face To Face With Self

Perhaps my favorite of Russ Taff's discography, this song kept playing through my head for most of the day yesterday... as I struggled for a clear direction, as to what God had for this post.

I hope you know, I don't write this just for readership... I do, daily, simply, ask that God would grant me insight for the next post... which is why it blows my mind this is, the 614th consecutive post.

As my mind kept playing the lyrics to this song, however, after the ump-teenth time, the words "face to face with who I am" finally resounded.

Being launched for the post on critical thought, I began thinking of the religions, that have either as their basis or at the very least, a fundamental element, that life on earth can be made better, largely through self. Whether in their actions, or attitudes; in their thought life, one way or another; the betterment in one's life is not through a personal God.

So many voices, so many opinions and lines of thought; critical and otherwise... and while Christianity has often been described as self-serving, betterment of self is not the critical component.

While Christ is the foundation, the critical component is not what a person gains from their faith, but the acknowledgement of one's state from the outset of this faith.

"I am a sinner."

People look to religion, as if they look in the mirror desirous to figure out how they can be and do better.

Yet as believers, the look in the mirror compares our life to Christ.

In that light, as bleak as it may feel, there is no comparison. There is nothing to which one can state, if we correct this and that, we may not be perfect; but we will be that much closer to attaining what the religion says it possible to achieve.  

The hard-hitting truth of Christianity is that the hope for humanity is not that humanity has the answers, but rather, Christ IS the answer. To recognize Christ as the answer, we must first acknowledge wherein lies the problem.

You and I. We.
Sinners. In need of a Savior.

The truth isn't popular. As comedian, Brad Stine states... "the truth offends. That's it's job. It's how you know you don't have it."

Conversely however, comedian Jeff Allen, once expressed his gratitude, where in an honest moment, declared that "Christianity was the only religion that would have him," 

How profound. And what is so incredible about this relationship? It depends not us, but on Christ... who has already done what was necessary in order that the acknowledge of our state is all that is required of us to be reconciled to God.

Pray, this #missionsFriday, that as they share these truths, missionaries would be able to continue the work of communicating and sharing the good news of the Gospel of Christ. Pray that hearts would be ready to receive and minds open to the truth of God's Word. May the voices be quited and the opinions and doubts cast aside; that the still small voice of the Holy Spirit bring clarity to the soul. Pray the convicting power of God reveal the lowly state of humanity; not to depress us, but that hope would arise, that God, at the beginning of time, provided a way for man to be redeemed from his fallen position.

May people come face to face with themselves,
Realizing that faith relies not on us, but on God.
Not on what we do, but upon what we confess.
That one day, all will confess,
Jesus Is Lord.

​- PNC