Bland, mediocre, luke warm and passive have been several words that have come across my mind as I think about times in my life and my walk with God. I am not proud of them. I'm actually growing quite tired of them. It's strange to think that God would rather have us cold than luke warm. I wonder about this every once in a while when I find myself in one of these bland spells. I believe that He would rather us know that we are far from Him or on Fire than some abstract, immeasurable middle ground in which we think we are doing "ok" (which is about as lost as lost can be).

Maybe I'm not being clear enough. Status quo, middle ground in the Christian world does not exist. Sold out for Christ or not. Unfortunately, we don't always remember the standard that we are being mearured by. Let's take a look at some areas in our lives and what the bible calls us to. Prayer: pray without ceasing! Adultery: don't look with your eyes or even think lustfully! Sin: mess up once and you are guilty as if you have broken all of the commandments! Righteousness: (this is not a commandment but a straight up statement) none are righteous no not one.

So how are you and I mearuring up? Exactly. So what's the point of even trying? One man did measure up and He took your place mounting the weight of hell and sin on His shoulders after dying a horrible death upon a cross. Romans 12:1-2 should be our response to such a Savior. Offering up our bodies as living sacrifices is our "reasonable service" or "spiritual act of worship." God wants us to love and serve Him.

Maybe you are still not sure if you would like to take this journey of picking up your cross and living to please God and not yourself. Stop and think. Think about all of the things that you know are wrong before God but make you "happy." Do they make you feel complete? Do you have real joy and peace in your life? Or do you hunger for the next thing to make you happy again because the minute the happyness is over, you are right back to empty. Look at the countless rock and movie stars who have and do the very things that you wish you had to make you happy. They have those things that you think would complete your life to a degree that you can't even imagine AND THEY STILL FEEL EMPTY! Sometimes an even emptier feeling that you have even to the point of suicide. Again, stop and think. If anybody would know how to fix your life and give you joy and peace (which are much more eternal than happyness) it would be the one who formed you, the author of life itself. Will you trust Him? Not just believe in Him but trust Him that He really does know what is good for you.

I am looking for guys that are willing to say that they are sinners and bring the garbage to the table so that we can confess these things and with God's help start living lives that will end with Jesus looking straight into our eyes and saying "well done my good and faithful servant." We can no longer believe that we can muster up the strength or wisdom on our own to become such men. We must come together and be like minded with one goal: to love and serve God.

I have some ideas coming together on how we can start to do this. But until then, write to me and give me your thoughts. Tell me if you want to take part.