Several years ago I’d been mentoring a college student in his twenties once a week for almost a year. I would take him out to breakfast (I mean, who doesn’t love a free meal, right?!)
As we were talking, he really opened up about his life. I hate to admit this, but even after more than 30 years of counseling youth and young adults through some of life’s most difficult challenges, I was stunned at the shocking, and frankly, terrifying, statement that he told me:
“Man, I want what you have. Another school year’s about to start and I just don’t want for it to be like every other year for me! I’m tired of playing ‘Christian’ in my life! I really want it to be real! I just want a close, strong, authentic relationship and faith in Jesus. I truly want to know Jesus for myself! I don’t trust Him because I don’t really know Him, and I just don’t know how to get to Him. I’ll be honest with you: a lot of the time Jesus just doesn’t stand up to the offer that the world gives me. Man, sin is fun! It’s the best thing I’ve got right now, so what can Jesus really offer me? I mean, what’s the incentive for me to stop sinning and be “holy” and all? I mean, what’s the payoff? Where’s the cherry on top?!”
I just sat there, speechless! I prayed for God to give me guidance and wisdom, and I calmly said, “Man, Jesus is the cherry! The relationship that you have is where it’s at. It’s all about Jesus!”
He didn’t seem convinced. I was worried.
Only Half!
In her book Messages to Young People, Ellen G. White wrote this equally shocking statement:
“I saw that unless there is an entire change in the young, a thorough conversion, they may despair of heaven. From what has been shown me, there are not more than half of the young who profess religion and the truth, who have been truly converted. If they had been converted, they would bear fruit to the glory of God. Many are leaning upon a supposed hope, without a true foundation.”*
Did you catch that? So which half are you? I shudder to think that anyone (especially anyone I know) won’t make it to eternity with Jesus. Did you know that today, and every day, you have to make a choice for or against Jesus? I hope you’ll decide that Jesus is worth it— whatever the price.
Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing
The writer of the Bible’s New Testament book of Hebrews, wrote to new Jesus-followers to basically: stop them from turning back to Judaism; prove that Jesus is better than their old system of rules and regulations; and, most critically, encourage believers to “keep the main thing, the main thing” and stay strong during hard times! He reminded them of what Jesus did for them by being very “in-your-face” with what he wrote to them. Read it for yourself and feel the sting of his pen, and, as my father has always told me: “if you know better, do better!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4, NLT).
Failing to Plan
When I was in high school I roomed with a guy who was a pretty serious triathlete—that means that he was a multi-sport endurance competitor where athletes sequentially swim, ride a bicycle, and run–without stopping! Did you hear me? Without stopping! We lived in the mountains of North Carolina and in the Fall and Winter, it was bone-chillingly, mind-numbingly cold! But every day, without fail, he would get up at 5 A.M.! To train. That was how he began his day. Then, throughout the day, he would do other incredible things: like avoiding all sugar, caffeine, processed foods, white flour—and, the most unbelievable of all: girls! My mind was blown! He had a favorite saying, and, to my embarrassment, he would say it to me at least once a day, in a very demeaning and chastising way:
“Omar, I have a plan to win; because failing to plan is to plan to fail!”
And he worked his plan every day—without fail! All for the chance to compete in and win a triathlon. Well, if a teenager can work that hard for a sport, what are you willing to do for Jesus and for eternity?
Planning to Win
It’s clear that Jesus certainly thought you were worth His life, all so you could enjoy Him—aka “the cherry on top.” Jesus had a plan and He worked it perfectly! So, I only have one question for you: what, for you is “the sin that so easily trips you up?” The sin that is “slowing you down” that you need to “strip off”? I know that it came to your mind as you read what Jesus did for you. The same thing happened to me, too.
So, I hope and pray that today, you will daily, consciously, and consistently choose to talk first to God about that specific sin; then you and ChatGPT, both take some time to open up your Bible and find specific Bible scripture texts to address your specific sin; then choose to connect with Jesus and His Holy Spirit daily; and regularly (a good suggestion is once a week), commit to connecting with someone to mentor and support you, and help keep you walking in the right path.
I’m shocked that more people have a specific plan about how to pass a class with an “A” but don’t have a plan about how to have a better relationship with Jesus. Make a change. Make a plan and work the plan.
This year, you can have Jesus, the cherry!
Additional Resources
How Do We Experience Salvation in Christ?
How Do We Grow in Christ Daily?
Free Steps to Christ ebook link
*Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People (Nashville: Southern Pub. Assn., 1930), p. 131.
