Tag: Wake up call

  • One Compass. One Master. Choose Wisely.

    One Compass. One Master. Choose Wisely.

    Matthew 6:24 (NKJV) is one of those verses that doesn’t leave much room for nuance:

    “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

    Jesus didn’t say it would be difficult to serve two masters.

    He said it would be impossible.

    We like to believe we can juggle both—church on Sunday, compromise on Monday. A foot in the Spirit and a foot in the world. But that’s not how loyalty works.

    Every heart has a compass, and it only points in one direction at a time. North toward Christ—or South toward compromise. East toward comfort—or West toward culture. You may claim both, but your choices reveal the truth.

    This is not a warning to the lost.

    This is a wake-up call to the churched.

    Revelation 2:4 (NKJV) hits like a gut punch:

    “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

    Not lost.

    Left.

    That implies direction.

    Movement.

    Intent.

    We didn’t just wander off like spiritual toddlers. We shifted our loyalty—sometimes slowly, sometimes boldly—but always intentionally.

    Because living for God must be done with intentionality.

    We want the peace of God without the discipline of following Him.

    We post Scripture on our socials while bingeing filth on our screens.

    We lift our hands in worship, then tear people down with gossip.

    We cry out for direction but ignore the Word already given.

    Then, after all that, we wonder why we feel spiritually dry, directionless, and disillusioned.

    James 1:6–8 (NKJV) names the problem:

    “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

    A double-minded man.

    One foot in, one foot out.

    Always teetering between two worlds.

    It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in church or what your last spiritual high felt like, if your direction isn’t fixed on Christ, your foundation is already cracking.

    And that brings us to Ephesians 3:16–17 (NKJV):

    “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love…”

    Discipleship is not about feelings. It’s not about hype. It’s about direction—and foundation. Where are your feet pointed? And what is your heart rooted in?

    If Christ truly dwells in you, there should be evidence. There should be strength in your inner man. There should be spiritual grounding that holds fast when the winds of doubt, culture, or temptation blow. But if you’re divided—if you’re attempting to serve two masters—then instability will follow you like a shadow.

    Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) offers both a promise and a choice:

    “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

    That’s the direction. That’s North. But it’s not automatic. That path has to be chosen, walked, and guarded.

    You don’t coast into holiness. You choose it. You pursue it. You turn your back on everything else—not perfectly, but purposefully.

    So, let’s get brutally honest: Where is your compass pointing?What are your daily decisions saying about who your Master really is?

    Have you left your first love while convincing yourself you’re still devoted?

    You can’t have both. Not forever. One Master will win.

    Let it be Jesus.

    So let’s talk about it: What part of your walk with God needs course correction? Let’s open the conversation and challenge each other toward obedience and clarity.

  • What We Heard at MO Youth Convention Should Echo in Every Heart

    At MO Youth Convention 2025, Bro. Stanley Gleason asked a question that hit deeper than any hype, music, or emotional moment could:“Is the church going to impact the culture, or is the culture going to impact the church?”

    That’s more than a catchy quote. It’s a spiritual mirror—and it demands an honest look.

    In every generation, the church has stood at this same crossroad: Do we remain faithful to God and His Word, or do we slowly shift to accommodate the rising tides of culture?

    Culture is persuasive.

    It speaks in trends, emotions, and feelings.

    It packages rebellion as liberation. It markets sin as self-expression.

    And if the church isn’t careful, that spirit starts to bleed into our pulpits, our music, our lifestyles—until the gospel gets drowned in a sea of relevance.

    But Jesus had no interest in blending in. He said we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–14, NKJV).

    Salt prevents decay.

    Light exposes what’s been hidden in darkness.

    These are active roles, not passive ones. Salt and light don’t conform—they confront.

    Romans 12:2 (NKJV) reminds us,

    “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

    That word transformed means something radical.

    Something visible.

    Something undeniable.

    It’s not about behavior modification—it’s about holy renovation.

    The early church didn’t survive because it was relatable.

    It thrived because it was righteous.

    It didn’t change the world by adapting to it—it changed it by standing apart, no matter the cost.

    And the truth is, what we heard from Bro. Gleason wasn’t just a message for a convention full of young people—it was a trumpet blast for every believer. A call to wake up. A challenge to examine our own lives and ask: Are we transforming culture, or being transformed by it?

    Let’s not water down our witness. Let’s not silence the Spirit’s conviction to make room for cultural comfort. The world doesn’t need a more relevant church. It needs a more righteous one.

    Reflection Questions:

    Where have I allowed cultural compromise to creep into my faith?

    Am I willing to be salt that stings or light that exposes, even when it’s uncomfortable?

    What would true transformation look like in my daily life?

    Let’s be honest—and then let’s be bold. The world is watching. But more importantly, the Lord is.