So you read yesterday’s message and found yourself asking what the condition of your own ‘pump’ was in; and that’s not a bad thing to do. (2 Cor. 13:5)

There are probably different ways of having it checked out, but let me share with you a statement I have heard on more than one occasion by people who I would tell you are ‘sincere believers’; and this might be a legitimate ‘marker’ of something being amiss in your own pump (spiritual heart).

Over these past six years, this journey I have been on has had multiple markers, or what I would call ‘defining moments’, where tremendous lessons of truth were impressed upon me. I could write a book on those moments alone. But along the way, I’ve had many interesting conversations with multiple believers as I have tried to share with them what happened to me, and what I have come to discover from God’s word.

This is the statement I have heard roll off the lips of those individuals: “I believe abiding in Jesus is important, but if I’m being honest…I don’t always want…to abide in Jesus.”

“I don’t always want to abide in Jesus”.

I have to presume that the majority, if not all professing ‘believers’…have felt this way at one time or another, and can certainly relate and identify with that raw admission. And please know, this is not about shaming or judging or condemning anyone for making such a transparent confession. But if we are going to get ‘raw and real’ with what is going on in our own hearts, then we must go one step further and ask ourselves: “Why is that? Why would we NOT…want to continue on and remain in His presence….IF…we have truly ‘tasted and found the Lord to be good’?”

That really is the question we need to be asking – what is it we desire, or are loving more…in those moments that we say we prefer ‘something else’… over being with Him?

Paul wrapped up his final letter to the Corinthian church, admonishing them to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you – unless you actually fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5)

It’s interesting how many times Paul uses the word ‘if’ when addressing the believers in his letter to the Romans where he poses such question as “IF…we have been united together in the likeness of His death…and IF…we died with Christ…and IF…the Spirit of Him dwells in you…as ‘if’ it were possible some have fallen short of this experience.

“We should be walking in the newness of life”, as Rom. 6:4 reads…given that we have ‘become a new creation in Christ where the old things have passed away and all things have become new’ (2 Cor. 5:17). What does this ‘newness of life’ look like? You might refer to 1 John 2:6 to start with.

We find in the book of Hebrews, two separate passages that most people tend to skirt around or avoid all together, the first one recorded in 6:4-6. It starts out saying “It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away …to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

The other passage is found in 10:26-27. It makes it known that ‘If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

You might also look up what Peter had to say about those who ‘after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…and are once again entangled in them and overcome…they would have been better off NOT having known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment.” Peter likens them to a ‘dog returning to eat its own vomit’ (2 Pet. 2:20-22).

This is usually where some overly-confident voice rises up to assure us that people who do such things “weren’t really saved to begin with”. You can do what you want with that one.

I realize how painfully uncomfortable discussions like this can be, but friends…I continue to make the case that there is so much more to this walk of faith, which has a degree of seriousness that many have failed to fully grasp. This is not about trying to undermine anyone’s personal convictions or to cast some blanket of insecurity and self-doubt over ‘innocent, sincere believers’. But let’s be honest…I bet those folks in Matt. 7:21-23 wished someone had reached out to them with a tad bit more of truth than what they were convinced they were walking in, would you not agree?

And for those who want to associate ‘abiding with Jesus’ to mean you have to shut yourself off from the world as you pray, fast, chant, and study scripture 24 hours a day…please stop. Abiding In Jesus is just being more aware and alert to His presence throughout your day, and then responding to Him as He speaks to you. It’s like driving a car where you keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road ahead as you ‘stay in your/His lane’. Why not just start with the simple things and be attuned to His voice, which we are ‘supposed to know’ (John 10:27). Our problem usually had more to do with ‘doing what He says’, as opposed to hearing Him. Time for another read through of Matt. 7:24-27, perhaps?

I promise you…He is talking to you, and the next time you are tempted to spread some gossip, or ‘get that last word in to prove you are right about something’…and you hear that soft whisper that says ‘die to self and don’t go there!’…that’s Him talking. When you override that voice…it must be one of those moments where you love that ‘other spirit’ more…than the nudging of the Holy Spirit. Maybe that’s why Jesus said “For every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:36-37)

If you don’t think it is possible for a ‘disciple of Jesus’ to turn away and walk with Him no more, you are terribly mistaken (John 6:66). Don’t just assume they were ‘never saved to begin with’. When Jesus turned to the 12 remaining, He asked them: “What about you? Do you too, want to go away?” (67). There was much Peter still yet had to learn, but his response was spot on! – “Where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (68)

But in order to ‘have this life’…we have to ‘come to Him’ (John 5:40). And the part we fail to inform ‘seekers’…is you have to come to Him with your ‘whole heart’. Failure to do so will only complicate and frustrate your walk with Jesus.