What’s the difference between a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ? One believes in Christ; the other HAS Christ.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Let’s rephrase this verse: Like the useless legs of one who is lame is the Gospel in the head but not the heart.

I am always amazed when a Christian gets “saved again.” What actually happens is a person makes an intellectual decision to follow Christ without actually forsaking his sin and self and trusting Christ to save him. There was no calling by the Spirit, thus there was no transaction of forgiveness and filling. The person was not saved to begin with.

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

I have a friend whose testimony is that he had everyone fooled; he could play the game of having everyone think that he was a Christian, but he was still in control of his own life. He enjoyed it! Then, one day, the Holy Spirit came to him and convicted him of his sin of pride and arrogance; he repented and received the Holy Spirit into his life and was, indeed, gloriously saved! We must remember Jesus’s own words, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,” John 6:44, and “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:65.

He knows our hearts and He knows when we are ready to do business. It’s not just about being forgiven of our sins, or about going to heaven when we die; it’s about having Jesus in our hearts as LORD!

Every once in a while, I try my hand at writing out a scenario of what I would say to a lost person or group. Here’s my latest attempt:

In a moment, I will ask you if you want to entrust yourself to Jesus as Lord of your life, but first, let me tell you what He’s done for you. You are made in the image of God and are designed to love Him and be loved by Him in an eternal relationship.

Enter sin. Our rebellious nature causes us to reject God and His authority in our lives. Because of our sin, we are enemies of God and we have to die–unless someone will die in our place as a substitute for us.

Enter Jesus. God came to earth as Jesus to die in our place. That’s how much God loves us! Because Jesus was human, He died, but because He was also God, He rose from the dead after three days! He has broken the power of sin and death for all who will trust in Him and ask Him to be their Savior and Lord.

You have just heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. Is the Spirit of Jesus prompting you to trust Him to be your Savior and Lord? Is He urging you to receive His forgiveness and His grace right now? If yes, then do it! If He is not, then PLEASE don’t make an intellectual decision to follow Him. It would be the worst thing you can do. Unless you sense Him calling you, it would all be in vain. You would be making the decision in your own power and of your own volition and it doesn’t work that way. We cannot save ourselves; otherwise, Christ died for nothing.

Seek Him; ask Him; beg Him to call you to be saved. Ask Him to come into your heart and life and cleanse you and save you. Empty your heart to Him of everything that is contrary to Him until you feel Him come rushing in and filling your heart with His love and His Spirit. Then you will know that you know that you KNOW you are saved! What joy He brings with His presence, along with hope and love and PEACE!

Abba, I pray for those I know who don’t know You. May Your Spirit work in their lives to move them to a position of hearing the Gospel and responding to Your call. I know You already are; I’m just agreeing with You in the matter and aligning myself with Your will. May You use me to reach someone with whom You are dealing. May I continuously empty my heart of everything that is contrary to You so that I will be a worthy vessel for Your use, O LORD. Amen.