Winning the prize

Last night I watched a show on MTV called From G's to Gents. basically, they take 20 or so guys who have had not so good lives, which may or may not include selling drugs, prostitution, stealing, all kinds of illegal things, and take 12 weeks and try to turn them into respectful citizens. Then each week Mr. Bentley (the "perfect" gentleman) makes his decision on who he thinks did well that particular week, passed all the challenges, and the one who didn't .. well.. he gets sent home with no hopes of becoming a gentleman. OHHH and the winner of the show gets a 100,000 prize.

Three things struck me last night as I watched. One, when the guy from the very first week goes home, I wonder does he go back to his old ways since he has only had one week to change. Can he honestly change in one week? And two, just because you actually win the whole thing, have you really changed, and last but not least, since this is about basically hustlers trying to win 100,000.. is it not likely that they are just doing this for the ultimate prize????? And all of this is based on one man's opinion.. Mr. Bentley.

What if God was like that? Let's see... we all have 12 weeks to change, only 12. And each week, God is gonna let us go through tests to see how well we handle ourselves. Then He gets to cast one of us out each week, until the last one is standing and the ultimate prize..... entering the pearly gates!!!

Thank you Lord it doesn't work like that.

'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life'.

That's what He said. There is no number on that. It WHOEVER. We have redemption through Jesus' blood for our sins and with that, we can have forgiveness of sins. Now this forgiveness is not an automatic thing. I mean it does say also in the Bible

'Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven'.

We have to repent and actually stop and change our old ways. Kinda like the guys in the show only not for 100,000, its for something much better! We need to confess that Jesus is Lord and believe and know that God raised Him. We need to make sure that the direction that our lives are going in is one that exemplifies Christ. Now this doesn't mean we won;t have problems along the way, as I am sure even the guy who finally wins the show will have as he tries to go back to his life with the changes he made, but knowing that God is with us through the problems and is willing to help us through them makes us stronger.

In the end.. if we are following the "rules" to live by, we will get the prize, the ultimate one and it's way better than 100,000, even in this recession. We get to spend eternal life in heaven with God.

I hope you all have a great day!! I think its gonna be sunny and warm today!! Lord willing, until tomorrow....

love ya!!!!