This fact may shock you

Arthur Blessit has literally carried a large wooden cross around the world many times over for the last 55 years.  I'd heard of him years ago but came across him again online the other day.

As you might imagine, Arthur was not always met with welcoming cheers.  People would gather and many would get saved.  But Arthur was also imprisoned many times for carrying the cross in public, ridiculed, persecuted, and more.

It makes me wonder if God would call more of us to do the unusual if only we were open to it.

But the most interesting tidbit I learned while browsing Arthur's site was the following fact that my shock you:

"The cross has been turned away from being left overnight at more than half the churches requested, but has never been turned away from spending the night at a bar or nightclub in 55 years around the world."
From https://blessitt.com/fascinating-facts-and-figures/

Does this statement shock or surprise you?  Not me.

It saddens me, but I don't have a hard time believing it.  Why?  Let's think about Jesus' life when He also carried His cross.  The religious leaders were His enemies.  Makes no sense, really.

Most people would agree that Christianity is a religion and that "religious" people follow Him and believe in Him.  But the truth is that true Christianity is about having a relationship with Jesus.

Oh there are many "religious" people out there.  The churches are full of them.  But how many among them know and worship the real Jesus?  

The Pharisees, or religious leaders, in Jesus' day were into their rules and regulations.  I say "their" because many, if not most, of their rules were not from God at all. They were manmade.  And Jesus had nothing but words of condemnation for these people!

Jesus is not about piling on rules and regulations on us that are impossible to keep.  No.  He is freedom personified.  And He calls us to freedom.  He gives us freedom.  And He sets captives free - that's His business.  I imagine His business card would read, under His name and titles, Messiah, Lord, Savior, something like: sets captives free, saves the lost, heals the sick, brings hope to the poor.

Nothing on His card would say anything about rule-keeping.  And the religious leaders, both then and now, hated Him for it.

It's much easier to keep a bunch of rules (or at least try) than to fully submit and yield our hearts, lives, and wills to God. It keeps the illusion of being in control over one's self and life but only leads to pride and downfall.

So when Arthur would ask to leave his 12-foot, 45-pound wooden cross somewhere overnight, it doesn't surprise me in the least that "religious" people - those who are expected to, supposed to, and believed to follow God - that over half of them turned him away.  I guess they couldn't stand the reminder that they themselves were not carrying a cross but instead putting on a religious show.  

But numbers and statistics don't lie.  

And on the other hand, it doesn't surprise me at all that the bars and nightclubs welcomed Arthur's cross.  100% of them.  

Jesus kept company with the sinners, not the religious people!   Why?  Because the sinners accepted and received Him.  They knew they had problems and issues and they also were smart and humble enough to figure out that only He held the answers and solutions for them. 

People are drawn to Jesus not because He is pious, holy, or out of reach (though He is the only truly holy one).  They are drawn to His realness, authenticity, and honesty.  

But it would stand to reason that only those of us who strive to be those things in our own lives would be drawn to the same.

Religious folks are not drawn to sincerity.  They are into their own agendas and keeping the rules.  

This might be why, sad to admit, I am not comfortable in some churches!  I can sniff out the legalism like a bloodhound sniffs out stuff!

Now not all in the church are legalistic folks.  Only the pride-filled ones who may know the Bible cold but don't really know Jesus.

What about you?  Do you welcome the real Jesus into your life and heart?  Do you feel that you messed up too much to be accepted by Him?

Remember His business card!  His very purpose is to seek and save the lost, hurting, wounded, and sick.  Sick includes sinsick!

People like to feel good about themselves.  

I love to admit that apart from Him I can do nothing! (see John 15:5) It takes the onus off of me and puts it back on Him!  The only way any of us can lead "good" lives is to let Jesus live His life through us via His Holy Spirit.

All any of us have to offer in and of ourselves are filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:4). I'm comfortable with this.  Even the "best version of myself" (oh how I hate that expression!) can't compare with who I am in Christ; who He empowers me to be through His Presence in my life.

Can you stand emptying yourself of yourself?!  Neither could the Pharisees.  

But that's where the gold lies!  As we surrender, we are set free, filled with Christ, made over to be more like Him, at peace, and so much more!

So do you welcome His cross into your life?  Your heart, your home?  Arthur Blessit learned that the bartenders and bouncers do!  Ha! Some church folk, not so much.  I know!  Doesn't make sense.  And yet these are the facts.

We each of us will be held accountable to our Maker on That Day.  Did we receive Christ's atoning work on the cross for us as the way to our salvation?  Did we receive Him?  Or not?

I urge you to let Him into your heart if you have not done so already.  You never know what lies ahead!

Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of the world.  Yet so many choose to reject You.  You could be standing right in front of them and, like the Pharisees, they still don't believe in You! But You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to God except through You.  Thank You for this awesome and undeserved Reality, O God!  May we always welcome You into our hearts, homes, and lives.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.