Hey, I came across this on Barry Cameron’s blog last week and I thought it was worth showing to you. It’s good. It’s challenging.
Here you go:
Several years ago, a relatively unknown comedian, named Jeff Foxworthy, struck it rich with a routine called: YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK.
Jeff has had his own radio show, TV program, sold tons of CD’s and DVD’s, done stand up tours all over America and made millions of people laugh with his trademark You Might Be A Redneck one-liners. Here’s a brief sample:
“If you consider duct tape a long term investment . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If you’ve ever financed a tattoo . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If you consider a six pack of beer and a bug-zapper quality entertainment . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If your house doesn’t have curtains, but your truck does . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If your dog and your wallet are both on a chain . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If you got stopped by a state trooper and He asked you if you had an I.D. and you said, ‘Bout what?’ . . . you might be a redneck.”
“If you carried a fishing pole into Sea World . . . you might be a redneck.”
I was thinking along similar lines this week. But my thoughts weren’t about rednecks. I was thinking about people who are moving away from the Lord and His church and may not even recognize it.
In Matthew 24, Jesus said one of the things that would characterize the last days would be “the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Backsliding is a real deal and Jesus said, as we near the end of this life as we know it, backsliding will become a real epidemic.
So how do you know if you are a backslider? Paul told the Corinthians to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). If no one else is asking us we at least ought to be asking ourselves, “Am I where I need to be as a Christian? Or have I become a backslider?”
Jeff Foxworthy’s one-liners are funny and intended to entertain. Mine are not funny at all and are intended to get us to examine our own hearts. So, without any disrespect to Mr. Foxworthy or to rednecks anywhere, here we go.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE A BACKSLIDER?
“If you can’t remember the last time you had a quiet time . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you find yourself being critical (finding fault) instead of worshipful (focusing on God) when you go to church . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you’ve stopped growing spiritually and blame others for it . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you’re praying the same prayers you were praying a year ago . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you’re less involved in your church now than you were a year ago . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you don’t remember the last time you shared your faith . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you find yourself reading other books, newspapers, etc., more than your Bible
. . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you aren’t regularly praying for your lost friends and relatives to come to Christ
. . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you discover you get offended more easily now than you used to . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you don’t recall the last time you gave sacrificially, above and beyond a tithe, to your church . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you haven’t confessed your sin to God and asked for His forgiveness in the last seven days . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you find yourself resenting God’s blessings on others . . . you might be a backslider.”
“If you’re offended and think this blog was written specifically for you and has no application to anyone else . . . you might be a backslider.”
SO WHAT’S THE CURE FOR BACKSLIDING?
Jesus said the most important commandment was to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” (Mark 12:30). If there ever was a time when you loved God more than you do now, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it – you are a backslider.
So how can you get out of the backslider’s rut and back on the right road? The short answer: turn back to God. In 1 Kings 19, when the backslidden prophet, Elijah had run away to a cave, God told him to “go back the way you came.” Go back to the basics and start doing what you used to do when you were on fire for God. In Ezekiel 37:23, God said, “I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
David, in his great prayer of repentance in Psalm 51, asked God to “restore to me the joy of my salvation.” David didn’t just want to laugh at some funny one-liners. He wanted genuine joy that would last. That kind of joy only comes from God and is only given to those who are walking with God.
David wrote in Psalm 1 that the “blessed man” is not the backslider – that’s the miserable man. Rather, the “blessed man” is the one who delights in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night . . . Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
One last one-liner . . .
“If you’re thankful for this blog even though you’re convicted by it . . . you might be a redneck. But you’re not a backslider.”
