Gut Level Christianity

In John 7:37-38 Jesus says, "If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.'" Notice He didn't say from their hearts; He said from their belly. Jesus is talking about gut level Christianity. This Christianity puts you on your face before God in the privacy of your home when no one is watching and the pastor won't know. This Christianity sacrifices sleep in order to meet with the Creator. It refuses to quit when the marriage gets tough or the kids go prodigal on you. It does what the word says, even when it seems contrary to logic.

Gut level Christianity is the reason we have books like Jesus Freaks and Foxe's Book of Martyrs. These men and women didn't love God for what He gave them, but for Who He is. They stood firm in the face of persecution. They refused to back down even when faced with vicious and cruel deaths. They refused to change, compromise, or give up the call of God on their life in deference to the opinion of those around them. They gave it all. That's gut level Christianity.

Gut level Christianity is what the disciples had. Gut level Christianity is what the martyrs of yesterday and today have. Gut level Christianity looks a person in the eye who has spit on you and says, "I love you. You are valuable. You are redeemable. God wants something better for you. You can kill this body, but my spirit will never die!" Is this what your Christianity looks like? When God is not an idea in our head or a feeling in our heart, but a passion that stirs us down to the core of our being then we will see a change in our Christian walk. This is the fire I long to see in myself and in every Christian I meet.

Gut level Christianity doesn't play church and has little tolerance for those that do. This is Christ-like. The hypocrites and false advertisers received Christ's harshest criticism. We must not want the title "Christian" without the commitment and dedication required of a true disciple. God wants every part of you. He says, worship Me with all your "heart and strength and soul and might". In other words: "Pour your guts out for Me!" That's how much He loved us. Our response is just a way of returning that amazing love.

How would your horizon change if you started living a gut level Christian life? What friends would stop calling? What weeds would have to be removed from the garden of your life? Gut level Christianity never leaves you as you are. God loves you too much to leave you the way He found you. What a mess! He won't leave you wallowing in the same mire that sucked down your mama and your daddy and your grand-pappy. He wants to set you free from those bondages. He can and He will. He has done it! He finished the work of redemption at Calvary. It is now in our court. Will we choose to live from our head, our heart or from our guts?