“Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person” (1 John 2:4).

I know very few people who don’t want to go to heaven. Everyone wants to go to heaven.

And the tragic thing is some versions of modern Christianity have given people exactly what they want. The only problem is that what is offered is not true. It simply is not true that all people go to heaven. If that were the case Jesus would have never taken up the cross.

This cheap version of Christianity asks little and demands little. It offers a God who saves and who never asks sinners to change.

THE GOSPEL DOES NOT WORK LIKE THAT.

Salvation changes our destiny and our identity. Our behavior has to reflect that. And that happens through obedience – when we obey Christ and his commands rather than doing what we want, doing what we think is right, doing what feels good.

It is true that Jesus wants everyone to go to heaven. So Jesus made a way by dying on the cross and offers us eternal life as we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and commit to submitting to his will and his commands.

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

N. T. Wright, a New Testament scholar and author writes that there are two types of people: radiator people and drain people. He writes:

Some people are radiators and other people are drains. Some people, that is, naturally give energy and warmth to others. People like having them around, because they make you feel more alive. Others, however, suck up what’s around them and give little or nothing back. They drain you of energy. They make you feel exhausted, mentally and emotionally and perhaps physically.

Thankfully, most of us are one or the other at different stages in life. There are times when we are in need of care. There are times when we are so weary, so burnt-out, so hurt that we need people to lift us up. And there are times when life is good and we have enough in us to give of ourselves to others.

But there are some who are one or the other by their very nature. If you are a drain, you don’t have to remain a drain. You can choose to be a radiator. How do you do that? Take the focus off you and start focusing on the people around you.

Be a blessing to the people around you. Add value to the relationships around you. You are Christ’s ambassador.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Kids these days have no idea.

There was a day when if you didn’t save what you were working on, the next time you turned on the computer your work was gone. All gone. Nada. Gone.

It’s one of the worst feelings in the world.

I was in seminary. I was working on a paper. I was almost done with the 15 page report when the power went out. Had I been saving my work as I was working on the paper? OF COURSE NOT!!! Gone. Gone. Just gone.

I had to start all over.

It became my standard practice to save my work every ten to fifteen minutes.

The question, “Do you want to save the changes?” is a fantastic question we should ask ourselves on a daily basis. Every day, we are either becoming more like Christ or we are drifting further away from Christ. It all depends on the decisions we made throughout the day.

At the days end, do you like the changes that were made?

Being transformed into Christ’s image is an intentional act. Are you more like him today? Then save the changes and repeat. Are you less like Christ today? Then delete those changes and try again.

So what will be at the end of today? Do you want to save the changes?