May 7th, 2026
I believe we often overcomplicate the Gospel and this week, I’ve been thinking about the power of a simple yes. The invitation to follow Jesus has been issued to everyone on earth. The Father is calling us all to come receive life. As Jesus is lifted up, all men are drawn to Him, but everyone must choose to respond. Everyone will either say yes or no to the call of heaven.
However, the choice to say yes is not agreement with a religion, a lifestyle, or a set of rules. Our yes must be to Him.
The religious people of Jesus’ day deceived themselves into believing their good works justified them before God. They did not rely on God’s goodness, but on their own perceived success. They lived as though the more they fasted, the louder they prayed, the better they kept the rules, the holier they would be, but Jesus rebuked them harshly. In Matthew 23:10-32, He calls them hypocrites, blind guides, and children of hell just to name a few. In verses 27-28, He says,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So, you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
If the choices we make are attempts to appear a certain way to ourselves or anyone else, we have already missed the mark. The purpose of God’s instruction is to change our hearts and draw us to Him. We know it was not the law itself that led to the Pharisees’ dead religion. Jesus kept God’s commands perfectly and walked in life, because every act of obedience was in communion with the Father. In the same way, everything we do must be out of love and in agreement with His Word. If our religious activities are to satisfy an outward expectation, we are no better than the Pharisees. If our religious activities don’t move our hearts, we can’t expect them to move God’s heart!
Biblical change always begins in the heart and produces outward transformation. When Peter preached the gospel to thousands after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, it says they were “cut to the heart” and asked the disciples “what do we do to be saved?” (Acts 2:37)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for the hearts of humanity. It’s not a religious structure. The only choice that will change a life is a yes to the call of the Father. It’s a yes to the sacrifice of the Son. It’s a yes to the work of the Holy Spirit. We must say yes and keep saying yes, every day of our lives!
While the expression of the call shifted when Jesus came to earth and died for the sins of mankind, the opportunity to answer the Father’s call has always been there. God declared to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19-20:
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days...”
The Father gave His Word, His instruction, life itself, to His people, and they had to respond to it. Jesus stepped into humanity as the Word of God made flesh. It says,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1,4)
Jesus is still the light of all mankind if we say yes. We choose life by saying yes to the call of heaven, again and again.
However, we must understand that while our yes is necessary, it is not our yes that saves us. It is Him alone who saves us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
It is in His grace alone that we boast! Jeremiah 9:23-24 says,
‘“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.’
We may think of boasting as bragging, but to “boast” in this scriptural context could actually just mean to celebrate. The only thing worth celebrating is the privilege of knowing Him and everything else should flow out of that relationship. He provides wisdom, health, and riches. He provides breakthrough, victory, and freedom. Good works should be a product of what He does in our hearts.
All the things that could be religious activities—fasting, prayer, attending church, etc.—are absolutely necessary in our walk with God. However, our efforts should not be in doing those things in our own strength. Those things should be done in joy as a product of our relationship with Him, because we’ve said yes. If we remember that every good thing we have is because He’s given it to us, it will be easy to boast in Him alone!
If you don’t know how to pray, we encourage you to pray one simple, life-changing prayer: yes. Even if you’ve already given your life to Jesus, continue to say yes. Yes will keep you from getting stuck. Yes will always keep your heart surrendered before Him. Say yes to the call to repentance. Say yes to the power of the blood of Jesus. Say yes to the inner work of the Holy Spirit. Say yes to the things He has for you to do. Say yes to every good thing He has waiting for you. We won’t have every answer, but we can say yes to the One who does. We won’t win every victory in one day, but we guarantee tomorrow’s victory by today’s yes. Today, we encourage you to say yes to the One who is more than able to do above all you can ask or think. He will transform us from the inside out, changing our lives by captivating our hearts, again and again and again!
However, the choice to say yes is not agreement with a religion, a lifestyle, or a set of rules. Our yes must be to Him.
The religious people of Jesus’ day deceived themselves into believing their good works justified them before God. They did not rely on God’s goodness, but on their own perceived success. They lived as though the more they fasted, the louder they prayed, the better they kept the rules, the holier they would be, but Jesus rebuked them harshly. In Matthew 23:10-32, He calls them hypocrites, blind guides, and children of hell just to name a few. In verses 27-28, He says,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So, you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
If the choices we make are attempts to appear a certain way to ourselves or anyone else, we have already missed the mark. The purpose of God’s instruction is to change our hearts and draw us to Him. We know it was not the law itself that led to the Pharisees’ dead religion. Jesus kept God’s commands perfectly and walked in life, because every act of obedience was in communion with the Father. In the same way, everything we do must be out of love and in agreement with His Word. If our religious activities are to satisfy an outward expectation, we are no better than the Pharisees. If our religious activities don’t move our hearts, we can’t expect them to move God’s heart!
Biblical change always begins in the heart and produces outward transformation. When Peter preached the gospel to thousands after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, it says they were “cut to the heart” and asked the disciples “what do we do to be saved?” (Acts 2:37)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for the hearts of humanity. It’s not a religious structure. The only choice that will change a life is a yes to the call of the Father. It’s a yes to the sacrifice of the Son. It’s a yes to the work of the Holy Spirit. We must say yes and keep saying yes, every day of our lives!
While the expression of the call shifted when Jesus came to earth and died for the sins of mankind, the opportunity to answer the Father’s call has always been there. God declared to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19-20:
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days...”
The Father gave His Word, His instruction, life itself, to His people, and they had to respond to it. Jesus stepped into humanity as the Word of God made flesh. It says,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1,4)
Jesus is still the light of all mankind if we say yes. We choose life by saying yes to the call of heaven, again and again.
However, we must understand that while our yes is necessary, it is not our yes that saves us. It is Him alone who saves us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
It is in His grace alone that we boast! Jeremiah 9:23-24 says,
‘“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.’
We may think of boasting as bragging, but to “boast” in this scriptural context could actually just mean to celebrate. The only thing worth celebrating is the privilege of knowing Him and everything else should flow out of that relationship. He provides wisdom, health, and riches. He provides breakthrough, victory, and freedom. Good works should be a product of what He does in our hearts.
All the things that could be religious activities—fasting, prayer, attending church, etc.—are absolutely necessary in our walk with God. However, our efforts should not be in doing those things in our own strength. Those things should be done in joy as a product of our relationship with Him, because we’ve said yes. If we remember that every good thing we have is because He’s given it to us, it will be easy to boast in Him alone!
If you don’t know how to pray, we encourage you to pray one simple, life-changing prayer: yes. Even if you’ve already given your life to Jesus, continue to say yes. Yes will keep you from getting stuck. Yes will always keep your heart surrendered before Him. Say yes to the call to repentance. Say yes to the power of the blood of Jesus. Say yes to the inner work of the Holy Spirit. Say yes to the things He has for you to do. Say yes to every good thing He has waiting for you. We won’t have every answer, but we can say yes to the One who does. We won’t win every victory in one day, but we guarantee tomorrow’s victory by today’s yes. Today, we encourage you to say yes to the One who is more than able to do above all you can ask or think. He will transform us from the inside out, changing our lives by captivating our hearts, again and again and again!
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