2. The old song said, “Gimme that old-time religion…” It has become necessary to ask, “How much religion/God do you really want?” Consider the words of Wilbur Reese: “I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth. I want about a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please.”

3. So, “How much God do you really want?” $3 worth instead of Luke 14:33’s “all his own possessions” ? Jesus did not mean that we cannot “own” anything, just that no possession can ever “own” us if we are His! Mt.6:19-24ff Just enough to make us “warm & fuzzy” instead of making us “on fire” for the Lord and His Cause? >There are some who are “on fire” but headed in the wrong direction so to speak. Rom.10:2-3 >And then there are some that “know better” but can’t ever seem to get their fire lit. Rev.3:15-16 >And there are also some who “know right” and once “did right” but let their fire go out. Rev.2:4 Just enough to give us the appearance of religion and eternal security instead making us “no doubters”? 2Tim.3:5; Col.2:23 > 3:1-2 Just enough to make us love those who love us, but not enough to make us love: >those different than us? Gal.3:28; Rom.1:16b; James 2:1-10 >those who are our “enemies”? Matt.5:43-48

4. So, “How much God do you really want?” Just enough to give us the warm ecstasy of the “spiritual womb” by being “born again” but not enough to cause us to grow and mature into whole Christians? Consider the “growth” effects of 1Pet.2:1-2: >becoming a “living stone” in God’s house, vv.4-10 >becoming a “alien” here, vv.11-12 >becoming “submissive” to: -human institutions, vv.13-17 -masters, vv.18-25 -husbands, 3:1-2 >becoming truly modest, 3:3-6 >becoming understanding husbands, 3:7 >becoming harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted, and humble, 3:8-12

5. So, “How much God do you really want?” Do you really want God in your life? If so, these things necessarily must follow! Or do you really just want the benefits of God in your life without all the commitment??? The Truth? >You can’t get “$3 worth” of God- such a miserly amount is not possible. It’s all or nothing. Luke 14:27 >“Loose-change” commitment yields only shallow and superficial Christians, but does not attain heaven!

6. So, “How much God do you really want?” “I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth. I want about a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please.” How much God do YOU want?