[ampaterry]

This is from a book by Tim Hansel; When I Relax I Feel Guilty

I was almost your person today, Lord.
Then I thought; what it would have been like if Jesus had done the same thing. What if God had almost revealed himself in Jesus Christ? What if Christ were almost born and almost lived and almost died? What if he would have said, "Ask and it will almost be given you; seek and you will almost find; knock and it will almost be opened to you"? What if he would have said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavyladen, and I will almost give you rest"? And what if Jesus had told his disciples, "For whosoever would save his life will lose it, and whosoever loses his life for my sake will almost find it"?
My Almost Christianity took on a much different light. I realized how many times I had played the game of being one of Jesus' "almost disciples." I recalled how many times I had prayed almost believing and walked through my days as if he were almost risen.
It was not a question of theology. It was a question of lifestyle. Whether or not I had a lifestyle that could match what I said I believed, whether or not, as some have said, I could walk my talk.

Luke 9:23-24 (KJV);
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Don’t almost be a Christian. Don’t almost reach out to one in need. Don’t almost make it to Church this Sunday. That way you will never almost experience the joy of helping someone. You will not almost rejoice when someone enters the Kingdom of God due to your witness. And in the end, you will not almost spend eternity with Jesus Christ.
Jesus does not judge by the denomination of the church you attend; but he certainly does judge by whether or not you have studied and believed the truth of the gospel! If you are following a man, or a man’s doctrine, you will never get closer to Jesus Christ than - - almost.

May God bless each one of you - -