Bring forth fruit…

Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:8 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/mat.3.8/34734

When you have given your heart to Jesus and He has changed your heart to be His, this is the beginning of your walk through life with Him. It is still your choice to turn away from your old life and your old way of doing things, God does not force you to leave your friends behind but if you truly are changed then you won’t be the same person ever again.

Many people seem to think that they are Christians because they grew up in church or because they had an emotional experience at a revival and said the right words and were baptized. You can go through the motions and still not be saved. Because it is the Holy Spirit that should’ve convicted you that you NEED Jesus, not your emotions. Genuine repentance and conviction of your sinful nature will truly bother you IF you go back to living and being the person that you were before.

You cannot be a “little bit Christian” any more than someone can be a “little bit pregnant”! You either are or you’re not!

Rejoice in the Lord

rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/rom.12.12/52819

Why are there hypocrites?

Have you ever wondered that? Most people think that churches should be full of “perfect Christians” but the truth is that those have never existed. Even Jesus’ disciples failed and fell and cursed and lied at some point, even while He was still with them. It may not be recorded in the Bible but the fact is they were human just as we are. Yes, we are made in God’s image, and when we become Christians, His Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts but we still fail miserably in our day-to-day lives.

Because we have to “crucify our old ways daily“, that is what it means when Jesus said to take up your cross and follow Me. Our “old ways” may have been crucified to some degree but like Lazarus, they get up from their “grave” and come back in our minds to bring our “old ways” to mind again which may begin our mistakes and failures to the front so everyone will see them. That is exactly what Satan wants to happen! When you fail or sin even a little bit and someone sees it or hears it, as far as they are concerned you don’t qualify as a Christian anymore. Just one time can ruin your witness regardless of the transgression.

Satan and his demons bring all of your failures back into your mind. Even when you were not a Christian and had not asked Jesus to come into your heart, your sins and failures are there to derail your pathway and make you stumble. The devil will use those failures to make you think that you aren’t worthy of God’s love and you are not worthy of the salvation that Jesus paid for on the cross. He has done it to many people in the thousands of years since the Garden and he is very good at it.

Yes, the church has many hypocrites sitting in the pews every Sunday. Some of them know Jesus as their Savior and some of them only know about Him. The preacher can’t tell the difference when he stands up to preach because they all look like they are listening to the sermon. Some are thinking about fishing, some are reading along with him in the Bible, some are thinking about the fence that needs fixing in their pasture. Some of them are worried about someone who is sick in their family or about what they are having for lunch today. The truth is that the only Person Who knows which person or persons belong to Jesus is God Himself.

Make sure of your relationship with Jesus. Get to know God by reading and studying His Word, asking Him to make it clear, and to give you understanding while you read it.

What an honor…

After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9‭-‬13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.9-13.KJV

We, as Christians, have the honor of speaking to and calling God our Father! The King of the universe and Lord over all of creation wants us to consider ourselves His children. Adopted by the blood of Jesus and His grace when we accepted our salvation through our belief in Him. God wants to know your needs, even though HE knows them already. He wants to hear our requests by our voices to Him because He loves us.

God wants us to know Him and the only way to do that is to read His Word. Many people know about the Bible and may have one in their homes but it doesn’t help you to have one if you have never read it. Understanding its words and the message it contains is not required because the Holy Spirit will teach you as you read it and you will begin to know the mind of God. The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so it is true and the very words of God Himself. There are no lies or omissions in any part of it because it tells the story of the Jewish people and their history but it is also the story of the Promise given to Adam from the beginning.

Seek your wisdom and education from God Himself and that is only available by the diligent study of His Word by prayer and daily reading of it.

Realize that you are precious in His sight

if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/2ch.7.14.KJV

God’s Word is Powerful!

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/heb.4.12/69833

A model prayer for us today

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9‭-‬13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.9-13.KJV

Our eternal lifeline

Pride, the root of sin

I may get some blowback from this post but it is the truth. Pride is the root of sin because that is what started Satan’s downfall. I realize that we can be proud of our accomplishments or our children but the kind of pride that I am speaking of here is “boastful pride”. The kind that brought Nebuchadnezzar from his throne to live with the “wild beasts until he acknowledged God“. He was boastful and said so to himself (and God) until he was driven from his throne by God.

Pride can cause so many sins in our lives. Especially when you think more highly of your accomplishments than you should. God is the Creator and it is He Who gives each of us our gifts and abilities to be and do all of the things that we do. There is no such thing as a “self-made man”. God formed each of us in the womb and gave each of us a specific purpose for our lives. It is up to us to seek Him out in order to find our purpose and then allow Him to develop that ability for His Kingdom.

Don’t be like the king of Babylon. Is it possible for us to be so prideful and boastful? Yes, you see it on TV many times. On the news from Washington, DC. We see it in many sports and the people who are so talented to play professionally in those sports. The problem is that we have forgotten where our talents and abilities come from. God put your DNA together and He is the one who gave you your abilities and strengths. No actor or football player or any other kind of athlete could be as good as they are if God had not given them those abilities before they were born. He had a plan for their life and He is the One that should be praised for their accomplishments.

Give Him the glory for your home and family and all of your accomplishments because ultimately He is the One Who allowed you and gave you the ability to be and do all of the things that got you to your successful life as it is today.

Be wise by reading the Bible

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: But a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/pro.13.20/80245