| Whatsoever
Things are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church “Back when I was a kid”, (my father used to say) on Christmas eve, we would all gather with my dad’s side of the family. Christmas day, was with my mom’s family. At both gatherings, there was an obnoxious youngster who would be given the duty of passing out the presents, in a vain attempt to keep him quiet. I, er, I mean he, would fly through the pile of gifts, disappointed each time his name wasn’t on one, and when they were all gone, he would say: “Any more for Me?”. People patronized, rolled their eyes, and tolerated this young man, but when it comes to your relationship with the Lord, I wish we were more like him. A relationship with the Living God is a dynamic, Supernatural, ever growing, day by day Wow Moment; and yet, when I talk to many professing Christians, I get the impression what they have is just “Fire Insurance”. “Oh yes, I belong to such and such a church, and I do this or that chronically, and I did that years ago, and so when I die, I’ll go to heaven.” Who are the “called of God”? How do they know? What makes them different? In the Great Commission, Jesus tells us to “teach them all that I have commanded you”. In Matt. 7:24-27, He describes two camps of people. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” If you ask someone how big their church is, they will usually answer: “Well, we have so many on the Sunday School rolls, or on the Church rolls”. Sadly, on any given Sunday, the Attendance is about 30-40% of the enrollment. Most don’t come. They think they have their “fire insurance”. Worse yet, most of those look just like the world. Jesus makes it pretty clear in John 8:31-32 when He said: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. You see, True Disciples continue or Abide/Live in His Word. Those who do not, Are Not, and Never were His. Do you Hunger for His Word? Are you being Challenged by and Growing in His Word? If not, Ask of Him who will grant you Repentance, Grace, and Faith. I’m not implying that your policy can expire, I want you to know if you ever had one. God Bless. |
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