Turn or Burn
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare unto you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." I John 1:5-7
I have a great fear that we have given people the wrong message concerning salvation. We have propounded the idea that you are able to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and go on living a godless lifestyle. That is totally wrong. I find none of that thinking in Scripture. In fact it is just the opposite. This passage is just one of many that indicate our walk must match our talk.
Jesus consistently told those who had been set free from sin and disease to turn away from it and begin to walk a different walk. Now if Jesus said that to people in His day, it still applies today. It seems that somewhere along the line, we have adopted the notion that we can live like the devil and still be a child of the King. BEEP! WRONG!!
It is inventory time. We need to answer a set of questions that may well determine our eternal destiny. That means we cannot take them lightly. Ready?
1. Can you recall when you prayed to ask the Lord to forgive your sins and come into your life?
2. Were you sincere in praying that prayer?
3. Do you have the assurance that Christ is your Savior and Lord at this very moment?
4. In what manner has your way of life changed since you received Christ into your life? Have you turned away from the sins of your past?
5. Are you disciplining yourself daily to read God's Word?
6. Do you have a meaningful prayer time each day? (Not just before meals or "Now I lay me down to sleep")
7. Do other people know you are a Christian by your spiritual walk with the Lord?
8. When you sin, does your conscience convict you and lead you to confess the sin?
9. If you were to appear before God right now, would He be pleased with the way you are living?
These are just a few questions that will hopefully reveal what your walk is like. It may be a wakeup call to reestablish your relationship with God. It is so easy to get caught up with the things of the world and ignore the Lord who has promised us eternal life. We never know when something very sudden and unexpected could end our life on this earth. The few questions above will be nothing compared to the questions we will give about every deed done in the flesh. Are you ready? I urge you to do it now while there is still time.
Pastor Cecil A. Thompson
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare unto you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." I John 1:5-7
I have a great fear that we have given people the wrong message concerning salvation. We have propounded the idea that you are able to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and go on living a godless lifestyle. That is totally wrong. I find none of that thinking in Scripture. In fact it is just the opposite. This passage is just one of many that indicate our walk must match our talk.
Jesus consistently told those who had been set free from sin and disease to turn away from it and begin to walk a different walk. Now if Jesus said that to people in His day, it still applies today. It seems that somewhere along the line, we have adopted the notion that we can live like the devil and still be a child of the King. BEEP! WRONG!!
It is inventory time. We need to answer a set of questions that may well determine our eternal destiny. That means we cannot take them lightly. Ready?
1. Can you recall when you prayed to ask the Lord to forgive your sins and come into your life?
2. Were you sincere in praying that prayer?
3. Do you have the assurance that Christ is your Savior and Lord at this very moment?
4. In what manner has your way of life changed since you received Christ into your life? Have you turned away from the sins of your past?
5. Are you disciplining yourself daily to read God's Word?
6. Do you have a meaningful prayer time each day? (Not just before meals or "Now I lay me down to sleep")
7. Do other people know you are a Christian by your spiritual walk with the Lord?
8. When you sin, does your conscience convict you and lead you to confess the sin?
9. If you were to appear before God right now, would He be pleased with the way you are living?
These are just a few questions that will hopefully reveal what your walk is like. It may be a wakeup call to reestablish your relationship with God. It is so easy to get caught up with the things of the world and ignore the Lord who has promised us eternal life. We never know when something very sudden and unexpected could end our life on this earth. The few questions above will be nothing compared to the questions we will give about every deed done in the flesh. Are you ready? I urge you to do it now while there is still time.
Pastor Cecil A. Thompson
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