Wake Up

Have you ever heard the old saying wake up and smell the roses?  I ask this question because there are many people professing Christianity that may not be Christians at all.  All they may have is a lot of religion and nothing else.  Have you ever examined yourself to see if you are really in the faith or are you just taking that for granted?  Were you on an emotional high or did something truly take place when you walked down the aisle?  Did you say a simple sinners prayer without any mention of repentance or being sorry for your sins?  I know you may have heard the word repentance, but did you have any idea of what repentance really meant or was it explained to you?  And what about your condition as a nonbeliever, was that explained to you outside of the fact of hearing that God loves you and will forgive you?  These are important things to think about very seriously and not to ignore them.

Think about what Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

What are the first two greatest commandments; To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.  Without getting these two in the right order you can go nowhere.  If this is true in your life you will want to help your neighbor.  You will try to do the things that God has called you to do, which is called good works that the Lord has ordained for you to do.  Read Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”        

This covers every aspect of a believer’s life; your actions, your words, the way you live when no one else is around and also when you are on your job, when you are in the grocery store or wherever you happen to be.  Do you spend time with the Lord in worship and praise, in Bible reading and in prayer?  

It includes how you treat others, also how you treat your wife and family and also your neighbor.  What does God’s Word say about true religion to the committees, or church as we call it?  How does the church, go to the church, that’s strange?  Just a side note in James 1:26-27, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

Now read Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  

How will anyone see your good works if you are not doing any acts of charity, kindness or good will and can be also an act of piety.  Now read James 2:14-26, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  

When you do good works, you demonstrate good fruit and what about the fruit of the Spirit?  Read Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Do you have the gifts of the Spirit?  Something to think about, have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!! PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord, for He is worthy!!