I have been burdened lately with the state of the church. I see so many people my age in the church who state they are Christians, but they do not live their lives according to the Word of God. Sitting on the fence is not an option when it comes to following God. You are either saved or your not and when you die thers is not going to be an opportunity to bargain with God. The choices you make in this life will determine your eternity when you die.
Revelation 3:15-16 says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
Do you want that for your destiny? To forever be without the love of the Father, to be "where their worm never dies and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:48) all because you wanted to do your own thing here on earth and you didn't want to be accountable to God for your actions? You need to pick one or the other, either be on fire for the Lord or be cold against him, but you CAN NOT be in the middle.
"This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. " 1 John 5:2-5
We need to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. If you are not 100% for God, then you are not worthy of his Kingdom. "Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62. I just want to encourage you all who are sitting on the fence to take a step of faith and live wholey and fully for the Lord. Live a life that shows how thankful you are that He has saved you from Hell. You have done nothing to deserve this free gift of salvation but the Lord has offered it to you. It is not something to be taken lightly or to take for grantid. You never know when your last breath will be, Preston was ready, but if he wasn't he didn't have any time to change his life if he needed to.
If you have a relationship with the Lord and are longing to follow Him, pray this prayer Psalm 139: 23-24, He will be faithful and show you what you need to change, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
I hope this is encouraging, and if you are feeling convicted do something about it. I'm here if you want to talk and the Lord is always there to take you back if you have strayed away. Listen to his promises and cleve to them. Remember, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16. He did it because he LOVES you so much, show him your thankfulness with your life.
I will leave you with a few of my favorite verses,
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jer. 29:11-13
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." Hebrews 12:1-4
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." Matthew 12:30
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:7-10
8 hours ago
1 comments:
Hey Malory,
It takes courage to write a blog like this. People dont'like to hear talk like that, but it seems that God has convicted you to write on the subject and good for you for obeying.
Tara was just telling me today that a girl she knows had her dad taken into eternity last night very unexpectantly. We just don't know when we will be called and we must be ready. That's why I post the things I do because I know that there are so many people who have said that little prayer to accept Christ and think that because someone else has said, 'okay, you're good to go', they have their entry ticket. I heard once that if there is no change, then there's been no salvation. I believe it. People who are soundly saved should be growing in holiness and there should be fruit in keeping with repentance.
Keep preaching it, sister. You don't know now what the eternal results will be, but keep being obedient. I love you,
Mom
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