BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL KNOW THEM

 

How would you respond if I told you my tomato plant had some peppers growing on it? You will probably think I’d lost my mind. Your reason for thinking that is simple: every tree or plant is naturally supposed to bear fruit like the original plant. In other words, the fruit you see tells you the kind of plant you’re looking at. In addition, if you see a tree and are not sure what kind it is, give it time; once it starts to bear fruit, you’ll have your answer.

By the same token, one should be able to identify a Christian by their characteristics—the fruit they bear. No one would expect to find fruit where there’s no tree or plant. So, a person has to claim to be a Christian before we should look for Christian characteristics in their life. On the other hand, if we know what Christian characteristics are, we can often tell whether someone is a Christian.

But who is a Christian, and how does one become one, and what fruit is he or she supposed to bear? The answers to all these questions are important because there are many false claims out there; many people claim to be Christians based on something totally different from what the Bible teaches. Below is a list of some of the unbiblical reasons people give. They think they are Christians because:

● They were born Christians.

● They’ve always attended church.

● They sing in the choir.

● A family member is a pastor.

● They are good people.

● They obey the ten commandments.

You have probably heard some of these claims. But sadly, the Bible does not teach that any of these things makes one a Christian. What it teaches is below:

● Each person has to agree with God that they are a sinner: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). Disagreeing with what God says about you won’t change anything; it won’t excuse you from the clearly stated consequence: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6: 23).

● Each person has to repent of (be sorry for) their sins, and ask God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ: “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25).

● God sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we believe as evidence of our oneness with Him (see Ephesians 1:13). When we repent, He adopts us as His children: “God sent him {Jesus} to buy our freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Galatians 4:5-6).

When you accept God’s salvation through Jesus, God calls you a new creation: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). According to the apostle Paul, what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation (see Galatians 6:15). And because of the transformation that takes place during conversion, the Holy Spirit directs our lives through the Word of God. Our allegiance, interests, and way of life begin to change, and we become more Christ-like, which is the goal: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1).

Becoming Christ-like is where fruit bearing becomes necessary; we should be doing and responding to situations like Jesus would. The way we can succeed in fruit-bearing is to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37). If you love God the way you should, you’ll obey Him and that will also result in loving others.

Jesus used the tree and fruit illustration when He warned His disciples about false prophets: “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act… A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:16-18). So, those who claim to be Christians must bear Christ-like fruit by following the Spirit’s leading in all areas of our lives. Likewise, without announcing your faith, people should still be able to notice the difference in your behavior and way of life as compared to the general population.

Do you claim to be a Christian? How are you living? How do people see you? Has anybody ever made a comment about you to this effect, “I thought he or she was a Christian!” This comment is an indication your life is not consistent with what the Bible says. According to the Bible, the kind of fruit the Spirit produces in our lives is “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). However, we can’t bear fruit on our own: we need to constantly depend on the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Some people claim to be Christians but do not put much effort into being Spirit-led; they continue to live in sin day after day. No matter what claims you make, if there is no evidence of change in your life, there is a problem. Please start all over! The Scriptures make it clear: “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because they are children of God” (1 John 3:9). Also, if sinning does not bother you, there’s a problem, and it means you have not been born into God’s family. Reassess your claim, and remember Jesus told His disciples, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21).

In conclusion, if you do not have a Father/child relationship with God through Jesus, you are not a Christian. If you claim to be a Christian but are not living in obedience to the Word of God, your claim is questionable. But take heart, as long as you are reading this, you still have time to call on Jesus for forgiveness. Please do it soon, preferably today. Time is running out; don’t postpone getting into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son. And then, let the whole world know Whose you are! 

FEAR NOT-- YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

 

How do you respond when you are overwhelmed, afraid, or uncertain about a situation? Do you panic, cry, pray, call family and friends, or do you do none of the above? I wish, as Christians, we were never afraid, but the truth is we are not immune from fear and worry. If we were, God wouldn’t have to remind us as often as He does not to fear. In addition, He tells us why we shouldn’t fear: “I am with you.” If we were never afraid, we could be tempted to think we have such wisdom, discernment, and resources that we could accomplish every task we set out to accomplish. In short, we could think we were self-sufficient, and therefore, didn’t need God -- or anybody else for that matter. That’s the devil’s strategy: how he succeeded in misleading the first couple, Adam and Eve. He told them they’ll be like God, implying they wouldn’t need God any longer. Problems beyond our abilities are good reminders that we can do nothing without God (see John 15:5).

Let’s look at instances where people of faith could have been afraid but weren’t, or chose to not be. When they wouldn’t bow down to his statue, King Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into a furnace so hot that even the guys who threw them in, despite being outside it, died from the heat. These three Hebrew guys had decided from the onset they were not going to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, no matter what. They knew God was able to deliver them, but would He? Maybe yes or maybe no. Either way, they were never going to serve or worship the golden statue (see Daniel 3:16-18).

And He did deliver them! In that overly-heated furnace, they did not sustain any injuries, their clothes did not catch on fire, they walked in the fire unbound, and on top of all that, they had company - God was the fourth man in the furnace! (See Daniel 3:24). God reminds us: “When you go through deep waters, I’ll be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT).

Fear not, you are not alone!

 

Later in this Old Testament book, Daniel’s contemporaries, out of envy, manipulated King Darius into signing a document that put Daniel’s life in danger. Daniel broke the law that prohibited the people from praying to anyone else except the king (see Daniel 6:4-16). Needless to say, Daniel continued his prayer routine, which was three times a day. His accusers verified it and immediately went to report the incident to the king. The punishment was being thrown into the den of lions. Their hope was that the lions would devour Daniel, getting him out of the way. But that’s not what happened. According to Daniel’s own account, “My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty” (Daniel 6:22 NLT).  

Again, God came to the rescue! Daniel was safe with the lions, and was lifted from the den, alive: “Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted his God” (Daniel 6:23). God further demonstrated that Daniel was not hurt, not because the lions were not hungry, but because He prevented them from hurting him because the same lions, in the same den, had a feast when these wicked men and their families were thrown in at the king’s orders (see Daniel 6:24). 

Fear not, you are not alone!

Once, Jesus was with His disciples in a boat on a lake. He was asleep in the back of the boat when a fierce storm suddenly came up and the boat started filling with water. Naturally, the disciples were afraid; they woke Him up and asked Him, “Don’t you care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38 NLT). Jesus was in the boat! Were they really going to drown? Of course not. Jesus’ response after rebuking the storm was to question the disciples: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:39 NLT)?

Do not fear, you are not alone!

What are your fears and concerns today as you read this? You are not alone; God knows where you are and what’s going on. Turn over your needs to Him. Let’s remind ourselves that God is watching over us 24/7; He wants us to call on Him and to trust Him. 

Fear not, you are not alone!

 

LOOKING AT WORRY WITH THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

Worry is defined as giving way to anxiety or unease; allowing one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles. Although that is true, I’ve learned another way to define it. I see worrying as taking over another person’s problem or responsibility without being asked. It means the problem in question is beyond my ability to solve and has not been assigned to me. Insisting on solving the problem is an indication that I am impersonating the One whose responsibility that problem is; I am attempting to take over God’s job. The last time I checked the want ads, only vacant positions were posted, and God’s position was not on the list. Nevertheless, even if it were advertised, nobody on this planet is qualified. 

 

All posted jobs have listed requirements, training, experience, etc.  Likewise, if God’s position were posted, the applicants would have to meet certain criteria.  So, here are the qualifications. To apply for the position, the applicant must answer ‘Yes’ to all of the following:

Have you ever spoken anything into existence? “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3 NIV).

Have you ever created any living thing? “The Lord God formed the man…and breathed into his nostrils …, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7 NIV).                                                                                                                                               

Have you ever raised the dead? “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out’” (John 11:43 NIV). And he did!

Have you ever gone a month or more straight without slumber or sleep? “He who watches over you will not slumber, indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-4 NIV).

Can you see what is going on around the world, all at the same time, every second of the day? “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3 NIV).

Can you tell what someone is thinking, going to say, or do before they do? “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord” (Psalm 139:1-4 NIV).

Did you or anybody you know die, and then come back to life without seeing decay? Here’s the psalmist’s prophecy about Jesus: “My body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” (Psalm 16:9-10 NIV).

Do you love unconditionally 100% of the time? “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39 NIV).

Do you forgive, and also forget 100% of the time? “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34 NIV).

Can and will you take on the punishment others deserve? “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8 NIV).    

How many questions were you able to answer “Yes” to? You are disqualified from taking over God’s job if you answered ‘No’ to any of the questions.

The next time you have something to worry about, ask yourself, “Am I God?” if you can honestly say ‘No’ to that question (and you can!), then it’s time to pray and turn over the problem to the One who can solve it with ease--God. He knows where all the puzzle pieces fit, and what the finished puzzle will look like. He invites all His children: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

CHOSEN FOR A PURPOSE

 

To be chosen is to be selected as the best or most appropriate. ‘Being chosen’ almost always conveys the idea that some were better qualified than others.

This definition doesn’t fit the Christian’s definition at all, because when God chose us, he did not compare us to anyone else. He did not think we were better than others or the best of the lot. In fact, had He made comparisons, the thief on the cross would not have had a chance; he was a murderer. I wouldn’t have had a chance, and you wouldn’t have either. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). 

How about the apostle, Paul (AKA Saul): didn’t he persecute the Church terribly? What did he say later about himself?  “I persecuted the followers of the Way [Christianity] hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison…” (Acts 22: 4 NLT). Later on, as an apostle, he said, “For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I am not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s Church” (1 Cor 15:9 NLT). Therefore, to be chosen by God is by grace alone: not by being better, the most deserving, or the most qualified individual.   

As Christians, God chose us; we did not choose Him (see John 15: 16). He chose us not because of any good thing we have done but because of His love and mercy.  In fact, He chose us while we were still sinners, going our own way and doing our own thing, with no regard for Him at all (see Romans 5:8). He chose us out of the world (see John 15:19), and Peter reminds us, “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession” (1 Peter 2:9 NLT). And for that reason, we need to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

God chose us for a reason. We have a mandate, a purpose to fulfill. Once, Jesus told His friends, “I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:16-17). Paul the apostle tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that God chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. How do we get to be holy and blameless? By living godly lives, walking as He walked: that is, in His footsteps (see 2 Peter 3:11). Also, in Ephesians 1:12, Paul sums up the purpose of our being chosen--bringing praise and glory to God. 

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, instructed His followers to “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14 NLT). The psalmist beautifully expresses what he’s going to do: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises” (Psalm 34:1 NLT). How well am I doing, and how well are you doing? Are we fulfilling our call to bring glory and honor to His name?  What kind of fruit are we bearing? “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT) For our fruit to last, the bearing has to be ongoing, because when we stop bearing fruit, we lose what we already have.

Let’s admit that, sometimes, the fruit we bear is disgraceful. Instead of bringing honor and glory to God, it brings shame and dishonor to Him. His name is blasphemed among unbelievers because of the way we behave; we profess one thing and do just the opposite. It will help us to understand that there is an opposing power at war within us, that wars with our mind and fights to make us slaves to the sin that is already within us. The solution the Bible offers is this: “Put on all of God’s armor so you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). And may we cry out in frustration like Paul: “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24). Thank God we have the answer—our victory is in Jesus Christ! Let’s lean on Him, moment by moment.

This is my prayer for us:  Lord, please help us live in a way that makes knowing you attractive to the world and each other. May we fulfill the purpose for which you chose us before the foundation of the world.  Thank you, in Jesus’ name.    

GOOD WORKS IS THE BREATH OF FAITH

 

The book of James gives us a very good analogy for vibrant Christian living. It says, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26 NLT). We all know what happens when people stop breathing—they die. At the end of Jesus’ crucifixion, for example, He announced: “It is finished!” then He bowed His head and released the spirit (see John 19:30). Without breath, Jesus was pronounced dead!

Our faith needs to be alive and active if we claim to be Christians. If not, it will be categorized as dead. How can we claim that the Spirit that gives us life lives in us, and yet not exhibit the signs of life? We need to take a serious look at our claims and make sure they are not false. If faith without good works is dead, then good works are what we need to keep faith alive.

What do good works look like? Good works are actions that make a person right with God, like trust and obedience. For example, Moses fled to Midian to get away from the Pharaoh of Egypt, who wanted to kill him for a murder he had committed. Although he had fled for his life, he obeyed God and returned to Egypt to go and free the Israelites. He obeyed God because he trusted Him to keep him safe. If we can’t trust and obey God, then what good is our faith?

  Obedience should then direct us to meet the needs of others, show kindness, love them (see James 2:15-16), and forgive offenses. In short, we should love others as ourselves. James uses the example of a brother or sister with a need, you could meet, but don’t, and instead wish him or her well (see James 2:15-16).

There are many people who claim they believe in God, but don’t have a personal relationship with Him. We can’t really expect such people to have good deeds because they don’t have the Holy Spirit working in them. Those of us who are the temple of the Holy Spirit (Christians) should be able to demonstrate faith in tangible ways. James expresses it like this, “I will show you my faith by my good deeds” (James 2:18 NLT).  

My family has been the recipient of the good works of many godly people who didn’t know us from Adam, but in the name of love, took us in and treated us like family. God has shown my family His amazing love through the obedience of His children, as well as through unbelievers. The needs they met included housing, transportation, encouragement, and friendship. I pray that the Lord will be gracious to the descendants of these dear saints of God. And may He make me a blessing to others as He sees fit.

In order to keep faith alive, we need to demonstrate trust and obedience towards God, and love and serve others in Jesus’ name. Dear brother, dear sister, is your faith dead or alive? Your works should tell you!

A SCARY DIAGNOSIS WITH A KNOWN CURE

 

Many people hate going to the doctor, even when they are very sick. The reasons for that vary: some are afraid of what the doctor might discover, what treatment he might suggest, and what it might cost out of pocket to take care of the problem. Others think if they do nothing about it, whatever it is might go away on its own. Are you one of such people, or do you know anyone like that?

Some diagnoses are very scary, especially heart problems and cancer. But as scary as they are, many have known cures or treatments that can prolong a person’s life. However, there are some that are incurable, like advanced-stage cancers that are simply too advanced to respond to treatment. What would you do if your diagnosis was worrisome but had a cure? Would you turn down the suggested treatment? Most likely you wouldn’t.

There is a diagnosis that’s far scarier than all the ones you could think of, and it is 100% deadly if not cured. The good news is that it is also 100% curable! It is a disease that every single person has; it is genetic; we are all born with it. It is SIN!

God tells us we are all sinners. If your doctor diagnoses you with some condition, offers the needed treatment, and makes you aware of the prognosis, would you argue about it? Not likely, if you’d like to live. Arguing with God about His diagnosis of you won’t change the required treatment or the outcome of not being treated.

How do I know this? The Bible says, “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). He goes on to explain the treatment and the prognosis if we refuse His recommended treatment: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NLT). In short, the treatment He offers is forgiveness, if one repents and puts faith in Jesus Christ, who died in man’s place: “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son {Jesus}, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). However, if one decides to not accept God’s solution, the prognosis for that condition is eternal death—also known as hell.

Dear friend, why would you choose to go to hell when you don’t have to? God says you are a sinner; repent and ask Him for forgiveness through Jesus who died in your place! This is not that hard, is it? Once you die, you’ve forfeited your opportunity to be forgiven. Don’t think you can be good on your own or believe in someone or something else. Nothing else will satisfy God’s wrath for sin. The Bible tells us, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT). There is nothing that you could do to save yourself outside of God’s grace as demonstrated through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Please don’t procrastinate. Call on Jesus now and have the assurance that your sins are forgiven, you are accepted by God, and your future is secured! That will be the beginning of a personal relationship with God; He’s your Father and you are His child. Live obediently to His instructions as found in the Bible. Pray to Him as you would talk to your earthly father, and find a Bible-believing church to help you grow in your faith. Remember to share your new-found love with others; you may even share this article with them. God bless you!       

IT WAS NOT JUST A WOODEN CROSS, BUT THE WOODEN CROSS

 

A wooden cross is made by nailing or tying two pieces of uneven-length wood together as seen in this picture. Even a child could put one together. In years past, in some parts of the world, (Rome, for example) hanging a person on a cross, also called crucifixion, punishes a criminal. As expected, many criminals died that way, but only one of the crucified was not a criminal. In fact, He was sinless.

A cross is a cross, but this one fact (the crucified person was not a criminal) made one particular cross significantly different from all the others. You see, the man on that cross was not a man at all; He was God, and He died willingly, out of love.

When God Almighty, Creator of the universe, with the power to call on legions of angels to fight on His behalf, hangs defenseless on a tree, everybody needs to stop and pay attention! That act speaks volumes: it speaks of man’s ignorance and wickedness, as well as God’s love and longing to forgive, redeem, and replace a broken relationship with an ongoing Father-child relationship now and into eternity. 

The cross! There was a reason for it! Right from the beginning, God knew He would be dying a cruel death to restore the fellowship with mankind that would be broken by sin.

If nothing you’ve read so far makes sense to you, be patient; I’ll explain further. The only sinless Person who died such a horrible death was God in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Why did He die if He was sinless? He died to pay the penalty for man’s sin. Without this act, there could be no forgiveness of sin (see Hebrews 9:22). He did this because that was the only acceptable payment for the sins of man. That one act is all that is required on behalf of each person to cover their past, present, and future failings (see Hebrews 9:28). Without it, there’ll be no restoration of the relationship between man and God.

So, how did we fall out of fellowship with God? Adam and Eve (our original parents) sinned against God in the Garden of Eden through disobedience, and being their offspring, we inherited their sin-nature. So now we sin because we were born with a sinful nature. We’re sinners not because we sin; rather, we sin because we’re sinners (see Romans 5:12). Sin has put a separation between us and God (Adam and Eve were thrown out of God’s presence). The only way to restore our relationship with God is for the sin to be paid for, and God did that through that cruel death of His Son Jesus on the cross.

The cross! Although it represented such pain and agony, it demonstrated love and brought forgiveness and life! The cross!

How then should we respond to a sacrifice this costly? In one word, REPENT! Repentance is agreeing with God that we’re sinners (see Romans 5:20), and deciding to turn our back on sin and place our faith in Jesus. When we take that step, God forgives us, because He’s promised He would if we confess and forsake our sins (see 1 John 1:9). If we choose to not repent, we’ll face God’s judgment in the future, and the verdict will be condemned to hell. Just so we understand that: “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you haven’t already placed your faith in Jesus, what are you waiting for? Tomorrow is not promised to anyone; death could knock on your door any day, any time, and it might be too late for you to experience God’s grace and forgiveness in a personal way. You might have an elaborate funeral when you die, but that won’t change your standing with God. Please do this today; it is that urgent!

God’s response to your placing your faith in Jesus will be removing your sins as far from you as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12). He’ll never again remember your sins (see Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). He’ll guide and teach you through His Word, the Bible, and also through your living in fellowship with other Christians. He’ll always be available to you through prayer. God is waiting for your response to His call; answer today!