I John 3:21 – 23 – “Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” NLT

John 16:23 – 24 –“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” NLT

I have been asked to interpret what these verses mean that say “if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence (or trust). And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.”

It looks like there are some stipulations:

1. We must not feel guilty.
2. We must obey God’s commands.
3. We must live and do the things that please Him.
4. We must know what the Lord’s will is to please Him.
5. We must believe in His Son, Jesus Christ
6. We must love one another as God loves us.
7. We must ask in the name of Jesus.

What is our answer to these seven requirements? If we can say yes to all seven stipulations it is my belief that God will give us anything we ask. However, the Bible is very clear that God tells us how we can meet our needs or become prosperous. It is very simple: we are to owe no one and we are not to live as the world lives. We are not to put material goals and lusts before spiritual goals and desires.

The fact is anyone in America can make it. Opportunities are limited only to one’s imagination, willingness to take some risks and work hard. There has been some speculation that Americans are drifting into two classes of people: the upper-class and the under-class. Regardless of whether this is true, no one is relegated to one class or the other. Anyone can break into the upper-class and any one can fall into the under-class.

One of the by-products of this freewheeling, anything-goes society is an army of people manufacturing products and providing services and marketing them to other people. Competition can be vicious as each tries to outdo the other. In many cases making money has not been as much of an American problem as spending it.

Most do not realize how many people have spent themselves into debt and have little chance of getting out. We have had people come to us asking that we prescribe a cure for their ailing financial situation that is near terminal. I sometimes feel like a doctor asked to heal a patient with a thirty year history of overeating, overdrinking, heavy smoking and physical inactivity. There isn’t much a doctor can do with arteries that are already clogged, lungs that are already destroyed and a liver akin to a piece of shoe leather! They may have prayed with the above Scriptures in mind but it seems God has not met their financial needs. So what do you tell someone like this? Let’s take the test. How many of the seven requirements have you met in 1 John 3:21-23?

First, it appears we have not developed the right priorities in life. It seems many assign priorities wearing intellectual blinders. If you delve into their finances you will find it quite incredible. The only consolation that we can really give them is: join the party. You are behaving like most Americans and today’s recession proves it. So where do we start to correct the problem? God demands that we tithe, are you? Then you ought to feel guilty, you missed God’s command and you may have not pleased Him. You missed stipulations one, two and three. Shall we go any farther or are you getting the message? So if you are deeply in debt and God isn’t answering your prayer maybe you will understand. (I was only asked to interpret Scripture not necessarily give the solution to getting out of debt.)

We are made up of three parts. We have a body, a mind and a spirit. When you look at me you really do not see me, you see my body. But who I am is my mind and my spirit. What you see is my exterior side and my behavior. Seeing my character and my behavior only gives you a glimpse of who I am.

I have two natures: an earthly nature and a spiritual nature. These two natures are in conflict with each other because the earthly nature is self-serving and the spiritual nature is God-serving. But you do not see what nature in me is at work. The condition of my heart determines the kinds of decisions I make. Whether I make a business decision, an individual decision or a family decision each is affected by my true nature or heart.

1 Colossians 3:5 – tells us that we are to “Put to death, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.” Galatians 5:17 tells us, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

We have an advantage as Christians when we make an all-out commitment to serve Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide every aspect of our lives. When we make that commitment we must be prepared to deal with the consequences. Scripture tells us what to expect. 1 Peter 5:8-9a – “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

Some of us have yielded to our bodies’ desires and allow our bodies to control who we are. We may be addicted to smoking, drugs, food, alcohol or sex. We then are controlled by our body and not by our mind or spirit.

When we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are asked to repent and change from the world’s ways. However, to repent we must overcome the control our bodies have over us and allow our mind and spirit to take over and control our bodies.

There are some who convert to Christianity and instantaneously allow their mind and spirit to take over realizing that their body was out of control. Others, it takes time for the Holy Spirit to make us aware of our body’s power and control over us.

No matter whom we are from time-to-time we must deal with our earthly natures. We have two choices. We can give in to it or we can fight it. But we have learned that we can win this eternal war, not by continuous struggle, but by continuously surrendering and allowing the Holy Spirit to win the war for us. Paul wrote in Romans 8:2 – “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free.”

It is not as important who you see when I pass by but it is important to me that I am no longer wearing a mask. What you see is who I really am!

It may not have been an unusual day for Jesus. Wherever He went crowds would gather to be healed or to see miracles. In most crowds there would be the religious leaders trying to catch Him doing or saying something so they could condemn Him.

One such day Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee and one of the largest crowds was gathering. It was normal for people to want to be close to Jesus and even touch Him. He asked the apostles to get a boat so that He could minister to the people. Anchored just off shore Jesus began to teach those who had gathered.

He begins by giving a parable about seeds and four soils. As the farmer scattered the seeds some fell along the path, some fell in the rocks, others fell among thistles and some fell on good soil.

Jesus then tells a parable about a mustard seed. The smallest seed at that time grew to become one of the largest of plants. Later when He was alone with His disciples He explained the two parables. The farmer is Jesus. The seed is the good news, the gospel. The parable describes how people will respond to His message.

It will fall on the hard ground and it will make no impression on those who hear. It will fall on rocky ground. People will accept His teaching but do nothing about it. The seed will fall in with the thistles. Some will accept but will allow the world to pull them from becoming committed and true believers. The seed that falls on good soil are those who totally accept and make a commitment to live the life Jesus teaches.

He then talks about the tiny mustard seed. He is describing the church. It will start very small with just a few Christians. But there will be a time when it becomes worldwide.

Mark 4:35 – 41 – “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’   They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”

Jesus was exhausted and had fallen asleep. Because the Sea of Galilee is below sea level and surrounded by mountains it is susceptible to sudden storms. Down draft winds and a thunderstorm can cause waves up to 20 feet high. The danger was real and the waves could swamp the boats. Some of His disciples had spent their entire life as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Twenty foot waves in a fishing boat are life threatening no matter how experienced a person is.

I was on the USS Hamel, a destroyer tender, just off the Philippine coast when we hit a typhoon. This was a huge ship with a crew of approximately 800. Twenty foot waves and higher in a ship that size is scary. I cannot image what it would be like in a small fishing boat in those conditions.

Mark said they were terrified and expected they would soon drown when they awaken Jesus. Jesus stood and said: “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately it became calm. His disciples realized they were standing in the presence of the Son of God.

The disciples saw Christ heal, drive out demons, perform other miracles, teach with authority and calm the sea. Yet, we have Peter denying Christ, Thomas doubts and others continually questioning. Faith does not always come easy. If there are times when we have doubts we can always looks at the apostles and be encouraged.

However, once the apostles saw Christ resurrected and they had received the Holy Spirit they had the faith to die for the Messiah. I am sure that particular day the disciples hearing the parables and being on the boat they would never forget. But for Jesus, it was just another day!

Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 says – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

Most evenings my wife and I will sit in our swing on the patio and watch the humming birds land on our feeder. Within 45 minutes we may see as many as 15 or so little birds land and drink from the feeder that we fill weekly.

It seems they will approach flying in at speeds up to 25 miles per hour as if they were dive bombers and stop suddenly within a foot of the feeder and cozy up and begin drinking. As we watch these birds we ask ourselves how anyone could not believe there is a creator. Someone had to create the hummingbird. There is no way this little thing could evolve. It had to be created by someone having a sense of humor.

Every living specie, birds, animals, insects, fish and humans all are different. In each category there is a male and a female. What are the odds that all of these could just evolve? When you look at a human’s immune system it is capable of allowing some to live more than 100 years.

My wife and I look at each other and say: “Only a fool would say there is no God”. And the hummingbird proves it!

I Corinthians 9:24 – 27 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Paul is using an illustration to show that to live a Christian life takes hard work, self-control and adequate preparation. I learned from sports and coaching that those who excel put in hours upon hours of practice and preparation. As Christians how much time do we spend in Bible study, worship, service and prayer?

My friend Doug Lee having played basketball for the New Jersey Nets and the Sacramento Kings spent hours after school shooting baskets and working on fundamentals. It isn’t unusual for a professional basketball player to shoot 1000 baskets every day. In football hours on end are spent in the weight room building up one’s strength. I remember spending hours taking batting practice, fielding grounders and catching fly’s. The more dedication and the more time spent in preparing the chances of excelling improves.

After being discharged from the Navy during my freshman year in college I needed a job to pay for extra expenses. I was hired by Birds Eye Frozen Foods the summer before starting college. My job was to dump 40 pound boxes of lima beans into a hopper. I believed it had to be the hardest job in the plant. Whenever there was down time I picked up a broom and kept my area swept down. No one else cared enough to keep their area clean. It wasn’t long until I was promoted to one of the easiest jobs in the plant, operating the graders that separated good beans from bad ones.

The second year I was offered the job as assistant production foreman. The third year I became the production foreman over 250 employees. As a Christian I believed setting an example at work was the best way I would have an opportunity to share my witness rather than preaching.

Throughout my adult life I believe the teaching that Paul illustrated in the above verses works in everything we do. As Christians we are running toward a heavenly goal as our reward that doesn’t always come easy. We are not to be a fan sitting in the grandstand but we are to be one of the players. We are to train with intensity and diligence as our spiritual progress and maturity depends upon it. Many Christians take the easy way out. They believe they are saved by grace and nothing else matters. But does it? Christ spent three years teaching the apostles and then He sent them out to be of service to others. James 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” And James 2:26 – “…faith without deeds is dead.” So are we going to be spectators or players? If we are going to be players do we diligently practice or just show up for the game?

For 2,000 years Christians have believed they were living in the end-times. What has prophecy told us to look for; is it now?

I read where Iran and Russia, bitter enemies for centuries, have become allies for the first time in history. It has made me concerned. If you study Ezekiel chapters 36 through 39 it sounds like a war against Israel could breakout anytime. Should that happen no one will come to Israel’s rescue, (Does that surprise you?) and Scripture says that God will destroy the armies from the north. Everyone will know that it was a “God Thing”.

If you follow current events you may be aware that Moscow has aggressively pursued political, economic and military ties to Iran in defiance of U.S. and European protests. Russia has authorized the sale of nuclear technology to Iran. They are training nuclear scientists and are providing them with the latest in armament.

Since May 14, 1948 when Israel was established, Middle-Eastern nations have tried to destroy them. The Bible says that before the Russian and Iran led war, Israel will live in a time of calm and will accumulate great wealth. Isaiah 45:3 says: “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” (Referring to this time in history) Foreign energy companies are finding enormous reserves of gas and an adequate amount of oil in Israel’s possession.

Scripture tells us that (Magog) Russia and (Persia) Iran and others will be led to invade Israel. Ezekiel 38:4 – “I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.” Ezekiel goes on in 38:9 – “You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.”

Russia has hugely increased their defense budget, including new aircraft, rockets and the size of their army. The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes it is his duty to prepare the way for the Islamic messiah by destroying the Jews and Christians. Thus, he has vowed to annihilate the U. S. and Israel and is preparing his military and nuclear weapons to accomplish that. As we continue in Ezekiel 39:2 & 4 – “I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.” How close are we getting to the time when Ezekiel’s vision will come to pass?

It is possible that Israel could launch a massive, pre-emptive nuclear strike against Moscow, Tehran, Damascus and other enemy cities. However, Russia could launch a nuclear attack that would leave no one standing.
Ezekiel 38:18 – 22 – “This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.”

Ezekiel raises many questions: Will Russia supernaturally be destroyed? The Bible says the devastation will be like something we have never seen before. It is believed that we will see a resurgence of religions worldwide. We assume this will give the world one last chance for salvation before the War of Armageddon.

Afterwards, we believe the Jews will begin their building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2 – “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. “ We believe Scripture teaches that until the Jews and the Jewish people turn to Christ in huge numbers and get excited about His Second Coming Jesus said he would delay His return.

Should this war occur, as we believe it will, it could start a spiritual crisis for Muslims around the world. When they see God protecting Israel their faith will be shaken. Think of the response churches will encounter. Acts 2:17 & 18 – “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

Do you believe that it is possible for a revival to take place worldwide? Are today’s churches ready?

If this blog does not create comment I will be surprised. I can’t think of anything more controversial than this. Please respond!

We have had seven politicians who have admitted to having adulterous affairs recently. They are Governor Mark Sanford, Senator John Ensign, Governor Eliot Spitzer, Governor James McGreevey, former senator John Edward, senator Larry Craig and past president Clinton in the 1990s. We do not know the religious background of each but we do know that some have testified to being Christians. Can you or is it not possible to lose your salvation? I think it is not up to us to make eternal judgments but how does what we do affect one’s salvation? So let us look at some Scripture.

Hebrews 6:4 – 6 – “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

The debate occurs because some believe Scripture is talking about a person who has received salvation and has fallen away. Others believe these are people who have never received salvation though they have shared in the Holy Spirit. John Wesley believed you could lose your salvation and Calvin believed that once you received salvation you could never lose it no matter what you do.

Most, on either side of the debate, believe that once you understand New Testament teaching and know spiritual and biblical truth a person can either reject or disbelieve the teachings or they can accept it. If a person rejects biblical teachings and salvation they cut themselves off from God’s forgiveness. The Bible is very clear. Any sinner, (and all have sinned), who has not been forgiven by God through Christ cannot enter the presence of God. There is a difference between being enlightened and tasting the heavenly gift and accepting it.

II Peter 2:21 says: “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”

Many believe the author of Hebrews means the heavenly gift is salvation. Some believed salvation was only tasted and not accepted. Others question how can you taste the Spirit without accepting the Spirit? It could be that having shared the Spirit could mean they were around the Holy Spirit and saw the Spirit’s saving grace but they never accepted. Or, they had accepted the Holy Spirit and the Spirit was quenched by their lack of faith and disobedience.

I am sure that many have listened carefully and thought about what they have heard. They may have seen miracles, supernatural powers and signs and were just not willing to give up the world. Is Scripture saying that with all you have seen and heard and you reject salvation it will be impossible to come again to the point of repentance?

Or, is Scripture talking about a person who has received salvation, tried it and gave up and gone back to their worldly ways having rejected the Holy Spirit out of their lives? Many believe that a person can become very knowledgeable and continue to resist making a commitment and totally surrendering one’s self to Christ. They can become immune to salvation. They believe our spiritual system becomes unresponsive and insensitive and they lose the opportunity for salvation. There are many instances where we have prayed years for those who we believed to be lost and finally they accept Christ and invite the Holy Spirit into their lives. Usually they were never fully knowledgeable nor had they tasted the goodness of the Word of God.

Hebrews 10:26 – 27 – “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (I placed the emphasis on deliberately.) We all know we continually “miss the mark”, such as sins of omission or other sins but not necessarily do we do it deliberately or intentionally. How much deliberate sin must we do before we become disqualified as Paul points out?

A person who keeps on deliberately sinning is different from a person who sins through sins of omission, etc. I John 3:9 says: “No one who is born of God practices sin.” Scripture is filled with messages of hope for Christians. It is also very clear; a raging fire will consume those who reject Christ when God’s judgment takes place.

When Scripture says it is impossible, it is my belief that it is not putting restrictions on God but is stating man’s result of denying God is judgment. The only unpardonable sin that I know of is denying, rejecting into one’s life or blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Remember nothing can ever take the Holy Spirit from us. However, it is my opinion we can reject the Holy Spirit from our lives.

It would make the headlines if a person had adequate financial reserves but failed to use them and starved. This is an illustration I often use when describing having the Holy Spirit in our lives yet ignoring Him. Why do so many Christians fail to bounce decisions off the Spirit within or ask questions seeking answers? Do we live our lives unaware that God is a part of us?

God gives His Spirit to believers and says His Spirit is there to help them live a better life. He says that the Holy Spirit can give you the fruits of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22 & 23, which are self-control, patience, joy and peace to name a few. Then why don’t we accept God’s promise and allow the Holy Spirit to become a more significant part of our lives? Just think of the improvement in our lives if we continually converse in prayer with the Spirit within us throughout the day. Do we fit the illustration of the millionaire who starved to death by not utilizing the Holy Spirit’s help Who is readily available?

Doug Lee and I have been in a weekly Bible study group that has met every Friday for close to ten years. Last week he was sharing that when he was playing professional basketball he could shoot blindfolded and hit the basket. He stated he was taught to visualize that every time he shot the ball he was confident it was going into the basket. He also believed that every time they played a game they were going to win. If they didn’t win it was only because the game ended too soon. Had they played a little longer and a little harder they would have won. As professionals they just never gave up no matter what the score was because they believed they were unbeatable.

Let’s visualize what heaven is like and how we will be treated as God’s children when we get there. Then assume that as we live on this earth we are laying up treasures in heaven. How deep is our faith and how hard are we preparing? Are we preparing like a professional would? Matthew 6:19 – 21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We are told we will be judged and rewarded by the deeds or the service we provide others while here on earth. Then accept the fact that the Spirit is here to help us prepare those treasures we are sending on ahead and for the crown we will be given. If our faith is unlimited and we trust in God’s promises we may even be able to make the “Big Leagues”. But if we only practice occasionally chances are when it is time to perform we won’t even make the B-team. Do we even care to be on the “A” team? We have the best Coach in the world with us every second. However, if we are not coachable and live as the world lives the only place we may be able to play is in God’s back yard. When we get to heaven do we want to have been trained and prepared by the finest Coach Who has learned from God the rules of life or will we ignore our Spiritual Coach and just be willing to barely make it? How important is living as the world lives when it comes to eternity?

I am saddened but not surprised. Satan, the great deceiver, caught another one in his trap. What does it say to the non-Christian world? Too many ministers, church leaders, Bible teachers and lay people have fallen for Satan’s temptations. Some have been my personal friends who have been caught up in adultery.

Could one of the answers be that if we love ourselves more than we love God it may be easier to become snared? Romans 12:1 tells us we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship….This means our life is to be lived for God. We are to be obedient to the inerrant inspired Word of God, love God and others and have a tremendous desire to serve God. Verse 2 – “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The hardest part of the Christian life is giving up our rights, our will and surrendering our all to Christ and living a sacrificial life. God says that He will sanctify us, set us apart so that His Holy Spirit can live in us and He can do His will through us His children. We have been given His Spirit so we may become more like Him. We are to be different and live as His testimony to the world. How else is Christ to get His message to the world if it isn’t through His believers?

But instead of some Christians living for Christ they conform to the ways of the world rejecting God’s will to “not conform”. But it is so easy to compromise our way of living with the things of the world. Therefore, Christians who deliberately sin believe their will and their rights are more important than God’s will and Word and transgress.

What does, do not conform to the pattern of this world, really mean? It means if we establish a correct belief system it will help us when temptation raises its ugly head. Therefore, I ask: DOES WHAT WE BELIEVE MATTER?

How do we choose what we believe? On what authority do we develop our belief system? Does what we believe come from our parents, teachers and friends or is it based upon the Word of God? Is God our authority? What we believe affects every decision we make. And what will be the consequences of every decision we make? What happens if we have the wrong belief system? If we believe what our family believes or what some Christian teachers taught us, could we have the wrong belief system?

According to T. Pierce Brown (The Old Paths Archive): “It is possible that the average church member does not even know what is meant by the expression, ‘situation ethics,’ but it basically means that there is no ethical standard that can be uniformly or consistently applied, for each situation demands its own standard of ethics. Under that theory, you may commit adultery (or almost anything else) if it is done in love, and no one is hurt by it. You may lie, if you think it appropriate to spare the feelings of someone, or to be socially acceptable. That is, if your host wants to know if you enjoyed the gathering, and you were bored stiff, you may say, “I had a wonderful time” for you are trying to do good to him. You may steal, if you do it to help a needy person, such as a starving child. In fact, there is no action you cannot perform if, in your judgment, the action is for a good cause, and if you have the proper motive in performing it.” In college I remember debating if it was o.k. to lie if it would keep someone from being killed. (No! Unless it was me!!!)

How do we want to live? Do we want to live using the world’s “situation ethics” as our belief system or do we want to live by God’s authority? It is said that 92% of Americans believe in God. But what God are they talking about? Is their God different from ours? How many religions teach that you work your way to heaven? Is it possible some religious zealots will miss heaven?

The majority of people believe that if you live a good life you will go to heaven. II Timothy 4:3 & 4 – “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Do you want to rely on what someone tells you or do you want to know for certain what is required to get to heaven? Many believe you can get to heaven without going through Jesus Christ. What about those who have never heard of Christ. Will they go to hell? We will leave that up to God to judge. However, I know the Bible says no man will be without an excuse. Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

What about the 66% of American adults who do not believe the Bible is the inerrant inspired Word of God? Do we use the excuse that many Christians believe there are mistakes in the Bible and it doesn’t necessarily apply to us today? Do we buy into, everyone is doing it? What about the homes we buy, the cars we must have or the continual eating out, which we can’t afford? How does our belief system affect also our financial decisions? The more we know about God’s Word, the more we believe and trust it, the more peace and joy will be in our lives. Instead of living worldly lives maybe we should be living holy lives based upon Biblical truths. There will be a difference in the consequences when we make the right choices. Are you willing to accept the consequences that come from conforming to the world’s ways as some have? I believe some consequences can be too devastating. I don’t want to disappoint my Lord. How about you?

If you disagree that having the correct belief system will keep you from yielding to temptations please comment.

Our church’s mission statement is “To connect the unconnected to Christ and together grow to full devotion to Him.” It is not difficult for our leaders to measure getting people connected. We determine how many accept Christ as their Savior. When you have more than 2000 a year who accept Christ we believe the first-half of our mission is met. But how do you measure or monitor the second part, “And together grow to full devotion to Him”?

We know an individual can measure one’s spiritual health or full devotion to Christ but how do churches determine if they are meeting the second part: getting people involved in being fully devoted? It appears many new converts accept Christ and are saved. However, it seems, at first, some do not change the way they live. If our observations are correct, some churches are not meeting the needs of getting a number of Christians to become committed or fully devoted. We assume part of the problem is that Christians are unaware of what it means to become repentant, change their attitudes and begin living Christ-like lives. We must be careful not to give legalistic dos and don’ts. Yet, no matter how many classes or instructions that are made available, many fail to take advantage of what is offered. This could be the major problem!

I have been to church seminars and retreats to learn that (and these are in my mind questionable statistics) only 20% of a church membership makes up the real core. This means that they are the ones who tithe and are volunteers in the ministry. That leaves 80% or most who may not be fully-devoted or committed if statistics are correct.

How do we get the 80% or whatever to become more involved in their relationship with Christ? First, we must make sure that every Christian knows how to measure their spiritual health. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22 – 23 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Scripture makes it very clear that when we become spiritually mature we will have received the fruit of the Spirit. In our lives we will have love and not hate and regardless of the circumstance, we will still have joy and peace. Our patience will improve. We will be more kind and good in dealing with others. Our faith and trust will increase exponentially. When it comes to temptations we should have the self-control to not yield. That does not mean we will not sin or miss the mark as humans. Receiving the fruit of the Spirit is not something that happens instantaneously but is a process. Christians must set the fruits as goals.

There is a difference between gifts and the fruits of the Spirit. Every Christian can receive all the fruits but rarely does anyone receive numerous gifts. A gift may be leadership, teaching, music, prophecy or preaching to name a few.

What may keep us from obtaining the fruit of the Spirit? You may have a problem with anger. All your life you may have a short fuse and it doesn’t take much to get you angry. Chances are you have not had a lot of peace and joy in your life. The same could be true of patience. If you are a very impatient person and can’t stand to wait in line or you get angry when things don’t happen as quickly as you expect, it can affect you spiritually. You must learn to change your behavior before you may receive the fruit of the Spirit. Until we become more Christ-like in our behavior or attitude our spiritual maturity can suffer.

So how do we receive the fruits that will change our lives completely? It takes an all-out commitment to serve Christ and trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us in every aspect of life. We must recognize our previous condition, change our minds and deliberately turn from previous wrong behaviors and beliefs to living as Scripture teaches.

How does the church apparently know if their members are growing spiritually? It will become noticeable in giving and in volunteering. You can sense it by co-operation and how members deal with one another. A Christian having all the fruits of the Spirit will improve church attendance and study their Bibles. There are other ways but these are some indications.

So churches can really only help Christians evaluate their spiritual health through teaching them how to measure, where they are, spiritually. It may be time for church leaders to discuss how they get members to become more committed to Christ. Hopefully, I have given just a few ideas in measuring whether members are getting spiritually connected and are fully-devoted to Christ. It is possible some Christians think they are spiritually mature yet have only a few fruits of the Spirit and don’t realize their need. Through being unaware they may be missing tremendous blessings and the church may not be fulfilling their mission.