Are you confident that you are saved? Do you walk towards that moment when you will face judgement without hesitation in your step, or falling to the ground in the midst of an anxiety attack? If we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then the grace of God will flow through Him, and without our having earned the right to our own salvation we will be saved... not by anything we have done, but simply by our faith in Jesus, and the mercy and grace of God Himself.
Are we proud and arrogant in our faith? Do we have an overconfidence in our own ability to follow Jesus? When we begin to approach our faith with pride rather than humility then we are dangerously on the verge of falling aside from Christ. Did Jesus take pride in the miracles performed by His hand?
Today I ask you a simple question: “are you saved as a believer in Jesus Christ?” Knowing who Jesus is, acknowledging Him to have lived in the past, or that perhaps He was a great prophet, this is not what I am talking about. My question drills into the very heart of the Christian Faith... do you acknowledge Jesus as the living Messiah, the Risen Son of God, and have you placed your life in His hands by believing, and having faith in Him as such? These are not trick questions, but are easily understood. The hardest part is stepping out in your faith... from the world you know into the unseen.
Do you love those around you? I am not talking about your wife and children, but also your neighbors who you might not like so much. How about those who are detestable, or who hate you; do you love those? Well, if you are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and obey his teaching, then you should love them all.
Are you dying because of the sin in your life? Perhaps you say no, but do you say this too quickly, having become so accustomed to the subtle sins that you hardly notice them? Our bold sins make an impression on us, and frighten us, but the tiny sins often pass by unnoticed, and yet kill our faith none the less... dragging our faithfulness down like exhaustion drowns a swimmer; slowly draining him of energy until at last his head slips beneath the water.
Is your life smooth right now, and everything easy and comfortable? If it is, how long has it been that way, and if so, is it because you are simply avoiding the challenges in life? Practice makes us better, exercise makes us stronger, discipline gives us determination, and in everyone’s life... tribulation toughens us.
How do you forgive? Do you forgive by degree with the small wrongs being easily forgiven and spoken of openly on the street corners as if forgiving them were a victory, but the large transgressions remaining, and being mulled over in your heart until they are almost forgotten, but never truly put away by true forgiveness? Do you make right the wrongs, and separate them from you? We should forgive the most vile transgressions just as we forgive the minor inconveniences. We should embrace forgiveness as Jesus did.
We must face tribulation on our journey towards the kingdom of God. Some who begin their walk Of faith seem to believe that by following Jesus they will not face hardship or suffering yet that is not the case. What is true is that Jesus will be right there with us in the midst of our tribulation, and that the promise of heaven remains our solid promise, and that the joy of God shines before us in the form of Jesus as a continuous reminder.
How is your faith today? Does it remain stored away in a seed sack; a tiny seed in your heart awaiting its season in a barn, or does it flourish where you have planted and tended it? Are you satisfied with the little, or are you led by the Spirit to grow and produce much fruit? Jesus tells us to have faith in God, but that doesn’t mean that our faith is complete when first received, or is dormant and unable to grow like a seed which hasn’t been sown.
You say you are a Christian, but are you really? Have you taken the name of Jesus without having been born again? What a mysterious happening this is when we confess openly our faith in Jesus Christ, and go down in the waters of baptism. The joy and change that rushes over us leaves no doubt that our journey has begun, and that we are no longer dancing around the monicker of Christian, but have indeed become one. Are you still flirting with the flame of faith, or have you entered entirely into it... has it burned up the old you, and replaced it with the smoke and incense of a new and glorious person? Have you entered into the great mystery of faith?
Are you complacent in your edification of one another? Do you speak of your faith in Jesus Christ when together, and lift each other up in faith? Do you pray for the troubles of your brothers and sisters in Christ so that they might be spared the intoxication of night, and be ready for the moment of our Lord’s return? We should encourage ourselves and others of faith.
When times are tough for us, or we see someone else who is struggling, how do we approach the situation; who do we turn to for help, or guidance? So often our pride gets in the way, and we cling to self-sufficiency, or we see someone without clothing, hungry, or with anywhere to sleep, and we look away hoping they will get their life in order. We do these things when in fact we should turn to Jesus for our help, and offer assistance to others as He would have us do, but this requires a couple of very basic attributes... faith, and courage. Do you have these in you?
Do you feel hopelessly alone today? Are you feeling lost, abandoned, sick and without hope, dying and laying alone waiting for that final moment, or suffering without the care of a loved one? No matter how far we feel that we are from another soul, or devoid of love, we are never alone... no matter how lost, how abandoned, how hopeless, how near death, or intense our suffering... we are in the continuous presence , and hands of God. Take heart for He loves you now.
When was the last time you spoke to someone about your faith? I am not talking about standing on the street corner atop a soapbox or handing out tracts; I am referring to an earnest conversation about Jesus Christ with a friend at work who is suffering and lost, or a child you know that needs to hear one of the parables of Jesus to help them understand a life lesson? We often blame society for emasculating our faith, when the truth is that we gave up our swords of faith long ago. We stand in our armor of faith with no weapon and bemoan our circumstances.
Do you desire to please the Father and Son in all you do, or is your motive one of self gratification? Are your efforts designed to secure a beautiful eternity for yourself, or to make eternity a pleasurable paradise for God? Sometimes we seek the right things for the wrong reasons... how do you approach your faith?