PIC: Olive Tree Branch. Janine Joles – Unsplash
I don’t know about you, or anyone else, actually – but I know my heart was given to Christ way long ago, and I’m still workin’ with Jesus to keep my heart 100% given-over – to Him alone (John 15:1-5). How ‘bout you?
Your seed of faith (Matthew 13)
The odd thing about “faith” is that faith can wander, drift away. 1 Your seed of faith (Matthew 13) may have become dislodged, lost. (See site search: faith.)
Even more insidious: Your “decision” for Christ way long ago… may have been made with a “cracked heart”. Have you examined yourself lately (2 Corinthians 13:5)?
2 By this faith you are saved [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose],
if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain [just superficially and without complete commitment]. – 1 Corinthians 15:2
See: Romans 6:4-7 and Colossians 3:1-4.
Did you go away thinking you were saved?
Jesus left the earth, so He is not physically right next to us to say, “Hey! There is one thing that you still lack in order to inherit eternal life.” So instead of going away sad, some have gone away thinking erroneously that they were saved.
See: The faith of “anything goes”
The achy, achy cracked heart
Are you like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day? Like: the one who went away from Jesus sad, with what I call his achy, achy cracked heart (Matthew 19:22)?
The rich young ruler (Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18; Matthew 19:16) turned away from God totally disappointed because he loved his lifestyle more than he loved Jesus. He thought he had it all together, that he was absolutely ready to meet his Maker.
That you? What will it be like to miss the way to heaven — because you lacked just one thing?!
– Source: One thing you lack
PIC: Olive Tree Branches. Janine Joles. Unsplash
God alone is the One who can free us, and give us a new heart. But it has to be His Way. A cracked heart traps you in its vicious circle – apart from God.
What He does to us (2 Corinthians 3:5: “not we ourselves”) is: He miraculously makes “the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition]” to pass away.
Don’t sit there keeping your sin. Trying to get rid of it by yourself does not work. Giving-in to sin lets it reign in your body (Romans 6).
See: | Don’t Let It | If I were to let sin reign in my body |
| This is natural for us – so put it on |
PIC: Olive Tree. Don Fontijn – Unsplash
Grafted
Have you been “grafted” into “the cultivated olive tree” (Romans 11:17-24), truly grafted into the Vine (John 15:1-5)? Or did that never happen with you — never in the olive tree, never in the Vine?
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 AMP Verses 17-18:
“17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. 18 But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him]….”
What will it be like
to miss your way to heaven
— because you lacked just one thing?!
The one-off offer Jesus makes to everyone
FOR MORE:
Was your “decision” for Christ way long ago made with a “cracked heart”. Have you examined yourself lately? See: 2 Corinthians 13:5
___________
The Moment of IF …if – unless
…if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain [just superficially and without complete commitment]. – 1 Corinthians 15:2
See: Romans 6:4-7 and Colossians 3:1-4.
Being 100% given-over to Jesus
Is yours a sound doctrine that Jesus will approve?
The one-off offer Jesus makes to everyone
Are you “contrary” – not conforming to the Gospel?
The Dangers of Consorting With Error
We know what Jesus believes. Do you agree with Him?
Only God’s Way Leads to Himself
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
Jesus said, “Good answer! Do it and you’ll live.”
This is natural for us – so put it on
We overwhelmingly conquer through Him
Jesus watches over you very carefully
Forgiveness for evil deeds done
I am not the sum of all my sins
Stand tall and lift up your heads in joy, Jesus said
If I were to let sin reign in my body
Be the one who endures and overcomes
The Kingdom of God is very exclusive, very luxurious, very special
Will you be turned away by Jesus?
Footnotes
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Synonyms roll, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, drift, vagabond, cheat on, cheat, cuckold, betray, weave, wind, thread, meander, digress, divagate, continue, cozen, deceive, delude, go, go forward, lead on, locomote, move, proceed, tell, travel
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