“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” (James 2:14 NLT)
Many in our churches across America have been deceived by the lying spirit of Satan, into believing they’re saved and on their way to heaven, when in fact they’re on a course that is leading them straight to hell.
If someone believes they’re going to heaven because they said a “prayer,” or parroted words that someone led them to say, and by those things alone believe they’re going to heaven, they may need to reconsider. If they’re not certain of their connection with the Lord, they need to seek God’s forgiveness in their own words, and ask for the Lord’s strength and help in guiding them into a whole new godly direction for their life.
Then, they need to find someone they trust, who by the quality of their life, demonstrates what following Jesus should look like. It can be very helpful if they can ask that person to walk with them in their faith journey. They need to get connected to a church fellowship that honors Christ and teaches the Bible accurately, and learn how to walk with Jesus in submission to His authority.
There’s a brief video that was shown at the men’s conference I mentioned yesterday, entitled Justin and Angela. If you’d like to check it out, just go to youtube.com and type in “Justin and Angela.” It’s about a husband and wife who go out to dinner, but, as it turns out, the wife has also invited a few of her boyfriends. It’s funny on some levels, but it’s also heartbreaking, because it illustrates how we treat the Lord when we’re not fully committed to Him.
In the video Angela tries to explain to Justin, her husband, that she “loves him most,” that he’s “her favorite.” This illustrates our fickle heart when we desire to keep things from our old life, and just add Jesus to the mix. “He loves us no matter what, right? So, surely, He won’t mind.” There’s just one tiny problem – IT’S BLASPHEMOUS!
Exodus 20:3 records God’s words in His first Commandment: “You must not have any other god but Me.” And some would say or think ”I don’t have another god, I just love my job, hobby, family, possessions _______________ (you can fill in the blank). Anything that takes the place of our whole-hearted love for the one true God can become a god! Verse 5 says: “…I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.”
God’s “jealousy” isn’t like ours. His jealousy is based on our need, not His. He’s God, He has no needs. He wants us to love only Him because only He can help us understand and experience what true, selfless love looks and feels like. He alone can give us what our heart longs to have – full acceptance; unwavering, everlasting love; complete satisfaction and wholeness we can’t even begin to imagine; deep devotion that no human relationship can match; forgiveness and a fresh start; healing that enables us to see life with new eyes and to experience life with new emotions and expectations, not only on planet earth, but forever with the Lord on the new earth and the new heaven.
My purpose isn’t to be the proverbial “judge.” I’m not judging anyone except myself. I’m no better than anyone else. All I’m trying to do is hold up the “mirror” of God’s Word and let us see ourselves as God sees us.
Please listen to the Holy Spirit as He draws you to Himself and allows you to either know for sure that you belong to Him (see Romans 8:16) or give you a clear understanding that you don’t. You can’t risk trusting your feelings or “what you’ve always believed.”
You must forsake your “mistresses” before it’s eternally too late.
Blessings, Ed
Walking With Jesus 