“If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” says the Lord GOD. EZEKIEL 18:9
Since the beginning when God spoke face-to-face with Adam and Eve, He has invited His people to choose life rather than death. His law (at first the simple “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” [Genesis 2:17]) has made the choice clear for us: will we obey and thereby choose life? At the heart of every sin is our fundamental disregard for God’s will. Consider your life. Don’t the consequences of your sin make it obvious that you should return to God? As we Christians seek to follow God, we stumble and fall, we ask forgiveness, and—by God’s grace—we receive it. Therefore many of us wrongly conclude that judgment is reserved for those who do not belong to Christ. The Bible does indeed teach that the lost are judged for sin because they reject the Savior’s redemption (John 3:18). But the saved—you and I—will also be judged according to the way we live our lives (2 Corinthians 5:10). So choose to follow God—to faithfully keep His ways—and you will please your Lord. That is a life worth living. - Blackaby Being Still With God
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
When Jesus came to a world that was in bondage to darkness and dead in its sin, He came as light and life. His light dispelled sin's darkness wherever He went, for the forces of evil could not withstand Him. The life He brought was abundant and free, available to all who were dead in their sin (Eph. 2:1; John 10:10). If you are a Christian, Jesus lives in you, and His light is within you. Christians are called to dispel darkness (Eph. 5:11). The light of Christ ought to shine so brightly through you that those practicing darkness are uncomfortable when they are around you. The light within you should dispel darkness from the lives of your friends, coworkers, and family members. The fullness of life found in Christ dwells within you as a Christian (Col. 1:27). The life that Jesus offers is available to others through you. Don’t discount what you have to give to those who are hurting. Christ's life within you is more than sufficient to meet every human need. When people encounter you, they encounter Christ within you. You do not know all the answers, but you have Someone within you who does! You will not carry the burden of the needs of others. Christ will. Be aware that just as many resisted Jesus, so there will be those who resist the truth that you offer (John 1:11). Be thankful, however, that God chooses to express Himself through you, giving light and life to those around you. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
Do you examine yourself before God? It's a life-changing question.
Do you look at your motives? Do you seek to understand why you do what you do?
Do you ever look at why dwell on the thoughts that you do?
"It's just the way that I am!" Isn't going to be a good excuse in the day that believers give an account before Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
Where do you express the most zeal in your life? For your Savior or for your company, your favorite teams, even your family?
Where do your thoughts go when you are idle?
We who are in Christ must give an account of the deeds we have done in the body. Every single person. Quite frankly I am ashamed of many moments in my life. My sin nature has had a horrible impact on my life.
Do you consider psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? Do you at all make melody in your heart towards God?
Do you consider the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6? Do you live as a light shining in a dark place?
Does the place you call your Church home truly teach that Jesus is the only way to salvation?
Do you live one way around other believers and still another while in the world?
Do you at all feel about sin as God does? Can you identify idolatry, adultery, the other sins the Bible describes? Are any of those in your life and you have just accepted them rather than repented of them?
Scripture says that we were bought with a price, the blood of Christ Jesus. That our lives are not our own, that we are to live for the one who saved us. Is that real in your life?
You cannot live for Christ and live for self too.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
What would an examination of your life show? A devoted life to Jesus Christ or a life devoted to things of this world? Would there be enough evidence should all of your life be burned away to leave enough gold to make a crown to give back to Jesus?
Questions not only for this morning but questions for every day. Scripture says the heart is desperately wicked who can understand it? Only the Spirit of God.
In much of the last dozen or so years God's been showing me things that are in His way in me. Those things will be dealt with in one of two ways. By me willingly or by Him, and me unwillingly. What will happen to remove anything will be painful when I don't let go and let God.
Take stock of your motives, your reasons, what drives you. If they aren't God honoring, if they don't lead to praise, repentance, a changed life, you really need to stop them as quickly as possible. Turn and repent. Confess and ask for forgiveness.
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