Before You became A Christian

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Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies, it remains alone;        but if it dies, it produces much grain.                                                        John 12:24 

        Some things must die in order to be productive. Certain seeds will not germinate into a plant unless they freeze during the winter. Jesus knew that His death would bring salvation to the world. 

        The moment you became a Christian, your sinful nature died (Rom.6:6), but there remained sinful aspects of your character that had not gone to their graves willingly. Before you became a Christian, were you self-centered liar? You may discover selfishness and lying lingering in your life when you ought to be freely sharing what you have in the name of Christ (Matt. 10:8).

        Did you have a volatile temper? Now as a believer, you experience moments when anger wells up within you. Were you driven by ambition? You may still find yourself with the same motivation as you strive for recognition and position in the kingdom of God.

        If these sinful attitudes are allowed to remain alive, they will stifle the fruits of the Spirit. Your temper may prevent some from coming to Jesus. Your selfishness and lying will hinder you from being a blessing to those around you. Your ambition could cause you to use others to meet your goals. Your family may be suffering because of some areas of your life that you have never allowed Jesus to put to death. It is futile to say, "But that's just the way I am!"  

        Think about this: That is the way you were. But that person died with Christ; you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Allow God to complete His work in you and see what fruit your life produces. 

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                          Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

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Pursuit Of Righteousness And Trust

                                                        When The Door Slams 

The wicked man does deceptive work,                                                                                                     But to him who sows righteousness will be a sure reward.                                                                                                                                          Proverbs 11:18

        There are many ways to invest our lives, but none offers greater reward than devoting ourselves to the pursuit of righteousness and trust. Every area of our lives should reflect the holiness of God that is ours by salvation: our thoughts, so that nothing we think about would be inappropriate for a child of God; our actions, so that our lives demonstrate that we serve a holy God; our integrity, so that we are above reproach in all our relationships. 

        Think about this: Are you taking God's righteousness in your life for granted? Righteousness and truth is something you must allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Instead of sowing holy thoughts, are you allowing evil and sinful thoughts to grow in your mind? Are you allowing lust to grow unchecked within you? Does enmity, bitterness, jealousy, or just lying and unforgiveness remain in your life? Jesus said if we seek first God and His righteousness, everything else will follow (Matt. 6:33). 

        There is great reward in sowing righteousness and truth. What are you presently doing to plant trust and holiness in your life? (1 Pet. 1:15). How are you putting righteousness in your mind so that your thoughts are holy? How are you cultivating righteousness and trust in your relationships so that you maintain your integrity? Are you instilling righteousness and truth in your activities so that your life is above reproach? If you want to harvest righteousness and trust in your life tomorrow, you must plant seeds of righteousness and truth today.  

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                          Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His Forgiveness.   

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Sin Is Attractive, Sin Entrap Us

                                                     When The Door Slams 

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.                                                                                                                                 Hebrews 12:1-2 

        Sin is our most persistent, determined, and pernicious enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God has designed for us. Paul tells us that sin brings death (Rom. 7:11). Yet it is very subtle. Sin creeps into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so attractively that we are lulled into thinking that it cannot really harm us (2 Cor. 11:14-15). 

        Think about this: Sin stealthily and relentlessly entangles our lives. We will never be able to run the race marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. We can free ourselves from sin's bondage only if we recognize it for what it is. If we call sin a "mistake," a "bad habit," or a "weakness," we will never escape its grasp. We must not blame our sins on others.

        We must not allow pride to convince us it is too humiliating to admit the sin in our lives. Sin will blind us to its presence. It dose not always command our attention but rather, it deceptive and convincing robs us of the spiritual power and victory that could be ours. The good news is that there is no extent to which sin can entangle us that God's grace does not abound still more to free us          (Rom. 5:20).               

        Has sin robbed you of your joy? Has it prevented you from being the best husband, wife, mother, son, daughter, or friend you could be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity? If you have become entrapped with sin, God can release you immediately, no matter how desperately entangled you may have become!   

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                     Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.   

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Here I Am. Send Me!

                                                        When The Door Slams

Your people will join You on Your day of battle. You have been dressed in holiness from birth;                You have the freshness of a child.                                                         Psalm 110:3 

        One mark of revival, during which God comes to His people in power, is that God's people are compelled to offer their lives for His service. Many churches lack people who are willing to get involved in carrying our God's redemptive work. The mission fields are crying out for Christians to go and share the gospel with those who have never heard it. What we need is not more pleas for volunteers, but an outpouring of the power of God. When God comes among His people in power, there is never a shortage of volunteers or resources for His work!

        Think about this: When Christians today are asked what aspects of the Christian life are most important to them, missions is not usually ranked as a priority. This is because we have lost track of why God called us in the first place. We were not saved from our sin simply so that we would qualify for heaven. God delivered us so we would have a relationship with Him through which He could carry out His mission to redeem a lost world. 

        Only the power of God can free us from our natural self-centeredness and reorient us toward the mission of God. there is no need to pray that God would come in power. That is the only way He ever comes. We need hearts that are so responsive to Him that He will choose to demonstrate His power through us. Is your heart so filled with love for God that you are watching for the first opportunity to say with Isaiah, "Here I am. Send me!"        

May I not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, but join with others in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. (2 Timothy 1:8)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                              Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

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My Power Of Freedom

                                                     When The Door Slams

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy,      O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.                             Psalms 2:5-9

        This reminds me of a story, Victor Frankl, know for his writing and position as head of the Department of Psychiatry in Vienna, Austria, was captured by the Nazis during the Second World War.  At the concentration camp, the guards took his shirt, cap, belt and shoes. Next they took his slacks and underwear. There he stood naked before them. Frankl says they all began to laugh. They stripped him of his wrist watch, his wedding ring, and his dignity.

         While all this was going on, Frankl was thinking, "There is one thing you cannot take. You cannot take from me my power and freedom to choose my attitude." The reality is the Nazis never did, even though Frankl suffered through years in the concentration camp.

        Think about this: Three thousand years ago, King David also prayed for mercy and chose a victorious attitude. We can come to God with our petitions, large and small. We can ask the Lord to deliver our souls from death, to keep us alive in whatever kind of "famine" we face. Don't hesitate to ask God for His help in your time of need.

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                        Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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Discipline Or Spiritual Warfare

                                                     When The Door Slams

For the Lord disciplines the one He Love and punishes every son He receives.                                                                                                                                                                     Hebrews 12:6 

        There is a tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as the result of "spiritual warfare." When a difficulty arises, many immediately ask God to remove their distress. The problem is that their predicament may have nothing to do with Satan or with spiritual warfare.                                                                                                                                                                  Think about this: It may appear far more glorious for us to explain our hardships as Satan's determined attacks against us, rather than admitting that we are merely reaping what we have sown and are being disciplined by our heavenly Father (Galatians  6:7). 

        What is often mistaken as Satan's attack may actually be chastisement from our loving Father. If you have neglected your role as spiritual teacher to your children, God may allow them to fall into sin. If you have been dishonest at work, God may correct you by letting you face the consequences. It would be foolish to pray that God would ease your discomfort. 

        God is disciplining you in order to gain your attention and bring necessary change to your life. How tragic it is that we never make the connection between our problems and God's discipline. God's discipline will not help you if you dismiss it as Satan's doing or spiritual warfare. Not every hardship you face is the chastisement of God, but Scripture indicates that God will discipline you.

        If you misunderstand God's chastening, you may actually blame Him for not answering your prayers of failing to protect you from Satan. Meanwhile, God is warning you of the danger you face because of your sin. are there difficult circumstances in your life? Could it be the discipline of God? Lord God, whose nature is perfect love, will correct you because Lord has your ultimate good in His heart.

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                         Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.    

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Peace In My Circumstances

                                                     When The Door Slams

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."                                                                                                                                                                                      John 16:33

        How do we find peace of mind in the midst of the circumstances many of us encounter today?             Think about this: A single mom faces a pile of bills. Though she knows and trusts Jesus, it's hard for her not to give in to despair when the financial deadlines approach and no help has appeared.

        An older man gets layoff at the job he has given himself to for years. Now he knows he may be too old to find something comparable. He believes in the Lord God, but month after month with no job prospects, it gets harder and harder. 

        We can name any number of circumstances and you probably know people in the midst of them. How do Christians maintain their balance in such times as these? God never promises we won't face hard times, even painful hard times in this world. 

        What God does promise, is to give us peace in the midst of our trials. What is that peace? Philippians 4:6-7 speaks of it as a supernatural, incomprehensible peace that the world cannot grasp or understand, but the true Christian can. It is the peace Christ gives to us because we knows he will be in the midst with us, the Lord God will meet our basic needs in the midst of our troubles, and He will get us to our next destination in faith. This is powerful peace. Do you need faith now? Just ask Jesus, my Lord and Savior.

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                  Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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