Is my faith real? Is my relationship with God genuine? PART 1

Is my faith real? Is my relationship with God genuine? 
PART 1

Why do we do what we do? Is it for self-promotion—to please another person—self-satisfaction—obligation? We need to keep our motives under the examination of the Holy Spirit—NOT so He can hammer us but so our spiritual walk can remain wholesome.

7 Questions to ask yourself to help you know how genuine your faith and relationship with God really is:

1- Am I obedient to God?

My friend, Lori, has said, “As a child, I was obedient to my mother because I loved her so much. I really wanted to make her happy.”

Let’s ask ourselves if we feel that way about God. So then, what does it mean to obey God? Is it to not break the Ten Commandments? I would say that’s a good starting place.

But even beyond the big ten we each need to consider what God is telling us, individually. For each of us, God has an ILP (Individualized Life Plan). Those of us who are or have been in education, as well as many parents, are familiar with IEPs—Individualized Education Program. Well guess what—God has an ILP for each of us. He proclaimed it over us before we were even born (Psalm 139:16-17).

How to know God’s ILP for me?

The best way to know what that is is to get to know God through His Word and to spend quality time with Him in prayer—listening to Him as well as talking to Him. In addition to that, we need to be in fellowship with other Believers by connecting with a good Bible believing church, sitting under sound Biblical teaching.

In addition to these things, we need the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to give us the courage and power to follow through. When we believe and receive Jesus as our Savior the Holy Spirit moved into our own spirit to help us in all things.

Although we’re each imperfect and won’t get it right every time, the way we live really should match up with what we say we believe. AND we can be sure that living according to God’s ILP will bring us into the abundant life our Creator wants for us. Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

2- Am I seeking to know Truth?

Truth with a capital “T”—that is God’s Truth—the Truth of God’s Word. We must be convinced that anything conflicting with the Truth of God’s Word is simply not truth. 

It’s sad to see that on many college campuses, young adults who grew up in church and even sat under Biblical teaching are being drawn away from God’s Truth. Many probably left the shelter of God fearing parents without having ever made a genuine profession of faith in Jesus for themselves. I believe a large number of people, young and old, have not taken time to read and study their Bibles for themselves. It has simply not been a priority in their busy lives.

Consequently their foundations are not sound or for some other reason—ie. maybe rebellion or just not paying attention—“they have changed the truth of God for the lie, worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25 NKJV).

It’s true that some people don’t want to know the truth. We’ve heard it said, “The truth hurts.” That’s certainly the case sometimes. Also some don’t want to know the truth because it requires something they don’t want to give or be responsible for.

 
No matter the reason, not knowing and living in truth is harmful in this life and even more so in light of eternity. 

“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 NKJV).

So, how do we know the Truths of God and then live accordingly?

I refer you to the How to of question #1. These same strategies help us stay on track with the Truth of God.  

3- Am I morally pure?

In today’s environment a term like “morally pure” could mean many different things to many different people.

Have you heard of situation ethics? Basically, it means to set aside absolute moral standards and apply behavioral flexibility, according to the circumstances of each individual situation. In other words, do what feels right at the time—justifying behavior outside of God’s Biblical plumb line. 

 



 

As followers of Jesus, we shouldn’t concern ourselves with anyone’s definition of “morally pure” except for Jesus, the Lord of our lives and Lover of our souls. We should strive for God’s standard of moral purity because we can be confident that His way is what’s best for us and His desire for each of us is to enjoy an abundant life full of love, joy, peace, accomplishment and success.

A word used in the Bible a lot that depicts moral purity is righteousness, appearing over 600 times. The root word for righteousness is just, with synonyms such as virtuous, pure, moral and ethical. 

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 3) And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1, 3).

Are we to be pure like Jesus?! Of course it’s impossible for us to be that pure because as human beings, still on the earth, we are not sinless. Christians sin, yes, but we should not be characterized by sin. We will occasionally sin but should not continue in sin. 

In Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, after devaluing his own worldly accomplishments, he professed his desire to gain Christ instead “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but righteousness which is from God by faith that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 2:9-10a NKJV).

So, with the help of the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we have the power of Jesus Himself to be righteous—morally pure—according to God’s standards—that is God’s Truths. Therefore, when we can get our own will to line up with the Spirit’s directives we can live a life that does what is right. 

So as we contemplate the questions: “Is my faith in God real?” AND “Is my relationship with God genuine?” we need to consider our responses to the three questions: 1- Am I obedient to God? 2- Am I seeking to know Truth? 3- Am I morally pure?

Please prayerfully ponder your answers and search God through prayer and His Word for His response to your answers. I’m doing the same thing.

Yes, I said 7 questions we should ask and this was just 3. Please tune in to my next post for the next two of the questions. 

Your comments are welcome. 

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford

Instead of giving up something for Lent, how about...

Instead of giving up something for Lent, how about...

Okay, so a couple days ago was Ash Wednesday. I heard people talk about what they would be giving up as a sacrifice to show their devotion to God. A biggie this year—and almost every year—is abstaining from eating chocolate. Others include all sweets, coffee, carbs, cigarettes and all manner of worldly pleasures.

Well, how about, for Lent this year, we give. No, I didn’t leave a word off—I simply said we give. How about we give something to God—something that would please Him—something that shows our love and devotion to Him—something sacrificial.

Perhaps our something could reflect Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV): “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Would such a personal sacrifice not please God more than giving up chocolate? Would it not show sincere love and devotion to our Heavenly Father?

What would a living sacrifice look like? The Biblical idea of a sacrifice was the offering of an animal to God as an act of worship. So when Paul spoke of a “living sacrifice” he was taking it to a personal level.

Paul was urging us to offer ourselves instead of killing an animal. He even said that giving ourselves, physically, to God is a reasonable act of worship.

In doing so, Paul wants us to not be conformed—shaped or influenced—by this world and its worldly systems. Instead we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We can all agree there is much in the world that can contaminate our lives and our minds. Instead of allowing ourselves to slip into conformity with the negatives in the world, Paul advises that we be transformed into what is good, acceptable and in the perfect will of God.

In order to accomplish this we must make a conscious effort to renew our minds. Most anything that takes a conscious effort requires some degree of sacrifice. 

What do you think God would like for you to offer up to Him as a living sacrifice during this Lenten season?

Perhaps you haven’t opened your Bible for a while or at least not on a regular basis. Maybe you don’t even own one. Since Bible reading and study is essential for getting to know God well, I suggest this just might be something that would please God and show love for Him. The sacrifice of getting up 15-30 minutes earlier in the morning to spend time with your Creator and in His Word can bring great personal benefits and really make Him smile. 

Or, maybe you haven’t been to church for a while. No doubt getting involved with the body of Christ will please God. Yes, getting up and out to attend a Christian service involves personal sacrifice but the benefits are innumerable and, again will put a smile on your Heavenly Father’s face. 

Okay, so you’re in the Word and are active in a local church—Hallelujah for that! Sincerely ask God what He would have you offer to Him as your living sacrifice during this special season. 

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Let’s each listen for His answer and then follow through and present ourselves holy and acceptable to God in a beautiful act of worship. Considering all He has done for us, it is but a small thing. He is worthy of all praise and glory and honor.

 

So while you’re enjoying your chocolate that you didn’t need to give up after all—take some of it to treat an elderly person who needs a touch of love. Give of yourself to that lonely person or to the single mom who would like to go grocery shopping without her kids for a change. 

Don’t get me wrong. If God is telling you to fast or give up chocolate, by all means, do so. But, in addition, you might want to ask Him how He wants you to be a living sacrifice while preparing for Holy Week.

 

Feel free to share your Lenten experiences as a comment below.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford

Not saying this to upset you—but the truth must be known.

Not saying this to upset you—but the truth must be known.

I heard it again just a few days ago, “We’re all God’s children.”

It sounds so nice—so comforting—so inclusive. To someone who believes in God or thinks there might be a God, it gives some degree of false hope. But, it’s just not true. God Himself has the last word on this concept.

It is true that God loves everyone. He even loves us all equally. He created each of us in His own image (Genesis 1:27).

God wants every single human being to be in His forever family. He wants to be the Father of each one of us. It’s His desire that none parish—that is that none suffer eternal damnation (2 Peter 3:9). 

When God created the universe, the creatures and Mankind, He wanted all people who ever lived to be His family. But He wanted us to be in His family, not because He forced it, but because we chose it. We all have free will by God’s design. 

Even after being warned not to eat of the tree, Adam and Eve, of their own free will, turned against God and ate the fruit. Sin occurred and all manner of hardship befell Mankind. And like Adam and Eve, we can choose.

At God’s appointed time, He sent His Son, Jesus, to walk among men, teaching about the Kingdom of God. If you haven’t read the four gospels recently I highly recommend you do so. Learn Jesus. Be reminded of the things He said and did. (The four gospels are the books of Matthew, Mark Luke and John, in the Bible.)

Ultimately Jesus completed His earthly mission. He was crucified, died, buried, rose from the dead, and ascended to Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. By His coming, suffering and dying Jesus bore the punishment we deserved. “Thank You, Jesus!”

This is the pathway our Heavenly Father provided for us to be restored to right relationship with Himself. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is the answer to the dilemma of Mankind’s sin which separated us from Holy God. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Speaking of Jesus John wrote, “But as many who received Him to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13 NKJV).

So when we are born of God—that is born-again—we become His own child. That’s how we become children of God. 

How do we get to be born of God? We believe in and receive Jesus. We believe He is who the Bible says He is and we invite Him and receive Him into our own hearts. We embrace Him as the Lord of our lives. Then we are the children of God.

When we do this, we have become children of God by adoption with all the rights of a natural-born child. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, crying out ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7 NKJV).  

So when we make the conscious decision to believe and receive Jesus as our Savior we’re then adopted into God’s own family and have every right to call out to Him, “Abba, Father—Daddy!” 

Conversely, anyone who is not born-again as described above is not a child of God—is not in God’s family. 

As stated in John 14, Jesus is the only way to reconciliation with God. 

Many people desperately want there to be several ways to God but no matter how hard they wish, it’s just not that way. 

The only alternative to being in God’s family is to be in Satan’s family, condemned to eternal damnation. Don’t get mad at me for stating this. Take it up with God. I suggest you get to know Him through studying His Word—the Bible. That will help explain why it is what it is. 

 

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens area higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV).

Your comments are welcome. Inappropriate comments will be deleted.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford