How can you live in sin and still say you believe in God? Where there is faith in Christ, there is also a change of heart and mind. 4To be born again is a life change. We die to the lusts of the flesh and are given new desires to walk in the ways of the Lord. The darkness has been dispersed and only light abounds. Speaking upon our walk with God, David prayed, 1“Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness”. Think about this prayer. God loves it when a person brings about the works of the Spirit. Where His will is done, there is also righteousness. For people no longer strive to walk in their own ways but do as the Lord says. People are blessed as they hearken to the Spirit of God. For where there is love for God there is also love for our neighbor. We can understand these things if we are reading the Bible to learn and grow and listening to sermons in church to better our walk with Christ. This is true devotion to God. No longer read the Bible like any other book but read, in order to gain wisdom from God. When we read the Bible or listen to a church sermon and do nothing to better our walk with God then we are hearers only. To hear the Word and do nothing else is why most people continue living a lifestyle of sin. As I talk to people, they tell me that they still have time to repent. 2They may be on a different path now but at any time they can get back on track with God. The Lord will take them in, once they are ready to make the choice. In the meantime, people continue to live in pornography, drugs, alcohol and other worldly things. They drink and be merry. They put off their day of repentance. However, most people die in this fashion and are not ready to meet the Lord in judgement.
People tend to live life freely and not fear death, but on the flip side, don’t understand the consequences of hell that awaits them. Jesus spoke about a rich man who lived a plentiful life. He had all the treasures he ever wanted in life. Even his barns could not hold all the things he had gathered in the course of his life. Instead of sharing what he accumulated, his desire was to build bigger buildings to store his enormous wealth. One night he said, 3“I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” His desires was to live this life freely. He felt like he was outside the bonds of sin. Therefore He drank, like many people do now. People go to bars and don’t see nothing wrong with it. They are simply having a good time, they often say. However, this is God’s response to this riotous living, 3“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” He thought he had years to come but instead his life was required that night. Now everything he had was for naught. He would now face judgement for the life he had led. Jesus spoke about those people that will be punished, 3“so is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Think about the fact that God loves righteousness but hates wickedness. This alone should lead you to be born again. To no longer strive to walk in the ways of the world but in the ways of God. Our souls will be required by God, one day. For some, that day is tomorrow. May this reunion with the Lord be glorious. I pray that each of you are welcomed into heaven for being covered by the blood of Jesus.
Let us pray:
My gracious God, I love Your ways. I know that I cannot live a righteous life on my own. My way of thinking is unholy but your ways are holy. I desire holiness in my life. Cast aside any sinful nature from my heart. I am willing to give up a life of sin for You. Be my shield and my fortress. Help me to not fall under temptation. Let Your light shine brighter than all darkness. Help me to not heed the viles of the devil. I want to live in Your ways. I want to do as You say. I love Your words. You bring wise counsel to my life. Help me and those around me to seek You as Lord of our lives. Help me to be less selfish but selfless in all my ways. May your love encompass me that many people will be blessed. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Psalm 45:2,3,6,7,15-17 (KJV)
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.
16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
2Matthew 7:11-14 (KJV)
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
3Luke 12:16-21 (KJV)
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
4John 3:1-7 (KJV)
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
