Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Features Of A Wholehearted Christian (Part II)


“For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” (Psalm 26:3).

II – HE ADHERES TO THE WORD OF GOD – “For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” (Psalm 26:3).

We must adhere to the will of God. Since we live in a Christian country and we probably go to a place of worship sunday after sunday, and hear sermons, the question is what effects have they upon our character? The Word of God must be received into our hearts, and become the mainspring of our conduct. It must produce practical impressions in our inward man that shall appear in our outward man. Biblical examples of persons who adhered to the Word of God are Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Meshach, Shadrach ,Abednego etc..

God is looking for men and women who will walk in God’s truth. Men and women who are willing:
to go against the current of popular opinion, to hold firm convictions in a world where “anything goes,”
to speak the truth when it is not politically and morally correct, to live their lives blamelessly when the world says character doesn't count, and to walk with God when everyone else is running away from Him.
God is looking for another Enoch, another Noah, another Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. Don’t bend! Don’t bow! Stand up! Speak out! One person with God is not alone, but a majority.

The man who walk in God’s truth is consistent in obedience and faith.- Selective obedience is just another form of disobedience. God often asked extraordinary obedience from His children who were facing extraordinary time. It is not enough to get off to a right start. We must endure with God to the end. God’s plan stands forever! God is completely trustworthy. When you wonder if there is anyone in whom you can trust, remember that God is completely CONSISTENT.


III – HE SEPARATES HIMSELF FROM THE ENEMIES OF GOD – “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.”(Psalm 26:4-5).
Should we stay away from unbelievers? No! There is a big difference between being with them and being one of them. Trying to be one of them harms our witness for God. Alliances would lead to familiarity, and familiarity to compromise. God promises to honor those who do right, not those who make everyone happy. Compromise can be defined as “blending qualities of two different things” or a “concession of principles.” When evil is mixed with good, the good is no longer pure. Don’t allow compromise to TAINT your FAITH. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1). Do your friends build up your faith, or do they tear it down? The influence of true friends should draw you closer to God.

We rely on government legislation to protect the moral decisions we want made, but legislation cannot change people’s hearts. We enjoy the benefits of science and technology. We look to scientific predictions and analysis before we look to the Bible. We have become technological giants, but spiritual and moral dwarfs.- We are sophisticated in scientific progress and primitive in spiritual development.

We act as though education and degrees can guarantee our future and success without considering what God plans for our future. The tower of Babel was a great human achievement. But it was a monument to the people themselves rather than to God.
We often build monuments to ourselves (education, big house, fancy car, important job) to call attention to our achievements. These may not be wrong in themselves, but when we use them to give us identity and self-worth, they take God’s place in our lives. People today are knowledgeable in the ways of the world but ignorant in the ways of God.

We regard medicine as the way to prolong life and preserve its quality – quite apart from faith and moral living. Real life comes from total commitment to God, the one who created life itself. We place our faith in financial “security” making as much money as we can for ourselves, forgetting that while being wise with our money, we must trust God for our needs. We are abundantly rich in material resources but abysmally in spiritual and moral capital.

WHAT MONEY CAN BUY? Money will buy:
A bed BUT NOT sleep.
Books BUT NOT brains.
Food BUT NOT appetite.
Finery BUT NOT beauty.
A house BUT NOT a home.
Medicine BUT NOT health.
Amusement BUT NOT happiness.
A crucifix BUT NOT a Saviour.
A church pew BUT NOT heaven.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19).

(From Rev. Pastor Teofilito A. Rufon’s Sunday Worship Messages)

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