Our Daily Bread”
http://odb.org/2012/10/16/no-more-no-less/
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie
http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht
Romans 8:14-15… For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (NKJV)
For me personally, the only thing better than the feeling of absolute peace and joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit; is the feeling I experienced the day the weight of the world was taken off of my shoulders by God, when God chose to receive me into His family as one of His children…
The fear of an unknown future…the anxiety I experienced as a non-believer…the multiple sins of anger, hatred, bitterness, resentment, arrogance, boasting, greed, pride, covetousness, cursing, lying, all the lusts of the world the apostle John tells the Christian to turn from, in…1 John 2:15-16… These sins were all but gone from my life that morning… I could go on and on with my personal list of sins that were forgiven by God, the day He graced me with the free gift of salvation through my saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…
Anyone plagued by these sins (or any other sins from a long list of possibilities)…are either less than Spirit filled Christians, who for any number of reasons are no longer filled with (controlled by) the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20)…or they aren’t really Christian’s in God’s eyes… Here is a link for a list of over 600 sins; and the corresponding scripture in the Bible about the sin… Some of these sins will amaze you… http://www.w3school.com/Documents/Bible_Studies/Sin_list_part_6.htm
The opening scripture doesn’t say that those not “led by the Spirit of God”, are not “sons of God”… It just says that those living for the Lord, with Christ at the very center of their lives…who are walking with the Lord as Spirit filled Christians and righteous in God’s sight…are definitely Christians in God’s eyes…
The Apostle Paul wrote the opening scripture; and went on to write this, in…Romans 8:16… The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (NKJV) There should be absolutely no doubt in the mind of a Christian, that they are indeed a child of God… As the opening scripture reveals…God doesn’t bring a forgiven sinner into His family as His child, to allow them “to fear”… It is not a…“I hope I’m going to heaven”… Or…“I think I am a Christian”… The Spirit filled Christian should know beyond any doubt, that they are a child of God…
The Apostle John writes this assuring scripture, in…1 John 5:13… These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (NKJV)
Many of today’s churches are not teaching what God requires to have one’s sins forgiven… It’s not about the self-righteous works that a person must do, that many churches preach…to have sins forgiven… The Apostle Paul reveals this, in…Ephesians 2:8-9… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)
And Jesus gives us a warning that these works done in the name of the Lord will not forgive sins, as the following scripture reveals that the unforgiven sinner will be turned away from the gates of heaven with this false belief, in…Matthew 7:21-23… Here is the link for this eye opening warning by Jesus Himself… http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mat7:21-23&version=NKJV
There is nothing a person can do for themselves to be good enough to have their sins forgiven by God… The sinner must look to Jesus Christ; seeking Him to take over their lives… There needs to be a personal relationship with Christ, as a sinner turns and repents of their past sins; seeking Jesus Christ to become their personal Lord, their Master, and their Savior… This personal relationship with the Lord is only possible after the sinner humbles themselves; and occurs only when the sinner understands and obeys from the heart, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…2 Thessalonians 1:8-9… (See the attachment above for a better understanding of the gospel of Christ)…
Heavenly Father, I pray that You draw unredeemed sinners to Yourself (John 6:44), by opening the eyes of those who do not acknowledge that You exist; or worse…those who falsely believe that they are Christians, when they are not Your children by Your standards… I pray Lord, that the truth from Your Word would jump right out and cut to the very soul of those in need, like a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)… I thank You and praise You now Lord, for all that You are…and for the grace I pray that You will provide to those in need…in Jesus’ precious name and for His sake…Amen…
written by bruce r mills
P.S. The gospel of Christ is presented in the link below, to plant the seed toward salvation for those who want to become part of God’s family; to be sure they are righteous in God’s eyes, and filled with the awesome power of the Holy Spirit…
God's group 