“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht   

“Homily Grits Devotional”   http://www.homilygrits.com/

2 Timothy 2:19… Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christdepart from iniquity.”  (NKJV)

There is much scripture in the Bible (inspired by God…2 Timothy 3:16-17), which should really have the Christian doing a continuous self analysis of their lives…  Unfortunately, far too many of us don’t spend enough time in the Bible, to be spiritually fed by God’s Word…  Jesus uses this analogy of being fed, when He tells us that man does not live by bread alone…but by every word from the mouth of God…Matthew 4:4…

Most of us eat food every day…   Christians need to be spiritually fed every day as well, to “keep us on our toes”, so to speak…   When the Christian truly understands what Jesus did for them on the cross at Calvary…living a life that is spent glorifying the Lord in everything we say and do (1 Corinthians 10:31), should be done out of our love for the Lord, and a burning desire to please Him every waking minute of every day…   

The Apostle Paul goes on from the opening scripture, with this in…2 Timothy 2:20-21… But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for everygoodwork.  (NKJV)

You see, the good works that believers do for the Lord, are to be done afterGod freely graces the new Christian with salvation, as proof of God’s grace (James 2:14-26)…  It’s not about the good works people do for the Lord… mistakenly believing God will forgive them of their sins by these good works done in His name (like going to church every week)…   Jesus warns us about this false belief, in…Matthew 7:21-23…

I spent a whole day in a writing titled…“We Just Can’t be Good Enough”; thoroughly examining this false idea, that can be read by going to www.Godsmanforever.wordpress.com  and typing in 5/03/2013 in the search window…

The Apostle Paul makes perfectly clear this false teaching of sins not being forgiven by good works, when he pens…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)

The Apostle Paul then pens this, in…Ephesians 2:10… For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for goodworks, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  (NKJV) 

Now is the time for our self-analysis !!  If we call ourselves Christians…are we cleansing ourselves of any known sins, by confessing, repenting, and turning from these sins as soon as the Holy Spirit makes us aware of them ??  (“if anyone cleanses himself he will be a vessel for honor”)… 

Do we as Christians, understand that our body becomes a vessel for the Lord, which is filled by the Holy Spirit; and that we are to glorify God, even with our body ??  The Apostle Paul makes Christians aware of this very important point, in…

1 Corinthians 6:19-20…  Or do you notknow that your body is the temple of the HolySpirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorifyGod in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.  (NKJV)

The Christian cannot be “sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for everygoodwork”, if they are not living their lives in a manner that will be pleasing to God…  You wouldn’t walk into your church and dump garbage all over the floor, would you ??   As Christians…if we engage in sex outside of marriage, we are committing fornication…a grievous sin in the eyes of the Lord…  Here is a link with scripture about fornication…   http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Fornication/

I am not pointing fingers, or condemning anyone if they are Christians, who are living in fornication, or any other sin…  My hope is that the Holy Spirit will speak to a sinner’s heart and mind and soul; and awaken them with these living and powerful words from the Bible…

Hebrews 4:12-13…  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must giveaccount.  (NKJV)

Once these past sins have been confessed, repented of, and turned from (1 John 1:9)…God will be free to richly bless those children that are obediently living in God’s will and God’s ways…(Christians filled with the Holy Spirit)

Christians living in sin are sure to be chastised by God…Hebrews 4:5b-8… “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” ⁷ If^[ you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸ But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.  (NKJV)

For those living in sin, and not being chastened by God…scripture tells us that they are either “illegitimate and not sons”; or God is being very patient, for a time…  The Apostle Paul puts it this way, for Christians living in sin without chastening, in…Hebrews 4:11…  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  (NKJV)

I know people that I believe to be Christians, who are definitely living in sin…  Some of them say their lives are going along great…  I say, God is longsuffering…  Some are going through an extra ordinarily tough time…losing jobs…having extreme automobile problems…and not being able to find any peace in their lives…  Only God knows their heart… But God promises to chastise and even scourge the ones He calls His children…in hope of them finally coming back to living a life that is pleasing to Him…

Heavenly Father, help all of us come to a place in our lives…where we are able to realize that we are sinners, in need of Your saving grace…  Help all of us Father, to humbly submit to understanding and obeying the gospel of Your Son Lord Jesus Christ, after we have been drawn in by You…John 6:44…   And once graced with the gift of salvation…help us understand that Your God given peace, that surpasses all mortal understanding (Philippians 4:6-7), will only be received by Your children that are walking in the Spirit, as Your obedient children…  I pray for this fullness of Christ for all of us, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills 

P.S.  Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…

https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/gods-group-thoughts-for-10202012-gods-grace-through-obedience-to-the-gospel-of-christ/