“Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie http://www.harvest.org/devotional
“Homily Grits Devotional” http://www.homilygrits.com

Written by the wise 85 yr old Robert VanHoose @ http://www.homilygrits.com

Read Mark 10:17-29,
Isaiah 29:13-24
September 19

“Am I A “Good” Christian?”

“Meanwhile, God’s firm foundation is as firm as ever, these sentences engraved on the stones: God knows who belongs to him. spurn evil, all you who name God as God.” 2 Timothy 2:19 MSG

There are as many definitions of a Christian as the minds of man and doctrines of different denominations can think of. Dictionaries vary. One says it is “one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ”.

We often have the tendency to describe someone who attends church regularly or someone who does good works as a “Good” Christian.

Jesus said that only God was good. He also said that many would prophesy in His name who were not Christians. Scripture reminds us that even demons believe in God. We are told that all our own righteousness is as “filthy rags”.

As good as it is to have knowledge of God and all that He has done for us in our heads, we are not Christians until we have the faith in Jesus in our hearts.

We all need to constantly strive to have our obedience to Jesus match what we say we believe.

How do we view grace? Is it an empowerment to live as a Christian, or a license to keep on living in bondage to the sins of our flesh, the world, and the devil?

How much fruit of the Spirit ( “love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,” and self control are we bearing in our daily lives?

As Christians we can never rest on our laurels, but need to continually press forward in the life long process of becoming like Christ, while being ever thankful that we have His righteousness to rest on, while ours is being perfected.

Father give me a broken spirit and contrite and obedient heart that I may ever be known as a Christian by You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

P.S. (from bruce) 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 understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44… https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/