Want to live your life for God? Make this one shift. #shorts

The Lost in the World and the Lost in the Church

Do not be surprised when you are mocked, demeaned, rejected, ignored, and gossiped about as a born-again believer. Not only by the world but also by others who say they are Christians but lack the fruit of the Spirit.

Matthew 7:15-20

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 1

6 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits."

What is the fruit of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

The fruit of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us are the character qualities of Christ. A believer can discern these qualities in another believer easily.

We are only confused in our culture because we have been indoctrinated that we should not judge, which is unbiblical.

Many people who say they are Christians have never been born again, this is why they act and speak no different from the world. They are superficial but attend churches every week. These people rarely speak of Christ outside the building they call a church.

Pretenders want to feel safe and protected by God but want nothing to do with His Word. Some read the Bible to feel superior to others but care little about obeying its principles, even twisting His Word to say what they want it to say and not what God intended.

In fact, in our day of apostasy, those who attend church gatherings disobey more of the word than they obey and claim they believe the Bible is the Word of God.

I find the hearts of learned pretenders more difficult to reach for God than a non-believer who does not profess Christianity. They are both the same, that is unsaved, but one is proud because of how much they think they know and the other just doesn't know much if anything.

Someone once told me I was "preaching to the choir", I reminded that person that most people in the choir can't sing."

Remember to pray for salvation for both the lost in the world and the lost in the church.

Where is the Peace and Joy?

Romans 12:2 "Romans 12:2

"2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

We transform our minds by reading the Word of God and allowing it to change us on the inside. Just knowing it is not enough, we must seek it for the purpose of being changed by Christ into His image.

There are many people who seek to "appear" good on the outside without any real change in their hearts. This is the reason they may say the right things at times but are constantly falling back into worldly thinking.

It is not enough to attempt to follow right principles, we must seek Christ to change our hearts so that how we act and what we say is led by the Holy Spirit without manipulation to impress others.

What rejoicing there is when we can be free to walk in Christ-likeness without the worry if others will like us. If He is pleased with us it does not matter if anyone else does.

John 15:18-25

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

Seek to please God not people, there is where the peace and joy reside.