to know i’m in GOD’s family…

some people are always learning.  they’re always going to seminars.  they’re going to classes.  they listen to motivational tapes.  they go to bible studies.  they’re in a small group.  they do all these things.  learning, learning, learning.  but they never put it into practice.

i’m going to say something that’s going to shock you.  bible study without service is actually harmful to your life.  what??  bible study, if you don’t put it into practice, actually increases your responsibility.  because the more you know the more GOD holds you accountable for.  if you know the right thing to do and you don’t do it….

james 4.17 (ncv), anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning. 

we think sin is doing bad things.  no, sin can actually be not doing the thing you know to do.  when you know the right thing to do, GOD’s told you and you’re clear about it, but you keep putting it off you’re actually increasing your responsibility.  you’re skating on thin ice!  what happens is you lose your passion. 

that’s why if you go into the typical church, it’s filled with people who have no passion at all.  why?  because they’ve been hearing, hearing, hearing, learning, learning, learning for years and never putting it into practice.  that causes you to lose your passion.  you have to act on it.

jesus said this in luke 8.21 (nasb), my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of GOD and act on it. 

what does he mean?  he means if you want to know if you’re in GOD’s family, the proof that you’re in GOD’s family is you act on what you know.  when you hear spiritual truth you practice it.  you do it.  you apply it to your life.  don’t just listen to it. 

how do i know i’m in the family of GOD?  how do i know i’m going to heaven?  how do i know that i’m one of GOD’s children?  you do what GOD tells you to do.  that’s the proof.  so an ignored truth will cause you to lose your passion.

just a thought from the front porch…