Out With the Old and in With the New

Ask God what old things need to be discarded in your life, and what new things He is wanting to bring into your life. Get alone with God and ask Him what you need to let go of.

You may have to get rid of the old before God can make room for the new. Some things no longer work for us, and we need to have wisdom to what those things are. If you are going to purchase a new car and your old car is still in the garage, how can you make room for that new car? Some will try and fit the new car with the old car, but why would you want to hold onto your old car if it no longer is working? Some of us need to stop holding onto to the things in our past, so that God can make room for the new things He is trying to bring to pass.

Reflect and Ponder: Ask yourself what is no longer working in your life? For example you want to go forward in your life and experience all that God has for you but you are still holding onto selfishness, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness or pride. Perhaps God is asking you to let go of worry and fear. Anything that could be hindering you from moving forward God very well may have you to remove these before preceding to what He has for you next. If you have gotten yourself into the habit of complaining, God may have you deal with this before experiencing your breakthrough or blessing that you have been waiting for.

Counselor’s Corner:

Before we can move into our new season we have to let go of the old first:

“Old what you may be asking?”

1.         Old attitudes that kept us in the “wilderness,” and moving into our “promised land.” These attitudes include: complaining, murmuring, fault-finding, covertness, thanklessness, and idolatry.

2.         Old mind-sets. Allowing our minds to think whatever it wants, and not taking every thought captive into the obedience of Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Thinking thoughts that are negative, faithless, and hopeless. Some of us have strongholds and lies that we have believed for years and need to be torn-down by renewing our minds in the Word of God.

3.         Holding onto the old things of the past. Some friendships, ministries, and possibly marriages did not succeed but when we hold onto these things and condemn ourselves repeatedly for our past mistakes we cannot move forward. Ask God to forgive you if you need to, and believe that God has forgiven you and that He does not want you dwelling in your past any longer. (Philippians 3:13-14).

Moving forward into our promised land will require “letting go” of former things. Former things that are no longer working for us, and possibly areas of sin in our lives that must be dealt with. It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on.

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!

Isaiah 43:18

Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3: 14

If what you are doing in your life is not working, it is time to make some changes. The mental health definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Is it time for change?

Counselor’s Corner: Beginning Again: Out With the Old and in With the New

Before you can move into your new season you have to let go of the old first.

“Old what you may be asking?”

1.      Old attitudes that keep you in the “wilderness,” and moving into your “promised land.” These attitudes include: complaining, murmuring, fault-finding, covertness, thanklessness, self-pity, blaming others, being a victim of your circumstances, and idolatry (placing anything ahead of God).

2.      Old mind-sets. Allowing your minds to think whatever it wants, and not taking every thought captive into the obedience of Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Thinking thoughts that are negative, faithless, and hopeless. Some of you have strongholds and lies that you have believed for years and need to be torn-down by renewing your minds in the Word of God.

3.      Holding onto the old things of the past. Some friendships, ministries, and possibly marriages did not succeed but when we hold onto these things and condemn ourselves repeatedly for our past mistakes we cannot move forward. Ask God to forgive you if you need to, and believe that God has forgiven you and that He does not want you dwelling in your past any longer. (Philippians 3:13-14).

4.      Living in cycles of defeat and hopelessness. Believe in this new season you will be victorious and an overcomer in every situation. Begin to believe the best about yourself and others.

5.      Get comfortable with not fitting in with the crowd and being different. Stop allowing yourself to be consumed by what people think of you. In this new season care more about what God thinks of you.

Moving forward into your promised land will require “letting go” of former things. Former things that are no longer working for you, and possibly areas of sin in your lives that must be dealt with.

Ask yourself what is no longer working in your life?

For example you want to go forward in your life and experience all that God has for you but you are still holding onto selfishness and pride. Perhaps God is asking you to let go of worry and fear. Anything that could be hindering you from moving forward God very well may have you to remove these before preceding to what He has for you next. If you have gotten yourself into the habit of complaining, God may have you deal with this before experiencing your breakthrough or blessing that you have been waiting for.

Ask God what old things need to be discarded in your life, and what new things He is wanting to bring into your life. You may have to get rid of the old before God can make room for the new. Some things no longer work for us, and we need to have wisdom to what those things are. If you are going to purchase a new car and your old car is still in the garage, how can you make room for that new car? Some will try and fit the new car with the old car, but why would you want to hold onto your old car if it no longer is working? Some of us need to stop holding onto to the things in our past, so that God can make room for the new things He is trying to bring to pass.

If what you are doing in your life is not working, it is time to make some changes. The mental health definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Is it time for change?

Counselor’s Corner: Out With the Old and in With the New

Ask God what old things need to be discarded in your life, and what new things He is wanting to bring into your life. You may have to get rid of the old before God can make room for the new. Some things no longer work for us, and we need to have wisdom to what those things are. If you are going to purchase a new car and your old car is still in the garage, how can you make room for that new car? Some will try and fit the new car with the old car, but why would you want to hold onto your old car if it no longer is working? Some of us need to stop holding onto to the things in our past, so that God can make room for the new things He is trying to bring to pass.

Reflect and Ponder: Ask yourself what is no longer working in your life? For example you want to go forward in your life and experience all that God has for you but you are still holding onto selfishness and pride. Perhaps God is asking you to let go of worry and fear. Anything that could be hindering you from moving forward God very well may have you to remove these before preceding to what He has for you next. If you have gotten yourself into the habit of complaining, God may have you deal with this before experiencing your breakthrough or blessing that you have been waiting for.

Counselor’s Corner:

Before we can move into our new season we have to let go of the old first:

“Old what you may be asking?”

1.         Old attitudes that kept us in the “wilderness,” and moving into our “promised land.” These attitudes include: complaining, murmuring, fault-finding, covertness, thanklessness, and idolatry.

2.         Old mind-sets. Allowing our minds to think whatever it wants, and not taking every thought captive into the obedience of Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Thinking thoughts that are negative, faithless, and hopeless. Some of us have strongholds and lies that we have believed for years and need to be torn-down by renewing our minds in the Word of God.

3.         Holding onto the old things of the past. Some friendships, ministries, and possibly marriages did not succeed but when we hold onto these things and condemn ourselves repeatedly for our past mistakes we cannot move forward. Ask God to forgive you if you need to, and believe that God has forgiven you and that He does not want you dwelling in your past any longer. (Philippians 3:13-14).

Moving forward into our promised land will require “letting go” of former things. Former things that are no longer working for us, and possibly areas of sin in our lives that must be dealt with. It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on.

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!

Isaiah 43:18

Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3: 14

If what you are doing in your life is not working, it is time to make some changes. The mental health definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Is it time for change?

Counselor’s Corner: The Seasons are Changing, Arise to Your New Destiny

What a “season” this has been spiritually. It has been a time for planting in the harvest, a time of refinement, a time of cutting away from the former things of the past for many true followers of Christ. It has been a long and difficult season, and so many people of God are ready for change and transition into their new season. For many Christians there has been a “wilderness” journey that they have been on. The wilderness is lonely, discouraging and at times depressing. The wilderness is a place of change and a place of cutting away those things that have hindered our walk with the Lord.

Before entering into your new destiny you must purge and remove the things of the past completely. Let go of things and relationships that have not worked and caused you great suffering and heartache. Let God bring forth the relationships, ministries and outcomes during this time. Don’t hold on to the things of the past. Let God finish the purging and refining work He has started.

Reflect and Ponder: How would you describe the “season” that you have been in? Do you believe it is time to transition into the “spring season?” The “spring season” brings new life and what was laid dormant in the “winter season” now is spouting up with newness.

Counselor’s Corner: A fresh wind of the Holy Spirit is coming forth to bring life to the hopeless and reveal truth in the midst of darkness. It is a time like no other. A time to be born-again and to enter into His kingdom. Many have prayed for loved ones salvation, the return of prodigals, and the return of loves ones who have walked away from the Lord. They will have to make a choice soon which master they will serve, and you will know very clearly their position.

Time is near for the end of the kingdom here on earth, the kingdom here that is ruled by satan and his cohorts. Preparations are being made for the return of the Messiah. Do you discern the times we are in? Let nothing get in your way of watching and looking for the return of the Messiah. So many Christians are living stressed, burdened, and troubled lives, but look away from those things of the world and focus on His return and preparing for His return. Have you repented from sin and turned away from your sin? Have you forgiven yourself and others? Not all people will accept this way of life. To enter His kingdom is narrow and many will choose the wide path or gate. The wide path seems easier, but it leads to death. His kingdom will have no end and will go on for eternity.

Jesus is preparing a place for all of His believers. The enemy knows his time is short on earth and he has assaulted, distracted, discouraged, destroyed and annihilated a lot of followers of Christ. But arise today, you are part of the chosen generation, a royal priesthood and you will arise to complete the finishing assignments to your life and destiny. Do not be distracted by the ones who call themselves Christians, but follow after their own lustful desires and live continually disobedient to Christ and His word. Do not be deceived by them. The ones that follow Christ will be known by their fruit. Let Jesus do the work in the lives of the ones who are not following Christ, otherwise you will get entangled and trapped in their endless needs, issues, and problems. You will know those who truly follow Christ, they will repent of their sins and turn away from their sins. Turn away means not to repeatedly engage in the sin. Those that live in continual bondage to sin are not true followers of Christ. They may know Christ, they may even know the Word, but they don’t follow Christ. There is a tearing away of the “wheat from the tares.” You may be noticing the tearing away and you may be noticing you are undergoing changes. Hold fast, be unwavering in your convictions for Christ and He will bring you through this time. It is a time like no other. For such a time as this.

Our ultimate destiny is our eternal home with Christ. For true followers of Christ, our destiny is being prepared. Arise, your destiny awaits you. The world will soon be dissolved and we will rule and reign with our Messiah in the New Jerusalem.

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows he has a short time.

Revelation 12:12

The devil begins to step up his persecution because he knows his time is limited. We are living in the last days, and satan’s work has become more intense. Even though he is very powerful, as we can see by the condition of the world, he is always under God’s control. One of the reasons God allows satan to work evil and bring temptation is so that those who pretend to be Christ’s followers will be weeded out from Christ’s true believers. Knowing that the last great confrontation with Jesus is near, satan is desperately trying to recruit as great an enemy force as possible for this final battle.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

I John 2:28-29

The visible proof of being a Christian is right behavior. Many people do good works but don’t have faith in Jesus Christ. Others claim to have faith in Jesus Christ but rarely produce good works. Those who claim to have faith and consistently do what is right are true believers.

Beloved, we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we should be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

1 John 3:2-3

The Christian life is a process of becoming more and more like Christ. This process will not be complete until we see Christ face to face, but knowing that is our ultimate destiny should motivate us to purify ourselves. To purify means to keep morally straight, free from the corruption of sin.

Autumn, Preparing for the Next Season

As I look out my window typing this article, I can see the leaves are changing colors and I have my window open because the air is crisp and cooler. I love this time of year, and I enjoy the warm foods that come with this season. I enjoy homemade soup, chili, and even cocoa. As the season changes, I change my décor to look like fall. I have pumpkins and mums outside and indoors I decorate with festive fall colors. I also reorder my closet to bring out my coats and sweaters, and put away my shorts and summer tops. I pull out my boots and put away my summer flip flops. You can say I am preparing for the next season.

Now parallel how we get ready for a physical change in a season, we need to prepare for a spiritual change in seasons as well. Just as the seasons change and we get summer, fall, winter, and spring, our spiritual lives go through seasons as well. In Holidays and Holy Nights, Christopher Hill points out that for the Christian who observes the liturgical year, autumn is actually the beginning of the cycle. Each season we go through will represent something different for us. The fall represents change, harvest, and preparation. This spiritual season is parallel to the season of fall. The leaves on the trees are falling making way for new growth in the spring, but will undergo a time of preparation until. Just as our lives are undergoing changes, we should “gather and prepare” now for the time of new growth that will come. The climate also changes, depending where you live of course, but where I live, we have changes in temperature. Right now, it has been rather brisk and the nights have been cold. It is time to make a fire in the fireplace and put on our coasts and sweaters. While changing to the next spiritual season, you may need to spend extra time “bundling up” in the Word and in God’s presence, to prepare you for all that is to come.

How do you know when a spiritual season of change is coming?

1.      There is an anticipation. You do not know exactly what, but you sense something will happen.

2.      You are spending more time in God’s Word and long to be in His presence, nothing else will do.

3.      You have been in a long, “wilderness” season and have prayed and waited for answered prayers and deliverance.

4.      You long and yearn for change, yet in your own strength you know it is impossible and would need the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

5.      You have been pulled back from your usual activities and friendships, and God has been doing a refining work in you. You are engaged in minimal activities, and are not preoccupied with busyness, because you know God is preparing you for His purposes.

Now is the time to prepare for the harvest, anticipate change, remove “dead’ things from your life, stay connected to God as you transition, and begin speaking life over all your circumstances; even if those things seem inactive or finished. This is the season to write out your vision again, and be convinced once again of God’s calling on your life. Life will come back to those things that have seemed to wither away. See everything in your past as training ground for your next season- your prior ministry endeavors, professional and personal experiences, and even past failures can serve as training. God will use it all!

(originally posted 10/14, reposted 9/15)

Pruning Must Happen for New Growth

If you are a gardener you understand that most flowers have to be pruned regularly for new growth to happen. Pruning allows dead flowers to be cut away so that the new growths can erupt. Just as with flowers that need to be trimmed for more beautiful and bigger growths to happen, we need to be regularly “pruned” in our spiritual lives.

No one likes to be pruned while it’s happening, but some things in our lives need to be removed that are hindering our growth.

How to you know you are being pruned for new growth?

1. What you are doing is longer working. You keep trying to force things to work, but you are not able to make things work. (This does apply to marriage, unless it for improvement not for divorce).
2. You no longer have peace. You may have had peace before in this situation, but now the peace has been removed. This is God getting you ready for change.
3. The grace for the situation you are in has left. That means now it feels like work, and you no longer enjoy what you’re doing. You begin to dread whatever is being pruned. There is resistance here, because it is hard to let go of things that once maybe brought peace and God’s grace; however, if after a period of time (not being led by emotions and feelings), you have been in prayer and God is opening the door to release you; that may mean God is removing what may be getting in the way of what He has for you next.
4. Your flesh initially will not like the changes, and possibly you will resist them. It never feels good to surrender and let go of things that have been a part of our lives. Difficulty arises also in not wanting to let others down. Maybe God is calling you to let go of a friendship that is not good for you, or maybe God is asking you to not be involved with certain people or organizations that could hinder your walk with Him. This will not feel good to your flesh, BUT if you sense God’s supernatural peace-walk in faith and trust God!

Why is being pruned important for our spiritual growth?

1. It allows whatever maybe hindering you or holding you back from reaching your potential and purpose.
2. It will allow more peace and joy into your life. If God is pruning or removing something from your life, it is for your good.
3. Whatever was “dead” in your life that is not producing any life; must be removed so that new life can come into your life. The old has to be removed to make way for the new. If you resist this and question why God is doing this, you could very likely not move into what God has for you and may even miss a blessing.
4. It also allows us to see that God is enough, He is sufficient. If a relationship is removed, then we have the opportunity to rely completely on God.
5. A temporary decrease in your life, will eventually bring an increase in your life. Just because something is removed from your life, does not mean that space will be empty forever. Just like when you prune a plant, at first the plant looks bear, empty; but after several weeks’ tiny little buds of new growth happens.
6. God’s pruning redirects our spiritual growth. Sometimes a door is shut in an area we have been serving in, or we do not get the opportunity to serve where we would have liked to, but this can serve as purpose to redirect and refocus our energy and time in an area God knows we will be more effective.

“Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it…” John 15:2

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Can you see how God may be pruning your life now? If so, in what ways? It never feels good to have things removed from our lives, but know it is for your good and for your growth. 

New Beginnings-Change is on the Horizon

For many, you are sensing a change coming, but not sure exactly what that change is. Some things in your life that has not produced fruit and life are being cut away now. This can be a bit scary, removing the comforts in your life, but it is only to make room for what lies ahead. Some things in your life no longer serve a purpose like they once did. Be obedient to what God is showing you to let go of. Do not fear the unknown, and do not try and figure out what will come next. God has many of His people in a season where He is saying, “Be still before me and not doing before me.” So many are running from one thing to the next, but missing God along the way. God’s deepest desire for you now, is to rest in Him and rebuild your relationship with Him. Nothing else is more important than sitting at the feet of Jesus. Many have become wearied and worn-out in the last couple of years and need time to be with the Father to regain strength and new perspectives.

God wants to pour out His special anointing on you, but this can only be done in His presence and not trying to fix and solve everyone else’s problems. It is time to rest and be still. No more striving and figuring out what to do. Simple be with the Father. You may be thinking, “How can I just rest and be when there are people to help?” But how can you help with an empty cup? You know if your cup is empty because you are not giving out of the overflow but giving out of your strength, which leaves you tired and frustrated. When you operate in the overflow, there is abundance.

So God desires a new beginning for you. He has seen your struggles and He has seen you trying to minister to others while hurting. God says I do not desire you to give out of brokenness, but out of an overflow. This may be frightening to you, to not help, to not serve, but it is not forever. It is until you and the Father are one again. Somehow your relationship with Jesus, your first love, has become tainted, and you have believed that He just cared about how much you served Him. Yes, Jesus does want us to serve Him, but He also cares so much more about our relationship with Him. His desire is to see you whole again and on fire for the things of God. Sin, hardships, and difficult circumstances have entered your life causing you to be lukewarm with God. You still serve Christ in ministry, but your heart is far from it. God knows that, and wants to commune with you and bring you back to your first love, Jesus Christ.

His plans are good for you and your new beginning will be with Jesus at the center. You will have a renewed trust and faith in God, and you will be fit for what God has called you to do. So do not worry or fret of what next, just release anything God shows you, and embrace being with God. He does not want nor expect anything else from you now. You will know clearly when He has opened the door you are to walk through, it will not be by force or by your flesh; but by the flow of the Holy Spirit.

New Year, New Season, and Letting Go

In order to step into your new season, you have to let go of the past. Letting go of all that hinders you. This is a time to leave the “wilderness” and enter into your “promised land.” You cannot carry old, dead-weights into your promised land, but you must diligently lay aside all that would weigh you down; your burdens and concerns of this world. For some, you will not be bringing much of anything of your former season into the Promised Land. It is by and through obedience we take what God shows us into our new season, Promised Land.

These are some things that will hinder you arrival into the Promised Land:

1.       Religion, traditions of men, and legalism.

2.       Toxic and unhealthy relationships.

3.       Anything that hinders your faith, would cause you to stumble or to sin.

4.       Old childhood wounds and current wounds. No victim mentalities in the Promised Land.

5.       Fear of man, people-pleasing, and people approval, along with false responsibility, false guilt and condemnation.

6.       Bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. We must choose to forgive, release anger and walk in love.

7.       Complaining, murmuring, fault-finding, judging, and criticizing.

We must be free of the entanglements of the world, and go forth in the calling that God had laid out for us. This is a season of change, opportunity, restoration, and open doors. It is time to stop counting all of our losses, reflecting and talking about our wounds, and instead be healed and victorious through Christ.

From the book of Joshua, chapter 5, we read that the Israelites spent 39 years in the wilderness unnecessarily because they were terrified of the Canaanites. They underestimated God’s ability. The Israelites’ first attempt to enter the promise land failed (Numbers 13, 14).

Don’t underestimate God in this new season. If we are faithful to God, He will cause great opposition to disappear.

Reflection/Discussion Questions:

1.    What is preventing you from entering your promised land? What “giants” like the Canaanites are you fearful of?

2.    What do you need to lay aside (look over questions 1-7) to enter the Promised Land?

3.    Have you entered the Promised Land before and did not stay? Do you believe God can cause your great opposition to disappear this time around?

To read more about Wilderness Thinking, you can order a copy of my book, Wilderness Mentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’ from www.createspace.com/4036785

The Seasons are Changing, Arise to Your New Destiny

What a “season” this has been spiritually. It has been a time for planting in the harvest, a time of refinement, a time of cutting away from the former things of the past for many true followers of Christ. It has been a long and difficult season, and so many people of God are ready for change and transition into their new season. For many Christians there has been a “wilderness” journey that they have been on. The wilderness is lonely, discouraging and at times depressing. The wilderness is a place of change and a place of cutting away those things that have hindered our walk with the Lord.

Before entering into your new destiny you must purge and remove the things of the past completely. Let go of things and relationships that have not worked and caused you great suffering and heartache. Let God bring forth the relationships, ministries and outcomes during this time. Don’t hold on to the things of the past. Let God finish the purging and refining work He has started.

A fresh wind of the Holy Spirit is coming forth to bring life to the hopeless and reveal truth in the midst of darkness. It is a time like no other. A time to be born-again and to enter into His kingdom. Many have prayed for loved ones salvation, the return of prodigals, and the return of loves ones who have walked away from the Lord. They will have to make a choice soon which master they will serve, and you will know very clearly their position.

Time is near for the end of the kingdom here on earth, the kingdom here that is ruled by satan and his cohorts. Preparations are being made for the return of the Messiah. Do you discern the times we are in? Let nothing get in your way of watching and looking for the return of the Messiah. So many Christians are living stressed, burdened, and troubled lives, but look away from those things of the world and focus on His return and preparing for His return? Are you ready for His return? Have you made your relationships right? Have you repented from sin and turned away from your sin? Have you shared the Gospel with your family? Do you share the Gospel when you can? Have you forgiven yourself and others? Not all people will accept this way of life. To enter His kingdom is narrow and many will choose the wide path or gate. The wide path seems easier, but it leads to death. His kingdom will have no end and will go on for eternity.

Jesus is preparing a place for all of His believers. The enemy knows his time is short on earth and has assaulted, distracted, discouraged, destroyed and annihilated a lot of followers of Christ. But arise today, you are part of the chosen generation, a royal priesthood and you will arise to complete the finishing assignments to your life and destiny. Do not be distracted by the ones who call themselves Christians, but follow after their own lustful desires and live continually disobedient to Christ and His word. Do not be deceived by them. The ones that follow Christ will be known by their fruit. Let Jesus do the work in the lives of the ones who are not following Christ, otherwise you will get entangled and trapped in their endless needs, issues, and problems. You will know those who truly follow Christ, they will repent of their sins and turn away from their sins. Turn away means not to repeatedly engage in the sin. Those that live in continual bondage to sin are not true followers of Christ. They may know Christ, they may even know the Word, but they don’t follow Christ. There is a tearing away of the “wheat from the tares.” You may be noticing the tearing away and you may be noticing you are undergoing changes. Hold fast, be unwavering in your convictions for Christ and He will bring you through this time. It is a time like no other.

Our ultimate destiny is our eternal home with Christ. For true followers of Christ, our destiny is being prepared. Arise, your destiny awaits you. The world will soon be dissolved and we will rule and reign with our Messiah in the New Jerusalem.

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows he has a short time.

Revelation 12:12

The devil begins to step up his persecution because he knows his time is limited. We are living in the last days, and satan’s work has become more intense. Even though he is very powerful, as we can see by the condition of the world, he is always under God’s control. One of the reasons God allows satan to work evil and bring temptation is so that those who pretend to be Christ’s followers will be weeded out from Christ’s true believers. Knowing that the last great confrontation with Jesus is near, satan is desperately trying to recruit as great an enemy force as possible for this final battle.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

I John 2:28-29

The visible proof of being a Christian is right behavior. Many people do good works but don’t have faith in Jesus Christ. Others claim to have faith in Jesus Christ but rarely produce good works. Those who claim to have faith and consistently do what is right are true believers.

Beloved, we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we should be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

1 John 3:2-3

The Christian life is a process of becoming more and more like Christ. This process will not be complete until we see Christ face to face, but knowing that is our ultimate destiny should motivate us to purify ourselves. To purify means to keep morally straight, free from the corruption of sin.

Additional resources from author:

Online Christian Counseling: www.gospelguidance.com/advisors/5311-sreck

Latest book publication, Wilderness Mentality, Stop your Stinkin’ Thinkin’: www.createspace.com/4036785

YouTube Videos on Hope & Encouragement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOEcx8uKfKE