Be Fruitful

 

DELIGHT IN THE LORD

Psalm 1:1-3

[1] Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

[2] But his delight is in The Law of The LORD, and on His Law he meditates day and night.

[3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

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    To delight in The Law of The Lord is to take great joy in that which we both read and hear, especially when we read it aloud. And while some cannot hear with the ear, they will hear with the heart. Though the Word cannot leave the mouth, with the heart salvation is believed, and The Word remains in the reader/the hearer/the listener/the believer.

Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

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BE FRUITFUL

A life lived in Christ yields a spiritual fruitfulness that nothing in this world compares to. The result of Delighting in The Lord is shown by the actions of the heart as one Fruit:

Galatians 5:22-23

[22] But the fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

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    Righteous living is a Christ-centered lifestyle. Everything we do revolves around our commitment to being faithful witnesses of The Testimony that is within us. We may come off to some people as 'better than' or 'holier-than-thou' types, but we are merely men and women, boys and girls, who have chosen to believe that The Word of God is TRUE. And that this Word is God's Only Begotten Son Who was sent by God to deliver mankind of the punishment of our sins. [John 3:16-18].

    And when The Light that is in us shines into the darkness of the hearts around us, the dark hearts either rebel against The Light of God's Love and taunt us, or they believe The Light is God's Love and receive the same Light into their hearts.

    Right living is having The Divine Word of God be the compass for our interactions with each other, whether the people with whom we interact are believers like us, or unbelievers who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. This Word tempers our words with the Love of God.

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    In a world where hatemongering is plentiful, we choose to Love one another the way Christ has loved us. We love unconditionally. The color of our skin does not impede God's love within us. Neither gender nor culture will keep us from sharing God's Love with each other. We love because God is Love and God's Love lives in us.

    When we are born again into the family of God through our belief on The Name of Jesus Christ, we are receive His Spirit, as well. {Acts 2:38 "Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in The Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of The Holy Spirit.}.

    For where One goes, The Other One must go. {The baptism of The Holy Spirit is separate, it is to be immersed in The Spirit and empowered to share the gospel in another language without the benefit of special schooling to learn it [Acts 2:1-12}].

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    We are justified in Christ and sanctified in The Spirit upon repentance and belief.

    2 Thessalonians 2:13

"But we should and are [morally] obligated [as debtors] always to give thanks to God for you, believers beloved by The Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through the sanctifying work of The Spirit [that sets you apart for God’s purpose] and by your faith in The Truth [of God’s Word that leads you to spiritual maturity]." {AMP Bible}

    What a wonderful God we worship! He not only gives us His Son Jesus Christ to save us, but He gives us His powerful Holy Spirit to sanctify us! Peter [1 Peter 1:2] tells us that we are "sanctified by The Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ". Paul tells the church in Corinth [1 Corinthians 6:11], "washed, sanctified, justified in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ and by The Spirit of our God"!

    So let us now, or continue to, Delight in The Word and Be Fruitful in Him.

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WASHED IN THE BLOOD - Antrim Mennonite Choir

LIVING FOR JESUS - a capella

A Crucified Life - - Is Justified

 

    Romans 10:10

For with your heart 

you Believe and Justified, 

and with your mouth 

you Confess and are Saved.

    *Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1343

Justified: righteousness, justice; judicial verdict

From the Greek word 'dikaiosuné' (pronounced dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay): refers to what is deemed right by the Lord after He examines a person; what receives official approval from God; divine righteousness

    Also from Strong's: "the state acceptable to God which becomes a sinner's possession through that faith by which he embraces the grace of God offered him in the expiatory death of Jesus Christ". 

JUSTIFICATION FOR ALL

    This justification is not available through other means or religions. There is only one God and there is only one way to live in heaven with Him. This verse expounds a little more clearly on what is necessary to fulfill God's desire for us to be with Him in eternity.  

    There are only two destinations after death: heaven and hell. While God created both of them,  only one destination was intended for people: heaven. But people choose to go to hell when they disbelieve God while they are alive. One must believe not only that God Is, but that God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross and walk out of the grave, defeating death (by rising) and hell (throwing off the weight of sin). 

    Because Christ lives, those people who believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son will live again, too. For we are in Christ and He is in us. Where He goes, we go. What He did, we do. What He says, we say. We form no opinions of our own unless we can back them up with the whole Word of God. 

    As this verse says, with our HEARTS we Believe and are Justified. And with our MOUTHS we Confess and are Saved. Our hearts are changed for the better when we believe that Jesus is God's only begotten Son. However, we must speak our beliefs aloud at the time we believe for the saving grace of God to take effect. 

INDIVIDUAL JUSTIFICATION

    I can pray for you. And I do. But there comes a point in every person's life when they must pray for themselves. I can talk to God about your salvation, but unless you do the same, it's not gonna happen. We all, on an individual basis, must come to the cross, see Jesus and decide for ourselves whether or not we will accept Him as the Christ, the only begotten Son of God. It's the most important decision any of us will ever make.

    Remember the centurion who came near the cross where Jesus hung. Perhaps that centurion had heard Jesus' teachings, but he surely heard the whispers and gossip of Who this Man was on the cross. He had received orders to pierce His side, to ensure that Jesus was truly dead. Which the centurion did. But he also came to the understanding that this Man hanging on the cross was the Christ, the Messiah. 

    How many of us see Jesus? Untold numbers have come to the cross with repentant hearts, seeking forgiveness for their sins and receiving it, because they believed in their hearts that Jesus died for them, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He is seated at God's right hand. Yet we know that our numbers are few, that only a fraction of this world's past, present and future populations have recognized their need for a Savior. 

    Many, many more, too many to number have turned their  backs on the God who created them. Turning to the darkness and embracing its secrets and evils instead of turning to the Light and embracing Its Love and Hope. 

    So we beg you, we implore you, if you have not done so already, Come to the Cross and see Jesus. Come to the Well and drink the Living Water of Life. Come to the Garden and see the empty tomb. Come to the Table and taste the Bread of Life. Let Him fill your cup with Himself and let it overflow. 

    Jesus tells us that "they who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness will be filled" in one of His most famous sermons. Have you had enough of this world's fakeness? Come to Jesus, for He is Truth. Do you find yourself hungering for something you can only find at the cross? Come nearer to see Him clearly. Come today, for there is only now: tomorrow is promised to no one. 

JUSTIFIED & SAVED

I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary - Gaither Vocal Band

You Say - Lauren Daigle

God Be Merciful To Me - Jars of Clay

Near The Cross - Shirley Willis

I Found God - Ben Laine

Awe of You - CAIN

Overcomer - Eddie James

Praise God I'm Free - Various Artists