Are you a child of God? This is a very serious question, and I don’t want you to brush it off with a shrug of the shoulders or some vague “I surely hope so.” Do not content yourself with a false complacency, trying to assure yourself by saying, “Of course I am; I was born of Christian parents; brought up in the church and baptized; made a profession of faith when I was young; attended church religiously; I read my Bible every day, etc., etc.” STOP IT. Search deep within yourself and answer honestly, “Are you indeed God’s child?” Is it evident to those who are around you that you are in Christ and Not Of This World? Are you the same person at home, as you are at church, in the secret areas of your life, when there is only an audience of One?

The condition of our souls is not something to take lightly, because eternity is too important for us to settle for assumptions when God calls us to examine our hearts. I pray fervently over what is written in 2 Corinthians 13:5 Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?

The Bible teaches that not everyone who says they are Christian is actually Christian. I know for myself there are moments when I do not “live my life as a committed believer,” and for that, I am deeply convicted. There are many who are unwittingly deceived and will end up in hell if they don’t change their ways.

Charles Spurgeon said so elegantly, “If you profess to be a Christian, yet find full satisfaction in worldly pleasures and pursuits, your profession is false.”

The enemy is not fighting Christianity per se; he doesn’t have to. All he needs to do is produce a counterfeit version that allows people to do what they want and not what the Word says.

Dear hearers, we need to pray for guidance and the obedience to follow God’s divine leading in “everything” that we do and so prove to the world around us to Whom we belong. This requires more than words or outward appearances; it calls for a daily surrender of our will, a willingness to repent when we fall short, and a heart that desires to obey God even when no one else is watching.

Time is short, and I implore you, get Right with God or you will not see the kingdom of heaven.

One more thing to think about: Judas was one of the twelve apostles who walked with Jesus for years, witnessing miracles and hearing His teachings. However, he was not “one of His” in terms of genuine faith and commitment.

Judas was physically close to Jesus, eating the same food from the same table, spending day and night together, but this proximity was not accompanied by genuine belief or a total and complete surrender of his heart.

Many of the Christians walking into the church today are modern “Judas style Christians.” They have a good understanding of theology, working knowledge of scripture, and may even believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and yet, they are keeping Jesus at arm’s length while using Him for personal gain.

Remember that Judas was a treasurer who was also a thief, and his loyalty was more of a transaction than a commitment. Sound familiar?

Modern Judas Christians:

  • Consume sermons but never repent.
  • Use Jesus more as a life coach, and not Lord of their lives.
  • Want Heaven without actively pursuing holiness.

I find it amazing how many people follow Jesus for benefits, not worship, like having a Genie in a bottle. Over the years, I have witnessed many who want to keep one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world.

I really have taken a deep look at my own spirituality to see how I am doing day in and day out, and I see my failures more than my triumphs.

Lately, it seems that I only pray when it is convenient. I read when motivated by circumstance and not a genuine love for the Word. I am more obedient when it is comfortable and seen by all, and not in the quietness of my own thoughts. I surrender when forced by circumstance and not as much by conviction of the Holy Spirit.

I genuinely bow my knee to the One True King as true reverence that comes from the heart, and yet there are days when it is just the physical posture of a half-hearted counterfeit.

I have heard it said that all Christians should be living their lives as if Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back tonight. I am going to do my best to live that way from this day forward and not in the complacency that I fall into at times. 

For me, that means returning to prayer with a sincere heart, opening the Word with a desire to be changed, and choosing obedience even when it costs me something. It means asking God to reveal what needs to change in me and trusting Him to provide the grace and strength to walk in His truth. How about you?

There is an urgency to share the truth of God’s word, but there is also a difference between faithfully warning people and feeling that you must somehow make them recognize the truth. The former is a responsibility we can embrace; the latter can become an exhausting burden. A struggling believer, a spiritually complacent believer, and a deliberately hypocritical person are not necessarily the same thing and they all receive differently. 

Wherever you find yourself today, there is still an opportunity to turn toward God with an honest heart, confess your shortcomings, and seek Him in genuine repentance. None of us is beyond the reach of His mercy, and no one who sincerely seeks Him needs to walk this journey alone. May we encourage one another in truth, grow together in faith, and live each day with hearts surrendered to the Lord Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father, looking forward with hope to the day we see Him face to face.

God’s grace is not a reward for achieving perfect consistency; it is central to the Christian life, including the process of repentance, growth, and restoration. I pray that the readers who need it become uncomfortable with superficial religion, and ask a question they might otherwise avoid. 

Genuine or counterfeit—is your faith merely something you profess with your lips, or will your life reveal a heart genuinely surrendered to Jesus Christ when you stand before Him? 

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My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.