Maybe you continue to struggle in your sin and feeling hopeless because you really never gave your life to Jesus but more or less just tagged along like some foreigner because you saw benefits. Maybe you just tagged along because your family claimed to be Christians so that is what you grew up in.
Maybe the problem is you never really gave your life over to Jesus. People say they’ve been water baptized and they use that to justify their identity. But maybe you still have not chosen to give your life over to Jesus.
Perhaps even in our church, there are many of you who have yet to give their life and full commitment to Jesus. And this is why instead of feeling like a son or daughter, you are running your life more like a servant.
You should think about that.
When I was 12, with the loss of my father, I was redirected to a church where they taught me who Jesus is. I still remember, giving my life over to Him.
After that, immediately, I began to read the Bible. I read, not because the pastor told me to read the whole Bible. I read because I wanted to know my God. No one had to tell me. I was now committed.
Do you read and pray because you want to? Or do you read and pray because you are told to?
A servant is told what to do. A son or daughter of the house does because they belong and it is their identity to do so.
Maybe you need to humble yourself, and give your life over to Jesus rather than thinking you are, but maybe you are still to become.
And maybe this is why you cannot get out of your infant carnal nature who continues to do what he/she does not want to do and does not do what you need to do because you have not yet been born again in the Spirit. Maybe it is time to know a moment when you have now in your life given your life and surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior
Read all the comments below for continuation
Additional Comments:
Do you even remember when you gave your life over to Jesus?
Or is it a blob because you just grew up in an environment where you were told that you are a Christian, but you don’t even know what that means?
Maybe you claim to be a Christian because someone told you you’re a Christian, rather than having an encounter because you had given your life over to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”
Romans 7:15, 25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/ro
“So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.”
Romans 8:1 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/rom.8.1.TPT
In Romans 8:1, you are joined as you give your life over to Jesus.
You getting a new job, car, spouse, money, or whatever does not make you a Christian. Does God not give such things to the unbelievers? What is the difference?
Was Ishmael not made to become the 12 tribes of 12 great princes, yet he was identified as the work of the flesh?
Was Esau not made wealthy, who can command 400 soldiers under him?
They are testimonies of God’s goodness, but sonship is another matter.
Maybe this is why we can pray and read but feel empty because we have yet to give our lives over to Jesus as Lord and Savior?
If the Blood forgives you, then what does the Blood represent? What is Blood? It is not a ghetto term, “Hey, blood!”
God said Do not drink the blood of animals, because the Blood is life. The Blood of Jesus is the Life of Jesus. The Life of Jesus must be intertwined with yours to be saved. What about His Name? The Name saves! You can shout Jesus all day long as heathens call out His Name in the movies, but unless you know the depth, it will not save you. The Name is about His Authority.
Why was water and blood spilled when He was pierced? Water in that case represents His Spirit. We need the Spirit and Life of Christ that saves us. HE is the Word and therefore, the Three Spirit, Water, and Blood testify! You, therefore, should have a living testimony of His salvation in your life. Not just testimonies of what you’ve been blessed in terms of material.
A living testimony is one that continues to testify of His salvation unfolding in your life.
Giving your life over to Jesus is not only a moment in surrender and commitment but an ongoing giving of oneself to Him. You are giving yourself unto Him each day in surrender foe the rest of your life!
In a marriage, you have a day to give vows, but shouldn’t you live by those vows every day? Or was it only one time when your hormones were happy?
But there are many “Christian couples” who never officially married, giving vows to one another but living together in sin.
This is like many Christians who never gave their lives over to Christ but want to live and get intimate with Him, just using Him.
This is why we make you marry! You’re out of order when you get here, trying to pretend you’re making babies without having made vows, but keeping an option to leave if all possible, if it doesn’t work out.
Your life is a manifestation of how you treat God, breaking His commandments, or are we really glorifying Him?
This is why God calls His people in the Bible a bunch of “Hoe’s” before sending them to the penalty box, which is exile or leopard city.
Are you a Hoe?
Senior Pastor Steve Kim