Examine Your Heart

 Examine Your Heart - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.comssa Christians are a unique group of people. We live in every nation on earth, we come from many ethnic backgrounds, and we speak many different languages. Quite often, the onlything we have in common is our love for our Lord Jesus Christ. That love should be evident in our attitudes. Jesus is our example, and He didn’t care if someone was down and out (like the lepers He healed) or a rich Pharisee (like Nicodemus who was searchingfor truth). He had time and kind words for anyone who needed Him. He only argued with the self-righteous Pharisees who were filled with pride and had little love for the God they pretended to serve. “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on thename of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” 1 John 3:23. Do you radiate His love? If not, what is blocking His love from shining through you? You need to examine your heart and pray. Our sacred book, the Holy Bible, is not a rule book for us to follow. It is the story of ultimate love and forgiveness. It tells us of creation and how Adam was created inGod’s image (not the result of a big bang and millions of years of evolution). We are given examples of God’s discipline when people embraced evil. When the fallen angels mated with human women, the result was Nephilim who were unredeemable hybrids. The resultof that evil was that God flooded the entire earth saving only Noah and his family. God’s judgment wasn’t an act of revenge, but one of love. If the hybrids hadn’t been drowned, all of humanities’ genome would have been corrupted and there would have beennobody left to save. All of creation was corrupted and impure before the Lord. It pays to keep yourself from sin. Jesus tells us that it will be as it was in the days of Noah when He comes again after the Tribulation. “And as it was in the days of Noe, soshall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:26-27. There was a great testimony inNoah’s day, but people didn’t pay attention. Noah was building an Ark in order to save genetically pure people and animals. Most people didn’t notice the Ark, but kept on living life by their own rules, unconcerned that judgment was on its way. Examine yourheart and see if you are being a witness for God by living to honor Him, or are you one who is living by your own rules thinking there’s time to repent, and you are just as good as the next guy? Noah kept building the Ark according to God’s direction no matterwhat the wicked people around him thought. Jesus used another example of judgment. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but thesame day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:28-29. Lot was living among some very sinful and wicked people. He chose to live there, but he wasn’t a good influence on them. Lot was the nephewof Abram, and went with him away from the pagan life in Ur. Abram and Lot each had their own flocks which prospered to the point that they needed to separate. Lot chose to leave the lush fields and live in Sodom. “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lotdwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” Genesis 13:13-14. The perversion and wickedness there was so bad that God had to destroy it. Once again, mankindembraced evil. Still, Lot chose to live there. Two angels went to Sodom where the men of the city wanted to rape them. Lot pleaded with the evil men for mercy, but they loved their wicked ways and ignored him. The angels told Lot to get his family and leave.His sons-in-law wouldn’t leave, but the angels urged Lot to get his wife and daughters and leave immediately. The time had come for judgment. Lot dilly-dallied and the angels had to forcibly take them out prior to judgment (a picture of the Rapture). Fireand brimstone rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, but Lot and his family were safe…until his wife looked back. Her heart was stuck in the wickedness of those cities. “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:26.She had been warned not to look back, but she did anyway. What about you? Where’s your heart? Jesus used her as an example to those who will be living through the Tribulation. “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, lethim not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:31-32. This warning isn’t to Christians, who will have been taken Home in the Rapture before God’s judgment comes upon all the earth.It’s to those left behind. Place your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ now, and you will be safe from judgment. God’s salvation is waiting to take you away from sin and depravity. Once you’ve been set free, don’t look back. The days of Noe and the days of Lot are upon us. If you haven’t noticed the abundance of evil, then you aren’t paying attention. Or else you see nothing wrong with it. Examineyour heart and see if you love God enough to honor Him in your daily life. Faith in Jesus will bring forgiveness for all of your sins. If you’ve proclaimed Him as your Saviour, but continue living a sin-filled life, remember what happened to Lot’s wife. Shejust couldn’t leave the sin and wickedness. Lot almost missed his deliverance because he was comfortable in the sin of Sodom. In his letter to the Romans, Paul spends the first part of chapter 1 talking about Jesus, the Son of God, and His wonders. Paul wasa man who was changed after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, and never looked back. From the time of that meeting, Paul boldly shared the Gospel with others. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation toevery one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16. Are you ashamed of the Gospel of Christ? Examine your heart and if you have continued to embrace anger, and other sins, then maybe you’re ashamed of Him. Humility, not pride, shouldbe a mark of your love and service to Christ. Paul continues in Romans chapter 1 to describe what happens when God’s truth of creation is rejected, as it is today. God created all that is. “For the invisible things ofhim from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful:but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts,and creeping things.” Romans 1:20-23. Paul goes on to explain that once God’s truth is compromised, life begins a downward spiral to total corruption. People begin to worship the creation instead of the creator. Today we see people believing that animals haveequal, if not superior, rights to humans. We need to care for animals, but they aren’t to be worshipped. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed thetruth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 1:24-25. Many years ago, Christians turned education over to the government. Mom and Dad both work, so babysitters raise the children,and secular government educates our children. Evolution is taught, which leads to other evils being promoted. Like homosexuality and the latest craze is children believing they are animals, and acting like animals. Schools even provide litter boxes for them.Schools encourage children to be transgender, and parents seem to be ok with all of this. Jesus said it would be as it was in the days of Noah and the days of Lot when He returns. The world is promoting sin that hasn’t been seen since Noah built the Ark andLot left Sodom. Science is creating hybrids and the wicked world is encouraging the sins of Sodom. If you profess to be a Christian, live to honor Christ. Instead of embracing the wickedness of the world, model yourself after the attributes of Christ. The Holy Spirit indwellsyou and wants you to bear fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is not law.” Galatians 5:22-23. Do you exhibit these traits? Or does your life look morelike that described in Romans chapter 1. Examine your heart and be sure you aren’t ashamed of God. It won’t be long until judgment comes. There are many signs that tell us the Rapture will happen soon. Just like God shut the door of the Ark, He will shut thedoor on this age of history. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Revelation4:1. Only Christians will hear that call, and it could happen any minute now. Remember, you have a choice of hearing that call, or being left to face the Great Tribulation. As you read through the fruit of the Spirit, you might be thinking that you displaythose qualities. That’s good, but those alone won’t allow you live eternally with Christ. Only true faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will bring you life eternal. When you admit you’re a sinner and need Jesus for salvation, you willbe sealed with the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to lead and guide you through life. Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. Examine your heart. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonableservice. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2. Do you embrace the days of Noah and life in Sodom, or do you desireto leave worldly ways behind and serve Christ? Ask Him to change your heart of stone into a heart of flesh and let your love of the Lord shing. God bless you all, Nathele Graham