"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Word for the Day November 10
By: Evang. Cascille
Hammack
Jesus said, "I tell you the
truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever
humbles himself like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Mt.18:3,4 The change required
by Him requires becoming like little children- being humble, unpretentious, dependent, weak and ready to be molded by the
Father. After conversion, He requires we radically turn away from everything that is ungodly, and turn to Him and do
works of righteousness which is producing fruit in keeping with repentance. John the Baptist in Matthew 3:7-10 said
of the religious leaders, "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduccess coming to where he was baptizing,
he said to them: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping
with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father. I tell you that
out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every
tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire."
My four year old son, Josiah, explained the other day, "The
reason some people do not obey the Lord is because they do not think that He is alive!" Obeying the Lord
and living to please Him would not be a problem if everyone believed He is alive. He is here right now. Remaining
humble before Him and obedient would not be a problem if everyone knew He is alive. People justify holding onto sin
but 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor
drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were
washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
After Jesus was resurrected and the other disciples told
Thomas, he did not believe Jesus was alive. "So the other disciples told him, "We have seen
the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were,
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." John 20:25 Verse 26-29, "A week later his disciples
were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
“Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your
finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said
to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have
believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Of His life, Jesus said in John 10:18, " No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down
of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”
He explained in John 10:10,11, " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
We will not go astray in our own will and will have no problem trusting Him to care for us, protect us and provide everything
for us if we believe He is alive. 1 John 3:24, "Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this
is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us."