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Christ Points Us to a More Glorious World - August 17

We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the...Continue reading

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Music is made one of Satan’s most attractive agencies to ensnare souls; but, when turned to a good account, it is a blessing. When abused, it leads the unconsecrated to pride, vanity, and folly.
~ Ellen G. White

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A Christian reveals true humility by showing the gentleness of Christ, by being always ready to help others, by speaking kind words and performing unselfish acts, which elevate and ennoble the most sacred message that has come to our world.
~ Ellen G. White

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God’s promises are all on condition of humble obedience.
~ Ellen G. White

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Three Main Signs of a True Christian

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If the 2 billion plus people who are classified as Christians were true Christians we would have a totally different world. We would have lesser number of very poor people, much lesser number of crimes, and an increasing number of... (read more)

If the 2 billion plus people who are classified as Christians were true Christians we would have a totally different world. We would have lesser number of very poor people, much lesser number of crimes, and an increasing number of people who make other people happy.
Unfortunately and very sadly too, most of the 2 billion or more who say they are Christians are false Christians. They are not true as they do not show the signs of a real Christian.
We have fake money bills, fake documents, fake transcripts of records, fake certificates, fake signatures. But the worst and most dangerous counterfeit is not money or document but a fake Christian. The reason is because a fake Christian can create havoc not just in the banks or in employment but in all the sectors of society.
It was fake Christians who have been waging wars all through these centuries, including the two world wars, putting to death millions of human beings.
To recognize who these fake Christians are we need to know the signs of a true Christian. There are three main signs.
First, the true Christian is one who is no longer seeking for something in this world to save himself or make himself happy. If you have been to an Easter Party with an Easter egg, you would know what I mean.
In an Easter Party where the people search for the Easter egg you see children and adults walking around, searching for the coveted Easter egg, a colored egg hidden in furniture, in grass, in other places around the venue of the party. They keep on looking for this Easter egg until it is found. Most of the time there are many of such egg and people look for more and more of them, until the moderator of the game tells the partying people that the total number of Easter eggs have been found.
That is what most people do. They are looking for something that can make them happy. Some people think that this is found in money and more money, and so they acquire more of this. Others think that this is found in having three good meals a day, a sturdy roof over their head, and a set of comfortable clothes. So they work for these from day to day. Still others think that they can find happiness in honor. So they search for ways and means to become celebrities, whether at school, in the movie industry or in politics or in other areas.
The true Christian has found genuine happiness and knows where she has found this, in an encounter with God in Christ. This encounter happens when she has heard personally the word of God spoken to her and she has responded accordingly. Without this personal experience of God addressing oneself there is no real Christian.
This personal experience with the word of God is not something reserved to the saints or great Christians. This is the necessary experience of every true Christian. This makes the person discover where true happiness lies, in Christ and in him alone.
Because of this experience, the true Christian stops looking for something to truly satisfy her thirst for happiness. She has found it and it shows in her life. She does not come and go here and there searching for something to make her happy. She has found happiness and it shows in her demeanor.
The second main sign of a true Christian is that she is learning about the Christ. And this shows in her thoughts and in her words.
A simple but very correct definition of a Christian is that she is a learner of the Jesus, because the basic meaning of "disciple" in Greek is "learner". If a Christian is a disciple of Christ, then she is a learner. She learns something of Jesus every day.
To do this she has a book or a string of beads to meditate on the life and works of the Christ. And she does this not because she has been told to do so by a teacher in religion or Bible study group. She does this because she loves Christ and she wants to know more about him. This is done on a daily basis, not once in a while.
This second sign of a true Christian disqualifies almost all those who even go to church daily or once a week to be called real Christians. This is because they are content with going to church daily or once a week and never advance in their personal knowledge of Christ.
The third sign of a true Christian is something that Jesus himself said was the true sign of his followers. And this sign is something that cannot be faked. It is so simple and yet it cannot be produced by mere human effort. It is produced by God in us and through us. Unless this sign is clear in our lives we cannot say that we are real Christians.
This third sign is love.
But is it not just a wishy-washy kind of love. It is love that endures through death and even beyond death. It is not a fine feeling for the person next to you whom you happen to like.
Beyond love of God and love of neighbor, this is love of other true Christians. The true Christian senses a deep affinity with other true Christians, an affinity stronger than family ties. And she loves the other true Christians not with her human love but with the love of Christ himself.
Now, how is this love of Christ himself for the other true Christians shown so that other people can see it? It is shown by caring unto the uttermost, just as Jesus cared for that person to the uttermost.
These are the three main signs of a true Christian: 1) The true Christian no longer is looking for something to make her happy; she has found what makes her totally happy through a personal encounter with the word of God. 2) The true Christian learns about the Christ daily. She discovers something new about the Christ everyday. And she keeps on learning about the Christ. 3) The true Christian has a genuine love for the other true Christians, a love that comes from Jesus himself, shown by caring for the other Christians to the uttermost.
It is not baptism nor any other sacrament, nor doing good deeds to our fellow men, nor going to church and performing religious or church activities that tell others we are true Christians. It is sense of total happiness radiating around us, a continuous desire to learn more of Christ, and genuine Christ's love for the other true Christian that tell others we are true Christians.

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David wrote about half of the Psalms. He was a gifted writer and musician, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he wrote a plethora of hymns that have resonated with the hearts of God's people for centuries. Psalm 52... (read more)

David wrote about half of the Psalms. He was a gifted writer and musician, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he wrote a plethora of hymns that have resonated with the hearts of God's people for centuries.
Psalm 52 is no exception. It ends with these words:
"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; 
I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. 
I will praise you forever for what you have done; 
In your name I will hope, for your name is good. 
I will praise you in the presence of your saints." 
Psalm 52:8-9 (NIV 1978)
David experienced much pain and suffering in his life. In his early years, before he became Israel's king, he was the victim of undeserved abuse at the hand of King Saul. And after taking the throne, he brought much turmoil on himself as a result of his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband Uriah.
Yet through it all, he maintained a life of devotion to God. He is described twice as a man "after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). And here in Psalm 52 we see David reflecting on his life and saying, "I am like a green olive tree" (ESV). Like any tree, a healthy olive tree should have green leaves and bear fruit. This is what a tree is made to do. This is what it means for it to flourish and thrive.
After comparing himself to a mature, fruit-bearing olive tree, David then proclaims what that kind of life looks like. He takes a personal inventory and sees the evidence of God's power at work in his attitudes and actions. And while David praises God for His provision, we get a firsthand account of five spiritual keys which enabled him to pursue and maintain a godly life no matter what.
Key #1: Acceptance of God's forgiveness. 
"I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God." Note that David says he is like a fruitful tree in the house of God. The temple wasn't built yet, so this could be a reference to the tabernacle, the place where repentant sinners came to acknowledge their sins and offer an animal sacrifice to symbolize the provision of God's grace through the forgiveness of sins. A godly life starts here, with the recognition of our rebellion against God and our need for His mercy. When we repent, God is more than willing to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). To live a God-pleasing life, David knew that he needed God's forgiveness, as evidenced by his writing of Psalms 32 and 51.
Key #2: Faith in God's love. 
"I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever." David was a firm believer in the never failing, steadfast love of God. He had a confident conviction in God's unwavering commitment to His people. This faith was based on a profound understanding that God knows what is best for us. He can be trusted because He is trustworthy. We can rely on Him to take care of us through thick and thin, good times and bad. Just like us, David had plenty of both.
Key #3: Praise for God's work. 
"I will praise you forever for what you have done." At any point in time, David could look back on his life and see what God had done for him. David recognized God as the ultimate source of all he had experienced in life, and he continued to worship God regardless of his circumstances. The beginning of verse 9 can also be translated, "I will thank you forever, because you have done it." David was a thankful man, filled with gratitude for the grace and mercy of God to him, an undeserving sinner.
Key #4: Hope in God's goodness. 
"In your name I will hope, for your name is good." David was a man of hope. Because of the goodness of God, he had a positive outlook on the future. In Scripture, the word "hope" is not the wishful thinking that says, "I hope I win the lottery." Instead, it is the strong expectation and certain assurance that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28).
Key #5: Fellowship with God's people. 
"I will praise you in the presence of your saints." David did not trust God in isolation from others. His faith and hope were bolstered by a close relationship with other believers. He lived for God with the people of God. This is one of the indispensable marks of genuine faith -- identification with and involvement in the church of Christ. The genuine Christian life is not a solo flight. It is lived out in the context of the local church -- the family of God, the household of faith.
Reality Check 
As you reflect on these key characteristics of David's life, I urge you to take an inventory of your own life. How are you doing in each of these areas?
Do you regularly and genuinely confess and forsake your sins, going to God directly to express heartfelt sorrow over your faults, as well as the need for God's power to overcome them? Then, while looking to the death of Jesus as the sole basis for God's forgiveness, you experience the sweet joy of reconciliation with your Savior.
Do you believe in the sovereign, never-changing love of God? To increase that faith, it is essential that you spend much time in the Word, knowing that "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10:17).
Do you offer praise and thanks to God for His work on your behalf? A true Christian is increasingly enthralled by God's work of salvation on our behalf through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We never tire of hearing the good news of the gospel of Christ. It is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold!
Do you find hope in the goodness of God? You do not have to travel far or spend much money to experience God's kindness. Simply open the Bible and you'll find evidence of His grace on every page. Then take a look at your own life and you'll see the same God extending that same grace to you.
Are you actively involved in a local church? Do you enjoy spending time with God's people, worshipping Jesus together, serving Him together, and becoming increasingly like Him together? If not, something is amiss and you are outside the will of God.
By the grace of God and the strength provided by the Holy Spirit, every believer can flourish by living in the presence of God. May this be my experience, and yours as well.