Living To Our Full Potential

Date: Monday, November 03, 2014
Today's Chapters: John 6-7
Message Title: Living To Our Full Potential 

Hello My Friend, 

God finds no better joy than seeing a person bow their head and trust His Son as their Saviour, but that does not mean that He will be content to see them living their lives the same way they did before they came to know Him. God loves us too much to see us not living our lives to it's full potential, and let me tell you, what He wants to do in our lives is something far amazing andmore rewarding than we can ever imagine, but before He will do that, He must also find our trust in Him. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” - 2 Corinthians 13:5-7.

A reprobate is one that completely rejects God, and will never believe in Him no matter how many miracles and testimonies they have seen of Him. Jesus had twelve disciples that followed Him pretty much wherever He went, but that did not mean that He thought they were more righteous or had better faith in Him, in fact, He knew that one of them was a reprobate. He was always doing something to prove their faith in Him, which is why He often showed them things that were completely impossible for any person to do without the power of God. “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.” - John 6:4-10.

We do not have to have a lot of faith in Him for Him to do something amazing in our lives, in fact, quite often, but we do need some faith, and by the way, our lack of faith does not stop Him from producing those miracles, He will just give those extra blessings to someone who will believe. How big of a cup of God's blessings do you want beyond your salvation? Do you want a miniature cup that barely fills the rim, or do you want the biggest cup you can find that overflows? What we get is determined by our faith increasing in Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6.

God is merciful and graceful to give every person, saved or not, the same opportunities to accpt His Son, He is no respecter of persons, what He will not do is accept those who grab everything they can get, knowing fully well that they are reprobates, and have no intention on believing in His Son. Eventually, He will confront all who take advantage of His good grace. Jesus left, a group of people from which He fed sought Him out and found Him, this time He was going to prove their faith. “When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” - John 6:24-29,40.

I admit that I was saved as a teenager, but like many, had no idea what that meant, it wasn't until 2004 (almost ten years later) that I stepped foot in a church other than going to a midnight mass or Easter service once in a while. In 2007, I professed my faith in Christ by getting baptized, and joined my first church. Since then, I have noticed one thing, that still annoys me, people will flock to a church to get free things, but scatter the second you start talking about Jesus. Imagine how Jesus must have felt to see these people coming to Him, just to get handouts from Him? Now, God's grace will never run out, but there does come a time when we must believe in the Son to go beyond that. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” - Matthew 7:11,21.

Jesus was in the temple preaching, many believed, but out of fear of the Pharisees, hid that belief, and continued following their law. They were amazed by His teaching of the Word of God, the Book of John is the first and only Book that separates Him from the Jews, who questioned His teaching. “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.” - John 7:14-21.

During Sunday school, we were discussing Moses and the ten plagues that God sent to Egypt in order for them to be freed from Pharaoh when a question was brought up. How did the Egyptians feel when they saw all their things being destroyed while no harm came to the Israelites? Sometimes, acts of God do not bring belief, but anger toward God, and His people.They can become envious and down right hateful toward those who are being blessed. We cannot change a hard heart, no one can, not even God, but we can be who God wants us to be. Hopefully, by our faithfulness to living in obedience to the Word of God, it will soften a hardened heart, but no matter what, we should never be ashamed of our faith in Christ. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” - 1 Peter 4:16-19.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, Thank You again for the sacrifice You made for me, I know I do not have eternal life based on any thing that I have done, but by my faith and trust in what You have done for me. Lord, I do not want to leave this earth without having any missed opportunities,lead me and guide me, help me to live not by man's word, but by Your Word, I know it's the only way I can truly live in Your will and be satisfied. While people may come and go in my life, You will never leave nor forsake me no matter how many times I mess up. Thank You for Your grace, mercy and never ending love. In Your name Jesus, Amen. 

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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