Honesty is the only virtue that demonstrates and ensures that a person is living a spirit filled life. It is the cement that holds relationships and marriages together. Without honesty, there is no love. Honesty is founded and grows from Agape love that comes from God JOHN 15.9-11 says 'As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye In My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
I am talking about Honesty because it is an area that I struggle with. Many times I fail the test of honesty and this has made me lose ground in my spiritual development because the sin of dishonesty never goes away unless we truly face it like David in Psalm 51 and confess and repent. The path to heaven is narrow and to walk on it requires all our focus; mind soul and spirit be fixed on Jesus Christ . This character was in the Apostle Paul who Knew the Lord personally and nothing could sway him. He encourages Timothy in this words: 13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.(2TIM.1:13,14). Paul's commitment and focus on Jesus Christ was so radical that many people found him difficult to" work" with.Even at present many people don't like Paul's writings. In Fact our Muslim brothers and sisters say that Paul is the single person who "destroyed" the otherwise good religion that Jesus preached.
Some theologians secretly deny Paul's gospel of Jesus Christ especially death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone. This did not start today because even in the first Church, some believers deserted Paul because of this uncompromising spirit that was grounded on the Honesty that was in Paul. This honesty was as a result of Paul's personal encounter with Jesus Christ. When encouraging Timothy, Paul said; 15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. This issue of being deserted by friends came to me recently when I was home in the months of April-August 2014. In our Grace Bible Church in Eldoret, many of the most committed members had left the church and joined other churches because of reasons they told me were personal.
Honesty is a precursor to commitment and commitment to a course never dies. The Apostle Paul did not change the message of the cross, did not make it colourful to please the eyes of those he was preaching to, he did not water down the central message of the cross of Christ, neither did he compromise the faith because he was threatened with death. He was attacked many times but he remained steadfast. He was jailed many times but even from those jails he wrote letters and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.
You and I when the church does not provide a parking for our cars, we change the church. If the praise and worship is not colourful, we go to where music is profound and done professionally. When the children ministry is not interesting to our children, we change and go to where these services are provided. When there is no Choir or band and youth ministry, we go to where these are found. When there are no youth rallies, Keshas ( overnight prayers) and pronounced crusades, we run to the New prophet in town.
However, you and I should remember that God does not depend on us whether we are honest, committed or not. He still has many who will minister and serve Him. He is a Creator God. You and I are just a breath behind death, today we are here tomorrow we are no more. God had those who stood with the Apostle Paul after he had been deserted. This is what Paul said: 16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me[c] at Ephesus.
Lastly, going back to Honesty and commitment, Paul the apostle urged Timothy in the following words 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.[b] 12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bRV3J4n8cc
I am talking about Honesty because it is an area that I struggle with. Many times I fail the test of honesty and this has made me lose ground in my spiritual development because the sin of dishonesty never goes away unless we truly face it like David in Psalm 51 and confess and repent. The path to heaven is narrow and to walk on it requires all our focus; mind soul and spirit be fixed on Jesus Christ . This character was in the Apostle Paul who Knew the Lord personally and nothing could sway him. He encourages Timothy in this words: 13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.(2TIM.1:13,14). Paul's commitment and focus on Jesus Christ was so radical that many people found him difficult to" work" with.Even at present many people don't like Paul's writings. In Fact our Muslim brothers and sisters say that Paul is the single person who "destroyed" the otherwise good religion that Jesus preached.
Some theologians secretly deny Paul's gospel of Jesus Christ especially death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone. This did not start today because even in the first Church, some believers deserted Paul because of this uncompromising spirit that was grounded on the Honesty that was in Paul. This honesty was as a result of Paul's personal encounter with Jesus Christ. When encouraging Timothy, Paul said; 15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. This issue of being deserted by friends came to me recently when I was home in the months of April-August 2014. In our Grace Bible Church in Eldoret, many of the most committed members had left the church and joined other churches because of reasons they told me were personal.
Honesty is a precursor to commitment and commitment to a course never dies. The Apostle Paul did not change the message of the cross, did not make it colourful to please the eyes of those he was preaching to, he did not water down the central message of the cross of Christ, neither did he compromise the faith because he was threatened with death. He was attacked many times but he remained steadfast. He was jailed many times but even from those jails he wrote letters and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.
You and I when the church does not provide a parking for our cars, we change the church. If the praise and worship is not colourful, we go to where music is profound and done professionally. When the children ministry is not interesting to our children, we change and go to where these services are provided. When there is no Choir or band and youth ministry, we go to where these are found. When there are no youth rallies, Keshas ( overnight prayers) and pronounced crusades, we run to the New prophet in town.
However, you and I should remember that God does not depend on us whether we are honest, committed or not. He still has many who will minister and serve Him. He is a Creator God. You and I are just a breath behind death, today we are here tomorrow we are no more. God had those who stood with the Apostle Paul after he had been deserted. This is what Paul said: 16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me[c] at Ephesus.
Lastly, going back to Honesty and commitment, Paul the apostle urged Timothy in the following words 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.[b] 12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bRV3J4n8cc
For more acappella Christian hymns:http://www.youtube.com/user/sesamonte/videoshttp://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2018498757FD7A76
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