What was the most impacting lesson in these two chapters? 532-2 - 15 - 6

And CM asks, “Are you saved?” If so “What are you doing with it?” He also asked “What is your calling.” Much as it pains me to admit it, I feel that I have done very little to bring anyone into the Kingdom.

I attempt to reach people via the Internet, both through a blog and Facebook. In the 2 plus years that I’ve had my blog I’ve had just over 13,000 page views, not a very impressive number of views. Further, I would suspect that I would account for a percentage of the total page views. As for Facebook, I only reach family and friends and the same ones continue to “Like” my postings and I suspect most simply ignore them.

So what does Jesus say in this chapter of John to give me some guidance in becoming a better ambassador for Him.

John 5:4, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

This is a great lesson in pointing out where our justification really comes from. We are justified through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. So many in organized religion deviate from this in their quest for power and control over the laity. While it appears that both Roman Catholic Church and Islam have hundreds of millions of adherence, the religious leaders are not abiding in the vine as they are not abiding in the Word. My minor efforts to bring people into the kingdom hopefully will help to bear fruit. However, it is the Holy Spirit that will do the convicting. So I continued to abide in Jesus and work to become a better representative for Jesus.

John 5:19^, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

I have the good fortune of having a number of very mutually supportive born-again friends. That said, it’s becoming more obvious daily that our society has lost its moral compass. Taking a stand for the Word of God opens one to ridicule and possible legal action. Owners of bakeries and printing shops are forced by law to fill requests from same-sex couples or face legal action(s) for discrimination. We who truly internalize the Word of God are an irritation to those who are of the world. It hasn’t become a case of kill the messenger in this country as it has in other parts of the world.

So how has this impacted me; I’m more aware of world events. While I haven’t become a Prepper, I’m aware of the advisability of being as self-reliant as possible. More important than a stockpile of food and water is the knowledge that God is in control and sharing that knowledge. And prayer...