Monthly Archives: March 2018

What is a Real Christian?

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 John 2:3-6 NLT

  1. DOES LIVING A GOOD LIFE MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
    “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.” Mark 10:18 NLT
  2. DOES GOING TO CHURCH MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
    “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” Matthew 7:21 NLT
  3. DOES BELIEVING IN GOD MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
    “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” James 2:19 NLT
  4. DOES PRAYING MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
    Prayer is simply talking to God.

“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Luke 18:1 NLT

  1. DOES READING THE BIBLE MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
    When Karl Marx was seventeen years old, he wrote a fantastic explanation on John’s gospel in the New Testament. Great theologians agree with much of what he said. But Karl Marx later rejected the Bible’s authority. During his adult life he called himself an atheist and a communist.

CONCLUSION:
By now, you are probably wondering: if being good, going to church, believing in God, praying and reading the Bible does not make you a real Christian, then what does?

The best way I know how to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life is to simply humble your heart and pray. Repent of sin and simply, by faith, believe in Him and receive Him. If that is your decision, then I am here for you. Today, let’s pray together.

Being Filled With The Spirit

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures:Ephesians 5:18-20

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit. 19 Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord, 20 At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Ephesians 5:18-20

To Be Filled With The Spirit You Must Be Empty

  • Empty yourself of yourself.
  • Empty yourself of sin.
  • Things of the world
  • Desires that are not of God
  • Deal with the things of the past; cut them off

Colossians 3:5 AMP – So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).

  • Once you empty yourself you must do something about filling yourself up.

You Must Be Thirsty

  • If you hunger and thirst after righteousness you will be filled, if you draw nigh unto me.
  • Matthew 5:6 AMP – Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
  • James 4:8a AMP – Come close to God and He will come close to you.
  • As the deer panteth for the water.

Psalms 42:1 AMP – As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.

You Must Be Hungry

  • Spiritual appetite—develop it
  • How can you be filled with the Spirit when you are filled with everything else?
  • Spiritual junk food
  • Isaiah 55:1  (Message Bible)  “Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway—buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money—everything’s free! Why do you spend your money on junk food, your hard-earned cash on cotton candy? Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best; fill yourself with only the finest. Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.

You Must Come Expecting To Be Filled

  • Filled with the New Wine
  • Filled with the Holy Spirit—filled with God Himself
  • Ephesians 3:19 AMP – [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

You Must Allow the Lord To Fill You

  • With joy shall ye draw forth water out of the wells of Salvation.
  • Isaiah 12:3 AMP – Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation.
  • We have all been made to drink unto one Spirit.
  • 1 Corinthians 12:13 AMP – For by [means of the personal agency of] one [Holy] Spirit we were all, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, baptized [and by baptism united together] into one body, and all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit.

You Must Give Out So That You Can Start The Whole Process Again

  • Empty, thirsty & hungry, expectation, allow God to fill you—give out.
  • But be ye being filled
  • Constantly filled and emptied, filled and emptied…
  • Ephesians 5:18 AMP – And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.

STAY HUNGRY & THIRSTY