God makes it clear that every individual has to make a choice in his or her life. Choose to live for one's own selfish desires or repent of ones sins, claim Jesus as Lord and surrender one's self to a sovereign Lord. People of God are unique compared to the imitators who pretend to be religious. God describes His genuine servants in Ephesians 2:19-22 (NKJV) 
19  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21  in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22  in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

     The Sovereign God, who created us for His purpose, is not going to settle for people seeking out pastors and congregations that agree with their own thinking. The genuine servant will only seek pastors grounded in the teachings of the apostles, and prophets and claim Jesus as Lord.  Examine verse 20 above which describes the church. Genuine have a  hunger for God's Word, Jesus, the chief cornerstone of the Church, the redeemed. They know they  must be faithful to the teachings of the prophets and apostles found in the Bible. They flee from those who teach what is man made and appeals to  those wanting to be religious but not true servants of Jesus Christ. 

     False servants want nothing to do with God's word, Jesus, who requires total surrender to Him as the Lord of their lives. They are turned off by Jesus when He says in Matthew 16:24-27 (NKJV) 24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

​      As you read what the Lord of the Church says, genuine servants want nothing to do with the desires of their flesh. The do not live for selfish purposes, pleasures and ignore what the prophets, apostles and Jesus, Himself teaches. They despise the old nature they once  had, and now they study God's word diligently surrendering themselves to Jesus alone. They crave Bible studies that lead them into the understanding of genuine servanthood. There is no flirting with the world because the Elect have one Lord, one Master, God's word.

     Jesus came not only to pay the price for our sins, but through the power of the Holy Spirit He would transform the lives of His redeemed through regeneration, sanctification producing a people obedient to Him as Lord of the Church, God's word.  Genuine, followers of Jesus, the saved, are given a serious warning in Romans 6:12-14, "12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13  And do not present your members asinstruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14  For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." 

      The true children of God,  know what it means to  confess their sins daily in genuine repentance seeking to totally submit themselves to Jesus Christ and daily clinging to Jesus as their only hope for salvation while inviting the Holy Spirit to clean house and empower them to serve their Christ. In other words it is a delusion to think one is right with God because they are nice people and go to church.  We are saved by grace alone, but salvation always brings regeneration, sanctification and obedience to Jesus Christ who  God's word daily, seek sound Bible study and Bible grounded preaching which leads them to take up their cross and follow Jesus, not their old natures that have been crucified by God's Holy Spirit.

     It is sobering to really listen to God's Word as he declares to those listening to Him the expectations God has for those who are His children. our Lord declares in  John 15:1-10. 
1  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9  "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

     Everybody, who wants to take Christ seriously, should study Matthew 25  diligently.  There is a single message meant here for the Church.  Those, who are ready for Jesus, are those who are found serving him, not people just saying, "Lord Lord," while never surrendering their lives to Him.   It is our hope that every reader will never be found outside the door hearing the words of Jesus to those who are not prepared for his coming in Matthew 25:11-13. 11  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
12  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

     No human being will be ready for Jesus at his coming unless he has learned the meaning of being submissive to Jesus, God's Word,  which the Holy Spirit uses to empower us and transform us into God's people.  May God richly bless each and every reader so that each one can rejoice when Jesus comes while enjoying the privilege of serving him now.  He is coming soon! 

Ministry of Hope
190 Mountain Highland Road  #4
South Charleston, WV 25309