by Penny Schultz

Created on: April 19, 2009

A Christian is not able to bear the fruit of the Spirit apart from the very presence of the Spirit in his life. Time spent in the word of God and in His presence is as the air he breathes.

He is not able to know Jesus apart from the reading of the Bible, the preaching of the word and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. He desires to know more and more about the one He wants to be like.

He is not able to love his family, much less his enemy without the love of God first shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit. A man's heart tends to be self-centered and sometimes selfish - even with those he loves. God's love in him helps him to overcome what selfishness remains.

He is not prosperous, though he have millions, a grand home and a fine car, unless he have Jesus as his Lord and Savior.He realizes that possessions cannot bring fulfillment to his life.

He is not successful until he, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, is able to bring his carnal desires and unrighteous thoughts into the obedience of Christ. He has learned that though he has been made new in the spirit, he still has to deal with the ugliness of his soul, but he wants to allow the Spirit to cleanse away those things that are unrighteous.

A Christian is not religious. He is not a keeper of laws and rituals. He knows that Jesus is full of life, not empty actions done repeatedly. He wants to receive that life and follow the Lords leading.

He is not legalistic, knowing that things are not always as they might appear. He is not lifeless and without hope. He has great hope, it's the anchor of his soul.

He is not a friend of the world, nor does he do the things those of the world enjoy. He chooses to walk away and separate himself from what the Bible teaches him is wrong. He tries to uphold the standard Jesus set, even when it costs him a friend.

He is not able to understand what the Lord wants to do within him or through him, except he spend time with Jesus, in prayer and in reading the scriptures.

A Christian is no different than any other man or woman, except for the Spirit of Christ in his heart. He realizes that he can take no credit for anything good that is found in him.

A Christian is not independent. He needs to be totally surrendered to the Lord and His Spirit.

The heart of the message Jesus brought to mankind was simply: "You can't live up the requirements of the law. You can't do it, though I know you want to. The good news is; I have the answer. Take my life, I give it freely for you. I'll take yours, your sin and its punishment. When you allow me to make this exchange, you'll have my Spirit within to empower you to become righteous. My righteousness for your sin."

Dwight L. Moody borrowing a quote from Henry Varley, said, "The world has yet to see what Almighty God can and will do with, for, through in, and by a man wholly and fully yielded to Him and to His service." Moody would then add: " By God's grace, may I be that man!"

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