Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. --Revelation 3:20
Today, I’d like to give you a test so you can evaluate where you are spiritually.
Question number one is, is prayer a passion in your life? If you’re really fired up for the Lord, prayer will not be drudgery… it won’t be a duty. It will be an ongoing, exciting conversation you have with God day by day.
Question number two is, do you love the Word of God? I believe if your heart is hot towards God, you’ll look forward to meeting Him in the Scriptures. You’ll look forward to hearing the Word of God preached. And you’ll carve out time every day to read the Bible.
Question number three is, do you hate the sin in your life? Do you hate the things that God hates? When your heart is hot for God, you will weep at those things that make God weep… and you will rejoice over those things that cause God to rejoice.
Question number four is, do you long for the return of Christ? In the heart of every Christian who is passionately pursuing Christ is a longing for His return… there’s a longing to see Him face to face. So are you excited about seeing Him? Or would you be ashamed if He returned today?
The fifth and final question is, do you obey Christ? Is it your heart’s desire to please God in every single area in your life? In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
So let me ask you: What’s your spiritual temperature? Are you hot… cold… or lukewarm?
Today… if you know that your heart is cold or lukewarm… it’s my prayer—and my challenge—to you to answer that knocking at the door of your heart. Open up that door… let Jesus in… and enjoy the personal relationship He’s provided for you through His death and resurrection!
What’s your spiritual temperature? Are you hot… cold… or lukewarm?
“And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son? And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?” Luke 20:41–44
The promise that God made to David concerning the future of his family was given without qualification or limitation: “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13). While some of that promise was fulfilled through Solomon, the unending rule could only be fulfilled by Jesus.
When Jesus came the first time, He was recognized by a number of the Jewish people as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah. But many others rejected Him, despite His ability to trace His ancestry on both His mother’s side as well as on Joseph’s side (though of course He was not related to Joseph because of the virgin birth). The future ruler of Israel had to be the Son of David, and Jesus is.
None of the prophecies about the coming of the Messiah were unfulfilled in the birth, life, ministry, death, or resurrection of Jesus. Yet there remain many prophecies for the future, including the physical reign of Jesus Christ on Earth. The New Testament points out the fulfillment of prophecy, many times, not only to validate the office and work of Jesus, but to give us faith and confidence for the future. The same God who promised an heir to David, and delivered, has given us certain and unshakable promises we can trust.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Because of God’s faithful promises regarding the first coming of Christ, we can have full confidence in His second coming.
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