Faith and Commitment
The importance of making a firm choice for God, despite distractions.Personal reflection on faith and the need for growth.During Melissa’s singing, a deep admiration for her faith was felt.On Friday night, while handing out cards asking about personal areas for improvement in 2026, faith was identified as a key area to work on.The exercise involved writing down God’s promises and hearing Him speak through the process.The goal is to grow in faith, depending on God and His Word.The urgency of spiritual growth and dedication.Time is running out, and there’s a need to improve and lift up Christ.Prayers have been offered for weeks for God to speak to the people.A challenge was given on New Year’s Eve to be faithful.The Sermon on the Mount: No Middle Ground
Focus on Matthew 7:13-14, emphasizing the straight gate and narrow way versus the wide gate and broad way.The core message is that there is no middle ground with Christ.The sermon challenges the idea of living in between right and wrong.Critique of creating a God that accepts compromise and partial devotion.Religion can become a middle ground, a way to feel satisfied without true closeness to God.The need for daily choices to serve God fully.Personal commitment, like Joshua’s, to serve the Lord.The importance of exercising faith and commitment in daily life.Either for or against God, gathering or scattering.God’s unchanging holiness and expectations.God expects holiness, and there’s a way of repentance and forgiveness.Believers should live differently from the world, set apart and identified by righteous living.Two Gates: Narrow vs. Broad
Emphasis on the two paths: the narrow, straight gate and the wide gate leading to destruction.No other options or ways to live are acceptable.One is either for Christ or against Him, with no middle ground.Examples illustrating the lack of middle ground:Hot or cold: Lukewarmness is rejected.Revelation reference: God will spew lukewarm believers out of His mouth.Many Christians live in a comfortable middle ground, avoiding challenges.In or out, right or wrong, love of God or love of the world.Carrying one’s cross or not, yes or no, bitter or sweet.Saved or lost: No partial or in-progress salvation.The importance of choosing the narrow way.The broad way is filled with people who think they are going to heaven but lack true salvation.The Spirit of God calls for adherence to the narrow way and straight path.Preaching a straight way is necessary to lead people to salvation.Simply carrying a Bible, joining a church, or being baptized is insufficient without being born again.Two Trees: Good vs. Corrupt
Beware of false prophets in sheep’s clothing, identifiable by their fruits.The illustration of two types of trees: good trees bearing good fruit and corrupt trees bearing evil fruit.No middle ground: a tree is either corrupt or good, not partially one or the other.The importance of honesty in self-assessment.If there was a middle ground, people would create their own paths and churches.The challenge to decide to live fully for Christ and repent of sins.God hasn’t changed and doesn’t compromise on holiness.Identifying trees by their fruit.Good trees should bear good fruit, though the quantity and edibility may vary.Corrupt trees may produce fruit that looks appealing but is harmful.Example of inedible fruit found while hunting, which looked delicious but was avoided by animals.The source of good fruit: being grafted into Jesus, the true vine.Bearing fruit is a result of being connected to Jesus.Jesus wants believers to be either cold or hot, not lukewarm.Being warm (lukewarm) is comfortable but spiritually dangerous.The need to step out and determine one’s true standing with God.Either for or against Him, gathering or scattering.God wants 100% devotion, or perhaps one doesn’t know Him at all.The danger of creating an environment where people think it’s alright to do what they want.God is holy and requires holiness.Honesty about one’s spiritual condition.It’s better to admit being lost than to falsely believe one is saved.There is hope in acknowledging one’s need for a Savior.Being born again leads to a straight, narrow path and the production of good fruit.Goodness and the Rich Young Ruler
According to Jesus, there is nothing good but the Father.The story of the rich young ruler who claimed to have kept all the commandments since his youth.Jesus identified that the man’s wealth was his real God.The man was in middle ground, thinking he had it all figured out.Jesus’s challenge to sell all possessions and follow Him.The man walked away sorrowful because he couldn’t give up his middle ground.He couldn’t believe that God is holy and expects holiness.He couldn’t believe that he could live right through the Holy Spirit’s help.The necessity of the Holy Ghost to stay on course.There is no middle ground; any such place is fictitious and meaningless to God.Professions of Faith: Real vs. False
Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven.Only those who do the will of the Father will enter.Two different professions: one real and one false.A real profession is based on complete surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.A false profession involves doing great works but being unknown by God.“Depart from me, for I never knew you.”The danger of creating a comfortable, middle-ground world that allows one to live as they please.This place is a figment of one’s imagination, denying the Spirit of God and His Word.The judgment of God will reveal the truth.Claiming to have gone to church, read the Bible, and prayed is insufficient.“Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, for I did not know you.”The world is on middle ground, but honesty is essential.It’s better to admit being an unbeliever, as that ground can be plowed by God.Living in the middle means one doesn’t truly care.Many claim to be saved but have never been born again.It’s better to be honest about being lost, as the Holy Spirit can help.Living in the middle pleases no one: not the church, the preacher, or God.Two Foundations: Rock vs. Sand
Two foundations: one built on solid rock (Jesus Christ) and one built on sand.The solid rock foundation is forever settled in heaven and stands firm.The consequences of building on sand.When storms come, the foundation will be exposed.Building salvation on anything other than Jesus Christ is building on sand.Examples: “I’m building my salvation on the Baptist faith,” or “I’m a good Catholic.”The challenge to know for sure which foundation one is on as 2026 begins.If on solid rock, step up and give all for God.If on sand, acknowledge being lost and let the Holy Spirit put you on the solid foundation.The fate of those on sand: great will be the fall.The invitation to come to Him and be placed on the solid foundation.
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