Within you

Within you,
In the Gospel of Luke we read,
“Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,' or ‘There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."Luke 17:20,21.
Now while I firmly believe Jesus will come to this earth one day to judge the world and to rule the nations of the world. I also believe what Jesus said here.
“...the kingdom of God is within you.”
The apostle Paul writing
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  2 Corinthians 5:17.
If our commitment to Christ Jesus is true then we do become a new creation. We look at people from the point of view of Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul writes,
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.” 2 Corinthians 5:16.
The apostle John writes,
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1John 4:7-10.
It is my belief if someone is a believer in Christ Jesus they will show what the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the spirt. Paul writing,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23 
So my question to you the reader. If you claim to be a true follower of Christ Jesus are you exhibiting the fruits of the spirit? Are you truly showing unconditional love to those around you?
Please think about it.

God's word or yourself?

God’s word or yourself?
The Apostle Paul writes,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2Corinthians 5:17.
Are you a new creation?
Billy Graham the American evangelist in a reference to Christ’ disciples said, 
"The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same." Billy Graham.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus is your life turned right side up? OR are you mixing your old life and the things of this world with the teachings of Jesus?
The more I look at people who are claiming to be Christians here in North America, be they in the pulpit, in the media or in the pew, I sadly see a mixing of secularism and Christianity. This is true of all denominations.
Even those claiming to be evangelical fundamentalist are mixing their faith, their politics and secular teachings. Twisting God’s word to conform to their beliefs. Believing only what they want to believe. Making God’s word of little or no effect. This is something the apostle Paul warned about when he wrote,
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
“They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2Timothy 4:3,4.
St. Augustine wrote,

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, 

and reject what you don't like,

 it is not the gospel you believe,

 but yourself.” 

                                   St Augustine.

So if you claim to be a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus, are you believing the Bible or only what you what to believe in it?
Please think about it.