Issue 1576 – Signs – October 17, 2024
I awoke this morning with the song “Signs” by the Five Man Electrical Band playing in my head. Although it’s not a Christian song, it references a church and God positively. The song was popular in my youth, and it got me thinking about the subject of signs.
Backing onto a brush and tree-lined hill, we often see or hear wildlife. There have been foxes, raccoons, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, rats, skunks, and feral cats. There are also deer and sometimes bears.
Our bedroom window is at the side of the house, and the sidewalk is a corridor for wildlife after hours. When the local critters pass through, the motion sensor light often pops on after dark.
Sometimes, I am lying awake at night when the sensor goes off. I don’t usually bother to get up and look, but I have learned to tell the differences between some species by the sound of their movement or their shadows.
With eyes to see, everything leaves a sign of its passing, even if it is unclear or for a long time. A good tracker can differentiate not only between species but also between individuals.
How do you know a person is a Christian? I have sometimes joked that it would be easier if there were a cartoon speech bubble above us that declared whether we were believers or not. Unfortunately, it would make us very judgmental quickly, and we would soon forget about extending grace.
Some people can claim to be believers, but there is no sign in their lives, so only God can certainly judge them. Some people may never tell you, but you see evidence of fruit in their lives. Again, only God knows our true hearts.
Still, there are some signs the Bible tells us to look for.
Remember, we are all unique and at different points in our faith journey, so no two sets of signs will be identical.
by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
There are other signs as well. We could talk about a love for God’s Word and for his church, a hatred for our sins, a love for others, a desire for Christian fellowship, and more.
There should be a change in your heart and life. It is not simply an outward shift in behavior; Christianity isn’t primarily about behavior modification.
Do not doubt that becoming a Christian should bring about behavior modification, but it is primarily about heart and mind transformation. When we become believers, we are born again and start the process of being transformed into the image of Jesus.
Until next time, your heart may be continually reshaped, and your sign will be easier to see.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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