Are You Enough?

In Matthew 7, Jesus said “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

Professing Christ is not enough, in Matthew 7:21 Jesus warns “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

A true disciple is a truly repentant sinner, who is broken-hearted by the way he has offended God. Therefore, he willingly abandons his sinful life in exchange for the precious gift of salvation. Many Christians today have not allowed themselves to become uncomfortable, only covering themselves with enough veneer to be seen as respectable.

Becoming a Christian isn’t just about buying fire insurance; it’s about giving your life to Jesus Christ, to let Him do as He pleases, with a commitment to love and obey Jesus Christ; a willingness to face a hostile world, and to boldly to acknowledge Him as Lord and Master, no matter what the cost.

It begins with a public confession of Christ, followed by a heart that not only wants to proclaim Him and obey Him, but a willingness to put Him before everything and everyone else in your life. Those who consistently deny Christ as Lord by their silence, by their ungodly living, by their words, are simply masquerading as Christians; they’re not His true disciples. If a person is defiled on the inside, everything else is defiled, including their worship.

There is only One High Priest, One Mediator between man and God, and that is Christ Jesus. If any man, pastor or priest exalts himself, his own position of office, declares himself an authority over the church, his claims are perverted, and he is a liar and the truth is not in him.  If Christ is diminished and man, pastors and priests are being exalted, the religion is antichrist, Satan’s church.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest man who had ever lived, and he lived and dressed humbly. He didn’t wear fancy clothing, gold crowns, adorned with expensive jewels, sitting on a throne. Nor did he wear expensive designer suits, and shoes, setting himself above others or the One he served. John said it’s not about me, it’s about Him; “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John lived for the One he served.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the greatest model of humility, He humbled Himself, He hid His glory, taking on the form of a man, He became a slave, obedient to the Father. Scripture teaches God gives grace to the humble, but rejects the proud. Ministry isn’t something you or I deserve, it’s a gift of mercy from God.

Following Christ calls for a total commitment, He must become everything. I believe this is a lesson in humility for all of us, not to draw attention to ourselves, but to the One Whom we serve, our Lord Jesus Christ! May we do it magnificently, and in humility, all for His glory.

Brian Monzón grew up attending church with his grandmother. Through her actions, she impressed upon him the power of the prayers of the righteous, as she herself spent many hours kneeling before God, praying for her family and the needs of others. Besides being a pastor, Brian has been studying and teaching the Word of God for many years. He has devoted his life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, praying with and for others, especially the unsaved. Brian is also a proud father of four children. He challenges them to be their best and has strived to raise his family up in church and on the Word of God. To discover more about Brian and his ministry please visit Brian Monzón Ministries.