Author: J Mike Wills

I am a man of faith, a published author, and retired professional pilot. I am a devoted husband of 40 years to my first and only wife.

What are you thinkin’?

“The fact is, that if we don’t focus our thoughts towards Godly things, we open ourselves up to satanic attack on our hearts and minds.”

When your thoughts run wild…
Change your Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

Have you ever been mindlessly going through your day and suddenly you realize you’re all worked up over something? I know that in my life I have – and sometimes find myself doing it too much. I stop and ask myself “How did this happen, why is my heart racing and why am I getting angry or worried about this?”

I heard a phrase many years ago by my pastor and he was talking about why we dwell on ungodly things. He called it 1“Stinkin’ Thinkin’!”, and I took that as “Mike, get those bad thoughts out of your mind”!

I’m sure that by now we all have heard the 2proverb “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”! What the verse literally says is: “A worthless man devises mischief..” It’s what happens when we start running over stuff over and over again, getting more miffed as time goes forward. In my family growing up we called it “stewing and steaming”, but it really is “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”. We need to recognize that the source of these thoughts is the devil. He uses these thoughts to try and drive a wedge between you and the situation or other person. 3He is your adversary and “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” He wants you to become that worthless man the scripture above talks about.

“The fact is, that if we don’t focus our thoughts towards Godly things, we open ourselves up to satanic attack on our hearts and minds.”

Mike W


That leads us to what I’d really like us to focus on:
Changin’ Our Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

So what kind of protection does the believer have against the devil and how can we change these thoughts that are in our minds? I’m going to share with you 3 techniques that I believe are the most easily applied and remembered.

RECOGNIZE

Prayer: In your prayer time, ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize spiritual warfare in your life. We can rest assured knowing that He is 4interceding on our behalf continuously. We must remember to spend time in prayer everyday. No matter what else is going on – make the time no matter what. Seek out Godly prayer partners and pray with them asking God’s protection for them and their needs as well.

Prepare: Be prepared for the battle that is certainly coming your way!
1) Put on the 5full armor of God so that you will be able to withstand the “fiery arrows” that the devil is hurling at you.
2) Fill your mind with scripture! The study of God’s word is crucial to being able to refute the devil and his attacks.

REPENT and REFUTE

Confess: When you realize that you have sinned by dwelling on and enjoying what you’re thinking, STOP IT! No matter what you’re doing, you’ve been given the insight from the Holy Spirit that you have sinned and now 6you must confess it.
Combat: Jesus gave us the best example on how to refute the devil. As he was being tempted, he always quoted scripture. Even when the devil twisted God’s words around, Jesus simply stated the truth of God’s word and the devil was forced to leave and flee.

REMAIN ALERT and RE-FOCUS

Be Aware: Don’t let your guard down, Satan surely will look for another weakness in your life and will do everything he can to exploit it. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter reminds us to “Be sober-minded; be watchful..” Remember when Jesus was in the wilderness and being tempted, he rebuked the devil and the bible says that 7Satan left him looking for a more opportune time. If he came back after Jesus, surely he’ll come back after you and me.
Have a Plan: Re-focus your thoughts once you recognize what is happening. Ask yourself if your thought is coming from the Holy Spirit? If it is not say out loud “This is another lie of the Devil. James 4:7 says resist the Devil and He will flee from you”. Remember what Philippians 4:8-9 says about what to think on and then think on those things!!

I hope that some of these things I have mentioned in this post will help you as it has certainly helped me in my life!

Ref:
1: “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”, Rev Ken Forrester, Rocky Creek Baptist Church, Greenville SC
2: Proverbs 16:27 (TLB)
3: 1 Peter 5:8 7
4: Romans 8:26-2
5: Ephesians 6:10-17
6: 1 John 1:9
7: Luke 4:13

Latest EP Available!

“This is a throw back album to the 1970’s and how that music impacted my life.”

After almost two years, I’ve finally completed my latest EP entitled “70’s Celebration!” This is a throw back album to the 1970’s and how that music impacted my life. Many of the folk songs back then became the launching pad for what we know today as Praise and Worship music. I loved these new Folk Songs and I wanted to learn to play them on a guitar. So I got a guitar and a Mel Bay chord book back in 1972 and taught myself how to play the acoustic guitar! Then I got a songbook titled “Sing ‘n’ Celebrate”, and eventually got good enough to play with the youth group at my church. That started my lifelong dream of playing music for the Lord, and it has been a great experience!

This EP has 4 Folk Songs and 1 Original bonus song written by friend and former bandmate Don Hightower. The songs I chose were ones I first learned to play: Psalm 19, Pass It On, I wish we’d all been ready, That’s for me. The bonus song is named His Everlasting Love. You can learn all about and hear an excerpt from each song by just clicking this link! I also have a link on that page to donate to our ministry and get a copy of the EP.

I needed to have some help on one of the songs. I was able to get my sister-in-law Robin Wills, to lend her voice on; “Pass It On”, written by Kurt Kaiser. You can listen to her version of this song by clicking this link! I would ask that you support her by donating to her ministry. All the funds will be given directly to her from that link.

I hope you all will enjoy this latest work I’ve created. I have enjoyed and have been blessed for doing it. I don’t know what the next project is or when it will start, but I do know that whatever it will be, I’ll share it with you all first!

A Quick Visit To Lubbock

I had the opportunity to visit Lubbock, Texas recently and I didn’t want to just sit around all day long. With only a short 5 hour layover, I wanted to take advantage of the time and see some local sights. I was able to find a great lunch at a local BBQ joint and then visit an air museum right next to the FBO where we parked.

The name of the restaurant I ate at is: “E & J Smokehouse Grill & Spirit Ranch” and what an experience. The setting was very scenic with a huge venue (Spirit Ranch) attached for weddings and events along with a nice park area. One different thing is the wild Peacocks that live on the property. Quite a magnificent bird for sure, and you can buy bird seed to feed them if you like. The BBQ was excellent, exactly what you’d expect with Texas BBQ, big portions and tasty! Yum!! You can visit their site online at: https://www.ejsmokehouse.com

After lunch, I still had a few hours to kill off, so I found a cool air museum near where we parked our jet. The name of this museum is “The Silent Wings Museum”. I thought it was a memorial that honored aviators and birds from long ago that were unique to the area. Nope, not even close. It’s a museum for Gliders – thus the name.. “Silent Wings”. Not just any gliders though, these are the gliders of WWII that made a big difference in the war. I have included a bunch of pictures from the museum, I hope you will enjoy them! Visit the museum online at: https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/departments/silent-wings-museum

You can view all the pics and details my Lubbock webpage found on My-Trips page: Lubbock Texas

Alaska?!! You Betcha!!

A fun trip to Alaska highlighted my last rotation!

To be a charter pilot, one must be flexible because the only constant in this business is change! After flying in the airline industry for 25 of my 43 years in aviation, I became quite comfortable with my set schedule of 4 days on and 3 days off and being able to closely predict where I’m going and when I’m getting done. Then came the big change when I started flying charter flights again. (I had started out in aviation being a charter pilot and then a corporate pilot before the airline days.)

I’m sitting in Aspen, Colorado when I get a phone call from my company.. “Hey Mike, we got another change for ya! Want to go to Alaska??!!!” “Heck yeah!!!” I replied and so began my quest to go to my 49th State, ALASKA! Well, I flew the aircraft to Van Nuys, CA and the next day I took some folks up to Ketchikan, Alaska! I found out when I landed there that Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “First City”. That’s because it is the southernmost city in the state, hence the name! What a beautiful place to visit and we only got to stay an hour before we flew back to Portland, Oregon! But who knows, maybe I’ll get back again someday. If you click on this link, you will be taken to view the pictures that I took. I took a video that was from my iPad looking out the window which I will post online one day soon!

Ketchikan, Alaska pictures from me!

My first “Indy” song and a Free Gift to boot!!

The back story of my 1st song as an Independent Artist: "Through That Door" and how it still affects me today!

Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

In the early 2000’s, I was part of a Gospel Blues Band. As most bands do, that band did eventually break up. Our mission core was to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Still wanting to share the Gospel through music, I decided to strike out on my own and give it my all.

First Song as an “Indy”

One of the first songs I wrote as an “Indy” was of an experience I once had. I was a pilot on a trip which started out ok but quickly ended up a mess! Later on that day though, it turned into a God glorifying experience. The story of that day turned into a song I wrote entitled “Through That Door”.

The “Back” Story!

When I was an airline Captain, I would have many interesting trips assigned to me. Some flights would go through major hubs such as NYC. One particular week as I was getting ready to leave the hotel room for my trip, I stopped what I was doing! I was staring at the backside of my closed door and I knew that I should stop and spend some time in prayer. I knew that just outside that door, our old adversary the devil was out there ready to do a number on me (1 Peter 5:7-9) and I wanted to be ready! The only way to do that was to stop and pray and prepare my mind.

The day started out normally, but due to circumstances, my trip changed and I got stuck in a big city. So instead of getting upset, I started looking for opportunities to share. At dinnertime I went out of my room to grab a bite and as I went down a main road, I came across a homeless man. He wanted money ( I did eventually help him), but at the same time he was in a hopeless state, needed help and I was willing to stop, share and pray for him. He really also wanted someone to talk to him and maybe provide encouragement. I’ve done that several times on layovers and sometime it is welcomed, sometimes it is not. That day, he at least listened.

This trip ended the next day and I was headed home to my wife and family. As I was getting ready to turn in for the night, I thanked God for my wife and the opportunity to share His free gift of salvation. (Romans 10:9-13)

Even today before I go out the door of my hotel room, I look at that door and remember that trials and hard times are going to come my way. I also know that opportunities are going to come before me and that He will hold me fast. I know that if I continue to put Him first by taking a few minutes to prepare, the victory through it all will be His.

My Gift To You!

This particular post has been a bit longer than usual, but even so I thought some of you might find it interesting. As my “thank you” for taking a few minutes to share your time with me, I’m offering a free download of the song I’ve just posted about: “Through That Door”.

Click Here to get the free song!

Click on the link above and it will take you right to it. No strings attached, no requirements to sign up or buy anything else, just a gift. ( If you do wish to sign up to follow me, I think that would be great. There is also an opportunity to purchase my music if you want to, but that is up to you. )

Through that door, into the world. Gotta walk that walk, right through that door!

I appreciate feedback. If you would like to send me a quick email to mike@jmikewills.com, I’d love to hear from you.

A Little History!

I’m kind of a nostalgic sort of person, and I was thinking just the other day about how I got interested in music. I’d like to share it with you as my next project is based on how I got my start into playing guitar. It goes way back in time, but I’ll make it as concise as I can for ya.

In the late summer of 1972, my brother got a guitar for his birthday. He almost never took it out of the box to play nor did I see him open the “Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method” book that came with it. Well I was intrigued by the guitar and my brother said I could learn on it. So there I was a 12 year old kid sitting in his basement bedroom teaching himself how to play! Over the next 6 months I learned all the basic chords and how to read guitar tabs. I was really getting into it back then, and I learned to enjoy the instrument and what a pleasure it was for me to play.

As I became a teenager, I became interested in getting with other players and learning new stuff. It was the early 70’s and rock-n-roll was getting huge and for a young guy like me, pretty interesting. I did try and learn some of those songs and played with some of my school buddies. We thought we could start our own little band, but there was no way my dad would let me be in one!

It turns out, I really got into playing some of the songs that the youth group at my church was playing. So I started to learn and play the “modern” folk music that over the years grew into what we know of today as “Praise and Worship” music. The more I played it the more I really enjoyed it! I started paying attention to the lyrics and what they were saying rather than just the cool licks and riffs that were a part of it.

I remember joining the youth group at my church and the older kids let me play guitar some in their band. They gave me my first songbook that we would play out of titled: “Sing ‘N’ Celebrate Vol 1”! I thought it was pretty cool that I could play some of those songs in front of people, and I loved it! Then one Sunday evening at Trinity Baptist Church in Schenectady NY, I got to play one of those songs with our youth group, and the name of that song was “Pass It On”. Well, we went on to play other songs at other church’s and I was hooked. From that point on I was always looking to play in a P&W music team everywhere I went.

  • Trinity Baptist Church
    Schenectady, NY
  • Sing ‘n’ Celebrate
    Songbook 1971

So in memory of those days, I thought I’d record a few of those songs. Even if you’re a younger person, my guess is that maybe you have heard one or two of em! I hope to have the first couple out by the end of the summer.

Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with me as I traveled down that old memory lane!

A Christmas “Selah” (See-Luh)

Psalm 89:1-4

As we prepare for the Christmas season, let’s take our own Selah and reflect on Christ.

As we come to this Christmas season and think on the reason for it, we often times read the story of Christ’s coming to man out of Luke or Matthew. Today, I’d like to actually look at the Christmas story from the “Book of Songs”, specifically Psalm 89. As we read through the first 4 verses, we see the promise of a new King. Although it initially points to King David, we can read into it and see that it is pointing to an even greater King, and that is Jesus – The Messiah. But notice the break at the end of those 4 verses. The word Selah (Pronounced See-Luh) is put in between the next set – or stanza – of verses! I’d like to take a moment or two (if you will) and think about what that word means and how it is so applicable today in this season.

The Hebrew word “Selah” is thought to be a musical notation and has no exact meaning. It was used 74 times in the Old Testament by different authors of the songs. (71 times within 39 Psalms and 3 times in the book of Habakkuk) Scholars think that the word actually has 3 meanings.

One definition is that it could mean a musical crescendo. As all 5 books and 150 chapters are all songs, emphasis for an increase or decrease in volume would make sense.

Another meaning could be that it indicates a musical interlude. As a musician, I enjoy playing and listening to musical interludes in a song. It gives the listener a chance to rest momentarily while the interlude or instrumental is played. It also gives the musician the opportunity to express themselves as to see their interpretation of the song. I’ll bet King David was excellent at it too!!

The third meaning though could mean “Pause”. I liken it to a phrase that a pastor friend of mine once said: “Stop, Look and Listen”!

If we look back at those first 4 verses and most notably 3-4, we see a breaking point in the song.

Psalm 89:1-4

1  I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2  For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

3  You have said, “I have made my covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:

4  ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ”

Selah

Selah at this point could mean to the singers: “Think about what you just sang or spoke. Take this moment to reflect about how God is going to be faithful to His word! Think about the promise of the Messiah to come! Listen to what You are singing (reading) for the scriptures say that the Messiah is coming. Be alert for Him, because God’s word will always be fulfilled “

Here we are in 2020, it’s been a long hard year in many ways to many people. We have been scarred and affected by Covid-19 and all the associated issues with it. However, if we take our own “Selah” we can reflect and remember that:

• Jesus, the little baby from Bethlehem, is the Messiah promised as the one who would come from God to save sinful man.

• He grew up sinless, was tempted in every way and never sinned

• He was crucified for our sins then raised up on the 3rd day!

• He is coming again

• Surely He is greater than all our problems!

• Surely He can be trusted

• Surely He will lead us through it all.

But it starts with our believing and trusting in Him. (Rom 10:9-13)

For me, my “Selah” starts with “stopping, looking and listening”; Stopping the hustle and bustle of life, looking for what He is saying in His word, and thanking Him. Listening to Him, trusting Him, believing and waiting for Him to deliver me for His sake and praise. To Him be all the praise and glory and honor forever! Amen

Blessed Assurance! (The Conclusion)

Blessed Assurance: The Conclusion

What a wonderful experience it has been for me to be able to share with you some thoughts and encouraging words that came to me regarding “Assurance of Salvation!” I have included below all 10 of the “clues” that we discussed in this series. I have also included the main thought as well as the central verse(s) that I used in creating the devotion.

Quick Links to each lesson: Week 1 (Items 1-2), Week 2 (Items 3-4), Week 3 (Items 5-6), Week 4 ( Items 7-8), Week 5 (Items 9-10)

1: Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-17) Because we know that the forces of evil are constantly at war with us in the heavenly realms. You see, the devil has no reason to make non-believers question if they are saved, because he already has them. But he does not have you my fellow believer, so he uses every trick and lie he knows to keep you from obeying God and growing in Him.  If the devil is making you truly question your salvation, that’s a sign you are saved.

2: Scripture Assures Us! (2 Timothy 3:16-17) As spiritual attacks challenge us in our lives, we need to remember that God’s Word is our source and we can count on it to be true! We have an inheritance which is imperishable, we know “nothing can separate us“, we are “safe in God’s hands“, and as believers we are “born of God“.

3: The Holy Spirit’s Ministry (1 John 4:13) As a believer, you know who the Holy Spirit is and many things about Him. As we look together into how He works in our lives, we will see 5 evidences of how His ministry assures us of our salvation.

4: Answered Prayer (James 5:16) It has been answered by evangelists and pastors for years when asked if God answered prayers, that He answers either “yes”, “no”, or “not now”. Whatever the answer to your prayer is, you got an answer to your prayer! So as we ponder answers to our prayers, let’s start with where our heart is when first approaching God with our request. Remembering at all times that God is faithful to His word. 

5: Obeying and Loving God’s Word (Psalm 119) In both the old and new testaments, we see how Obeying God’s Word is our source for instruction and guidance. We need only to make a stop in Psalm 119 to find wonderful references to Loving God’s Word and the benefits it gives us in our lives. As we study these passages, we begin to understand how it correlates to knowing that we are saved. (Ref: Psalm 119:1-11, 14-16, 24, 35, 47-48, 70, 72, 77, 92, 103, 167, 143, 174)

6: Knowing the Truth (John 14:6) A strong desire to love and obey God’s word, knowing the truth of His words, and being able to apply them to your life are clear indications that God has saved you and you can be secure in your relationship with Him!

7: Hating sin and doing it less (Psalm 97:10) If we are growing in our faith we will begin to hate the sin that we commit and will abhor doing it. 1“A believer should see a decreasing pattern of sin in their lives, it means that his faith is genuine”. We will immediately confess our sins and He will forgive us!
1Dr John MacArthur, Strength for Today Devotional

8: Loving other Christians (1 Peter 1:22) Our lives should be the very example of love for each other as Christ loved us. The world sees our desire to love God and each other and they know whose we are. We are always being watched by unbelievers and they are looking for ways to discredit us. But if they see us caring for each other by the kindnesses we show each other and how we are unified in Christ, some may be persuaded to want to come and join us.

9: Conviction and Punishment for sin (John 16:3a, Revelation 3:19) We are convicted of sin through the Holy Spirit who lives within all believers. One of the many roles that He has is showing us right from wrong, and if we do wrong (sin) we are guided to the right way. There are plentiful scriptures about how and why God punishes those whom are His children, but Christ clearly tells us that He chastises those He loves and that we are to “enthusiastically” repent.

10: Looking forward to Christ’s return and spending eternity with Him (Philipians 3:20)  We are reminded that our citizenship is in Heaven and we eagerly wait for the savior, Jesus Christ and His return to take His people home! My pastor once said: “As Christians on this earth, this is the closest to hell that we will ever be as our eternal home is in Heaven with Jesus.”

As I have reviewed these clues that I believe are based upon scripture and much prayer, I have determined that they point to our HOPE in Jesus. Without Him, we have no hope, no future, and no reason to look for what is to come. It is no wonder that we see so much despair in the world these days. They have no hope, and their focus is on the world and all that it can bring, and not on the one who MADE the world and can give them eternal life!

As you review this devotion, take time and ask God how you can share His Love and the bright hope for the future! Thank you for sharing part of your life with me in this study! I look forward to what lies ahead, and I know that what lies ahead in Christ is better than I can even imagine.

Agape’ Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Blessed Assurance! (Pt 5)

Blessed Assurance Pt 5: Conviction of Sin, Looking for Christ’s Return & Spending Eternity with Him!

In today’s devotion, let’s take a look at a couple of very distinct clues that show how we can know that we are saved forever! We will start by looking again at how sin can creep into our lives, but as He always does, Christ shows us that we are His by revealing the “Conviction of Sin” and the consequences (punishment) that result from sin. The final clue that we will look at today is how the saved are always “Looking for Christ’s Return & Spending Eternity with Him!”.

Conviction of Sin

I am writing to true believers in Jesus Christ, those who have accepted Him as their savior. There are several key verses that will describe specifically how we know we are saved regarding the conviction of sin in our lives. I want to first start out by reminding us that in Romans 8:1, if we are saved there is now no more condemnation of sin. What that means is that if we have accepted Him as our savior, all our past, present and future sins have been forgiven. But we still have a sin nature in our lives and until perfected when we die and enter heaven, will be battling on a daily basis. So if I know that I will sin but have been forgiven, why do I need to confess it? I believe that when we sin, we lose fellowship with Christ, but retain our salvation. For us to draw close to Christ again we must “confess our sins as He [Christ] is faithful to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9 . We are convicted of sin through the Holy Spirit who lives within all believers. One of the many roles that He has is showing us right from wrong, and if we do wrong (sin) we are guided to the right way (John 16:3a). If you sin, you have an advocate with the Father and that is Jesus, His Son (1 John 2:1), and this itself proves that you are His child!

Punishment for sin

When I was a young boy growing up, I knew that my parents loved me dearly. Because they loved me dearly, they didn’t hesitate to correct me when I was doing wrong. Many people call that punishment, and they would be correct! In the same way, we as children of God need to be corrected when we mess things up (sin) and disobey God. There are plentiful scriptures about how and why God punishes those whom are His children. In Revelation 3:19, Christ clearly tells us that He chastises those He loves and that we are to “enthusiastically” repent. When I was punished as a boy, I remember my dad telling me that he loved me and that I should remember the punishment and not do wrong again. He told me one day I’d thank him for it – and he was right! In the same way we should thank God for showing us where we sinned and not do it again. If He punishes us, we should thank Him. You see, this is yet another way that we can know that we are His. Hebrews 12:5-8 elaborates further on this same message. At the end of verse 8, He says “8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons (NASB)“. If God is not punishing you, you probably are not one of His children.

Looking for Christ’s return
& Spending eternity with him

Together we have studied many ways to have assuredness of faith. In our last discussion, we look at one of the most exciting ways to know we are saved: “Looking For Christ’s Return & Spending Eternity with Him”.

It is so encouraging to read in scriptures how other believers reacted about Christ’s return. In 1 Corinthians 1:7, it says we are lacking in no gift and are “eagerly awaiting” the revelation of Christ. In Philippians 3:20 we are reminded that our citizenship is in Heaven and we eagerly wait for the savior, Jesus Christ and His return to take His people home! My 1pastor once said: “As Christians on this earth, this is the closest to hell that we will ever be as our eternal home is in Heaven with Jesus.”

Lastly, we have a home created for us personally by Jesus where we will spend eternity in Heaven with Him. In John 14:1-3, Jesus says the following:
14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. NASB”

That last verse says it all for me! I look forward to joining Him one day. I know that I’ll be with Him forever, along with the millions who have gone before me. I know that He has a special place He has made just for me! He will come again to receive us to Himself! Oh Come Lord Jesus, Come!

If you have that strong desire to be with Jesus and yearn for that time ahead, and you are excited about His second coming and the eternity with Him in eternity future, you are most definitely saved! If it seems far fetched and not that big a deal to you, please consider this your invitation to join Him today!

The last installment in this series will discuss as a summary all the ways we can have assuredness of our salvation in Jesus Christ. I will share one more clue to knowing we are saved as well!

Ref: 1Travis Agnew, Sr Pastor; Rocky Creek Baptist Church; Greenville, SC

Blessed Assurance! (Pt 4)

Blessed Assurance Part 4: Hating Sin and doing it less, Loving other Christians

So far in our series we have seen many ways to help us know that we are saved if we are true believers in Jesus Christ! We have studied the following clues given to us: “Spiritual Warfare, Scriptural Assurance, The Holy Spirit’s Ministry, Answered Prayer, Obeying and Loving God’s Word, and Knowing the Truth”. Today, we look at two more ways to know that we are saved: “Hating sin and doing it less, and Loving other Christians”.

Hating sin and doing it less

As believers, we know that sin separates us from God and on our own we have no way to be with God. We know that Jesus’ sacrifice for us paid the penalty for our sins so that we may be saved, just by believing and asking Him to save us. But we still have a “sin nature” in us that is constantly at war with our saved spirit. Occasionally, we stumble and fall, committing sin against others and God. We know that God hates sin and it has a condemning result (Romans 6:23). We know we are to hate evil (Psalm 97:10) and love the Lord. Our hating sin is an indication of our salvation.

As a believer we relate in a new way! “ 1Because we abide in Him (Romans 6:6), we are no longer slaves to sin, but have an option to do good (Romans 6:14, 17-18). We will always be acutely sensitive to sin (John 1:7).” If we are growing in our faith we will begin to hate the sin that we commit and will abhor doing it. 1“A believer should see a decreasing pattern of sin in their lives, it means that his faith is genuine”. We will immediately confess our sins and He will forgive us (1 John 1:9). We have not lost our salvation, but our fellowship with Christ is broken. Confession restores our fellowship with Him and we learn from that not to do it again.

“A decreasing pattern of sin in a believers’ life, means that his faith is genuine“ Dr. John MacArthur

If you are not seeing a decrease in sin or don’t think it’s that bad, reconsider if you have genuinely given your life to Christ. However, if we sin less and less, we know that our faith is real and that shows as a further indication of our assuredness of salvation.

Loving other Christians

As I have grown in my relationship with Jesus, I have seen a deeper love for my fellow believers. In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter says as we obey the truth that we have a “sincere love of the brethren and that we are to fervently love one another from the heart..” As we continue on in this passage we see that we are born again not of the seed which is perishable but imperishable through the living and enduring word of God. He gives us our strong desire to love, fellowship and care for each other.

“He gives us the strong desire to love, fellowship, and care for each other”

We also learn through scripture that the world will know we are Jesus’ disciples if we love one another ( John 13:35 ). Our lives should be the very example of love for each other as Christ loved us. The world sees our desire to love God and each other and they know whose we are. We are always being watched by unbelievers and they are looking for ways to discredit us. But if they see us caring for each other by the kindnesses we show each other and how we are unified in Christ, some may be persuaded to want to come and join us.

So ask yourself several 1questions to see if some of these describe you in any way.

  1. Do you care about other believers, or are you cold towards them?
  2. Do you respond positively to opportunities to give yourself to ministries?
  3. Do you look forward to having fellowship with other Christians?
  4. Do you look forward to times when you can study God’s word and spend time in prayer with other believers?
  5. When you see a need in another believer at your church, are you willing to provide money, time, prayer, resources, service, or even just to listen to them?

If you can honestly say YES to these questions, you can know you are His child and are saved. You see HE put those desires in your heart, not the world! Know that you are blessed beyond measure and thank Him for revealing to you that you are His. If you can’t say yes to any of these, perhaps you are not saved yet, but don’t be discouraged, you now can see that He is calling you to Himself even as you read this post. Why not ask Him to save you right now today?

Ref: 1Dr John MacArthur, “Strength for today – Assuredness of Faith”.