The writing on the wall...begins with belief.

The writing on the wall begins with belief 

. . . the spot of his children . . . Deuteronomy 32:5 KJV What is the secret spot that infallibly marks a child of God? It would be presumptuous for us to answer that based on our own judgment, but God’s word reveals the answer—and we can walk safely where we have revelation as our guide. We are told concerning our Lord, “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 NKJV). When I have received Christ Jesus into my heart, I am a child of God. That “receiving” is described in the same verse as “believing” on the name of Jesus Christ. So then, if I believe on Jesus Christ’s name—that is, if I simply trust myself, from the heart, to the crucified but now exalted Redeemer—I am a member of the family of the Most High. There may be many things that I do not have, but if I have belief, I have the privilege of being God’s child. Our Lord Jesus puts it another way: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Here is the matter in a nutshell—Christ appears as a shepherd to His own sheep, not to others. As soon as He appears, His own sheep perceive Him—they trust Him, they are prepared to follow Him. He knows them, and they know Him—there is a mutual knowledge and a constant connection between them. So the one spot, the sure, infallible mark of regeneration and adoption is a hearty faith in the appointed Redeemer. Reader, do you doubt whether you bear the secret mark of God’s children? Then don’t let an hour pass until you have said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23 ESV). I urge you, don’t trifle with this! If you must trifle anywhere, let it be over some secondary matter—your health, if you will, or the deed to your property. But about your soul, your never-dying soul and its eternal destiny, I beg you to be in earnest. Make sure work of your eternity.- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening. 

Belief is a strong but critical word. 

With it perception changes.  

With it you are who you appear to be, regardless of who you say you are like. 

You can say anything to alter a situation.  The truth of what you believe usually wins out. 

God's prompted me to write on this more than a few times, but, in leading a Church, it has to be the Shepherd whom God calls, to lead it. It cannot be a hired hand. 

Pastors are to be men of God. Not women.  Pastor's are to Shepherd the flock entrusted to them.  Belief in the calling vs the hiring changes everything. 

There are many who claim that women can be Pastors. Scripture says otherwise. Jesus Himself tells parables of the hired hand.  He mentions through Paul of people accumulating for themselves teachers who tell them what they want to hear.  I have had my share of substitute teachers.  Every time one was there people tried to get them to do things differently. To honestly get them to say and do what their itching ears wanted to hear. 

Belief is at the core of every single decision to come to Christ or not. 

Belief is tantamount to who's will is going to win the day.  Yours or God's. 

As I read in Dr. David Jeremiah's book The Handwriting on the Wall, he points out how deceptive we can be to ourselves in serving.  We'll accept people living in intentional sin in order to win them over. Not being pushy about the need to come to Christ because it might scare them away.   Hmm. So if you're really concerned about a burning building falling on someone, standing next to them while it's about to come down is going to help?  Isn't the message of John the Baptist sort of plain?  Repent and turn!  Get away from the intentional sin!

We do so much to excuse away what we want to do in life because of belief.  Sin says to do what you want.  God says do what my Word says.

Hired hands have no vested interest in protecting the flock. 

In fact a very good indication is whom do they trust for their safety?  God or a group of bodyguards? Have seen this in two Churches personally!  People agreeing to lay down their lives for the Pastor!  

Doesn't it make anyone think about what these purported Pastors believe?  Don't they rely on the God of the Bible? Don't they believe that if God's able to do what He did with Daniel, Daniel's 3 friends, the Apostle Paul, the Apostle John, that He would have any difficulty in protecting them?  Any Pastor with a Security team or bodyguards to protect them, is a hired hand.  They give the pretense of being a Shepherd and probably sound like one but are not.  "My sheep hear My voice". This includes the Pastor.  The hired hand is only there as a job.

Where are your beliefs?

Do you make excuses for your sin?

Are you putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for Salvation?

Are you living as though He is your Shepherd or are you trying to Shepherd yourself?

Are you at a Church with a hired hand leading it, or is it a Pastor whom believes and relies on the truth that he is in the hands of Jesus?  

Hezekiah is a prime example of what crying out for our way in life backfires.  Because he didn't want to die he cried out to God about it. His will was what was more important.  Because God relented, out of Hezekiah came a king that was the most horrific of any, responsible for more shed blood than any in Israel.  Had God's will been done that man wouldn't have been born.  

God's will is what's important to God's plan for humanity.  

Believing and trusting in the truth of God's Word about which it says our life breath and all things about us are in His hands is the most important thing.  

There is a correlation to the hired hand and Pastoral leadership and beliefs.  You do not want to be in a Church where people are told what they want to hear.  A hired hand will ONLY be interested in keeping his job.  Regardless of what comes out of his mouth.  You want a Pastor who is a man of God whom is a called Shepherd of the local flock. 

One who preaches the whole counsel of God.  Not just the parts that give you the warm fuzzies. 

Look at your beliefs today.  In the moment you stand before Christ what you believe will determine if it's in judgment or in recognition as being a Child of God. God's belief is absolute. He knows His sheep. Make sure you know if you are or not. His sheep will be gathered to Him to live forever with Him. Those who are not will face judgment.