Examine yourself before you decide what it is that you believe.

Would you take My Name in vain?

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

If you do not know what you believe; if you do not know what to receive, you carry My Name in vain.

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart if far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” Matthew 15:8-9

If I AM your identity–if you identify with who I AM, then you should know Me–really know Me.

I AM

Do you know I AM?

It is a dangerous thing to call yourself a believer and follower and never come to understand the depth of the Cross.

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” I Corinthians 1:18

It is like driving a car without learning how; you leave yourself wide open to being hurt and hurting others.

Think about it and then decide…

What it is that you want?

Do you want to learn how to drive or just see the car parked in your yard? That is what it is if you don’t take the time to learn of Me–a mere facade and you’re not going anywhere.

A powerless prize.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

Turn it around.

Learn to drive.

“For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.” I Corinthians 4:20

Abide!

“Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.'” John 14:23-24

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:1-8

“We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:6-11

“And he said to all, ‘If any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.'” Luke 9:23-24