Category: Discipleship

Simply stated, a litmus test is a test in which there is one decisive factor that reveals the reality of something. For example, in science, the litmus test reveals the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. In politics,  a key question will be asked to determine if  the nominating official will  proceed with the appointment or nomination of a candidate .  God has given us a litmus test to determine whether or not something is truly of him- the Jesus Litmus Test.

There is  much talk today, even in the secular media, about getting back to faith, family and morality, the need to stand for Israel, social-justice , and so on. Take conversation on some of these hot button issues, sprinkle a few references to “God” in with it, add a Bible verse or two, and voilà ; its all good. Or is it?

Here is the JLT (Jesus Litmus Test):  If what is being said or done  is truly from God, it will always glorify Jesus.

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus (John 16:14). If something is truly of the Spirit, it will always point to Christ and glorify Him. Jesus himself said that if some one is truly hearing from God, they will come to him, because the Father himself testifies concerning the Son ( John 5:37; 6:45). Jesus said that a true understanding of scripture will always lead a person to himself (John5:39,40). Simply stated, “If it aint about Jesus, it aint from God.”

My dear friends, in this hour in which we live, there is going to be an increase in the deception of wickedness like never before. Evil wont come, knock on your door and say, “Oh, I’m evil you should avoid me.” No, it will come in the form of  good things, good causes, inclusion and “tolerance.” We must always perform the JLT (Jesus Litmus Test) on the things we hear and see. People may refer to God and the Bible; but remember, Jesus said if it is really of God, it will always point back to him. Let me say it again, “If it aint about Jesus, it aint from God.”

^“1 Now, dear brothers and sisters,  let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. ² Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. ³ Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness  is revealed—the one who brings destruction. ⁴He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

⁵ Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? ⁶ And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. ⁷ For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. ⁸ Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

⁹ This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. ¹⁰ He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. ¹¹ So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. ¹² Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.” (2Thessaloians 2:1-12)

Nicky is the first cat I’ve ever had in my life. He showed up about a year and a half ago, and well, we made friends right off. I hope this doesn’t sound too crazy, but sometimes, the Lord speaks to my heart through my relationship with Nicky.

Like all male cats, there were times when Nicky  just had to get out of the house. Upon returning from his romps, he would often be wounded, scratched up, and just exhausted. I would doctor him up, keep him inside until he started going crazy, and then I’d let him out again. I began to watch him as he would make his way up the dirt road to who knows where, and I learned that after each incident, he always made a straight line up that dirt road for more “beat-down.”

I began to think to myself, “Doesn’t he know he’s only going to get hurt again? It seems like he would learn  after so many times of pain and misery.”

It dawned on me that Nicky wasn’t any better or worse than any other cat. He wasn’t stupid or anything, he was just doing what was in his nature for him to do. It would take him somehow getting a “new nature” to change his behavior. He could not stop himself. In fact, he had no desire to change his behavior at all. He would keep repeating the same actions over and over again.

Isn’t that true for us as well? We need a new nature. We need to be born again by the Spirit of God, and be transformed into the image of Jesus. Until we receive the new nature that only comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit, we keep on doing the same old things over and over again. It’s not that we are any better or worse than anyone else, it’s just that we do what our sin-nature tells us to do.

We aren’t sinners because we sin, we sin because we’re sinners. The good news is that Jesus can give us a new nature, one that desires to know and please God. We can be born anew. I don’t know about you, but, I’m tired of going up that same old dirt road for another “beat-down.” Let’s cry out to Jesus, to save us and make us like Him!

By the way, I wasn’t able to give Nicky a new nature; but I did introduce him to the covenant of circumcision if you know what I mean.

“…chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things into which angels long to look. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:2-13 NASB)