Rev. Ray and Pat Amos
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment Heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from Heaven said, “THIS IS MY SON… The tempter came to him and said, “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD…”
The man had a history of taking advantage of churches. He was intimidating and demanded money. When I told him no, he came right back with, “And you call yourself a Christian; If you were a Christian, you would…” No one likes having their relationship with God challenged. That is why it is important that as Christians we know who we are and who we belong to.
God’s voice spoke from Heaven saying about Jesus: “THIS IS MY SON…” Three verses later the Devil is challenging that voice: “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD…” Jesus chose to listen to the voice from Heaven, not the voice that spoke from darkness.
The Devil is a master con artist with this one. When you are depressed or worried, he says, “If you were a Christian, you would not feel this way.” To those who have failed at some point he says, “If you were a Christian, you wouldn’t have done this.” Some go through troubles and poverty, and a voice says, “If you were a Christian, you would be living better than this.” His accusations go on and on.
It is a matter of whose voice we will listen to and believe in. If we do not get it established in our mind and heart that we are a child of God, we are in for an unhappy yo-yo life. “Salvation belongs to the Lord,” Psalm 3:8. WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD, and there is no “if” to it when we truly believe.
“Saved from sin today, every band is riven,
I am a child of God;
Through the tests of life I have peace from heaven,
I am a child of God.”
Grace and Peace, Rev Ray
