Being Born Again is a Good Beginning!

Being born again is a great start, but if you are finally ready to complete this "work in progress," here are seven areas to monitor: nn · Is there any lingering ill-will toward others that may not agree with you?nn· Are you self-righteous? (I'm right; you're wrong!)nn· Any persistent pride (I know God personally!)nn· Still hungry for worldly goodies? nn· Restless? Want to capitalize on your perceived understanding . . . write a book? nn· Any selfishness regarding threats that might compromise your comfortable lifestyle?nn· Still ambitious to make a name for yourself?

If you answer with an honest "yes" to most of the above, then you are definitely a hopeless, perpetual work in progress, and may never complete your work! But don't feel alone; join the club! And don't give up either. (At least you're honest!)

Although some believe that faith, prayer, and works are what's necessary to reach the pearly gates, and others believe that faith alone will do the trick; we can use both methods to take our faith deeper toward an actual face-to-face meeting with God. Faith plays an important role, of course, and if we had complete faith in God, worry and ill will toward others would no longer plague us. How could it, we would be safe in God's hands no matter what.

But since we don't have perfect faith, a few good works can't hurt and may actually help. And if you work long and hard enough, with increasing faith, you can actually become a "work completed" someday - without a doubt. You can do almost anything if your heart is in it 100%. It just depends on your priorities. So, here are seven ways to let you know that you are making good progress:nn · You will better understand God's actions.nn· You will feel that a work in progress is slowly becoming a work completed!nn· The devil won't make you do it anymore, or at least not as much! nn· You know, somehow, that God knows that you are trying.nn· Angels surround you constantly!nn· Worry is moved aside so that God can infuse your soul. nn· Sin becomes mostly just a bad memory.

Just a little progress every day is required. Make each day a little more peaceful, loving, generous (toward other's lifestyles and views), and open. And soon you will be a work completed! nn