Who is Your Father

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me,
because my word hath no place in you. John 8:37
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:
​for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:43-44
THE TEST OF SONSHIP

Very few will like this devotion, almost no bible teachers today will touch it. The reasons are obvious, it goes right to the heart of what lies in the vast majority of people, and Jesus exposes it with clear cut language. In Jesus' day, he had people who targeted and followed him every day. Their purpose wasn't to learn from him, to understand him, or receive his teachings. It was to find fault and twist everything he did, and to destroy him. The world is full of people who fit this description today. He knew their hearts, and their motives. Chapter 8 is an entire discourse between him and the leaders who dogged him to catch him in his words and deeds. Jesus didn't play games with them, he cut right to the point, and exposed what they were doing. 

Jesus admitted they were Abraham's descendants but was not spiritually their father. They could find no sin in Jesus, or find fault in his teachings, but his word had no place in them. They were descendants of Abraham, but not his children. They didn't do the works of Abraham, through faith. Their deeds revealed their father was the devil. Their actions revealed and exposed who their father was.
Jesus described the works of Satan: 
Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

This short devotional commentary by F.B. Meyer gives some good insights:
"Godly ancestors and parents will avail nothing, unless we are animated by their spirit and do their works. There were in the old world two families that ran in parallel lines-that of Cain and that of Seth. See Gen_4:1-26; Gen_5:1-32.

The Cainites were citizens of this world; the Sethites were pilgrims of the eternal. The one family finally reached such a pitch of wickedness that they were swept away by the flood, while the other furnished the world with an Enoch that walked with God and a Noah who was perfect in his generation.

This distinction has continued down the ages, and is not only accentuated by these words of our Lord but by 1Jn_3:12; 1Jn_3:15.
1Jn 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 
1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 

In Eph_2:2, those who walk according to the course of this world are practically walking according to the spirit that works disobedience in men’s lives. It becomes us, then, to see to it that we are not deceived. We may never have plunged into such depth of sin as overwhelmed the men of that generation; and yet if our hearts are steeped in the love of this world, which is passing away, we betray our affinity to evil and not to good, to the devil and not to God."
​Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

How Can We Know The Difference Between The Righteous and The Wicked

Those who do not hear God’s word are not of God, but of the devil.--
1. One who lies and deceives had a good tongue given him from God, but his use of it is from the devil; he abuses his tongue by using it in the devil’s service against God. God may also give men sound eyesight; but he who uses his eyes unchastely does so of the devil. Thus, too, when the heart desires what is unchaste, deceitful, lying, and the like, then, although by nature it is from God, the use of it is evil and of the devil. On the other hand, to be of God is when a man uses his ears to hear the word, and permits himself to be corrected when he is in the wrong. So when one prays, preaches, instructs, and comforts with the tongue, such ears and tongues are of God and are good, for they are put to a godly use. Thus, too, when the heart strives after modesty, to be of use to our neighbor, and is not filled with wrath, such a heart is a creature of God, like the ear and the tongue. The meaning of being “of God” is that we conform to God’s word, and do not willingly think of, read, listen to, what is against God. If it should sometimes happen that we neglect this and stumble, are angry when we should be gentle, this is certainly wrong. But if men repent and confess that they have done wrong, and pray for grace, then this error may be called stumbling or even falling, but it is not being of the devil, because the men turn again to God through repentance. There are, however, children of the devil who are stubborn, and who, when they are corrected for their good and exhorted, speak like ill-mannered children. Such people are of the devil, and will become more evil—“the longer the worse,” for the devil will not let them rest. They first despise the word, then blaspheme it, then rage and curse against it. In the end they will do as the Jews did here—take up stones and become murderers at heart. These are the devil’s true colors—inattention to God’s word, abusing it, doing evil to one’s neighbors, wishing the preacher were dead. By such colors men may learn to know the devil and his children, for “he is a murderer from the beginning,” etc. (Joh_8:44). Therefore learn to guard yourself against such sins.

Lessons.—Therefore think, dear children, how profitable it is for you to hearken willingly and diligently to the word of God. This is the chief thing—that you know that you are of God and have overcome the devil, and that neither sin nor judgment can harm you. Whatever dross you meet side by side with this you will turn away from. On the other hand, the world is impatient and discouraged even in the most trivial concerns. Christians truly must endure much, as the devil and the world are their bitter foes—must often be in danger of life and limb, etc. How can they endure all this and remain patient? Through nothing else than by continuing in the word, and saying: Let things go how they will, I am not of the world, but of God, otherwise the world would act differently toward me. I had rather that it hated me than that it loved me, and I were not of God. Where the heart is thus fixed, then all temptations, trials, adversities, pass away, as clouds in the heaven pass over us, or as the birds in the air who soil us for a moment, but fly off and leave us untroubled."—[Translated from Luther’s “Hauspostille.]

THE MARKS OF THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL

Hatred of the truth (Joh 8:40; Joh 8:44-47). This was the real ground of their unbelief. They disliked Christ’s doctrines. Had He spoken so as to gratify their pride, they might have been disposed to accept Him. The same principle operates in all opponents of the gospel. The tendency of Christ’s truth is still to humble, and so it is still hated. The Jews said, “We are Abraham’s seed; we are no idolaters.” And so many think it sufficient to belong to a pure Church, to be outwardly moral; hence where the necessity of Christ and His salvation?

Enmity against God and His people. The Jews were not content with rejecting Christ; they went about to kill Him. In every age he who is born after the flesh persecutes him who is born after the Spirit. Stephen asked the Jews which of the prophets their fathers had not persecuted. They themselves murdered the Just One; and as they treated the Master so they treated His servants. The heathen followed their example, and these, again, were succeeded by the persecutors of Popery. And in spite of the Reformation, the offence of the Cross has not ceased. Godly persons in the nineteenth century find foes in their own households, and that their religion stands in the way of worldly advancement.

WHO IS CHRIST TO YOU

LOVE TO CHRIST IS THE TEST OF SONSHIP. Our Lord plainly declares that God is not the Father of those who do not love Him. The Jews were by nature and descent, if any were, the children of God. They were the seed of Abraham, God’s chosen, had observed God’s ceremonies, bore the mark of His covenant, were the only people who worshipped one God, and incurred the greatest abusive language  in consequence—yet as they did not love Christ they were no sons of God.
1. The child of God loves Christ because he loves what his Father loves: his nature, descended from God, runs in the same channel, and since God loves Christ supremely so does he.
2. He sees God in Jesus—the express image of His Person.
3. He is like Christ. Every man loves what is like himself. If you are born of God you are holy and true and loving, and as He is all that you must love Him.
4. He is essentially divine. “I proceeded and came forth,” etc.
5. Of His mission

(1) We must love that which comes from God if we love God. It matters not how small the trifle, you prize it if it comes from someone you revere. How much more should we love Him who came from God; and came not as a relic or memorial, but as His living, loving voice.
(2) Remember the message Christ brought—a message of pardon, restoration, acceptance, eternal life and glory.
6. He came not of Himself. When a man lives only to serve himself our love dries up. But Jesus’ aims were entirely for the Father and for us—so our heart must go out towards Him.

III. THIS TEST IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO APPLY NOW. Do you love Him or no? If you do then, you will
1. Trust Him and lean on Him with all your weight. Have you any other hope besides that which springs from His Cross?
2. Keep His Word. How about your neglected Bible? How about those parts of Scripture you have never understood, because afraid they were different from the creed of your church and family?
3. Keep His commandments. Do you obey Christ? If His commands are of little importance, then your heart is not with Him.
4. Imitate Him. It is the nature of love to be imitative. Are you trying to be Christ-like?
5. Love His people—not because they are sweet in their tempers or belong to your denomination, but because they are His.
6. Sympathize with His objects. Whenever we love another we begin to love the things which he loves. He delights to save men, do you?
7. Serve His cause. Love that never leads to action is no love at all. Are you speaking for Him, giving to Him?
8. Desire to be with Him.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)

Conclusion:
Lately I've seen signs in some peoples front lawns at times, when traveling here in my area that says "Everyone Belongs", really, to what?
I'll ask another question-do you belong the Christ? Have you opened your heart, repented of your sins, and received Him as your Lord and Savior? Do you believe He is God in the flesh, and risen from the grave? If not, your still outside the door. You don't belong to Christ, unless you believe He is who He says He is, and you allow Him to come in, and cleanse your soul from sin, and take up your cross and follow Him. That's when you belong to Him. The bible says we are all born in sin, if you've told one lie-you are a sinner, in need of forgiveness, that only Jesus can give. 
I pray you will do that, before your time on earth is done.
Lorna Couillard

​Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 
Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 
Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.