Month: November 2020

It’s really easy to give God thanks when things are going your way. When life is free and easy, you think everything will always be so. The problem is, we stop thanking God and, instead, believe that we are the ones who are making life a breeze.

The upshot of that attitude, is that our prayer life and thankfulness to God decreases. When that happens, all sorts of evil invades our lives.

Some people then blame God for what is happening when we are, ourselves, responsible for it. When we stop turning to God, he turns away. He has given us free will and will never force us to love him and obey him.

You will have repercussions but those are not from God. Those are from the master of evil in the world. Satan is a beast who wants to devour all of mankind. He wants us to look to him and to embrace his ways.

The thing is, that Christians will, when faced with persecution, turn to God again. They will cry out for his help. They will plead with him to save them.

The beautiful thing about God is that he will do so. Just keep in mind that God is much more concerned with the safety of your soul than that of your body.

We will all die someday and we all live with grief and strife. The infinitely more important issue is where you will spend your eternal life. God wants you to be with him. There is not one of us that he wishes to exclude.

It’s up to each of us to make the determination to accept the redemption of sin and promise of eternal life that Jesus died to provide us. Once you have made that decision and are trying to live your life for God, you will find that your attitude changes.

You can bear so much more because you know that you know you are promised so much more in heaven.

We are to be eternally thankful for this promise and to be thankful in all circumstances, good or bad. What seems bad to us has its part in God’s plan. We will, someday, understand but, in the meantime, give thanks each and every day for all of the blessings that God has given you.

It may be that the blessings are in the future but know that what is happening right now in your life, as a Christian, is a blessing as well. Ask God to reveal how you can be thankful in your trial and he will do so.

Accept it and praise him, even if it doesn’t make your life any easier. Look to him for fulfillment and let your worries and anxiety for the world depart.

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.

And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

It’s so easy to become obsessed with your possessions, your social standing or how much money you have. Whether it is because you have so much or because you have so little, it seems like you are always left wanting something more or something different.

We search and search for something to fill that spot that cries out for more and, in the end, the things of this world will never do so. This is true of all people, whether they are Christians or not. When we put things or people before God, we become are looking for idols and idolatry is something God cannot abide.

There is a part of us that tells us if something is good or bad. It is what we call our conscience. But, we are fallen and cannot always tell what that voice inside us is telling us to do.

We twist it to what we want it to be. We find things that support us in it, as well. Christians will point to one or two verses, out of context, that allow them to continue to grab more and more in life. In church circles, those who preach this, are preaching a prosperity gospel.

God does want to prosper us who belong to him but he wants us to put value in the same things he does. We want this and that and what he wants is for us to cling more and more to him and to what is important in life. We are encouraged to ask him for good things but what is good in God’s sight?

A new car, a new house, high-fashion clothes or the person you desire are not important to your spiritual life. We are to look to God first and always, not to what society says is good, for true meaning and completeness.

Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit but it is up to the individual whether or not they will listen to his voice. He will guide you if you are open to it and ask for it and abide by what you are told to do.

That is hard if that something is not what you want to hear. Some Christians say their prayers aren’t answered because they didn’t get the answer that they wanted. Or worse, they take it to mean that God has confirmed what they want to do because they weren’t listening to what he said.

That empty space wasn’t empty to begin with. It was the part of humans that interacted with God. When mankind fell, that part of their spirit died immediately and for all generations until Jesus was born.

The curse of spiritual death is inherited through fathers but Jesus’ father was God himself. Jesus, as a man, had a connection through his spirit to God the father from the time he was conceived. His connection preceded his time on earth as, in fact, he was God himself as God the son.

When he died and raised himself again, he gave mankind a path to reconnect spiritually with God. All a person has to do is accept the gift of salvation and eternal life by acknowledging Jesus as the one who took your sins and that he is God.

The empty space will be filled once more by the Holy Spirit but beware of falling into old patterns and behaviors. The love of things of this world is sinful and Christians need to repent from the desires of their flesh.

It is a slow process but with the help of God, it becomes easier as times goes by. I am an example of a Christian who has lost their way time and time again. I have strayed more times than I like to remember.

I know when it is happening. I hear the voice of God warning me of danger and, most times, I steer clear. However, sometimes the desire for something or someone tempts me to overcome ignore that voice and go for it.

You know, whenever that happens, what I wanted brings me down and doesn’t fill me up. I look at what I’ve done and see the evil and not this wonderful thing that I felt such an overwhelming desire to have. Generally, I end up giving away the possession or ending the relationship because of that dark spirit.

That alone isn’t enough. God wants us to confess those sins and ask for his help to overcome the gnawing feeling that brings those cravings about. It is from an evil spirit that seeks to influence us so that we sin. Satan stands in the presence of God himself and accuses us each and every time we sin.

That alone makes me shudder to know that Satan and his demons are working against me. But I know that God is bigger and has already, through the sacrifice of Jesus, won the battle for me. I want to please God and not Satan. God is always good to forgive each time and helps me avoid temptation again. Things of this world are as nothing in eternity but God’s love and forgiveness is forever.

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world.

The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.

Recently, I’ve seen a movement among some churches to embrace social justice causes. That is fine as long as they are Biblically inspired. The problem that I have seen at my church, is that this movement is excluding talking to others about Jesus.

We are told that we should be doing good for our community. Of course we should. We are told that we are to help those who cannot help themselves and those who have less than we do. That is good.

We are being told that these works will show the love of Jesus to the world. Yes, it will.

The problem arises in that we are not likewise being encouraged to tell those around us that Jesus loves them and died for them. Without this, the works we do are for our own merit.

Works, which seem good, without love of God included are not pleasing to God. The love that we are to share is that of Jesus and not just helping others for the sake of telling God how much we are doing for him.

We need to remember that we were saved by the grace of Jesus and not by our own works. The best work to do for another person is to point them towards Jesus. What would it profit a person to get all good things available on Earth but not receive salvation and eternal life in heaven?

I’m not sure that many Christians today even know how to tell others about their salvation. Talking about one’s own sin is hard to do. Most would rather know that God has wiped their sins away and leave it at that.

If others don’t know how fallen Christians are, how can they know that the saving grace of Jesus is available for all? I’m ever thankful that people told me about God’s plan for salvation. If they had not done so, I would still be lost in my sin.

If I was even still alive.

Sin is destructive by its nature. Sin is the work of Satan in this world. He has come to lie, steal and destroy. What he wants to do is destroy people before they learn about and acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

So, why don’t people talk to others about their relationship with Jesus? It is probably a number of factors. First, they don’t know how and no one is teaching them how to do so. Secondly, they are afraid they will be ostracized by society and would rather have their status quo. Thirdly, and most sad of all, they simply do not want to. They don’t want to go to the bother of it.

There are probably more reasons, but these are certainly amongst the highest. Some churches are all about evangelizing the world and others, not at all. Those churches that don’t tell their congregation to talk to others have lost their way.

Jesus specifically told us to spread his good news to the dying world. It was what he told us before he ascended to heaven and to the right hand of the throne.

A Christian doesn’t have to evangelize all the time. God will put individuals in their life and give the Christian the urge to speak to them if that is in his plan. The thing is for a Christian to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Actively pray for God to give you opportunities to speak to others and to give you the right words to speak.

Churches should instruct their congregations on how to speak to others. It doesn’t have to be the Church’s only function but it should certainly be a part of their functions.

Asking others to church is not the same. Remember not many people are receptive to the idea of going to church these days. You should certainly invite them but also be ready when God leads you to help plant the seed of faith or to water the seed that someone else has planted. You may be the only individual to ever speak to them about salvation.

It is something that has happened to me when God directed me to speak to others. I am not an individual who would go out on street corners and proclaim the word of God, unless God has that for me in my future. I’m open to it, if I am so directed.

In a way, this blog is my street corner and I will continue to speak the word that God has given me to say.

It reminds me of the time recently, when the senior pastor at my church told the congregation that he was planning on hiding the fact that he was a pastor when talking to individuals on airplanes. He wanted to the opportunity to have great conversations to relieve the boredom of flights and once he told the other person that he was a pastor, the conversation would come to an end. He talked about how he would wiggle around the subject by talking about the good our group was doing, while not mentioning it was a church or even a group of Christians. He was willing to compromise his message for a conversation with a stranger.

I compare that to John Harper. Mr. Harper was a 39 year old Scottish preacher. He was a widower with a six year old daughter. He, along with his daughter and his sister, were coming to the United States to preach. The ship they were on was the Titanic. Once the ship hit the iceberg, his daughter and sister got on the lifeboat but he gave up his place to someone else. He wanted to have some very good conversations with those who remained aboard the sinking ship.

He preached salvation to all those who remained. Just before the ship sank, he jumped into the freezing water. Was it to be physically saved? Actually, it was to continue those very good conversations. While in the freezing water, Mr. Harper told those who were in the water with him about eternal life and salvation through Jesus. He continued until he, along with the others, perished.

When I think of the differences between these two preachers, I can see the full extent of the compromise that my pastor has made. If he continued to tell others about his occupation, God would put someone in his path who needed to hear about the word of God. Because of his compromise, I wonder if God will do this. What would be the point?

Which type of Christian are you? Would you cling to God or would you cling to the world? If the former, learn to speak about God, learn how to share the good news of Jesus and, at the same time, love others and help them as Jesus showed us. If the latter, please reconsider and look to God for what we are commanded to do.

Ephesians 2:1-9

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

No one is ever too set in their ways to reach out to Jesus. Some people we know or know of seem so far gone, that there is no hope of their ever looking for redemption.

That isn’t true.

God loves each and every single one of us and Jesus laid down his life and took up the sins of every individual. The only sin that is unpardonable, is the sin of failing to give your life to Jesus while you are still living.

There are no do-overs once your life is set for judgement. But while you are still living, you can turn your life around and go from being an enemy of God to being a follower.

You can even become one of the most vocal and influential of Christians because you have a story to tell.

The perfect example of this is Saul of Tarsus. He was the number one enemy of the church. He was responsible for rounding up the newly formed church and handing them over in chains to those who were enemies of Jesus.

He loved what he was doing and did it with enthusiasm.

That is, until he had a face-to-face meeting with the risen Messiah. His life was turned around.

As he grew in his new life as a Christian, there was such a change that he took on a new name. His name was Paul and he became one of the most influential and ardent Christians not only of his time but ever since.

Paul faced horrible persecution and pressure to give up following Jesus but, interestingly enough, Christians grow in faith when they are persecuted.

You can see it today in China, Africa and the Middle East. Where the boot of society has been stomped on the emerging Church, the Christians continue to grow in faith and in numbers.

In my country, there is persecution growing and the faith of Christians is growing right along with it. There is a point in a Christian’s life where they must learn to stand up for God.

Being a closet or quiet Christian is not what God has called us to do. He wants us to spread the gospel of Jesus and his forgiveness and redemption to the dying world.

The dying world is closer than you think. It is right here in your own town. It probably includes your friends and family. It is up to Christians to be the instrument through which God reaches these people.

We were called to this time and to this place to give our testimony about what God has done for us, both as individuals and for the world.

If you don’t speak up now, you may never get another chance. Life is short and the lives of those we love are short. We see in it in the pandemic that is sweeping over the world.

Don’t have regrets because you did not talk to those you care about. Don’t ignore the prompting of God in your life. Now is the time, today is the day and here is the place to make your stand.

Be a modern day Paul and tell others about Jesus before it is too late.

Colossians 1:21-29

And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things, yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach – [and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf. And with my own body I supplement whatever is lacking [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, on behalf of His body, which is the church. In this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship which God entrusted to me for your sake, so that I might make the word of God fully known [among you] – that is, the mystery which was hidden [from angels and mankind] for ages and generations, but has now been revealed to His saints (God’s people).

God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory. We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed].

For this I labor [often to the point of exhaustion], striving with His power and energy, which so greatly works within me.