Christian Living / obedience

Who are we Trying to Please?

Luke 6.26 warns, ‘woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treatedimages the false prophets.’

Earlier God said it was blessed for men to speak evil of you on account of Him.

Have you ever been called a ‘goody – goody’ or some equivalent? Have you ever felt left out because of your Christian faith? Most of us recoil at these events if they ever happen.

The truth is we do our best to fit in and get along with everyone because our need for acceptance and approval runs so high. (more…)

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February 20, 2015
Christian Living

Finding Wisdom

1 Corinthians 3.19 reveals the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.image

No one wants to be the fool. The fool is that person who just doesn’t seem to know what’s going on or how to appropriately assimilate into the mainstream.

No doubt God was such a person when He lived among us as Jesus. Probably explains from the human dimension why He was so adamantly hated by the leadership of His time. Jesus continued to live and teach against the common flow of thinking while being able to so perfectly, logically and easily defend His wisdom from God.

So what is the wisdom of the world that is foolish to God? (more…)

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February 16, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

There REALLY is a correct way to Worship God

John 4.23 describes a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship theimages Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

God has told us how to worship Him: in spirit and in truth. It makes sense that He would tell us how to worship Him since He has commanded us to worship Him, to reverence Him, to honor Him and to recognize Him as God alone and that there is no other.

But what does it mean to worship God in spirit or in the Spirit and in truth? (more…)

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February 14, 2015
Christian Living / Judgement / obedience

Passing the Test

Mark 8.11 records to test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven.image

God tests people, people don’t test God.

People want to test God to see if He exists, God tests men to see if they will obey. People test God so they can believe in Him, God tests people so they will manifest their belief in Him.

Despite the fact that God detests being tested by people most of us do it all the time. This is probably why much of the time we aren’t sure about God because He fails to show up for the test. (more…)

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February 5, 2015
Christian Living / heaven / Suffering

The Sovereignty of God

Job 1.22 observes Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.image

Job had just lost his business and his children but still he didn’t blame God for his tragedies. Instead he proclaimed that we come into the world naked and we leave the same but God is always to be praised.

Far easier said than done by the rest of us.

Everyone believes in the sovereignty of God, His ability to do anything He wants any way He wants any time He wants. This is our universal definition of God. (more…)

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February 3, 2015
Christian Living / Judgement / obedience

Why God is Kind

Romans 2:4 explains that God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance?image

God is good.

Not everyone believes this and some have life experiences such that it is indeed hard to believe. Yet not one of us gets treated in this life as our rebellion and disobedience against God deserves. Herein lies the problem. (more…)

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January 30, 2015
Christian Living

How do you Identify Yourself?

Acts 27:23 proclaims the God to whom I belong and whom I serve…How do you recognize yourself?images

Everyone we meet for the first time asks, ‘what do you do?’ What do you say?

It would be odd for any one of us to say I belong to God and serve Him. This was how the Apostle Paul identified himself when speaking to his captors and other prisoners just before their shipwreck.

Were we to identify ourselves as Paul it would feel weird, besides we know that people are just making small talk by being polite in asking about our work. However I think the real issue is deeper for us. (more…)

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January 28, 2015
Christian Living / obedience / Prayer

Fulfilling Good Intentions

Matthew 26:41 warns we watch and pray so that we will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing,image but the flesh is weak.

God understands we are a people of good intentions but powerless to fulfill those intentions. Diets prove that to us on an all too frequent basis.

Even deep loving intentions are often unrealized like Peter’s promise not to ever deny Jesus which he failed within hours of making. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. (more…)

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January 26, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

Appeasing God

Matthew 22:36 asks which is the greatest commandment?image

No doubt every religious person from all time all over the planet has asked himself and his god what must I do to please you? Religion is the answer to that question.

Over time and in many places that answer has become quite burdensome to those who seek to please the god of their or others creation.

The One True God made a personal appearance as one of us in Jesus and so the question was asked of Him what must we do to appease You? The answer is simple and immensely difficult. (more…)

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January 22, 2015
Christian Living

Happiness or Joy

Acts 16:34 describes he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God.image

What’s the difference between being happy and having joy?

I would suggest happiness is a result of circumstances and joy is the result of attitude. Feelings tell me whether I am happy or not but conviction tells me I have joy.

Interestingly, God promises joy but not happiness. (more…)

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January 16, 2015