Romans 12.11 commands us to never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Most men over 40 are pretty committed to working hard. We were raised that way. We remember buying our own school clothes, buying our first car and paying for college. Our parents didn’t have a lot and even if they did they required us to work for what we wanted as well.
Overall I would say we are the better for it. (more…)
Acts 26.20 simplifies the gospel to the Gentiles: that they should repent and turn to God, performing
deeds consistent with repentance. So what does God want from us?
The Apostle Paul says three things are expected: repent, turn to God and perform good deeds. This is a much better message than we have heard from the televangelist or the people who knock on our doors with religious information.
The message from the Church to the Gentile over the past 50 or so years has been that God wants people to believe in Him and by believing in Him they will be saved. (more…)
Jeremiah 30.21 records, I will invite him to approach Me, says the LORD, for who would dare to come
unless invited?
I am increasingly amazed at the belief we practice about God. We take God for granted and hold Him in very little esteem. We believe that what we think He is defines Who He really is rather than getting our definition directly from Him.
Everyone seems quite comfortable with everyone else’s interpretation of Who God is as though He were all things to all people. What kind of a person is that? (more…)
Acts 17.7 records, they are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another
king, named Jesus.
Would you commit treason against your culture to identify personally with Jesus Christ? Have you committed treason against Jesus by denying Him before others? What about with your actions and lack of words? (more…)
Jeremiah 9.3 observes, they refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do
not know me, says the LORD.
What is truth? Since at least 1960 the rhetoric has been that there is no truth. This belief has allowed social changes to occur by sweeping away thinking that previously held to certain belief’s about what is right and what is wrong. The result of this myth has been increasing societal chaos.
If we applied this belief to engineering or medicine we would have bridges collapsing, planes crashing, and surgery’s going horribly awry. Math and science depend upon truth so that they can reach conclusions upon which they can base further premises. (more…)
Matthew 22.39 records God answering the question about which command is most important. His
answer is unbelievable: A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Most of us envision God as a bit of an egotist. He wants to be worshiped by everyone, all the time. That’s what we would want if we were God.
While the One True God seeks worshipers, His first desire is to be loved. (more…)
Jeremiah 4.4 records, O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.
America is increasingly becoming more chaotic. Things are obviously out of control. Many people look for God to fix them.
Our thinking is that since He is all-powerful and loving He should want to end the trouble and has the power to do so. Yet it is not God causing the trouble. It is man against man that is creating our chaos. (more…)
Deuteronomy 33.11 asks, bless the ministry of the Levites, O LORD, and accept all the work of their hands. Hit their enemies where it hurts the most; strike down their foes so they never rise again.
The Bible uses the language of war to describe the brokenness between man and God and man with man. War is necessary sometimes because of our refusal to love one another.
We needed to go to war against Hitler or his maniacal murderous schemes would have destroyed the world. We need to go to war against Islam since it refuses to exist as a religion of peace. Police need to go to war against criminals. (more…)
Isaiah 33.22 describes, the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save
us.
This is both an apt and succinct description of the Christian God in Jesus Christ the Savior. While penned 1000 years before His arrival in human form, Isaiah saw God, and was commissioned with foretelling His coming as the Messiah or Savior of the world. (more…)
1 Peter 3.12 promises, the eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to
their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.
This promise is what we would expect from a God Who is good. It makes sense to us that a good God would watch over those who do good and hear their prayers. It also makes sense to us that God would oppose those who do evil in the world.
There is a disconnect however from this logic and some of our experiences. Evil in the world is a problem for people. (more…)
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