Jude 1.3 describes, I encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to
the saints.
Christianity is a manly business. It has always been embraced by the courageous, both male and female. Even today, those who love Jesus as their true God are suffering death, torture and abuse from ISIS wherever IS is in control. (more…)
Hebrews 10.36 encourages, you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.
Endurance is one of those qualities we admire in others but struggle to manifest in ourselves. We see the marathon runner and we marvel at their endurance then say they are crazy to train then run that kind of distance. We hear the testimony from the mountain climber and wonder what it would be like to stand on the top of the world only to hear of the cost and dismiss it as too hard.
Endurance is modeled by the few but desired by the many. (more…)
Hebrews 2.10 describes it was fitting for God, for Whom and through Whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to
glory, to make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
How do we test our strength? We test our strength by lifting as much weight as we can or running as far as we can or enduring whatever we attempt as long as we can. Strength is measured against resistance. While it takes resistance to build strength, endurance and perseverance we usually avoid those things in life because they are hard and they hurt. (more…)
Psalm 18.35 promises, You give me Your protective shield; Your right hand supports me; Your willingness to help enables
me to prevail.
Some people call God a crutch. A manufactured belief for weak people. I agree. I need a crutch and I am weak. But God isn’t manufactured by me nor the billions who also seek Him. (more…)
Proverbs 24.10 If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small!
God has recorded for all posterity that He created humanity in His image, in the image of God, He made both male and female. Christianity and Judaism are the only religions with such an opinion of both men and women, but I digress.
God’s view of humanity is that we are made in His image. Therefore, we are great thinkers, awesome problem solvers, and working together capable of almost anything (Genesis 11.6). (more…)
Philippians 1.29 reminds us that, it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for Him.
Fox News recently reported that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world, again (HERE).
When we think of suffering however we think only in terms described in this article. In North America, under this definition, we don’t suffer because we are not persecuted. Not wanting to be left out of the suffering conversation, we in North America broaden suffering to include our difficulties: divorce, bankruptcy, cancer etc. (more…)
Exodus 6.9 observes, they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor.
God had great plans in store for Israel but they couldn’t receive them because their life was hard. They wanted what God was offering but when the process became more difficult than they expected they didn’t believe God was really going to deliver on His Word.
This is how most of us respond to God. (more…)
Mark 12.24 records, Jesus said to them, aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the
power of God?
When God lived among us as one of us He said the reason we live confused, deceived lives that ultimately result in our own pain and suffering is because we don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. God has given us His instruction manual for living our lives so that we will live a better, healthier more wholesome existence. (more…)
Mark 10.39 records, they said to Him, we are able. Then Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink, and you will
be baptized with the baptism I experience.
Jesus’ key men wanted to live their best life now. These guys were interested in becoming Jesus’ chief lieutenants helping Him to manage the world as He became King of kings and Lord of lords. What James and John failed to realize was that Jesus was not living His best life now but rather His worst life now. This is what it meant for Him to drink the cup and be baptized.
The Apostles were interested in the cup and baptism but they misinterpreted its meaning. So too many who claim to be Christians misinterpret the cup and baptism. (more…)
Nehemiah 9.33 proclaims, You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for You have acted faithfully. It is
we who have been in the wrong!
When things go badly for us our propensity is to blame God. Our thinking goes something like, ‘if He loved me He would do good to me.’ “Since He is all powerful He can keep the bad from happening.” “Since I am a good person God should want good for me.” “Since bad is happening to me anyway either God is not good or God is not all powerful.” (more…)
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