heaven / Judgement / obedience

Closing the Gap to God

Mark 12.34 observes, realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, You are not far fromimage the Kingdom of God.

Knowing and doing are not the same. We inherently know this in our dealings with people, especially family. We know our spouse loves us but sometimes their actions are hurtful. We know our children know what they are to do but they often fail to do what they have been made responsible to do.

On and on it goes in our experience of the gap between knowing and doing, both in our own lives as well as the lives of others. (more…)

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April 12, 2016
heaven / Judgement

Passing Judgement

1 Thessalonians 1.10 promises, Jesus is the one Who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming imagesjudgment.

Recently I was listening to a man describe why he rejected his Christian upbringing. He served as a soldier in Vietnam and couldn’t understand how a good God could allow so much suffering. He has since become a Muslim. I didn’t understand how switching ‘gods’ helped him especially to one who doesn’t describe himself as love. (more…)

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April 4, 2016
evangelism

The Work We Are Destined To Do

Colossians 1.28 explains, we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.image

This verse most succinctly defines the occupation or purpose of every Christian: to bring people to Jesus and help them know His will.

When God lived on earth He began His work by inviting men to follow Him so that they could become fishers of men. When God left the earth entrusting His work to the care of men He commanded them to go and make disciples. (more…)

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April 1, 2016
Christian Living / evangelism

Living Like Jesus

John 20.21 defines the Christian destiny, as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.images

Jesus, God, left His message and work of reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus the resurrected Savior, in the hands of His followers.

What are Christians supposed to give their lives to? Making disciples. How are Christians supposed to do this work? As Jesus did. What does this look like? We are to live as Jesus lived while He lived with us on the earth. How did Jesus live? Simply, humbly and purposefully. (more…)

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March 30, 2016
faith / heaven / Judgement

Working Hard is the Result of Our Faith, Not the Reason

Philippians 2.12 commands, work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep imagesreverence and fear.

Easter has just passed for most Christians: it is the time for celebration of the life, death and resurrection of God in Jesus the Savior. It is a celebration because humanity no longer is required to be perfect in order to get to heaven. It is a celebration because humanity is no longer measured by their own performance for earning heaven. It is a celebration because God is offering a pardon for all disobedience against Him by every person who has ever lived who will simply ask God for His pardon through Jesus the Savior. (more…)

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March 28, 2016
Prayer

Believing God Hears Us

John 11.41 observes Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me.”image

One of our hindrances to prayer is our belief that God hears us. God the Son had no such hindrance with believing that God the Father heard His prayers. Why? (more…)

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March 21, 2016
obedience / Prayer

The Key Work for Beating Temptation

Luke 22.46 challenges, get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. image

God takes sin seriously. Sin is everything we do that defies the will of God.

This defiance is measured by God by our words, attitudes and actions toward Him and others. God has demonstrated His commitment to punish sin since humanity began their rebellion against God. (more…)

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March 8, 2016
Christian Living

Real Men Wanted

1 Corinthians 16.13-14 commands, be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Do imageseverything with love.

This may be my favorite verses in the Bible. I am particularly drawn to the admonition to act like men. We need more of that today particularly in this highly feminized culture where the woman of the year for 2015 was/is a man.

Most Bible translations change the phrase ‘act like men’ to ‘be courageous.’ I like that change because it equates manliness with courage. (more…)

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March 1, 2016
Christian Living / heaven

The Blessing of Children

Exodus 1.21 explains, because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.image

What was God’s response to some pro-lifers who defied their king? Bless them with children. What was God’s response to His people who were suffering immense hardship in slavery? Bless them with children.

God’s greatest blessings are children. (more…)

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February 18, 2016
Christian Living / faith / Judgement

Who Defines Wisdom?

1 Corinthians 3.18-19 commands, if you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to imagebecome a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”

Recently deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia put it this way, ‘God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools…and He has not been disappointed. Devout Christians are destined to be regarded as fools in modern society. We are fools for Christ’s sake. We must pray for courage to endure the scorn of the sophisticated world. If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.’

Justice Scalia’s challenge is immensely timely for this generation of Christians. (more…)

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February 16, 2016