Christian Living / obedience

What Identifies Christian Parenting?

Luke 1.80 observes the child grew and became strong in spirit.image

The goal of Christian parenting is to raise godly children.

Its an outcome parents don’t control which means success or failure are not entirely dependent upon the parent. Children, like parents, are given the ability to choose for themselves which god they will serve.

Parents are God’s agents for moving the odds in His favor if they are faithful to obey His commands and teach them to His and their, children. (more…)

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August 6, 2015
Christian Living / obedience / Prayer

Who WANTS to be a Friend of God?

Jeremiah 30.21 asks who is he who will devote himself to be close to Me? declares the Lord.image

How close to God do we really want to be?

Our tradition, because of our disobedience to God, has been to run and hide from Him. This is the way we deal with most conflict in our lives: we avoid it.

We are a people who ‘hope’ things will work out in our relationships where issues are occurring. We run from rather than resolve most of our relational conflicts. Our relationship with God is no different. (more…)

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August 3, 2015
faith / obedience

God’s Work is in Our Hands

Judges 6:14 records, The Lord turned to him and said, Go in the strength you have and save Israel out imagesof Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?

Amazing that God does not say, go with the strength I will give you. Instead God encourages Gideon to use what little he has to accomplish the overwhelming task God has set before him.

Why? (more…)

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July 24, 2015
Christian Living / evangelism / obedience

What We Must Do to Change the World

Mark 4.19 explains the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other thingsimage come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

The lack of Christian vitality in the United States can be traced to the ineffective work of Christians to obey God’s command to make disciples. The Christian’s lack of effort can be traced to the three things that God warns will make us unfruitful if we pursue those things rather than the things of God.

If we are to recapture the hearts and minds of people for the things of God we must recommit ourselves to the work of God which is the implementation of His will on earth as it is in heaven. The command to make disciples, the objective of the Church, is evidenced by obedience to all the Words of God in Jesus Christ. (more…)

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July 22, 2015
faith / obedience / Suffering

Why We Must Do Hard Things

Judges 3:2 explains He did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience.  God left people in the promised land for the Israelites to remove by imageforce.

It seems like God would simply send a plague to these inhabitants then Israel could just easily walk into the promised land and occupy it as their new country. Instead, God made Israel strap on a sword, grab a shield and go daily into battle if they were going to realize His promise for them.

Why did God do this? (more…)

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July 20, 2015
Christian Living

What it Takes to Find God

Jeremiah 10.23 proclaims, ‘Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them toimage direct their steps.’

Most people believe in God, its universal since the dawn of creation. It is that way because there really is a God and while we are distant from Him He has placed a homing device for Him within us.

This explains why all people from all nations for all time have had gods, religion and worship of someone or something greater than themselves. The confusion over Who is God is a result of this multiplicity of gods causing some to deny the existence of God until they arrive at their darkest most helpless hour and become desperate for God. (more…)

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July 15, 2015
Judgement / obedience

It Only Takes One to Make a Difference

Jeremiah 5.1 commands go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgiveimages this city.

The God of the Old Testament in the Bible gets a bad rap often because of all the killing He allows and even commands at various times among various people. While these things certainly did happen and will actually happen again, the real story is God’s attempt to keep them from happening but people choose to ignore Him. (more…)

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July 9, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

Living Counter Culture

Jeremiah 2.19 observes “your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider imagethen and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.”

“How’s it workin for you?” is a sarcastic question asked to those who keep doing the same thing with the same poor results. We might ask the Church the same question as we have ignored God and His commands repeatedly these past sixty years instead reaping a culture that is growing increasingly more hostile to traditional values or the free exercise thereof. (more…)

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July 6, 2015
Christian Living / Judgement / obedience / Suffering

Getting Help from God

Psalm 91:14 promises, because he loves Me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he imageacknowledges My Name.

While we live our lives most of the time without interest in God’s interference, frequently enough we experience life outside our control and want God’s help. Some have denied the existence of God or His goodness because during these times He did not show up in the way they wanted or felt they needed.

Like the small child who has a tantrum when told no are those who curse God when He fails to behave according to their desire. So what does it take to move God favorably upon our behalf? (more…)

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June 16, 2015
Christian Living / faith / obedience

How to Know God Better

Isaiah 43.10 describes ‘You are My witnesses,’ declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.image

How do we get to know God better and more personally is the universal question among those who truly believe in God. Religion provides a means to that end sometimes and in some ways. The disciplines of Bible reading and prayer are certainly helpful to knowing God better.

God wants us to accomplish our objective so has given us two clues for knowing, believing and understanding Him. (more…)

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June 11, 2015