Christian Living / evangelism / obedience / Uncategorized

Are We Focused on God’s Interests?

Matthew 16.23 observes, He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”

What are God’s interests? Do we really believe God has interests? Do we think those interests are simply that we be good?

The size of our god will determine the belief we have in that god’s interest in our life and in the world. If our god is small, distant and aloof, then that god will have only a minor interest in the world and what is going on. If our god is small then he will only be concerned with our moral behavior, setting the standard at our doing our best to be good. (more…)

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July 6, 2017
Christian Living / obedience

Is Christian Parenting in Decline?

Matthew 10.37 warns, whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

This is one of God’s requirements we read about and dismiss quickly. It’s easily understood but hard to comprehend it’s application. Two thousand and more years ago, parents proved their love for a god more than their children by sacrificing their children to the god. A deplorable practice the one true God never required and always forbid from His people. (more…)

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June 30, 2017
Prayer

How Can We Pray More Effectively?

Matthew 6.8 observes, your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. So why pray?

Knowing everything is an integral character quality for being God. Since God knows everything why should I pray? The God-Man, Jesus the Savior, makes this observation. So why pray?

We really can’t help but pray. We will pray. Everyone prays. We don’t have to live long on this earth before realizing we need someone greater than ourselves to be in control and to gain control of this world. In our darkest hours all people pray. (more…)

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June 27, 2017
Judgement / obedience

What We Do Proves What We Believe

Matthew 3.8 commands. produce fruit that proves your repentance.

To the religious, to those who think they are approved by God, to those who know they are ‘right’ theologically; God says, ‘produce fruit that proves your repentance.’ This command is offensive because we like to be measured on our knowledge and intentions rather than the result of our actions.

Indeed, this command was offensive to the religious leaders who first heard it. (more…)

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June 23, 2017
evangelism / obedience

God’s Marketing Department

Deuteronomy 18.18 promises, I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command.

This promise has already been literally fulfilled. It is one of more than 300 promises Jesus fulfilled making Him the unequivocal option for Messiah the Jews have always longed for. However, what this promise communicates and what Jesus communicated, is that God is committed to using people for marketing His Personal reality and His ultimate destiny for humanity. (more…)

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June 13, 2017
evangelism

The Purpose of Our Faith

John 20.21 observes, just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you. Jesus' first appearance to the disciples has Him restating His purpose for not taking them with…

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June 9, 2017
heaven / Judgement / obedience

What Does God Want? LOVE

Deuteronomy 10.12 declares, what does the LORD your God require of you except to revere Him, to obey all His commandments, to love Him, to serve Him with all your mind and being.

Repeatedly the Bible makes clear what we must do if we are to pass successfully the judgement to come. So many assume they will argue with God about His standards upon meeting Him face to face in order to justify their behavior while they lived upon the earth. How ludicrous. God holds all of the cards. Why should He change His standards upon meeting us? (more…)

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June 6, 2017
Theology

Jesus is God

John 14.9 records, the person who has seen Me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Jesus is the only ‘prophet’ Who claimed to be God. It was this claim that made Him so hard to believe in by those who lived with Him during His three years of ministry. All of us would no doubt similarly struggle were a friend we had known for 30 years suddenly leave his skilled trade to enter ministry claiming to be God. It really wasn’t until His resurrection from the dead that the disciples finally ‘believed.’ (more…)

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June 1, 2017
heaven / Judgement

Is God Negative?

John 7.7 observes, the world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. No one likes a negative person.

Who is the negative person? The person who tells us we are wrong or the things we like are wrong. Modern parenting and education has and is going to great extremes to remove all negativity from the ears of the next generation. Most recently universities have begun creating ‘safe places’ where students can retreat from any discussion that conflicts with their point of view. Jesus, God Who lived on earth, claims to be a negative person. (more…)

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May 25, 2017