Christian Living / Suffering

Where is Jesus?

John 12.26 states, anyone who wants to serve Me must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.

God feels like an option. We do what we want to do with apparently little to no consequence for our behavior; at least in the short term. I am not speaking about breaking the laws of society but about doing the will of God in society.

If there really is a God, it seems like He could and even should demand our loyalty and allegiance and that we would willingly give Him both. (more…)

0 Comments
December 22, 2016
heaven / Judgement

Everyone Meets God Someday

Revelation 11.18 promises, it is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest.

In the end everyone stands before God to be judged. Those who lived in relationship to the Father through the Son by virtue of the Spirit will be rewarded for their deeds accomplished for God’s glory during their lifetimes. Those who denied the Son, ignored the Father and lived apart from the Spirit will be condemned to live forever in torment with all those who choose to live the same. (more…)

0 Comments
December 20, 2016
Christian Living / Judgement / Theology

How to Know God Personally

Hosea 6.3 laments, Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to

Retro key and opened book
Retro key and opened book

us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.

When we think of God what do we think of? Our experience of Him personally combined with our teaching about Him will determine the thoughts we have about God as well as our behavior toward God.

The word God means, He Who is above all, the One Who is to be revered, honored and obeyed because He is perfect, wonderful and responsible for all that is, was or ever will be. Does that definition of God seem congruent with our thoughts about God or our behavior before God? Most likely not. (more…)

0 Comments
November 1, 2016
evangelism / heaven / Judgement

Measuring our Work

Romans 12.11 commands us to never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.image

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…)

0 Comments
August 22, 2016
evangelism / heaven / Judgement / obedience

What God Wants From Us

Acts 26.20 simplifies the gospel to the Gentiles: that they should repent and turn to God, performingimage 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…)

0 Comments
August 8, 2016
Judgement / Theology

Defining God

Jeremiah 30.21 records, I will invite him to approach Me, says the LORD, for who would dare to come imageunless 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…)

0 Comments
August 4, 2016
Christian Living / obedience

What Cost For Change Will We Pay?

Acts 5.41 observes, the apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to image
suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.

When the Church started it was considered a badge of honor to suffer for being a Christian. Today, we cower at being maligned for Jesus’ sake.

This fear of man has become greater than our fear of God with the result that most have not heard from Christians that all people must repent and be born again if they are to enter into eternal life. (more…)

0 Comments
July 18, 2016
evangelism / heaven / obedience

Wishing for the End of the World

Revelation 19.10 describes, the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.image

Too many Christians are hoping for the end of this world as we know it. Everyday we move closer to the end they say. Certainly that is true.

These Christians are weary of life’s difficulties and the rapid increase of godlessness everywhere in the world. I fear the motive is less a desire for Jesus and more of a desire to be done with a life that is less than fulfilling or happy or blessed. Why should God want to end the world? (more…)

0 Comments
June 17, 2016