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 / obedience

Doing or Being or Both?

Deuteronomy 6:25 promises if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.image

The Christian perspective of righteousness, right standing with God, is both a matter of being and doing. God requires righteous doing, without someone obeying Him perfectly no one can be right with God. The problem is no one can do what God requires perfectly all the time, maybe, none of the time.

Jesus did obey perfectly and can transfer His perfection upon everyone who calls upon Him for mercy. (more…)

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June 3, 2015
heaven / Judgement

Who is God?

Isaiah 33:22 describes the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is Heimages Who will save us.

How do we see God? What role does He play in our lives?

The great prophet Isaiah working in a culture similar to ours many years ago reminds Israel that God acts in four ways in our lives. (more…)

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June 1, 2015
faith / Judgement

The problem with Tolerance

1 John 4.3 declares every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit ofimage the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

The new god of this age is the god of tolerance. This god is intolerant of anyone who fails to pay homage to it. Yet if we think carefully and critically we know how weak this god really is. (more…)

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May 27, 2015
Christian Living / evangelism / obedience

Being less so He can become More

John 3.30 summarizes the Christian life: He must become greater; I must become less.image

John the Baptist makes simple both the process and the goal of the Christian life: Jesus must become increasingly clearer to us, in us and through us and we must become increasingly less proud, selfish and self-serving. John arrived at this conclusion because he saw himself as a servant of God.

Our occupation is the redemption of the world to God through Jesus Christ regardless of our vocation. Our vocation funds our occupation but the Christian life is simply being occupied with the work of seeing God’s kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven. (more…)

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May 21, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

Alert and Sober

1 Peter 5.8 warns be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion imagelooking for someone to devour.

The Bible tells the story of God and His work in the world. In that story is an enemy, one who wishes to be like God but cannot since he too is created and not the Creator. His frustration results in his attack upon creation, particularly humanity, that part of creation the Creator made in His own image and which He most loves.

This enemy of God is a liar and deceiver, inviting people into beliefs and actions that promise them benefit but always bring remorse. The enemy of God is an integral part of the story for his role allows humanity to reveal their free will to love God on their own. (more…)

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May 18, 2015
Christian Living / Judgement

Living Burden Free

Psalm 68.19 declares, praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, Who daily bears our burdens. Godimage bears our burdens.

Does that really make any sense? No other religion other than Christianity makes such a claim.

Surely allah doesn’t bear anyone’s burdens. Most gods place burdens on humanity forcing us to get better by their impossible demands.

Our idols have the same burdensome propensity. We beat ourselves because we are not strong enough, smart enough, rich enough or pretty enough so we keep working trying to pacify that voice in our head that is never satisfied. (more…)

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May 11, 2015
Christian Living / Judgement

Mighty Stumps?

Isaiah 6.13 comments , though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.image

The Old Testament is a story of man’s continual rebellion against God demonstrated by injustice to one another followed by discipline from the Lord Who withholds His severest rage because He is deeply in love with His people and longs to demonstrate mercy and grace. (more…)

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May 8, 2015
heaven / Judgement

Welcome Home

Hebrews 10.17 proclaims their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.images

What if seeing God for the first time really was a welcome home party, sort of like when your parents welcome you home after having not seen you for months? What if God really did treat us like He knew nothing of our faults or failures?

How would truly believing these things transform our behavior now? Wouldn’t we begin to treat God like we do that person in our life who just loves us for who we are and cares nothing about our performance?

That is the kind of promise God makes to us; to welcome us into heaven as though we had lived a perfect life having never ever done anything wrong. (more…)

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May 6, 2015