Christian Living / obedience

God Loves Us

John 8.11 records God saying, ‘neither do I condemn you.’ ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’images

The story of God recorded in the Bible is fairly simple and incredibly gracious. God creates but creation rebels. Rebellious creation needs restoration, a Savior, so God comes not in anger or judgment but with compassion.

God came as a man not to condemn the world but to save the world by demonstrating His love for the world through the taking upon Himself the consequence of their rebellion against Him. (more…)

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March 18, 2015
Christian Living / faith / heaven

What Does it Mean to Believe?

John 6.29 describes the work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.
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One of the knocks on Christianity is it’s easy entry to heaven. Some believe going to heaven is as easy as believing in Jesus, after all, isn’t that what He just said? Its fair to say what He meant by belief and what we understand by belief are not the same.

If what we understand belief to mean, simply believe, then the devil and all the demons would go to heaven since they certainly believe. In the gospel it is only the evil spirits who consistently identify Jesus correctly as the Christ the Son of God. I don’t think they will live with God forever though they believe. (more…)

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March 16, 2015
heaven / Judgement / obedience

The Choice of Evil

Job 40.8 asks would you condemn Me to justify yourself?image

A few weeks ago the papers reported another atrocity of ISIS terrorists murdering children in the name of their god. The story I read, reported by a journalist from Great Britain, ended with his comments of disgust concerning religion and its abuse of people. Correctly, this man had a problem with religion that justifies the murder and maiming of children.

Below the surface was his disdain with the belief in god because if there is a god then he should be good and if he is good then he should stop the killing in his name. (more…)

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March 11, 2015
heaven / Judgement

What Happens When We Die?

Luke 20.38 declares He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.images

Every religion seeks to answer the question concerning what happens to humanity after we die. Why does this question plague us so?

The educational institutions from grade school through graduate school tell us there is no God. The media confirm this belief by their incessant promotion of atheism and all things antagonistic toward a God Who Created the universe and will hold His creation accountable to His will.

Yet we cant seem to shake the notion that there really is a God and someday we will see Him when we leave this life. All people from all time in all places of the globe have held this nagging question and have created various answers to it.

So why the question and what does happen when we die? (more…)

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March 6, 2015
Christian Living / Suffering

Suffering as Jesus did

2 Corinthians 1.5 promises just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfortimage abounds through Christ.

We are promised abundant sufferings of Christ. The word ‘of’ is the key to understanding what the Apostle is promising those who believe.

Jesus suffered the shame and humiliation of Creation not honoring Him as God, Lord and Creator of all. Instead, all of creation rejected Him, some spat upon Him while others struck Him with their fists. Many cursed Him and a few crucified Him.

Though He was God He did not demand His honor and rights as God but instead took the role of a servant and humbled Himself to the point of death, even death as a criminal upon the cross. (more…)

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March 2, 2015
heaven / Judgement

Judging Evil

Job 24.1 asks ‘why are times not appointed by the Almighty? Why do those who know him not see his imagesdays?’

Job wants God to judge him believing he will be found righteous. His friends are accusing him of being an evil doer which is their explanation for the tragedy that is occurring in his life.

Job argues his trouble is not a result of his wrongdoing but rather the result of some injustice being leveled against him by God. Job would like to see God hammer the evil and reward the righteous.

I think we all fall into this ‘prayer’ that God would smash those who do evil and bless those who please Him. (more…)

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February 24, 2015
Christian Living / faith / obedience

The Key to Serving God

Exodus 6.30 records Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh imageslisten to me?”

Moses is certainly one of the great saints but he wasn’t flawless. Moses began serving God the way most of us do; he measured his ability by the size of the task and counted himself inadequate.

If we are serious about God, His will and His work, we find it daunting. If we are honest about ourselves we find our capacity to obey His will and complete His work beyond our current assets. (more…)

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February 23, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

Who are we Trying to Please?

Luke 6.26 warns, ‘woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treatedimages the false prophets.’

Earlier God said it was blessed for men to speak evil of you on account of Him.

Have you ever been called a ‘goody – goody’ or some equivalent? Have you ever felt left out because of your Christian faith? Most of us recoil at these events if they ever happen.

The truth is we do our best to fit in and get along with everyone because our need for acceptance and approval runs so high. (more…)

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February 20, 2015
Christian Living / obedience

There REALLY is a correct way to Worship God

John 4.23 describes a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship theimages Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

God has told us how to worship Him: in spirit and in truth. It makes sense that He would tell us how to worship Him since He has commanded us to worship Him, to reverence Him, to honor Him and to recognize Him as God alone and that there is no other.

But what does it mean to worship God in spirit or in the Spirit and in truth? (more…)

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February 14, 2015
heaven / Judgement

Getting Into Heaven

Mark 12.34 observes Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”images

If you believe in God it cant get much scarier than to have Him say you are not far from entrance. The good news is you are close. The bad news is you are close!

Getting close to entering heaven isn’t the same as being in heaven. Its like saying Seattle won the Superbowl, they didn’t but they sure were close.

Why was the this guy close and not in the kingdom of heaven? (more…)

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February 9, 2015