Christian Living / Suffering

Turning Things Around in the World

2 Timothy 2.25-26 encourages, perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.

The world is going crazy because people are increasingly doing crazier things. Granted, 24-hour negative news brings to our attention more crime, more violence and more human atrocity than we ever had before but still, does it seem like the world is running amok at a greater rate than ever?

The world has been in tough places before. It would have been hard times to be on the wrong side of Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan. It would have been hard times during the black plague. It was hard times during both world wars. It is hard times for those living wherever ISIS rules or seeks to rule. (more…)

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October 30, 2017
Christian Living / evangelism / heaven / Judgement

Who Are You Trying to Please?

1 Thessalonians 2.4 observes, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

The demise of Christian influence in western culture can be attributed in large part to the failure of Christians to consistently and Biblically, present God’s point of view of man, history and Himself. This failure has been facilitated by a desire to not offend people but rather to build bridges with people until people are willing to listen to our message. (more…)

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October 16, 2017
Christian Living / heaven / Judgement / Suffering

What is the Goal of YOUR Religion?

Philippians 3.10 claims, my aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to be like Him in His death.

What is the goal of your religion? To get to heaven? This was not the goal of arguably the greatest Christian who was not also God. Perhaps the secret to his Christianity was the fact that he made his understanding, practice and experience of God now, not future. (more…)

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October 9, 2017
Christian Living / obedience

Discipline and the Christian Life

Ephesians 6.4 commands fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

While this verse is geared toward fathers and their role as spiritual leaders of their home, the commands can be applied more broadly to both our personal lives and the work all Christians are to engage of disciple making.

Specifically the disciplines and instructions we are to live and teach others. What does the discipline of the Lord even mean? (more…)

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October 6, 2017
evangelism

If YOU Are Grateful, Tell Somebody

Psalm 107.2 declares, let those delivered by the LORD speak out, those whom He delivered from the power of the enemy.

Who is the enemy? The enemy of all humanity? Death.

Only one God promises deliverance from death to ALL who humble themselves and follow Him. Only one God proved His ability to deliver on His promise by Himself rising from the dead after men were convinced of their killing Him on a cross. (more…)

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September 28, 2017
Christian Living / heaven / Judgement

Finishing Well Means Not Growing Complacent

Psalm 101.8 describes, each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land, and remove all evildoers from the city of the LORD.

David was a man deeply committed to the ways of God. At least initially. His commitment was so serious that God described him, ‘as a man after His own heart.’ For God to consider a man like Him in desire, will and way is the greatest compliment anyone could receive. Yet, David imploded. (more…)

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September 22, 2017
evangelism / heaven / Judgement

What Do People Expect From Christians?

2 Corinthians 4.2 encourages, by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

What do non Christians expect from Christians? Certainly a virtue or morality that is different from everyone else. This would include honesty, compassion, love, hard work, and thoughtfulness. While no one lives perfectly, thus each of us demonstrates our need for God’s forgiveness, those who claim to follow Jesus are expected and even commanded, to live like He lived. (more…)

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September 15, 2017
faith

The Kind of Faith God Rewards – Part I

Hebrews 11.2 observes, for by it the people of old received God’s commendation.

The ‘it’ in this sentence is faith. There is a faith that God commends. What does that mean? To commend, is to recognize with reward, it is to esteem, it is to uphold as significant. We have all watched award ceremonies whether the Oscars, Hall of Fame or Olympics. All of us like to be positively recognized.

One day God is going to recognize and reward people for their great works done for His glory while they lived on earth. That will be one long ceremony. (more…)

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August 29, 2017