Christian Living / obedience / Suffering

What is Your Source of Truth?

Mark 12.24 records, Jesus said to them, aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the

power of God?

When God lived among us as one of us He said the reason we live confused, deceived lives that ultimately result in our own pain and suffering is because we don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. God has given us His instruction manual for living our lives so that we will live a better, healthier more wholesome existence. (more…)

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February 13, 2017
Christian Living / obedience / Suffering

Participating in Jesus’ Baptism

Mark 10.39 records, they said to Him, we are able. Then Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I experience.

Jesus’ key men wanted to live their best life now. These guys were interested in becoming Jesus’ chief lieutenants helping Him to manage the world as He became King of kings and Lord of lords. What James and John failed to realize was that Jesus was not living His best life now but rather His worst life now. This is what it meant for Him to drink the cup and be baptized.

The Apostles were interested in the cup and baptism but they misinterpreted its meaning. So too many who claim to be Christians misinterpret the cup and baptism. (more…)

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February 7, 2017
Christian Living / Judgement / obedience

Why Are People Speaking Poorly About God?

Romans 2.24 observes, the Name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

Probably no greater indictment against the Christian could occur than being accused of causing God’s Name to be maligned by non Christians due to their ungodly behavior. God in Jesus expects and warns that His Name will be maligned by non believers. His expectation of this blasphemy is for followers of Jesus living godly lives and proclaiming that faith and allegiance to Jesus alone is necessary for pleasing God will cause the non believers to hate Him and His followers resulting in blasphemy. (more…)

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January 30, 2017
evangelism / heaven / obedience

What on Earth Are We Here For?

Matthew 6.33 commands, above all pursue His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God does want more from us than mere acknowledgement of His existence. He promises us eternity and then tells us to prepare for that existence by storing up eternal treasure. Presumably that treasure will be either necessary or a determinant for our quality of life to come. This is not dissimilar from investment brokers pleading with us to invest today so that we have something to live on tomorrow when we are no longer able to work but must subsist on what we saved. (more…)

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January 6, 2017
evangelism

We Need More Enthusiasm

Haggai 1.14 records, the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

The modern vernacular of, ‘God sparked enthusiasm’ is revival. We could use a revival. This movement of God followed His rebuke of Israel for doing nothing to build His temple while they spent their time and money on building their houses and fields. (more…)

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December 12, 2016
Christian Living / evangelism

Stop Watching, Start Doing

Luke 23.49 observes, Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

A lot of people are standing from a distance watching for God to do something.

Sometimes we are waiting for Him to rain hell fire upon our enemies because we know how much they deserve it. Sometimes we are waiting for Him to heal us or our friends because we know how much He cares for us. Sometimes we are waiting for Him to bless us because we know how much He loves us. We wait, we hope but….. (more…)

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December 9, 2016
heaven / Judgement / obedience

Living With God Requires Obedience

1 Chronicles 28.7 requires, if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdomimage last forever.

The Jews understood and still believe, that they are God’s chosen people. Indeed, He did choose them thousands of years ago when God selected one man from all those living on the earth to be the one through whom He will build a nation culminating in His arrival as one of us, Jesus the Messiah.

God’s choice was His own, it wasn’t based upon the merits of the man nor of the people to come from the children born through that man and his wife. Today, the protestant church believes it too is the chosen people of God. (more…)

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November 30, 2016
Christian Living / obedience

More Post Election Thoughts

Amos 5.14 commands, do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed.

thump up and thums down

Do you feel like the results from our election were a blessing? Do you believe we dodged a worst case scenario bullet not having Hillary in the White House? If so, should we go back to normal and wait for the Donald to make everything right? Can he even do that? I don’t think even the proponents of Donald Trump believe him to be the savior of our nation’s moral and spiritual decay. (more…)

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November 16, 2016
heaven / Judgement / obedience / Uncategorized

What Does God Hate?

Hosea 9.15 observes, The LORD says, All their wickedness began at Gilgal; there I began to hate them. I will drive them from my land because of their evil actions. I will love them no more because all their leaders are rebels.image

Gilgal was a holy place. It was where Joshua landed with the people of Israel when he miraculously crossed the Jordan river into the promised land. It was the place where Samuel the prophet would make the will of God known to those who needed His judgement.

Gilgal was where God changed His mind about Saul being king as a result of Saul disobeying God by offering the sacrifice only the priest was to perform. Perhaps it is this last act that Hosea refers to when describing the leaders history of rebellion. (more…)

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November 3, 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…)

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November 1, 2016