Tag Archive | christianity

Pray with an Attitude of Thanksgiving…

Nov25

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7

Now in keeping with the subject of prayer and the season of Thanksgiving, let’s examine the above verse.

In today’s climate of problems, an attitude of thankfulness seems impossible. For many don’t even have a chance to enjoy the abundance of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. And with homes dealing with all varieties of trauma, celebrating Thanksgiving just isn’t desirable for many people.

So why would God tell us that in spite of all these problems we are not to worry? Then follows that up with the directive to take on an attitude of thankfulness. Whatever the situation! And we ask, “What?” Is this even possible? There is an answer to this question, and it is to be found in the Bible. For within the pages of Scripture, God reveals how to achieve this seemingly impossible feat.

In approaching God with our prayers and petitions, we need to focus on who it is we are presenting our prayers and petitions to. God, our Heavenly Father, Creator of the Universe, who knows everything about us and what is best for us. Who will never abandon us. Who is trustworthy. Meaning in light of all this, we can be thankful for who God is and thankful that He will work all this out for our good.

When we focus on all that we have to be thankful for, the things we are tempted to worry about begin to fade. Scripture also teaches us gratitude redirects our thoughts. The negatives are clouded out. The Light shines down upon us, highlighting endless possibilities of thankfulness. We will move from anxiety to thankfulness. And as the resulting peace permeates our thoughts we experience something beyond our understanding.

Therefore, when we are tempted to worry about the problems we are facing, personalize the verse in Philippines and turn it into a prayer:

Dear God, help me not to be anxious about my situation. In an attitude of thankfulness, I offer my petitions and requests to You. I come to You with thanksgiving, because You have always provided for my needs, You have always worked things out for my good and Your glory, You have never abandoned me. Knowing how much I have to be thankful for, I know a peace that is beyond my understanding. A peace that will put my heart and mind at ease.

Casual Christianity?

Nov5

Ever since World War II, there has been a steady decline in Christianity. In the 1960’s there was social upheaval, the sexual revolution, and a questioning of institutions. That fueled a greater withdrawal. And the steady decline continued.

In the meantime, our claim of being a Christian nation slowly faded. Sadly, it was accepted that we just weren’t what we use to be. We settled for a casual attitude in displaying our faith. It became much more acceptable to lower our aim. Living a committed Christian life wasn’t necessary anymore. Gradually, attending church or reading our Bibles grew less important. Life just got in the way and left little room to include a sincere faith walk with God. But have we stopped to consider the repercussions of such a choice?

A whole list of Pandora’s box lifestyles have emerged: same sex marriage, abortion, transgenderism, hyper individualism, rebellious and disrespectful behavior towards parents or any authority figure, cohabitation as opposed to marriage, and so much more.(btw, Ever read 2 Timothy 3:2-4?)

So I would ask, is the price we paid to have the freedom (or should I say license) to do what we wanted to do without the inconvenience of having someone speak against it given us the happiness we were seeking? Apparently not! For Psychology Today reports that Americans are not a very happy group of people.

But someone was happy about all of this. The enemy’s gloating laughter echoes throughout the country, in homes, in churches, in our schools, our places of business, the halls of government. Yet take heart my dear readers, for his seemingly incessant attacks can be thwarted. His glee can be diminished. How? By the power of God within us! Read on!

When we return to the realization that we need God. That we need to spend time with Him in prayer and His word. That’s the core weapon that we have access to. The mighty weapon that can tear down the strongholds of human reasoning and destroy false assumptions of the enemy’s fiery darts. And leaning into the Truth that God within us is greater than the enemy in the world. By remembering that God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a strong mind. And by fearlessly planting our feet of faith into whatever situation we find ourselves. By unashamedly proclaiming who we are in Christ. (Like I’m thrilled to be witnessing in the public arena these recent days.) By focusing on the mighty works of God in creation and in history, proving He can do anything. Starting by bringing individuals back to their senses.

Now is the time to draw upon the power of His might as is referred to in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.” Only God’s strength can successfully stand against the spiritual forces that entice and manipulate us to be casual about our faith.

Charlie Kirk is now in heaven! Why is that?

Oct15

Yesterday, President Trump awarded posthumously the Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk. I turned to You Tube so I could listen to Erika and President Trump make their speeches. I remember thinking: I wish Erika and her children still had the physical presence of Charlie to hug them. I wish Turning Point still had Charlie’s physical presence to lead them. I wish America’s youth still had Charlie to lead them in finding truth or should I say TRUTH. I wish our country still had the presence of Charlie Kirk to help us in identifying evil. I wish we all still had the presence of Charlie Kirk to guide us toward faith and family and purpose.

But though he was taken from us by an assassin’s bullet, his influence and leadership remains. Satan and whoever was in cahoots with his plans, knowingly or unknowingly, have unleashed a force more powerful than they could have imagined. Satan never learns. He has tried the same tactic over and over to destroy God’s work. And turns out, he only upends his own evil plans.

Case in point: before Charlie’s death, there were about 900 college chapters and 1,200 high school chapters of the Turning Point organization. Since Charlie’s death, requests for new chapters has increased to 62,000. And that number continues to rise.

Additionally, at Charlie’s memorial service the seeds of revival that he had been sowing throughout his career, burst forth. As a result, many of our political leaders, newscasters, and people of influence are now boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ. As I heard Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, say in an interview the other day, “We aren’t the bad guys anymore!” speaking of the new found freedom to speak of Jesus Christ within the halls of our government.

May this momentum continue to build. And to answer the question in the title of this post. It wasn’t Charlie’s good works that took him to heaven when he died! As abundant as they were! No! It was his acceptance of Jesus Christ when Charlie was in the 5th grade that assured his place in heaven. And that is true of anyone and everyone who realizes who Jesus Christ is. God’s Son who came to earth and satisfied God’s wrath against sin by dying in our place. Thereby, assuring Believers of a permanent, everlasting, home in heaven!

Jump on board….

Sep24

I believe there is a Spiritual Awakening taking place in America. That it is most revealed in our college age young people is not surprising. For a decade now, Charlie Kirk, has been visiting college campuses with a message of Truth as it applied to various aspects of their lives. Young people who are eagerly seeking purpose for their lives. Who are searching for something real and unchanging to believe in, recognized that in Charlie’s debates.

Over the years our young adults have been inundated with cleverly disguised lies within the liberal colleges they attended. Lies that the liberal segment have renamed and redefined to make them sound truthful. While at the same time, humiliated those who held to traditional faith beliefs. The faith our Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote our Constitution.

But the tide is changing. And Charlie Kirk’s assassination has resulted in thousands, maybe even millions of college students to reexamine the lies they have embraced. Now throughout America young people are ditching those lies. Now they are rallying behind the Truth that has been revealed to them. Not only young people, but older people as well.

Did you listen to the speeches made at Charlie’s memorial service? Every speaker spoke boldly about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior. It had the flavor of a revival. Even our President said so.

I am 77 and I have never heard political leaders step up and confidently proclaim such faith in Jesus Christ! And the fact that I have seen this spark originate within our Generation Z community encourages me like never before. Their readiness to seek Truth and their genuine desire for what is real, is what God is using to spark this revival. It may be our last chance people, so jump onboard!

Church? Does God have your attention now?

Sep14

It wasn’t the gun that killed Charlie Kirk, it was the guy who pulled the trigger and planned the deed. He had a heart problem. For you see, the Church has compromised God’s truths. The Church has failed to stand for Truth. For generations now, the lies of the enemy have been subtly digested by our students in the public school system. It’s been a slow, methodical digestion. And the source of this deception has manipulated and deceived us.

We have arrived at a time in history where good has been redefined as evil. Our hearts have succumbed to the constant and repetitive lies of the enemy. So much so that now we are unable to discern what is really evil or good. These types of lies (fiery darts), dressed up to appear as truth, have been absorbed into our minds. And look at the aftermath of such deception!

Then along comes a man, Charlie Kirk, willing to boldly and publicly proclaim Jesus as God’s son! A proclamation that one rarely hears these days except in a church (and sometimes so watered down we don’t recognize it). And certainly not in the public square! And of all things, ties the truths of Scripture to the solutions we should be seeking for the problems we face in our society.

The Bible tells us that we reap what we sow. And 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLV describes what it is that we will be reaping. Read it. Does it sound familiar?

This is the very thing Charlie Kirk was trying to warn us about. But we have been ignoring him, and others like him, and we are now reaping the whirlwind. So what needs to happen?

The Church, that’s you and me have been a sleeping giant for too long. Charlie’s death, a martyr’s death, I believe, will be our wake up call.

Remember:

2 Timothy 2:25, NIV, “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,..”

Balancing our focus…

Aug31

God’s love and mercy, is revealed dynamically in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! We Christians live our lives in the assurance of this fact. But, if we focus on that alone, are we getting the whole picture? For you see, as uncomfortable as it may be to think about, God’s wrath is every bit as real as His love and mercy. And getting those truths of God’s character out of balance puts us in a dangerous and vulnerable position for the enemy’s attacks.

Let’s examine this by considering our birth into God’s family. We have left a life bent on pleasing ourselves to a life bent on pleasing God. As a young Christian it is God’s plan that we grow. That growth will take place in accordance with how we are nurtured. But just like a newborn babe, we will fail to thrive, if we aren’t consistently fed. And how is a newborn Christian to thrive? By spending time with God in prayer and His word. And therein lies Satan’s target.

Throughout history, God has protected and preserved the Bible. He provided everything we needed to know about Him, His redemptive plan, and how we are to live, all within the pages of Scripture. And those words are the source of our nourishment.

But it is our nature to be more concerned about pleasing ourselves rather than God. But as Christians we now have a new nature. A nature that is becoming like Christ the more we avail ourselves to the nourishment of God’s truths. As the new nature matures and grows in strength, the old nature is diminished. So, if the enemy can distract us, he can keep us from growing and learning about those truths.

Think about how self-absorbed Society is today. Some psychologist say that the I-generation or Me-generation (that they are called this aught to tell us something) take it for granted that the self comes first. Of course, not everyone of this Me-generation are self-absorbed. However, Christian young adults live among a society that is driven by this ‘it’s all about me mentality’. And if they aren’t careful they will be tempted to dismiss the seriousness of their sins, or any Christian for that matter. But ponder on this: God allowed Christ to be tortured and murdered for our sins. That’s how seriously He takes sin.

So what do we suppose will be the effect on a Christian, if we don’t have the wrath of God in proper perspective with His love and mercy? If we only focus on God’s love and mercy, can we fully embrace the sacrifice Jesus made and why He made it?

Follow Your Heart?

Aug26

This is a popular saying in our world today. Just about every form of public media promotes giving our hearts full reign in making our decisions. I can see where in a world that champions self-autonomy following our hearts makes sense. After all, aren’t we the best judge of what it takes to make us happy? And if we don’t make choices that will ensure our happiness, then who will?

Today’s counsel in Society tells us to be true to ourselves in order to become our best selves. Even if it means hurting those we love. We are persuaded that the kindest thing we can do for ourselves is to shut out any contrary ideas from others. Putting self first is the surest way to happiness! Or is it?

Eventually, this philosophy will begin to break down. We can’t suppose that serving self to the detriment of others is going to always work out for us. I mean people, like our families, do have their limits. The longer we keep our distance or shut them out, hope for restoration diminishes. We may continue to interact with them, but it ‘s usually only on a surface level. Is that the level of happiness we should be seeking?

Now, we all know that a relationship will not thrive without communication. There must be a give and take climate in any thriving relationship. There must be forgiveness of the grievances we have with one another. We must consider others needs and interests as much as our own.

There is a guide book that contains all we need to know to secure our happiness. One that will counsel us on how to achieve genuine and lasting happiness. And it reveals the truth about following our hearts. It also reveals the true workings of a happy heart.

So, if we shouldn’t follow our hearts, whose heart should we follow? Consider the fact that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, God gives us a new heart. A heart that can know true and genuine happiness. A heart that we can, in full confidence, follow and find true happiness.

Give your heart to God, then follow His heart!

Why we need the Bible…

Aug20

“Our natural intuition can only give us a God like us. That is why we need the Bible”

The above quote is from Gentle and Lowly p.24 by Dane Orglund. a book I’m reading recommended to me by my son. I think this reveals a profound truth. A truth the enemy is committed to hide from us, especially we Christians. Remember the first part of John 10:10? There the enemy’s plot is exposed; ‘to steal, kill, and destroy…’

It starts with our inner person. Every person alive today bears the image of God. What that means is that we reflect something of God’s nature and character to the rest of creation. Though we do bear the image of God, we do not do so perfectly. Our human nature, because of sin, cannot bear God’s image perfectly. We need the only One who perfectly represents God and that is, of course, Jesus Christ.

Upon becoming believers in Christ we take on the nature of Christ. We now have a new nature, one that is ruled by God’s Spirit. Yet the old nature (our natural inclinations) remains. Therefore, if our new inclinations aren’t nurtured by God’s truth, then our reflection of Christ is diminished. And when we call upon our old nature to make sense of this world or to guide our steps, guess who is reflected in that?

It stands to reason then that the less we know of God’s truths the less we will be impacted by them. The less we will know about how to arrive at healthy solutions to the problems we face. The less we will be able to recognize the lies that are so cleverly disguised as truths in today’s society. The less we will be able to realize we are being victimized by the enemy.

That my dear readers is why we need the Bible! The life saving truths therein are what we need to fill our minds with and ward off the enemy’s manipulative attacks. We need to think about what we fill our minds with on a daily basis. Television, movies, podcasts, social media, books, music, friends. Are these sources nurturing our faith? Do these sources aid us in recognizing what is worthless?

Turn my eyes from looking at (and ears from listening to) what is worthless, give me life in Your ways. Psalm 119:37



To Be Happy or To Be Holy. That is the question!

Jul28
In pursuit of ?

The goal for most today is to pursue whatever makes us happy. And with the self-governing leanings dominating society today, self determines what happiness feels or looks like. The idea of pursuing holiness is unappealing in a self governing environment.

Why is that, I wonder? Perhaps it’s due to a misunderstanding of what being holy is. Personally, I’m not surprised that in today’s world people would choose happiness over holiness. Especially, if our primary source of determining happiness is shaped apart from God’s word.

So, let’s define happiness. One definition of happiness is, “a feeling of pleasure or contentment based on favorable circumstances.” Therefore, as long as our circumstances are lining up with our personal desires, all is well. Disappointments aren’t too big a threat to our happiness as long as they are temporary. After all, reality informs us that life doesn’t always run smoothly.

But what happens when life turns on us? When a season of life is filled with unexpected and sometimes devastating happenings? When we get pushed under and hardly have a chance to come up for air? When the lights go out and we feel as if we are wondering about in the dark? What then?

At times like these would we be willing to admit that seeking happiness isn’t going to cut it? Would we be willing to admit this self pursuit of happiness has been inadequate? After all, no one has lived a life of constant ever ending happiness. So why do we continue in our pursuit of happiness?

Consider this! Satan is a master deceiver and liar. First of all, he will attempt to influence us away from the truths of Scripture. And he will create confusion about the act of praying. When those two components (big time fiery darts) are brought into question, we will begin believing his lies.

Now let’s turn a light on and take a look at the definition of joy. “A deep sense of inner peace, gladness, and well-being, often regardless of circumstances.” So let’s take a look at the following verses:

Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

John 16:22, “No one will take your joy from you.”

Knowing that the joy provided by God can be our strength is reassuring. And knowing no-one can take it from us leaves us feeling secure. But how does one find joy?

First of all, those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died to pay the price for our sins, thus making heaven our eternal destination is the source of joy. You know, John 3:16! Therefore, as we encounter the threats to our happiness this joy thwarts the deception brought on by the enemy.

When life slaps us in the face (because it will and often) there is a way to override its effect. Jesus told us to be encouraged because He has overcome the world! As it turns out, those very trials or sufferings we encounter, when endured, will produce the effect of holiness we all need. Pursue happiness and it will elude us. Pursue holiness and we will have more happiness that we could ever imagine.

Self-Satisfied Christianity

Jul20

Lately, I’ve been studying about the church at Ephesus. Remember, how John described the church in Revelation 2:4, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”NASB What that means is the church forgot why they did church.

Let’s compare this to a married couple. At first everything is rosy. We are super sensitive to each other’s needs. But as time goes by our sensitivity begins to wane. We begin to take each other for granted. We settle into a comfortable routine of living the married life. Yet, our relationship doesn’t call forth the love we had at first. And sadly, we become satisfied with this watered down routine. It’s like we forgot why we got married!

I think this is a clear illustration of what happened at the Ephesus church. AND what has happened to individual Christians thus the Church of today. We have grown comfortable with the way we live out our faith. We have grown comfortable with the way we do church.

We have become self-satisfied. We feel good about attending church (as often as we can). We don’t really delve into the Scriptures like we should (but aren’t that uncomfortable about it). We don’t really give the time we should in prayer (but let something we really need come up and spiritually speaking we are quickly on our knees). We knowingly fail to act like a Christian at times (but hey, we are only human). We would give more time volunteering to help out with our church’s projects (but life keeps us so busy). Oh, and when those projects conflict with our personal plans then the church’s projects often loose out. Self-becomes our priority; not necessarily Church or our faith. (Recognize the fiery darts?)

The sad fact revealed by our self-satisfied attitude toward our walk of faith and relationship to our church is abundant in evidence. Evidence of what? That we have left our first love, our love for serving God. We have forgotten why we do church. Just like the church in Ephesus!