Being in a Christian there are terms that I hear and use frequently. But I’ve come to realize there is a four words phrase that I hear or say everyday. If I don’t say them, I hear from someone else.
What are they you might ask?
“I’ll pray for you.”
Now these are very encouraging and uplifting words. And when put into motion they can mean the world to someone.
When I was thinking of a topic to write about I started thinking of things that God had been revealing to me lately.
So, there many times I tell a person that I’ll pray for them and then I’ll forget. Most times by the time I remember the event has passed and I once again miss an opportunity to bring their concerns before God.
I know that when I am down and sad, having someone tell me that they are lifting me up in prayer helps in ways that words cannot say.
I also know that there are certain “prayer warriors” in my life that I know are lifting me up on a daily basis and that gives me the strength to get through. I want to be that for others, but it is hardly affective if I forget.
I understand if a person makes an honest mistake, and praise God he already knows what we need—even before we ask.
But seriously I have been trying to work on this.
My Goal: If I tell someone I am going to pray for someone, and then I need to do it. It is an act of love if done. And an act of hypocrisy if not carried out.
My Solution: While it is still a work in progress, I carry a little notebook around with me. That way I can write down the requests right away and then I am able to reference it later when I sit down to pray.
So this is what God has been revealing to me, if I tell someone that I am going to pray for him or her, I need to make a conscientious effort to do so. And it may be something little, but I think it’s the little things that mean the most in the long run.
My encouragement to you that if you are good at this keep it up! But if you’re like me, try and work on it. I hope that at least after reading this it may trigger your memory next time you use that four-word phrase.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
a little more Love and Grace is all it takes.
"In one of his organization's polls, Barna found that only 22 percent of non-Christians have a positive view of evangelicals."
What can evangelicals/born-again Christians do to change the negative view that non-Christians have about them?
I think as Christians often times we fail in loving people for who they are instead we only love them for who we want them to be.
I think that a major struggle for the church today is judgment. I think that we get too comfortable with what we are use to, or what is right, that we don't accept those who are different.
(Now at the same time I have seen too many churches accepting people to the point where they don't think they need to ever change. This isn't okay either. But I think that we need to better at balancing these two issues. But that is another topic for another time...)
The body of Christ needs to be all about love. I think the only way this generation is going to ever have a positive idea of Christianity and potentially even come to know Jesus it through love. Theology is not the answer most want today especially when it is being shoved down their throat's.
No one likes people looking at them because they dress funny or don't say something right. A person doesn't want to walk into a room and feel out of place like they don't belong.
I think that as a body we do this. We look at people like they are odd or like we are better than them. And although we may be uncomfortable, it still doesn't make it right.
We have been given so much grace, but we fail too often at giving that same grace to others.
So I think as Christians we need to love and show grace more. People don't want to be be judged and they also don't want to have Jesus shoved in their face.
I think that a major struggle for the church today is judgment. I think that we get too comfortable with what we are use to, or what is right, that we don't accept those who are different.
(Now at the same time I have seen too many churches accepting people to the point where they don't think they need to ever change. This isn't okay either. But I think that we need to better at balancing these two issues. But that is another topic for another time...)
The body of Christ needs to be all about love. I think the only way this generation is going to ever have a positive idea of Christianity and potentially even come to know Jesus it through love. Theology is not the answer most want today especially when it is being shoved down their throat's.
No one likes people looking at them because they dress funny or don't say something right. A person doesn't want to walk into a room and feel out of place like they don't belong.
I think that as a body we do this. We look at people like they are odd or like we are better than them. And although we may be uncomfortable, it still doesn't make it right.
We have been given so much grace, but we fail too often at giving that same grace to others.
So I think as Christians we need to love and show grace more. People don't want to be be judged and they also don't want to have Jesus shoved in their face.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Again, What if...
What would life be like if Adam and Eve had not sinned?
I truly cannot fully fathom the idea of what life would be like had they not sinned. I mean basically we would be living now in a sinless world (given that someone else along the way didn't "take the fruit").
We would be living in a world without pain or sadness or suffering.
So many many things would be different. In this world there is so much corruption. Each day we experience so much that is wrong, unsettling. The injustice that we see, the sin that encompasses our society and world would be
gone.
And we would be living in complete oneness with the Father. We would be walking and talking and living life with the creator of the universe.
It blows my mind to think that God could have been completely content living alone as God. But He created us in order that we would get to experience the greatness of Him. That is love.
We would be living in a world smothered by love not hate
of peace not war
of right not wrong
we would be living in an Eden.
But because Eve took the fruit and Adam allowed her to do so... we are here. An who's to say that someone else wouldn't have done the same.
Now the idea of life being perfect and never knowing sin is something to think about. But this was God's plan.
Because now when we get to heaven we can bow in total reverence and adoration at the one and only who lived life perfectly. We live in humility knowing that we can never be God.
There is no question that life would be different... better. But that wasn't God's plan so clearly what happened was ultimately for the best. And now we have a hope for something we cannot fathom. But someday we will have a taste of what that would have been like. Someday we will be in heaven and that is what is worth thinking about, instead of playing the "what if" game.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Divorce
Should Christians divorce their spouses? Why or why not? What does the Bible say about this?
I think there are very few and specific examples that allow for divorce to be okay. The Bible encourages all Christians to refrain from divorce, because marriage is such a sacred thing. We as Christians are Christ's bride. In the same way we anticipate walking down the isle, the excitement should be so much more in anticipating Christ's return. Marriage is a covenant with God, not contract. This means that just because the state says your divorced, it's not the same in God's eyes.
Matthew 19: 5-9 tells us first what marriage is and then second how God feels about divorce. If your spouse commits adultery more than once and is not willing to stay and work on the marriage there is grace given to the departed spouse. The same goes for a person being beaten or left. I think that almost any other instances than the ones previously mentioned are not grounds for divorce. As Christians divorce shouldn't be an option to make life easier. In Malachi 2:16 God expresses how he hates divorce. The
Bible makes the few circumstances very clear on when divorce is acceptable and forgiven. At the same time I think the bible makes it very clear that divorce is wrong.
Those who are getting married should never consider divorce as an option. Those who are married and struggling should do everything in their power to make it work. And those who have gotten divorced should realize that all sin is the same and they are no different than anyone else and not dwell in remorse.
In conclusion I don't think that Christians should divorce their spouses. However there are times when only one person is committed and the other person has no control. I know that the Bible encourages divorce in absolutely no way. Marriage is so much more than just love, it requires commitment. It is so much more than a legal binding contract. It is a covenant with the Almighty God.
I think there are very few and specific examples that allow for divorce to be okay. The Bible encourages all Christians to refrain from divorce, because marriage is such a sacred thing. We as Christians are Christ's bride. In the same way we anticipate walking down the isle, the excitement should be so much more in anticipating Christ's return. Marriage is a covenant with God, not contract. This means that just because the state says your divorced, it's not the same in God's eyes.
Matthew 19: 5-9 tells us first what marriage is and then second how God feels about divorce. If your spouse commits adultery more than once and is not willing to stay and work on the marriage there is grace given to the departed spouse. The same goes for a person being beaten or left. I think that almost any other instances than the ones previously mentioned are not grounds for divorce. As Christians divorce shouldn't be an option to make life easier. In Malachi 2:16 God expresses how he hates divorce. The
Bible makes the few circumstances very clear on when divorce is acceptable and forgiven. At the same time I think the bible makes it very clear that divorce is wrong.
Those who are getting married should never consider divorce as an option. Those who are married and struggling should do everything in their power to make it work. And those who have gotten divorced should realize that all sin is the same and they are no different than anyone else and not dwell in remorse.
In conclusion I don't think that Christians should divorce their spouses. However there are times when only one person is committed and the other person has no control. I know that the Bible encourages divorce in absolutely no way. Marriage is so much more than just love, it requires commitment. It is so much more than a legal binding contract. It is a covenant with the Almighty God.
Monday, October 19, 2009
You Can't Do It On Your Own
Do you think people can "earn" their way into heaven? Why or why not?
Simply said, no I do not think that people can earn their way into heaven. It is not about what we do, because as humans we can do nothing. It is acknowledging the fact that Christ did everything on the cross. That is what gets us into heaven. I think that after we have accepted Christ as Savior and ruler of our lives there are things that happen because of the change of our hearts. I think things like serving the homeless, giving to the poor, or any type of ministry really are things that God cares about. Once we are seeking God’s will I think that those things become our passion because they are so close to God’s heart. After being redeemed we realize that we are worth nothing and we can do nothing. As humans we are worthless, but Christ gives us that worth in the world by sacrificing himself. So we could never attempt to earn our way into heaven because we don’t have the power, and that’s not what it is about. The bible makes it clear that it is not by works but by faith that we get to experience the kingdom. I think that your heart transforms because of your faith, and you then seek to build the kingdom because you realize that is what God wants. You can do nothing to earn heaven but simply accept the free gift that Christ offers by knowing Him.
Simply said, no I do not think that people can earn their way into heaven. It is not about what we do, because as humans we can do nothing. It is acknowledging the fact that Christ did everything on the cross. That is what gets us into heaven. I think that after we have accepted Christ as Savior and ruler of our lives there are things that happen because of the change of our hearts. I think things like serving the homeless, giving to the poor, or any type of ministry really are things that God cares about. Once we are seeking God’s will I think that those things become our passion because they are so close to God’s heart. After being redeemed we realize that we are worth nothing and we can do nothing. As humans we are worthless, but Christ gives us that worth in the world by sacrificing himself. So we could never attempt to earn our way into heaven because we don’t have the power, and that’s not what it is about. The bible makes it clear that it is not by works but by faith that we get to experience the kingdom. I think that your heart transforms because of your faith, and you then seek to build the kingdom because you realize that is what God wants. You can do nothing to earn heaven but simply accept the free gift that Christ offers by knowing Him.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
My Thoughts About Tithing...
There are certain habits that are necessary for a Christian to grow in depth in their relationship with God. Things like prayer, spending time in the word, and serving others are all important in furthering a relationship with Christ. While all these things are very good, I feel that tithing is also just as essential.
It is a physical acknowledgement that everything we earn and everything we have, is not our own. Sacrifice is important in recognizing that God is in control. At times money may seem nonexistent and hard to give up, but I think that it is in those moments that our faith can be grown in unimaginable ways.
I think that ten percent of a person’s earnings should be given to either a church or ministry of calling on a regular basis. If there are other causes, and ministries that you feel lead to contribute to I say go for it. Those extra things should be prayer-fully considered and thought about before giving. In my opinion I think it is important to first contribute your initial ten percent consistently to a specific cause. The church that you attend on a regular basis should be considered when tithing. I feel that this topic can be divided in complete opposite directions. Many are very passionate about only giving to your home church, while other don't give their tithe to the church at all. In my opinion I feel that the church you attend should absolutely have a percent of your tithe. However, I also think that there are benefits to contributing to a particular cause.
I would just like to state before I continue, I say the following things not for my own glory. I will also be upfront and honest in saying that even though I try my best I often fall short in my goals for giving. Tithing is something that should be done in private. My personal priority is to tithe directly for the church with my initial ten percent. Then when other opportunities are given as far as supporting other people or giving money to a particular cause arise I pray and think about how much to give and seek my motivations behind the giving. Another thing that I like to do is to keep a container to toss spare change into in my room, after a while it adds up. I am then able donate it to supporting a child.
The motivation behind giving is the most important thing here. Telling people how much you tithe for your personal glory or just to make yourself feel better isn't okay. So once again I don't mention this to brag. This is what I try to do, and it isn't perfect. But after prayer and talking with people much smarter than me, I have found this works best for myself as an individual.
In conclusion I think that tithing only enriches your relationship with Christ. Habits take awhile to develop, and it is important to be persistent in developing a routine. I have found that so many times God is faithful to you when you are faithful to Him. He will provide and astound you in ways you could never imagine. Tithing is a biblical principle and it is my opinion that each person that calls themselves a Christian should give. To a certain extent it takes more than just saying, "I'm a Christian." The relationship can only go so far. Getting in the word, spending time in prayer with God, and giving are all sacrifices that we must do in order to deepen and enrich our faith.
It is a physical acknowledgement that everything we earn and everything we have, is not our own. Sacrifice is important in recognizing that God is in control. At times money may seem nonexistent and hard to give up, but I think that it is in those moments that our faith can be grown in unimaginable ways.
I think that ten percent of a person’s earnings should be given to either a church or ministry of calling on a regular basis. If there are other causes, and ministries that you feel lead to contribute to I say go for it. Those extra things should be prayer-fully considered and thought about before giving. In my opinion I think it is important to first contribute your initial ten percent consistently to a specific cause. The church that you attend on a regular basis should be considered when tithing. I feel that this topic can be divided in complete opposite directions. Many are very passionate about only giving to your home church, while other don't give their tithe to the church at all. In my opinion I feel that the church you attend should absolutely have a percent of your tithe. However, I also think that there are benefits to contributing to a particular cause.
I would just like to state before I continue, I say the following things not for my own glory. I will also be upfront and honest in saying that even though I try my best I often fall short in my goals for giving. Tithing is something that should be done in private. My personal priority is to tithe directly for the church with my initial ten percent. Then when other opportunities are given as far as supporting other people or giving money to a particular cause arise I pray and think about how much to give and seek my motivations behind the giving. Another thing that I like to do is to keep a container to toss spare change into in my room, after a while it adds up. I am then able donate it to supporting a child.
The motivation behind giving is the most important thing here. Telling people how much you tithe for your personal glory or just to make yourself feel better isn't okay. So once again I don't mention this to brag. This is what I try to do, and it isn't perfect. But after prayer and talking with people much smarter than me, I have found this works best for myself as an individual.
In conclusion I think that tithing only enriches your relationship with Christ. Habits take awhile to develop, and it is important to be persistent in developing a routine. I have found that so many times God is faithful to you when you are faithful to Him. He will provide and astound you in ways you could never imagine. Tithing is a biblical principle and it is my opinion that each person that calls themselves a Christian should give. To a certain extent it takes more than just saying, "I'm a Christian." The relationship can only go so far. Getting in the word, spending time in prayer with God, and giving are all sacrifices that we must do in order to deepen and enrich our faith.
Monday, October 5, 2009
What if...
What would your parents or other family members say if you brought home a person from a different race than yours and said you were in love with that person and thinking about marrying him or her?
I don’t think the initial problem would be the fact that the man I was bringing home was from another race. I think the problem would be that they had never heard about the person and I was thinking about marrying him. I am very close with my family and I think they would be more hurt by the fact I was hiding something that huge from them.
I grew up in a family that was around and accepted many different races. There was never a negative stigma towards anyone with different colored skin. As cliché as it sounds, we were truly taught to judge by character and not color.
However, I do think that there would be some concerns. The first problem my parents would have would be that the fact that it would just be hard. There are different cultural backgrounds that are often hard to mesh. Then when children are brought into the mix there are whole other sets of troubles that are added to the big picture.
I know that as a whole my family would definitely have some things to get use to. I know that their feelings would never stem from racism, but at the same time, there would be an awkward elephant in the room at first.
In the end if I were truly in love with a Godly man, and we both were certain that it was God’s will for us to get married… we would. And after my family observed our relationship and realized it was meant to be they would eventually accept it.
Yes, they would be concerned at first. But I have so much hope in all of them that if they knew it was what I wanted, and God’s will I would with out a doubt have their support.
I don’t think the initial problem would be the fact that the man I was bringing home was from another race. I think the problem would be that they had never heard about the person and I was thinking about marrying him. I am very close with my family and I think they would be more hurt by the fact I was hiding something that huge from them.
I grew up in a family that was around and accepted many different races. There was never a negative stigma towards anyone with different colored skin. As cliché as it sounds, we were truly taught to judge by character and not color.
However, I do think that there would be some concerns. The first problem my parents would have would be that the fact that it would just be hard. There are different cultural backgrounds that are often hard to mesh. Then when children are brought into the mix there are whole other sets of troubles that are added to the big picture.
I know that as a whole my family would definitely have some things to get use to. I know that their feelings would never stem from racism, but at the same time, there would be an awkward elephant in the room at first.
In the end if I were truly in love with a Godly man, and we both were certain that it was God’s will for us to get married… we would. And after my family observed our relationship and realized it was meant to be they would eventually accept it.
Yes, they would be concerned at first. But I have so much hope in all of them that if they knew it was what I wanted, and God’s will I would with out a doubt have their support.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Heaven and Hell
Do you believe in a literal heaven and hell? What happens to people who die without a saving knowledge of Christ?
Lets take this one step at a time; do I believe in a literal heaven? If I didn’t I would be living for nothing. I would have absolutely no hope for life after death. Everything that it stands for to be a Christian, everything that I am striving to be, would have no purpose, no meaning.
If there weren’t a literal heaven then the Christians on the earth wouldn’t need morals or values. Because lets face it, if this life is as good as it will ever get, why in the world would we be storing up treasures in some place that we are never going to go? I would be living it up here on earth without any restrictions.
But as a believer in the living God, I know that there is without a doubt something even greater than life on this earth. Praise God for eternity in heaven. I think I would have a very sad life if this weren’t true.
Going to heaven and living life with Jesus worshiping God the Father is what makes this life worth living for. It is what provides joy in times of sorrow, and hope in times of despair.
At the same time Revelation paints a picture of hell that is undoubtedly real. And unfortunately if we aren’t willing to recognize the truth, which is Jesus, then we aren’t going to go to heaven. And if we aren’t going to heaven then the Word makes it clear, we are going to go to hell.
I would love to be an optimist and say that no everyone gets into heaven and the awful place known, as hell isn’t real. But the fact of the matter is, the Bible makes this clear, if you don’t believe that as humans we sin, and that we need the blood of Jesus to be forgiven and clean in God’s sight then we don’t get to spend eternity in the presence of Christ.
So those without a saving knowledge of Christ then ultimately, you go to hell. While it may sound as though we have a harsh God who sends people to a place with eternal flame. To be truthful, hell is a terrible place that we all deserve. It was by His grace that we were given life to seek truth in the first place. Being human and even our entrance to life here on this earth makes us automatically sinners, who deserve nothing. But by recognizing His grace we receive everything. This includes a hope for life after death and eternity in heaven.
Lets take this one step at a time; do I believe in a literal heaven? If I didn’t I would be living for nothing. I would have absolutely no hope for life after death. Everything that it stands for to be a Christian, everything that I am striving to be, would have no purpose, no meaning.
If there weren’t a literal heaven then the Christians on the earth wouldn’t need morals or values. Because lets face it, if this life is as good as it will ever get, why in the world would we be storing up treasures in some place that we are never going to go? I would be living it up here on earth without any restrictions.
But as a believer in the living God, I know that there is without a doubt something even greater than life on this earth. Praise God for eternity in heaven. I think I would have a very sad life if this weren’t true.
Going to heaven and living life with Jesus worshiping God the Father is what makes this life worth living for. It is what provides joy in times of sorrow, and hope in times of despair.
At the same time Revelation paints a picture of hell that is undoubtedly real. And unfortunately if we aren’t willing to recognize the truth, which is Jesus, then we aren’t going to go to heaven. And if we aren’t going to heaven then the Word makes it clear, we are going to go to hell.
I would love to be an optimist and say that no everyone gets into heaven and the awful place known, as hell isn’t real. But the fact of the matter is, the Bible makes this clear, if you don’t believe that as humans we sin, and that we need the blood of Jesus to be forgiven and clean in God’s sight then we don’t get to spend eternity in the presence of Christ.
So those without a saving knowledge of Christ then ultimately, you go to hell. While it may sound as though we have a harsh God who sends people to a place with eternal flame. To be truthful, hell is a terrible place that we all deserve. It was by His grace that we were given life to seek truth in the first place. Being human and even our entrance to life here on this earth makes us automatically sinners, who deserve nothing. But by recognizing His grace we receive everything. This includes a hope for life after death and eternity in heaven.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sanctification Part 2
If sanctification is God's responsibility, then why don't we see more "sanctified" persons around us-especially among older adults, those who are supposed to be more mature Christians?
Conversely, if sanctification is primarily our responsibility, does this possibly explain why we don't see more "sanctified" people?
I believe that becoming sanctified is my responsibility as a follower of Christ to want and seek sanctification. However, I cannot be fully sanctified without Christ actually doing that work within me. I am not so sure that sanctification is a visible thing. I get that if you are set apart from the world and in a way that glorifies God you are consecrating yourself. Isn’t that how Christians should act? I think that being a Christian and being sanctified are different things. Yes, if you are a Christian you should strive to be sanctified, but we are human, we mess up. This is what I am getting at, once you are a Christian you will always be a Christian. The same does not hold true for being sanctified. We will never 100% of the time be fully set apart. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try, but lets be real. So why aren’t we seeing more “sanctified” persons? First I’m not sure that it is something that can fully be mastered and then visible in each person who has figured it out. Why aren’t we seeing older, mature Christians being sanctified? I don’t know that it can be measured by me. I have so many amazing mature Christians in my life that I can say seemed to be completely sanctified people. However, they will be the first to tell you that they are not. Conversely, we must acknowledge that there are definitely more people who are not sanctified than who are. Why? Because seeking sanctification isn’t easy. It takes work along with a constant seeking of God. This is why we don’t see it. Even mature Christians don’t have it figured out so it doesn’t make sense then to expect to see a lot of people who are in fact sanctified. Becoming a more sanctified person requires a lot of dedication that often gets neglected by most in this hectic society we live in. It’s a marathon not a sprint and I’m not even sure there is a finish line on this one that we will see here on earth. But, it is definitely a race worth running.
Conversely, if sanctification is primarily our responsibility, does this possibly explain why we don't see more "sanctified" people?
I believe that becoming sanctified is my responsibility as a follower of Christ to want and seek sanctification. However, I cannot be fully sanctified without Christ actually doing that work within me. I am not so sure that sanctification is a visible thing. I get that if you are set apart from the world and in a way that glorifies God you are consecrating yourself. Isn’t that how Christians should act? I think that being a Christian and being sanctified are different things. Yes, if you are a Christian you should strive to be sanctified, but we are human, we mess up. This is what I am getting at, once you are a Christian you will always be a Christian. The same does not hold true for being sanctified. We will never 100% of the time be fully set apart. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try, but lets be real. So why aren’t we seeing more “sanctified” persons? First I’m not sure that it is something that can fully be mastered and then visible in each person who has figured it out. Why aren’t we seeing older, mature Christians being sanctified? I don’t know that it can be measured by me. I have so many amazing mature Christians in my life that I can say seemed to be completely sanctified people. However, they will be the first to tell you that they are not. Conversely, we must acknowledge that there are definitely more people who are not sanctified than who are. Why? Because seeking sanctification isn’t easy. It takes work along with a constant seeking of God. This is why we don’t see it. Even mature Christians don’t have it figured out so it doesn’t make sense then to expect to see a lot of people who are in fact sanctified. Becoming a more sanctified person requires a lot of dedication that often gets neglected by most in this hectic society we live in. It’s a marathon not a sprint and I’m not even sure there is a finish line on this one that we will see here on earth. But, it is definitely a race worth running.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sanctification
Developing A Christian Worldview.
Is Sanctification Our Responsibility or Gods?
According to my Mac dictionary, sanctify is to set apart as or declare holy; consecrate. So as Christians is it our responsibility or God’s to be holy and consecrated?
My response to this question is that it is duel responsibility between God and us. I say this because we first must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to work and move in us. However, we cannot, in our sin, make ourselves holy. As humans our natural instinct is sin and corruption. Without God we will always fail. We will always fall short. We cannot on our own save or separate ourselves from this world.
What we can do is dive into the word of God daily and pray for our heart to reflect the heart of Jesus. I think that God has given us the bible so that we may see what is right in order to know what is wrong. By reading scripture it plants seeds in our heart that the Holy Spirit then waters, but that alone cannot sanctify us. We need the Holy Spirit to then come in and give nourishment and strength to aid us in the process of becoming holy.
If you are not going to let the spirit move then sanctification can never happen. In short, the process is a joint responsibility between us as believers and God as the father to become holy and set apart as followers of the one true God.
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