I once read a story from an Atheist, she was professing how she became a Christian. It sounds like a nice story but in reality she had since abandoned the faith.
This story was being told by request of her Atheist friends. They wanted to know how a “rational” person could become a Christian like she did.
In her story she was in a tough time in her life. She felt broken and met with a pastor. They talked, she cried and she decided to give her life to Christ.
After a time she began to reject the message of the Bible. She disagreed with a lot of the rules and laws.
She eventually came to believe the pastor had taken advantage of her emotional state and now that she was of “sound mind” she reverted back to her old views.
I’ve decided to share something my wife wrote on her Facebook page about dealing with chronic pain, it is short but really speaks volumes. Here it is…
“I have chronic pain but I am thankful that I am finally at a place in my life that I can understand what having this pain truly means. And I also realize that there are many others who suffer more than me and that He endured the ultimate suffering on my behalf. Do I want the pain? No. But I’m okay with it because I know it won’t last forever.”
She also supplied some Bible verses from Romans to go along with what she said…
Romans 5:3-5
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
With football underway and the past couple of years being filled with trials for many people I figured this would be a good post for Throwback Thursday.
Nick Foles was asked if he had any doubt about getting his starting quarterback job back after his injury.
This was his response,
“No. Right when I felt this thing break, that’s when I went into the locker room and I realized, ‘God, this wasn’t exactly what I was thinking. Obviously, you get here and you want to create a culture and impact people. But at the end of the day, if this is the journey you want me to go on, I’m going to glorify you in every action, good or bad.’ I still could have joy in an injury. People hear that and say that’s crazy, but when you believe in Jesus. You go out there and you play, that changes your heart.”
“Just like when I hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, the reason I’m smiling, my faith was in Christ. In that moment, I realized I didn’t need…
Last week I wrote about how it is easy to focus only others and not self.
However this week I am going to drop the “UNO Reverse Card” and switch it up.
One of the easiest things a Christian can do is NOT focus on the sins of others and faults.
If you read last week’s blog you may be confused or think I am contradicting myself. But I am not, let me explain.
If you see someone in sin or see their faults that are damaging themselves or others and choose to do nothing then you’re taking the easy route.
Why?
Because it is easy to do nothing, even easier than overly focusing on others.
Now one of the hardest things a Christian can do IS focus on the sins of others and faults.
It is difficult confronting people, they’re many reasons and motivations to not want to confront someone and I get there is times when it is not a good idea for you personally to do so but a lot of the times we don’t because it is hard.
It takes bravery, it takes compassion, understanding, patience and love. It takes God to help you do it.
But as I said last week do what is hard not what is easy.
Throwback Thursday. I wrote this back in 2018. I really had no idea about theology or more specifically soteriology back then but I still think this entry holds up even if it’s a little sloppy.
I once wrote that if God’s love has conditions I am okay with them but I would like to correct that writing with this weeks blog post. It is not conditional love but it is conditional grace. God loves us all and wants us all to be saved. The Bible makes that
obvious. The word Love is mentioned 310 times in the Bible.
The Grace of God is that part that is conditional you must accept the salvation through Jesus Christ.
I have heard often from skeptics that if there is a God it is unfair that they won’t be able to get into Heaven for their lack of belief, they believe they’re good people and that should be enough.
Let me give you a hypothetical scenario, a Father builds his two children a home each, he supplies them with everything they need and sends them out with a small…
7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
This teaching Jesus taught us is often quoted, depending on your translation it may read “plank” instead of log.
This is a very good (and some what humorous) illustration Jesus uses to teach us to work on our own sin and faults before we attempt to point out others.
The truth is a log or a plank blinds you and is obvious to others. It is easy for us to not even see our own sin and faults because we are not only blinded but the little we do see is others and unless we can see our own reflection.
This is why we must be self aware of our actions in order that we do not fall into hypocrisy.
Now of course that doesn’t mean we can’t talk to others about their sins or faults but it does mean we can’t make them our main focus.
We must work on our own sins and unrighteousness. We must go to God in repentance.
One of the Easiest things a Christian can do is only focus on others sins and faults, in that case it is not up to you and you do not have to change anything. You just tell the other person what they need to do and that’s that. Many choose to do this and boy is it easy.
One of the hardest things a Christian can do is to focus on their own sins and faults. In this case it is up to you, you have to change. But the good news is its not ALL up to you. God can help you. But we have to take up our cross and follow Him. We must crucify the flesh and we must let go of what needs to be let go of.
Remember if you do wish to talk to others about their issues no one will listen to the hypocrite with the log in their eye. Remove it or at least show the person that you’re aware it exists and are trying to remove it.
Be humble, submit to the Lord and be a servant of God.
I can’t begin to tell you the importance of rest. If you’re exhausted you need to take time to re-energize. Go with the Lord and relax. Spend quality time with Him. Take a vacation with the Lord.
Society has told us how important it is to work hard, God would agree with that but society tells us those who rest are weak. Some won’t even use their paid time off from their jobs, thinking it will make them look good if they just keep going.
It won’t look good when you burn out completely and break down.
The Good Word 