So Then Tell Someone

My brain is always going. It never stops, whether I am thinking about my day, problems, theology, sports, some imaginative daydream or anything else. My brain is always going. 

One of my most common things I think about is how I would like to respond in a Christian, biblically based way to issues. Whether about morals, politics, news, religion. I think about what I would like to say, or what I would have said. 

I go into a daydream about encountering someone who is anti-God and anti-Christian and telling them the truth of the Gospel, the truth about who Jesus Christ is. 

I think about it from all different angles, logically, morally, scripturally, etc. I think about what I could say. 

I think and think and think. Often I get emotional about it. Anger at those who mock the faith but also sadness and pity. I have thoughts like, “If they only knew the truth, if they only knew how beautiful Christianity is and how much God loves them”.  

It hurts me to see so many on the path to hell, rejecting their savior. 

Recently in one of my daydreams thinking about what I could say to a person, I heard in my mind, “So Tell Someone”. Since than I have used that sentence as a way to focus my mind away from getting caught up in a daydream fantasy about arguing with someone about Christianity. The reason is I realized that my daydreams are just to comfort me from my pain, rather than allowing God to comfort me and instruct me on how to go about and serve Him, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom. 

If you struggle with this or something similar. Pray for boldness and go tell someone, anyone about Jesus Christ. Let the Holy Spirit do the main work, you just serve God and share about Jesus. 

Tell someone. 

Tell someone about God, tell someone about Jesus, tell someone about how the Father loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on a cross so that our sins would be atoned for. That He loves, He cares for us, that we have value in His eyes. No one can love us or value us more than the true and living God. 

Tell someone today! 

Have a Blessed Week, 
Chris 

What Does It Mean To Fear God?

We read in scripture that we must fear God. 

We hear Pastors talk about the “fear of God”. Sometimes in angry ways that are designed to scare you. 

We hear those who oppose Christianity use the “fear of God” as an argument against the faith. 

But what does it truly mean to “fear God”? 

I am not a theologian by any means but from Bible studies and listening to different sermons and teachings I think I understand what it means to “fear God”. 

But first I want to talk about the word “fear”. People have changed the meaning of the word fear to make it out to be something only in an abusive, unhealthy way. 

There is a healthy fear and an unhealthy fear. 

We fear all kinds of people. We fear people like police officers, our bosses and when we were kids our parents.

We don’t use the word “fear” anymore to describe it; we just talk about the consequences not the emotion. 

When we don’t speed in front of a police officer we don’t say it is because we fear the officer, we say so we don’t get a ticket. (You shouldn’t speed anyway). 

We obey the rules at work and tell people we do so that way our boss doesn’t reprimand or fire us. 

If someone asked why we did our chores, listened to the rules and obeyed our parents as kids it was so we wouldn’t get in trouble. 

You might focus on the consequences not the emotion but in reality think about it. 

When you get pulled over, or called into your bosses office or told to sit on the couch by your parents when you know you did the wrong thing, what did you feel? (or what should you have felt?)

Fear. 

It’s a healthy fear. 

Think about it some more, do you think it’s healthy for a person to have no fear of police or the law? That produces criminal activity. What kind of awful environment work would be if no one feared their boss and did whatever they wanted. I don’t need to even mention how terrible a child behaves that has no discipline or fear of the consequences of their actions. 

We need healthy fear. 

Because at the end of the day a truly good, fair and just police officer is someone who will make you feel safe despite you knowing if you break the law they would have to take you to jail. 

A good boss who you respect can make all the difference in a work environment, people grow to love and respect their bosses even though they know that boss may have to discipline them or even fire them. 

And how much does a good child love their parents even after all the discipline the parent had to put them through?

Let’s look at the other side of this. 

If a police officer uses his power to abuse someone and pervert justice you would be afraid of that officer because he instills a different kind of fear. 

If you have to walk around on eggshells at work knowing your boss may lose it or fire you at any moment, that is a different kind of fear. 

If you had to do your chores and follow the rules when you were a kid because a parent or parents would beat you or scream at you that is a different kind of fear. 

That’s not just fear that’s an unhealthy, abusive fear. 

That is not how to “fear God”. 

We are called to fear God in a healthy manner. 

I know what God is capable of, it makes me fear Him but it also makes me love Him. 

Because no one is more loving, good, fair and just then God, this makes me feel safe. 

I love God and I fear God, and my fear of God draws me closer to God, the closer I draw to God makes me love Him all the more. 

Have a Blessed Week, 

Chris 

Low Standards, Lower Grace

Last Week I wrote about God having “High Standards but Higher Grace”. How does this compare to a worldly view?

The world right now is promoting love, acceptance and tolerance.

But is this true?

Have you tried lately presenting your Christian beliefs to a worldly person?

How much love, acceptance and tolerance have you received?

I know they’re many Christians who are hard hearted and lack compassion and love as well but I am strictly speaking of what God’s standards are against the world’s.

The truth is the world’s standards are not as loving and accepting as they claim.

Speaking of standards, the world’s standards are so low. So much is considered okay. Lying, adultery, divorce, lust, violence, I could go on and on. As long as their is an excuse behind it like, “It was only a white lie” or “They deserved it”.

The world is telling you to enjoy all of life’s pleasures, just be yourself with sayings like “You do you!” and “Live your best life!”

Sounds great on the surface but in reality that way of life is empty and has no moral compass whatsoever. Another persons pleasure could cause another’s pain. You may say, “It’s fine as long as it’s not hurting anyone else”.

Is it? What if it’s hurting oneself? Do you really think it’s healthy to live a life for pleasure? You will always be unsatisfied looking for the next fix. A new house, car, phone. The dream vacation isn’t good enough when you find out your neighbor did the same vacation but got the luxury suite.

You will be left empty, jealous and wanting more.

Now let’s talk about grace, that is the main focus here.

The world has an extremely low version of grace.

Make one mistake and the world will attempt to destroy you, there is no forgiveness offer, no redemption allowed.

Don’t believe me?

Go and pull up a job application. The vast majority of them require you to inform the business if you have committed a crime in the past. Doesn’t matter if it was 30 years ago it will always be with you. If a similar crime happens in your area, the police will show up and question you first because you will always be that criminal for the rest of your life.

That is the world’s standards and that is just one example.

They will claim God is harsh, cruel and judgmental. But in reality what is God’s grace?

The Bible says God will cast our sins into the bottom of the sea, He will remove our transgressions as far as the east is from the west.

All you need is faith and repentance.

If you have faith you will stand before God not as a criminal, not as a liar, not as an adultery, not as a sinner but has a redeemed child of God.

That is true Grace, that is true love. That is something the world will never offer you.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

Further Reading:
https://explorethebible.lifeway.com/blog/adults/10-things-god-does-with-our-sin-session-11-psalm-321-11/#:~:text=When%20God%20forgives%20our%20sins,depths%20of%20the%20sea%20(Mic.

What is Loving?

I was once told that a post of mine was the opposite of what my blog was supposed to be. They said I was being judgmental and unloving for telling people the Truth that is found in Christ

In reality Jesus said He was, “The Way, The Truth and the Life” and “That no one comes to the Father except through Me”.

The truth is not judgmental. Telling someone they’re an atheist or a muslim or anything else and then proceeding to tell them about themselves that is judgmental. But telling someone they’re a sinner in need of a savior that is just truth. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

Now on to the “unloving” part. Since Jesus declared Himself to be the “Truth” not telling someone about Jesus would be unloving because not telling the truth is lying and that in itself is an unloving thing to do.

Most importantly Jesus is the savior of the World. Imagine if you were in a fire and were saved, you now know the way out of the fire, would it be unloving to tell people the way out? Or would that be the most loving thing to do. The least loving thing to do would walk away and say, “well that is my way out of the fire. They’re many different paths to getting saved from the fire”.

That would be awful!

The world right now is trying to tell us Christians to do exactly that. They’re telling us to embrace everyone with “love” but its fake love desired to gratify the flesh.

Do the most loving thing you can do, tell someone about Jesus, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Have a Blessed and Loving Week,
Chris

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A6&version=NIV

Daily Scripture Reading
Monday – Hosea 1:2-10
Tuesday – Psalm 138
Wednesday – Colossians 2:6-19
Thursday – Luke 11:1-13

Father’s Day 2020: You Will Always Have a Father

Father’s Day blog entry from 2020 for this weeks Throwback Thursday.

The Good Word

Happy Father’s Day’s to all the fathers out there who are reading this.

My wife and I’s fathers passed away a few years ago so this day can be a somber day for us. I know this is true for many people as their fathers have also passed away and  sadly for some they may never have truly know their father or any father.

If any of that describes how you feel I want to tell you, today can still be joyous.

Because while our earthly fathers might not still be in our life or ever were in our life we have THE Father who is there and who wants to have a personal relationship with us.

If you’re missing your dad or never felt fatherly love from someone know that God made you, God loves you and God is your Father.

I thank God for everything He is done…

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Seek Joy

This post reminds me of a Christmas commercial from last year that said, “Give Joy” when talking about their stuff they were selling. The truth would have been give the gift of fleeting fake joy with a present that will be out of style in a month. Well here is a Throwback Thursday Post from June 2020 about seeking true joy.

The Good Word

When are you going to stop seeking pleasures of the flesh and start seeking God?

Why do you pursue things that bring you only temporary happiness that fades away?

Instead pursue joy which truly is only found in God.

God’s love is never ending.

The joy that comes from God’s love is never ending.

Even the darkest moments in your life you can still know joy if you know God.

Know God and know joy.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

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God, What Am I Missing?

This is one of the entries I wrote that seems more timely than ever. Throwback Thursday from June 2019

The Good Word

My wife and I had a discussion last night, the conversation went on for a long while. We talked about all kinds of different problems in society, from political to social to economic to psychological and yes religious as well.

We both had a lot of passion and backed up our points with scripture, we agreed on pretty much everything.

At the end of our talk I prayed for guidance and wisdom, I was wondering if there was something I missed?

I heard one word.

“Love.”

Our discussion was missing Love.

We were missing Love.

The most important part of our faith.

You can’t fight hate with more hate, anger with anger, sadness  with sadness. Only one thing can fight the negativity in the world, it’s Love.

Despite all the problems in the world, Love is the answer.

Love is never wrong.

Love is never evil.

Love is the way.

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Mother’s Day 2022

Yesterday was Mother’s Day.

I know for a lot of people their mother’s had a big influence on them spiritually. I know my mother has always been a woman of God who has cared deeply about church and all of her children’s relationship with God.

I thank God for my mother.

I would like to share a prayer with you I found,

“Dear Father, we approach your throne on behalf of the mothers whom you have entrusted with the care of your most precious little ones. We thank you for creating each mom with a unique combination of gifts and talents. We thank you for the sacrifice of self each mom gives for her children. For the late nights spent rocking a colicky infant. For the hands calloused from washing, wiping, scrubbing, mixing, backing, stirring, hugging, patting, disciplining, holding, writing, erasing, painting, and pouring.

We thank you for the gift of time moms give for their kids, whether it’s stay-at-home moms, working moms, and moms who have some combination of the two. We thank you for the flexibility of moms, for their tirelessness, their perseverance, and their devotion.

We pray you give each mom strength. Help her to see in every mundane task the eternal, cosmic significance that you place on motherhood. Help her to understand that the most radical, world-changing events may be happening anonymously in her home. Help her to forgive those who undermine her significance.

We especially pray for single moms, who must lean solely on you for the fathering of their children. We thank you that you’re big arms surround children who may never know their earthly father. We also pray for mothers who never had the honor of bearing children, but whose nurturing extends to the many poor and needy who cross the threshold of their lives.

We ask you to be the daily bread of tired mothers. We ask you to be their living water. We ask you to be their source of spiritual and physical strength. We pray that the same grace that flowed from Father to Son to us in salvation will flow from mothers to their children. We pray that each mother rejects perfectionism and instead embraces the goodness of the gospel. We pray the rhythms of repentance and forgiveness shape every home.

Lord, give each mother a worshipful reverence of you, the Creator and Sustainer of life. Help each mother to rest in the knowledge that they are but stewards of your children and that only your Spirit can produce change into the hearts of each boy and girl. May each mother find rest in you.

Most of all, Lord, on this day in which we honor mothers, may we love and cherish the special women who have born us, who have nurtured us, and who have prayed for our well-being. May our hearts overflow with gratitude to you, who formed and knitted each of us in a mother’s womb.  Amen. 
– Daniel Darling”

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

Daily Scripture Readings:

Monday – Acts 11:1-18

Tuesday – Psalm 148

Wednesday – Revelation 21:1-6

Thursday – John 13:31-35

For the Source of the Prayer and Other Prayers Click Here…
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/mother-s-day-prayers-to-encourage-and-uplift.html

The Love of God

Throwback Thursday Post from 2019 featuring the Sermon on the Mount.

The Good Word

It is so important to know the love of God.

It’s easy to get angry with others who mock God or take the Bible out of context in order to portray God and religion as evil.

But really it’s sad.

Some of these people will never know the love of God.

Even sadder some people go church their whole lives and don’t know His love.

They will behave in a way that is the opposite of God’s teachings. Judging others, turning away from the poor, acting bitterly and angry at those around them, closing the doors to their hearts and sometimes to the churches, in order to keep certain people out.

Because of this non-believers may reject God because what they see in us as a church.

We need to be the bridge to God, not the barrier blocking the bridge.

Remember a church is God’s house, not any person…

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Limiting the Gospel

Last week I wrote that the Gospel is everything. 

However often I feel people unintentionally limit the Gospel and by doing so they try and limit God. Which of course is impossible but still this needs addressing. 

The Gospel isn’t just about the end, the whole story matters. 

Everything Jesus taught us matters. He told us to serve people, He told us to follow the narrow path. We have to pray for people, take care of the needy, look over the sick, we have to seek righteousness and go through sanctification. I’m just scratching the surface here on what Jesus taught us.

Salvation is the most important aspect however that is not the end of a person’s story.

If you lead a homeless person to salvation, they’re still homeless. The saved drug addict is still a drug addict. The abused are still abused. We must help them after they’re saved. 

Often people come to salvation while being helped. Sometimes people aren’t opened to the Gospel because of their situation, help them first. Worst case scenario you did the work of the Kingdom and planted a seed along the way.

If you disagree with me, imagine if you and your children were starving and someone came to you to talk about the Gospel would you honestly want to hear it? Or would you be more focused on getting your family fed?

There is no set order here, assess the situation, use discernment and act.

Do everything to spread the Gospel.

Have a Blessed Week,

Chris 

Scripture Reading Plan:

Monday – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Tuesday – Psalm 27

Wednesday – Philippians 3:17-4:1

Thursday – Luke 13:31-35