There are some questions that every Christian should be able to answer: Who is Jesus Christ? How does a person become saved? What is faith? However, in this day and age of feel-good Christianity, where church success is measured more by the number of people in the pews than by the character of the congregation, many Christians today have “holes” in their religious doctrine.
Recently, my pastor pointed out that in many churches, there are some fundamentals of Christianity that are being overlooked. He said that it is possible for people to sit in service Sunday after Sunday and still walk away not knowing much about their faith. And, he mentioned, this is an epidemic that affects many church leaders as well as members. So he has called for our congregation to get back to the basics.
It starts with the stuff that used to be taught in Sunday School years ago: Knowing the books of the Bible. Understanding the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Being able to quote the 23rd Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer. Then, it moves on to more advanced teaching: Knowing about Abraham and God’s covenant with him. Understanding the significance of Jesus’ lineage. Realizing why He and His followers were persecuted.
Some people may protest, “Hey, I’m not interested in becoming a Bible scholar!” But the truth is, without a good grasp of the basics, many Christians today are lost, easily swayed and compromised. In case you were wondering how I would answer some of the basic questions posed above, I turn to the Word: Who is Jesus Christ? (John 1:1-14) How does a person become saved? (Romans 10:9-10) What is faith? (Hebrews 11:1)
I want to live holy—not “holey”! What are your thoughts? Leave a message!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Stay Focused!
Sometimes it seems like it is so easy to lose focus. For example, after deciding to start a new exercise program to lose weight, all of a sudden the calendar gets so crowded, there’s hardly any time to get to the gym. Or after getting inspired to sit down and write the next great American novel, suddenly, there are a million other things to do. The key to reaching your goal is staying focused.
There are so many distractions out there. Everything seems to compete for our attention, especially when we’ve made up our mind to do something very specific. Sometimes legitimate concerns crop up: It’s hard to stay focused on going back to school and finishing a degree when you have to worry about childcare and raising a family. And sometimes our distractions are frivolous: It’s hard to focus on starting your own business when your time off from your regular job is filled with going out, shopping, or having a good time with friends.
Focus is precious. And it is so easy to lose. Even during our walk with Christ, we tend to become distracted. Matthew 14:22–33 gives the account of Jesus walking on water. When Jesus called out for Peter to join Him, at first, the disciple seemed to have solid footing. But Peter became distracted by the boisterous wind and began to sink. So often, we are distracted by what’s going on around us, we lose our focus on Christ. Thank God that Jesus is there to reach out His hand and catch us when we start sinking, like He did for Peter that day on the lake!
When I’m losing my focus because of life’s distractions, I’m turning my thoughts to Jesus. He’ll help me reach my goal!
There are so many distractions out there. Everything seems to compete for our attention, especially when we’ve made up our mind to do something very specific. Sometimes legitimate concerns crop up: It’s hard to stay focused on going back to school and finishing a degree when you have to worry about childcare and raising a family. And sometimes our distractions are frivolous: It’s hard to focus on starting your own business when your time off from your regular job is filled with going out, shopping, or having a good time with friends.
Focus is precious. And it is so easy to lose. Even during our walk with Christ, we tend to become distracted. Matthew 14:22–33 gives the account of Jesus walking on water. When Jesus called out for Peter to join Him, at first, the disciple seemed to have solid footing. But Peter became distracted by the boisterous wind and began to sink. So often, we are distracted by what’s going on around us, we lose our focus on Christ. Thank God that Jesus is there to reach out His hand and catch us when we start sinking, like He did for Peter that day on the lake!
When I’m losing my focus because of life’s distractions, I’m turning my thoughts to Jesus. He’ll help me reach my goal!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
What do you expect?
In medicine, there is something called the “placebo effect.” Studies have proven that a placebo (or sugar pill) can be just as effective as an actual drug. Regardless of the disease or problem, when patients expect that a drug is going to help them get better, they usually show some improvement. The placebo effect holds true across just about every illness category imaginable. And it goes to show you the power of great expectations.
As believers in Christ, there should be no limit to our expectations. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus himself says, “…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
If a sugar pill can relieve severe pain, how much more can even a small amount of faith in God meet our needs? My brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s put our faith into action and remember that with God, nothing is impossible.
I’m expecting great things!
As believers in Christ, there should be no limit to our expectations. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus himself says, “…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
If a sugar pill can relieve severe pain, how much more can even a small amount of faith in God meet our needs? My brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s put our faith into action and remember that with God, nothing is impossible.
I’m expecting great things!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Write through the Pain
Someone once told me that one of the tricks of the enemy is making you feel like you’re the only one who has ever gone through a particular situation. This makes sense, because in times of war, prisoners are often tortured in isolation. That’s why it’s so important for us to share our stories with one another—even the ones that we find are difficult to put down on paper.
There may be times when we find ourselves in a situation that causes us to plead, “Why me, Lord?” Even the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that he was inflicted with a stressful situation, a “thorn in my flesh.” I have been taught that this was more than just a physical inconvenience, that this “thorn” was causing Paul was causing Paul some emotional distress.
The first thing that Paul did was ask the Lord to remove the thorn. And while God is faithful to answer our prayers, in this instance, He told Paul in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So although Paul was allowed to continue to suffer this trial, he was not alone. He had the grace of God to help him get through.
The second part of verse 9 is also very revealing. The Lord says, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” This reminds me that through our trials and tribulations, it is the power of God that not only gets us through, but encourages others. When we emerge from our situation— not only are we spiritually stronger, but we come out with a testimony that glorifies the name of God and has the power to help others get through.
Your testimony is a powerful tool that God can use. That means that like Paul, when you’re faced with a thorn in your life, write about it. Put it on paper. Share it with others. Here we are, centuries later, but millions of Christians all over the world can read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and relate to Paul’s testimony. How many people today can relate to yours?
I’m not going to let the enemy keep me from sharing my story!
There may be times when we find ourselves in a situation that causes us to plead, “Why me, Lord?” Even the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that he was inflicted with a stressful situation, a “thorn in my flesh.” I have been taught that this was more than just a physical inconvenience, that this “thorn” was causing Paul was causing Paul some emotional distress.
The first thing that Paul did was ask the Lord to remove the thorn. And while God is faithful to answer our prayers, in this instance, He told Paul in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So although Paul was allowed to continue to suffer this trial, he was not alone. He had the grace of God to help him get through.
The second part of verse 9 is also very revealing. The Lord says, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” This reminds me that through our trials and tribulations, it is the power of God that not only gets us through, but encourages others. When we emerge from our situation— not only are we spiritually stronger, but we come out with a testimony that glorifies the name of God and has the power to help others get through.
Your testimony is a powerful tool that God can use. That means that like Paul, when you’re faced with a thorn in your life, write about it. Put it on paper. Share it with others. Here we are, centuries later, but millions of Christians all over the world can read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and relate to Paul’s testimony. How many people today can relate to yours?
I’m not going to let the enemy keep me from sharing my story!
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