Category Archives: Christianity

November 27 – Pastors And Prayer

1&2 Thessalonians

Today is Sunday, and I’m getting ready to worship with a very special group of people. It’s a tiny church where about 20 of us will gather. And God will be there.

The pastor is a busy man of God. He not only spends many hours each week shepherding this precious flock, but he also works another job to support himself and his dear wife. I don’t get to worship with them very often any more, but I’m always blessed and challenged when I do.

My home church’s pastor is also a godly man who serves God and our congregation with passion and love. His enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel is contagious. And I know God will be pleased to be present in their service today, too.

Paul reminds us in I Thessalonians 5:12-13 to:

appreciate those who diligently labor among (us) and have charge over (us) in the Lord and give (us) instruction, and that (we) esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

I hope you are as blessed as I with a pastor who loves God and is true to His Word. I hope you are praying for, and support him (or her) in his ministry. I hope you are praying for his family, for the people he comes in contact with every day, for the hours he spends preparing to share Jesus from the pulpit each week. Our pastors have an enormous responsibility.

So Pastor Bill and Pastor Whit, I appreciate you both. Your love for us who worship with you, your availability to us, your hours of preparation, and your faithfulness to God’s Word do not go unnoticed. I am blessed every time you share God’s Word. May God continue to bless your ministries and your families… and you. I prayed for you both today.

November 26 – Say It Anyway

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Acts 17-18:18

Religion is a hot topic. People are generally passionate about what they believe. Their beliefs defend their behavior. And their beliefs are often considered personal.

The people of Thessalonica are some of many examples in the Bible of what happens when talk about religion steps on toes. They listened to Paul for several weeks, and some believed in Jesus as a result. But, as often happens, other Jews got mad. It was ok for Paul to talk about Jesus, as long as they didn’t have to admit what they had believed was not true.

So, the Thessalonians decided to form a mob, and attack Paul. When they couldn’t find Paul, they beat up Jason instead. That’s what mobs do. And this mob fueled by jealousy wanted to hurt someone.

Then, when the Thessalonian Jews heard Paul was preaching in Berea, they followed him there to cause trouble. This was not a mob easily distracted.

Do you ever feel like people are out to get you because of your faith in Jesus? Someone seems always belittling you, or talking against you behind your back, or making fun of you in front of your peers, because “you think you’re better than everyone else”? Take heart. You are not alone. It’s been that way for thousands of years.

We can learn from Paul who, although he left Thessalonica, he didn’t stop talking about Jesus. He went through some tough situations, but he kept sharing Christ.

Here is the thing. If you know Jesus, you know the Truth. And there is only one Truth. If you know what Jesus has said, you know all religions can’t be true. There is One way, truth, and life, and no one goes to the Father except through His Son Jesus.

If you are tempted to keep your mouth shut because of the backlash of sharing Christ, don’t do it. Keep talking. It’s eternally important that people accept Jesus. They may be passionate about their beliefs, but unless they believe that Jesus is the Messiah who died to pay for their sins, they are lost. That’s not an opinion. It’s the Truth.

Let’s not be bullied into silence. It’s not enough to know the Truth. We’ve got to be taking about it, sharing it, leading others to their Savior. When people tell us to tolerate other religions, to accept other beliefs, don’t do it. When we are told to stop saying Jesus is the only way, say it anyway.

November 25 – Walk In The Spirit

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Galatians 4-6

If we walk by the Spirit, it has to be evident. The Holy Spirit living in me just can’t look like everyone else. He is God, after all.

When we put our faith in Jesus, God sends His Spirit to take up residence. The evidence of that will translate into love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Paul tells us we are free from the chains of sin and free to live godly lives. But he also warns not to let our freedom in Christ turn into an opportunity for the flesh.

“…walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”

This tells me temptations will continue to come, even after I’ve given my heart to the Lord. But through the Holy Spirit in me, I have the power to resist.

I want the Holy Spirit living in me to be evident to everyone I come in contact with. Not because I want them to think what a nice person I am. But because I want them to recognize the amazing God living in me, and want Him in their lives, too.

November 24 – Not Good Enough

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Galatians 1-3

Paul tells us God gave us the Law because people chose disobedience over obedience, and God wanted to be very clear what that looked like. The Law was not given as a means of salvation. It was never intended to be a list of rules to follow in order to earn God’s acceptance.

Paul says the Law is our tutor, teaching us that we are sinners in need of a Savior. All of us are sinners in need of a Savior. We are saved by faith in Jesus. Period.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law…” (3:13)

“… for if by righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly…” (3:21)

Friend, you will never be good enough to save yourself from hell. You’ll never be sincere enough to pay the price for your sins. You’ll never be kind enough, generous enough, thoughtful enough to erase even one of your sins.

Only Jesus can forgive your sins through His own precious blood. I pray that you have put your faith in the Savior. He’s more than good enough!

November 23 – Believe

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Acts 15-16

It sounds like it was really hard for the Jews to accept the new way of thinking about God. Old Testament Jews memorized a long list of rules and believed God’s acceptance of them depended on their obedience of those rule. And they were right to believe that.

So when Jesus came on the scene and told them He would fulfill the Law, and that access to God now came through Him instead of the Law, that was a hard pill to swallow. Maybe that’s why they wanted to add things like circumcision to salvation. It had been ingrained upon them that they had to DO something in order to be saved.

When Paul and Silas didn’t leave the jail, even when their chains fell off, the jailer realized they had something he wanted. He asked them what he needed to do to be saved.

They answered him, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your whole household.” (16:31) Salvation is in the name of Jesus.

Do you believe that? Oh, there are some things you will DO after you are saved. Like we saw yesterday, faith spills out in the things we do. But don’t think you can be good enough, or giving enough, or sincere enough to be saved.

There is no other name anywhere that can save. Do you believe Jesus is Lord, the Messiah who paid for your sin debt? Is your’s a belief that caused you to humble yourself at His feet, confess your sin, and accept His grace? I pray that is so.

November 22 – Walk The Talk

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My reading plan had me reading the entire book of James this morning. Every verse in these five chapters is gold, as far as I’m concerned. So I sat here and asked God what was the one thing I should glean for the sake of this blog today. Here are my thoughts.

I think, as I look at the entire book of James, the author’s challenge to us is to live a consistent Christian life. What does that look like? Words like patient, steadfast, humble, self-controlled, fair, wise come to mind. The fruit of the spirit comes to mind.

The theme of the book might be found in 1:22:

But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Or in 2:17:

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

It’s one thing to profess faith in God, to believe that Jesus is the Savior. But the proof of that faith is lived out day by day, by the way we treat people, by the way we handle hardships, by what we say and how we say it. The Christian life isn’t lived in a closet.

I hope you’ll read James today and let God point out the things in your life that can use some refining. Let’s determine to not only wear the name of Jesus, but to live our lives in obedience. If you are a Christian, I pray you act like one.

November 21 – Easily Swayed

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Acts 13-14

Why are we so eager to believe everything we hear? (or see posted on FaceBook?)

Today we read about people who started out listening to Paul, then turned on him when some Jews instigated a persecution agains Paul and Barnabas. The Jews went to the “devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city” and put a bug in their ear.

“Paul is a blasphemer,” they said. Their motivation, we are told, was jealousy.

In Sunday School yesterday we talked about John’s warning against false prophets in His first letter, chapter 4:1. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Do you know a lie when you hear it, even if it’s cloaked in a Bible verse or two? Do you watch the TV preachers who preach partial truths, but spread lies? We’ve got to be in the Bible ourselves. We’ve got to be grounded in God’s Word or we’ll believe the lies.

Sometimes the lies come from what a preacher doesn’t say. Take Joel Osteen. Do you hear him talk about sin, or God’s holiness, or the depravity of man? Yet look at his following. He makes people feel really good about themselves.

What about the Power of Positive Thinking? Is that what the Bible teaches? That if we think good thoughts, good things will happen?

What about what your pastor said yesterday? Do you know if his sermon is consistent with God’s Word or not? Or are you assuming it is because he’s the preacher?

I think God would have us be active listeners, researchers, people who know His Word and stand by it. Otherwise, we’ll be easily swayed.

November 20 – Not What He Expected

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Acts 11-12

I had one of those laugh-outloud moments again this morning as I read these chapters. Peter had just been miraculously freed from jail. An angel appeared in his cell where Peter slept, chained with two chains and lying between two soldiers. Guards were watching the prison, too.

But the angel told Peter to get up quickly. The chains fell off! Peter put on his shoes and coat and he followed the angel right past the guards. When they came to a gate, the gate opened all by itself. Peter was free! What an adrenaline rush.

Peter hurried to tell his friends what had happened to him. I can imagine his excitement. And we know how excitable Peter could be. He probably couldn’t wait to share the good news. I’m sure his heart was pounding in his chest.

So here’s what made me laugh out loud. A servant girl, Rhoda, answered what was probably Peter’s frantic knocking on the door. When she heard his voice and recognized it as belonging to the jailed apostle, she didn’t open the door. Instead she ran back to the other disciples to tell them Peter was there.

So here’s Peter, full of anticipation and excitement with the most amazing news to share. His hand was probably on the door knob, ready and eager to enter, when he realized he was alone. The door hadn’t opened.

Not exactly the reception he’d imagined, I’m sure.

Of course, eventually they opened the door and let him in. He was able to share what had happened. But the moment was gone. Perhaps a little of the wind in his sails died a bit.

Sometimes people who come to the Lord have the same experience as Peter had. They meet the Savior. They ask Him to forgive them and for the first time in their lives they know what real joy is. They are washed clean, a new person in Christ, set free from the chains of sin. And they want to tell those closest to them.

So with excitement and anticipation, they burst on the scene to share the details of their conversion, only to be met with blank stares and cold shoulders. Not the reception they’d imagined.

But learn from what Peter did. He kept knocking until his friends opened the door. And I think God would have us do the same. If God has blessed you, if you have witnessed His hand in a situation, or if you’ve come to know Him for the first time, and your friends and loved ones don’t share your excitement, don’t stop knocking.

Keep talking about the Lord, keep pointing them to the Savior. Because one day, like in Peter’s case, I believe that door will open and you’ll be able to share the most incredible news with the people you love.

November 18 – Seeing God

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Acts 7-8

Bad things happen. People get sick, some die. Wars and terrorism are in the news all the time. Tragedy strikes across the world, and in our own homes. Life isn’t fair.

So where is God in all of this?

When Stephen was being pummeled by rocks, he “gazed intently into heaven.” He was dying a painful death. His world was as out of control as is ours. But Stephen saw what I pray we all can see. That is Jesus, seated next to God the Father in all His glory.

Stephen didn’t focus on the stones being thrown at him, or even on the people trying to kill him. His attention was on God.

I’m not going to question God about why bad things happen. He’s already made that perfectly clear in His Word. What I want to see is Jesus, ready and willing to heal our land and our lives if we only humble ourselves and let Him.

It’s not God causing bad things to happen. He didn’t force any of those people to pick up rocks and hurl them at Stephen that day. He doesn’t force anyone to be a terrorist, or an abortionist, and He doesn’t implant cancer cells in people’s bodies to make them suffer.

Bad things happen as a result of living in a fallen world. It’s mankind’s disobedience that has taken God out of the picture and we are left with the consequences.

So where is God when tragedy strikes? Right there, waiting and willing to draw us to Himself, to comfort and strengthen, and ultimately to take us to be with Him forever. If we, like Stephen, gaze intently into heaven, into the eyes of our Savior, it’s God who gives us everything we need in the midst of the heartache and pain.

Circumstances might not change, but we might. Our hearts might be broken, but our hearts might also be healed by an encounter with the Savior, and other hearts might be healed as well because of our testimony. What Satan intends for evil, God can use for good in and through us. No matter what is happening, God wants to give His children everything we need for this life and eternity.

He wants to give us Himself. And if you think that’s not enough, dear one, you are wrong. It’s everything.

alighttomyway

LOVING God's Word, LISTENING to God's voice, LEADING others to God's Son, Jesus Christ

Category Archives: Christianity

November 27 – Pastors And Prayer

November 25 – Walk In The Spirit

November 24 – Not Good Enough

November 23 – Believe

November 22 – Walk The Talk

November 21 – Easily Swayed

November 18 – Seeing God