Category Archives: Christianity

December 5 – A “No Tithe” Zone

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2 Corinthians 5-9

What are your views on tithing? Is church-giving a subject talked about in your fellowship? What is your reaction when you read the sermon title in Sunday’s bulletin, and realize the subject is money… again? Do you hold to the opinion that what goes into that plate is between you and God (and maybe your accountant at tax time)?

The church in Macedonia was known for their generosity. 8:1-3 tells us this body of believers “… in a great ordeal of affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.”

Yes you heard it. Affliction, joy, poverty, and wealth all in the same sentence.

It seems they didn’t worry about what 10% looked like. They saw a need, and they gave beyond their ability.

My view on tithing? I think we should throw that mandate out the window. What if we really gave as God laid it on our hearts to give? What if we didn’t stop at 10% when God nudges us to give more?

Do you know what it costs to keep your church building and ministries running? You should. Then, with that number in front of you, maybe you should ask God what part of that He wants you to cover with the resources He’s given you. (I’m talking to myself as well)

But, you say, my kids need new shoes, my mortgage is due, I’m going to need a better car soon. I can’t give more than 10%. Sometimes that’s even more than I can give.

What if God used the same formula to bless us? What if we are receiving only 10% of what He is able to bless us? I’m not sure I want only 10% of His blessings. I’m not sure He wants only 10% of mine, either.

December 4 – Momentary, Light Affliction

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2 Corinthians 1-4

Paul talked a lot about the sufferings he was enduring. He used words like affliction, excessive burden to the extent he wanted to die, a peril of death, anguish of the heart, and in 4:7-10 he said:

… we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Verse 11 says he was constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake. Then in verse 17 he said:

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

Momentary? Light? He just got done listing a bunch of affliction that doesn’t sound momentary or light to me. How could he say that?

I think it’s perspective. And it’s a perspective I’d like to adopt.

Everything that happens in our lives happens for one reason only. That is to point us and everyone around us to Jesus. From an irritating hangnail, to this cold I’ve been fighting, to my sister’s cancer, and the tragic death of her son, everything that happens is an opportunity to reveal my Savior to myself, and to people I come in contact with.

That’s why I think Paul could describe his life as having momentary and light affliction. He wasn’t focusing on the pain. His only focus was on Jesus. He didn’t let the circumstances sideline him. He kept on sharing the Gospel.

We all go through hard times, personal pain and difficulties. Life is hard. But Paul’s example tells me that the worst this life can throw at me won’t last forever. And if Satan thinks he can use my suffering to cause me to doubt God, or to be angry at Him, or to steal my joy, he’s wrong.

Don’t miss what Paul said at the end of verse 17. The hardships we go through in this life are producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

A weight of glory. That’s what’s ahead for those of us who keep our eyes on Jesus.

Dear God, I pray for those who are going through valleys today. I pray for those who are looking at the toughest battle of their lives, or who despair of life itself. God, may we look to Jesus. May we trust Him to be exactly what we need, to give us exactly what it takes to get through. Help us to keep our eyes facing forward instead of inward. Give us Paul’s perspective, that what we face, as hard as it is, as painful as it is, can produce something more wonderful than we can imagine. Thank You for being exactly what we need in the darkest hours of our lives. May Jesus be glorified.

December 3 – A Twinkling Eye

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I Corinthians 15-16

Can you read these last chapters of I Corinthians and not get excited about “the twinkling of an eye,” the trumpet sound that will announce Jesus’ return, when “we will all be changed”? This broken down body of mine will be replaced with an unbreakable one. This mortal will put on immortality.

And I will finally see Jesus face to face. I want to shout, Hallelujah, just thinking about it!

For Christians, that day is something to get excited about, like children looking forward to Christmas morning. We will be swooped up into heaven, either from the grave, or while going about our day. And we’ll find ourselves in the most glorious place, at the throne of God!

But if you haven’t accepted the Savior as your own, you have reason to fear that day. The sound of that trumpet will cause terror to those who don’t know Jesus. Seeing Jesus descending from heaven, gathering up your neighbors, friends, and loved ones, will leave you utterly alone. You’ll look into Jesus’ eyes and see rejection, and know you have no one to blame but yourself.

Jesus is coming again. That’s a fact. I pray that you will be counted among those who welcome Him, because you’ve placed your sins at His feet and allowed Him to cover every one of them with His blood.

I pray that the twinkling eye will be yours when that trumpet sounds!

December 2 – Gifts And Service

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I Corinthians 12-14

Do you know how important you are as a member of God’s Church? I hope you have attached yourself to a congregation of believers in a local church. That place offers an avenue of service that only YOU can fulfill.

“But,” you say, “I didn’t go to college. I can’t teach a Sunday School.”

Or, “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. They wouldn’t want me in the choir.”

Or, “I can’t be on a visitation team. I wouldn’t know what to say.”

Paul, when talking about Spiritual gifts, says something we all need to hear. Look at 12:7:

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (emphasis mine)

To each one. That’s you. As a follower of Jesus, God has given YOU a gift to be used for His glory. We are all part of one body. But like Paul says, not everyone is an eye, thankfully. Not everyone is an ear. (That would just be weird) Some are fingers, toes, kidneys, eyelashes. And ALL are important. ALL are needed for a healthy body.

Don’t think God hasn’t gifted you. The Bible tells us He did. And your church – God’s Church – needs YOU to use what you’ve been given.

December 1 – Compulsion

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I Corinthians 9-11

Paul was a single-minded man. He had one aim, one purpose in life, and that was to tell everyone about Jesus. He even said, I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.  (9:16)

Later he compared himself to a runner with the aim of winning the race, and a boxer whose blows don’t beat the air.

I asked Siri to give me a definition of the word, compulsion. Here’s what she said:

  1. The action of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint.
  2. An irrestible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one’s conscious wishes.

It sounds like maybe if you asked Paul, being a preacher might not have been his first choice of careers. He just couldn’t help himself. He HAD to share the gospel.

In 11:1, Paul tells us to imitate him, like he imitated Christ. He said those words after talking about being a servant, about considering the faith of others above all things.

As I read these chapters in I Corinthians I am convicted. I’m not sure I have the same compulsion to share Jesus as Paul had. As Christians, shouldn’t we all have the same passion for seeing people come to the Lord? Shouldn’t we all be so focused on Jesus we just can’t help but share Him with everyone we meet?

November 30 – Not My Problem

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1 Corinthians 5-8

In our society we are told that each of us should take care of ourselves above all others. That our happiness needs to come first before we can make anyone else happy. That our rights trump the rights of anyone else.

What does the Bible say about that? Paul, in chapter 8, gives us an example. He says we know that idols are pretend gods, so food offered to idols isn’t unclean. There is nothing wrong with eating it.

However, if our eating that food causes anyone to stumble in their faith, Paul advises us to not eat it.

“But,” you might say, “I like what they’re serving.” Paul says, “I know. Don’t eat it.”

You might say, “I need to eat it so I can be a better mom.” Paul says, “Find something else to eat.”

You might say, “I have a right to eat it.” Paul says, “Get over yourself. We’re talking about someone’s eternal soul.”

And you might even say, “If they don’t like me eating that food, it’s not my problem.” Paul assures us it is:

But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

This example might translate into drinking alcohol, going to certain movies, attending a ballgame instead of going to church. I don’t know what God is speaking to you about, but I think He’s telling us that just because we “can” do something, it doesn’t mean we “should.”

I firmly believe if we live our lives considering the eternal lives of people around us, and are less focused on ourselves, we’d be truly happier, and they would see Jesus.

What we do and how we represent the Lord is very much our problem.

 

 

November 29 – What Matters Is Jesus

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I Corinthians 1-4

The Corinthian church had hit a rough  patch. In fact, it sounds like they were on the verge of a split. So Paul wrote a letter that gets to the heart of the matter. Jealousy. Pride.

“Stop it,” he told them. “Who cares who dunked you in the water? It doesn’t matter. What matters is Jesus.

“Who cares who is seeing people come to Christ first? It doesn’t matter. Some people plant seed, others reap. What matters is Jesus.

“Who cares who is honored, or has the best pew in church? It doesn’t matter. We are all servants of God. No one brings anything to the table they have achieved on their own.”

For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (4:7)

What matters is Jesus. Paul seems to be telling us to get over ourselves. Keep you eyes on Jesus. YOU be obedient.  YOU be wise with the wisdom God gives. YOU be foolish in the eyes of the world.

Who cares what people think? What matters is Jesus.

 

November 28 – A Private Conversation

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Acts 18:19-19-41

I like Priscilla and Aquila. They were good friends of Paul’s, and had put their faith in Jesus. I’m sure that, after hanging out with Paul for very long, they were pretty grounded.

So when they heard Apollos preaching a partial truth, they were able to recognize his error. They knew Apollos as a man instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent, and speaking accurately concerning Jesus as taught by John the Baptist. But Priscilla and Aquila also knew there was more to the story than what Apollos was preaching.

Now here’s what spoke to me today. The couple went privately to Apollos and had a conversation. I don’t see that they went to their neighbors first to complain about the preacher. They didn’t make a scene by stomping out of the church service. And they didn’t post their frustration on FaceBook.

“… they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” (18:26)

The result was exciting. Apollos became a missionary who spoke powerfully, “…demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

Our pastors are human. And Satan would like nothing more than to introduce a little apostasy into their messages on Sunday mornings. Would you recognize it if you heard it? What would you do if your pastor said things that weren’t exactly consistent with Scripture?

Churches have split over situations like this. And Satan wins. If your first action is to complain to the Sunday School class, or call another member on the phone to point out the preacher’s error… you are wrong. We need to learn from Priscilla and Aquila and have that private conversation with our pastors first. We need to hold them accountable. And I believe, if your pastor is sincerely interested in speaking the Truth, he will listen like Apollos listened.

I encouraged you to pray for your pastor yesterday as you went to Sunday worship. Let me encourage you to pray for him on Monday, too. And Tuesday. Pray that God will keep him grounded in the Scripture, that he will be open to the Spirit’s leading, and that God will be proclaimed in Spirit and Truth every time he stands in front of the congregation.

I don’t know your pastor. But I know he covets your prayers.

November 27 – Pastors And Prayer

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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.