Does love really mean not calling sin…sin?

Feb2

Question: Shouldn’t Christians just show love to others and stop trying to shame them about their sins?

Answer:  That depends on what you mean by “showing love.”  Consider this:  a good and loving parent teaches their child right from wrong and lets that child know that doing wrong (sinning) will lead to negative consequences.  For example, the loving parent will teach their child not to play with matches. They will tell him what could happen if he started a fire that caused himself or others to be seriously burned.  The parent would let the child know that his disobedience could even lead to the entire house burning to the ground.  If that child still goes and plays with the matches, the parent will tell the child, again, why this was wrong and punish the child to discourage him from doing it again.  Likely, that child will feel ashamed when being called out for doing wrong.

But, better that parent tell that child what he was doing was wrong than keeping the child ignorant of the dangers of his actions… actions that could possibly lead to catastrophic results!  That parent telling the child his behavior was wrong was actually showing love to that child. For it would not be very loving to let that child remain unaware of his dangerous behavior and the potentially deadly consequences.

Likewise, God wants Believers to tell  the world His Gospel. In fact, Jesus left us with the Great Commission to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” ( Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV)  Of utmost importance in what His Holy Word teaches is the deadly consequences of our sin.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Since Romans 3:23 says that we “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” we all need our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Therefore,  it would not be very loving to keep people ignorant of the dangers of their sinful behavior.  Letting people know what sin is and the consequences of their sin is actually a loving thing to do. Just always let them know in ways that are compassionate and caring – remembering that we were all lost in sin until we accepted Jesus as our Savior.  Thank God for His saving grace!

Do you really know what you believe?

Jan4

Question:  Why do so many Christians have trouble explaining how the Bible relates to today’s social issues?

Answer:  Simply put, many Christians are not regularly studying God’s Word.  In 2nd Timothy 2:15, the Bible says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV)   When we stay in God’s word and pray for Him to give us understanding as we study, we can trust God to make His truth known to us.  In fact, by continuing on in 2nd Timothy 3:16-17, the Word says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  (NKJV)  Therefore, it’s vital that Christians study God’s word in order to know what they believe and be able to explain their beliefs to others.

Another problem many Christians face is that in our society today, Christians listen to people in the media as well as in their communities tell them what they had better think about various issues.  If the Christian dares to stand up for an opposing view, they may face ridicule, be called a “hater,” or even lose their job.  For example, a politician who says he is “pro-life” might be falsely accused of being against women’s rights.  A student who writes a term paper about how this country was founded on Christian principles might be falsely accused of not embracing religious diversity. Or, a different student might be falsely accused of not loving this country because they write about how the country was not always following Christian principles: for example having years of legalizing the sins of slavery and racial segregation.

Many Christians would rather say little, speak in vague terms, or remain quiet in order to be accepted by the group.  Sometimes, these Christians start to try to rationalize that it is okay to embrace the anti-Bible beliefs of the popular culture so that they can appear tolerant of all beliefs.  As a result, when this Christian tries to explain their beliefs, their explanation might sound confusing.  In fact, you can’t embrace both God’s teachings and Satan’s without being confused.  We are only to embrace the teachings in God’s Word — while always showing God’s love to others!

The bottom line is that as Christians, we need to be sure that we really know what we believe.  Therefore, we must study God’s word to know how He wants us to live our lives.  Make time, regularly to read the Bible at home and participate in good Bible studies under godly pastors and teachers.  Pray that you get the correct understanding from your studies.  As a result, you should be much better equipped to explain your Christian beliefs and stands on various issues to others.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Nov29

Question:  In the hustle and bustle of the season, how can I make sure I’m keeping Christ in Christmas?

Answer:  Even dedicated Christians can sometimes find themselves consumed with every tradition of the holiday season except what’s most important.  They can forget that Jesus really is the reason for the season!  Christians know that this is the time of the year we choose to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should make the time and make the effort to keep Christ in our Christmas!  But, if we know this, then why don’t we do it?

Unfortunately, some Christians can get as consumed with creating the picture-perfect Christmas experience as the world does. They fill themselves with anxiety trying to get the best super sales on the most popular gifts.  Adults get worked up over seeing their peers gifting themselves with the latest “must-have” gadgets and new technology.  They wear themselves out trying to keep up with the trends of the crowd. They forget to  pause, reflect, and be thankful for the greatest gift – Jesus Christ.

Likewise, many Christian families find themselves in turmoil during this season.  Married couples fight over which in-laws they are going to spend Christmas Day with.  Parents argue over how much money they are going to spend to make sure their children have this year’s hottest toys. They fill the family calendar with so many seasonal activities that they find themselves exhausted.  Yet, they fail to make time for the most important things – reading, meditating on, and discussing God’s Word.

Most importantly, during this season of spending extra time with family and friends, too many Christians fail to include in their discussions talk of their walk with the Lord.  They tend not to share with their family and friends how God has brought them faithfully through this year.  They are willing to talk about everything else but Jesus.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!  See that you and your family are keeping Christ in Christmas. There are many ways you can do this.  For example, plan to take your family to a church Christmas program that tells the story of Christ’s birth.  While decorating the tree, play or sing Christmas hymns that give praise to our Lord.  Make sure to share with your family and friends how God has blessed you this year.  And, always make sure your family knows the story of the birth of our Savior.  Luke 2: 1-20 spells out in detail how Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  This Bible passage may be one you’d even want to read aloud together.  Listen to a reading of this account by clicking here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCKpwaRxIww&feature=youtube_gdata .

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

Being thankful for Not getting what you wanted!

Nov10

Question:  Should we give thanks for unanswered prayers?

Answer:  Yes! Give thanks to God because He always answers our prayers.  Remember, His answer may be yes, no, or not yet, but He always answers.  We are reminded of this in 1 John 5:14-15, ” Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (NKJV)  Note that what we pray for must still go along with God’s will for our lives.  God’s will and our desires may not match.  That said, God very much wants us to continue to pray to Him for the things we feel we want or need.  We usually enthusiastically give God thanks when He answers our prayers with a “yes.”  Of course, when we do this, we are doing the right thing.  However, it’s very important to remind ourselves to give thanks even when God’s answer is “no.”  Believers know that while we may think we know what is best for us, God truly knows what’s best for us in every situation of our lives.  We must also know that our ways are not necessarily His ways, and our preferred timing for things to happen, is not always His timing for things to happen.

Here are two examples of God knowing what’s best for us better than we do.  Consider the twenty-something young lady who has a strong  desire to get married and even has her eyes set on the exact young man she considers her perfect match.  He’s handsome, successful in his career, and regularly attends church.  She prays to God to bless her to get married to this fine young man.  After the two have dated for a while, the young man seems to lose interest in her and goes off to eventually marry someone else.  Our young lady is crushed, and she doesn’t understand why God didn’t answer her prayer with a “yes.”   Twenty years later, we find our young lady happily married to a wonderful man she first met in her thirties.  She is surprised to learn that the young man she prayed to marry decades earlier is now on his third divorce.  According to his ex-wives, he had been a terrible husband.  Our lady is now very happy God answered “no” to her earlier prayer.

A different example:   a middle-aged man prays to God to get a new career position that he thinks is just right for him.  He’d be working for a great company and making a much larger salary than he’s making in his current position — something especially important as he starts to get closer to retirement age.   However, this man watches in disbelief as someone else gets that prized position.  He can’t understand what he had done so wrong that God would not reward him with the job of his heart’s desire.  Later, it turns out the person taking his dream job lasts less than a year.  The company down-sized and that position got eliminated.  That person is now unemployed.  Our middle-aged man is happy he still has his job.  He’s also very happy that God answered his earlier prayer with a “no.”

If we are being really honest with ourselves,  most of us can probably recall times in our lives when we were very upset when God said “no” to us.  Likewise, as in these two examples, we can look back at one or more of these “no’s” and be thankful.  We now shudder at the thought of how things would be if God’s answer had been “yes.”  As believers, we know that we will never understand in this lifetime, why God answers us in the ways He does.  Also, God knows, understands, and cares when we are hurt and disappointed when He doesn’t answer all of our prayers with a “yes.”  He wants us to trust that He knows what is best and take comfort in this knowledge.  We must pray to have stronger faith and trust in God.  Then, we will be spiritually equipped for those times when we need to be thankful for NOT getting what we wanted!

Be careful who you listen to for the truth!

Oct18

Question:  One of my college religion professors told us that we should not interpret the Bible as being literally given by God. Is he right?

Answer:  No. Your professor is wrong! That’s another reason why we should read God’s  Holy Word for ourselves, so we can learn the truth. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NKJV)

Therefore, your professor can be added to a list of people you must be careful of, when you listen to them, if you are a Believer.  The Apostle John warns Christians not to believe everything they are told about matters pertaining to their faith. For there will be many claiming they are speaking moral truths, but in reality, they are lying!  (Read 1 John 4:1-6)  If they are telling you things that agree with what the Bible says, they are speaking the truth.  But if they say other things that go against what the Bible says, they are not speaking God’s truth.

Sadly, instead of using this standard as their moral guide, too many people tend to blindly believe people simply based on the person’s likeability or popularity.  That’s why you can find even Believers turning their back on God’s teachings to support the sinful teachings of their favorite celebrities and politicians. These famous people may be intelligent, beautiful, talented, and rich.  So people admire and want to support them.  And, in the case of the politicians, people may like the promises they make to them and just ignore it when those same politicians are clearly supporting sin.  Jesus warns us about these “false teachers.”  (See Matthew 7:15-19)  Don’t be fooled into listening to their sinful teachings.

The Bible also tells us that people may prefer to listen to those who simply tell them what they want to hear.  For example, 2 Timothy 4: 3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”  In other words, they don’t want to listen to God.

So, Believers, be careful who you listen to for the truth. Know whether or not you are hearing the truth according to God’s Holy Word. Study the Bible for yourself and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help you discern the difference between when you are hearing the truth and when you are hearing a lie.

Only follow God’s truth!

Are your conversations pleasing to God?

Sep13

Question: Why do some Believers speak to people in ways that would not please God?

Answer: Some Believers don’t realize that all their conversations are important to God! Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV) If you are speaking rudely to people, cursing, or telling lies about others, are you being “salt and light” for the Lord? No!

As you study God’s word, you’ll find many other scriptures where Believers can learn about the importance of our words. For example, Proverbs 15:4 says, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul tells the people to, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Colossians 4:6)

Christians must remember that when we treat people harshly with our words — spoken or written — we reflect a bad example of God’s love to others. After people witness such evil language from us, how then can we expect to come back and try to tell them about the love of Jesus Christ? How do we also witness to them, as we are supposed to do, about their need to be saved from their sins? Since they aren’t witnessing that type love from us, they may rightly see us as hypocrites!

Also, Believers need to remember that people — especially our young people — are watching them and listening to them even though they might not admit it. What are they to think if they witness a Christian always speaking angrily or negatively? They are certainly not seeing this as you reflecting the joy of the Lord!

Obviously, we aren’t always going to be happy about every situation we have to deal with. There will be times when we are going to be upset and disappointed. But even during these difficult times, we must remember to pray. Pray for God to give us the patience, wisdom, peace, and guidance we need so that our conversations continue to reflect our faith and hope in the Lord.

Again, it helps for Believers to reflect on God’s Holy Word. For example, Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Also, in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he tells them: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for edification (building up), that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

So, Believers, remember that God cares about all of our conversations! Make sure as we communicate with others, we speak as if Jesus Christ is right beside us listening…because He is!

Believers beware; the battle is on!

Aug12

Question::  Why do some Christians say we’re in a spiritual war?

Answer:  Just being Believers makes us target number one for Satan.  The Bible tells us to “be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NKJV)   Jesus also says in John 10:10 that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…”  Therefore, Christians must be on guard against the devil achieving his goals of  causing trouble and trying to destroy our lives.  In other words, Believers need to recognize when we are facing spiritual warfare.

There are many different circumstances Christians find themselves in that are actually experiences of spiritual warfare.  For example, when you’re facing challenges like marital troubles, unemployment,  financial difficulties, medical problems — physical or emotional — and  you start to feel like things are never going to get better or that you’re just a failure in life, you’re in a spiritual battle.

Or, when your children, who were raised in the Church but then later rebel against the biblical morals they were taught to live by,  you know you’re in a spiritual battle.  Another example is when  your boss or co-workers show open resentment of you for being morally different from them.  They may even deny you promotions because you believe in living out your Christian beliefs.  They make fun of you because you don’t laugh at their dirty jokes or join them in their after-work  partying where they are known for getting drunk and doing other sinful things.   You know you’re in a spiritual battle.

God’s Word tells us to handle these times of spiritual warfare by turning to Him through Bible study and prayer to receive God’s guidance and help.  Said another way, the Word tells us toput our armor on!    Ephesians 6:11-18 says:

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”  (NIV)

Nationally known pastor and author Dr. Tony Evans created a compelling and helpful Bible study on how Christians should deal with spiritual battles.  The title of the study is “Victory in Spiritual Warfare.”   Check out the 1 minute, 26 second trailer about this study here:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n6m9DLHJ_Y.

So, Believers beware; the battle is on!  Thankfully, we can trust that God has provided the way to victory over Satan in these battles.   That way to victory starts when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, ask Jesus to forgive our sins and repent, then receive the power of God’s Holy Spirit into our lives.  It is God’s power that will give us the victory over spiritual battles!

Are you living your life…for Christ?

Jul19

Question: How do I make sure I’m living my life to please God?

Answer: To know that you are living your life to please God, starts with understanding that your life and every life is a gift from God! He is the One who creates life. From conception to natural death, God loves us and cares about each of our lives. And, He wants us all to live our lives in the way He intended for us to live. If we decide to live our lives in ways that just satisfy ourselves first instead of putting God first in our lives, we are not living to please God.

The first step in pleasing God is accepting His only Son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior. God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. That sin keeps us separated from an eternal life with God. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. (See John 3:16) Jesus rose to life on the third day and is alive with God the Father in Heaven. By asking God to forgive us of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our one and only Savior, we will have eternal life with God in Heaven!

Jesus, Himself, repeatedly confirms this truth in His Word. For example, in John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJV) And, in John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and My Father are one.” We know this is true because Jesus does not lie!

The next steps to living your life for God through Jesus Christ are to pray and study God’s Word. Pray for His Holy Spirit to guide your steps so that you live in God’s plan for your life. (See Jeremiah 29:11) And, you need to regularly read and study God’s Holy Word, The Bible. This is important because “All scripture is given by inspiration of God. And it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16) And the Lord wants you to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

By following these steps, you will learn how God expects you to live your life to please Him. Will you be perfect? No! If you could be perfect, you would not need the Savior. But, when you mess up and sin, you can ask Jesus to forgive you and repent of your sins! And, He will. Does this mean you won’t have any problems? No. You are still flesh. The Word tells us that the works of the flesh create problems. (See Galatians 5:19-21). We are to pray for God to help us through the difficult times. He is faithful to see us through!

But, while there will be times of trouble, there will also be many times of great blessings! Remember that through the Holy Spirit, you will reap the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Therefore, through the Holy Spirit, you will be able to be “salt and light” for the Lord (Matthew 5:13-16) and ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). You would be living a life of holiness and good works which would be pleasing to God! For such a life well-lived, you could hear God say to you, as Jesus said in His story about the obedient servant in Matthew 25:23, “…Well done, good and faithful servant…”

Amen!

A Family Needs a Firm Foundation

Jun10

Question:  In these challenging social times, how do I help my children be strong Christians?

Answer:  It’s true that traditional Christian values are being challenged from every direction.  If your son or daughter attends public schools or universities, they are most likely being taught to believe ideas and ways that are contrary to God’s biblical teachings…in addition to the regular reading, writing, and math.  Most parents are not aware of this.  That’s why parents need to be very active in keeping up with what’s going on in their child’s school.  However, the bottom line is that parents cannot be with their child every minute.  Therefore, it becomes even more important that parents are teaching their children from a very early age what exactly their family believes.  Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  This training will be their firm foundation.

Sadly, too many Christians today don’t even know themselves what God teaches us in His Word-The Holy Bible.  As Christians, we need to read and study the Bible for ourselves.  Plus, it is extremely important to attend a true Bible believing, Bible teaching church.  Be aware that many places call themselves a church, but they don’t even teach that the Bible is the true word of God. If you are in a church like this, you and your family need to leave NOW!  Pray to find a church to join that actually follows God’s Word!

Also, know that having that firm foundation starts with you and your children understanding that we are all sinners in need of a Savior.  Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is that Savior. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserved for our sins. He rose to life again on the third day and now lives at the right hand of our Father God in Heaven.

Once we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we can go on to grow in our faith!  Know that we cannot strive in this world by our own strength.  God gives us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through this life…until we die from this world, and move on to eternal life in Heaven!

So remember to pray for the Lord to strengthen your family in their faith and help them live their lives to please Him! Pray for them to keep God as their firm foundation!

(Reposted and updated from my March 22, 2012 Blog Post)

Looking for Hope in all the wrong places!

May9

Question: It’s been months since my boyfriend dumped me, and I still have dreams of being married and having kids with him.  How do I move on?

Answer: It can be very difficult moving on with our lives after having our dreams shattered.  Unfortunately, as long as you’re dealing with imperfect people, you’ll run the risk of having them disappoint you.  And, as the Bible teaches us, we’re all imperfect people.  Believers know that we are all sinners and that it is our faith in Jesus Christ that saves us (See Romans 5:8-11).  God’s Word also tells us that it is Him that we must put our dependence on. He knows our needs and wants.  He will bless us when we believe and trust in Him! The abilACity to move on with our lives will happen if we put our hope in God, and God alone!  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (NKJV)

More and more these days, we find people putting their hope in other people instead of putting their hope in God. For example, we see this nearly every election, when various politicians and their political groups make all kinds of promises to people in order to get their votes.  People put their hope in these politicians because the people really believe these politicians are going to do things to make their lives better. Later, the people realize their lives aren’t much better.  And, too many times, their favorite politicians didn’t keep their promises.  Instead of putting our hope in politicians, we need to put our hope in God! (See Psalm 118:8-9.)

Also, people have been known to put their hope in religious leaders. They forget that religious leaders are still human.  They are imperfect and will sin just like everyone else.  The only man to walk this earth without committing sin is Jesus Christ because He is God. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21) Sadly, when religious leaders fall, some of their followers will have their faith shaken.  They may even abandon their faith.  This happens because they have put their hope in man instead of putting their hope in God.

Most commonly, people find themselves putting their hope in their family.  Be it their parents, children, or spouses, people’s lives can be shattered when these family members make huge moral mistakes.  Hearts are broken as a result of their sins, and disillusionment sets in.  People will often blame God for putting them in these relationships.  But, all along, people should have been putting their hope in God and not in their family members because family members are still just imperfect humans.

Therefore, people need to stop looking for hope in all the wrong places. Our hope should not be placed in politicians, celebrities, religious leaders, friends, family, or even ourselves.  Our hope should only be in God!