Why aren’t you talking about it?

Question: My adult children no longer want me to talk to them about God. Should I stop bringing up the subject?

Answer: No. If you are still talking to them about any other subject, you should still be talking to them about the subject that is the most important of all! Just think how easy you give them advice you’ve learned over the years about handling money. Or, you still remind them to eat healthy and get enough rest. Isn’t their eternal salvation and living their lives to please the Lord far more important than anything else?

The final message Jesus left with His disciples was to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I (Jesus) have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV)

If we are to be taking the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation around the world, shouldn’t our sharing include – even begin with – the ones we know and love?Just as easy as we talk to them about the latest topics in the news, we must share with them about the greatest news of all!

Understandably, when you try to speak to them about the Lord, they may try to push back against what you say. They may try to make you feel like you are old-fashioned, out-of-touch with the more “inclusive” times, or just plain hateful! Or, they might make you try to defend hypocrites or others who have sinned while serving in the church. Don’t fall into their trap! Explain the Gospel to them so that they understand that we are all sinners who need a Savior. Let them know that God’s word tells us that our one and only Savior is His Son, Jesus Christ!

Another thing they may use against you is your own sinful past. They may try to make you feel unworthy to call them out about their sinful behavior. They may even quote scripture to you. For example, they may say, “Judge not, that you may not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1) But they will not acknowledge the rest of that passage that says, “First remove the plank from your own eye (that is, ask Jesus to forgive your sins and repent of your own sins) and then you will see clearly to remove the plank out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5) In other words, while we are not to be hypocrites, we are to call out sin as sin!

Most importantly, we must always share the Gospel in ways that reflect the love of Christ in us! We must start this early by lovingly teaching our children about God. God’s word tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

And when they are adults, continue to encourage them to read the Bible for themselves so that they will grow in the understanding of God’s word. Also, encourage them to join a good Bible believing, Bible teaching church. This will allow them to grow with a community of fellow Believers.

And when opportunities come for you to share the Gospel with your adult children, don’t worry about their rejection or what you should say. Simply pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give you the right words to say. Don’t speak to them in anger or try to force your beliefs on them. Pray that God will open their hearts so that they will freely choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!

Also, pray that they will understand that choosing a life of unrepentant sin will only lead to death – eternal damnation separated from God in Heaven! And, pray they’ll see that Jesus Christ is our Savior because He died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. He loved us that much! (John 3:16)

So go ahead. Don’t be afraid. Be bold for Jesus and start talking!

Is your mouth getting you in trouble?

Feb8

Question: I’m embarrassed to say that my excessive gossiping at work led to me being passed over for a promotion. Any advice to help me control my mouth?

Answer: As a Believer, we always want our behavior to reflect the love of Christ. While we will never be perfect in this life, we must continuously examine ourselves so that we recognize when we mess up. Then, we are to ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and repent! Make the decision to stop the sinful behavior. Pray for God to help you change your ways!

Remember what God’s Word tells us in Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (NKJV) We can use our words to lift others up and encourage them. Or we can use our words to tear others down and discourage them. Since we should be about drawing people to Christ, we ought to be using language that pleases God!

For example, when we go around at work laughing with others about how unattractive or unintelligent some fellow co-workers are, we know doing this is wrong. Or, you go around spreading rumors to as many people as you can about embarrassing personal troubles of others you all know. You know you are doing wrong. You know that your words are hurting others. And you know that if someone else was spreading hurtful rumors about you, you’d be very upset! “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them…” (Matthew 7:12)

On the other hand, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 15:4) Positive words can be very useful in helping others and promoting what is good in the sight of God. With our mouths we can pray for others out loud. We can inspire others to do their best and feel better about themselves. Most importantly, we can tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ!

Therefore, using our mouths to spread good words can make a big difference in the world. For example, we can tutor a child who is struggling with their school work. We can reassure a teen who is being bullied. We can pray with a friend who is in need of healing. And, we can thankfully share the Gospel!

So stop allowing your mouth to get you in trouble. Use your words for good. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you keep your mouth in check. And most importantly, remember to regularly use your mouth to “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2 :11)

AMEN!

Are you ready to stand?

Jan12

Question: How do I avoid being dragged into political arguments at work?

Answer: You can always try changing the subject to a more neutral topic. Of course, conversations during work time should be kept to business related topics anyway. But when some people with strong opinions want to get you on their side of a political issue, they won’t be stopped easily. It’s best to go ahead and prepare yourself for how you will respond when challenged.

But you should never let anyone bully you or intimidate you into agreeing with their positions if those positions are opposite to your own. Be aware that some of these people already know you take biblically-based positions on the issues. And they just won’t tolerate you having different beliefs. You can try reporting them to your HR department if they continue to bully you. This may put a stop to their behavior, or it may not. Try anyway since no one should be bullied in the workplace or anywhere else.

Still, times will come when Believers will be confronted about their beliefs. They’ll be accused of being haters of others and lacking intelligence. When this happens, they will do well to remember 1 Peter 3:15-16. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that it in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.” (NKJV)

And face it. These conversations won’t just be taking place at work. Believers will have similar talks with family and friends who may not agree with our positions. Regardless of who we speak with we must stand strong for the beliefs God’s Word says are true. Therefore, we must regularly study the Bible and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give us the words to say when we are witnessing about these issues to others.

By doing these things, you’ll be prepared to stand!

Did Jesus really say that?

Dec10

QUESTION: Did Jesus say that we should keep our religious beliefs private?

ANSWER: No. As Christians, we can’t keep silent about our faith if we are to follow the Great Commission of Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20 quotes Jesus giving this final message to His disciples.

Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (NKJV)

Since Jesus did say this, then indeed, we are to tell others of the “Good News” of God’s Word. But, we also must remember to pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help us to know the right times to speak about our faith to others and the right times to stay quiet and just pray for them.

God wants everyone to understand that our sin separates us from Him, because He is holy, and the wages of sin is death. But because of God’s great love for us, He sent His Son to die on the Cross to take the punishment we all deserve for our sins.

Jesus rose from death on the third day and lives in heaven. If we accept Jesus as our Savior, ask Him to forgive our sins and repent, and live our lives for Him, we too, will go to heaven one day. See John 3:16.

This salvation is available to all who choose to believe it as the only way to heaven. Thank God for His grace and mercy! We must tell others of God’s great love for them. Pray that they accept His Son, Jesus as their Savior.

Good News like this must be told, not hidden! Jesus said so! Therefore go. Spread His Good News!

(Reposted from my 12/14/17 Blog)

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Thank God for second chances!

Nov4

Question: I’m afraid I’ve messed up so many times God won’t forgive me again. Am I right?
Answer: No. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ( 1 John 1:9 NKJV) God looks at our hearts. He knows when we are being sincere in our requests for His forgiveness or just saying words we don’t really mean. He also knows that we will keep “messing up” at times because we are all sinners. So, as we seek forgiveness, we must also pray for God to help us repent, or turn away from, our sins and live our lives to please Him.
And, just as we want God to forgive us when we sin and give us another chance to start over, God expects us to forgive others. He does not want us to be like the servant described in Matthew 18:23-35. In this story, we see how the king granted one person forgiveness of the enormous debt he owed the king. But, this same person refused to extend that same type of forgiveness to someone else who owed him a much smaller debt. This person ended up suffering punishment for his failure to forgive. In Luke 17:3, Jesus says, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”
However, just because we are expected to forgive, it doesn’t mean we stop being wise. God also gives us wisdom. The Apostle Paul warns us in Ephesians 5:17, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” If someone is abusing you or committing some other sin, the Bible tells us that is wrong. That would not be God’s best for your life. You can and should forgive and pray for others without tolerating their sin.
Remember that because God extends His grace to us, He will give us another chance when we mess up. He will forgive us of our sins if we ask Him with a sincere heart. God wants us to repent of our sins and live our lives to please Him. We start to please Him when we accept His only Son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only One God gave us who took the punishment of death we deserved for our sins. Since sin separates us from a holy God, we can only go to Heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, asking forgiveness, and repenting of our sins.

Thank God for second chances!

Reposted from my 6/7/17 blog.
Follow me on Twitter : @valclarksplace

Why are you so afraid?

Oct11

Question: Even though I’ve prayed about it, I’m still terrified about my upcoming job interview. What do I do?

Answer: We deal with so many things in our daily lives that can make us afraid. For example, we hear about people becoming victims of crime, so we fear for the safety of our family. We know of people who develop serious illnesses, so we fear if our children get the slightest fever. We have a lot of debts to pay off, so we fear losing our jobs. So naturally, when we are faced with challenging and high stakes events in our lives, we tend to fear the potentially negative outcomes.

But as Believers, we must remember that this fear is not of God. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in 2 Timothy 1:7 when he says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV) God does not want us to be fearful of the things in this world!

So whenever we start to feel fearful, remember the comforting scriptures in God’s Holy Word! For example, Psalm 23:4 reassures us saying,”…I will fear no evil for You are with me…” And Psalm 27:1 strengthens us saying, ” The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” These and many other scriptures teach us that when we face fear, we must focus our minds and hearts on our Almighty God!

Our loving Heavenly Father God tells us that He is with us, and He will provide for us! We do not need to be afraid! Pray and say to any fearful situation, ” God’s got this! So I’m not going to be afraid anymore!” Amen!

Who are you letting run your life?

Sep4

Question: My best friend since high school is very sweet but also very bossy. She keeps insisting that I join her book club even though I’ve repeatedly told her I don’t want to join. As a Christian, how do I let her down without making her mad at me?

Answer: Just be honest with her and stand firm in your decision. Be kind and gentle as you speak and pray for God to give you the right words to say. Reassure her that you appreciate her friendship and thank her for wanting to include you in her group. It’s normal to not want to be confrontational with those we care about but sometimes certain situations call for us to say and defend positions which might not make others happy. If she really is a friend, she should understand and not get mad.

Many times in life, we may encounter people who try to pressure us to do things we don’t want to do. This pressure can come from a variety of different places. For example, your religion professor tells you that you must believe that there are many ways to heaven. Don’t succumb to this pressure! If you are a Believer – having accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior – you know that God’s Word tells us that there is only one way to Heaven. You know that Jesus says in John 14:6, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJV) Stand firm in the truth!

Or, another example of others trying to pressure you to live your life their way might come from famous people you admire. These celebrities might tell you that you should live any lifestyle you want. They basically tell you that if it feels good, do it! But, as a Christian, you know that this is not the truth. The Bible instructs us as to how God wants us to live our lives. He tells us that we are to live our lives to please Him. In John 14:15, Jesus says, ” If you love Me, keep My commandments.” God has provided us with His Holy Word – the Bible – to let us know the type of life He wants us to live. He wants us to repent of our sins and live holy lives… lives that honor Him!

The bottom line is this: each one of us must decide who we are going to let run our lives. We can choose to just live our lives to please people, or we can choose to live our lives to please God. Remember in Luke 4:8, Jesus says, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

So, who are you letting run your life? If you’re a Christian, the only answer should be God!

(Re-posted from my 3/10/18 Blog)

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Is it time to change your view?

Aug14

Question: I’m used to deciding where I stand on an issue based on what God’s Word says on the subject. Many friends think I’m being too old-fashioned. Should I change my views to fit in better?

Answer: No. You just need to remember who you are supposed to be serving: God or man? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you should only be serving God! So His view on an issue is the only view we should have as Believers. This is called having a Christian or Biblical world view.

For example, if a politician promised to support a law that would legalize stealing other people’s property, you would not vote for this politician. Even if the politician promised to give you a lot of the stolen items to keep. And you really wanted some of these items. You would recognize that this politician was trying to get you to support something that is wrong in the eyes of God. For in Exodus 20:15, God says, “You shall not steal.” (NKJV)

But too many Christians today are trying to have it both ways. They know that they are supposed to be living their lives to please God. But when Biblical teachings become unpopular, not personally advantageous, or labeled as hateful by many in society, these same Christians cower. They start to hide, back away from, or deny the true teachings of God’s Word in order to be appealing to others.

In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus says, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (NKJV)

Therefore, if you want to please God, you will not deny His teachings. You will commit to reading His Word so you will know for yourself what He has to say about life. You will pray for God to give you guidance and wisdom as to how you are to engage with others who do not share your Christian views or who want you to support positions and policies that go against God’s Word.

And, you will know that the only way to view the issues and dilemmas of the world is by seeing them the same way that God sees them…and living your life accordingly!

Are you doing His will or your will?

Jul10

Question: I’ve been praying to get a job at a certain company for years. I keep applying, but I still haven’t gotten the job. Why won’t the Lord answer my prayers?
Answer: Maybe He already has! Just because you haven’t gotten the answer you want doesn’t mean God hasn’t answered. There could be many reasons you haven’t gotten that job. One reason being that you may not be ready for it due to your lack of having the necessary skills needed. Or, maybe God knows that you need to work at a different company for some reason. Still another possibility is that God does plan to give you a job at that company…just, not yet! The bottom line is that if God wants you to have a certain job, He will make sure you get it. Our God is all-powerful! Also, since He is all-knowing, He knows what company is best for you.
Too often, we think we already know, on our own, what is the best path to take in our life. But we fail to pray for the Lord to guide our thoughts, plans, and decision-making. We must always pray to follow God’s will for our lives even when we find this to be difficult. Hebrews 13:20-21 says, “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead…. make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” ( NKJV )
Therefore, we must not put our trust in ourselves to plan what is best for us. We must seek Jesus, through prayer, to give us wisdom and direct our paths. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us why we need to do this. Here God says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (NIV)
Thankfully, we can always trust that our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us. He knows what paths we need to take. He knows the desires of our heart, and He wants what is best for us. So, as we make these important decisions in our lives, remember Matthew 6:33. In that verse Jesus says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (KJV )
Remember: God knows what’s best. Stay in His will for your life!

(Re-posted from 5/11/17)
Follow me on Twitter: @ValClarksPlace

What should I do?

Jun14

Question: Should I stop sharing my biblical views on social issues with my non-Christian friends – some of whom are no longer speaking to me?

Answer: You should speak the truth of God with love! Remember that Jesus said we are to “make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things that I (Jesus) have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV) How can we make disciples and teach if we don’t share God’s Word with others? Through communication with others, we get to explain to people what God says about how He wants us to live our lives to please Him.

But if the way you share your beliefs comes across as uncaring, pompous, or hypocritical, you are failing to show the love of Jesus. And since these people are your friends, they would know if your “talk” doesn’t match your “walk.” They will not respect you or want to listen to you.

Of course, even if you do present your biblical views in a kind and humble way, people who don’t want to accept God’s teachings will still reject what you have to say. They would rather continue to embrace sinful behavior than to accept God’s words as true. They even try to justify themselves by calling their evil good. And what God says is good they call bad. Then, they work to make sure everyone else does the same. And if you don’t tow the line, they may call you a hater, reject you as a friend, try to get you fired from your job, or something even worse!

The truth is, in their spirit, they know God’s Word is true! That’s why they work so hard to silence Believers who rightfully use God’s words to counter their sinful agendas. But no matter how hard they may try, they can run but they can’t hide from God’s truth.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Therefore, what you should be doing is what all Believers should be doing. Be praying for others to accept Jesus Christ as their one and only Lord and Savior! And pray that the Lord will give you the right words to say at the right times, so you can continue to share the truth of God’s Word with love!