Tag Archive | Bible

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

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!

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec12

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

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

(Reposted from my December 2014 Blog Post.)

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine www.wng.org

Are you living the “thankful” life?

Nov9

Question: How can I stop complaining so much and remember to be more thankful?

Answer: Start by taking a few moments right now to thank God for the many blessings in your life! Ask God to forgive you for all the times you’ve failed to give Him the glory for your life. Our Heavenly Father knows that none of our lives will be perfect, for only Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. God knows that we often have to deal with frustrations and disappointments. He knows that we can find these times hard to deal with. He has given Believers His Holy Spirit to live in us, and to guide and strengthen us as we deal with these challenges. It’s through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can learn to live the “thankful” life during both good times and hard times.

God commands us, as Believers, to be obedient to His Holy Word. He wants us to live our lives to please Him. Multiple times in His Word, He lets us know that part of being obedient is being thankful. For example:

-In Psalm 92:1, His Word tells us that “It is good to give thanks to the LORD…” (NKJV)

-Psalm 100:4-5 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”

-Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

-First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

So, we see in these scriptures and in many others why God wants us to be thankful. He wants us to value and appreciate all that He has done and continues to do for us because He loves us. Of course, we are to be most thankful for the ultimate way God showed His love for us: by giving us His Son, Jesus Christ! (Read John 3:16)

Believers are thankful that God gave us Jesus to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins and that Jesus rose again on the third day to live with God forever in Heaven. We are thankful that we’ve accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, have asked Him to forgive us of our sins, and have repented of our sins to also be able to live in Heaven one day.

For these reasons and many others, we have so many blessings in our lives for which to be thankful. God wants Believers to be thankful at all times – when things are easy and even when things are difficult. He wants Believers to remember that He loves us and is always with us.

Through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we can live the “thankful” life!

Updated and reposted from my November 12, 2022 blog post.

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God is speaking! Are you listening?

Aug10

Question: How do I make sure I’m listening to God?

Answer: You can know that you are listening to God. You can start by being faithful in praying for God to give you clear direction, and regularly reading God’s Word to see what He wants us to know! When Believers pray for direction, God will hear and answer our prayers according to His will for us. For example, in Psalm 32:8, God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go…”(NKJV) So, as He instructs us, we need to listen.

Also, in Proverbs 3:5-6, God tells us to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” By praying we show that we are listening to God. We can trust Him to do what He says He will do and to give us guidance.

We also show that we are listening to God when we regularly read and study the Bible and when we pray for understanding as we read. The following are just a few of the Scriptures that reveal why this is important. Listen to what God is saying to us.

“But He (Jesus Christ) answered (Satan) and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

“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.” ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

When we study God’s word and pray for understanding, we learn what God has to say to us. Once we listen to what God has say, we as Believers, need to do what He tells us to do. As we learn in James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

So, for example, when you hear in God’s word that we all need to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior (John 14:6, Acts 16:30-31, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9), do you listen and accept Christ as your one and only Savior? Or, do you continue to reject God?

When you hear in God’s word that He has made promises to those who believe – to save them, forgive their sins when they ask, help them, and be with them always (John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11, 2 Corinthians 2:19-20), do you listen and believe Him? Or, do you doubt Him?

When you hear in God’s word that He wants His believers to live their lives to please Him and to spread the good news of the Gospel to everyone in the world (Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 28:18-20), do you listen? Or, do you choose not to prioritize living according to God’s instruction? Do you not tell others about Jesus?

Remember, God will speak to us when we are faithful to pray and study His word. So, make sure you’re listening!

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Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec9

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

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine http://www.worldmag.com

(Reposted from my Dec. 2014 Blog Post)

“We’re with you, Jesus…as long as we don’t get a better offer.”

Feb18

Question: Why are some Christians siding with those who stand against biblical teachings?

Answer: Sadly, many Christians have more of a “What’s in it for me?” attitude than a “put God first” attitude. They don’t take the time to examine themselves to see if they are making choices that please God. Instead, when they make choices on how best to deal with society’s issues, they mostly consider how the outcome will benefit them or the people they care more about. They don’t put the priority on what is right according to God’s Holy Word. If the two sides don’t match, it’s God’s side that takes a back seat in their choices.

For too many Christians, not only are they looking out for themselves first, but they also tend to side with what is popular with those they admire. For example, when some Christians are at parties with friends who are drinking heavily, making crude jokes, or belittling those who don’t embrace their sinful views on social issues, these Christians will likely remain silent. They don’t want to look unintelligent or seem like a religious extremist if they offer a biblical view on these topics. They also fear being excluded from future party invite lists or being labeled intolerant because they aren’t seen as embracing sinful lifestyles.

Other Christians fear losing favor with their boss at work. They’ve caught on to the unwritten rule that you never openly disagree with the boss if you want to get promoted. So, to stay in the good graces of their boss, they might choose to simply go along with employers or co-workers’ requests to donate to causes or organizations that the boss supports. They’ll agree to donate their money and even their time to these causes even if these causes promote views that go against the teachings of God’s Word. They choose getting ahead on the job before standing for their faith and refusing to participate in these sin-promoting activities.

Even more far-reaching in impact is when these Christians vote for politicians who clearly state that they are planning to push for legislation that goes against biblical teaching. These politicians promise good things like creating more jobs or helping the poor. Therefore, these Christians are willing to overlook the sinful things they also promise to do, like supporting abortions and redefining marriage to be something other than the biblical marriage of one man with one woman. Again, they choose to make God’s teachings take a back seat to the political promises they hope to get. These choices not only negatively affect them, they negatively affect the entire society and lead them away from God.

Christians must stop being hypocrites — praising Jesus and declaring their love for God on Sunday, then turning their backs on God when they think they’re getting a “better” offer on Monday! They must remember that Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (NKJV) In Exodus 20:3, God says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” When Christians choose social status, money, power, or any other thing that makes them put God after it, they are making these things more important than God is in their lives. They are making Jesus take a back seat to what they think is a better offer. We must always remember, though, that there is no better offer than receiving God’s gift of the saving grace of His Son, Jesus Christ!

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