Tag Archive | Bible

Stop Playing the Blame Game!

Mar3

Question:  How do I get my child to stop blaming others for his bad behavior and take responsibility for his actions?

Answer:  Many times, children first learn how to avoid taking responsibility for their actions from their parents.  For example, they may hear their parents blaming the rainy weather as being the reason they couldn’t get to church that Sunday.  However, the children see these same parents going to their jobs, driving to shop at the mall, or getting to their favorite game at the local sports arena all during rainy weather.   Plus, through the media, children can see popular television stars, musicians, politicians, and athletes  regularly blaming others when they are caught doing the wrong thing  or getting into legal trouble.  These famous figures fail to take personal responsibility for their actions.  Sometimes, after behaving this way, they become even more popular.  What lessons do you expect children to learn from witnessing these adults playing the blame game?

As Christians, we should care about the words we say to others.  Proverbs 8:8 says that all the words of our mouths are to be with righteousness…  With nothing crooked or perverse in them.  Exodus 20:16 says that we should not bear false witness.  In other words, we should not lie.  Blaming other things for our bad behavior when we know in our hearts it’s really our own fault is wrong.  We are not being truthful.  We are telling a lie.

Therefore, teach your children that it is a sin to lie.  Let them know that in your household, you will strive to do what is pleasing to God.  We do not please God when we do what His Holy Word says is sin.  Teach your children that we are to pray to the Lord for forgiveness of all of our sins…including when we sin by playing the blame game.  God hears our prayers, and He will forgive us our sins. Be their best role-model by accepting responsiblity for your actions!

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!

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!

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?

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!

(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?

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!

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)