Tag Archive | Jesus

Staying calm through the chaos

Question: As a Believer, how do I handle all the chaos going on in the world?

Answer: Trust God and remember that He is still in control! Even though we know that we need to have this strong faith, sometimes doing so can be difficult. Many of us may struggle to stay calm as we deal with the challenges in our lives. For example, many people or their loved ones are struggling with health issues. Some people are dealing with financial problems. Still others may be trying to repair personal relationships or resolve problems at their jobs. All of these issues we deal with personally. They can make our daily lives hard and even chaotic at times.

Then, there are also the troubling issues we face when we look around our world. We anxiously follow the news about wars and conflicts happening between nations. Our hearts go out to the many innocent victims who suffer because of these conflicts. We may wonder if divisions among various groups in our own country will lead to more instances of animosity, violence, and chaos in our communities.

And although the Bible warns us that many people will turn away from God in the final days (2 Thessalonians 2:3) it’s still hard to believe as we see it happen. We watch as many in our culture go against God’s Word just as He warned through the Prophet Isaiah: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil….” (Isaiah 5:20 NKJV)

They act as if they know better than God, when obviously they do not and never will! “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes…” (Isaiah 5:21) The Apostle Paul clearly describes them by saying, “Professing to be wise, they became fools,” (Romans 1:22)

And we feel the tension as we prepare ourselves to resist those who are trying to force their promotion of sin on the rest of us. As Believers, we must recognize that these challenges which cause chaos in our world are actually spiritual battles. They can be dealt with only by following the Word of God. We know that we can be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” We can trust God to take care of us through all situations (Ephesians 6).

But, before you are ready to follow God’s Word, you must accept God for who He actually is, our Almighty Father, the Creator of Heaven and earth (Genesis 1). You must accept His Son Jesus Christ as our One and Only Lord and Savior. Accept that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to life on the third day to take the punishment we deserved for our sins. You must ask Jesus for forgiveness for your sins, turn from your sins, and live your life to please Him! (John 3:16, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 John 1:9, Acts3:19)

Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to comfort, strengthen, protect, and guide you as you deal with all the challenges of life. Pray that you will be blessed with the joy, hope, and peace that only God can provide. Also, pray for those in need around the world and for repentance and salvation for all the spiritually lost.

Remember the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians. He reminds us to “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 (Philippians 4:6-7).”

Believe and follow God’s Word. Then you will know how to stay calm through the chaos of life!

Are you falling for all the sweet talk?

Feb6

Question: Our new Bible study teacher is friendly, funny, and very intelligent. But, she says that we should be neutral on the sinful behaviors being promoted in our culture or we might come across as judgmental or hateful! Should I stay in her study group?

Answer: No! It’s very important for Believers to be in Bible studies and churches that teach God’s Word correctly! Your new leader may sound smart, but she is not teaching you the truth. The Scriptures do not tell us to be neutral about sin. Our sins are what keep us separated from a Holy God. And when we sin, we are being disobedient to God. God hates sin. (Proverbs 6:16-19) And, so should we. There’s nothing neutral about that!

But while hating the sin, God loves the sinner and so should we. We are all sinners saved only by the grace of God through our acceptance of His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior! (John 3:16) Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. He rose on the third day to live again with God the Father!

As for being judgmental, Jesus did say in Matthew 7:1 to “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (NKJV) However, His teaching does not stop there. Verses 3-5 go on to say, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?… Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

So, while your teacher is correct to say that we shouldn’t be hateful and judgmental hypocrites, she leaves out the rest of God’s teachings. It is not uncommon for those who are leading you away from God to mix their sweet-sounding lies with a little bit of truth.

Another example of this is when these false teachers try to convince you that since you are not committing a certain sin yourself, it’s okay to support leaders who give legitimacy to certain sins being promoted in our culture. But God’s Word doesn’t say supporting these type of leaders is fine. In fact, the scriptures tell us that supporting such leaders would be wrong. (Read Romans 1:18-32)

Therefore, you must not believe these false teachers. They will only lead you away from God. (Matthew 7:15-20) Pray that you don’t fall victim to their sweet talk when what they are saying goes against God’s Word!

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec4

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!

(Re-posted from 12/11/14)

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.worldmag.com

A Family Needs a Firm Foundation

Jun12

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 true. If you are in a church like this, you and your family need to leave NOW! Learn God’s Word! Being strong in the Lord 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. Once we ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Savior, we can go on to grow in our faith in the Lord! 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!

(Re-posted from March 2012)

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.worldmag.com

Are you all talk and no action?

May17

Question: When I go along with things my friends do that I know are wrong, I feel like such a hypocrite. But should I feel this way? After all, I really don’t want them to get mad at me, and God knows what’s really in my heart.

Answer: Yes. You should feel like a hypocrite because you are being a hypocrite! You admit that as a Christian you know these actions by your friends are wrong, yet you participate with them anyway. And you are absolutely correct when you say that God knows what’s in our heart. So He knows that you willingly choose to do wrong to please your friends instead of doing the right thing to please God! (See Romans 12:9)

Too often, many Christians will say they believe and love the word of God, but then choose to act in ways that go against the teachings of God. For example, parents rightfully teach their children that lying is wrong. Then, their children hear them lying to someone – like a bill collector – or find out they’ve been lying on their tax returns. These parents are teaching their children that it’s fine to say one thing yet do the opposite.

Other examples would be when we pray to God to heal us of sickness caused by our unhealthy lifestyles or to get us out of financial debt. We rightfully say that God wants us to be both physically and financially healthy. Yet, we choose to keep overeating foods we know are bad for us and charging up our credit cards to the max with items we don’t need!

Or when Christians say they want to put God first in their lives, then in reality put Him second! This can happen, for example, when you admire your favorite celebrities and politicians so much that you disregard the sinful causes they promote and give them your support and your vote! You do this even when you know what they unashamedly support goes against the word of God! You are saying you put God first, but by these actions are actually putting them first and Him second.

Still more examples include how you treat other people. You may say that God wants us to show His love to everyone, yet you fail to treat people who look different than you with respect. Or you fail to be kind to or even speak to people you feel are somehow unworthy. You may even fail to show God’s love to members of your own family!

In all of these examples and in many others, you are talking the talk but not walking the walk! You are being a hypocrite and therefore not pleasing God!

But there is good news! Our God is full of grace and mercy! Because of His great love for us He has made a way for us to make our relationship right with Him. It starts with you accepting God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior! ( Romans 10:9) Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and stop being a hypocrite!

It’s true that we will not be perfect in this life — “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But we want to take steps to keep us on the right track. We must regularly pray for God’s Holy Spirit to guide us through our days so that we make the right decisions. And we must take the time to regularly read and study the Bible so that we will know God’s word for ourselves.

So stop being all talk and no action. Start really putting God first in your life. Every day, pray to know what is pleasing to Him. Then do it!

Amen

Your secret is out!

Apr20

Question: I’m a leader in my community hiding a terrible secret. I’m addicted to pornography. I try to hide it from my family by watching it after everyone goes to bed. How do I free myself from this sinful habit?

Answer: Sadly, your addiction is shared by billions of people around the world. For example, one popular pornography site gets 42 billion visits yearly! This site includes videos of young girls being raped, trafficked, and abused! (Source: American Family Association Journal, May 2020 Edition, Page 7) And this is just one of numerous sites!

But like every other sinful behavior we try to hide, it really isn’t a secret at all. None of us can hide any of our behavior from the One who sees all and knows all – the Lord God Almighty! We’re told in 1 John 3:20, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” (NKJV)

Therefore, God knows about everything from our sexual immorality to our greed and evil-mindedness (see Romans Ch. 1:18-32). He also knows the “hidden” sins of the heart– when we are “undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful…” (v.31) These scriptures go on to say that even when people aren’t actually committing these shameful behaviors themselves, they still sin when they “approve of those who practice them.” (v.32) Even many Believers fall into these sinful behaviors. (Ephesians 5:5-12)

Thankfully, God has provided us all with the way to truly be free from our sins – including pornography addiction and every other sin. That one and only way is through His only Son, Jesus Christ! Jesus died on the cross – and rose on the third day – to take the punishment of death we deserved for our sins. That’s why we must accept Jesus as our one and only Savior. We are to ask Him to forgive us of our sins. And, we are to repent (turn away) from our sins, and live our lives to please God!

Through His Holy Word, the Bible, we learn how and why we are to live to please God. We also learn the importance of praying for God’s help. By the power of His Holy Spirit, we are given the will-power and guidance we need to turn from our sins and grow in the knowledge of God’s Word.

Knowing God’s Word is very important in helping us stay strong against the evil in our lives. The Word reminds us that we can’t hide from God. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “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.”

So, if you still think you’re hiding your sin, you’re not. Your secret is out to God! And know that the only way to truly set yourself free from your sins starts with accepting Jesus as your Savior and asking Him to set you free!

As Jesus, Himself, said: “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Amen!

Why aren’t you talking about it?

Mar12

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!

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

It’s About Time!

Feb8

Question: I want to spend more quality time with my family and reading the Bible daily, but my day seems to go by so fast. Should I feel guilty?

Answer: Often, people complain about not having enough time in a day to do all the things they want to do. For many people, they really don’t have a lot of extra time if they work full-time jobs and sometimes additional part-time jobs. Or, some people spend their day busy as stay-at-home moms or as full-time caretakers for adults in their homes. Again, these people may find having spare time in their day a challenge.

However, for many people – even people with busy schedules – finding at least some extra time in their day might be as simple as paying more attention to what they are actually spending their time doing. For example, if you normally get up at 6:00am, you could get up at 5:30am instead. That extra 30 minutes could be used for Bible reading.

If you take time after work to stop by a store or run errands, you might be able to spend only one day during the week and part of the weekend doing those chores. Or, cook multiple meals on the weekend, so you can just heat them up quickly during the week. Use this extra time to spend with your family and for Bible reading.

But, if we really want to be honest, we feel guilty because we know that we do have extra time in our day. It’s just that we choose to spend that extra time on other things. We spend that time on things like socializing after work with friends, watching sports, checking out social media, or on other activities. While these things are not necessarily bad, they may be taking a lot more of your time than you realize. Start taking note of how much time you are spending on these extra activities and decide if some of this time would be better spent with your family.

If you really think about it, we usually find time to do the things we really care about – things like favorite hobbies. We must realize that the things we spend our extra time on tend to reflect the value in which we hold these things. And, as Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NKJV)

Therefore, stop feeling guilty, and start making time for the things your heart should truly treasure like God and family! Start today because it really is about time!

Follow me on Twitter @valclarksplace

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec4

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!

Updated from my December 11, 2014 Post