Would you take a road if it went nowhere? How about a bridge?
For some time the state of Alaska was in the news over a highly publicized “bridge to nowhere.” At a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars the state was going to build a bridge to a small island with a few residents.
The project was finally cancelled before it became a taxpayer boondoggle.
We chuckle and shake our heads at such an obvious waste of time and money. Why would anyone drive over a bridge to nowhere?
Yet every day millions of people take the on-ramp for a road to nowhere.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. Why would anyone get on such a road?
Exactly. And my question to you is, “Are you on a road to nowhere?” If life were a road trip, would the road you’re on take you to where you hope to end up?
Jesus compared life to two roads with two destinations. He said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road the leads to life, and only a few find it.”
The majority of people in this world take the broad road without ever checking to see where it might lead them. The broad road is the easy road. It’s the road of self-indulgence. The road to destruction. The road to nowhere.
My advice? Look down the road you’re on to see where you’re headed.
When I’m on a trip I like to stop once in a while and check the map and the directions to be sure I’m still headed to my destination. I do that because distractions sometimes make me miss my exit and I end up on the wrong road.
Life is full of distractions that put you on the wrong road. Jesus mentioned things like, “the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth.” Other distractions mentioned in the Bible are “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does.”
Jesus said that there is only one way to Heaven and the place he is preparing for those who love him. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus made it clear in this and other passages of scripture that he alone is the path to God and eternal life.
But this road to which he calls us is the narrow road, “the road less traveled.” It is a path that leads first to the cross, the empty tomb and accepting the risen Christ as Lord and Savior. Then it leads to serving God and others. A life of selfless service.
The older I get, the more I think about what’s waiting for me at the end of the road. But I don’t worry about it because many years ago I took Jesus at his word. I put my faith and trust in him and answered his call to “Follow me.”
Ever since I have found that Jesus’ narrow road is the path to peace and purpose in life. It’s not an easy road, but there are many joys on the journey. Joys that come from seeing my life make a difference for eternity.
Many people meander through life with no thought to which road they are on. One of the saddest moments in life would be to get to the end of the road and find out you’ve been on the wrong road. The road to nowhere.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Cold War
For two weeks I’ve been battling a rather nasty virus.
It began with a burning feeling in my chest. Then it tried to steal my voice.
My response was to declare all out war. I drank plenty of fluids, took the best cold medicine I could find and got plenty of sleep. But when the medicine wore off, I woke up coughing. The cold had won. I knew I was in for the long haul.
All my life I’ve been fighting another nasty condition called sin. Once I realized I had the condition, my response was similar to my battle with the cold: I tried to fight it. And the outcome was the same as with the cold. Sin won and I lost.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. What’s the big deal with sin? Isn’t that just a hang-up for religious people?
Most honest people recognize a dark side to their personality. Sometimes alcohol lets the beast out. Other times it rears its ugly head on its own. Most of the time we try to hide it and pretend its not there. But those we’ve hurt and those to whom we’re close know the real truth.
To deny our evil self is as foolish as spitting into the wind.
I fought it as long as I could. But as a child I discovered that, try as I might, I couldn’t be good all the time. I wanted to obey my parents and knew I should. But that knowledge had no power to help me overcome my rebel’s heart.
Not only did I disappoint my parents, I disappointed myself because I wanted to do right.
Why is it when we hear “Don’t” something inside of us says, “Do it!”?
This “dark side” to humanity is cross-cultural and affects both men and women. To discover the source of this “criminal” behavior governments have spent great amounts of time and money. But the only definitive answer is found in the pages of the Bible.
In Genesis Adam’s disobedient choice inflicts sin and its consequences on the human race. In Exodus God reveals a Law to show us our shortcomings and our need for mercy. Then in the New Testament God holds a mirror up to our soul to show us we “all have sinned.”
Most religions recognize the reality of sin. When I was in Japan I visited several famous religious shrines. At one the faithful believed that smoke from a fire would cleanse their sin. At another, the faithful washed their faces and hands and then rinsed their mouths with water to wash away sin. They hoped these rituals would cleanse them. At least temporarily.
But there is only one permanent remedy for sin that can remove its penalty and its grip on the human heart. Jesus Christ said that he could forgive sin. And it’s not just for Christians.
Jesus’ disciple Peter made it clear that God’s intention is for all people to receive forgiveness through Christ. He said, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
Salvation from sin doesn’t belong to one ethnic group or a particular religion. The God who made the heavens and the earth offers it to people of every nation, language and tribe.
For almost 2,000 years people worldwide have discovered the truth in Peter’s message. They’ve been set free from all kinds of addictions and destructive behaviors. The reason is that the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is more than just words. It is more than just a fact to believed. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
The Gospel has worked for millions of others. It changed my life. It will work for you.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
It began with a burning feeling in my chest. Then it tried to steal my voice.
My response was to declare all out war. I drank plenty of fluids, took the best cold medicine I could find and got plenty of sleep. But when the medicine wore off, I woke up coughing. The cold had won. I knew I was in for the long haul.
All my life I’ve been fighting another nasty condition called sin. Once I realized I had the condition, my response was similar to my battle with the cold: I tried to fight it. And the outcome was the same as with the cold. Sin won and I lost.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. What’s the big deal with sin? Isn’t that just a hang-up for religious people?
Most honest people recognize a dark side to their personality. Sometimes alcohol lets the beast out. Other times it rears its ugly head on its own. Most of the time we try to hide it and pretend its not there. But those we’ve hurt and those to whom we’re close know the real truth.
To deny our evil self is as foolish as spitting into the wind.
I fought it as long as I could. But as a child I discovered that, try as I might, I couldn’t be good all the time. I wanted to obey my parents and knew I should. But that knowledge had no power to help me overcome my rebel’s heart.
Not only did I disappoint my parents, I disappointed myself because I wanted to do right.
Why is it when we hear “Don’t” something inside of us says, “Do it!”?
This “dark side” to humanity is cross-cultural and affects both men and women. To discover the source of this “criminal” behavior governments have spent great amounts of time and money. But the only definitive answer is found in the pages of the Bible.
In Genesis Adam’s disobedient choice inflicts sin and its consequences on the human race. In Exodus God reveals a Law to show us our shortcomings and our need for mercy. Then in the New Testament God holds a mirror up to our soul to show us we “all have sinned.”
Most religions recognize the reality of sin. When I was in Japan I visited several famous religious shrines. At one the faithful believed that smoke from a fire would cleanse their sin. At another, the faithful washed their faces and hands and then rinsed their mouths with water to wash away sin. They hoped these rituals would cleanse them. At least temporarily.
But there is only one permanent remedy for sin that can remove its penalty and its grip on the human heart. Jesus Christ said that he could forgive sin. And it’s not just for Christians.
Jesus’ disciple Peter made it clear that God’s intention is for all people to receive forgiveness through Christ. He said, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
Salvation from sin doesn’t belong to one ethnic group or a particular religion. The God who made the heavens and the earth offers it to people of every nation, language and tribe.
For almost 2,000 years people worldwide have discovered the truth in Peter’s message. They’ve been set free from all kinds of addictions and destructive behaviors. The reason is that the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is more than just words. It is more than just a fact to believed. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
The Gospel has worked for millions of others. It changed my life. It will work for you.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Lone Ranger Christians
One of my favorite Halloween costumes was the Lone Ranger. He was a childhood hero.
Popular on television in the 1950s, the Lone Ranger was a fictitious Texas Ranger. The lone survivor of an outlaw ambush, he was nursed back to health by Tonto, an orphaned Indian he once rescued. The Lone Ranger made a career of righting wrongs and capturing outlaws.
But the Lone Ranger worked alone--without the aid of organized law enforcement.
One man can make a difference, but he can’t live a fully productive life by himself. The truth is, we all need other people. “No man is an island,” said the English poet John Donne.
The Lone Ranger’s adventures made good TV but he’s a poor example for Christians.
Now hold it just a minute. What’s wrong with a “Lone Ranger Christian?”
Lone Ranger Christians don’t think they need the church or anyone else. They believe they can get along just fine by themselves. One once told me, “I can worship God on the tree stump in my back yard just as well as on a church pew.”
Often they became loners because, like the Lone Ranger, they were “ambushed”—usually by well-meaning church folks. With their feelings hurt, they retreat to a hermit-like faith.
“Why should I go to church?” they ask. “Everyone there is a hypocrite!”
Let’s be honest. Church folk sometimes say and do hurtful things. Unfortunately every Christian is not a perfect example of their faith. But that’s no reason to give up on the church.
Jesus took the religious leaders of his day to task for their poor application of Scripture and failure to obey God. But he still attended worship regularly. With the hypocrites.
New Testament churches were full of problems. There were church bosses, false doctrine and people living in sin. But did the apostles give up on the church? No—they worked hard to help it become all God intended it to be: the Hope of the world.
Most of the New Testament is written proof that the Apostles of Jesus Christ were not willing to write off the church. Time and again they wrote to correct problems in the churches and to encourage Christians to live out their faith.
The church is not a museum for perfect Christians. It’s a repair station to fix problems.
Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky and Rambo in the movies, told a group of pastors, “Living without the church is like working out without a trainer. You need to have the expertise and guidance of someone else. You can’t train yourself. I feel the same way about Christianity.”
“The church is the gym of the soul,” Stallone continued. “Pastors are like trainers that guide you through difficult times and take you to places you don’t believe you can go. A lot of people say, ‘I can do it on my own, I have a one-on-one relationship with God.’ Well, it’s not quite the same…The more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus, listening to His Word and having Him guide my hand, the more I feel as though the pressure is off me now.”
The Lone Ranger was the classic Western at its best. But it was just fiction.
The reality of Christianity is not about “Lone Ranger Christians.” It’s not just about us. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Community is necessary for the church to be the church.
God’s advice through the Apostles was pointed and direct: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Popular on television in the 1950s, the Lone Ranger was a fictitious Texas Ranger. The lone survivor of an outlaw ambush, he was nursed back to health by Tonto, an orphaned Indian he once rescued. The Lone Ranger made a career of righting wrongs and capturing outlaws.
But the Lone Ranger worked alone--without the aid of organized law enforcement.
One man can make a difference, but he can’t live a fully productive life by himself. The truth is, we all need other people. “No man is an island,” said the English poet John Donne.
The Lone Ranger’s adventures made good TV but he’s a poor example for Christians.
Now hold it just a minute. What’s wrong with a “Lone Ranger Christian?”
Lone Ranger Christians don’t think they need the church or anyone else. They believe they can get along just fine by themselves. One once told me, “I can worship God on the tree stump in my back yard just as well as on a church pew.”
Often they became loners because, like the Lone Ranger, they were “ambushed”—usually by well-meaning church folks. With their feelings hurt, they retreat to a hermit-like faith.
“Why should I go to church?” they ask. “Everyone there is a hypocrite!”
Let’s be honest. Church folk sometimes say and do hurtful things. Unfortunately every Christian is not a perfect example of their faith. But that’s no reason to give up on the church.
Jesus took the religious leaders of his day to task for their poor application of Scripture and failure to obey God. But he still attended worship regularly. With the hypocrites.
New Testament churches were full of problems. There were church bosses, false doctrine and people living in sin. But did the apostles give up on the church? No—they worked hard to help it become all God intended it to be: the Hope of the world.
Most of the New Testament is written proof that the Apostles of Jesus Christ were not willing to write off the church. Time and again they wrote to correct problems in the churches and to encourage Christians to live out their faith.
The church is not a museum for perfect Christians. It’s a repair station to fix problems.
Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky and Rambo in the movies, told a group of pastors, “Living without the church is like working out without a trainer. You need to have the expertise and guidance of someone else. You can’t train yourself. I feel the same way about Christianity.”
“The church is the gym of the soul,” Stallone continued. “Pastors are like trainers that guide you through difficult times and take you to places you don’t believe you can go. A lot of people say, ‘I can do it on my own, I have a one-on-one relationship with God.’ Well, it’s not quite the same…The more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus, listening to His Word and having Him guide my hand, the more I feel as though the pressure is off me now.”
The Lone Ranger was the classic Western at its best. But it was just fiction.
The reality of Christianity is not about “Lone Ranger Christians.” It’s not just about us. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Community is necessary for the church to be the church.
God’s advice through the Apostles was pointed and direct: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Counterfeits
Would you know a counterfeit if you saw one? Many do not.
Counterfeit money is a real problem. A bogus bill looks like real cash but it isn’t. It seems valuable, but when you need it most, it lets you down.
Counterfeit religion is just like that, only worse. It’s an eternal let down.
Well hold on just a minute. What’s counterfeit religion?
The purpose of a counterfeit is to deceive—to make you think you have the real thing when, in fact, you have a worthless substitute. Counterfeit religion looks good but it’s a sham.
The Bible says true religion is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. True religion transforms your heart, not just your behavior. It changes your will from a “have to” faith to a “want to” faith. Your obedience to God springs from desire rather than duty.
A good example is the difference between living under Old Testament Law and living under New Testament Grace. Under the Law people trusted religious rule-keeping to save them. But they had to obey every rule. To fail in even one command was to be a complete failure. Law-keeping led to legalism and that led to worry and fear. Law breaking brought punishment.
It’s humanly impossible to obey God’s Laws perfectly. Plus keeping the Old Testament Law never made anyone righteous. God declared Abraham (revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims) righteous because of his faith in God, not because of his moral behavior.
Living under Grace is completely different than living under Law. A good way to understand Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Jesus alone kept God’s Law perfectly. He paid the penalty for our sin through his death on the cross. So salvation is now a free gift.
Through Grace, we can become children of God by trusting in Jesus Christ—by believing the Bible when it says his death provides forgiveness for all our sins. As his children, God declares us righteous. We enjoy the full benefits of God’s promises, protection and provision.
Want to know how to identify a counterfeit religion? Remember the four math processes.
Counterfeit religion MULTIPLIES law-keeping. It says faith is good but you must also keep that religion’s laws, ordinances and sacraments--or you lose. It’s faith plus works.
Counterfeit religion DIVIDES your loyalties. You must be loyal to God AND absolutely loyal to the religion’s leaders—no questioning allowed. The Bible says our loyalty is to be to God alone. It warns of false teachers who seek to build a following for themselves.
Counterfeit religion ADDS to the Bible. Its leaders may say the Bible is good but they add that their special book, teaching or revelation is absolutely necessary for your salvation. God warns anyone who would change the Bible, add to it or take away from it. He will judge them.
Counterfeit religion SUBTRACTS from the person of Jesus Christ. It says Jesus was not God but was merely a prophet or a man who became a god. However the Bible clearly declares Jesus Christ to be fully God and fully man. That he is our only hope of forgiveness and salvation.
Counterfeit religion always leaves out Grace—that salvation is a free gift from God through Jesus Christ. True Biblical faith depends completely on Grace. Without it we’re lost.
God warns us through the Apostle Paul, “I am astonished that you are so quickly… turning to different gospel—which is really no gospel at all…. Evidently some people are… trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.” Enough said.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Counterfeit money is a real problem. A bogus bill looks like real cash but it isn’t. It seems valuable, but when you need it most, it lets you down.
Counterfeit religion is just like that, only worse. It’s an eternal let down.
Well hold on just a minute. What’s counterfeit religion?
The purpose of a counterfeit is to deceive—to make you think you have the real thing when, in fact, you have a worthless substitute. Counterfeit religion looks good but it’s a sham.
The Bible says true religion is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. True religion transforms your heart, not just your behavior. It changes your will from a “have to” faith to a “want to” faith. Your obedience to God springs from desire rather than duty.
A good example is the difference between living under Old Testament Law and living under New Testament Grace. Under the Law people trusted religious rule-keeping to save them. But they had to obey every rule. To fail in even one command was to be a complete failure. Law-keeping led to legalism and that led to worry and fear. Law breaking brought punishment.
It’s humanly impossible to obey God’s Laws perfectly. Plus keeping the Old Testament Law never made anyone righteous. God declared Abraham (revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims) righteous because of his faith in God, not because of his moral behavior.
Living under Grace is completely different than living under Law. A good way to understand Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Jesus alone kept God’s Law perfectly. He paid the penalty for our sin through his death on the cross. So salvation is now a free gift.
Through Grace, we can become children of God by trusting in Jesus Christ—by believing the Bible when it says his death provides forgiveness for all our sins. As his children, God declares us righteous. We enjoy the full benefits of God’s promises, protection and provision.
Want to know how to identify a counterfeit religion? Remember the four math processes.
Counterfeit religion MULTIPLIES law-keeping. It says faith is good but you must also keep that religion’s laws, ordinances and sacraments--or you lose. It’s faith plus works.
Counterfeit religion DIVIDES your loyalties. You must be loyal to God AND absolutely loyal to the religion’s leaders—no questioning allowed. The Bible says our loyalty is to be to God alone. It warns of false teachers who seek to build a following for themselves.
Counterfeit religion ADDS to the Bible. Its leaders may say the Bible is good but they add that their special book, teaching or revelation is absolutely necessary for your salvation. God warns anyone who would change the Bible, add to it or take away from it. He will judge them.
Counterfeit religion SUBTRACTS from the person of Jesus Christ. It says Jesus was not God but was merely a prophet or a man who became a god. However the Bible clearly declares Jesus Christ to be fully God and fully man. That he is our only hope of forgiveness and salvation.
Counterfeit religion always leaves out Grace—that salvation is a free gift from God through Jesus Christ. True Biblical faith depends completely on Grace. Without it we’re lost.
God warns us through the Apostle Paul, “I am astonished that you are so quickly… turning to different gospel—which is really no gospel at all…. Evidently some people are… trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.” Enough said.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Fabulous Fakes
Fakes are all around us.
There is fake butter (margarine), fake sugar (artificial sweetener) and fake coffee cream.
My first time on a movie set, I was amazed at how much was not what it appeared to be. Rocks, props and much of the set were all fakes. But they looked real and fooled the camera.
Many movie stars and other wealthy types wear fake copies of their expensive jewelry so there is less risk of robbery. The fakes look authentic and fool all but an expert’s eye.
So it shouldn’t surprise us that most churches have Fake Christians—people who look, talk and act like real Christians, fooling the church. Fabulous Christian Fakes, if you please.
Whoa! Hold on just a minute—fake Christians? How can there be fake Christians?
Jesus predicted that among his followers there would always be fakes--people who would be hard to tell from genuine believers. Judases. Later the Bible warns the church to look out for false leaders and teachers whose only goal is to gain a following and reap financial rewards.
One Christian leader recently stated his personal opinion that just fifteen to twenty percent of members and attendees at most churches were true Biblical Christians.
Well how can you tell if you are a “real” Christian? What’s the evidence?
Does walking an aisle and praying a prayer make you a real Christian? Does catechism, baptism, church membership or any other experience show you are truly a Christian? If you claim to be (or someone says you were) “saved” or “born again,” does that make it real?
Many evangelical church groups refer to true believers as “saved” or “born again.” They take these terms from the Bible. Jesus said, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” He went on to describe a spiritual re-birth resulting from faith in him.
In the New Testament book of Romans God says, “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The context makes it clear that being “saved” is from sin’s effects, consequences and punishment.
So the first part of being a Biblical Christian involves putting faith and trust in Christ for salvation and forgiveness from sin. It also involves a turning away from sin and towards God.
But this internal act of belief always results in an external change of behavior.
Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Others should be able to observe in Christians the same compassion and the same selfless, sacrificial love Jesus showed.
The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” It’s not complete perfection but an obvious transformation--a changed life.
God’s Word warns Christians, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The proof of believing is in the doing—out of joy and not duty.
Many people in America claim to be Christians. Some attend church occasionally. They tell themselves, “I believe in God, I pray and I go to church. I’m a Christian.” What’s sad is that they have settled for a ritual instead of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Often they are sincere, well meaning religious people. But their faith is a fake faith.
What they need to do is to humble themselves, trust Jesus with simple childlike faith and receive him as their Lord and Savior. Then they will want to please God, read his Word and allow it to change their lives. And God will change their desires, their habits and their speech.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
There is fake butter (margarine), fake sugar (artificial sweetener) and fake coffee cream.
My first time on a movie set, I was amazed at how much was not what it appeared to be. Rocks, props and much of the set were all fakes. But they looked real and fooled the camera.
Many movie stars and other wealthy types wear fake copies of their expensive jewelry so there is less risk of robbery. The fakes look authentic and fool all but an expert’s eye.
So it shouldn’t surprise us that most churches have Fake Christians—people who look, talk and act like real Christians, fooling the church. Fabulous Christian Fakes, if you please.
Whoa! Hold on just a minute—fake Christians? How can there be fake Christians?
Jesus predicted that among his followers there would always be fakes--people who would be hard to tell from genuine believers. Judases. Later the Bible warns the church to look out for false leaders and teachers whose only goal is to gain a following and reap financial rewards.
One Christian leader recently stated his personal opinion that just fifteen to twenty percent of members and attendees at most churches were true Biblical Christians.
Well how can you tell if you are a “real” Christian? What’s the evidence?
Does walking an aisle and praying a prayer make you a real Christian? Does catechism, baptism, church membership or any other experience show you are truly a Christian? If you claim to be (or someone says you were) “saved” or “born again,” does that make it real?
Many evangelical church groups refer to true believers as “saved” or “born again.” They take these terms from the Bible. Jesus said, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” He went on to describe a spiritual re-birth resulting from faith in him.
In the New Testament book of Romans God says, “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The context makes it clear that being “saved” is from sin’s effects, consequences and punishment.
So the first part of being a Biblical Christian involves putting faith and trust in Christ for salvation and forgiveness from sin. It also involves a turning away from sin and towards God.
But this internal act of belief always results in an external change of behavior.
Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Others should be able to observe in Christians the same compassion and the same selfless, sacrificial love Jesus showed.
The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” It’s not complete perfection but an obvious transformation--a changed life.
God’s Word warns Christians, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The proof of believing is in the doing—out of joy and not duty.
Many people in America claim to be Christians. Some attend church occasionally. They tell themselves, “I believe in God, I pray and I go to church. I’m a Christian.” What’s sad is that they have settled for a ritual instead of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Often they are sincere, well meaning religious people. But their faith is a fake faith.
What they need to do is to humble themselves, trust Jesus with simple childlike faith and receive him as their Lord and Savior. Then they will want to please God, read his Word and allow it to change their lives. And God will change their desires, their habits and their speech.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Hope or Hype?
When the church is working right it is the Hope of the world.
When the church is not working right it fails the world. It’s just a lot of hype.
Many churches ceased being the “Hope of the world” years ago. What’s sad is that most of the members didn’t realize it. These churches gradually became “Christian Clubs” with songs, rituals and gatherings that focus inward instead of outward. They served themselves, not others.
Hold it right there for just a minute! What does a church that’s “working right” look like?
To answer that we must turn to the Bible, the only authoritative Word of God. There, in the New Testament book of Acts, we find the answer. It’s a vibrant growing group of people focused on worship, God’s Word, fellowship and serving others. They proclaimed the simple gospel of Jesus Christ: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Lives were changed.
The result was that “everyone was filled with awe” and the church grew incredibly fast.
What a church! It was the “happening place” in Jerusalem. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of it? Broken lives were put together, desperate people found help, the fearful found peace, empty people were filled with purpose and those overcome with sorrow found joy. Wow.
Sadly, most Christians have settled for a church that is so much less. In some the worship service is the most boring hour of the week. Where is the awe and excitement? What happened?
What happened is that man tried to “improve” on God’s plan for the church.
Some just stopped taking the gospel message to others and focused on fellowship.
Other groups strayed from the simple gospel of Christ. Instead of teaching forgiveness for all our sins is a gift of God, they taught you must believe in Jesus Christ AND follow all their laws, ordinances and rituals. Rather than salvation by GRACE, it was by “Good Works.”
Some even went so far as to say, “The most damnable, heretical doctrine ever proclaimed by man is 'saved by grace.’” Amazing--since that’s how God’s Word says we are saved from sin!
The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Once we understand that forgiveness and a new life are a gift from God, everything changes. The joy and freedom that result from faith in Christ are indescribable! Money and things, while still necessary, lose their luster. They are no longer the main reason for living.
People whose lives are truly changed by the gospel want everyone to have the same joy and freedom they have in Christ. The love of God in their heart gives them a compassion and love for others—just like Jesus. Life is no longer just about them and the desire for things.
A Church, with leaders and people like that, is an oasis of hope in a hopeless world.
When a church is “working right” lives are changed forever, prejudice is overcome, failures are forgiven, selfishness is reduced, compassion grows, and real hope becomes a reality.
The solution is for people to return to the message and mission of the church in the Bible.
If you are not a part of a church like the Bible describes, change yours or find one that is!
The church I pastor is not, nor is any church, “perfect.” But we do have a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ. Through faith in him we have peace with God, joy in our hearts and the forgiveness of sin. We have Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to provide, protect and lead us. All of that, plus God’s promise of eternal life--now that’s hope!
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
When the church is not working right it fails the world. It’s just a lot of hype.
Many churches ceased being the “Hope of the world” years ago. What’s sad is that most of the members didn’t realize it. These churches gradually became “Christian Clubs” with songs, rituals and gatherings that focus inward instead of outward. They served themselves, not others.
Hold it right there for just a minute! What does a church that’s “working right” look like?
To answer that we must turn to the Bible, the only authoritative Word of God. There, in the New Testament book of Acts, we find the answer. It’s a vibrant growing group of people focused on worship, God’s Word, fellowship and serving others. They proclaimed the simple gospel of Jesus Christ: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Lives were changed.
The result was that “everyone was filled with awe” and the church grew incredibly fast.
What a church! It was the “happening place” in Jerusalem. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of it? Broken lives were put together, desperate people found help, the fearful found peace, empty people were filled with purpose and those overcome with sorrow found joy. Wow.
Sadly, most Christians have settled for a church that is so much less. In some the worship service is the most boring hour of the week. Where is the awe and excitement? What happened?
What happened is that man tried to “improve” on God’s plan for the church.
Some just stopped taking the gospel message to others and focused on fellowship.
Other groups strayed from the simple gospel of Christ. Instead of teaching forgiveness for all our sins is a gift of God, they taught you must believe in Jesus Christ AND follow all their laws, ordinances and rituals. Rather than salvation by GRACE, it was by “Good Works.”
Some even went so far as to say, “The most damnable, heretical doctrine ever proclaimed by man is 'saved by grace.’” Amazing--since that’s how God’s Word says we are saved from sin!
The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Once we understand that forgiveness and a new life are a gift from God, everything changes. The joy and freedom that result from faith in Christ are indescribable! Money and things, while still necessary, lose their luster. They are no longer the main reason for living.
People whose lives are truly changed by the gospel want everyone to have the same joy and freedom they have in Christ. The love of God in their heart gives them a compassion and love for others—just like Jesus. Life is no longer just about them and the desire for things.
A Church, with leaders and people like that, is an oasis of hope in a hopeless world.
When a church is “working right” lives are changed forever, prejudice is overcome, failures are forgiven, selfishness is reduced, compassion grows, and real hope becomes a reality.
The solution is for people to return to the message and mission of the church in the Bible.
If you are not a part of a church like the Bible describes, change yours or find one that is!
The church I pastor is not, nor is any church, “perfect.” But we do have a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ. Through faith in him we have peace with God, joy in our hearts and the forgiveness of sin. We have Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to provide, protect and lead us. All of that, plus God’s promise of eternal life--now that’s hope!
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Do It Yourself Religion
There are only two kinds of religion in the world: Jesus Saves and “Do It Yourself.”
All of the world’s religions, except one, are of the “Do It Yourself” variety. The down side to a DIY religion is that you can never be sure you will make it to paradise, nirvana, reincarnation or whatever it is you hope for.
Well hold it right there for just a minute. Are we without hope? How can a person be sure of what they will find on “the other side” after death?
Most religions offer a “maybe”—and that’s if you do everything you should just right. Interestingly, radical Islam tells its followers that there is one way they can be certain.
Walid Shofrat, a former Muslim PLO terrorist, describes it like this: “In the case of Islam, the way to assure yourself to go to Paradise is by dying yourself as an offer to God.”
Muslim suicide Jihadists believe that, by killing themselves, they are offering Allah their most precious gift: their soul. The problem is that no suicide Jihadist has ever come back from “the other side” to tell if they made it.
There is only one book and one person that offer the promise, proof and assurance of an eternal life in a true paradise called Heaven. The book is the Bible and the person is Jesus Christ.
In the fourteenth chapter of the New Testament Gospel of John, Jesus promises that he will prepare a place in Heaven for those who believe in him. He offers his word, as the Son of God, that he will take believers to be with him forever. Then he proved his power over death by one of the best-documented events in history, his resurrection.
Jesus Christ is the only one to ever bring himself back from “the other side” –and have many witnesses to prove it!
When man attempts to create a religion, it is always of the “Do It Yourself” variety. You must keep certain laws, observe sacraments, or do “penance” for your sin. In every case you die in uncertainty. There’s no assurance you “did it right” or proof you attain “paradise.”
God’s plan in the Bible is far different. His plan involves the perfect Son of God, Jesus, dying on the cross in our place for our sin. Then God offers forgiveness for sin and salvation from sin’s penalty as a free gift to those who accept it. It’s free to all with no strings attached.
Like a condemned prisoner on Death Row accepting a pardon, all you have to do is believe it’s true and put your trust in the one who pardons you. Sadly, some find that hard to do. They choose instead to believe that eternal life is “Do It Yourself.”
It goes against our pride and self-reliance to accept a gift as valuable as eternal life. That’s why God sent Jesus Christ into the world. The Bible says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
When Christians announce that “Jesus Saves,” they are not trying to judge other religions. They are not being religious bigots full of hate and intolerance. It is simply a joyful announcement to other seekers that what they are seeking is found in Jesus Christ!
The truth of Christianity is that the assurance, joy and purpose of life--both life in the here and now and eternal life in the “by and by”--is found in Christ alone. And the best part of all is that it’s a free gift. No assembly required. It’s by faith alone. Faith in Jesus Christ.
Life has many choices. Religion has two: Jesus Saves or “Do It Yourself.” Think it over and then choose carefully because you will live with your choice for a very long time.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
All of the world’s religions, except one, are of the “Do It Yourself” variety. The down side to a DIY religion is that you can never be sure you will make it to paradise, nirvana, reincarnation or whatever it is you hope for.
Well hold it right there for just a minute. Are we without hope? How can a person be sure of what they will find on “the other side” after death?
Most religions offer a “maybe”—and that’s if you do everything you should just right. Interestingly, radical Islam tells its followers that there is one way they can be certain.
Walid Shofrat, a former Muslim PLO terrorist, describes it like this: “In the case of Islam, the way to assure yourself to go to Paradise is by dying yourself as an offer to God.”
Muslim suicide Jihadists believe that, by killing themselves, they are offering Allah their most precious gift: their soul. The problem is that no suicide Jihadist has ever come back from “the other side” to tell if they made it.
There is only one book and one person that offer the promise, proof and assurance of an eternal life in a true paradise called Heaven. The book is the Bible and the person is Jesus Christ.
In the fourteenth chapter of the New Testament Gospel of John, Jesus promises that he will prepare a place in Heaven for those who believe in him. He offers his word, as the Son of God, that he will take believers to be with him forever. Then he proved his power over death by one of the best-documented events in history, his resurrection.
Jesus Christ is the only one to ever bring himself back from “the other side” –and have many witnesses to prove it!
When man attempts to create a religion, it is always of the “Do It Yourself” variety. You must keep certain laws, observe sacraments, or do “penance” for your sin. In every case you die in uncertainty. There’s no assurance you “did it right” or proof you attain “paradise.”
God’s plan in the Bible is far different. His plan involves the perfect Son of God, Jesus, dying on the cross in our place for our sin. Then God offers forgiveness for sin and salvation from sin’s penalty as a free gift to those who accept it. It’s free to all with no strings attached.
Like a condemned prisoner on Death Row accepting a pardon, all you have to do is believe it’s true and put your trust in the one who pardons you. Sadly, some find that hard to do. They choose instead to believe that eternal life is “Do It Yourself.”
It goes against our pride and self-reliance to accept a gift as valuable as eternal life. That’s why God sent Jesus Christ into the world. The Bible says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
When Christians announce that “Jesus Saves,” they are not trying to judge other religions. They are not being religious bigots full of hate and intolerance. It is simply a joyful announcement to other seekers that what they are seeking is found in Jesus Christ!
The truth of Christianity is that the assurance, joy and purpose of life--both life in the here and now and eternal life in the “by and by”--is found in Christ alone. And the best part of all is that it’s a free gift. No assembly required. It’s by faith alone. Faith in Jesus Christ.
Life has many choices. Religion has two: Jesus Saves or “Do It Yourself.” Think it over and then choose carefully because you will live with your choice for a very long time.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
