"The sons of Israel said to the Lord, 'We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day.' So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer." Judges 10:15-16 (NAS)
How many times do we get ourselves into dilemmas we can't get out of, and then wonder why God let that happen? Are we there because maybe, just maybe, we didn't look to Him until after our problems started?
God put guidelines and principles in place for our protection. Yes, God can and usually does deliver us from trouble even when it's of our own making. But if you keep your eyes on Him always, you're more likely to be kept out of a mess than needing to be rescued from it.
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word." Psalm 119:9 (NAS)
Your money, your job, your connections, your government can't save you. Only God can, so put Him first.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Sunday, March 15, 2020
How Responsible Am I?
"Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' And he said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'" Genesis 4:9 (NAS)
God didn't answer yes or no. But He did say, "What have you done?"
You own your thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. You also own the consequences of those things. And you're responsible for the consequences your words and actions have on others.
Others, in turn, are responsible for their own behaviors, as well as the consequences to themselves and to others.
Take responsibility for yourself, and while you're at it, hold others answerable for themselves. That's not being judgy. That's being responsible.
"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:12 (NIV)
God didn't answer yes or no. But He did say, "What have you done?"
You own your thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. You also own the consequences of those things. And you're responsible for the consequences your words and actions have on others.
Others, in turn, are responsible for their own behaviors, as well as the consequences to themselves and to others.
Take responsibility for yourself, and while you're at it, hold others answerable for themselves. That's not being judgy. That's being responsible.
"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:12 (NIV)
Sunday, March 8, 2020
You Can Be a Christian and Not Go to Church
We've all wondered if we could be Christians without going to church. And we've all read Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) saying to "not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Then we've wondered what might be the minimum church attendance requirement to keep our names from being erased from the Book of Life.
If I were to never speak with my relatives from this day on, it wouldn't change the fact that we are family. My DNA would stay the same, and my birth certificate would remain unchanged. I'd still be myself. What would be the difference? I would miss out on shared experiences, moral support, family news, and opportunities to explore the mutual history, common values, and even individual differences, that bind us together and reinforce our identity and purpose in life. And I like to think my clan would miss out on those same things from me.
"And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NAS)
We draw strength from our numbers. We pool our resources, make each other laugh, comfort each other through tough times. We benefit from each other's good reputations. Even if we bother each other occasionally, that's just a reminder that we still have room for personal growth.
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the flock of God, which he bought with his own blood." Acts 20:28 (NIV)
You can be a Christian and not go to church, but not a victorious or effective one.
Then we've wondered what might be the minimum church attendance requirement to keep our names from being erased from the Book of Life.
If I were to never speak with my relatives from this day on, it wouldn't change the fact that we are family. My DNA would stay the same, and my birth certificate would remain unchanged. I'd still be myself. What would be the difference? I would miss out on shared experiences, moral support, family news, and opportunities to explore the mutual history, common values, and even individual differences, that bind us together and reinforce our identity and purpose in life. And I like to think my clan would miss out on those same things from me.
"And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NAS)
We draw strength from our numbers. We pool our resources, make each other laugh, comfort each other through tough times. We benefit from each other's good reputations. Even if we bother each other occasionally, that's just a reminder that we still have room for personal growth.
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the flock of God, which he bought with his own blood." Acts 20:28 (NIV)
You can be a Christian and not go to church, but not a victorious or effective one.
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