What To Do About Jesus

“What shall I do, then with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”  This is the question Pilate asked an unruly crowd many years ago.  The response to this question led to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus; a series of events that has caused people around the world to ask themselves the very same question.

I went to church for years without asking myself that question.  I believed in God and prayed to God, but Jesus was just kind of there in the background.  I couldn’t really articulate what I believed about Him, and I was OK with that.

Eventually I realized if I was going to call myself a Christian, I needed to make a decision.  Did I believe Jesus was the Son of God, crucified and risen?  If I did what were the implications of that?  And what if I got it wrong?  It was a decision only I could make and it was time to choose what I was going to do with Jesus.

I started on a faith journey, searching for answers to mysterious questions.  Everyone’s faith journey is different.  Mine happened over the course of the last few years and I’m still on it.  But early on, after reading and reflecting on the gospels in the Bible, my decision about Jesus was made. 

I do believe Him to be the Son of God.  I believe He voluntarily died on the cross so I can be forgiven of my wrong doings.  I believe He rose from the grave and is alive in me in the form of the Holy Spirit.  And I believe that one day I will join Him in eternal life.  That’s my choice.  I believe.

There are many different opinions about who Jesus was.  Even when He was alive He was controversial and people had varying opinions.  Some listened to Him, saw Him perform miracles, and chose not to believe.  Others, never having met Him, chose to believe He was the Son of God.  And some were swayed one way or the other by popular opinion, or the influence of religious leaders.

I think of the Roman soldier who watched Jesus as he died an excruciating death by crucifixion.  I wonder what he saw in Jesus' death that made him exclaim “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39; Matthew 27:54)

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Where are you on your faith journey?  Have you answered the question, “What will you do with Jesus, the one called the Messiah?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Pure Flix - Do You Believe? - Movie Thoughts

A year ago Pure Flix Entertainment released their movie “God’s Not Dead”; a hit among

Christian movie goers.  This weekend their new movie, “Do You Believe” hits movie screens across Canada and the U.S.

I attended a pre-screening sponsored by 105.9 ShineFM in Edmonton and highly recommend you put this movie on your “must see” list.

Gun fights, car crashes, tear jerking moments, family strife, action, drama; this movie has it all.  Not once did I think, “This is two hours of my life I’ll never get back.”  Trust me there are lots of movies out there where that’s about all I can say about them, but “Do You Believe” isn’t one of them!

“Do You Believe” challenges you to answer real questions.  Do you believe in Jesus Christ?  Do you believe in the power of His death and resurrection?  Do you trust Him for your salvation?

One bit of dialogue stayed with me long after we’d left the theatre.  A first responder leads a dying man to Christ, giving him a small wooden cross.  The cross becomes “exhibit A” in a lawsuit the man’s wife files against the first responder. 

He must make a decision…does he stand up for his belief, or deny his faith to gain the backing of his union.  The prosecuting attorney looks him in the eye and speaks these words, “This cross is gonna cost you.”

“This cross is gonna cost you.”  How true!  Following Jesus doesn’t guarantee a life exempt from pain, sorrow, anguish, heartache, and illness.  Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”  (Matthew 15:24-25 NIV)

The cross will cost you.  The cross will challenge you. 
The cross will save you!

Do you believe?  And if you do…what are you doing about it?

Check out the “Do You Believe” movie trailer and don’t miss this faith challenging movie opening this weekend.

The Brain Filter

By now you all know I’m an OCD introvert at heart.  Sometimes I wish I could be spontaneous, make snap decisions, take action, live large, dangerous and free.  But then there are the times when I’m thankful for the filter part of my brain that carefully evaluates and assesses each thought before the action part of my brain kicks in.

Case in point…

I like to get to the gym early on Saturday and Sunday mornings to run.  There’s no noise, no one jockeying for position on the track, no kids sprinting around you; just soothing silence at 7:00 a.m.

I’m in the change room getting into my running gear  Tank top…check, shoes…check, sports bra…check, socks…check, running watch…check, shorts…  What, no shorts!  Frantic digging in backpack ensues.  The worst is confirmed.  No shorts!

I really don’t want to waste time driving home to get them. 

“Maybe I could run in my jeans.”  The brain filter wakes momentarily from its slumber to rule this out as way too restrictive. 

                                                                                                                           

“I wonder if anyone would notice if I ran in my underwear.  There’s not a lot of people around.  It's no different than a two-piece bathing suit”

The brain filter, still on guard from the previous thought, quickly vetoes this unacceptable idea.  Inspiration strikes!  Superstore is two minutes away and they generally have inexpensive workout gear.

Fast forward ten minutes to Superstore’s deserted lady’s clothing department.  Who knew the women’s department isn’t staffed at 7:30 in the morning?  I stand shorts in hand, staring at the locked fitting rooms. 

“Maybe I could crawl underneath the door…” 

The brain filter, thoroughly appalled by the audacity of this thought, deems it necessary to take more serious preventative measures, conjuring up a mental image of WKRP’s, Herb Tarlek, in a carp suit trapped underneath the door of a pay toilet. 

I snicker involuntarily and glance around to make sure no one heard.  Fine, no crawling under doors.  (For those of you who have never had the pleasure of watching this particular hilarity you can view the WKRP episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbLzYCFYhw )

“What about just doing a quick change in the alcove by the fitting rooms?  The store’s relatively deserted, probably no one would even notice.” 

I glance furtively around the women’s department.  The brain filter takes swift evasive maneuvers and delivers up a brilliant HD image of me being hauled out of the alcove, half naked, by store security.  It’s not a pretty sight! 

Fine!  I surrender to the brain filter and walk the extra steps to the Customer Service desk to get a clerk to unlock a fitting room for me.

My brain filter has saved me from bad decisions on more than this occasion.  In fact it’s rescued me many times throughout my life.  But then there are the times when I’ve ignored the brain filter and regretted it later.  Some of those instances I’d rather forget!

The brain filter is a good thing.  It’s there so we don’t have to give in to every thought we have.  Isn’t it cool that God wired our brains this way?  We have choices and the brain filter helps us evaluate and choose between good and bad decisions.

You might know the brain filter by different names…

Will power

Self-control

Discipline

All of these things are inside of us.  We just have to exercise them. 

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13

 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...

 

What decision are you toying with today? 

• Spending money you can’t afford
• Stealing office supplies from work
• Cheating on an exam
• An emotional affair on Facebook
• Cheating on your taxes

Whatever the temptation, there’s ALWAYS a way out.  Ask God to kick your brain filter into high gear.  Exercise self-control and will power.

The Sacrifice Of Forgiveness

I'm not sure video blogging is my forte, but regardless, I decided to try something a little different this week.  The video below is a short monologue on the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Things To Think About

Have you accepted the forgiveness Jesus offers at the cross?  Is Jesus your Saviour?

 

To share your thoughts click on "comments" below.

Knowing God's Presence

“The cloud covered the Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle…The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it.  This continued throughout all their journeys.”  Exodus 40:34-38 (NLT)

What would it be like to wake up in the morning, yawn, stretch, scratch, and look out the window to see physical proof of God’s presence hovering over your place of worship?

Or imagine screaming yourself awake from a nightmare and peering blindly into the thick darkness to see a reassuring fire glowing over the church – a constant reminder that God is with you.

Would it make your faith stronger?  Would you trust God more?  Would you worship more?  Would you treat people better?

Or would His presence become common place, instead of sacred…just one more cloud on the landscape?

So often we struggle to “see” God, and we look for reminders of His presence.  We carry symbols with us.  We wear jewelry in the shape of a cross.  We put fish stickers on our bumpers.  We carry small polished rocks engraved with words like “faith” and “hope” and “Jesus”.  We wear bracelets proclaiming , “I am second”.

We yearn for a constant sense of His presence and we do all these things to remind us of Christ’s death and resurrection.  These are signs and symbols of our faith, but none are the physical presence of God. 

Yes, the Israelites were fortunate enough to journey with visual proof of the physical presence of God, and it must have been amazing, awe inspiring, and frightening all at the same time.  But today we don’t need physical proof of God’s presence.

When Jesus gave His life for us, was crucified and rose from the dead, God’s presence came to dwell in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. 

Admittedly there are times when you don’t “feel” the presence of God, but if you’ve trusted Jesus with your life, then you can be certain He is there with you always.

“The eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him – but some of them doubted!  Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT)

Some of the disciples doubted Jesus’ presence even though He was standing right in front of them.  But He reassured them, promising to always be with them.  We can take reassurance of His presence from this promise, too.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Do the times you think God isn’t there outweigh the times you “feel” His presence?  Are you like the doubting disciples, needing reassurance?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “Comments” below.

Eternal Hope

This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Judy.  In memory of her daughter.  Thank you for sharing your pain with me.

 

How do you find hope in your life in the midst of pain and suffering?  What a question!

This past weekend I was facilitating a women’s retreat for Southwood United Church.  The retreat centre is located on an escarpment in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains overlooking the Ghost River.  This was the scene of a major flood that swept across Southern Alberta in 2013.

 

Trees that previously stretched their limbs to the sunlit sky now lie on the ground, flattened by the rush of water that buried them one year ago.

On Saturday afternoon I went for a walk by the river with a dear friend who recently lost her daughter.  Her pain is fresh and raw, and my heart broke for her as we grieved together by the river.

 While we were there we noticed an interesting characteristic of the trees in the devastated landscape.  Each tree appeared to be lying on the ground.  On closer examination we realized that although they were flattened out, each tree had brilliant green spring growth on it. 

 Intrigued, we looked closer and saw that the trees, weren’t actually uprooted. Their trunks lay parallel to the ground, forced down by the weight of the flood waters, but their roots remained firmly planted in the ground.

 Despite adverse growing conditions, their roots extended deep into the soil and they continued to thrive and grow. 

 

My friend, in the midst of her pain, looked at this and commented on the similarity to a faith journey.

 Life’s events knock us down and leave us lying on the ground, but our faith roots us firmly in Jesus Christ so we are able to drink deeply from His well of life-giving, life-sustaining water and continue to grow through difficult times.

 

This beautiful woman is an inspiring example of what a strong faith looks like.  She grieves, and yet she finds and accepts the gifts that God continues to bring into her life.

I’m reminded of this scripture…

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.  But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”  Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)

 

So we suffer and we grieve, but Jesus is our solid foundation.

Yesterday I received this picture from my friend.  A reminder of our time together.  She titled the picture “Eternal Hope”.  Now I share that hope with you and pray for all who grieve.  May you find the hope of Jesus Christ in the midst of your pain. 

 

 

 

 

Mom's Night Out - Sony Pictures

A biker tattoo artist
A Pastor’s wife
Three stressed out moms
A missing baby

Does that have the makings of a great plot, or what!  These characters all come together in Sony Pictures new movie, “Mom’s Night Out” and I was fortunate enough to attend Shine FM’s pre-screening of it in Edmonton last week. 

Sony does a great job of developing these characters.  They are so true to life they could be you and me. 

Life doesn’t come up all flowers and sunshine and Sony doesn’t try to sugar-coat it.  Life can be hard.  There’s a new challenge every day, sometimes every minute, especially if you’re dealing with teenagers or young kids.

What I loved most about this movie is its portrayal of the reality of the situation. 

Allyson, a strung out, frazzled mother isn’t afraid to admit to her husband she’s not happy.  She’s living the life she dreamed of as a young girl, but it’s hard.

The beauty of it is she doesn’t say it from the accusatory, “I’m not happy and it’s all your fault”, or “I’m not happy and I’m going to find myself and leave you” standpoint. 

She’s just stating the truth and her husband, to his credit, takes it at face value.  He doesn’t get all worked up about it thinking their marriage is over.  He takes it for what it is, a truthful statement and something they need to resolve.

Life isn’t perfect, and people, regardless of the role they’re type cast in, aren’t either.  And here’s another cool thing about the movie.  It shows that God can use anyone, in any capacity to get His message of love and acceptance across.

It’s a great movie.  It has some laugh out loud moments and some "box of tissue" moments.  There’s no swearing, no blood, or guts, or gore.  It’s a good clean, heartwarming story with a great message.

Mom’s Night Out opens Mothers’ Day weekend on May 9.  It’s definitely worth checking out and would make a great Women’s Ministry night out.

I think I’ll have to buy the DVD!

If you go to see Mom’s Night Out, come back and share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

 

Where's God - Part 2

Last week in Part 1 of this post I started by asking the question, “Where’s God when life is tough?”  We looked at Jeremiah 24:1-10. 

In these verses God preserves the lives of the people of Judah by sending them into exile in Babylon.  I’m sure this isn’t exactly the vacation God’s people dreamt about.

In an instant their lives completely change.  Their homes are gone, they’ve lost loved ones, and now they’re marched off into exile to a strange foreign land.  The obvious question echoes…”Where’s God?”

There’s good news in response to Judah’s desperate query.

God doesn’t abandon the exiles.  He’s preps Jeremiah, working with him behind the scenes by telling him the plans he has for his people.  And Jeremiah, ever faithful to God’s call, waits for God’s perfect timing and writes a letter of reassurance (essentially a letter from God Himself) to the exiles.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem.  ‘Build homes, and plan to stay.  Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.  Marry and have children.  Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren.  Multiply!  Do not dwindle away!  And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.’”  Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NLT)

 

“This is what the Lord says, ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years.  But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.  For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord.  ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’  Jeremiah 29:10-11 (NLT)

I imagine a unanimous sigh of relief echoes around Babylon upon receipt of this letter.  The exiles finally know God is still watching over them, even in this unknown, strange land.  Imagine the burden that’s lifted, simply because they know God is in control and looking out for them. 

You can breathe sigh of relief in the midst of your suffering, too.  You probably don’t see it at this moment, but God is in control.  He’s looking out for you and watching over you. 

Whatever God has planned it’s always better than anything we can imagine.  At the right time God will send a “Jeremiah” into your life to give you the “inside scoop”, and to reassure you.  Until that happens, hang onto God’s promise,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.  ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Things To Think About

What are you struggling with today?  Where might God be working “behind the scenes” this very moment, even though you can’t see it?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Where's God - Part 1

Where’s God when your marriage falls apart?

Where’s God in the cancer riddled body lying in the Palliative Care Unit? 

Where’s God in the crumpled metal frame lying by the side of the road while the wail of an ambulance fades into the distance?
Where’s God when life is tough?

You may have asked these, or similar questions.  Right now you might be shaking your fist and screaming at God, demanding an answer to a tough question.

We all face circumstances in life that don’t make sense.  And we wonder, “Where’s God?”

Sometimes we don’t get answers, but sometimes God leaves us clues.

Today and next week I want to share insights from the book of Jeremiah.  I hope by the end of these two posts we’ll have a little more clarity to the anguished question, “Where’s God?”

Jeremiah is a prophet, called by God to preach a message of repentance to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.  Jeremiah’s message isn’t popular, but he remains faithful to God, persisting in warning the rebellious nations, Israel and Judah, of the dire consequences they’ll face if they don’t stop worshiping other Gods.

 

Like most of us, Israel and Judah are stubborn.  They fail to heed Jeremiah’s warning.  Jerusalem is overthrown.  Eventually the people of both nations are taken into exile.  Things look pretty bleak to the prisoners of war, as their victors herd them towards a life of exile in Babylon.

But God sends this message to Jeremiah…

“After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin son of Johoiakim, king of Judah to Babylon along with the officials of Judah and all the craftsmen and artisans, the Lord gave me this vision.  I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.  One basket was filled with fresh, ripe figs, while the other was filled with bad figs that were too rotten to eat. 

Then the Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’

I replied, ‘Figs, some very good and some very bad, too rotten to eat.’

Then the Lord gave me this message: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:  The good figs represent the exiles I sent from Judah to the land of the Babylonians.  I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again.  I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord.  They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.’

‘But the bad figs,’ the Lord said, ‘represent King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, all the people left in Jerusalem, and those who live in Egypt.  I will treat them like bad figs, too rotten to eat.  I will make them an object of horror and a symbol of evil to every nation on earth.  They will be disgraced and mocked, taunted and cursed, wherever I scatter them.  And I will send war, famine, and disease until they have vanished from the land of Israel, which I gave to them and their ancestors.’  “Jeremiah 24:1-10 (NLT)

Jeremiah receives the “inside scoop” from God about the exiles.  Here’s what I believe God is telling Jeremiah…

There are good people living in Judah.  People who have potential to become a great and godly nation once more.  But they’re mixed up with evil and corrupt people.

By sending them into exile God separates these good people from the evil, corrupt ones.  He saves His people from the war and famine that He knows will devastate the land. 

By sending them into exile God preserves their lives. 

Here’s the problem for the exiles…

In the midst of the chaos; homes lost and lives changed overnight, the exiles can’t see or understand God’s greater purpose.  Like us in the midst of turmoil, I imagine they wonder…”Where’s God?  Why has He deserted us?”

Even though they don’t know it and can’t see or understand it at the time, God is still with the exiles.  He continues to protect and watch over them.

Quite often our troubles overwhelm us.  We give in to fear. 

The thing is when we’re in the midst of our troubles, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, we don’t know the whole picture.  We don’t know what God’s doing behind the scenes.  We don’t have Jeremiah’s “inside scoop”.  

This segment of Jeremiah brings hope for the exiles and it brings hope for us, too.  Even when we don’t see it, God is at work and has a plan for us.

There’s more good news for both the exiles and us a few chapters later in Jeremiah.  Next week we’ll look at some other promises God makes about taking care of his people. 

To read ahead, take a look at Jeremiah chapter 29.  That’s where we’ll be next week.

Failure To Act = Faith Failure

Every now and then God “calls me out” on an area in my life that needs attention.  This past Sunday was one of those times.

My husband has arthritis in his sacroiliac joint.  Periodically it flares up, causing him a lot of pain.  It’s been bothering him lately and Sunday morning it was especially cranky.

At the beginning of the church service the pastor said they were going to pray for anyone who needed healing.  The prayer started and I found myself praying silently for relief for my husband.

I felt God telling me to reach out and place my right hand on his lower back while I prayed.  Immediately my brain went into, “What will people think” mode.  What would people think if they saw me putting my hand on his lower back?  For that matter what would he think? 

It’s not like I could do it subtly.  We were sitting down and he was to my left.  It would require shifting and re-arranging.  Certainly the people around us would notice the shuffling, even if they were being good little Christians  and sitting with eyes closed and heads bent in prayer instead of playing on phones and Ipods.

I argued with God, making up silent excuses not to reach out my hand.  Finally I made a feeble attempt; awkwardly reaching out my left hand and pretending to scratch his hip. 

Like THAT wasn’t weirder that simply asking him to lean forward and laying my hand on the small of his back!?!

I immediately knew it was an epic fail on my part. 

Could God relieve my husband’s pain without my hand on his back, of course He could.  That’s not the point!

Sometimes answer to prayer requires a simple act of obedient faith; a show of our trust in God.

I think of the story of Naaman in 2 Kings, chapter 5...

Naaman travels a great distance to see Elisha because he’s heard Elisha has the power of God and can heal his skin disease.  After a long, arduous journey Naaman arrives on Elisha’s doorstep, only to be told to go and wash in the muddy Jordan River seven times.

Naaman is disgusted!  He stomps off in fury.  He expected a great spectacle from the famous prophet. 

Fortunately Naaman’s servants are more astute than Naaman.  They confront Naaman, saying, “…if the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn’t you have done it?  So why not this simple ‘wash and be clean?”

Naaman wisely follows the counsel of his servants, and in a spirit of humility goes and washes in the Jordan.  He is healed.

Naaman had a choice.  

• He could risk public ridicule and faithfully follow Elisha’s instructions to receive healing, or
• he could cling to his pride and lose out on the healing opportunity.

Here are the questions I’ve been pondering…

• Did my failure to act cheat God out of an opportunity to show His glory?
• Did my desire to appear “normal” and please people hinder God’s healing?
• Did I cheat my husband out of a pain free afternoon because I didn't want to look awkward?

I’ve written a few posts about thoughts, believes, and stigmas that get in the way of living out my faith in the public eye.  See Firm In Faith and Self-Proclaimed "Jesus Freak" .

 

 I thought I was getting better and overcoming some of the social anxieties associated with what people think about the way I act, or speak.  Apparently I was wrong! 

God and I still have work to do in the arena of sharing and living out my faith through acts of obedience.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

What about you?  What’s God “calling you out” on right now?  Is there an area in your life you need to confront?  Spend some quiet time with God and pray David’s prayer from Psalm 139…

 

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

And lead me along the path of everlasting life.” 

Psalm 139:23-24

Firm In Faith

Many people struggle with their faith.  Personally, I waffle between faith and doubt, and somewhere in between.  There’s generally a correlation between the strength of my faith and the time I spend with God each day. 

 

A lot of people doubt God’s existence and ridicule personal faith.  Some believe in God when they’re in trouble, but put their faith on the back burner when things are going well.  Others live a double life – believing in God and following Jesus, but denying their faith when questioned by friends or family. 

Why don’t we share our faith?  I think it’s mostly out of fear.  Fear of what people will think – what if they think I’m a “Jesus Freak”, and fear of how they'll react.

Talking about your faith journey typically involves sharing very personal events in your life.  Your faith may have grown from a time of great pain, or great shame and sin.

 When you put your personal story out there you risk rejection, ridicule, and judgment.  Sharing your faith scary. 

The Jewish people in Jesus' time were no different than we are when it comes to talking about Jesus.

“Many people did believe in Him (Jesus), however, including some of the Jewish leaders.  But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.  For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.”  John 12:42-43

Belief doesn’t guarantee sharing faith.  In the case of the Jewish leaders, sharing their faith and stating Jesus was the Messiah meant expulsion from the synagogue. 

Imagine being kicked out of your church family.  That’s what it meant to admit you believed Jesus was the Son of God.

It takes great courage and character to not compromise your belief when challenged by friends, family, or loved ones. 

Knowing what could be at stake…the relationship, your job, and in some countries, your life…and standing firm, may be one of the most difficult challenges Christians face. 

And yet there are people around the world whose faith is challenged every day and who remain true to it regardless of the consequences.

I have huge admiration for people who stand strong.  I think of one friend in particular, an amazing woman who I respect and admire, who made a decision to not compromise her faith in spite of the consequences to a relationship in her life. 

I wonder if I'd have the same character if faced with a similar difficult decision.

We can learn about standing firm by reading God's message to Jeremiah…

“…If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman.  You must influence them; do not let them influence you!...”  Jeremiah 16:19

In other words stand firm on your faith, be true to your message, and don’t compromise your belief to please others.

“They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze.  They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you…”  Jeremiah 16:20

Good advice.  God will strengthen you, encourage you, and stand firm with you when you honour Jesus.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

What difficult decisions have you made in your faith journey?  How did you stand firm?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Consciously Blind

“I once was lost but now am found.  Was blind but now I see.”  Words from the hymn, “Amazing Grace”.

 

What is the writer of this hymn referring to when he talks about being blind?

Here are some definitions of the word "blind" from www.dictionary.com ...

• Unable to see; lacking the sense of sight, sightless
• Unwilling or unable to perceive or understand
• Not characterized or determined by reason or control
• Not having or based on reason or intelligence

According to this, blindness isn’t just a condition of the visually impaired.  It can also be a voluntary condition of one who chooses, either consciously or subconsciously, not to understand or believe something.

How many Christians choose spiritual blindness on a daily basis?  We know God exists, yet we go through each day far too busy to take the time to notice His work all around us.

Here’s an example from the Bible of what we might see if we choose to see the world as God does.

“…The king of Aram became very upset…He called his officers together and demanded, ‘Which of you is the traitor?  Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?’ 

 

‘It’s not us, my lord the king,’ one of the officers replied.  ‘Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!’  ‘Go and find out where he is,’ the king commanded, ‘So I can send troops to seize him.’  And the report came back:  ‘Elisha is at Dothan.’ 

 

So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.  When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere.  ‘Oh sir, what will we do now?’ the young man cried to Elisha. 

 

‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him.  ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’  Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’  The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire….”  2 Kings 6:11-17

Elisa’s servant was blind to God’s army.  Why?  His focus was on his perception of the circumstances.  Fear paralyzed him, preventing him from seeing God’s divine intervention.

Are you blind to what God is doing in your world?  Have you allowed cynicism, fear, or a pessimistic outlook to blind you to God’s intervention in your circumstances?  Is spiritual blindness robbing you of joy?

Like Elisha’s servant we need to look past our circumstances to God’s glory and power.  We need to ask God to remove our spiritual blindness, clear our vision, and show us exactly what He’s capable of doing in our lives.  When you do you’ll experience the power of God in ways you never thought possible.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

What difficult circumstances are blinding you today?  How can you re-focus on God?

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I don’t want to walk around in spiritual blindness any longer.  Clear my vision so I can see You clearly.  Reveal Your presence, teach me how much You love me, and re-assure me of Your continuous presence.  Save me from cynicism and help me to see You at work all around me.  In Jesus name I pray…Amen.