This might be the million dollar question! How, can we be sure that the what Bible is telling us is true and reliable today? Is what we read in the Bible able to deal with issues and problems that we often face in our high-tech world? Well, this blog post may be one of the most important posts I've made yet. Because, we believe 100% that the Bible is relevant and applicable for today. Here's are just a few things we need to understand when looking at just how dependable is the word of God.
1) The Bible revolves around ordinary people who are dealing with normal "life" circumstances:
Please don't ever make the mistake and think that the people who make and star in the pages of scripture are any different than you. That would be a terrible mistake for you to make! We often view folks such as David, Moses, Noah, Ruth, and Hannah as people who are far greater and grander than we are. In fact the opposite is true, these often were people who were down and out, people who didn't have a lot to offer society. These people were so inspiring, so transforming, because was able to work in mighty ways in their lives. So, the question remains is God able to work in your life? Is what God wants, God's priorities, God's desires, God's goals, and God's mission greater than your's? That's a tough question for many of us to answer, but what the Bible is all about is making God's desires greater than your own. God was able to move and use ordinary people because these people placed their desires on the back burner.
2) The Bible isn't designed to answer every life question:
The word of God can often get a bad rap because people will ask or say something like, "The Bible doesn't even talk about this or that, it must not be reliable." Which, it is true that Bible doesn't cover all of life's questions or answers. As a future father, I really wish the Bible would be tell me how to put on a diaper. It unfortunately doesn't do that. However, the Bible does do something and it does it very, very well the Bible's purpose isn't to answer every life question. Rather, it's purpose is to inspire and show you how to fall in love with Jesus and change your heart to Jesus' heart. If the Bible gave you every answer to every question you wouldn't need to have faith, and as we all know that kind of is important.
3) The Bible addresses and shows humans how to fill their deepest need:
Thousands of years into the future everything will more than likely be different than what you and I are used to today, but one thing will not change: human beings are sinful and they need a savior. The Bible addresses the most important part of the human story, we as human beings need Jesus. Without Jesus life we're missing what brings us true satisfaction, true joy, and true contentment. Without Jesus we'll never experience amazing grace, perfect love, and unending forgiveness. The Bible is and will still be relevant in the future because it shows and allows humans to meet their most basic need: for a Savior.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
On Grace
This is arguably one of the easiest posts to writes but one of the toughest to wrap your brain around. I will begin my post by saying that grace is a truth of which I am eternally grateful, but I will never understand fully how it works. Looking at grace many people would define grace in the terms of unmerited favor. Grace is something that we sing about often in our churches, read about often in our Bibles, and we hear a lot about in spiritual conversation, but the question have we really been grabbed by grace? Has grace really changed us? Here are a few things for us to consider when looking at grace.
1) Grace is a past joy and present reality-One of the struggles a lot of us have in our Christian existence is maintaining a high level of spiritual enthusiasm throughout your Christian life. Most of us live through the spiritual highs and ride those highs until the next spiritual high. A lot of us in our spiritual lives live and relish in past moments and past glories. What I'm saying is that we need to seek the presence, face, and touch of God in the present. God spoke to and grabbed us in the past, and what's not to say that God still doesn't want to know us, love us, and shower us with His grace in the present? Grace is a present reality. Pray for it. Crave it. Desire it. Set aside your own inhibitions, ideas, and prejudices when you enter worship. Pray with the confidence and desire knowing that God will bring His grace and love to you in the present.
2) Know that God is for you- Joy should be woven into the fabric of our Christian existence. We serve and worship a God who is absolutely crazy about us! Grace is clearly shown on the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. That act on Calvary's hill is the Lord of the universe telling everyone for all times and all places that I am for you. I'm giving you an incredible gift which you don't deserve, and you can't earn, but I'm 100% crazy about you! Many people make the mistake of basing God's opinion on them through the lens of their own circumstances or what is happening in the world. The sad reality is that paints a very false picture of God. God weeps when you hurt, is there when you're alone, and is sometimes your only support in the midst of life's greatest struggles. If you don't get anything else from this entire blog, please get this God is for you. If he weren't then the Cross would have never happened.
3) Grace is the message and the lifestyle- One of the best ways to communicate this message of grace powerfully is to live what you're saying. With that being said we as Christians need to understand that the Kingdom of God and a seat at the Lord's table are for all people. We very easily don't want to or don't associate with those who make us feel uncomfortable, and the sad reality is that can often carry over into our spiritual existence. Learn to live a lifestyle filled with grace, have someone keep you accountable as you strive to live into a more graceful lifestyle.
Remember grace changes everything! It's amazing and it's for you.
1) Grace is a past joy and present reality-One of the struggles a lot of us have in our Christian existence is maintaining a high level of spiritual enthusiasm throughout your Christian life. Most of us live through the spiritual highs and ride those highs until the next spiritual high. A lot of us in our spiritual lives live and relish in past moments and past glories. What I'm saying is that we need to seek the presence, face, and touch of God in the present. God spoke to and grabbed us in the past, and what's not to say that God still doesn't want to know us, love us, and shower us with His grace in the present? Grace is a present reality. Pray for it. Crave it. Desire it. Set aside your own inhibitions, ideas, and prejudices when you enter worship. Pray with the confidence and desire knowing that God will bring His grace and love to you in the present.
2) Know that God is for you- Joy should be woven into the fabric of our Christian existence. We serve and worship a God who is absolutely crazy about us! Grace is clearly shown on the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. That act on Calvary's hill is the Lord of the universe telling everyone for all times and all places that I am for you. I'm giving you an incredible gift which you don't deserve, and you can't earn, but I'm 100% crazy about you! Many people make the mistake of basing God's opinion on them through the lens of their own circumstances or what is happening in the world. The sad reality is that paints a very false picture of God. God weeps when you hurt, is there when you're alone, and is sometimes your only support in the midst of life's greatest struggles. If you don't get anything else from this entire blog, please get this God is for you. If he weren't then the Cross would have never happened.
3) Grace is the message and the lifestyle- One of the best ways to communicate this message of grace powerfully is to live what you're saying. With that being said we as Christians need to understand that the Kingdom of God and a seat at the Lord's table are for all people. We very easily don't want to or don't associate with those who make us feel uncomfortable, and the sad reality is that can often carry over into our spiritual existence. Learn to live a lifestyle filled with grace, have someone keep you accountable as you strive to live into a more graceful lifestyle.
Remember grace changes everything! It's amazing and it's for you.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
On Heaven
One of the things I think we don't talk about enough is Heaven. We talk a lot about the temporary, the present, but we often forget to talk about and dwell on eternity, and our eternal destination: Heaven. Heaven is one of life's great mysteries, which this writer believes and holds true will be well worth the wait. There are many things we don't know about Heaven, but there are a few we do. The following ideas that follow are a Christian perspective on Heaven.
1) Heaven is a reality where God is said to dwell-Numerous examples throughout the Old Testament show that God dwells in Heaven, gives gifts from Heaven, is worshiped in Heaven, and the list can go on and on and on. A lot happens in Heaven. One of the main things we want you to understand is that Heaven is the ultimate destination of your future. That destination won't change, cannot be altered, isn't affected by your circumstances, and it's a place you can never be taken away from. Be comforted and assured that no matter what your government does, your children get into, your bank account reads, etc. Your citizenship in Heaven cannot be taken away from you!
2) The Kingdom of Heaven is here but not fully realized- This is not an easy thing for people to understand. When you arrive at a party or at work you are totally 100% there and fully realized. But, it can be tough to see how something is here but not fully realized. One thing we know for sure, the Kingdom of Heaven is directly tied to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus preached for sinners to repent for the Kingdom is near or at hand. We believe that the Kingdom will be fully realized in the second coming, but we do see glimpses of the Kingdom right now. When a marriage comes back together after being on the brinks, the Kingdom shows. When someone sacrificially gives to others who are hungry, tired, cold, or thirsty, the Kingdom shows. When someone who has been controlled or addicted by external forces gives that up and pursues help, the Kingdom shows. When children talk innocently and plainly about their faith and trust in God, the Kingdom shows. The list can go on and on and on. But, I think you get my point.
3) The Kingdom is our message- One of the biggest things I hear in fear of evangelism is people don't know what to say or are afraid they'll say something wrong. My best advice share the message Jesus shared. The kingdom of God has come and is for everyone. Jesus is not distant, impersonal, or doesn't care, Jesus Christ the Son of God has come to bring the Kingdom to it full reality and it will be a day you won't want to miss! That's the message the world needs to hear.
1) Heaven is a reality where God is said to dwell-Numerous examples throughout the Old Testament show that God dwells in Heaven, gives gifts from Heaven, is worshiped in Heaven, and the list can go on and on and on. A lot happens in Heaven. One of the main things we want you to understand is that Heaven is the ultimate destination of your future. That destination won't change, cannot be altered, isn't affected by your circumstances, and it's a place you can never be taken away from. Be comforted and assured that no matter what your government does, your children get into, your bank account reads, etc. Your citizenship in Heaven cannot be taken away from you!
2) The Kingdom of Heaven is here but not fully realized- This is not an easy thing for people to understand. When you arrive at a party or at work you are totally 100% there and fully realized. But, it can be tough to see how something is here but not fully realized. One thing we know for sure, the Kingdom of Heaven is directly tied to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus preached for sinners to repent for the Kingdom is near or at hand. We believe that the Kingdom will be fully realized in the second coming, but we do see glimpses of the Kingdom right now. When a marriage comes back together after being on the brinks, the Kingdom shows. When someone sacrificially gives to others who are hungry, tired, cold, or thirsty, the Kingdom shows. When someone who has been controlled or addicted by external forces gives that up and pursues help, the Kingdom shows. When children talk innocently and plainly about their faith and trust in God, the Kingdom shows. The list can go on and on and on. But, I think you get my point.
3) The Kingdom is our message- One of the biggest things I hear in fear of evangelism is people don't know what to say or are afraid they'll say something wrong. My best advice share the message Jesus shared. The kingdom of God has come and is for everyone. Jesus is not distant, impersonal, or doesn't care, Jesus Christ the Son of God has come to bring the Kingdom to it full reality and it will be a day you won't want to miss! That's the message the world needs to hear.
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