Tag Archives: faith

Why I am a Christian – 20 Reasons

Bible General, , ,

I am a Christian. I am a believer in an almighty God who sent his son to die for my sins. My reasons for being a Christian are many and varied but I plan to offer the top 20 here. I’ll list them today and then expand upon them in coming weeks.

This list is prompted by a similar but opposite list by a former believer at a blog called The BEattitude. This individual recently offered up a list of why he is no longer a Christian. His article is not particularly hateful. He’s not a raging maniac with a chip on his shoulder. But he has clearly lost his faith. It is terribly sad and pitiful. My article is an attempt to answer his complaints. Some of what he says is difficult to answer but not impossible. Some of the things on his list are rather shallow. All have been hashed and re-hashed over the centuries. But I suspect we have all struggled with something on the list at one time or another. I am a Christian because:

Continue reading Why I am a Christian – 20 Reasons →

Steps

Church Bulletin

Heroic acts mark man of the great Bible characters. Noah, in the face of ridicule, built an ark, Abraham prepared to offer his only son as a sacrifice, Moses led the children of Israel out of captivity and through the wilderness. Joshua marshaled the Hebrews against the armies of Canaan. Rahab hid the spies at great risk to her own life. Solomon sought wisdom and not wealth from God. John the Baptist lost his head because of his preaching and Stephen died by stoning because he would not compromise. Paul endured stoning and beatings because of his preaching and faith. These people all  accomplished great and stunning acts of faith in their service to God.

If we are not careful, we might begin to see the righteous life as being a heroic life. In fact, few Christians are ever in a position to accomplish the grand tasks that bring great acclaim. Most of us never stand upon the stage of history and do things the world thinks are great. Instead, we live quiet peaceable lives in daily service to God. We practice our faith moment by moment.

Consider the case of the unnamed woman of Luke 7:36ff who came into Simon’s house and began to anoint Jesus with costly fragrance and washed his feet with her tears and hair. There is little we know about her except that she was thought of as a lower class sinner. He actions were brief and there is no further notice of her. We do not even know her name! Yet this single action marks her as a faithful follower.

Do you remember Archippus? From Philemon 1:2 we know Paul considered him a fellow soldier. Colossians 4:17 suggests he was a minister of the church. Almost nothing is known about him. He was just a preacher in one of the many cities Paul visited. We know of no great sacrifice and no single action defines his life. Nevertheless, Paul considered him a “fellow soldier.” Wouldn’t it be an extreme complement to receive such an appellation from a man like Paul?

Demetrius is another such person. He is described simply as having “a good testimony” by John in 3 John 12. He is set in contrast against another man who was seemingly arrogant and self-serving. Although there is another man by the same name in Acts 19, this is almost certainly someone else and we know precious little about him. Yet John spoke so highly of him.

You see here is the secret to faithful service before God:  Faith is not one big decision or action. Instead, it is many small decisions made consistently over time. Most of us will never be called upon to do the great and stellar things done by Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Peter, Paul or John. But we will be called upon to make small decisions everyday that will define our Christian lives. In the parable of the talents, the master entrusted one servant with only one talent. He failed to act faithfully in regards to his small task. Let’s us be faithful in the little things and we will be blessed with even greater abilities, actions and duties.

Be courageous as you stand one against one in opposition to the world. The battle for the kingdom is fought hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute by men and women just like you who bring honor and glory to their Lord by thousands of small actions each day. Be faithful in the little things for nothing is too small for our Lord!

7 Ways to Squeeze More Out of Your Spiritual Life

Daily living, ,

The equation is simple:

Flesh and bone + spirit = mankind

We understand that man is made of the physical and the spiritual. We carefully monitor our diets and exercise our bodies but may neglect the most important part which is our spiritual man. Paul told Timothy that spiritual exercise was more important. “…for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise of the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). In the gym we push a little harder, spend a couple of extra minutes on the treadmill or push around a bit more iron, but how can we squeeze more from our spirit? Here are seven suggestions to deepen your spiritual walk.

Pray Intently

There is no greater gift from our Father than the medium of prayer. Our example, Jesus, practiced near constant prayer unto his Father. He is found praying at the most difficult moment of his earthly life as he waited for the mob to come and arrest him at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36ff). Jesus taught his followers to pray also (Luke 11:1-4). You can empower your prayer life with these quick tips.

  1. Keep a prayer journal and write down what you want to pray for.
  2. Forget about “thee’s” and “thou’s” and just say what you mean.
  3. Set a time every day to pray and do not allow the world to encroach on that moment.
  4. Pray specifically not generically.
  5. Pray first for others and then for yourself.
  6. Be prepared to wrestle with God in prayer and do not give up (c.f. Genesis 32:24-32; Luke 18:1-8).

Read With Purpose

God’s Word is a marvelous bridge to the spiritual that can transport the weary heart toward heaven. When you read, look for something. Search for some passage or comforting verse that speaks loudly to you. The Christian reads to grow and to draw closer to God (James 4:8). Try this when you read:

  1. Choose a passage that meets your immediate need. Psalms for comfort, James or Proverbs for wisdom, etc.
  2. Choose a time to read when interruptions are unlikely.
  3. Look for a key word or phrase that is important.
  4. Read like you are searching for answers for you are!
  5. Answer the question, What is the writer saying to me?

Be Quiet

We like to talk. In fact, it’s hard for us to shut up and listen isn’t it? But when reading the Scriptures we must stop talking, out loud or in our heads, so that we can drink deeply of God’s immense wisdom. Some years ago the idea of meditation came to be linked with far out guru’s and eastern mystics. But Paul told Timothy to meditate on godly things (1 Timothy 4:15 KJV). The idea of meditation is to immerse oneself in a thought or study. Use these tips:

  1. A quiet place is essential – eliminate all distractions.
  2. Begin with prayer and ask God for help in meditating on his word.
  3. Plan to meditate immediately after you read the Bible. Focus upon that one word or phrase that seems important to you.
  4. Consider what the text says and think of ways to put it to work in your own life.
  5. End with prayer, asking God to help you remember and apply what  you have studied.

Watch God Work

I’m 47 years old but I still love birthdays and Christmas. I get a thrill out of opening presents. The Christian is the same way about all of life. Each day is a present from God just waiting the follower to open it up and find the heavenly surprises. I like to give God all the credit for the many little things that happen throughout the day. Nothing big, just one little blessing after another. But remember, you have to watch to catch them. And don’t forget to offer a little prayer of thanks for each one.

Seek to Serve

The Christian life is a life of service, both toward God and toward our fellow man. Sometimes service does not come calling. We must seek opportunities to serve. Jesus was a server. He served the poor, the dejected, the grieving, the confused and the ill. Paul often described himself as a servant. Here are a few ideas for service:

  1. Seek out someone unloved and ignored. Make them feel special by your attention.
  2. Send an anonymous card of encouragement to someone hurting. Tell them you are praying for them.
  3. Maintain a prayer list of people in need. Serve them by taking them before the Father in prayer.
  4. Grab a couple of friends and go do the yard work for an elderly person. Accept nothing but a “thank you.”
  5. Call a church leader and tell them you want to be involved. Ask how you can best serve.

Submit

Perhaps the most difficult thing is to submit our lives wholly unto God. He is the master and we are the servants. Our world teaches us to pursue promotions and advancements. “Look out for number one!” is the call of culture. The Christian can dispense with such notions in their spiritual lives for Christ is first in all things. He is “the only sovereign, the Lord of lords and King of kings“ (1 Timothy 6:15). When I come to understand that I am only a servant in the fields then all t he responsibility (and all of the grandeur) for victory belongs to Him.

Vanish

When our service is done the Christian will vanish. We do not wait for praise or accolades for they all belong to Christ. Any praise is deflected to the throne where Jesus rules over his people. It doesn’t matter if my name is in the church bulletin or if my picture is in the newspaper. All glory to Christ for I am but his servant. We know that any glory and praise we accept is less that is directed to Jesus. Let him absorb all glory and honor and let me only hovel at his feet.

A deep meaningful spiritual life does not come over night. It is part of a maturing process that enriches through time. But now is the moment to begin. Serve him and draw near. You will not be disappointed!

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on building a deeper spiritual life.

Would You Take 1 in 400 Odds

Judges,

What would you think about a battlefield commander who carried his forces into a battle outnumbered 400 to 1?

The book of Judges records just such a moment for Gideon. The Lord wanted his people delivered from the sons of the Amalekites and the sons of the east. Gideon was the chosen leader. But it was important for the Israelites to understand that their victory was from God and not from their own abilities.

Take a moment and read the story of Gideon in Judges 7 & 8.

Gideon began with an army of 32,000 fighting men. This represented odds of almost Continue reading Would You Take 1 in 400 Odds →

Invisible and Impossible

Daily living

John C. Maxwell is a motivational speaker and author of numerous books on leadership. I’m reading 25 Ways to Win with People and am finding some interesting observations. I’ll share them with you from time to time.

Maxwell posits that success comes from a common goal or dream. In fact he has a laminated card he keeps nearby that helps him dream of great things and accomplishments. His ideas are primarily for business but also have some application in our Christian life, especially this one:

“Sense the invisible so you can accomplish the impossible.”

That is really an idea that comes straight from the Scriptures. Colossians 3:1-2 says it twice: “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on t he things that are on the earth.”

A similar thought is found in Romans 12:2 where Paul warns and encourages: “Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Finally, consider Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” In other words, faith is the invisible which, with obedience, produces acceptance from God. “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6)

Only by knowing the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17) can we accomplish what is otherwise impossible – the salvation of our souls!