Category Archives: Blog

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

1 Corinthians 12:27

The Christian Church today hardly resembles the one that Jesus’ disciples started 2,000 years ago. The Church began on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to man (Acts 2:1-4). Those early believers started meeting together and “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) They studied the Scriptures together, they ate together, and they prayed together. Luke goes on to record that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) And indeed His Church has continued to grow since then, so much so that there are now over 2.2 billion Christians and 3 million churches worldwide (World Outlook, 2010 edition)!

And yet despite this incredible growth, His Church today is divided and fragmented. Individual churches still meet weekly for worship but rarely meet with other churches except at denominational gatherings. The Church can be defined as the global body of believers who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their savior. Although all Christians may no longer be unified in our practices, Jesus’ words before his bodily resurrection still remain the purpose of His Church. Jesus calls all Christians, individually and collectively, to “go and make disciples of all nations… and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) We were not called to build church buildings, make church members, or teach others to memorize the Bible. We are called to share the gospel and make disciples of Jesus Christ! That is the sole purpose of the Church and the reason it was established.

So, when is a church not His Church? Let me share 6 ways that this happens.

1. When a church accepts cultural values over Biblical teaching.

The Bible is essential for every Christian and is the Word of God that should govern our beliefs and actions. It was written to inform us of God’s commands, His faithfulness, His mercy, His Truth, and most importantly, His Son Jesus. It is the sole document that we must rely on if we are to obey God and put our trust in Jesus. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) When a church deviates from God’s Word and accepts cultural values or practices that do not conform to Biblical teaching, they are no longer being His Church. These churches are man-focused instead of God-focused and are no longer able to effectively make disciples for Jesus Christ.

2. When a church is focused on outward results instead of inward transformation.

Too often churches present their accomplishments instead of Jesus or the gospel to attract non-believers to attend their church or ministries. They tout their membership size, their well-known preacher, their talented praise band, their facilities, and their plethora of programs. While that may be a good marketing strategy, it leaves out the purpose for all of that, which is to preach Christ crucified for their salvation, and to call them to submit to, and follow, Christ. Local churches can be large, well-attended, and well known, but that does not mean that their church is full of disciples – people who desire to know God more and to daily follow Christ. When churches are focused on outward results instead of inward transformation, they cease to function as His Church was designed to function.

3. When a church prefers organizational efficiency over spiritual impact.

There are many churches that strive for operational efficiency. Their services start on time and end on time, and they get people in and out of multiple worship services with ease and efficiency. Their church is equipped with the latest technology to enhance the worship experience and provide instant information and connections. Their church also communicates with its members through multiple channels (email, text, etc.) and updates their website and social media pages daily. And while the church may run like a well-oiled machine, their ministry may have little or no spiritual impact on those who slide in and out of church with no contact or engagement with anyone. When this happens, a church is not His Church as it was intended to be.

4. When a church seeks political solutions instead of discipleship.

When Jesus came to the earth, He never sought political power or a human kingship. As He told Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) Jesus came for the hearts of mankind, to show us how to draw near to God and treat one another. His message was one of love, submission, and obedience to God, not political or government control. The Apostle Paul went even further when he said that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Romans 13:1) Therefore, the role of His Church is to influence and change the hearts of mankind and not to leverage the government to enforce Biblical obedience. While Christians are called to participate in elections and the governing process as citizens, our priority as His Church is always to disciple others to become followers of Jesus. Only when individual hearts are changed will a nation change!

5. When a church is financially stable but spiritually bankrupt.

Jesus said in Mattew 6:24 that “You cannot serve both God and Money.” He meant that money could become an idol that we worship which draws us away from God. When we rely on money instead of God, we no longer trust in God for what we need. How many congregational meetings focus on the finances of the church rather than the spiritual growth of the church? How much money is spent on keeping the church operating while cutting back on expenses for discipleship and outreach? The Church was never called to be financially solid and always in the black. The Church is called to be “Salt & Light” (Matthew 5) and to serve others in Jesus’ name while trusting in God for the financial provision needed to accomplish His purpose. To be His Church a church must remember to “Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

6. When a church lacks a missional emphasis.

As a church grows, there is a temptation at some point to get comfortable with what it does and how it does it. When that happens, the church ceases to change and becomes inwardly focused on maintaining and serving its membership. In the process it becomes deaf and blind to the world around it and no longer attracts non-believers. To remain vibrant and relevant to the community, a church must always have a missional emphasis and be ready to adjust to meet the needs of the culture that surrounds it. It should always be looking for those who don’t know Jesus in order to bring them into their church to find Him! As Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1Corinthians 9:22) When a church ceases to find ways to reach the world with the good news of Jesus, it is no longer acting like His Church.

My prayer is that all churches in the world will be His Church that not only draws people to God and His Word but also leads them to become a disciple of Jesus and follow Him! But they can’t do that without a spiritual focus and reliance on the Lord and His Holy Spirit. As Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord!”

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:9-13

This month in the USA we will celebrate Father’s Day on June16th. On this day we show our appreciation and thankfulness for our earthly fathers. But it is important to appreciate and be thankful for our heavenly Father on this day as well. It is God the father who gave us life, and He is the one who sustains and provides for us in this life. I am thankful for my earthly father who raised me, took me to church, taught me Godly values, and loved me unconditionally during his 101 years on this earth. He also had a strong influence on who I am today.

One of my favorite movies is Kindergarten Cop. In this 1990 movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a tough police detective who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher in an elementary school to try and locate the ex-wife of a dangerous criminal. The only clue he has is their 5-year-old child who he believes is in his class. To find her through their child, he interviews each student and asks them, “Who is your daddy and what does he do?”

As I think about Father’s Day I am reminded of this movie and this question. Who really is our daddy and what does he do?

My earthly father grew up on a farm and after serving in the Army in WWII, he earned a college degree in dairy technology. He then went to work for Kraft Foods and spent his entire 35-year career there, working first on cheese research and development. He spent the last 15 years supervising Kraft’s global cheese production at their plants around the world. His job was partly responsible for my desire to work internationally as well.

While my earthly father took me to church, taught me Godly values, and served others inside and outside the church, he did not share his faith nor try to disciple me spiritually. He kept his faith private while actively serving in our church and community. That was typical of many people back in the 1960’s. The person who encouraged my faith more than anyone else was my wife, Kim. She had a very strong faith when we met in college and was instrumental in my journey of faith and commitment to serving the Lord in ministry. But I also had some spiritual “fathers”, men who discipled and mentored me in my life and helped me to grow spiritually.

Over the years I have come to realize that while I love and respect my earthly father and my human spiritual fathers, I love and trust my heavenly Father more. God is my true “Daddy” (Abba Father) because He loved me so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for my sins so that I might be His child forever (John 3:16)! What God has done, and still does today, is greater than what any human father or spiritual father could do. He created me (Psalm 139:13), has called me to be His child (1 John 3:1), and has made me an heir of His kingdom (Romans 8:17)! He promises to never leave or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5) and to be with me forever (Matthew 28:20).

My heavenly Father also reminds me that my true home is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and that I am only a visitor on this earth. While here on earth He commands me to honor my earthly father and mother (Exodus 20:12) and to take care of the family He has given to me (1 Timothy 5:8). But He also calls me to follow His son Jesus (Matthew 16:24) and to lead others to Him as well (Matthew 28:19). These are things I am more than willing to do because of what He has first done for me!

God has also made me an earthly father and a grandfather and has given me the responsibility to disciple my children and grandchildren (Proverbs 22:6). It can be a challenge in today’s culture, but it is something I strive for every day because my descendants need to know who their true “Daddy” is as well. When I leave this earth and go to join my heavenly Father (and my earthly and spiritual fathers), my descendants need to know where I am and where their true home is as well. They also need to put their faith in Jesus and trust Him with their lives and families so they too can return home and enjoy what our heavenly Father has prepared for them and all who believe in Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:9)!

So, this Father’s Day, when we honor our earthly fathers, let us not forget who our real “Daddy” is and remember to thank God our Heavenly Father and praise Him for His work in our life! Let us also thank God for our spiritual fathers who discipled us and encouraged our faith. And for those of us who are men, let us seek to be spiritual leaders in our family, in our churches, and in our nation, so that God our Father is honored, glorified, and made known to all people!

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

There are many voices in our world today that try to tell us what to say, what to think, and how to act. The loudest voices often come from our government, our academic institutions, and our media. They try to convince us that they alone have the knowledge, the truth, and the solutions that will make our lives better. And although most of the nations in our world are democratic and espouse freedom of speech and personal choice, there has been a growing threat of increased control over what people can publicly say, what they are taught to think, and how they are expected to behave. This should be concerning to all people who value their freedom!

At the heart of this threat is the attitude that man has the power to determine what is true, right, or beneficial for everyone. This belief in man’s wisdom and ability to know all things began with the age of scientific discovery and the enlightenment of man in the 17^th century and continues to this day. It was also the beginning of humans turning away from God and relying on ourselves rather than Him and His Word (see my related blog from June, 2015: God or Me? | FaithLife Ministries) When we stop relying on God for truth, wisdom, and behavior, we see the inevitable destruction of our society. The fall of the Roman Empire in the 5^th century is one well-known historical example.

God has spoken about this throughout His Word, but never more clearly than in Micah 6:8 (see above). I remember our pastor giving a sermon on this Scripture many years ago and indicating that this one verse sums up the entire Old Testament. But it also provides us with the 3 things that really matter in our world. And if we want a better world and a better way to live as humans, here is what our Creator tells us about how we should live.

1. Act Justly

The first thing that really matters to God is that we act justly. When God calls us to act justly, He is saying that we must act according to the truth. And it is not our truth, but His truth! In our world today, many people believe that truth is relative and that we can each have our own truth. But that is absurd. There can only be one truth. And the truth that really matters is God’s truth. We find His truth in His Word – the Bible! His truth defines what is right and wrong and is the standard for human behavior. Isaiah 45:19 says, “I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” When we deviate from His truth, we end up denying Him and hurting one another. When truth becomes relative or subjective, it also becomes a weapon to wield against others who may disagree. God’s Word also says in Leviticus 19:15 that “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” When we decide what is truth, we sin and harm others in the process. We are called to act justly according to God’s truth!

2. Love Mercy

The second thing that really matters to God is that we love mercy. God has been merciful to us by redeeming our lives at the cross through His Son Jesus’s sacrifice for our sins. Consequently, we should be merciful to others. Jesus taught this in the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus also said in Matthew 9:13 that “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” When we do not show mercy to others, we who are Christians deny our faith and are no better than pagans who do not believe. Mercy is also a reflection of our character as humans as it indicates our true beliefs. It almost seems as if our world no longer values character. All that seems to matter to some people are race, ethnicity, gender, and social status. In today’s world people are judged by their outward appearance and not their human character. As Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said in 1963, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Whatever happened to that vision for America and the world? When we show mercy to other, we love others and fulfill Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

3. Walk Humbly with God

The third thing that really matters to God is that we walk humbly with Him. This declares that He is God, and we are not! Even Jesus humbled himself before God, and “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” (Philippians 2:6) When we are humble like Jesus this clearly shows others that it is God, and not us, who is sovereign over all things. Our humility acknowledges Him as the source of truth in our world and is the One we should all trust for our well-being and earthly needs. The Bible teaches us that we are to work for what we receive in this world. 2 Thessalonians 3:10says, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  But we are also taught that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23) In other words, we must earn our way in this world and take responsibility for our own lives while at the same time recognize that we can only do that by answering God’s call in our lives, serving others in His name, and allowing His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. When we humble ourselves before God and put our faith and trust in Jesus, we allow God to make us examples of what it truly means to walk humbly with our God!

We know that the world is corrupt and full of sinful people. But we also know that we were put into this world to not only worship our Creator, but to also Shine His Light to others (Matthew 5:16).

So, as followers of Christ, let us act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. These are the 3 things that really matter if we want to live in a better world!

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”

Leviticus 19:15

“That’s not Fair!”  is a very common expression used here in the United States. It is said in many different situations and refers to someone not getting what they think they deserve or not being treated the same way as other people. For example, it is used by children who complain that a brother or sister is getting something from their parents that they didn’t get. It is used by students who think other students get better grades and treatment from their teachers than they do. It is used by athletes and coaches who believe that fouls and penalties are not called fairly by referees and umpires. And it is also used by people who believe they are treated differently by the police or our justice system because of their skin color, gender, or economic status.

So, what does the word ‘fair’ actually mean? According to the dictionary, the word ‘fair’ is defined as “marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism, and conforming with established rules.” In other words, it means that people are treated according to an established set of rules that should apply the same to everyone. When people complain or believe that they are not treated fairly or that something isn’t fair, it generally means that they think the rules or standards are not being applied the same to them as to others.

The Bible tells us that we should judge (treat) our neighbor or others fairly (see Leviticus 19:15 above). It means to not show favoritism to one person over another. Jesus calls us to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Matthew 19:19). But we so often fail to do this because humans are sinful beings, and we have our biases and prejudices that impact how we treat or judge others. And many times, we don’t even recognize that we are doing this to others. However, we are often quick to recognize it when it is done to us! We must remember the golden rule from the Bible: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

The issue of what is fair only matters when there is a standard set of rules that apply to everyone. Without a standard set of rules, there is no ability to know what is considered right or fair.

In our nation, those standard set of rules are our Constitution and the laws that are established to govern personal conduct. These are the foundations of our legal system. And it is our law enforcement and justice system that must make sure that the rules are applied fairly. Although I believe our system of justice here in the USA is the best in the world, it is not perfect. The system may be good, but the rules are enforced and applied by people – judges, police officers, lawyers, etc. – who are not perfect. Today, we are seeing our laws not being enforced at all or being applied to some people and not to others. If we want our legal system to be fair, the laws must be applied the same to every citizen, regardless of who they are. The fact that they sometimes aren’t is due to sin and sinful people, not our laws or system of justice.

Perhaps a bigger question is this – “is life supposed to be fair?” When God created the heavens and the earth, and human life, “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31) Life in the garden of Eden was perfect and completely fair! But because of Adam & Eve’s sin, the earth, and the people in it, became corrupt and life was no longer fair!

I think we all would acknowledge today that life isn’t always fair. Is it fair that some children grow up with a mother and a father and some children don’t? Is it fair that some people are born rich and others are born poor? Is it fair that some people get cancer and others don’t? Is it fair that a tornado takes out one home and leaves the house next door untouched? The reality is that life is random and unpredictable and therefore can’t be fair. Things just happen that are beyond our control. As the movie character Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get!”

But as Americans we do get to choose the life we want to pursue. Our nation was founded on the principle of our citizens’ right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It means that every citizen has the right to determine the outcome of their own life. To accommodate this, our economy is structured as a free market system. It is designed to provide equal opportunity but not to guarantee equal outcomes. It enables our citizens to pursue their own outcomes based on freedom of choice, individual ability, and effort.

A free market economy allows for the free exchange of money for goods and services and labor for earning wages according to everyone’s individual preferences. While there is a set of laws (rules) that govern the activity in the market, people are free to make their own choices for the work they choose to pursue and the purchases they make, while companies must compete for their labor and their business. Because the market is based on millions of individual choices and transactions between buyers and sellers, it results in mutually agreeable outcomes. What could be fairer than that! This system rewards those who show initiative, take risks, create new products and services, develop their skills, and work hard. And history has proven this system to be superior to every other economic system in providing freedom, economic opportunity, wealth creation, the reduction of poverty, and ultimately, more fairness!

But there is something that truly isn’t fair in our world today. It’s the fact that Jesus, God’s own Son, would willingly suffer and die on a cross for every human being so that we might be forgiven, reconciled to God, and inherit eternal life. If God was fair, we would all be punished for every one of our sins – and they are many! For as Paul wrote in Romans 8:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Instead, God chose to send His own Son Jesus to our world to take upon himself the punishment for all our sins, so that we may be made righteous through the sacrificial blood of Jesus. It wasn’t fair, but it was the only way we could receive forgiveness and have our sins accounted for. And it also isn’t about anything we did to earn it. It is solely because of but Christ’s love for us and His obedience His Father (Ephesians 2:8-9)!

So, when you hear someone say, “That’s not Fair!”, remind them what Jesus did for them and everyone else on the cross 2,000 years ago. It was the most unfair thing that has ever been done!

We will never live in a completely fair world because of sin. So, we should be grateful every day for what Jesus has done for us. And it should lead us to want to worship Him and tell others about Him as well! That’s only fair, right?

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

When people ask, “who are you?”, what is your response? How do you identify yourself? Do you define yourself by your name, your family (I am a husband/wife or father/mother), your career (I am a doctor, salesman, etc.), your hobbies (I am a musician, artist, athlete), your politics (I am liberal or conservative), or your faith in Christ? It’s an important question that we all must be ready to answer when it’s asked of us. How we identify ourselves tells people what is truly important about our life and who we are.

The rock group, The Who, wrote a song about it back in the 1960’s, asking the question, “Who Are You?” This song was popular at the time but gained even greater popularity when it became the theme song for the television show, CSI: Las Vegas, a forensic crime drama about determining the identity of a deceased person and their cause of death.

God created every human being as a distinct, unique person. We have unique DNA and fingerprints. No two people are exactly alike, even if they look alike, such as twins. This is the essence of our legal and criminal justice system and how victims and criminals are identified uniquely and not solely on the basis of appearance or witness testimony.

Unfortunately, we currently live in a world that now wants to label people according to their appearance and group affiliation. The world wants to identify people by their race, skin color, ethnicity, wealth, sexual preference, and political affiliation, just to name the most common. People are grouped together so that they can be “labeled” and treated according to their group affiliation and not their individual value, uniqueness, or character.

Here in the USA, we have had a sad history of treating people based on labels and stereotypes. And in my lifetime, we have made tremendous progress on removing these labels and trying to accept all Americans based on their value and worth as individuals. I still remember watching Martin Luther King, Jr’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the mall in Washington, DC in 1963 where he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I doubt if he would be pleased today to see how in the past few years we have gone back to judging people based on their skin color instead of their character.

I believe that our nation is destroying itself from within, and that Satan is using elements of our society to push the Marxist tactic of “labeling” the enemies of the State in order to consolidate political power and force their ideology on all Americans. They want to eliminate political opposition, remove freedom of speech, and draw people away from God to worship the State. And it all begins with labeling people according to groups instead of valuing them as unique individuals and allowing for individual freedom. And while it appears to be more political on the surface, in reality this is spiritual warfare as identified by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12 where he wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

So, what are we to do as American Christians to combat this menace to our nation and our freedom? I believe there are 3 things that we can, and must, do.

First, we must recognize this as spiritual warfare, and not just political posturing. We must “hate what is evil and cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). We need to understand how Satan works and rebuke him when we encounter evil. We also need to understand the ideology of Marxism and that it is inherently anti-God. They want to destroy the family, eliminate freedom of speech, eliminate religion, and force people to acquiesce to the State in all matters (Exodus 20:3).

Second, we must “peel off the labels” that society puts on people and refuse to stereotype and group people according to outward appearances or racial differences. This is what the Nazi’s and the Japanese did in World War II, and it resulted in the murder of more than 12 million people! There is only one race – the human race! And when we mistreat others based on their skin color, ethnicity, or religion that is different from ours, we are ignoring God’s call to humility and respect for others (Philippians 2:3-4).

Third, we must lift up the individual based on their own individual character and merit. We must see other people as God sees them, as humans created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and as sinful people in need of Jesus as their Savior (John 3:16). The State does not value the individual nor seek to save people. Instead, they only seek to enslave and control them!

So, who are you? Do you identify yourself as a child of God? Do you acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior? Do you value others as God does, and look at their character instead of their outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7)? If Christ truly lives in us, then we must identify ourselves as His disciple. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

If we want to change our society or our nation, we must begin with ourselves. As Christians, we must be the ones to become Jesus to others. We must “peel off the labels” from others and treat them as we would want to be treated (Luke 6:31). When we do that, we glorify God, we honor His creation, and we show the world a better way!

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.“

Ephesians 4:32

February is sometimes called the month of love because it’s when Valentine’s Day is celebrated. The essence of Valentine’s Day is true love. It is supposed to be a day when people reaffirm their love and genuine affection for others. Valentine’s Day began as a celebration of a Christian Saint named Valentine. He was imprisoned, tortured, and executed for performing and upholding Christian marriage in 269 AD.

But today Valentines Day has become more of a secular celebration of friendship and romantic love. When asked what love means, it is likely that more people today can quote the famous line “love means never having to say you’re sorry” from the 1970 movie Love Story by Erich Segal than what the Bible says about love.

While the secular world may have its definition of love, it is not the same as God’s definition of love. The Bible teaches that “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16). The Bible also says that “we love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 ) As Christians, we acknowledge that our love comes from God. Therefore, it is God who defines what love truly is.

So, how exactly does God define love? The most common Greek word for love used in the New Testament is agape love. This is the highest form of love, and it means to choose to love someone. In other words, it’s loving someone for no other reason than they exist and are human just like us. In 1^st Corinthians 13, Paul lays out several characteristics of God’s love – it is patient and kind, it does not envy or boast, it is not proud, rude, or self-seeking, it is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. And love never fails. We could probably stop right here, and most people usually do.

But the Bible also tells us that love is sacrificial (John 15:13), love is loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44), love is loving others as ourselves (Matthew 19:19), and that love is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:10). These too are great indicators of the kind of love in our hearts that God desires us to have.

So, how do we know if we have God’s love in our heart? Jeremiah said that “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” (Jeremiah 17:9) Jesus added in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts; murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” We are all born with a sinner’s heart and loving others as God desires does not come naturally. However, overcoming our sinful nature with God’s love is something we must continually strive for as followers of Christ.

But there is one characteristic that exemplifies our love towards others more than any other – forgiveness! The simple, yet difficult, act of forgiveness can only happen if we are humble, kind, not proud or self-seeking, and truly love others as ourselves, including our enemies and those who have done wrong to us. Forgiveness is a choice, and when we choose to forgive, we develop a heart like His. But we first need God’s Holy Spirit in us to make that choice!

God said in 1 Samuel 16:7 that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  When God looks at our hearts, what does He see? Does He see humility, kindness, a love for others, and forgiveness? Or does He see evil thoughts, anger, malice, and pride? If we are honest, probably both! After all, we are still a fallen race.

God’s heart is a heart of forgiveness. He sacrificed His one and only Son so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to Him (John 3:16). Because he looks at the heart, God uses our ability to forgive as a measure of our love for Him and others. When Jesus was asked by Peter if seven times was enough for him to forgive someone, Jesus said “I tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:22) Forgiveness is a priority and a reflection of a heart of love. We are commanded to forgive others as God forgave us in Christ! (Ephesians 4:32)

There was a song written in 1989 by Don Henley (of Eagle’s fame) about forgiveness that captures the essence of forgiveness as an act of love coming from the heart. The song describes a broken relationship that was his fault. The chorus declares “I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter, but my will gets weak, and my thoughts seem to scatter, but I think it’s about forgiveness, forgiveness, even if, even if, you don’t love me anymore.” His lyrics recognize the need we all have to forgive even if we are not forgiven by others. The last line of the bridge declares, “life goes on, you keep carrying that anger, it’ll eat you up inside.” How true that is!

Jesus told a parable about an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35. In this parable Jesus is speaking to Peter and explaining how God views forgiveness. The parable tells of a king who forgave a large debt to one of his servants. However, this servant would not forgive a small debt a fellow servant owed him. Instead, he had the person thrown in prison until he could repay the debt. When the king found out, he was so angry at this servant whose debt he forgave that he had him tortured and thrown in prison until he could repay his debt. Jesus then says to Peter and his disciples that “This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” In other words, God takes our forgiveness of others very seriously and expects us to forgive others as he forgave us.

So, do we have forgiveness for others in our hearts? Have we forgiven people who have wronged us, or are we waiting for them to first apologize to us? God’s love cannot be in us if there is no forgiveness. God indeed looks in our hearts and measures it by our ability to love others and forgive others as He loved us and forgave us. Let us all seek to be forgiving people!

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:12-14

It is now 2024 and the beginning of a new year. Some people look forward to the experiences and opportunities that await them this year, while others are not so enthusiastic about the year ahead. Sometimes that depends upon our individual perspective and what kind of year we had in 2023. But no matter how one views the past year, many believe that the future is trending downward in cultural, economic, and political ways, and are distressed and concerned by the direction our nation, and the world, is going.

There are several reasons why people may not be optimistic about 2024. First, there are 2 major ongoing wars in the Ukraine and Israel that could spread to other nations. Second, there are difficult financial and economic struggles that many people are facing. Third, there is political division in the US and other nations, and the growing desire for socialism, redistribution of wealth, and a focus on group identity rather than individual merit. In addition to these three reasons, it’s also an election year here in the USA (and many other nations as well). Considering our past few elections, this one will likely be even more contentious and uglier. So, with a difficult year ahead of us potentially, some people yearn to return to the “good old days”! They prefer the “then” to the “now”.

I just turned 70 years old and I often think back on the days from my past. These were days when life seemed simpler and less hurried with lots of opportunities. But the reality is, the past is gone forever and we can’t live in the past nor should we try to (see my blog from last November : The Role of History | FaithLife Ministries). While there are some things from the past worth hanging on to, such as our principles and values, we must live in the present and embrace a future filled with both change and opportunity. We must seize the “now” and let go of the “then”!

Consequently, I think it is beneficial for us to consider four things that are better today than in the past that might help to give us some perspective on now vs. then.

First, take personal computers. They have also enabled greater access to information and products & services than ever before. I remember having to go to a library for information if I wanted to know or learn something. Today, we have information and knowledge at our fingertips on virtually anything. We can search for information from all over the world and get answers immediately. Similarly, in the past we had to go to a store if we wanted to buy something. Today, we can buy what we want, when we want, where we want, and how we want without ever leaving our home. When it comes to computers, I do NOT want to go back to the old days when we did not have them!

Second, let’s consider communications. Today we have instant communication around the world through email and cell phones. Before the personal computer, there was only the US mail. You had to write and mail a letter and then wait a week or two for a reply (or longer if it was international). Today we can send emails across the world and get immediate responses. Before the cell phone, there was the phone in your home and payphones in high traffic areas. If you had an emergency while away from home, you had to go find the nearest pay phone. With a cell phone, we can now call for help immediately. We can also use our cell phones to send emails, get directions, take photos, and call from anywhere in the world! We also now have satellite GPS which enables us to plan travel routes, avoid traffic delays, and calculate how long it will take. With today’s communications, I’ll keep my computer and cell phone, thank you!

Third, what about air travel? Back in my younger days airfares were fixed and there were limited destinations, flight connections, and only certain days of travel to certain places (e.g. – weekly or MWF). Today we have an array of choices and costs and can reach virtually every nation in the world on any day and with relative ease. We can also book our seats in advance and earn rewards for our air travel. And after adjustment for inflation, airfares are less expensive today than they were 50 years ago as well. I definitely prefer the air travel of today to the air travel of yesterday!

Finally, while we may lament the increased secularization of our nation, the fourth benefit of today’s world is that we now have more Christian movies, television channels, radio stations, concerts, and websites to deepen our faith and reach others with the gospel than ever before! These are great tools that we now have available today that were not as prevalent or even available 50 years ago. It is certainly easier now to grow our faith and reach others for Christ!

These are four positive developments that offer us some hope for 2024 and the future. And while some things in our culture are getting worse, such as a lack of respect for God and the Church, the negative influence of social media, the increase in drug use, and the growth of all kinds of sexual sin, these things can be overcome over time with the gospel, prayer, and the technology tools the Lord has provided us with in today’s age.

But it is still up to us as individual Christians to share our faith, share the gospel, and to offer this hope to our fellow citizens. But to do so means that we must recognize the opportunities that are before us in 2024. Rather than dwell on the past (Isaiah 43:18), we must go forth into the future, however bad it might appear, to bring God’s truth, God’s Son, and God’s hope to everyone! Then was then, and we can’t change it. But now is now, and we have been given the opportunity to bring about a better future starting today. Let us not shrink back from our call to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) and be the Salt & Light of our generation (Matthew 5:13-16)! There is no better time than NOW!!

And who knows, perhaps God is preparing us “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)!

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

John 15:18-19

It’s now December and Christmas Day is still 3 weeks away. But the season of Christmas has already begun and is in full swing! Although Christmas has become more and more secular over the years, it’s still about the birth of a little baby in Bethlehem named Jesus who would be the Savior of the world! It’s because Christmas isn’t Christmas without Christ! Christmas is still recognized as a Christian event by over 2.2 billion people around the world. That’s one-third of the world’s population! And yet, Christianity is also the most persecuted faith in the entire world.

Were you aware that according to an Open Doors International report from 2021, 360 million Christians face persecution for their faith every day? For some that means imprisonment, torture, and even death! But for others it means loss of home, loss of job, or loss of family relationships. There are also other subtle forms of persecution, such as silencing of Christian voices and forcing Christians to do things that are opposed to Biblical teaching and their beliefs.

According to the latest Pew Research study in 2018, Christianity leads the list of the most persecuted religions, followed by Islam and then Judaism. And while the war between Israel and Hamas has stirred more antisemitism and anti-Islam feelings the past couple of months, Christianity still leads the world in being the most persecuted faith.

This is truly an amazing paradox when we think of all the good things that Christianity has brought to the world. Christianity introduced the concepts of morality, equality, monogamy, generosity, care for orphans, widows, and the elderly, and to love one’s enemies!  These led to the creation of hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters, food pantries, not to mention the Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, and Salvation Army, organizations begun by Christians that serve the world’s sick, poor, and hopeless.

So, if Christianity is does so much good, why does the world hate it?

The world hates Christianity because Jesus said it hated Him first (see John 15:18-19 above). Why? Because the world is comprised of people who reject God and His sovereignty over all creation (Exodus 20:3). Satan was the first being to reject God, and when he convinced Adam and Eve to distrust God (Genesis 3), they brought sin into the perfect world God created and it became corrupted from then on. As a result, Jesus was sent to the world to save the world from its own destruction. And although every human can receive this free gift of salvation, many still choose to reject it today.

But it also seems to me that there are 3 primary reasons why people reject or hate Jesus and persecute His followers.

First, Jesus taught that all people should put their faith and trust in Him alone. The Bible says in John 14:6 that the only way to God is through Jesus, His Son. To follow Christ is to submit our will to Jesus and God the Father, and to obey their commands. But many humans don’t want to yield their lives to God by putting their faith and trust in Jesus. They prefer to live according to their own desires or the way of the corrupt world. Either of these choices will end in death (Proverbs 14:12) and eternal separation from God. This is a message that the world does not accept or want to hear because it conflicts with their desires. And they will often do whatever it takes to try and silence that message!

Second, Christianity opposes earthly power structures. Whether it’s a national religion/tradition/culture, a political ideology, or an economic system, Christianity focuses on the freedom of the individual to follow Christ and His commands, which often contradicts the existing power structures. Those in power typically rule according to man-made rules and will often go to extreme lengths to stay in power by eliminating opposition and forcing conformity. History has shown the violence that human rulers have used to hold on to their power (Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Sadam Hussein, etc.).

Third, many people have had bad experiences in churches or Christian communities. This often leaves them hurt, used, and wounded. As a result, they have given up on God, believing He doesn’t truly care about them. Or perhaps they have been misled by false teachers and prideful leaders that have left them bewildered, confused, and doubting God’s Word. They were told that God would take away all their struggles and problems and leave them prosperous and happy. But that is contrary to what the Bible says. Jesus said in John 16:33 that “In this world we will have trouble”, while Paul wrote in 2^nd Timothy 3:12 that “Everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” To believe that the Christian life is easy is a misnomer.

Paul also said in Romans 8:17, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” In other words, to submit to God and follow Jesus we will likely have to endure earthly suffering. They go hand in hand. Christians are never exempt from trials, but we are not alone in them either. God will always be with us (Joshua 1:5)!

I think what this all comes down to is that world hates Christians because they are a threat to their personal pursuit of earthly pleasure, earthly power, or earthly position, just as Jesus was! Many people like their life or their culture as it is and don’t want to conform to God’s design and intent, even for the benefit of a better life or a better world. People who follow Christ reflect their God-created purpose, and the life God wants for all people. So, to eliminate the threat and assuage their guilt, they hate and persecute Christians who remind them of it.

But we Christians should not be dismayed nor fearful. Let us remember the words of the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:14 when he said, “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

We should also rejoice, because as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember that Jesus was not only born for you, He also suffered for you and was resurrected for you! He did this so that you may persevere through the inevitable trials of this world and rejoice that you are eternally His!

Hallelujah! Christ has come!

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, did God really say, ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Genesis 3:1

There are many people today who question God’s authority and design. Sadly, many of them also claim to be Christians and followers of Christ. God’s authority refers to His sovereignty over all things and all people. God’s design refers to His creation, including people, and how everything is supposed to function according to Him and His Word.

Regarding God’s authority, in the beginning, it was Satan who questioned God’s authority and convinced Eve to do something she knew God had explicitly told her not to do (Genesis 3:1-3). As a result, sin came into the world and has corrupted it and all people ever since! To fix this problem, God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, into the world to take upon himself the penalty and judgement for that sinful act, and all human sin, once and for all! Christians today acknowledge that fact when they place their trust in Jesus for their salvation.

Secularists and non-Christians do not believe in God and therefore do not submit to His authority. They challenge God’s authority all the time and are free to do so since they do not believe in Him. They maintain that they have authority over their own lives. They often also confront Christians in the same way the serpent did in the garden of Eden by challenging them on God’s authority in their lives. And the unprepared Christian can then be swayed by human arguments and cultural norms if they don’t know the Bible and what it says or doesn’t say.

Regarding God’s design, He created the earth and everything in it (John 1:3). He created humans as male and female to reproduce (Genesis 1:27) and to take care of the world and have dominion over everything in it (Genesis 1:28-30).  He created marriage between the male and the female and that family structure as the basis for all society (Genesis 2:24). Secularists and non-Christians assert that sexual preference, gender identity, and nature management are human choices apart from God. As a result, they will not submit to God’s design either and will challenge it at every opportunity. They put themselves above God!

So, why do so many Christians today act more like secularists and non-believers by doubting God’s Word and challenging God’s authority and design? I believe that there are three reasons for this. First, they lack a relationship with God. Second, they succumb to worldly pressure. And third, they act in their own self-interest.  Let me explain each one.

First, since God created us, He desires to have a relationship with us (John 3:16). After all, we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). But He also gave us the freedom to choose to have a relationship with Him. If we choose to do that, we will draw near to God and He will then draw near to us (James 4:8). And the more we know God through reading His Word and prayer, the stronger the relationship we will have with Him. Relationships are built by spending time together! And the strength of that relationship is what produces trust in Him and faith in His Son Jesus. A weak relationship with God and His Word produces doubt and a lack of trust in His promises, which leads us to question or doubt what God really said. When we fail to spend time with God, we can be easily led away from Him through the same words Satan used to deceive Eve!

Second, because of sin we live in a fallen and corrupt world. We must live in the world, but not be “of the world”. 1 John 2:16 says “For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” In other words, the world (sinful man) is against God and will try to separate us from Him and His son Jesus. This is typically done through cultural influences and what people and nations believe to be normal and acceptable behavior and practice. But if we become a friend to the world, we become an enemy of God (James 4:4). So, Christians must be on their guard from false teaching and people who question what God’s Word really says. We must know the Word and then trust God and not the world!

Third, most people live according to their own interests and desires. It’s in our nature to be self-centered and rely on what we think or know or have experienced ourselves. But God challenges us to submit to His will, design, and purpose for our lives because it is what is best for us. Unfortunately, we humans think we know better and often choose our own way instead of God’s way. We would rather trust in our experience and knowledge than risk trusting in God and His promises. In doing so, we fail to receive the blessings He wants to give us and instead prefer to live a less abundant and safer life (John 10:10). We don’t believe in His Word when he says, “Delight yourself in the lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4) Yes, God really did say that!

We live in a time and culture that seeks to remove God and His Word from our world. Whether it is persecution of Christians through imprisonment or death, marginalizing or limiting the voice of Christians, or influencing Christians to question their faith through the twisting of God’s Word, they are all attacks on God and His people, the heirs of His Eternal Kingdom. As Christians, we must put on the full armor of God so we can resist the attacks of Satan and the world (Ephesians 6:11-12). We must know His Word, trust His promises, and put our faith in His Son, Jesus!

Did God really say… “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”?

Yes, He did!! (Galatians 6:8)

“I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”

Psalm 143:5

History is an important subject. We learn about history in our schools, museums, movies, documentaries, and books. Historical events have been written down, and more recently recorded on film or video, to help us learn from the past. History has much to teach us if we pay attention.

However, in recent years there has been a movement to change history to reflect current thought. This is very dangerous because history is a record of events written down at the time they happened. People changing history today weren’t there when it happened and are therefore infusing current thinking into situations that they have no direct experience with. Consequently, they distort reality to fit their own ideas and agenda.

The Bible also contains a record of the history of God’s relationship to His people. And there are also some who want to change that history, or reinterpret it, to fit modern times. But that is also very dangerous and is an attempt to change God and His Word (Malachi 3:6).

In this month’s blog I want to discuss the role of history and what I call the 6 R’s of history. First, on the positive side of what we should do, I will share the first 3 R’s. Those are to record history, to read history, and then to remember history.

First of all, history must be recorded so that people in the future will know what happened and why in our times (Exodus 17:14). If we fail to record or document what happened, then future generations will not learn from, or know, the truth of what took place today. For example, during World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower ordered that photos and film be taken of the Jews and concentration camps so that the evidence would be recorded and not forgotten or distorted in the future. Today, the nation of Iran is attempting to deny the holocaust despite all of the evidence to the contrary!  He understood the importance of recording history. Similarly, The Bible records the history of the Jewish people and the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, so that we may believe and trust in Jesus today! The documentation for Jesus as the Messiah and His death and resurrection is overwhelming and cannot be refuted, though some people still try.

Second, history must be read so that we can know what happened in the past that can inform us today. If we fail to read and study history, then we will likely not know the truth of what happened in the past and why. Knowing history helps us to appreciate what our ancestors did, how they suffered, and how they helped build a better future for us today. Reading history can also help us to better understand how we got to where we are today and why things are the way they are. The Bible reveals the history of God’s relationship with his people and why Jesus came to earth to save us from our sin (John 3:16). Without the Bible we may never have fully known what God did, why Jesus came, and why it matters to us as human beings.

Third, history must be remembered so that we learn the lessons of the past (1 Chronicles 16:12). When we look at history from a present-day perspective, we can see the mistakes that were made that we can now avoid. We can also see what was done right and how those decisions in the past have benefited us today. Today, we celebrate our relationship with God in history though Christmas (Jesus’ birth), Easter (Jesus’ resurrection), and Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit). And we celebrate Holy Communion in our churches regularly to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross! (Luke 22:19)

The second 3 R’s are on the negative side, what we should not do. These are that we should not rewrite history, we should not relive history, and we should not repeat history.

The first thing we must not do is try to rewrite history. History is exactly that – history! It is a recording of events that took place in the past at the time they took place. To rewrite something today that happened long ago does not help us learn from the past. Instead, it alters the truth and reality of the past to suit current attitudes and beliefs. Its only purpose is to create a false narrative for political or other deceptive purposes. As Christians we must be on guard against those who would try to alter Scripture (or reinterpret it) to suit man’s agenda, not God’s purpose (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The second thing we should not do is to relive history. As much as we may have enjoyed our youth or days in the past, we cannot go back to that time. If we try to relive the past in the present day, we will find that it is not the same and never will be. I lived and worked in London, England for a year from 1987-1988. I enjoyed those days immensely with my English experiences and my family. But if I were to go back and live in London today, everything would be different – the people, the culture, where I lived, etc. It could never be the same no matter how much I want it to be, and I would be disappointed. We are wise to live in the present and not the past! “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” (Isaiah 43:18)

The third thing we must not do is to repeat history. Much of our personal and national history is full of errors and mistakes that caused us, or our nation, suffering and pain. Some examples might include our past bad behavior or our nation’s struggle with slavery. And all of us would probably agree that we would never want to make those mistakes again or go back to those times. The Bible teaches us that when we put our faith in Jesus, we are a new creation, that the old is gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). After knowing how Jesus died for our sins on the cross, why would we ever want to go back to our old life again?

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:4 that “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  In other words, The Bible is our history and reminds us of what a great and loving God we have and what an incredible Savior He gave us in Jesus!

So, let us not seek to change history. Instead, let us remember it and learn from it so that we may live purposeful and productive lives for God and our world!