Category Archives: Blog

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him saying, ‘Lord save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’”

Matthew 8:23-27

The above Scripture is about faith and fear. The disciples (and Jesus) faced a dangerous situation in the form of a furious storm and they became afraid. What were the disciples afraid of? According to this passage they were afraid of death, specifically drowning! They had woken Jesus and said, “Lord save us! We are going to drown!” I suppose that we would have said the same thing if we were in that situation. However, notice what Jesus said to them. He said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” For you and I the answer is obvious. They were afraid because they feared death. I’m certain that would have been our reaction as well.

But what was the faith Jesus was talking about? He was talking about faith in Him and His promise of eternal life that He had spoken to them about many times. I suppose the disciples didn’t make the connection at that time. They were still learning from Jesus and perhaps not as fully aware of what Jesus himself would provide to them through His sacrifice on the cross. In this circumstance, the disciples chose fear over faith.

But today, we have no such excuse. We know what Jesus did for us on Calvary. So, if our faith is based on Jesus and what He did on the cross to give us eternal life, why should we fear our earthly death? To fear our death would be to deny our faith in Christ.

We are currently faced with a worldwide pandemic from the spread of COVID-19, a new strain of the corona virus. So, how should we approach this new danger in our lives today? Should we, as Christians, be fearful of its consequences? Should we heed all of the governmental warnings to protect ourselves and stay away from others? Should we put our trust in medicine, doctors, medical equipment or hospitals to save our lives?

I’d like to share three points that can help us clarify what our response should be as followers of Christ.

First, Life is Dangerous!  The disciples faced a dangerous storm, but we also face dangers in our lives every day. We first faced danger when we were conceived. From the moment of conception we faced dangers in the womb from genetics, disease, or miscarriage. We also faced dangers in our delivery, such as being still born or having birth defects or abnormalities. Then as we began our lives outside the womb we faced additional dangers like cancer, poverty, unemployment, natural disasters, accidents and crime.

The fact is we face danger every minute of every day. There are dangers we see and dangers we do not see. According to the National Safety Council, here are a few of the odds of dying in America from various causes:

• Heart disease & cancer    1 in 7
• Motor vehicle accident    1 in 114
• Assault by firearm            1 in 370
• Drowning                          1 in 1,188
• Airline accident                1 in 9,821
• Cataclysmic storm            1 in 66,335

These statistics do vary by nation, but notice that from these numbers a storm is one of the least likely things to cause our death (although drowning is a greater possibility)! 

We know that danger is all around us, whether we see it or not. It is part of life and cannot always be avoided. And often the dangers can be random or sudden, not giving us time to react thoughtfully or carefully. We just don’t always think about these dangers unless we are staring one right in the face. The point is, no human being is free from danger or risk. We typically only react however when we can see it or are directly confronted by it. And this leads to my second point.

Secondly, Our Physical Response to Danger or Death is Fear. Fear for our physical lives is part of our human nature and has both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, our fear can warn us of potentially dangerous situations and give us time to react. These are things like smoke from a fire, snow on the roadway, threatening clouds, or the sound of sirens. These get our attention and enable us to take precautions to protect ourselves. This is why we should heed the warnings and instructions from our government about the corona virus. It is for our protection and instituted under God’s authority (Romans 13:1-5).

On the negative side, however, fear can also cause us to run away, hide, act irrationally or not be able to function at all. These are fears such as confrontations, terror threats, political unrest, or epidemics. These are situations that we believe we need to avoid at all costs. We can see some Biblical examples of this, like Jonah running away from Nineveh (Jonah 1:3), the disciples hiding from the Jews after Jesus’ death (John 20:19), and Peter denying knowing Christ (Matthew 26:69-75).  It is natural to fear danger. It can protect us from harm. But it can also paralyze us or cause us to panic unnecessarily.

So, what should our response be to danger if not fear?  Point number three is that Our Spiritual Response to Danger Should Be Faith. Faith is trusting in God in all things. That means we should trust Him to see us through the dangers that we face. There are three reasons why we should trust Him. First, God is Love. He loves us unconditionally and He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Second, God is Truth and in Him there is no falsehood. He is trustworthy and He keeps His promises to us (Hebrew 10:23). Third, He sent His son Jesus to die in our place as a sacrifice for our sin. Jesus bore our sin on the cross and through His death and resurrection we have been given the gift of eternal life (John 3:16). He faced death and overcame it for our sake. Knowing what God did (and still does) for us, how can we not trust Him when we face danger or death?

I suppose there are those who might argue that we do not possess Christ’s courage. But that is not true! We have the same power that gave Jesus His courage – the Holy Spirit! His Holy Spirit will give us the power to trust in God and the courage to face the dangers of this world, even those that may lead to our death. And because of Jesus’ resurrection we also have hope, the hope that there is life after death and that death is not the end. When we put our faith in Jesus, we have hope, power and courage to face every danger, even death!

Should we trust the medical community to protect or help us when we face danger? Of course we should. They are God’s instruments to bring healing and recovery to our body (1 Corinthians 12:6). But they are not perfect and we should never trust them more than our Heavenly Father. They may be able to care for us between conception and death, but they do not determine either of them. God alone has power over life and death (Genesis 1:27, 3:19)!

We are all facing danger and death in our lives whether we realize it or not. Today it is the corona virus that is on the top of our minds. But tomorrow it might be something else. And there are also other daily dangers that we continue to face apart from the virus. So if we must inevitably face danger and death in this world, let us respond with faith and not fear. As Christians, we must trust God to protect us and see us through our trials through faith in Jesus. Let us not succumb to our fear of death but instead live in the hope of eternal life given to us by Jesus!! Let us choose faith over fear!

“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”

1 Peter 2:16

For Americans, freedom is regarded as our most cherished and important right. Our nation was founded on the principle of freedom for the individual and is essential to our system of self-government. Our Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In other words, America claims that its citizens have the right and the freedom (liberty) to live our lives as we determine, to pursue what makes us individually happy, and to govern ourselves accordingly. That level of freedom is what makes our nation unique in the world. It is also the reason people from around the world are drawn to our country – to have the freedom and opportunity to speak their minds, practice their faith, and to pursue whatever dreams and aspirations they may have.  As the plaque inside the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor proclaims, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” These freedoms are foundational to our culture and enable us to protect ourselves from the tyranny of our own government.

Freedom brings with it many great benefits. Having freedom means that as Americans we get to make our own choices and determine our own future free from societal norms or interference from others. We get to decide what career or work we want to do, what education to pursue, and where to live. We also get to decide who and what to vote for and what we choose to believe. We have the freedom to buy, drive, wear or do what we like. Our freedom as Americans is also the driving force behind our economy that has resulted in the development of many of the world’s new innovations, new businesses and even new industries. In America we have more choices of products and services than anywhere else in the world. If something is needed in our culture, somebody will recognize it and invent it!

But, are we truly free to do whatever we want to do? The answer of course is no. That’s because with freedom comes responsibility.  Like all nations we had to establish a set of laws that govern our behavior in order to restrain our citizens from infringing on the rights of other citizens. It starts with our Constitution and then continues with our state laws and local laws that further constrain what we are legally allowed to do with our freedom. We must use our freedom responsibly. If we don’t and break those laws we risk going to prison and ultimately losing that freedom. Only those who have been in prison truly understand what the loss of freedom means. I, for one, certainly don’t ever want to experience what that is like!

Unbridled freedom in any society leads to chaos and instability. That’s why laws exist. In order to protect and keep our freedom as a nation we must be responsible citizens and use it wisely. We must be careful not to take our freedoms for granted or abuse that privilege. Otherwise we risk having to pass more and more restrictive laws to govern our behavior that gradually takes away our freedom until it is completely gone!

This same principle of using our freedom responsibly is true for every human being regardless of their nationality. God has given every human the freedom to make their own choices in how they live. That is called free will. The consequences of those choices, however, will vary by nation depending upon its laws and culture. God also gave us free will to choose whether or not to believe in Him or follow His commands. Unfortunately, we were also born with a sinful nature that causes us to hurt ourselves and others. But our loving God has also freed us from our bondage to sin through the life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus so that we could live in true freedom. It is a free gift to us if we simply put our faith in Jesus! Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” But without faith in Christ, we are stuck in our sinful nature and unable to free ourselves from it by our own power.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.” God is warning us that how we use our freedom matters and that we must use it responsibly. If we use our freedom to make bad choices or hurt others due to our sinful nature, then we will reap the consequences. But if we use our freedom to serve others as He calls us to do, then we will be blessed and avoid falling back into bondage to sin.

So how do we protect the freedom that Christ has won for us? Again, God uses Paul to show us the way. He wrote in Galatians 5:16, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” In other words, the only way we can overcome our sinful nature is by taking on more of God’s spiritual nature!  We can’t fight our sinfulness by trying harder or using the latest self-help technique. We can only deny our sinful nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Once we recognize this simple principle we can stop trying to fix ourselves and instead submit to God (ref. James 4:7) and thereby allow His Holy Spirit to lead us to make decisions that honor Him and bless others!

So, we Americans must be careful to be responsible with our freedom so that we don’t lose it. It’s not just about passing more laws to prevent the abuse of our freedom, but to act responsibly on our own as citizens so that we don’t have to restrict our freedoms. But more importantly, as Christians, we must be careful not to use our freedom to sin or hurt others in our individual pursuits. We are called to submit to God, to obey His commands, and to use our freedom to serve others.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:8-10: “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of Believers.”

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”

Isaiah 55:6

January 6^th was Epiphany, the day that Christians traditionally celebrate the visit of the Wise Men (Magi) to Jesus the Christ child (Matthew 2:1-12). These “wise men from the East” knew the prophecies about Jesus, studied the stars, and were led to go and find him (the King of the Jews) so that they could worship him.

Today, there are many people who criticize Christianity as a “crutch” for those who lack intelligence. Their assumption is that the Christian faith is a myth and that any intelligent person would not believe in such nonsense. I find it very interesting, then, that perhaps the most intelligent people of Jesus’ day were these wise men from the East. Though they were wise and highly intelligent people, they understood not only who Jesus was (the Son of God) but also that He was worth seeking and worshiping. They also traveled a great distance and at some peril to go and find him.

For most of the world today, we do not have to travel far or risk danger to seek Jesus. As the prophet Isaiah foretold, we are to “call on him while he is near” (Isiah 55:6). Isaiah further commends us to “seek the Lord while He may be found.” In other words, we should do it now and not wait or put it off until another day.

The dictionary defines the word Seek as to “go in search of” or “to look for.” So exactly where are we supposed to look for Jesus or seek Him? According to Scripture, there are 3 places where we can find Jesus.

First, we should look for Him in the Word itself. John 1:1 says that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In John 1:14 it says that “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” In other words, Jesus is the Word! When we read the Bible, God speaks to us and points us to His Son Jesus. Jesus is present in both the Old Testament (as in Isaiah above) and the New Testament (as in the gospels). When Jesus walked the earth as a man He often quoted the Old Testament and thus confirmed its truth as God’s Holy Word (e.g. Luke 11:29-31). He also confirmed who He was when He read Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-22). So when we read the Scriptures we can’t help but find Jesus in its pages and in its purpose.

Second, we should look for Him in His creation. We know from Genesis 1:1 that “God created the heavens and the earth” and all that dwells therein, including people. There is absolutely nothing in our world that we can see with our own eyes that was not created by God! Since Jesus declared that “I and the Father are one” in John 10:30 and John 1:3 proclaims about Jesus that “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made,” Jesus was therefore involved in the creation. All we have to do is look around and marvel at  what He created to see Him! Though some may deny this truth, Romans 1:20 says that “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” It does not require a PhD or a high IQ to see, understand and know God & Jesus!

Third, we should seek Him within our own spirit. God created all human beings “in His image” (Genesis 1:27) and has therefore put His spirit into every human being as well. And it is through this spirit that we can communicate with God, just as Jesus did. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:28) And if we allow God into our lives and seek Him in spirit through prayer, He will speak to us through His Spirit and reveal His son Jesus to us! The prophet Jeremiah, speaking the words of God, said, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) In other words, if we are not seeking God with our whole heart we cannot find Him and we cannot see Jesus. But if we do seek Him with our whole heart, He will make both Himself, and His Son Jesus, known to us.

It is sad and disappointing that so many people whom God created refuse to acknowledge Him. And if they can’t acknowledge God Himself, they will not seek Jesus nor ever find Him. Many of these people have great intelligence, many academic degrees, and are considered wise by the world’s standards. Yet they still cannot see the obvious even when it is in everything around them. The dictionary defines this condition as a scotoma. A scotoma is “a spot in the visual field in which vision is absent or deficient.” In other words, God is right there but they just can’t see Him. The Old Testament also frequently refers to this condition as a “hardened heart.”

But we should not despair. Instead, Jesus has given us as His followers the awesome privilege of sharing the gospel and leading others to Him, especially those who because of their scotoma cannot see Him! We must share God’s Word with them, show them our God in His creation, and pray with and for them to help remove the scotomas from their eyes that have prevented them from seeing Jesus!

Let us all be like the wise men and “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), so that we can then lead and encourage others to seek Him as well!

“But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 10:33

Recently, several high profile Christian leaders have renounced their faith and have said that they no longer consider themselves to be a Christian. Because of their status or visibility they have also done so very publicly. It makes me wonder why they chose to make a public announcement about it.  Why not just step down from leadership, take a sabbatical, or just take some time to pray and rebuild their relationship with the Lord?   Have they really given up on God? Has all of their time and effort put into ministry really caused them to doubt God and His promises?

I’m sure many Christians sometimes stop going to church, question their faith, or lack the zeal for the Lord they once had. That has happened to me on occasion as well. Faith is a journey that has many ups and downs. It is not always smooth and going forward. In life there are struggles that we all face (John 16:33). In those times we sometimes falter or go backwards in our faith. But it is often temporary until the Lord brings us back to Him again.

Most Christians don’t go public or have a platform they use to tell others about their fall away from faith and the Lord they once served with great devotion. Instead, they generally keep it to themselves or reach out to others in confidence for counsel and assurance. And if they do somehow lose their faith they do it quietly. They just stop going to church and disconnect from church relationships and activities. Sadly, sometimes the church doesn’t even notice.

Our faith and relationship with God is like a marriage. As a matter of fact, Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride in the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1). When we meet someone we think might be a good marriage partner, we spend time with them, try to please them, and eventually discuss joining our lives together in marriage. Once married, we begin to build our lives together and have children. But sometimes marriages fall apart and end in divorce as the two that earlier had become one drift apart and go back to living separate lives.

So when someone falls away from faith it is like divorcing God. The person no longer has the love for God they once had, they don’t feel the love God has for them, or they simply drift apart because they don’t spend time together. Thus, they want out of the relationship. Divorce in our secular world is often very messy, complicated and ends up hurting many people. Divorcing God has the same effect. And the more public the divorce the more people it usually hurts.

Faith, like a marriage, is built on trust and a focus on the other person in the relationship. If we don’t trust God or we stop doing things that please Him we can easily find ourselves questioning our faith and our relationship with Him. Faith, like a marriage, needs constant work for it to be successful. Taking that relationship for granted or not putting the time into it that’s needed often results in a broken relationship. In our world, either person in the marriage relationship can ask for a divorce. But with faith, God will NEVER divorce us or break that relationship. Only we can divorce God!

So how do we keep our relationship with God strong and avoid divorcing Him from our lives?

In order to have a healthy relationship with God we must focus on 3 things. Jesus told us what they were when asked what the greatest commandment was. He replied, “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

So first, we are to love God with all of our heart. We must have an emotional, heart-felt connection to God because of what God has first done for us (1 John 4:19). That means we must love Him by worshiping Him and doing what pleases Him. If we don’t feel His love for us in our own heart then we are less likely to give our heart to Him in return. When we truly love someone we feel an emotional connection to their heart. We hurt with them, we cry with them, we rejoice with them and we laugh with them. Without that heart-to-heart emotional connection we are far more likely to drift away in that relationship.

Second, we must love Him with all of our soul. We must have a spiritual connection to God as well, and that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. It is His Holy Spirit that gives us faith (1 John 4:13). But we must also develop that spiritual connection by talking to God (prayer) and letting His Spirit guide and direct us in our actions. We cannot do this on our own but only through His Holy Spirit. As the Lord said to the prophet Zechariah, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6).

Thirdly, we must also love him with our mind. That means we must read His Word and meditate on it so that we gain His wisdom (Proverbs 4:7). We don’t just accept God in our heart and soul but we also accept Him in our mind. It is logical to have faith in God, even though we cannot see Him. His Word makes sense to us because He created us and it is the Truth. He created us in His image and so we have the capacity to believe His Word and place our faith in Him, even though we can’t understand all of it. But when we earnestly seek Him, He will help us to understand (Amos 4:13).

In many marriages there are always outsiders who tell us to get out, that we’re better off on our own, and that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the marriage. With faith, that person is Satan, who continues to lie to us and tell us that God doesn’t love us or that He isn’t doing what He promised. Satan tries to convince us that we’re not getting what we want or desire from God. Satan always puts the focus on us and never God. So we must be on our guard against his schemes and attempts to separate us from God (Genesis 3:1, 1 Peter 5:8).

It saddens me greatly when fellow believers fall away from God or divorce Him from their lives. We must walk beside them to encourage them to “stand firm in the faith” (1 Corinthians 13:16) and “to trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must tell them that if they draw near to God, He will draw near to them (James 4:8). We must remind them to persevere and to finish the race so that they will receive the crown of eternal life that God has promised them (James 1:12). That’s His promise and God always keeps His promises!

“Then he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s’.”
Matthew 22:21

As we celebrate our Independence Day in America, there is division on what it means to be a patriot. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word patriot signifies a person who loves his or her country and is ready to boldly support and defend it (that meaning has endured since the word’s arrival in English in the 16th century). Many Americans support our nation despite its faults, desire to adhere to our Constitution and the intent of our founding fathers, and want to protect our values of liberty for all, individual work ethic, and respect for our laws. Patriotism appears to coincide with this group. 

But there are other Americans who claim that our Constitution needs to be changed to reflect a changing world, that our nation has historical faults it must now atone for, and that we need to have more progressive values such as diversity, open borders, and socialism in order to provide more fairness and equality for all citizens in work and income.  This group does not support our nation as it currently is but rather wants to change it to something else. This would suggest that they are not patriots, but revolutionaries.

As a Christian, my allegiance is to Christ first and foremost. I have freedom from sin and the assurance of eternal life through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which is of utmost importance to me personally. And I can take that to any nation on the earth and live my life accordingly. But as an American, I love my country, the freedoms and opportunities we have, and the principles and values upon which it was founded. I have traveled the world and visited many nations. I have lived in another country. But I do not desire to live anywhere else other than America! We have freedom from tyranny and oppression on this earth through our Constitution and our military. We have the world’s best system of justice, although it is far from perfect. We also have the opportunity to pursue education in any field, choose our work and become what God made us to be.

And while Christian principles are in our Constitution, our government cannot force Christianity on anyone nor prevent anyone from practicing their religion. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his book Democracy in America, said, “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” In other words, we need faith and Christian values in America if our nation and self-government are to survive. So there is very little conflict between the Christian faith and our Constitution and form of government.

So where is the conflict? The conflict comes from the revolutionaries who do not reflect what it means to be a patriot. They are the ones who want to change our constitution and do not support our nation’s history, foundations and values. They want to change America as we have known it.

So, why is Christianity now being attacked in America? Why are Christians suddenly facing persecution for their religious beliefs? And does one have to be a Christian to be an American patriot?

The reason Christianity is now being attacked stems from a misunderstanding of what our Constitution actually says about religion. Many secularists claim that there should be a separation between church and state, and that on that basis our government cannot have any Christian values or principles. However, this is not what our Constitution says. It simply says that the state cannot establish a religion for all citizens nor prevent the practice of any religion. All Americans are free to practice their religion, whether in government or in any other part of our society. Christians do have and must have a voice in our government and culture. We are free to share our values and thoughts and to pursue policies that encompass them. The secularists want to deny Christians that voice so that their values and policies prevail.

The reason Christians are suddenly facing persecution is because the progressive values of the secularists are based on individual preferences and not on any moral standards of behavior. Having no standards, such as the Bible, allows people to do what pleases them regardless of the impact on others. The Book of Judges from the Bible shows us exactly what happens when people think that way. According to Judges 21:25, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Without a standard for moral behavior a society will descend into chaos and destroy itself. Consequently, I believe that secularists do not want to have a standard of behavior, because that may not allow them to do what they choose to do. They do not want to be held accountable to God or anyone else. So they seek to have the Bible and Christian influence removed from our culture entirely.

Finally, being a patriot does not mean that someone has to be a Christian in America. A person can love our nation, support its military, have a strong work ethic, and enjoy its freedoms without being a Christian. I believe most Americans would agree. But there are some religions, such as Islam, that are not consistent with our laws and culture, and Americans would be wise to be wary of them.

The Bible does not speak a great deal about nations and patriotism. Rather it speaks of God’s love for us, our rebellion from Him, His mercy upon us, and His grace through Jesus Christ. It is all about us as individuals and how He wants us to have faith in Jesus and live our lives according to His Word. He wants us to live lives that are holy and obedient to Him, and to serve others in His name. But God did speak to the nation of Israel in 2 Chronicles 7:14 when He said that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humbles themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Let us humble ourselves so that God can bless America and heal our land! Amen!

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10

I travel on airplanes a lot, mostly internationally, and I usually request a seat with more legroom because I am quite tall and a regular economy seat is just too small for me, especially on longer flights. So I am willing to pay a higher price for a more comfortable seat. Recently I was upgraded to business class (first class on most aircraft nowadays) on a 10 hour flight back to Atlanta from Rome and I felt truly blessed to get a better class of service with even more comfort for such a long flight. My status as a regular frequent flyer with Delta was the reason, as well as an overbooked economy section, I suspect. 

In the airline industry today there are generally 4 classes of service: Basic Economy (no frills), Regular Economy, Economy Comfort, and First Class. Each passenger has the option to choose which class of service they want to purchase. Of course, the price goes up for each class of service. Additionally, passengers in economy class on some airlines now pay for other services they may desire, such as snacks, drinks, baggage, specific seating, boarding priority, etc., especially on domestic flights. But I am also noticing this more and more on domestic and international flights in other countries as well. The point is that we all make choices on how we want to travel when we fly somewhere.

It got me to thinking about our spiritual life and how similar it is to choosing how we like to fly.  As Christians, when we are on our faith journey and traveling with God, which spiritual “class of service” do we choose? 

Do we like the basic economy, no frills sort of faith journey where we acknowledge God and Jesus as our savior but don’t really care about any of the extras he offers, like worship, prayer, serving others or sharing our faith?  We can still rest in the knowledge that Jesus dies for our sins and we are saved by faith, but as James 2:17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” In other words, traveling with God in a “no frills” way results in a life that is missing out on the blessings and abundance of God. You still arrive at your destination but it’s far less enjoyable than it could be.

What if our faith journey is like regular economy? That seems to be the place that most people start when they fly somewhere. They want to get to their destination and still enjoy a few benefits. And that’s likely true for a Christian’s faith journey as well. Our faith provides for our salvation and we likely attend church and go to worship, but that’s it. Like the airplane traveler we are content to have our seat and entertainment while on the journey but not much else. When traveling with God in a “regular economy” way we don’t get to experience the joy and blessings that come from prayer, serving others and sharing our faith. As a result, our faith journey becomes mundane and less exciting than what it could be.

I regularly fly economy comfort class (for the extra legroom) and I’ve wondered if some travelers even consider it because there are often empty seats in this section of the plane. If someone is tall or would just like more room and better service I would think they too would want to be in this section.  Those that do choose to fly economy comfort are aware of the extra benefits (more legroom, free drinks, early boarding, etc.) and they are happy to pay the extra fee for them. Similarly, those who choose to travel with God in an “economy comfort” way recognize the benefits of prayer, serving others and witnessing their faith.  And they receive the blessings and joy that come from them. But they also know there is something more. The economy comfort traveler can see ahead into first class and knows that there is another way to travel that has even more room, higher quality meals, better service, and is the most comfortable and best way to travel. If everyone could fly first class they certainly would!

On many of the international flights I fly the first class section is not always full, mostly because of the high price. Its cost is often 5 times higher than regular economy. Many travelers just cannot afford the cost. Traveling with God in a “first class” way also carries with it a high price. But the cost is not money – it’s our time and our priorities. Jesus said in Luke 14:33, “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”  Like many airline travelers, most Christians do not choose to travel “first class” with God because of the high cost, often settling for something less. Traveling “first class” with God means giving up our desires and instead living our life for Him and serving others. It also means being a minister and missionary for Him wherever we go. According to Jesus it’s the only way to truly experience the abundant life God has for each of us. It’s also the best way for us as Christians to live out our faith!

So, which class of service are you in on your faith journey? If you truly want to experience the abundant life that Jesus promises to every Believer then you must choose to travel first class with God! As the current television ad for Hulu says, “Never fly first class, it will ruin flying economy class forever!” It’s the same with God. Once you’ve experienced traveling first class with Him you will never want to travel with Him any other way again!

To see our other blogs, click here!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’”

Luke 2: 10-11

It has been disappointing to me to see how our nation and culture have gradually turned away from Christianity the past 50 years. I wrote about that a few years ago in my book, About Face: A Call to Turn America Back to God (2015, Xulon Press). Not only has the American culture become more secular, but recently Christianity has also been attacked in the media, the courts and public discourse on several occasions. And many Christians have been distressed or angry about this development, especially those from earlier generations like me who remember how our culture used to embrace and respect Christianity whether or not they attended church.

One of the focal points of this reaction has been Christmas. Many Christians today want Americans to say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays and for stores to sell Christmas trees and not Holiday trees. We also want our nation to respect Christmas as a Christian holiday, not a secular one. But is that reasonable for us to expect? If the culture does not celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday does that hinder our ability to do so? Absolutely not!

My memories of Christmas as a child have mostly centered on the birth of Christ. Our family celebrated Advent and we had a nativity scene in our home. I remember participating in our children’s Christmas program every year at church. Some years I was a shepherd while others I was a wise man. I never got to play Joseph but one year I did play Christmas music on my guitar during the program (I guess that meant I was an angel…). After I got married and we had our own children we celebrated Christmas in the same way. But we taught our children early on that Jesus was real and that Santa Claus was pretend. And it did not hurt their Christmas experience one bit! Yes, we still celebrate Christmas today with a tree, cookies, gifts, and other secular practices. But for our family the main point of Christmas was, and still is, the birth of Jesus!

But, to be honest, this secular confiscation of Christmas has bothered me too. Why? It is because it reflects that our nation that has rejected the true meaning of Christmas and replaced it with a different man-made meaning altogether. This is also nothing new and has been going on for many years. How many times have you heard others say that the meaning of Christmas is about giving gifts to others, or having the spirit of the season, or being a time for families to come together? (Watch any Hallmark Christmas movie and you will see what I mean!) And when Americans talk about Christmas they usually mention tree decorating, Santa Claus, Elf on the Shelf, Black Friday, cookies, egg nog, and Christmas cards. These are all good things we can enjoy at Christmastime, but they are NOT the reason for celebrating Christmas nor the real meaning of it. And while Christians often complain about this secularization of our holiday, it does not mean that we have to abandon our celebration of Christ’s birth in order to enjoy it!

Christmas was established by the Christian Church in the 4^th century as a day to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is not likely to be the actual day Jesus was born and it did replace an early pagan celebration called Saturnalia when the Roman Empire converted to Christianity. But that does not change the fact that Christmas Day was created and set aside by the Church as a day to remember the birth of Christ and the day that God entered our world miraculously in the form of a baby boy named Jesus. And that boy would grow up to be the Savior of our world by taking the sins of all mankind upon himself at the cross.  That’s the good news the angels came to proclaim to the shepherds when Jesus was born (Luke 2:10-11) and the good news we are called to still proclaim today!

This issue reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge’s comment in A Christmas Carol when he said to his nephew, “You keep Christmas in your way and I’ll keep it in mine!” Just because many Americans celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday today does not mean that we as Christians have to abandon it as a celebration of Christ’s birth! On the contrary, if we don’t celebrate Christmas as a day to remember Christ’s coming into the world for our salvation, or simply celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday, then we dishonor God and in effect deny our faith. As followers of Christ we have the responsibility of “declaring the praises of him who brought us out of darkness into his wonderful light!” (1 Peter 2:9). We have the same opportunity and privilege that the first shepherds in Bethlehem had to go and share the good news of Jesus birth with the world! And we still have the freedom to do that today regardless of how the rest of America celebrates Christmas Day. We can still keep Christmas in our way!

The apostle Paul wrote these instructions to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:23-26: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”  All Christians are similarly called to proclaim our faith and the gospel and to do it kindly and gently.

So this Christmas, let’s not complain about how others celebrate Christmas or get into futile arguments about what Christmas is or isn’t. This does not glorify our Lord. Instead, let all who follow Christ celebrate Christmas as it was intended, as a day to remember what God has done for us in the birth of Jesus! Let us honor God by worshiping Him and keeping Christ in our Christmas. And let us obey Jesus’ command to be His Light to the world (Matthew 5:16) and to share this good news of Christmas with others that still so desperately need to hear it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

To see our other blogs, click here!

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

1 Corinthians 13:12

Being a follower of Jesus requires us to be obedient and submissive to his commands. And although we often fail to do so God does not leave us on our own nor does He expect us to do so with our own power. God gives us His Holy Spirit to enable us to follow His Son. His Word says in Acts 1:8 that “we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us.” In Romans 8:26 it says that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” And in Galatians 5:16 it says that “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Those are great promises!

But God also gives us His Holy Word to help us avoid Satan and our corrupt world, which constantly seeks to destroy us by drawing us away from God and His Holy Spirit. I like to think of the Bible as a “spiritual mirror.”  In our world there are 3 types of mirrors. I would like to compare each of them with God’s spiritual mirror.

The first type of mirror is the mirror on the wall. Most often they are located in bedrooms and bathrooms so we can see what we look like before we head out into the world each day. We check to make sure our face and hair look okay, our clothes look clean and neat, and there is nothing stuck in our teeth. But how do we see ourselves in that mirror spiritually? Do we see a messed up human being or a forgiven sinner? Do we see a successful self-made adult or a child of God? Do we only see ourselves or do we also see a reflection of Jesus?

God gives us the spiritual mirror of His Word, the Bible, so we can truly see who we are and how He sees us! He reminds us that He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27), He redeemed us through His Son Jesus (John 3:16), and He made us heirs with Christ of his eternal Kingdom (Romans 8:17). He also assures us that He loves us (1 John 4:19), we are forgiven (1 John 1:9), and we are made new by the blood of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

The second type of mirror is installed on every vehicle in the world. It’s called a rear-view mirror. These mirrors help us to see what is behind us. That could indicate where we’ve been, who may be following us, or what could be creeping up on us. When driving that helps us to know if we are headed in the wrong direction, if we’ve done something wrong (broken the traffic law), or if there is danger on its way (a speeding or emergency vehicle).  Knowing these things helps us to stay on the right road, avoid accidents, and arrive safely at our destination.

God’s Word also provides us with a spiritual rear-view mirror so that we can see where we came from to make sure we are headed in the right direction (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).  It also helps us stay on the right path to our final destination (Matthew 7:13-14). Additionally, it shows us where we have broken His law (Romans 3:20) and tells us the consequences of doing so (Romans 6:23). Finally, His Word also warns us of the dangers that are coming after us (1 Peter 5:8).

The third type of mirror is a corner security mirror.  It is typically found on outdoor buildings or street corners and provides a view around a corner that we can’t see. These mirrors also often magnify that view so we can see the danger more clearly. These mirrors are placed on blind corners, dangerous curves, between close buildings and where children may be present to provide for greater safety and security. They help us avoid serious accidents by enabling us to see oncoming vehicles, people, and other potential dangers that otherwise our eyes would not see.

Once again, God’s Word, like a corner security mirror, enables us to see the spiritual dangers we sometimes fail to see. It warns us of behaviors that are dangerous and will cause us harm (Galatians 5:19-21). It warns us of the hidden traps being set for us (1 Timothy 6:9) and how we should be on our guard at all times (Acts 20:29-31). God’s Word also brings light that exposes the darkness and thus magnifies the dangers that are all around us so we can see them more clearly (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Is God’s Word your spiritual mirror? I pray we would all use it as one to see ourselves as He sees us, keep us on His path, and protect us from danger, harm, and hidden traps!!

To see our other blogs, click here!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.”

Isaiah 9:6

In the past several years, Christianity has taken a more prominent position in American politics. Evangelical Christians have become a large voting block while at the same time secularists continue to call for the removal of anything Christian from our public society. Both Republicans and Democrats have publicly used Scripture or Biblical references to support their policy initiatives or beliefs.  We saw this most recently in the immigration reform debate with regard to refugees, illegal entrants, and securing our borders. Unfortunately, Scripture is often taken out of context or applied inappropriately to justify a political position. So it is essential that we know and understand what God really said about government in the Bible and how He expects us to govern our nation.

First, though, we need to begin by discussing God and what Americans believe about Him and His Word. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that about 24% of Americans are either atheist or have no religious affiliation (Religious Landscape Study, 2018). They do not believe in God or His Word. In addition, a recent Barna Research survey shows that only 38% of Americans believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and accurate Word of God (State of the Bible: 2017). That means that for about 62% of Americans, God’s Word is not applicable, accurate or reliable. So I find it very interesting that there are politicians who would use God’s Word to justify a political position when most Americans do not believe it is 100% true and accurate. God never intended for His Word to justify man’s actions but rather to explain His own!

But God’s Word does speak to our humanity and His desires for us as His creation. We are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) and we are called to obey His Word (Luke 11:28). Yet He also gave us freedom to do what we choose. But His desire is that we seek His wisdom, rely on His Word, and trust in Him for all things. For the serious Christian and follower of Christ, we are to read, study and apply the Bible to seek God and His ways. But for those who do not believe in God or have no real faith, the Bible becomes a weapon to be used for personal or political gain.

So how does this relate to government and how we govern our nation? In our Republic form of government, we as citizens elect our leaders and give them the responsibility to govern us. We must remember, however, that government is a human institution. It was not created by God but was created by man to govern our affairs on earth. In the beginning, God appointed the first leaders on earth (Adam, Moses, Joshua, Noah, Abraham, Samuel, etc.) and governed His people through them as they were instructed by Him! That was His plan until the Hebrews, against God’s advice, decided they wanted to elect their own leaders like the other societies of their day (1 Samuel 8:4-5). In other words, they thought they knew better than God how to run their affairs.  And unfortunately, that attitude continues to this day.

In reality, the Bible does not have much to say about the institution of government. In Romans 13:1, God does declare that He is the one who establishes all authority. In Isaiah 9:6, God refers to Jesus as the one He has appointed to take the government upon his shoulders. And Jesus, when asked about God and government, said we should “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). There are a couple of other Scriptures that also call us to govern justly (Job 34:17) and govern diligently (Romans 12:8). What these passages imply is that God is sovereign and we should look to Him for guidance on how to govern our nation.

Throughout the Bible God sets forth the standards on which our behavior should be based (Psalm 1:2), whether it is how we conduct ourselves or govern others. So, when we exercise our system of self-government and don’t look to God’s standards, we are basically putting ourselves in charge of setting the rules by which our citizens must live. Failing to govern by God’s wisdom ultimately leads to sin, injustice, corruption and deceit (Proverbs 14:12). In other words, when we set the standards, the people usually suffer!

George Washington, in his Farewell Address in 1796, said, “Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”  Religious principles, he’s suggesting, are necessary for our ability to govern ourselves. Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville, in his book Democracy in America, also made the same observation when he wrote, “The freedom we cherish rests upon religious foundations. Modern democracy could not have emerged but for the influence of Christianity on the Western world.”

So, the truth is that self-government really can only be successful when those who govern do so according to God’s Word. That was God’s design from the beginning – that we look to Him on how to govern! The proof that this is still true today is that we hold our leaders accountable in America for their personal behavior in addition to their governance. When those who govern are dishonest, corrupt, uncaring, or unfair personally or in the discharge of their duties, they are usually removed or forced out of office. So in effect, Americans do want their leaders to govern by God’s standards of honesty, integrity, fairness and compassion whether they realize it or not. And when they don’t, our system of self-government breaks down and fails everyone.

So what does this all mean for how we should govern ourselves in America? It means that those who govern must seek God’s wisdom and lead others according to God’s principles. It also means that they should not use God’s Word as a tool or weapon for political debate, but rather use it to let God’s Word change them as individuals and influence how they govern and treat those they are elected to serve. And only when our leaders live and govern others according to God’s guidance will our government truly work effectively for the benefit of all Americans!

To view our other recent blogs, click here!

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Matthew 5:18

There are many Christians who struggle with understanding the Old Testament in the Bible and how it connects with the Gospel, or the New Testament. Consequently some Christians discount the Old Testament entirely and claim that all that matters is the Gospel and what Jesus said and did. Some go so far as to say that the Old Testament doesn’t apply anymore and was written for a different time, a different culture and a different purpose. In other words, the Old Testament is not relevant to the Christian faith and can simply be discarded as some Jewish history and a bunch of highly questionable stories.

But is that really true? Can we “unhitch” the Old Testament from the gospel as one prominent American preacher has suggested? Is the Law contained in the Old Testament no longer applicable for Christians? Are Christians faced with choosing to adhere to the Law or the Gospel?

The Christian faith is based solely on the work of Jesus on the cross. But it is also built on the truth of the Bible. While the Bible is not the source of our salvation (faith in Jesus is), it is the inerrant and inspired Word of God that was written down for our benefit so that we can know God more deeply and accurately. The Bible contains the history of God’s relationship to man and his prior covenants with the Jewish people (Old Testament) as well as his covenant with all people through Jesus Christ (New Testament). We cannot separate the two parts of the Bible because they reinforce each other and work together for our understanding. Therefore, we must seek to understand how they both apply to us as Christians today.

As Christians, it is true that salvation comes through faith in Jesus and not adherence to the Law (John 3:16). Paul said that the Law shows us our sin (Romans 3:20) and that we cannot be saved through the Law because we cannot possibly keep it (Romans 7:18). Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that the Law will never pass away, and that He is the fulfillment of the Law. In other words, Jesus did what we could not do (complete obedience to the Law) and gave His life so that we might be free from the Law. So to understand why Jesus came and what He did on the cross we must know the Old Testament to put Jesus into proper context. For without the Old Testament how could we possibly understand why we need Jesus for salvation?

So then, what is the purpose of the Law for Christians and why should we read the Old Testament?

First, as Paul said, the purpose of the Law is to show us our sin. What Paul is referring to is God’s Moral Law such as the 10 Commandments, laws on sexual behavior, etc. (The Jews added many civil and ceremonial laws on top of God’s Moral Law so it’s important to recognize the difference. Jesus freed us from the civil and ceremonial laws, but not God’s moral Law.) In order to believe in Jesus as our savior, we must first acknowledge that we are sinners (breakers of God’s Moral Law) and in need of a savior. John 1:9 reminds us that “if we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us.” Second, Paul also tells us that “the Law is holy, righteous and good” (Romans 7:12) and is what God expects us to try and adhere to. While the Law is no longer the standard for salvation, it is still the standard for our behavior. Third, the Old Testament documents what happens to us when we disobey God and try to do things on our own (Judges 21:25). Fourth, the Old Testament reveals God’s plan of salvation through the prophecies about Jesus that are ultimately confirmed in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament (Isaiah 9:6-7 & Isaiah 53).

So then, how are we to understand the Law and the Old Testament in light of the Gospel?

As for the Law, it is there to remind us of God’s standard for living righteous and holy lives. Just because we can’t keep the Law does not mean it should be disregarded or not obeyed. Obeying the Law does not save us or cause God to love us more. We should obey His Law because of what God has done for us (forgiveness) and to honor Him and bring him glory! And when we transgress that Law, we are called to repent and seek His forgiveness, which He promises to all who seek Him.

As for the Old Testament, can we really just toss it out or disregard some of its contents because it may not seem to make sense to us today? Absolutely not! Just because we may not understand God’s Word in the Old Testament does not mean it either is not true or not applicable today. Jesus often quoted the Old Testament and confirmed its truth. So if He believed it was true and God’s Word, so should we! He also said that the Old Testament is about Him and speaks of Him (Luke 4:16-21). Furthermore, the Old Testament contains many historical events that must be read in light of the language it was written in, the prevailing culture, the geography, the economy, and the political structure at the time in order to better understand what God is trying to tell us or reveal to us about His character and nature.

So for man to somehow claim that certain parts of the Bible don’t matter anymore is the height of arrogance and man placing himself above God. It is either God’s Word or it is not God’s Word. We can’t pick and choose which parts we accept or believe and which parts we don’t. We are not that intelligent! (Isaiah 55:9) As humans, and God’s creation, all we can do is seek to understand God through His Word and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

So the Christian faith is not dependent upon obedience to the Law. But it is also not about just saying we are Christians and doing as we please. Being a believer in Jesus (a Christian) means that we put our faith in Jesus for our salvation AND do our best to obey God’s commands and live a holy and righteous life. In other words, it is not Law or Gospel, it is Law AND Gospel.

So let us show our gratitude to God for sending Jesus to the cross for our salvation by trying to live God honoring and pleasing lives. As the Holy Spirit has brought us to faith through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 2:10) the Holy Spirit will also help us be obedient to God’s Law (Galatians 5:16).

To view our other recent blogs, click here!