Can I Trust God?

Many have posed the question, "Why do we have this struggle between our dependence on the Law and our dependence on grace?" I'm sure there are plenty of answers that you could give me, and if you wish feel free, but let me share one thought on the subject. There seems to be a struggle that the majority of us wrestle with called fear. Fear of disappointing, fear of going to hell, overall, fear of not doing enough. Everything in life is earned, we have to at least do enough to get by if we want to obtain the things we desire. So to stay out of hell many of us try to draw a line, what do I have to do to make it? So naturally, we lean towards the Law, not to mention traditions that the church has ordained as law. We strive to do enough to insure that we make it to heaven. The problem? We've forgotten about grace and in turn we've forgotten to trust God. God assures us that as long as we're on the journey His grace will cover us. So, if we're battling to earn our place in heaven, then we're forgetting to trust God to do what He has promised us He will do. The problem with this is that it hits the very heart of the gospel. When Jesus summed up the 66 books that we refer to as the Bible Jesus had this to say, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Love is the central theme to the gospel and for anyone who has ever been in a relationship (which is everyone, whether it was parents, friends, spouse, whatever) you know that trust can help or hinder that relationship. When we do not trust God it is hard to love Him. Fear leads to mistrust, mistrust leads to a lack of love, a lack of love leads to the absence of the gospel itself. Trust that God will give you what He has promised and join Him on the only journey that leads to life. If you have truly given your heart to God then everything else will follow and you have no reason to fear hell. Enjoy the freedom that only comes from Christ.

Stop and Think (Video)

Organic Christianity

Organic Christianity is a term that I've ever heard thrown around a bit lately and I like the sound of it. Although I must admit that I have not read any books or articles about this so-called "Organic Christianity", the thought of such a thing is intriguing. When I think of Organic Christianity I think about the struggle between quality and convenience. On one hand you have the name brand Christianity. The kind that is sold in bookstores and on tv, and don't kid yourself, it's also the kind that is practiced at most churches. It is easy Christianity. It is going to church on Sunday morning, watching what we say (especially when other people are around), trying to stay away from pornography, essentially, it is playing by the rules. Sure it will cost you something. But it probably won't break the bank, and if you're a thrifty Christian you may even discover a generic brand. What does the generic brand look like? Well, at church it looks like the name brand but at home and at work it's barely visible. It doesn't cost you anything but a smile and a nice suit on Sunday mornings. The appeal of both of these types of Christianity is convenience. They are easy to come by and they don't cost very much. Then you have Organic Christianity. Organic Christianity is the real thing. It is usually harder to come by and it will cost a bit more than the normal name brand stuff and significantly more than the generic brand. It hasn't been tampered with or tainted. It hasn't been sprayed down with a bunch of chemicals (poisons). The most significant thing about Organic Christianity is the difference it makes on the inside, which will eventually be reflected on the outside. It is pure. It is quality. No shortcuts. No facades. What you see is what you get. It is evident at church, at work, in your home, and most importantly, in your heart. So what it all comes down to is this. Are you willing to pay what it costs for quality Christianity or are you going to settle for the name brand or generic forms?

Children of God

What does it mean to be children of God? In my life it has come to mean many different things, but recently it has taken on another meaning. If God is my Father and all of us are His children, then that would make you all my brothers and sisters. I am not very wealthy at all but I live comfortably for the most part. So, that being said, how do you think our Father feels when I comfortably pass by one of my poor brothers or sisters on the road without giving them a second thought? Or how does He feel when I'm spending all my time or money on me when many of my brothers and sisters are struggling just to survive (not just physically but psychologically as well). How does my father feel when I curse my brother or sister, cheat them, lie to them, make fun of them, and so on? I imagine that if I was cheating my flesh-and-blood brother or sister in these ways my father would be very upset with me. If I let them starve while I dined on fancy foods, if I walked on by when all they needed was someone to sit and listen to them, if I cheated them just so I could get my way. I'm not saying to stop having fun or to live your life paranoid because you may have missed an opportunity to help someone. I'm just saying that we need to live our lives with our eyes and our hearts wide open. We have a lot of brothers and sisters out there crying for our help, next door and as far away as Africa, and we have a father that expects us to look after one another. And don't forget, you will find that many times throughout your life you will be the brother or sister crying out for help and praying that someone hears your cry.

90/10

I was at a wedding recently where the preacher said something that I really liked. He said that most couples enter marriage thinking that a marriage relationship should be 50/50 when it should actually be 90/10. There is a lot of truth to what he said. When we go into a marriage thinking it is going to be 50/50 we are setting ourselves up for a largely self-centered, non-sacrificial relationship. The phrase 'self-centered relationship' seems to me to be an oxymoron within itself. If it is self-centered then it isn't really a relationship is it. The Bible tells men to love their wives like Christ loves the church. Well, while Christ was being beaten, spat upon, denied by his best friends, and nailed to a cross, he was praying for the very people who were doing these things to him, and for us. Why was he being beaten, spat on, denied, and hung on a cross to die? So that his church, his bride, might live. 90/10. In a 50/50 relationship we run into a lot of conflict because half the time we are looking out for ourselves and not the one "we love". In a 90/10 relationship it is the one we love who is looking out for us. Trust me, I know it's not always that easy. You may be going at it 90/10 while your spouse is going at it 10/90. A word of encouragement: love is patient. In most cases your spouse will come around in time as long as you stay focused and continue giving him/her 90 percent. Most people, when they are truly loved, can't wait to return that love. It may take time and practice, but they'll get there. For those of you whose spouses are completely content with you carrying the entire load, I know it sounds crazy, but you will be happier in your relationship as long as you continue to give your 90 without expecting her 90 in return. People who are self-centered are also self-destructive. You promised to love your spouse for better or worse and it would do you good to honor that promise. If your marriage is about what you can get out of it, or what your spouse can do for you, then it will always be on rocky ground and most likely it won't last. Ask not what your spouse can do for you, but what you can do for your spouse. When we are focused on our spouse and their needs we will find ourselves getting upset a lot less often. There will be fewer fights. There will be more hugs, kisses, loving words, acts of kindness, and yes, according to all the experts, more and better sex. The tricky thing is to make sure that those things don't become your motivation because then we have shifted the focus back on ourselves and our relationships are once again self-centered. Our motivation should rest on two basic foundations: our love for our spouse and our commitment to them. Don't let yourself get in the way of all that God has planned for you in your relationship. Sacrificial love is the greatest kind of love there is. Think of all the greatest love stories and you'll notice that the really good ones, the ones you grew up dreaming of, are the ones where great sacrifices are made. The ones where the heroes go up against great odds to defend the ones they love. The ones where a man or woman leaves everything they know to be with the one they love. The ones where forgiveness, not anger, is offered to the one who has done wrong. When we set ourselves aside and live our lives for the ones we love, then we will begin to experience the love that we'd began to think only exists in dreams and fairy tales. Then we will begin to understand the love of Christ for his bride.