Category Archives: Faith

Jesus: Delusional, Liar, or God?

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWho was Jesus? Or Who did Jesus Say He Was?

Jesus made many claims about Himself that we can read in accounts of His life written by four different ancient authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.* These accounts were all written not long after Jesus’ time on earth and give us four different viewpoints of the events that took place.

Jesus said that He was the Son of God, Son of Man, equal with God the Father, and God Himself.

Those are bold claims for anyone to make, but if the claims are true, it is vital that we pay attention.

Jesus’ closest followers had a hard time believing Him. Jesus asked them or challenged them about their faith on a couple of different occasions, “Where is your faith?”

But as they spent three continuous years with Him, traveling through the countryside, attending enormous gatherings and small intimate times with Him, they must have seen Him do THOUSANDS of miracles. Everywhere He went He healed people: raised dead people to life, gave sight to the blind, gave voice to the voiceless, made the deaf to hear, removed paralytic conditions of many years standing, etc.

The disciples saw Jesus do other miracles too. He fed thousands of people on two different occasions with the amount of a meager lunch for one person. He calmed a violent storm – making the wind and waves absolutely still. He turned water into the finest wine at a wedding.

John, one of the closest followers of Jesus and the one who lived longest after Jesus, wrote this:

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

 

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name. John 20:30

It is very interesting to note that Jesus’ disciples never expected Jesus to die. He predicted His death and suffering, and told them several times what was going to happen to Him. But they couldn’t understand. They were totally unprepared when He was suddenly taken, tried and crucified. I wonder if they didn’t think and hope that He would break free and silence everyone somewhere along that agonizing stream of events – and that is why they kept following to watch and see when He might unleash powerful forces to get Himself free. They knew He could. They knew He had power over those who were hurting Him.

Since Jesus submitted to suffering and was killed, those closest to Him were devastated and the small faith that they had seemed to be extinguished. They withdrew quietly and were terrified that they too were going to be arrested and killed since they had been part of what they thought was a political movement to overthrow the Roman rule of Israel.

What changed? What took a cowering fearful handful of uneducated men and women that propelled them to start a movement that eventually conquered Rome? (Have you seen pictures of Rome and noticed all the crosses symbolizing Jesus’ death ALL OVER the city?) What happened that gave that rag tag bunch of people the clout to start a movement that has continued to this day with billions of followers of Jesus all over the world?

Those humble followers of Jesus came face to face with the resurrected Jesus. Jesus didn’t stay dead, but through His own power received life again after death. This life was a different life that we can’t fully comprehend, but the early follower, to whom He appeared, were changed forever. From then on they could not stop telling people about their risen Lord and Savior.

Their experience of the risen Lord Jesus Christ changed them forever and changed the world forever.

John said that believing in Jesus gives us life by the power of His name.

What is your experience and knowledge of Jesus?

Day 16 of Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve 

*Three of the authors, Matthew, Mark, and Luke were well acquainted with Jesus. Matthew and Mark were among His twelve closest chosen followers called ‘disciples.’ The fourth author, Luke, was an educated investigative reporter of that day who wanted to do a thorough account so that people like us could continue to read and learn about Jesus life and power today.

How’s Your Heart?

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Sand Heart smallWhat was it like to spend time with Jesus on earth?

Matthew, one of the closest followers of Jesus wrote an account of many things he personally witnessed. In chapter 12 of Matthew’s account, Jesus and many followers were traveling by foot around the countryside and He healed “all the sick among them.”

Wow. What a great place it would have been to be front and center witnessing the healing power of Jesus. I know many today would love to feel the healing touch of Jesus on their body, or on the body of a loved one.

Matthew also records for us Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus, in the same chapter:

Look at My Servant whom I have chosen.

He is My beloved who pleases Me.

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not fight or shout

Or raise His voice in public.

He will not crush the weakest reed

Or put out the flickering candle.

Finally, He will cause justice to be victorious

And His name will be the

HOPE OF ALL THE WORLD.

Jesus was an example of how to be strong against the opposition of the religious leaders of His time for whom He gave sharpest criticism because they were leading vulnerable people astray.

But He was gentle with all who came to Him seeking healing, help or comfort. He was sensitive and did not crush the weakest among them.

God said He put His own Spirit upon Jesus. But followers of Jesus, even today, have been promised the same Spirit to guide, direct, and strengthen us. It is part of the spiritual mystery explained in many of Paul’s letters to the early Jesus followers.

God desires for us to join Him in His work in the world. It isn’t always apparent what God is doing until we tune in to the spiritual realities of our world. He is always at work and His primary work is in transforming hearts. Jesus said,

“Whatever is in your heart determines what you will say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for ever idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12

I want hope to be in my heart, but sometimes I can get overwhelmed with fear or worry that can influence my heart. I want acceptance towards others to be in my heart, but sometimes I feel overcome with criticism or judgment.

The indicator of what is in my heart is the words that come out of my mouth. Jesus has conquered death and won a spiritual victory that He wants to share with me. Accepting His invitation allows me to journey with Him, with the Spirit of God always available to give me wisdom, self-control and comfort.

I just need to keep checking on my heart. What am I holding in my heart? How is my heart influencing my words? Am I allowing the Spirit of God to lead and direct my heart?

His intention is never to crush me, but to gently draw me and strengthen me. He wants to fill my heart with faith and confidence so that I can become more like Him. He wants me to be able to “proclaim justice” to the oppressed, to answer others without raising my voice or becoming unkind. He wants to use my life, my heart and my interactions to impact the world of today.

What an amazing privilege to have an opportunity to “tune in” my heart to the Spirit of God and have Him use me in the work He is doing in the world today.

Heart birdsHow is your heart?

Day 15 of Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve 

 

 

Too Smart for God?

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ChildWith all my heart I desire to connect with God. I didn’t always understand that it was actually a really simple process. It might not be easy, but it is simple. It might take a life-time to master, but Jesus made it clear in this prayer He prayed which was recorded by Matthew in chapter 11:

‘Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank You for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased You do it this way.’

 

Jesus continued, to His disciples:

My Father has entrusted everything to Me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

What does it take to connect with God, our creative designer of infinite intelligence and complexity?

We have to admit we don’t know everything. As long as we think we are really really smart we won’t see the way to God.

I pray that everyone who reads these words would simply ask themselves,

  • Do I think I am smarter than God?
  • Do I think I know better than Him what to do?
  • Do I put more faith in men and their design than in God?
  • Do I think I can understand everything in history without God?

God is looking for childlike hope and trust in Him. He will never disappoint. He doesn’t mind if you want to take a very small baby step in His direction. He can handle that. He is looking for those small steps!

Child 2Jesus’ message was simple, but His action was powerful. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are the reason we can have that childlike faith and approach God. You can read all about it in the collection of ancient writings we call the Bible. I hope you do.

Day 14 of Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve 

 

Where can I Find Hope?

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Hope StreetMany times people push back when you want to tell them about Jesus. I’m sure there are many great reasons for this response. Quite possibly, the way we Christians sometimes talk about Him or represent Him could be quite off-putting and instead of drawing people to find out more, they decide to have nothing to do with him.

Jesus came to be a Savior, but if you don’t think you are drowning, what good is a Savior?

Everywhere I look in the world I see uncertainty. The wars never seem to stop and they seem to get more and more controversial. There are opinions and theories abounding on what is going on, who is responsible, and what we should do, but most of us average people FEEL POWERLESS. I mean really, what can I possible do to be part of the solution for the many areas plagued by years of war and aggression? Yet everyday I get fresh reminders of the conflict.

I’m not beginning to say who is right and who is wrong.

Then, there are the medical and health challenges everywhere we turn. Ebola, infectious diseases, cancer, childhood cancer, auto-immune epidemics, severe life threatening food allergies, autism, strokes, seizures, etc. It is a world gone crazy. We get conflicting advice on all sides. We hear new stories every day of friends or acquaintances who are facing a new physical/medical issue.

I’m not going to start talking about why it’s happening or if there might be a ‘behind the scenes agenda.’ No matter what you believe, it is clear to see there are hectic challenges in the medical world of today. What can I possibly do when faced with all this chaotic confusing information? How can I stay healthy?

There are also people who fear economic collages. People are teaching and learning survival skills in preparation for a catastrophe of mammoth proportions. There is a lot of information to guide you if you decide you want to be a Prepper (Survivalism is a movement of individuals or groups, i.e. survivalists or preppers, who are actively preparing for emergencies).

There is also greed and corruption at an unprecedented level. We may have different opinions about what exactly is going on and who exactly is responsible, but most of us will agree that there is some hectic crime and we feel powerless to change it.

Then there is human trafficking. I’m told there are currently 33 Million people in slavery in the world today. More than at the height of the slave trade. Everywhere, even in the USA, right under our noses in most major cities, people are bought and sold.

I’m sure there are other disturbing aspects of our current world situation that I have left out. I think that’s about all I can handle. I can feel my anxiety and cortisol levels rise. No wonder we are so stressed out. AND people are struggling financially. I know of so many people out of work. People have serious struggles and don’t have clear answers.

In the midst of this sort of desperation I think we are all looking for hope. We might not admit it, but we would really like a Savior.

John the Baptist was facing the worst challenge of his life after he was thrown into a Roman prison without a trial. He had been loudly proclaiming Jesus as the hero – the one who was coming to bring hope, rescue, and freedom. He thought it might include political freedom from Roman oppression, but once in prison he began to wonder, ‘Is Jesus really a Savior? Is he really someone who can do anything in the midst of all this corruption? Is he actually going to do anything to fix my terrible situation?’

If we are honest, we are looking for a hero and we are asking similar questions.

John the Baptist sent some of his followers to Jesus to ask this question: “Are you Him or is there someone else?” Are you the one who is capable of fixing this mess that I’m surrounded with, or should we forget about you and look for someone else? Actually Jesus, the reason I am asking is because it looks like you’re doing a pretty bad job, so if this is your solution, I hope there is someone else; someone who will be a little more effective, a little more proactive.

Jesus’ agenda was confusing for John. Jesus did not meet John’s expectations. Sometimes Jesus’ agenda is confusing for us and he doesn’t meet our expectations. Are we honestly seeking TRUTH about Jesus, and desiring to understand WHAT he came to do and HOW he accomplished it? Or, are we just wanting our current troubling situation fixed?

I need a Savior. I need help every single day. I find my strength, my hope, and my joy in Jesus. It is my prayer that you will seek him and discover his power and ability to be your Savior too – regardless of the situation you currently find yourself in.

Jesus invites us all:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-29

Day 13 of Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve 

Is our Hope in Congress?

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tmr-homepage-final4The autism epidemic continues to skyrocket, but the head of the Congressional Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) investigating all the factors involved, claims they have no power and can do nothing. Anne Dachel summarizes the recent disappointing meeting. At least, concerned, knowledgeable parents, and those working with autism families, were disappointed. I’m guessing the pharmaceutical companies and others supporting the vaccine industry were also watching and listening, and probably came away with relief that they continue to be safe – for the moment.

Listening to a recording of the speech given by Megan Davenhall at the September 2014 IACC meeting gives me hope, but not hope in what Congress can or will do, hope in what a grassroots movement of parents can do.  This impassioned, yet calm, rational, and highly thoughtful plea describes the dilemma faced by autism parents who have helplessly watched their child regress after vaccines, live with the enormous daily challenges of vaccine induced autism, and helplessly watch Congress give lip service to the concept of exploring causes and treatments.

And the head of this illustrious gathering of highly educated congressional committee members, Thomas Insel, MD (Director of NIMH) sums it all up by saying,

We have no money. We have no resources. We are just a bully pulpit. We have no recourse. The public doesn’t understand this. We can have honest exchanges like this and listen.

Summary: ‘Basically, we are powerless to effect chang don’t get your hopes up.’ But he does mention the real powers in the room, the NIH, the CDC and others who hold all the power and money in this debate. That, folks, is the problem. Those with the money do not have the will to explore and expose the cause and effective treatment to prevent autism.

  • They do have the money to continue to heavily lobby congress with their point of view.
  • They do have the money to heavily influence doctors to continue to give too many vaccines too early.
  • They do have the money to advertise their shots through every means possible, including the March of Dimes.
  • They do have the money to publish fraudulent research (#CDCwhistleblower) and the money to keep the mainstream media from reporting on it.

Money talks. Every time a child gets a vaccine it keeps the wheels of the machinery working. Even if a child is injured by a vaccine, it still generates revenue because they become a lifelong client for medical services – an infinite variety of medical services.

Megan Davenhall, President of The Thinking Moms Revolution, and many others have been relentless in leading a charge FOR TEN YEARS to inform those in authority – this committee of esteemed health experts who hold important positions, and who they thought were able to make a difference. These are mainly parents who live with the reality of vaccine induced brain damage causing medically induced autism EVERY SINGLE DAY.

They had hoped their pleas and volumes of information provided to Congress was going to make a difference. I believe we are reaching a tipping point. But Congress is not our hope. It is going to take a grassroots movement of EVERYONE to make a change. The autism parents’ burden is too great. They need those of us who are informed and aware to help them.

The recent autism statistics were 1:23 ten-year olds are autistic. In 1980 it was 1:10,000. At this rate, even if your child remains unscathed, chances are a significant number of his friends and peers will be. October is Autism Awareness month. Share. Those of us outside of this debate need to be informed and we need to speak up to expose this greed induced epidemic.

This autism is extremely different… It’s pain.  It’s bowel disease.  It’s mitochondrial dysfunction.  It’s seizures.  It’s immune deficiency.  And in many cases, it is a silent plea for help through head banging, and self-injurious behaviors and aggression.  Parents have been searching for treatment for these co-conditions for years. We pay out-of-pocket because insurance won’t cover the staggering cost of healing the many physical ailments our children suffer from.  Our kids who fall into this model of autism, the ones who are healthy and become urgently ill, need to be treated with respect and like human beings who are sick. Their physical symptoms need to be addressed by medical professionals in the same ways that they would be handled in a person without autism.

 

Parents have been telling you for years that there was some trigger that sent their healthy child into a physical and developmental tailspin. They watched this happen to their kids. And we’re ignored. You ignore our firsthand eyewitness accounts of damage to our children. You hold these meetings that accomplish nothing. And [you] give us the mic a few times a year and we tell you, ‘Autism is medical.’ This version of autism that the parents come here and talk to you about. Let me be clear on that. Our children get better when we treat the medical problems they have. Their behaviors that land them on the spectrum in the first place, improve when they get healthier. And you don’t hear us. You give us fifteen minutes of your day and interrupt parents who travel on their own dime to come here and speak to you. If they go over their allotted three minutes, they get interrupted–as long as we end the meeting by five. Megan Davenhall

The Age of Autism has volumes of information if you care to learn more.

30 ways in 30 Days, Exploring Vaccines: Day 14

 

 

Our Designer

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cosmosEvery aspect of Creation confirms to me an incredible designer.

Paul was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw as he walked around the city of Athens.

When I read about this in Acts 17, it resonated in my heart with the way I sometimes feel walking around some parts of our modern world. Paul was troubled because of all the idols he saw. We don’t think too much about idols, but I think there are many things in our world we put in a higher place than God. An idol is something that takes the place of God.

When I walk or drive around I am deluged with advertising for flu shots. This deeply troubles me. I walk through the supermarket and see all manner of toxic combinations sold as ‘food.’

I’m wondering if I am stretching parallels too far.

Paul told the Athenians that

God has no needs. He does not NEED anything FROM us. He, Himself, gives life and breath to everything, and satisfies every need. His purpose was for nations to seek after Him.

Can we see that our nation has also abandoned God for worthless idols?

  • Have we abandoned our immune system for harmful/toxic vaccines and medications?
  • Abandoned real food for processed packaged toxic laden food like products
  • Abandoned natural plants for genetically modified mystery results?

All because we CAN? Because we think we are so smart? Because we think we don’t need God, or what He provided? Because we fail to recognize Him as our Creator, our Designer and the Giver of all good things?

Do we think we know better and we can control and manipulate God and His Creation?

Do we even think we can comprehend ALL THAT HE IS?

Is He not GOD – far beyond our understanding?

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17

Just my ramblings on idols in our current context…

Day 12 of Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve 

One essential to come to God

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PresentThere is only one essential thing required when we approach God.

This is a difficult concept to fully grasp. We have a propensity to make things complicated. We love lists of rules. We have rules for ourselves – to guide and direct our own behavior. We might not think of them as ‘rules’, but we all operate with a set of principles that we feel are good and right.

We often apply our set of ‘rules’ to other people and when they treat us differently we feel offended. Wars are the result of nations feeling other nations are violating the accepted ‘rules.’

As parents we know there are certain ways of behaving that we need to ingrain into our children and we do our best to teach them. We find it exasperating when they don’t cooperate and we can spend a lot of time agonizing over how to guide or control the behavior of our children.

Society has a lot of rules for us and there are many authorities committed to seeing that we follow them. Recent advertisements on billboards remind me that if I don’t obey laws on the road, they will be delighted to catch me. Every year I am reminded that I need to present a financial account to my government or face penalties.

Many people think the Bible is full of rules and might cite the Ten Commandments as an example of the things you must do to please God. The Bible is a collection of ancient literature written over thousands of years by dozens of different authors with one unified intention: to reveal God to us and inform us of how we can have a relationship with Him.

Jesus came to earth to physically demonstrate God, to teach and gather followers and to die – much to His followers surprise and dismay. They didn’t realize that it was all a part of God’s plan for Jesus to die, but once they experienced the resurrected Jesus, everything He did came into perspective.

From that point on they put all their energy into conveying the message of God to everyone they could. Jesus was an integral part of that message.

So what did Jesus say was the ONE THING required to approach God?

Need. We must first recognize that we need Him. We need to know that we have a problem. I have to understand and recognize that I have a problem and I have no ability to fix myself.

We might have an obvious problem, a secret problem, or a problem concerning someone we love for whom we desperately need God’s help.

Matthew was someone who realized he had a big problem and responded to Jesus’ invitation to join him. He writes about it in a book about Jesus’ life and ministry that has been included in the collection of ancient literature we call the Bible. In chapter 9 he describes Jesus’ invitation to himself, as well as Jesus’ interaction with many other people and how they realized their need and received Jesus’ invitation and power.

That is all. That is the first step.

Jesus said “I have come to call those who know they are sinners.”

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Everywhere Jesus went He taught and He healed. Many times our physical problems can drive us to God. The people who were healed by Jesus had to first acknowledge their need – often publically – and they had to have faith that Jesus could help. Jesus had power over the cruel circumstances they found themselves in. He brought hope and healing in the midst of their desperation.

I believe Jesus has the same power and the same compassion on people today. He can bring hope and healing in the midst of desperation, when we acknowledge we have a problem and we come to Him.

What prevents you from coming just a bit closer to Jesus today? Will you read Matthew chapter 9 and discover the variety of ways Jesus was able to help and heal?

Day 11 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

If you have been helped in any way through my musings, please give glory to God. If you find anything disappointing or offensive – please let me know so I can improve.

 

How does faith begin?

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ladderI am in the midst of an attempt to describe and encourage faith in Jesus Christ:                 30 different ways in 30 days.

I am afraid I am doing a very imperfect job. I’d really love any feedback you might have to offer. I’m serious! Please use the comments at the bottom!

There are many descriptions of faith given to us from the ancient writings grouped together to form the Bible.

“Faith comes by hearing.” Another version puts it like this:

So faith proceeds from hearing, as we listen to the message about God’s Anointed.

When we are faced with a choice or a new possibility or path – like seeing the ladder in the picture, we want to know that the choice is able to bear my weight. If I decide to climb that rope ladder, am I sure it is stable enough to hold me?

Is it possible for you to take a leap of faith to consider that God might actually desire a relationship with you? That, in accepting His offer of a relationship, it might lead to a lot of good results in your life. Not necessarily the results we might order if it were possible to choose them, like on a menu. But results that we could look back on, after a period of time, and reflect that choosing a life of faith has yielded more good things than we could possibly have imagined.

So, even if you might not feel ready to begin a life of faith, maybe you could begin by simply reading more about the message God has preserved for us. All of the ancient writings point to His Son and keep telling us the story from many different angles.

We had a problem. We need to realize it and acknowledge it and turn to God. As we turn to Him in faith, He will open up insight and life to us through Jesus Christ. Everything begins and ends with Jesus. His invitation is to everyone no matter what nationality or religious background. He is not offering us a religion, but a relationship. There are no cultural barriers.

We don’t even need to believe to start. We can just start.

Faith comes through hearing. Are you willing to hear? If you’re not yet ready, are you ready to examine whether the ladder of faith is Jesus is secure enough to hold you?

But a right relationship based on faith sounds like this: “Do not say to yourselves, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” (that is, to bring down the Anointed One), “or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring the Anointed One up from the dead).  But what does it actually say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the good news we have been called to preach to you). So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be saved! Belief begins in the heart and leads to a life that’s right with God; confession departs from our lips and brings eternal salvation. Romans 10:7-11

 

Day 10 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

 

Faith in the midst of Adversity

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Hope StreetWe faithfully preach the truth.

God’s power is working in us.

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.

We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.

We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

There are many stories of challenges and difficulties experienced by those who followed Jesus in the Bible. As a follower of Jesus Christ we are not promised great riches and a perfect life. We all want good things in life. We want health, happiness and security. Many believe that following God should bring all the good things we desire in life. It doesn’t always work that way. But, following God always brings His blessings in His way in His time. It also enables you to respond to the challenges you face with confidence, peace, and joy, despite the circumstances.

Paul and Silas were beaten, bruised and bleeding and locked in chains in a prison in Philippi. They couldn’t move, they hurt and they might have been getting some infections! Yet they choose to sing praises to God and pray in the midst of that suffering.

Our response to our suffering can speak volumes to those around us. In the case of Paul and Silas, the other prisoners, the jailer and the jailer’s entire family ended up listening and hearing about the gift God wanted to give them – all as a result of the suffering they had cheerfully endured.

I don’t know what your suffering is. I know many have suffered beyond my understanding. I do know that God never wastes a hurt and He can use your suffering to bless you and bless many others.

Will you surrender your suffering to the power of God to bring transformation?

A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not people. Romans 2:29b

 

An indication of whether God has changed our hearts is our willingness to seek His praise rather than the good opinion of the people around us.

It is very easy to allow the opinions of those around us to influence the choices we make. I seek to surrender my heart and make choices to seek His praise and commendation rather than the commendation of men.

I pray you will be granted wisdom to know the next step God wants to lead you to in your current situation. God is generous with giving wisdom to those who ask.

Day 9 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days

 

Current State of the World

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News headlinesI read the Bible regularly and am continually amazed at how relevant this ancient literature is for today.

It seems like Solomon might have had a sneak preview on the state of our country:

I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! I said to myself, “in due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

 

Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his own profit! Ecclesiastes 5

That last phrase is particularly interesting because Solomon was the king! He was talking about himself having the propensity to milk the land for his own profit.

Solomon recognized and warned us that power and position lend themselves to greed and corruption!

I think the founding fathers of the USA knew a bit about this, which is why they deliberated so long and hard to figure out a way of protecting people from their leaders. Unfortunately, over the  years it seems that corporate interests have managed to infiltrate our judicial and political systems to turn the balance of power in their favor. So the truth of these words is just as apparent in the democracy of the United States as it was in the monarchy of Solomon’s time.

What do we do? Is there any hope?

There are many other Scriptures that provide encouragement, wisdom and guidance. Here are some:

O Lord, I give my life to you.

I trust in you, my God!

Do not let me be disgraced

or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.

No one who trusts in You will ever be disgraced,

but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by Your truth and teach me,

for You are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in You. Psalm 25

 

The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. Proverbs 20:27

 

In these challenging, uncertain times where evidence of injustice, greed, and misery can be seen in so many aspects of life, we can continue to have hope and offer hope. God’s Good News, promised long before, was delivered through Jesus. He desires the whole world to receive the news that He loves each one of us and invites us to a relationship with Him.

Ears to hear and eyes to see,

both are gifts from the Lord. Proverbs 20:12

 

If you currently don’t understand God’s plan, ask Him for ears to hear and eyes to see. He is faithful to respond to a willing heart.

Day 8 Encouraging people to Seek Jesus: 30 ways in 30 days