Godly sorrow is the work of the Holy Spirit, it humbles us by confronting our arrogance through brokenness and then produces repentance that leads to…
The Biblical Congruency of Godly Sorrow
The Biblical Congruency of Godly Sorrow
Tag: Self Denial
The Biblical Congruency of Rebellion
The congruency of rebellion by Adam and Eve, birthed the virus of sin into the world, giving way to corruption, pollution, disease and finally death.…
The Biblical Congruency of Rebellion
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Are You Being Guided by Truth?
Reading the Bible needs to be at the forefront of what we do in life.
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32 NASB)
A while back, I posted The God We Should Worship . The purpose was to bring some clarity to the incorrect understanding that Muslims worship the same God as Christians. The central argument is that Christians worship Jesus because He is God, the Triune God. This is the core of Christian belief. We get this theology from the Bible. Jesus made this claim several times. Muslims view Jesus as a mere prophet whose teachings they regularly ignore. The differences between Islam and Christianity are apparent. One only needs to read the Bible to know that there is no grace of God in Islam. Grace is a character of God that he reveals in the Bible. Through the scriptures, God reveals Himself to us. I have found myself in awe of God as a result of seeking Him. One gets to know God by studying the Bible, memorizing scripture and praying. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. The more I love Him, the more I desire to be in His presence. I love him because he first loved me. For God is love. It is in His love for me that God reveals His Divine character of truth through His word.
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him”.(John 18:37-38)
The whole world claims we want truth, honesty, integrity, and transparency. The fact is that most people don’t even seek it. They personally don’t want truth to interfere in their daily lives. They don’t want truth to destroy their misguided conceptions of life. Most people would rather believe lies about themselves. They live in the guilt and shame of their failures. They can’t comprehend that God could love them. The truth of God’s word, tells us that He loves us. Those who truly seek truth become doers of truth. The person who does not apply the word of God to their lives is failing to live a Christ centered life. If you are not reading God’s word, you can’t apply it. If you are not reading and applying the Bible to your life; your Christianity is worthless.
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:21-22 NASB)
Are you of the truth? Do you hear the voice of Jesus? Jesus told Pilate, that everyone who is of the truth hears His voice. If you don’t read God’s love letter to you, how will you distinguish the truth from a lie? Are you listening to the stranger’s voice? Examine your life for a moment. Is your Christianity weak? Do you struggle with your walk with God? Are you focused on loving Jesus or are you living in doubt? There are things that you can do to draw closer to God.
- Ask God for help. Seek His wisdom.
- Read the Bible everyday. This is critical. It’s good to have a plan. Write down what you learn. I journal through my Bible Everyday
- Memorize scripture. Take time while you are standing around and memorize scripture. (I use an app called fighter verses.)
- Pray. Write down your prayers and your answers . If you have a hard time praying, pray through the scriptures. (Try the Psalms)
God loves you! Let God’s grace shine on you. Seek His truth.
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Holy week
“The truth is that we need reminders. We need to make the gospel, the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, as personal as possible. We need to remember. We need to set aside the business of our everyday lives, and allow ourselves to walk through the events of Holy Week.”–Rebecca Prewett
Before my evangelical friends wonder if I have become Catholic, I would like them to remember that Jesus told us to remember what he did. I know the writer of this post personally and can attest to her deep devotion to Christ as her personal Savior. She emotionally reminds us to not casually dismiss what Christ did. We gratefully talk about how Christ rose from the dead. We appreciate the Miracle of His Resurrection, but do we realize what a miracle it was for Christ to suffer the way He did. Think about it. Look at the love Jesus showed in his suffering. The greater miracle was the compassion, the love, the consideration, the gentleness and the self-control that Jesus demonstrated in the midst of His incredible suffering. Could you do this? Every Christian needs to be aware and deeply ponder this incredible non-human act, during this very Holy Week.
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Is There Proof that You Follow Jesus?
The gospel of a broken heart demands the ministry of bleeding hearts…We can never heal the needs we do not feel. Tearless hearts can never be heralds of the passion. — Dr. John Henry J. H. Jowett
Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance. (Matthew 3:8)
Jim has become a good friend of mine. I have had the privilege of watching him grow in Christ. Early on he struggled with his decision to follow Jesus. He would not follow through on commitments and he would often slip into the bad habits of his old life. It was a challenge to lovingly encourage him. I did not want to come across as judgmental. The reminder of my own failures gave me the patience and love to build him up in his faith. God kept reminding me not to “fix” Jim. The Job of life changing transformation belongs to Jesus. My Job was to point to Jesus and to encourage him.
One day Jim was with a client and out of the blue, the client turned to Jim and asked him, “How long have you been a follower of Jesus?” Jim was stunned. He later asked me, “How did he know?”
That leads me to a few questions that I have been asking myself for the last few years. Do the people I know, see Jesus in my life? What evidence is there that I am not just a “Christian”, but an active follower of Jesus? What is the Proof of my faith?
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Which of these sins do you struggle with? When looking at this passage, there are a few of these sins that we can cross off our own”naughty list”. But lets be brutally honest about the ones we tend to ignore. Do your Facebook rants make you look like Jesus or the Devil? Do you love to create arguments or do you create peace? Does Jesus approve of your sex life, or do you toss him aside for a moment of lustful pleasure? Does your behavior prove that your really love Jesus, or does it prove that you are a fake Christian?
A few years ago, God convicted me that my political discussions on social media were doing more harm than good. I was more concerned about convincing people to follow my political view instead of following Jesus. Politics had become an idol. I had more faith in a political solution than in a spiritual one. With a deeply repentant heart I gave up the belief that “great men” could solve America’s problems. Man is flawed and needs God. Only through repentant sorrow can God change the heart of a nation. The only way to save America is for her people to turn from their own selfishness and rush towards the cross of Jesus with a repentant heart.
Paul warns us that if we continue to practice the deeds of the flesh, that we will not inherit the kingdom of God. So what should the proof of our faith be like?
It is a faith that bears fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24)
This is what a follower of Jesus demonstrates on a daily basis. These are the gifts that God gives us when we allow him to change us. They are the character of Christ that shines from with in, as a beacon of light to a dark world. The Christian turns hurt into God given love. When trials overwhelm the day, God provides our joy and peace. We show patience to the impatient. We are to be good and kind to those who are not. We are faithful to those around us, because of God’s faithfulness to us. We should exhibit gentleness to a violent world and self-control in the face of an angry one. The true Christian places his desires and passions at the foot of the cross. These gifts come when we seek God and ask him to transform our lives. They are the fruit that we bear and the proof of our salvation in Jesus. If you lack these characteristics in your life, ask God to help you with them. God knows that we are flawed, and in spite of our flaws He loves us.
The real proof of your faith is found in love and the fruit that you bear. Are your friends overwhelmed by your love? Do they know you, by Christ in you? Do they see God’s love in you?
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
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When God is your Rock
God will never, never, never let us down if we have faith and put our trust in Him. He will always look after us. So we must cleave to Jesus. Our whole life must simply be woven into Jesus.
–Mother Teresa
Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Is your soul weary? Are you facing troubles that you do not have the answers for? David had a clear grasp on what to do. He allowed his soul to rest in God. When the war clouds gather over your life and the storms you face seem overwhelming, stop and be still in the presence of God. Even Jesus took the time to rest in the presence of God. So what does this mean and how do we get this calm respite in our turbulent lives? In my own life I have been pushed to the edge of my trust in God’s righteous plan. In the darkest moments of loss and pain, God has overwhelmed me with His love, peace and hope. Here are some of the ways we can learn to rest in God. They will provide a foundation and prepare you for the attacks that will come. Remember, God loves you. He is our Rock!
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:16-17)
A restful soul knows where their help comes from. Self reliance and rugged individualism are idealistic themes running through our American society, but they should not be the ideals of a Christian. We need to realize that everything good comes from God. The Psalmist understood that all of his help comes from God. Many a person says they rely on God but few are willing to surrender all of their will to him. Sure, we believe in God’s salvation for our sin. Do we really trust God for everything else in our life? We need to keep our eyes on Jesus all the time. The moment we are distracted, that is when we become panicked and stressed. Is your prayer life filled with panic stricken prayers of desperation, or are your prayers in preparation for those difficult trials?
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
A restful soul has a heart of thanksgiving towards God. Is it really possible to find joy in painful situations? The book of Philippians in the Bible, is often referred to as the book of joy. It has so many thoughts of peace and Joy and contentment. What most readers never realize is the circumstance in which the writer, Paul, found himself. Paul was in prison, not for some bad criminal behavior, but for following Jesus and for spreading the gospel. He was standing trial for his faith and knew that his death was imminent. It was in the midst of all of his difficulties that Paul wrote Philippians. Paul never complained or grumbled about his circumstances; in fact he writes this letter with such thanksgiving and rejoicing that it floods the reader with the incredible hope that we can have in Jesus. Reflect on these words from Paul. See how his soul rests in God.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:4-7)
A restful soul meditates on God’s Word. Everybody and their pastor tells you to “Read the Bible”. I want to suggest something deeper than just reading your Bible. Let Scripture reveal Scripture. Do not try to manipulate the word of God. The Scripture will prove itself out. The Psalmist wrote, “I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.” Throughout the Scriptures there is this theme to meditate on the Word of God. This is a prayerful reading of God’s word. As you read each passage, ask God to reveal His understanding to you. This leads to an interactive meditation between you and God. The Holy Spirit will guide you to a greater understanding of God’s plan for you. God will transform you, granting you a stable peace with the endurance to pass any trial.
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:2-3)
The Follower of Jesus has a relationship with God. He denies himself. It is in this selfless relationship that we allow Christ to reign at the center of everything we do. Our prayer time and Bible reading need to open us up to what God has planned for us. The Christian should be grateful for everything that God provides. When we live in the will of God, we will not be shaken by scary events. It is in these moments that we take up our cross and cry,”Here I am Lord, I am ready”! Paul was ready to face his death. His every thought was focused on the will of God. This is why he was so joyful and content.
Is God your Rock or are you looking at the storm? Keep your eyes on Jesus. Get rid of your distractions and be a tree planted in the living waters of God’s love for you. May God bless you as you devote yourself to Him. Live with thanksgiving in your heart and rejoice at the trials you may face. I leave you with these words of Paul to reflect upon.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
