Is it OK to Disagree with Another Christian?

Is God Ready to Spit you Out of His Mouth?

Our luke warm devotion to God of the Bible makes Him upset and He is ready to spit us out of His mouth.

Are you even a threat to Satan? Is he even aware of You? He doesn’t bother with those who don’t resist him.  If you are resisting him he will work overtime to keep you and your love for Christ from threatening his interests.

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. William Cowper (1731-1800)

It is hard at best to be strong against the temptations that Satan sends our way. He keeps telling us it is Ok to have a little fun, or a small sin won’t hurt anyone. He likes to divide us and conquer us. 

It is a battle that can’t be taken on alone. What can you do? Who will help you?

You may feel very alone. You may even feel like a speck of sand on the beach of life when it comes to God caring for you. There are millions of people worshipping Him, but He still loves you as His own.  God wants us to plead with Him when he appears not to care.  When we feel the most sinking feeling that God is far away is when we should seek Him the most.

Actually God checks on us days, months, and even years after we have been saved to see how we have progressed.  He may not seem near, but He is and He does care enough to worry about how you are growing in the knowledge of Him, and in the love you should have for Him.

God wants to grow enough that we will come out of our comfort zone. It is easy to stay where we are and not grow. God made many people in the Bible come out of their comfort zone.

  • David was forced to hide in a cave until he realized that he needed to call on God to rescue him. Then he was brave and eventually became king.
  • Moses felt he wasn’t qualified to even speak to the people about God, but he led them out of Egypt into the promise land.
  • Jonah even tried to run from God because he didn’t want to do what God asked. A huge fish swallowed him and later spit him out. Jonah went on to speak for God to the people.
  • Noah was just and ordinary man that did an extraordinary thing.  He was ridiculed by all of his friends, but he still obeyed God and saved all the animals and his family.

What is your comfort zone? Are you staying where you are because it is much more comfortable for you?  

Don’t stay in just one spot. Come out of your comfort zone and take the step of faith, knowing God is there with you. Also realize that your comfort zone changes. What you comfort zone is now may be totally different a year from now. God will be helping you grow and you will seek new horizons down the road.  When God taps you on the shoulder, obey! Growing for God can be like peeling the layers of skin from an onion. There is a new layer each time you shed the old one.  Each new one is a new comfort zone. 

No matter what you think about yourself, God made only one you, and then He threw away the mold. You are one of a kind, and you are the child of God. He made you in His image.

I had another thought tonight…..

If I accuse you of being a sinner because you have a meal with one, then I am wrong. If I try to make you feel shameful because of whom you choose to spend time with, then I am wrong. If you and are threatened by someone’s success and say “They are of the devil,” then we are both wrong. If another Christian disagrees with me and I think he is not a Christian because of that, then I am wrong.

We are not to judge or choose our friends on what they do or think. We should be open to anyone, and try to share with them the love we have for not only them but for God. Then we shouldn’t condemn them if they choose not to agree with us at the time.

If we just reflect the love of Jesus in our faces, hearts and lives, people are going to want what we have.

 

 

Do we Need to go to Church to be Christians?

 

Are You Wrinkled with Burden?

 Come to Church and Get a Faith Lift

                                                 

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10

 

Do we need to go to church to be Christians? Not in the thinking of a many people. Do we need to go to church to grow and be strong Christians? In my thinking, yes—it is a must.

I find this second thought important in my own life. Where else can I sit and share my beliefs in God more than in God’s house. Those people who think the same way need me there to support them—and I need them to support me.

There are many times when we face sickness, sorrow or tragedy. People will pray for us, and we will pray for them. Jesus calls His children to a community where they gather and share together.

We know that we need to be with brothers and sisters in Christ if we are to grow in the Spirit. When we are with other Christians, we begin to feel more like loving one another, and feel free to share without fear. Christians who gather together learn that each member is a special present from God—someone with whom we can share and grow spiritually.

 

As the bumper sticker suggests: We can get a faith lift every time we come to church and share with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Spending each Sunday with people who love us and want to help us grow is one way to have many close encounters with God.

I have developed some close friendships with Christians from my home church and we keep in touch during the week. It helps me to stay on level with God and to be strong.

We can stay strong another way—as part of a Bible study during the week. Most churches have study groups that are a comfortable place to share and grow.

There is also an international Bible study group (Bible Study Fellowship—BSF) that I attend during the week. There are groups for just men and groups for just women. Some women’s groups meet during the day. Many meet on the same weeknight evening so both spouses can attend at the same time while their children are part of program geared to their age group.

There is a different study in each term of the seven-year cycle and you eventually get a great overview of the entire Bible. I have been blessed each year I’ve gone and have developed close friendships there. After the lecture over the passage we study during the week on our own, my small group of ten to twelve men meets. We share our hurts and needs at the end of each session. Some men would not open up in other settings, but they feel safe at BSF.

 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and the he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

 

Further adventures

  1. Visit your neighbors and talk to them about coming to church. I realize this may be a difficult assignment. It may be uncomfortable to speak up for the Lord, but just think if everyone in your neighborhood was a strong Christian. What if they all went to churches where they were growing in the Lord? What a glorious place to live. What a boost that would be. Isn’t it worth trying to tell your neighbors about your church, and more importantly about your Savior?
  2. Call a fellow Christian from your church and thank him or her for being there for you. Although they may not understand what you mean, they will be grateful for your thoughtfulness and glad they have contributed to your life. Your friendship may even grow stronger.

 

Something to ponder

Isn’t it funny that even every hair on your head is counted by God?


 *Excerpt from: Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World

Are you a Christian on Sunday, but AWOL on Mondays?

 

What follows is an actual excerpt from the book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. Chapter 35

We spend many Sundays going to church, but what do we do on Mondays?

 

The Trouble with Doing Nothing Is that I

Never Know When I’m Done

 

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

 

We go to church every Sunday, but are we doing anything about reaching out to people for the Lord on Monday?

When we worship in church, we have our eyes on the Lord and praise Him. We fellowship with other Christians and we feel refreshed.

What about Monday? You have a good attitude while you’re in church, but what is your attitude on Monday.

Let’s look at Paul for a few lines. Paul spent many of his years being beaten, hated, and even put in prison. What do you think his attitude was? Wouldn’t you think he was angry, sad and depressed or at least complained a lot?

There was a time when Paul was in prison, not knowing what the next day might bring. He had already put a plea in to the Roman government to spare his life, but he didn’t know what their decision would be.

Not so fast, my friend! Paul was overflowing with joy! Yes, a man that was on death row was excited to be there. He had a great attitude because he had a “captive” audience. The guards and prisoners had to be there each day and listen to him tell them about Jesus and the salvation He offers. What a golden opportunity for him. The gospel was spread all through the prison! Paul rejoiced for the chance to witness. Plus while he was in prison, he wrote the book of Philippians, where he uses the word “rejoice” over and over. So much for a pity party!

Attitude check here: What is our attitude on Monday when we have a chance to witness to others around us? Remember one very important thing: When we are telling others about Christ, we are not alone! God is with us.

Surprise! As a retired teacher, I still cherish the times when I can have an unannounced quiz. Let’s see how you do:

  1. Can people sense you are a Christian?    ____ Yes    ____ No   
  2. Can people tell you are Christian by the way you respond to trials, pain and hardships?

____ Yes    ____ No  

  1. Do you show the gospel of Christ with your attitude?    ____ Yes    ____ No
  2. Would people reach out to you and say, “I want what you have”?    ____ Yes    ____ No   

 

If you said no, or you are not sure about your answer to any of these questions, you failed the test. You will have to take it over and over again until you get 100%!

Stop sweating blood! I am not really saying that you have to be perfect. I’m not able to get 100% myself most days.

Romans 3:23 tells us we all have come short of the glory of God. I am not perfect. I come short of the glory of God more often than I would like to admit.

But, let me show you some ways each one of us can improve a great deal on our attitude and daily walk with God.

In Philippians 2:14–15, Paul says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.”

In other words, let your attitude reflect the love of Jesus Christ.

It is wonderful to worship God on Sunday, but if you do nothing on Monday, others will never know that you are a Christian. Your attitude is one of the most revealing factors about your personality. If you get angry a lot, or think the world is against you and complain about everything, your attempt at witnessing is falling on deaf ears.

Listen to Paul and try not to complain or walk around with a bad attitude. I have observed many people who just by their actions show the love of Christ for others. I don’t have to ask them if they are a Christian—it just shows.

If we strive to act like that on Monday, we will be doing something. And we’ll know we are done when God no longer brings people into our daily life in need of His touch through us. We’ll feel grateful for what God has done for us and be happy with what we have done for God that day.

To summarize the four quiz questions above: Can people see Christ in you?    Yes or No

If people wanted to know what God was like during Christ’s time, all they had to do was look at Him. If people want to know what Christ is like today, they should be able to look at His followers.

 

 … Do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:15–16

 

Further adventures

Take inventory of your life. What direction are you going? Do you feel you are doing what God has in mind for you? Are you comfortable with where you are now as far as showing God’s love to others? If not, get into the Word. Pray for God’s guidance and take action on whatever He tells you. Doing nothing leaves you stagnant and ineffective for God.

 

Something to ponder

Isn’t it funny how we feel strong about our belief in God, but weak when it comes to sharing it?