Not all but some

I recently returned from a visit where people reluctantly embraced calling themselves Christians. In fact it was clear that for them to be identified with Christianity was a negative reflection on them as a person. They were quick to establish that they were spiritual but not religious. Their understanding of Jesus was rules, regulations and separation. Their understanding of Him was based on a poor reflection of who He is by the words and deeds of those who professed to know Him.. Lord, we can only be a shadow of who you are; a mere reflection. Help us to reflect positively your grace and truth to others. We would do well to remember the words of Gandhi, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”



End of Time

What is the fascination with the end of times? Why are some so obsessed with trying to know the unknowable? Jesus clearly said that only God knows when life as we know it will come to an end and when it does, it will come as a thief in the night. We are all on our own journey called life and to focus on the end reminds me of children who are traveling to some destination and constantly wanting to know “when do we get there.”

God, truth or fairy tales?

It seems that the media is once again focused on reporting news of those that do not believe in God and for those that do our belief is portrayed as “fairy tales.”

I will use the wisdom of Albert Camus, who said, “I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is.

Words unspoken

Luke 23:50-54 (The Message)

50-54There was a man by the name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a man of good heart and good character. He had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea. He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

There is a tragedy in the story of Joseph of Arimathea. He did not agree with the decision of the council of which he was a member but there is no mention that he raised his voice in support of Jesus during the trial. Joseph waited until He was dead to honor Him with a tomb. William Barclay wrote it is one of the tragedies of life that we place flowers on people’s graves the flowers we might have given them when they were alive. We pay tributes at memorial services and give praise and thanks that we should have given when they lived. Often, we are haunted because we never spoke.

Lord help me, that from this day forth, I will acknowledge to my family and friends the true measure of their worth and may I never feel haunted by words unspoken.

Oswald Chambers on Prayer

We use prayer as a last resort; Jesus wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do; Jesus wants us to pray before we do anything at all. We are to pray during times of joy as well as sorrow. Jesus wants us to talk to Him, not so much about Him. He wants us to talk to Him about unbelievers before we talk to unbelievers about Him.
Oswald Chambers

Did you stay or walk away?

LUKE 17:11-19

In Luke 17, Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem and ten men who had leprosy met Him. He healed them all and yet only one came back and praised God that he was healed. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

When you had felt His touch, were you the one that returned or did you walk away? Sadly, there was a time in my life that I was one of the nine. When my daughter was born, she had a hole in one of her lungs and she was having trouble breathing. I remember the moment as if it was yesterday. It was raining outside and as my tears began to match the rain, I prayed, asking God to heal my daughter and I made so many promises to Him that I never kept.

He answered my prayers already knowing that my promises would fade once the danger had passed. Even though I walked away He never gave up on me because He already knew there would come a day when I would feel His touch again but this time I returned forever.

Guard your heart

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

23 Guard your heart above all else,for it determines the course of your life.

Guard your heart from becoming “hard”. The first time you do a wrong thing there is uneasiness within your soul. The more you repeat the wrong choice the less you feel uneasy. A hardened heart is whatever hurts God no longer hurts you.

Guard your heart from becoming “dull”. You become deaden to emotions. An example, next week is Easter and the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus will once again be told in our churches. Have you heard it so many times that it longer moves your emotions? God help us to never lose the power to feel the agony of the cross and the joy of the resurrection.

Guard your heart from becoming “rebellious”. It is possible to know right yet deliberately take the wrong way.

God save us from the darkened heart.