Devotionals from Dad

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One of the most memorable milestones in your child’s life is when they say their first word. Parents spend months repeating Mommy or Daddy to their little ones in the hopes it will be the first word they say. Some of the most common baby's first words are: Mommy, Daddy, Hi, Bye, Dog, Ball and believe it or not “NO!” First words are often a battle fought between Moms and Dads who are so insecure, because they think their child will be more devoted to the first parent they can name. Of course, that’s nonsense. Just ask Junior if their first words mean anything and they’ll probably tell you, “No,” because that’s literally one of the most common first words! While “No” is one of most babies’ first words “Yes” isn’t even in the top 20. Turns out, one the primary roles of parenting is to keep them from doing things they shouldn’t do, things that may harm or injure them. As parents I am confident you can remember fanatically telling your infant, NO! don't touch - hot, or NO, NO, NO, don't put that in your mouth. I could go on and on but you get the idea. Parents tell their children no, not because they are trying to stop them from experiencing something pleasurable or fun, but just the opposite, to protect them from something harmful.

The Bible gets a bum rap for being “negative,” for being a bunch of rules one has to follow, a long list of “Thou shalt nots!” God's word definitely contains “Thou shalt nots,” but God’s intention is not to limit our experiences. Rather, God’s word is designed to help us make wise choices that will protect us from harm and help us experience whole, satisfying lives. Lives that honor God. Lives that give us strength and stability in this crazy, chaotic world.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Most of us are so selfish that we don't want anyone or anything telling us what we can or can't do! I know as a teenager growing up one of my greatest motivations to do something was usually because my parents told me I couldn't or shouldn't do it. As an adult, I now realize they weren't telling me, “NO” because they didn't want me to enjoy life, it was because they knew what was best for me. They knew that my choices would likely be harmful or even dangerous. We all want God's help when we’re in deep trouble. But the minute we think we’ve got life under control, we forget Him. 

Unfortunately the world believes that truth is subjective. They believe there are no absolute truths. They believe that the truth can be discovered, even created. I am sure you see the slippery slope we’re hurtling down! If each person gets to decide his or her own “truth,” society has moved from concrete to sand piles. 

 Matthew 7:24-27 NIV “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” 

The bible is so much more than a rule book a list of “Thou Shalt Nots!” It’s the greatest love story ever told. It’s the story of our past and our future. And its power helps us to deal with the right here, right now! Get excited about that! God is Good all the time!!! All the time God is Good!!!

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Since the start of the “Industrial Revolution” and the invention of coal-powered steam engines, human have vastly increased the volume of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. The media today floods the air waves with news about pollution. They speak about global warming, about the green house effect created by the fossil fuels we burn in our power plants and automobiles. There is air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and even noise pollution. When I was a teen I would bet that my parents thought I created noise pollution with my loud rock and roll music. My favorite band when I was growing up, AC/DC. They even and a song titled, “Rock and Roll ain't no Noise Pollution!” Climate scientist around the world say that if humans don't take immediate action in just over a decade there will be no turning back! Extreme droughts, devastating wildfires, massive floods, deadly hurricanes, and widespread famines that we’re seeing more and more of in the daily news will be as recurrent as the fall changing of the leaves. I am here to tell the upcoming climate crisis and pollution is far from the most devastating thing the human race is facing!

As Christians we should be concerned with the environment, but we should be even more concerned with pollution of the mind. Our society is being infiltrated with moral pollution in movies, videos, TV, magazines and of course the internet. We read it and watch it daily for hours on end. It pollutes our minds. How can any Christian find entertainment in the violence, lust and greed which surrounds us and saturates us continually? What responsibilities do we have in caring for our children who sit transfixed before the electronic devices that we as parents have given them and some parents let them use these mind numbing devices without any guidance or supervision? What should we do to clean up our moral environment? This is a moral challenge Christians must engage in. lt is a matter of life or death. 

Jeremiah 17:9 NIV The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 

Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I know many people whose speech and conduct indicate a polluted heart and , some even claim to be Christians. As Christians we have a responsibility to feed our minds with thoughts which will not pollute the us but which will edify and purify the us. Luke 6:45 says Whatever one stores in the heart or in other words in the mind will eventually spring forth from our mouths.

In conclusion yes we should all be concerned with external pollution, the pollution of our planet. However, we should be even more concerned with moral pollution of the heart and mind. Don't fear there is hope though.

Mark 7:15 NIV Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” 

How do we clean up our Soul Pollution? It starts in your thought life. Garbage in – garbage out. If your thoughts are smut and filth, you know what the output will be. How you think and what you allow into your mind will determine how clean or polluted your heart will be!

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Some of the earliest forms of communication were cave drawings. Cave drawings were painted onto the walls of caves and canyons to tell the story of peoples lives. They would tell stories of battles, hunts and culture. Man has invented so many ways to communicate. Just in my lifetime there has been so many advancements in communication. I remember when I was a boy visiting my grandparents house and they still had a party line phone, 1 long ring when someone was calling them and two short rings when someone was calling the neighbors. Even after I graduated high school the internet was just beginning and could only be found in government offices and there was no such thing as cell phones. I remember when I saw my first cell phone, it was in a large black nylon bag and was bigger than my wife's purse and cell phone signal was very limited.

Now there are so many ways to communicate with each other. I remember when I helped my Grandma Ellis set up her first computer and email account. I had shared her email address with my Aunt and Uncle who were serving in Ukraine as missionaries. Grandma was used to writing letters and not getting any response until the news was a couple weeks old or more. When I turned on her computer and checked the email account she had a message from them that was only minutes old. To say grandma was amazed didn't even begin to describe her reaction! Communication is key to building relationships, and modern forms of communication allows us to stay in touch with friends and family from anywhere in the world. Today, modern technology dominates our communication. We have a massive range of ways in which we can stay connected, but each channel of communication can influence our relationships in a different ways. Some modern forms of communication include social media, instant messaging, blogging, podcasts and video chat just to name a few.

The Internet reduces a person to a faceless screen name, it can make it hard for some users to remember that an actual person exists behind the avatar, which can encourage hostility and exclusionary behavior. Young people are especially prone to online hostility. In some cases, communicating online replaces face-to-face interaction for users, reducing the amount of time they actually spend in the company of other human beings. Social networks sometimes replace a small number of strong social connections with a larger number of much shallower connections, leading to situations where a user may have large numbers of "so called friends" but few actual real-world companions. This can lead to depression and feelings of loneliness. So what does the bible say about spending time with each other.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 NIV Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 

We are all going to be held accountable for the way we spend the precious time God has given us!!! It really takes some self discipline to do what I am suppose to when no one is watching. But wait, isn’t God watching? Yes, of course He is! I need to remember this as I’m on internet just a little too long. God has called us all to be wise in how we spend our days, therefore we need to be asking ourselves. Does what I am doing have an eternal impact? Could I be doing something else with my time that would Glorify God more? I’m really writing this for myself as a reminder to step back and try to stay balanced. It is my prayer that I would examine my time and make sure that I’m spending it wisely and understanding what the will of the Lord is for me.

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When I was in high school one of my favorite songs was “Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top. The first verse of the song went like this; Clean shirt, new shoes, And I don't know where I am going to, - Silk suit, black tie, and I don't need a reason why, - They come running' just as fast as they can - Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man! I am sure we have all heard the statement, “Clothes make the man!” Ever wonder where this statement originated? It sounds like some marketing pitch made by an upscale clothing manufacture. However this proverb, which means that people will judge you by the clothes you wear, has been around for a long time. Some people mistakenly attribute the source of the proverb to Mark Twain, because he made quite a fashion statement when be began wearing white suits late in his career. The founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Colonel Sanders, also made quite the fashion statement with his white suit and black bow tie. The proverb actually originated during the middle ages. The earliest notable use of the is found in the writings of Erasmus, a Catholic priest.

When I was a young man my parents always dressed me and my siblings in our Sunday best when we went to church, especially on Easter Sunday. Even though we were not wealthy by any means, it was not uncommon for us to get a new outfit to wear to church on Easter Sunday. I will be the first to tell you that I no longer put on the suit and tie to attend church. My best blue jeans, comfortable athletic shoes and nice dress shirt is my attire for Sunday morning service and I have even been known to where jean shorts and a clean t-shirt to Wednesday night bible study. So how should we dress to attend Church? I am here to tell you that our Heavenly Father has a strict dress code, but it may not be what you think!

 Colossians 3: 12-14 NIV Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

God loves you! He chosen you to be one of His holy children, so you must clothe yourself in His love and principles. So let's take a closer look at the heavenly dress code. First put on compassion. The meaning of compassion is to recognize the suffering of others and then take action to help. That means I need to reach out to those in need and not turn a blind eye or think they are not my family. Put legs on your faith and be compassionate enough to do something. Next put on humility. Be humble and not so high and mighty. Think of others needs before your own. Next put on gentleness and patience. I don't struggle to much with the gentleness attribute, but wow do I have problem with being patient. Patience is not my strong suit. Next put on forgiveness. Realize that everyone has faults including yourself and be ready to forgive as Jesus Christ has forgiven you!!! The final piece of our heavenly dress code is LOVE. When I was a child my mother used to hand sew a lot of clothing for me out of that indestructible material, polyester. I didn't care much for them, sorry mom, but they were sew together with love. Love is the thread that holds together our Sunday best clothes. Without love how can your be compassionate, humble, gentle, patient or forgiving?

Take off all your old clothing, hate, selfishness, short tempers and put on your new outfit! Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Remember every piece of your Christian attire is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. Designer clothing, designed for you by the creator of the universe.

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When I was a child, in our back yard, between us and the neighbors, was a low spot and when it rained hard it would turn into a small stream. One of my favorite past times was to go outside after a hard rain with anything I thought would float and play in the water, chasing my homemade boats down the stream. When I came back to the house my mother could tell exactly what I had been doing because I would be covered in mud and wet from my head to my toe... If you have grown up in a rural community like I have, then you know what it is like to tromp through a muddy barn yard to feed the livestock. When you return to home it is evident by the mud on your boots and jeans, and the pungent small of the barn yard exactly what you had been doing. If you have ever had a task to do outside on a hot summer day and you forgot to put on any sunblock your bright red sun burnt skin is a dead giveaway that you spent a to much time in the sun. 

 Is there anything in your life that immediately points out to the world that you are a bible believing Christian? Is there enough evidence in your lifestyle choices that the world knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that you believe in God? In Acts Chapter 4 verses 1-14 Peter and John are standing before the court of the Sanhedrin for teaching and proclaiming the name of Jesus and for healing a lame man. The court asked Peter and John, by what power and in whose name were they doing these things? In Acts chapter 4 verses 8-10 Peter said this: “Filled with the Holy Spirit, he said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed....” However, it was the response of the men of the Sanhedrin that I find most interesting!

Acts 4:13 NIV When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 

Unschooled and ordinary, I certainly fall into that category. Whoever do my actions make it apparent that I have been with Jesus? Unfortunately for me sometimes my actions may cause you to think just the opposite! My sarcastic wit, hateful comments, crude speech and selfish actions might lead you to think that I have been far from Jesus. There was another time the bible that speaks to the change that being in the presence of our Heavenly Father has on a person. In Exodus chapter 34 Moses was bringing down the 10 commandments from Mount Sinai.

Exodus 34:29 NIV When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 

So what are some things you can do that will change you in such a way that the world will know you have been with Jesus. First of all, don't go it alone! Surround yourself with other believers.... Where are you going to find these people? In Sunday School, in church and bible study. If the doors of the church are open, then be there! By being closely connected in the fellowship of other believers your attitude will change. You will become more loving, more forgiving, more like Jesus. The problems of this world may not get any easier, God may not lighten your load, but he will give your a stronger back to carry the load. The more time you spend studying your bible and spending time with Jesus, the more evident it will become to the world that you have, “Been with Jesus!!!”

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What would you think if I was to tell you there is a very simple test that you could take, and if you pass you will get into heaven, no questions asked. There are only 10 questions on this test. The test questions are not essay question, they are not multiple choice, they are even easier than true – false. This is a hands on practical test. No paper and number 2 pencil needed. You won't have to worry about if you darkened in the circle good enough for the test reader to know your answer. Each question only requires a simple action or response from you. Matter of fact you can even cut the test down from 10 questions to only two very simple questions. Have I got your curiosity peaked? Do you think maybe Jeff's cheese has finally slid off his cracker. Maybe I am “cuckoo the coca puffs!” Their is one catch. You must get a perfect score. You can't miss a single test question or you fail. Oh yeah and you have been taking this test since the day you were born and you didn't even realize it. The test is the law set forth in the 10 commandments in Exodus chapter 20. So now I bet you want to know how I got from 10 questions on my heavenly test down to only 2. Here is how, in the book of Matthew Jesus was asked by a Pharisee, what the 2 greatest commandments were and here is what He said.

Matthew 22:36-40 NIV “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘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. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Let's take a look at the 10 commandments a bit closer. Number 1, “You shall have no other God.” Number 2, “You shall make no idols.” Number 3, “Don't use the Lord's name in vain.” and Number 4, “Keep the Sabbath day holy.” So if you do as Jesus says and love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind then you have the first 4 commandments covered, no problem. Now let's look at the last 6 commandments. Number 5, “Honor your father and mother.” Number 6, “Don't murder.” Number 7, “Don't commit adultery.” Number 8, “Don't steal.” Number, 9, “Don't bear false witness about your neighbor.” And number 10, “Don't covet your neighbors stuff.” So if you follow Jesus wisdom again and you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself then you got the last 6 commandments covered as well. Sounds oh so simple, right. Well unfortunately we humans are a rather hard headed and difficult group that can't seem to follow directions very well. Heck Adam and Eve were only given one rule, “Don't eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” and they messed that up.

In all of history only one human has ever been able to keep all of the law and pass this test, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So knowing now that you have already failed the simply two question heavenly test what are we to do. Well the answer is very simple! God has given us an easy way out of the test. Since Jesus is the only human ever to pass the test, God says if you place our faith in the Jesus as the Son of God, you can use His passing score to get into heaven! 

Romans 10: 9-10 NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

Do we truly love God with all our heart, all souls, and mind, and do we really love our neighbor as ourselves? If we are truthful with ourselves, we know that we do not, but the good news is that the law and commandments were given as our guide to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Only when we realize our sinfulness and hopelessness will we turn to Christ alone as the only hope of salvation. The only way into Heaven!

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I believe with all my heart that we are living the last days. You have to agree that the world is certainly closer, at least by 2,000 years to the end of time, then it was when Jesus and the new testament writers first spoke of the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ. The rapture of the church and the return Jesus Christ could happen anytime, even before I conclude this devotional. All that being said, Even if Jesus doesn't return for another 2,000 years, you and I are certainly living in our last days. Think about this: in 30 or 40 years many of you listening to this devotional could have died. All you have to do is, do the math. For example if I was to live to say 86, far beyond the normal life span of 70 plus years, all I must do is subtract my present age 56 and that means I only have 30 years of life left. What if my remaining years past by me as quickly as my first 50 plus years have. I remember when I was a teen thinking that 50 years old was ancient and that it seemed like it was an eternity away and yet here I am.

Romans 13: 11-12 NIV And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

So how should we as Christians live in light of the fact that every moment we are closer to end of time. Just spend one evening watching the news and you will certainly find an abundance of things to be fearful of. There is inflation, political turmoil, war and rumors of war and let us not forget the ongoing pandemic. But instead of becoming overwhelmed by the world Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58 said I want you to stand firm:

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 

As Christians we must not let ourselves be overwhelmed by all the chaos of the world, because the bible says we have a “Blessed Hope.” Titus 2:13 says, We are to be, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” No matter how turbulent the world may become we can be certain that one day Christ will delivery us and that should bring us hope! Let me use this illustration to further explain my point. I have a friend, Bruce Williams, who truly despises the cold weather. The frigid temperatures coupled with the lack of sunshine makes him dread the winter season. As Bruce is such a good friend of mine I want to encourage him, so I strike a deal with him. I tell him that as soon as the temperatures reaches freezing and stays there for 3 days in a row I will pay for him to take a 2 week vacation to the sunny beaches of Hawaii. So how do you think his attitude towards the weather might change? I bet he would be checking the weather on his cell phone many times a day. He might even find himself cursing the sun every time it appeared from behind the clouds. His new hatred of the heat wouldn't be because a sudden affection of the cold weather. Bruce still despises snow, ice and gray skies, but now he understands that the sooner the temperatures drops to freezing for 3 days in a row, the closer he will be to the deliverance of the sunny beaches of Hawaii! The signs of the end times are like a forecast for a winter storm. The closer we get to the end days the more intense and frequent the signs become. When you see world events begin to intensify, don't get discouraged know in fact that your day of deliverance is near. The “Blessed Hope” of return of Jesus Christ is drawing nearer!

Luke 21:28 NIV When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 

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Have you ever thought it would be like to have a crystal ball that you could see into the future with? How would it change your life if you knew the future? What would you do if you knew that in your future you would loose your job, or your marriage would fall apart. What if you found out that one of your children or grandchildren would have an car accident that would take their life. Finally what if your crystal ball showed you that you would develop cancer and have intense pain and suffering. If we knew our precise future, it might make today’s decisions easier. But I wonder if that precise knowledge of the future would simply weigh us down with doubts about other decisions we could make and other paths we could take — resulting in the same but different and equally difficult, emotionally stressful results.

You may not be aware of it but there is a way to know the future, read the bible. Prophets in the bible have accurately predicted the future many times. Daniel predicted that four world empires would successively arise over the span of hundreds of years— Babylon, then Medo-Persia, followed by Greece, and finally Rome. The prophet Micah lived over 700 years before Christ. God communicated a specific future event to this prophet, the birthplace of Jesus Christ the city of Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2 NIV But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times
The prophet Zechariah predicted the Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, which was fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus. The prophet accurately described the exact number of pieces 30, not 29, and that the money would be of silver, not gold. He foretold that the money would be thrown in the sanctuary, not somewhere else. He also prophesied that Jesus would be pierced, which was fulfilled when the soldiers pierced His side with a spear. I have not even begun to scratch the surface of all the biblical prophecies and their fulfillment's. I know what you are thinking though. All these things happened thousands of years ago and I want to know what future beyond today has in store for me, my family and my loved ones. 

If you open the bible and read the book of Revelation, it goes something like this. There will be wars, famines, disease, epidemics and heavenly signs that will alert the world to some sort of crisis. Then the Antichrist, a political ruler, will establish control over the whole earth. He'll be backed up by a religious ruler, who's called the false prophet. Together they establish a unified social, economic and religious system that dominates the world. The only thing opposing them are the people of God and two prophets, they're called the two witnesses, who appear in Jerusalem, and begin to speak against this power.
Revelation 11: 3 & 6 NIV And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
The last half of the book is about the overthrow of this system. The beast, the false prophet, who has the number 666, the Antichrist, are overthrown. Most of them are very cosmic. Asteroids hitting the earth. The water turning to blood and that sort of thing, until finally, Jesus Christ returns as a warrior on a white horse and sets up the kingdom of God. So, now that you know the future, what are you going to do with this knowledge? If you place your faith in God, no matter what your future may hold in store for you, your eternal future will be heavenly, literally!!!Revelation 21: 21 NIV Each of the twelve gates was a solid pearl. The streets of the city were made of pure gold, clear as crystal.

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Have you ever ran into one of those young couples that are just infatuated with each other. They stare deeply into each other eyes. They never let go of each others hands and they have no sense of personal space. They giggle and laugh at everything that is said like it the funniest thing they have ever heard. They are so focused on each other that it is like they are totally unaware of their surroundings. When you see them all you can think is, get a room people! However this infatuated phase of romance in a relationship quickly fades. Before long life, children and work come into the picture, life gets very busy and their infatuation with each other just seems to fade into the past like a distant memory.

Revelation 2: 4-5 NIV Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place. 

The church at Ephesus was known for their many good works. They tested teachers to see whether their professions were real; they endured hardship and persevered without growing weary. But they had lost their love and zeal for Christ, and when that happened, they began to just, “go through the motions” of good works. What was once a love relationship had cooled into religious ritual. The Ephesians had lost their way. Instead of pursuing Christ with the love and passion they once showed they were in danger of losing their passionate love for Christ and for the lost.

Can we as Christians have an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ like a young newlywed couple? Yes, yes we can! The first step to developing an intimate and fulfilling love relationship with Christ is to admit that the abundant life He promises will never be found in another person... I love my wife Joyce Ellis more than any person or any thing this world has to offer! Every morning about an hour before the alarm goes off we wake up. Joyce rolls over and places her head on my shoulder and wraps her arm around my chest. I wrap my arm around her and embrace her. It is an intimate moment we share every day that I never want to loose! All that to say, true abundant life is only found in God alone! Don’t get me wrong; God created us to experience human love, and romance can add a wonderful dimension to life. But romantic love will never be able to trump an intimate love relationship with God. Some things with God are so personal, so intimate, that they cannot be described with words, they can only be felt with the heart. 

John 3:16 NIV For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

God let his only son die on the cross for my sins, so that I could spend eternity in heaven! Now if that is no true intimate love I don't know what is! When we have an intimate relationship with God; we feel that no one else can understand the bond we share with Him because it’s altogether personal. God has comforted me as when I have cried, directed me when I was confused, He has taught me, He disciplines me frequently, He guides me when I am lost and He loves me despite all my faults and sins. If you haven’t ever committed yourself to a personal relationship with God, it’s not difficult. There are no requirements or religious duties. God doesn’t ask you to change yourself before you commit to Him; He just asks that you come just as you are, confess your sins to Him, recognize your need to have your sins forgiven and accept His gift of forgiveness that He has offered to you through His death on the cross!!!

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Is faith simply a frame of mind? Some people see it that way. The believe that faith is a passive attribute of a Christian, waiting to see what God has in store for them. If I have faith maybe you will get a promotion, blessing, wealth. If I don't have enough faith them maybe you get cancer, sink into depression or maybe your betrayed by a friend or your spouse. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” But that’s foolish talk! Faith is active. It’s not passive. It’s a commitment. If you’ve got a faith that’s real, it can be demonstrated.

If you’ve been baptized you made a statement to God and the people around you. You said, I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, conquered death and arose on the third day! Baptism is an action that demonstrated your Faith. But faith doesn't stop at baptism. Faith is proven by how we live. Don’t misunderstand me. Your salvation is not based on your works, the things you do won’t get you into Heaven. Your actions don’t make you a Christian; they demonstrate you are a Christian.

 James 2: 20-22 NIV You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

So what are some ways that you can actively demonstrate your faith. Love your neighbor... Love them even when they are hard to love. Listen with an open mind. Listening to someone is a incredible way to show someone you care about them. Give generously... Give not just from your wallet, give of your time and your skills. Give to the community, the school, the less fortunate and of course give to your church. Be a peace maker... Rather than jamming our opinions down people’s throats or arguing our points of view on social media, what if we looked for ways to make peace instead? Our world is filled with conflict and fighting. What better way to stand out and make a statement for Christ than by being known for our love? Keep your word... When you keep your word people will know that when you say something, you mean it. They’ll take your words to heart, knowing you can be trusted. Avoid Negativity... If you spend your time complaining about your problems or arguing with others it repels people and they won’t want to spend time with you. If you want to express your faith it’s a lot easier when people want to be around you. Give people room to mess up... People will make mistakes and disappoint you. While you can’t control how other people act, you can control your response. Be a person who forgives quickly and does not become easily offended. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And last but certainly not least, the greatest way you can actively show your faith is to: Share your faith in love... When you have an opportunity to share your faith don’t hold back! However, be mindful of others sensitivities and speak with grace-coated words. No one has ever been bullied into the Heaven. Even though you feel passionate about saving souls, keep in mind your intensity might be intimidating. Be genuine, be gentle and above all, be patient. It takes time for the seeds of truth to take root and sprout in people’s lives. 

Ephesians 4:15 NIV Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 

So don't just pray about it, be about it! Put feet to your faith! Demonstrate your faith with your actions!

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