Think About It

Do we really believe in forgiveness?  The reason I ask this question is because we often pay lip-service to a faith in forgiveness, but have we accepted the fact that God can, will and even wants to forgive us?  Sure, we cognitively assent to a belief that God paid the ultimate price to forgive us through the death of His Son, but are convinced that His forgiveness covers us ... and covers ALL we have done?  Guilt can be a powerful tool of satan to keep us confused about our status before God.  God has promised to forgive us, but satan keeps waving doubt in front of us.  He doesn’t have to convince us that God can’t or won’t forgive us to make us susceptible to his temptation to give up hope – all he has to do is plant a seed of doubt and that might be enough to make us miserable.  When we buy into the devil’s ploy we might doubt God’s commitment to us which can lead us to abandon hope. Conversely, God has made it a point to let us know that forgiveness ...

During church services last weekend, our song leader took us down Memory Lane leading us in a few old classics including the hymn “Yield Not To Temptation”.   According to a brief internet search, Horatio R. Palmer wrote the song in 1868 and published it in the National Sunday School Teacher’s Magazine.   From that point the song developed a following and it became a favorite for a lot of people.   We used to sing this song a lot when I was a youngster, but like many of the old standards, we don’t sing it as much anymore.   However, as we sang it the other day I was struck by the simplicity of the second verse, “Shun evil companions, bad language disdain, God’s name hold in rev’rence, nor take it in vain; be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true; look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”.   I am not going to argue the point of the eloquence of the verse, but the practicality is self-explanatory.   Whether it is the middle of the 19 th Century o...

I have been reading the book “Unoffendable” by Brant Hanson which has challenged me to rethink some of my previously held beliefs about letting go of anger (and even disappointment) in hopes of being more open to deeper relationships with people.   Another aspect of the book which intrigued me was Hanson’s observation about Jesus’ perception of people. In essence the author encouraged us to take a new look at people based upon Jesus’ honest assessment of them.   Jesus was not surprised by what people did because He saw them as they really were.   In fact, the Bible provides this glimpse into Jesus’ insight, “ Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.   But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,   and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25). ...

I have been a baseball fan for a lot of years and that means I have listened to a lot of different people with diverse styles broadcast the action on the field.   As you might imagine, I have a few favorites and one of them is Victor Rojas who is now doing the play-by-play for the California Angels.   Some of you who are a little older might   recognize that last name and, yes, he is the son of former major-leaguer Cookie Rojas.   Victor has been around the game for years so I was interested in his observations about the recent death of Tyler Skaggs, the Angels pitcher who passed away last week.   In an interview Victor noted that while we tend to take our sports seriously, when something like the death of a 27-year-old happens, it makes us stop and refocus on what really is important.   Fans, players, organizations and broadcasters have the tendency to put too much emphasis on a “children’s game” so when life and amusement intersect, we have to refocus to...

What kind of culture are we promoting?  Whether it is in our homes, schools, churches, workplaces or even in our neighborhoods there is a prevailing environment that is obvious.  In some places the culture is positive and uplifting, while in others it is toxic and degrading.  Some places are welcoming and others leave us soured or scared.  Culture is not something that just “happens”, it is consciously crafted by the participants; especially those in roles of management or leadership.  In essence, we get to choose how those in our group will get along! Have you ever taken the time to take the temperature of your group?  Do the people feel uplifted or beaten down.  I am not merely talking about those at the helm of the organization, the question extends down throughout every level.  The Bible challenges believers, “ But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be harden...

          When the American colonies decided that enough was enough, they produced a document that would express their position.  The Declaration of Independence highlighted the grievances against England, but it also laid a foundation for what would become the heart and soul of the American Experiment.  A part of this document notes, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”.  While we have struggled with defining just exactly what this has meant through the decades (and how it would look in our nation), this statement has been at the core of the discussions as to how we define ourselves.            The last 243 years have had their ups and downs, but I still believe that our system of beliefs have value when we focus on what i...

          Last Sunday morning, during a prayer a church, one of our members used an alliteration to highlight the calling of Christians.   In his prayer he reminded us of our need to work, worship and witness.   As I reflected on his thoughts I was inspired by the three efforts: 1.   Work – While “work” is often looked down upon by many religious people, the fact remains that Christians a called to be active.   It isn’t enough to merely believe in Christ, we must “do something” to demonstrate our commitment to Him.   The New Testament reminds us, “ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26).   No, we can’t earn our way into salvation, but we need to be doing something in His Name. 2.   Worship – The concept of worship can be twofold.   Worship can be the act of gathering together as a group in an assembly dedicated to God or it ca...