faith

See the plank in your own eye

See the plank in your own eye

Open your eyes.  Take the plank out of your own eye.  Really see with them.  The way Jesus said we need to see.  Then ask, where is my treasure?  Is it in Heaven or on earth?  ‘Cause if it’s on earth, you’re on the path to Hell.  You know – the path of the blind?  

Please, don’t be so devote to someone – anyone – who’d so devoted to things not from God that you lose sight of when you also become so devoted to the dark that you end up on the wrong path.

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Suffering for doing good

Suffering for doing good

If you’ve got that feeling to do good things, even with the potential cost to you, with no ulterior motives, with nothing but unselfish love for someone like your elderly neighbors that you’re shopping for, why not acknowledge that’s God?  Jesus told us He’d try to get our attention.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Why not open that door and start bringing an end to the suffering for doing good?

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A light on a hill? Or a noisy gong?

A light on a hill? Or a noisy gong?

Here’s a question for Christians.  Are you a light on a hill? Or a noisy gong?  Or are you just wondering why I’m asking?  It is a legitimate question.   We’re supposed to be “making disciples”.  But how?  Are we supposed to beat people over the head until they finally give in?  I know that’s been done.  Is still being done.  But is it what Jesus asked for? 

The same can be asked of any “in your face” approach to making people become Christians.  The thing about “making disciples” is that Jesus said a whole lot more than just “go do it!”.  He taught us how.  He was a living example of how to do it.  But do we pay attention to that part?  

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can you accidentally build on rock

Christians – can you accidentally build on rock?

Can you accidentally build on rock?  If you’re not Christian, you probably won’t get the point of the question.  But please, read on.  Learn what it’s about and why I ask.  If you are Christian, you should get it.  But, have you ever really thought about it?  Or do you just assume you’re building on rock?

Here’s what “build on rock” is about.  It’s something Jesus said.  Something about the “wise man”, meaning the one who truly follows Jesus.  Someone who believe what Jesus said.  In fact, who believes it so much that Jesus’ teachings guide their life.  Not just someone who says a few words and hopes they’re saved.  Someone who lives out their faith.  And their faith is based on what Jesus taught.

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life buoy to illustrate Which god provides salvation for us?

Which god provides salvation for us?

Which god provides salvation for us?  Different people have different “gods” or deities.  Even those who claim to have no “god” have one – maybe they view themselves as “the deity” of their own world.  From there, we should recognize that outside of people who believe this life is “all there is” – we want something from our deity.  One of those things we want from our “god” is “salvation” – we want that “god” to save us from something. 

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not to reason why

Ours is not to reason why

Ours Is Not To Reason Why.  Remember that saying?  Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or die.  I was pretty sure I remembered it – 
but apparently, that’s not the way it goes.  It really goes – Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die.

But what if it really is, Ours is not to reason why, ours is to do and live?

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Don’t just listen. Do.

The questions:  Don’t just listen to who?  Do what?  And the answers:  Don’t just listen to Jesus.  Do what He said.  In a sense, it seems so obvious.  At least it should seem obvious that someone who calls themselves a Christian would naturally listen to Christ.  And do what Christ said.  And yet, it’s not always the case.  Not only today, but even back in the early church.  Even way back in the 1st century AD.  It seems that old saying, the more things change the more they stay the same, is really true.

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Messed Up American Theology: Do we believe the Bible?

Messed Up American Theology: Do we believe the Bible?

Do Americans believe the Bible is true?  Since this country is still overwhelmingly Christian, the answer must be yes.  Doesn’t it?  That depends.  I think approximately 75% of the people claim to be Christian, that’s overwhelming to me.  But how “Christian” are we?  The Christian Bible is made up of both the Old and New Testaments, so maybe we have to look at them in two parts?  Maybe some people believe the New Testament but not the Old?  We’ll see about that.  In any case, something’s wrong, because a recent LifeWay survey says a growing number say the Bible is not literally true.

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Blessed are the meek - lamb

Blessed are the meek

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Yeah.  That sounds about right.  The meek.  The weak people.  The ones who never stand up for themselves.  They just take whatever comes their way.  Truth is, they’re probably the only kind of people who would even accept this old broken down world as part of their inheritance.  Everyone else is smart enough to turn it down.  Of course, there’s always the question of whether we’ll just literally blow the whole thing up in one huge nuclear war.  Then the only inheritance is going to be a whole lot of cosmic dust.  For the meek.  Yeah – that sounds right.  Blessed are the meek – Not!

Except that it really doesn’t sound right.  On the off chance you don’t recognize the opening line, here it is again, with some “context” provided by text formatting.

Mt 5:5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

So it’s from Jesus.  The creator of this whole universe we live in.  Including this old broken down world.  And the creator of me and you.  Given that, something’s got to be wrong with that whole first paragraph.  The thing is though, I dare say, the majority of the world believes the first paragraph is true.  Unfortunately, if we’re honest, a look at the world around us shows that a number of people calling themselves Christians hold that same view.  Clearly, the truth of this simple beatitude is lost on much of the world. 

Blessed are the meek – it must be true.  Somehow.

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