*As you read this blog, please also read the scripture references in their entirety.

In Matthew 22:34-40, the Pharisees are trying to trick Jesus into saying something wrong so they ask him to tell them which commandment in the Old Testament Law was the greatest. Jesus replied it is to “Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your mind….And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Vs. 37-39). As we think about Jesus words, let us ask ourselves this question: “Am I more focused on loving God and others or am I more focused on loving myself?”

To help us answer this question, let’s pretend there are three different chairs before us which could describe our relationship with Jesus. The first chair is the chair of Commitment. The characteristics of people who sit in this chair are:

Actions: Loves People, Uses Things / Knows God, Knows His Works

Attitude: God First, Me Second

Description: Spiritual, Hot, Whole Heart for God

Examples: Abraham, Hannah, Peter (more…)

While there are many things I miss about being a full-time logger, there are just as many things  I don’t miss. One thing I don’t miss is the way we were constantly dealing with mud during the winter and early spring. I vividly remember one time when it was so bad that not only did it soil my coveralls, it also soaked into my work uniform and even my underwear. All I could do at this point was remove the dirty clothes, take a shower and put on “new” clothes.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-17 this is what happens to us when we become followers of Jesus Christ. We remove the stain of our sins and rebellious attitudes towards God  by removing our old selves, being washed in the blood of Christ and putting on our new self. When this happens, we are to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love to each other. Basically we understand through our years of following Jesus that this is what God expects of us. However, I have a question we with which we all need to wrestle:

Do I show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love to myself? (more…)

In her book, Your Inner You, Leslie Flynn tells of a mother who was peeling vegetables for a salad when her daughter, home from college, casually mentioned she was going to a questionable movie that evening. The mother quickly picked up a handful of garbage and threw it in the salad. “Mother!” said the shocked girl. “You’re putting garbage in the salad.”

“I know,” replied the mother, “but I thought that if you didn’t mind garbage in your mind, certainly you wouldn’t mind a little in your stomach.”

This story makes a valid point about the importance of guarding our minds, especially if we are followers of Jesus Christ. Why is it important to guard our minds?  It’s because our thoughts determine our actions. If we want to live a sinful lifestyle, all we need to do is think sinful thoughts. If we truly want to be faithful to Jesus and live a Christian lifestyle then we need to think like he does. (more…)

Please take a minute and think about the following question: What approach am I taking to make myself a better person?

After all, everyone  of us has faults, weaknesses and we struggle with sin. What are we doing to overcome these obstacles which keep us from reaching our full potential as humans and, at times, keep us beat down in life? (more…)

Luke 1 sets the stage for the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It begins with the angel Gabriel telling Zechariah the priest that his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son. They are to name their son John and he will be a prophet who will bring many of the people in Israel back to the Lord their God. He will also prepare the people for the coming of their Savior.

The story continues in Luke 1:26-45: In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (more…)

Let’s start out by doing a little exercise (no – not that kind of exercise). In the next 20 seconds, please write down on a sheet of paper 3 things God is doing right now in your life, family, community or church.

Could you list 3 things? 2 things? or even 1 thing God is doing? If we can’t list 3 things God is doing, then we’re missing what’s happening right in front of us. Unfortunately, this isn’t an uncommon occurrence among God’s people. The same thing happened when Jesus was born. (more…)

The first Sunday of Advent focuses on hope. As followers of Jesus Christ, we understand our hope is to be in him and not in our own abilities or in our circumstances. Even though we understand this is what the Bible teaches us, we’re still faced with a serious question: What exactly does “hope” in Jesus look like? Is the hope we have in Jesus the same as when we hope to do a good job or when we hope to find something we’ve lost? The New International Dictionary of the Bible says hope in Jesus is much deeper than this. It states “the biblical concept of hope is not mere expectation and desire… but includes trust, confidence, and refuge in the God of hope (Rom. 15:13).” (more…)

Are there areas in your life where you feel like giving up because you’re tired of struggling with them? Perhaps your health isn’t the best and you’re tired of doctors visits and taking medication. Are there family members who are difficult to get along with so you’re tempted to avoid them? Are there issues in your marriage where you’re just tired of trying to move forward so you’re quitting? Has God failed to answer some of your prayers so you’re giving up on Him and your faith? Is school so hard you’re ready to quit trying?

(more…)

German economist and communist Karl Marx’s famous quote states that “religion is the opiate of the masses.” Gotquestions.com’s commentary on Marx says that when he made this statement, “he was denouncing religion in general by using ‘people’ in a demeaning sense to mean the poor, ignorant, and easily deceived. The essential argument of the ‘opium of the masses’ saying is that religion is for weak-minded and emotionally disturbed people who need a crutch to get through life. Atheists today make similar claims.”

Is Marx right? (more…)

The church began in a culture that placed a lot of emphasis on the concept of honor/shame. It was the duty of every citizen to act it ways that brought honor to one’s family and the society in which they lived. Anyone who did this was accepted and perhaps even praised for their actions.  The opposite of this was acting in ways that brought shame to one’s family or society. Those who did this faced rejection and perhaps even death if the offense was serious enough.

This is the society in which the Apostle Paul lived. As the first century progressed, it became more and more offensive to the Romans for someone to be a Christian so the Roman authorities began persecuting them. This is why Paul wrote 2 Timothy from prison. In this letter, he writes that even though he is in chains for the Gospel, he is not ashamed (2 Timothy 1:1-14). He also encourages Timothy to continue in his work for Jesus and to rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

We live in a modern society that is becoming more hostile to Jesus. The question we have to wrestle with is: Are we  ashamed of Jesus or are we willing to take a stand for him and share the Gospel with others?

(more…)