Hating correction denies God’s mercy

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him, he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites…  – Judges 10:6-7

I don’t always embrace correction, but I should. Paul says it best, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly…”

It is true that Paul received grace despite being a blasphemer, persecutor, a violent man, the worst of sinners. This is how Paul described himself in 1Timothy 1:12-16.

Yesterday one of my children got upset with me because I wouldn’t let her have a second helping of animal crackers at afternoon snack time. I was making preparations for dinner, so I didn’t notice her quietly sulk out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room.

Not until later while I was cooking dinner did I realize what had happened. As it turns out, my wife, who was upstairs, noticed our daughter’s down face. They talked, and as a result of that talk, our daughter cautiously came down to me as I was cooking and apologized.

After she apologized, I grew angry. My head swelled like a red balloon. I snarled my teeth and white foam spewed from my mouth lake a rabid dog…

No…that didn’t happen. I calmly forgave her, gave her a hug and reassured her that she can always come to mom and dad to confess when she’s done something wrong. We will forgive her because we have been forgiven.

What I realized from that interaction, however, is that I can forget God’s mercy, too. My wife had to help our daughter (in other words correct her) who was upset with me for not letting her have more animal crackers. She was holding a grudge – silently sulking. The bible teaches us how dangerous holding a grudge can be. It can breed bitterness in our relationships with one another.

 After being corrected, it’s hard at times for my children to then apologize and ask for forgiveness. I wonder if they think my head will swell up like a red balloon in anger. Are they afraid I won’t show mercy? Let me confess that is what I think when I’ve done something wrong. Not always, but the thought does cross my mind when I’m not being spiritual.

And this is the result: Because I dread the confrontation, I avoid correction. I wonder if anyone else feels like that. Some times? Maybe it’s just me.

As we see in Judges, Israel was constantly turning away from God to worship foreign gods. God punished his people when they were unrepentant. But he welcomed them back with open arms when Israel admitted their sins and repented.

“But the Israelites said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.’ Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”  – Judges 10:15-16

As disciples in God’s kingdom today, we must remember God gives us mercy if we will just repent – hating correction denies God’s mercy.

We also must apply the lesson to our relationships with one another. I must accept correction and seek reconciliation in my relationships with my family and the brothers and sisters in the church. I should not fear a confrontation knowing we have all been given mercy by God and are, therefore, called to grant the same measure of mercy on each other.

Hating correction denies God’s mercy. I don’t want to do that. God’s mercy is s-o-o-o much better than a handful of animal crackers.

More scriptures on correction

• Proverbs 10:17
• Proverbs 12:1
• Proverbs 15:5
• Proverbs 15:10
• 2Timothy 4:2

Want to learn more about God’s mercy? We welcome you at the Washington D.C. International Christian Church. Check us out. Reach out.

The year to save your soul

How is your soul doing today?

 

 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” – Titus 2:11-12

I say Amen to that. Did you say, “Whatever!?”

I must admit that saying ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions is hard. We are under so much pressure to embrace the ungodliness of the world. Just watch TV for an hour or so or scan the magazine rack at your neighborhood grocery store.

Wait! On second thought, don’t because you will be inundated with impure messages and images – if not shamelessly titillating pictures of men and women meant to ‘intice’ you through sex.

It is really easy to give into your urges when you don’t take the time to train yourself to be righteous. Much of my life before becoming a christian revolved around satiating my carnal desires.

What a fruitless enterprise! I learned that the more I went running after such ungodly and worldly passions, the more I craved them and the more I ran after them. It was a vicious cycle that harmed me spiritually and physically.

Did you say it again? “Whatever, dude. I’m fine.”

You think you’re fine. You’re probably right. But… fine may not mean what you think it means in this case. Giving yourself up to ungodly and worldly passions does make you fine. Sacrificing yourself upon the altar of ungodly and worldly passions definitely leaves you fine:

F – Freaked Out!

I – Insecure

N – Neurotic

E – Emotional

In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul urges Titus to teach men, women, young and old alike to do good for the sake of the gospel. To teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine; to teach older men to be temperate; to teach older women to be reverent; to teach young men to be self-controlled, etc.

Read Titus to get the full account. Once you do, ask yourself how you can apply Paul’s advice to your life. This is a time the world celebrates the coming of a new year.

People often make resolutions to be better in the new year than they were in the old year. All too often, those resolutions are broken before January gives way to February.

My resolution is for spiritual improvement. With God’s help, I can say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions in 2009.

How about you? Why not give it a try. If you don’t know where to start, reach out to someone who can help. You’ll find many helpers in the Washington D.C. International Christian Church. Check us out. Reach out.

Maybe 2008 wasn’t great. Just resolve yourself to not be F.I.N.E. in 2009.

What have you got to lose – except maybe your soul.

Christians must not suffer from historical myopia

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn…” – Isaiah 51: 1

It’s easy today to forget who we are.

 Although for most, it isn’t necessarily harmful if we don’t know our family history. My family tree includes Native American, German and Mexican branches. However, not knowing the details of that lineage hasn’t kept me from living a “decent life.”

But as a Christian – as someone who has chosen to follow Jesus – not remembering history can be harmful. How can I truly be about my purpose if I don’t remember the history of our mission as disciples.

Israel was called to remember its roots in Isaiah 51. Since moving to the D.C. area, I’ve realized just how important it is in this day to remember from which rock we were cut.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you… I am the vine;  you are the branches…” – John 15:4-5

• To reshape your life, conform your life to Christ

More so than ever, I know my purpose is found in a person – the Lord Jesus Christ. That can be so easy to forget when you’re worried about paying bills because you are unemployed. We can fall prey to the troubles of this world if we don’t remember. 

In a book on Christianity that I am reading, the author says it like this: If we don’t know our personal and communal histories, we are like children easily manipulated…Historical perspective is important for counteracting the tyranny of current opinions.

Current opinions? Of that there are many – many that persecute us who choose to make Jesus our Lord and many that scoff at our conviction to make the Bible our supreme standard for living (“Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven” – Psalm 119:89).

For years, I now see that I was suffering from historical myopia. Are you? But I choose to no longer live that way. I have made tough sacrifices moving from New York to D.C. – selling my home, leaving a great job, uprooting my family to advance the kingdom. After two months, I am still looking for a job. God will provide in His time. Today it is about the mission.

 I – and all disciples – must remember we are a chosen people with a very real mission that hasn’t changed since the 1st Century:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”  - Matthew 28: 19-20

What is really important? Without perspective, we will overvalue what is right in front of us (life’s troubles) and forget what is truly and universally important (saving souls, pleasing God).

• In a world of constant change, you can trust the unchanging Christ

Do you know what your purpose is? If you’d like some help making Jesus your purpose,  come check us out at the Washington D.C. International Christian Church. We meet at 10 a.m. every Sunday in D.C. and have several more intimate Bible discussion groups throughout the week.

Hope to see you there. (-:

Boots on the ground

I took some time off from the blog as my computer and everything in my house was packed up and in storage.

God has blessed us with a fine home near Washington, D.C. Now we are praying He will provide us a job soon.  We moved in faith that he will do just that.

Galatians 3:3 – Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Surely not. God is in control. Today… tomorrow… forever. God is God.

Are you looking for a church? Washington, DC International Christian Church

He is your R.A.N.S.O.M.

What is Jesus? We Christians can take Him for granted if we aren’t reminded of what He is and has done (for us).

I came up with this acronym Saturday night as I prepared to deliver Sunday’s Communion message at church. What is Jesus?:

R – the Resurrection and the life

A – the Alpha

N – who we Need for redemption

S – the Son of Man

O – the Omega

M – the Messiah

What does it all mean? More on that later….

Continue praying for our plans to move to the Arlington/Alexandria area; finding a job; helping evangelize the D.C. Metro area. Keep praying for our brothers and sisters in NYC, Chicago, L.A., Orlando, Syracuse and across the globe.

Fasting for a job

I began a fast Monday for a new job near or in Washington D.C. Our hopes are to live in Arlington or Alexandria, Virginia, and to spread the Good News throughout the D.C. Metro Area.

Pray for God to open the right doors and place us where we will most glorify Him.

I delivered the Communion message Sunday at our church service. The key word in my message was R.A.N.S.O.M.

More on that later…

Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Do you want Him to be, but don’t know how to get started? Submit your comment.

Sunday service!

Sunday is really one of my favorite days.

Why? Because I get a break from “reality.”

Truth be told: A Sunday church message will not get you through the next week.

What do I mean???? Just this. Many go to church on Sunday. That is their act of worship. But…honestly, is it really an act that makes a significant difference in a person’s life? Here’s what I mean.

I go to church on Sunday. Then on Monday…I’m ready to do all the bad things I must apologize for next Sunday. Does that sound like you? OK. I’m pretending a little. Truth be told. I’m not trying to do all the bad things that Satan wants me to do. But…like every other human being, I am tempted to do bad things.

Can I just say right this very second…. True Christianity. True belief in Jesus. True discipleship is not what I’ve illustrated above.

There is something I’ve learned.  I’m reaching 40 soon. God doesn’t do grey. You are either hot or cold. There is no lukewarm. Grey is only for people who want to feel good about the bad things they are doing. You see…..the world is OK with grey. It’s OK with grey because true convictions in black and white are hard. Not too many people can be black or white.

So…lets rewind. Forget what I’ve said. Truth is…I don’t care if it is Sunday or Monday…Tuesday or Friday…there is one standard for the day. Forgive me for saying it, but…I and everybody else in this world have no excuse on any day of our brief life. God wants us to love Him and forsake the world. We can choose the world or Him. It is really that simple. If you choose unwisely…what do you think?

I know the answer.

Reaching out

My grandmother established within me a healthy fear of Satan. Although I appreciate it now, as a child, it brought me many sleepless nights fearing the Devil himself would appear from under my bed to snatch me down to Hell.

What I know now is that our actions here on Earth determine whether we go to Heaven or Hell. The Great Deceiver would want us to believe there is no Heaven or Hell. I say actions, because, we must first act in faith to believe there is a way to salvation. The way. One way.

Jesus.

It is as simple as that. I became a baptized disciple about 10 years ago. No longer that little boy fearing to look under his bed. However, I do try to work out my salvation every day with fear and trembling. I try to live every day with gratitude for the grace I do not deserve. There is so much peace in that thought.

I figure I’ll talk a lot as time goes by about how lost I felt 10 years ago. That will come later. Now, I’m simply saying, “Hello.”

If you want the same peace I have found, you can find it, as I did. Understanding is just a few Bible studies away.

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.” – John 3:3

“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” – John 6:29

Gospel of John