Church Blog (Page 70)
Impossible!#9. “God does not tempt anyone” (Jm.1:13).
Playing with sin and temptation is like maxing-out credit cards on shopping sprees; the cycle of pleasure and pain ratchets ever higher until something gives. Sin creates mess. Mess that takes ever increasing amounts of time, energy and emotions to keep the basics of life functioning. Relationships inevitably turn sour, and frustration sets in. It is then that God gets blamed for not caring. He is accused of putting a person into situations that they can’t handle; suffering temptations beyond…
Impossible!#8. “Turn the other cheek!” (Mt.5:39)
As a child, I asked my father what it meant to ‘turn the other cheek.’ He said, “The Bible says that you have to turn the other cheek if someone hits you, but, after that, it doesn’t tell you that you are not allowed to hit him back.” It was bluster on his part, and not to be believed. He had seen first-hand what happens when men choose war over peace. “Fighting gets you nowhere,” was his true mantra. The…
Impossible!#7. “I’m too good for this church!”
I once heard of a couple who left a congregation stating: “We have outgrown this church!” To this day I pray that someone heard them incorrectly. The most tragic person is the soul who has convinced himself that he is actually good enough to be a Christian. You can’t miss him. He is the brother who is confident in his own standing before God, and always leaving you feeling as if you should doubt yours. Not content to think less…
Impossible!#6. “Cannot be hidden.”
If you want to make sure that you will see God, purify your mind in Christ (Mt.5:8). Therefore, you will not only be blessed on Judgement Day, but you will also be a blessing to everyone until then. It is to the pure, that all things are pure (Titus 1:15). It is in this state that you realise that you are no longer operating on a defiled conscience. God is transforming you into the image of Christ; making you holy…
Impossible!#5. “Money and Heaven.”
There is an old preacher story about a lady who invested in a Ponzi scheme. Having lost all her money, she phoned the Better Business Bureau to ask for advice on how she could recover her money. The man sympathised with her but said that it was impossible to recover anything for her. Then he asked, “Why didn’t you call us before you invested the money?” She said sheepishly, “Oh, I thought about that, but I was afraid you would…
Impossible!#4. “Without Faith.”
Being ignored and rejected is no fun. So, it takes a lot of courage to do ‘Street Evangelism.’ I have met those with that special personality that ‘enjoys’ it; one that I am yet to be endowed with. Imagine yourself, if you can, evangelising with your team on a busy street in a large city. To attract attention, you each have made signs asking different questions. Your sign says, in big bold painted letters: “DO YOU HAVE FAITH?” What kinds…
Impossible!#3. “No lies in Heaven.”
Jimmy was a good-looking 70s guy. To meet him was to be charmed. When asked about his occupation he would speak of small businesses that he had built and recently sold. One day when seen working on a rubbish collection truck, he said he was standing in for a sick friend. Though he never owned a car or house, he would generously offer his expertise to negotiate with used car salesmen and real estate agents; the long test drives and…
Impossible!#2. “Not coming back.”
Years ago, I met the son of a well-known missionary. He told me with great sadness that his father had left the faith, divorced his mother, and had taken on the religion of his new wife. He said that he hadn’t seen his father for years and didn’t know where he was or if he was even still alive. With him, I prayed in hope that his father’s heart was changed. And with you, I pray that all hearts are…
Impossible!#1. “No other name.”
Have you noticed that most Christians believe that they have a moral duty to change, or maintain societal standards? Though we do not see this command written anywhere in the New Testament, it most certainly hasn’t stopped any of us from trying. There are vital issues to speak out against, but curing the issues does not cure the real problem; the sin-sick soul. Wise was the man who said, “Everyone has the same cross-shaped hole in their heart, and only…
Stepping up#8. “Not my Future..?”
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Eph.3:20-21). If God’s starting point for our life is that He is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,” then why are we approaching this ocean of blessings with…