As a result....
To encourage early Christians, the apostle Peter wrote in his first letter that unlike those who stumble over the truth of Jesus’ life and purpose, and do not obey the Word of God, these early Christian, Jews AND Gentiles, are actually CHOSEN by God, They are a CHOSEN generation, a Holy Nation. And because of that, AS A RESULT of that, they can truly be a witness, and an example to others of God's goodness.
Jill Ivory, whom we funeralized this past Saturday, was an example of a girl who had been thru hardships, going deaf because of meningitis at the age of 6. And yet she WORSHIPED God, and encouraged others to know and love Jesus. The RESULTS that God had on her life were obvious, and a full church funeral of over 300 people, including over 100 Deaf, were a testimony to that fact. [For a link to the printed material from Jill's funeral, click HERE.]
Let's examine another individual who whom God had a profound effect on, the apostle Paul, and what exactly happened in 3 cities from his first missionary journey.
Violence
It really has been an awful week this week, across our nation, with high profile killings, much pain and grief. Violence seems to be all too common....in Matthew 11, Jesus talks to some followers of His cousin, John the Baptist, bringing questions for Jesus that John had from his prison cell. And then Jesus starts teaching those around Him about the Kingdom of Heaven, and how people are using violence against it....what is Jesus talking about here? Let's discuss.
If Jesus is credible....
As pointed out by Pastor Mitchell from Atlanta, Georgia, if Jesus is credible, then we have to pay attention to what He said and did. And He said some things that even in today's world are considered "controversial.”
It is recorded that Jesus dogmatically declared about Himself. “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. NO ONE comes to the Father, EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” [John 14;6]
And now EACH of us have to decide for ourselves. if Jesus is CREDIBLE. Do I accept that He truly lived, was put to death, and then 3 days later rose from the dead, a fact witnessed by over 500 people. Because if indeed I DO accept that statement, which is understood as historical fact, then there are profound implications for MY life – how I act, the things I say, and the thoughts that I pursue.
So the question is, where do YOU stand on the credibility of Jesus? Let’s talk about it.
Investigating the good....
Perhaps it is indeed social media that has exacerbated the problem, but why are so many so quick to find a fault with something somebody said or did decades ago? And it does not HAVE to be old – it can be current. And then that criticism is posted online, with the ultimate goal of acquiring more clicks, more attention, and possibly more revenue....hmmm.
But is this really what God wants from us? How about we examine our OWN heart, and see if we are doing, saying, or even thinking what others, or even God Himself, would approve? And then, if we are evaluating others, what is our criteria? What is our focus? Let's EXAMINE this topic more closely.
Sin....
Sin....we do not use that word much in our current culture, but sin has done, and continues to do MUCH damage in the world today.
But what exactly IS sin? How do you define it? And exactly what kind of damage HAS it done, to the created world around us, to our relationships with each other, to our own self-identity, and especially to our relationship with the Creator God who made each of us in the first place?
And is there anything we can do about it? Let's explore.