Posts with the category “the-front-room”

No matter where we go, we can be confident that God goes with us. His Holy Spirit lives inside the heart of every born-again believer - we have been redeemed and equipped to serve Him, to display through us the glory of God.   So, we essentially become the presence of Jesus to those who do not have hope and bringing encouragement to all.  The Bible tells us in 2nd Corinthians 4 (ESV):7 But we have...  Read More

In a country that has a rich heritage of faith, and specifically Christian teaching, there are opportunities to freely share and demonstrate our love for Christ.  In our homes, our workplaces, even in the stores we shop, we can bring the pleasing aroma of Christ, which is spoken of in 2nd Corinthians 2 (ESV).  And, even in schools, there can be opportunities to testify to the glory of God.  That c...  Read More

The image that we portray in public, with other people, should reflect who we really are in private.  And, the person who says that he or she is a believer in Christ should make sure that he or she is not putting on a front or taking part in activities not becoming of a Christian.  We have to guard against living a double life...we mustn't wear a mask to shield people from seeing who we really are...  Read More

We can be thankful that we live in a country with a system of government, which I believe was inspired by God, that has stood the test of time, that is about to celebrate 250 years of independence, throwing off the shackles of an earthly king and devoting themselves to the service of a Heavenly King.  We can also consider if Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is the King of our lives, if ...  Read More

There is a powerful force on this earth - a force that provides hope for those who are discouraged, healing for those who are afflicted, and help for those whose lives have been negatively impacted by disaster.  This force is connected to the greatest power source in the universe.  I'm talking about the body of Christ - dispatched by God to do mighty exploits in the name of Jesus, the name above a...  Read More

Earlier this week, I commented on the responsibility of Christian parents to be gatekeepers not only of their own minds, but of their homes, as well.  We have to protect our own hearts and minds and reject the ungodly influences that our culture is offering us today.  This is a key to spiritual growth, so we are not corrupted by the ways and the ideas of this world. Proverbs 4 (ESV) contains these...  Read More

When we see various occurrences of God moving in the hearts of young people, when we see the surveys that are encouraging about church participation, especially among the younger generations, it is a natural progression to believe that the revival, or spiritual awakening, that so many have sought throughout the years has perhaps finally arrived.  And, there is evidence that, at least in some areas...  Read More

We should always allow the authority of Scripture to govern the decisions we make.  The Bible provides principles that we can use to determine the morality and ethics regarding our decision-making, and we should always strive to consider the long-term consequences of our actions.  And, in the arena of health decisions, a respect for the sanctity of life should always be in the mix.  This passage i...  Read More

In the face of objectionable content available through various platforms and made available to our children, we have to make sure that we are guarding the gates of our minds and hearts and the entry points of our homes in order to protect not only our hearts, but the hearts of our families.  In Psalm 101 (ESV), we can read these words of exhortation:2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh wh...  Read More

In the first chapter of the book of John, we meet a fisherman named Andrew - he had become a follower of John the Baptist, who introduced him to Jesus. That man responded by not only following the Nazarene, but went to invite his brother to come along, as well.  This is where we meet the two of the first disciples of Jesus.  We can read the narrative in John 1 (ESV):38 Jesus turned and saw them fo...  Read More

In the endeavors we undertake, we can be motivated to do our very best for the Lord.  We have access to the power of the Holy Spirit, who gives us the ability to live in a manner that pleases God and calls attention to His presence within us.  A certain well-known major league baseball player has adopted this verse as his favorite - this passage from Colossians 3 (ESV) contains the verse:22 Bondse...  Read More

The Bible is more than just a guidebook for living, more than merely a set of rules and regulations - God's Word reflects the very heart of God!   It is living and active, as the Scriptures say, and it should not only form the basis for the way we live, but empower us to effectively live the Christian life.  It forms our worldview, our theology, and it is critical that people of God are people of ...  Read More

Our devotion to the one true Jesus should propel us to defend His teachings, to relate the truth.  That He said there was one way to God our Heavenly Father, who said He was the way, the truth, and the life.  There are many religions who claim a path to divinity, but only one way to know God - that is through Jesus, and while we can show respect to people who practice a variety of religions, we ca...  Read More

From the book of Genesis, we find that our Creator God made two genders: male and female. He instituted marriage and announced his intent for men and women to come together in that holy bond and to produce children.  When you attempt to tamper with God's created order, there are direct consequences.  Romans 1 (ESV) enunciates the effects of rejecting God:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts ...  Read More

Music is such an integral part of our Christian life.  God calls us to fellowship with and worship Him, and through our vocal praise, from honoring God with our words of exaltation to singing out His praises, we demonstrate our love and devotion for Him, and we ourselves are built up on the inside.  In our services, times of worship can prepare our hearts to receive His Word. The Bible states in P...  Read More

It's been almost three weeks since the Charlie Kirk Memorial Service in Arizona, which thousands attended in person and millions watched in some form through online platforms. In the midst of the moving worship and messages that were centered on gospel truth, which Kirk embraced and communicated, there was one seminal moment that continues to ring throughout the media, a moment that touched hearts...  Read More

While some might want to characterize our youth and young adults as somewhat of a "lost generation," anecdotal reports and survey data are showing that God is doing an amazing work among Generation Z.  This resurgence shows, I believe, that there is a search that is taking place that is leading to Jesus, who can give them what their hearts are looking for.  In Matthew 7 (ESV), we can read these wo...  Read More

Associations can be very important.  In our quest to live godly, we have to make sure that we are free from entanglements, that we are not engaged in questionable activities that could hurt our witness and steer clear of people or entities that will reflect poorly on us.  We must always maintain integrity in our decision-making, and seek to reflect godliness in all things. The Bible tells us in 1s...  Read More

When you consider Bible prophecy and the scenario of what will occur at the time of the Rapture of the Church, the Tribulation period, and the second coming of Jesus, you cannot look beyond the nation of Israel.  God's prophetic timetable centers around the Jewish people and the geographical region that we call the Middle East.  Jesus Himself taught in Luke 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrou...  Read More

The battle lines are being drawn in our culture, and those of us who are Bible-believing, born-again Christians are involved in a struggle for the authority of the Scriptures. Interestingly enough, you have those who do not share our faith perspective, but they do embrace elements of a Biblical worldview perspective.  They are our allies in a cosmic struggle between good and evil.  There is an inc...  Read More

We regard Jesus as an amazing storyteller - the crowds who gathered to hear Him were enraptured by the parables which He taught and the wonders that God worked through Him.  His aim was to preach faithfully and see His Father use the messages to draw people to Himself, so they might come to know Him.  Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 13 (ESV) why He spoke in parables; His explanation included t...  Read More

Because of the evil that is in the hearts of human beings, we see the manifestation of it day after day.   The Bible speaks against lying, yet we lie.  We hear people curse using the name of the Lord.  Our hearts are full of idolatry.  And, human beings take the lives of another.  There is evil in the hearts of men and women, and every single one of us needs Jesus to give us a new heart, a new out...  Read More

When we encounter situations that are overwhelming for us, that steal our joy, that produce fear and confusion, God provides incredible resources for us - He has spoken to us by His Word and He will provide power to overcome spiritual attack by His Holy Spirit and the full armor of God.  Perhaps He will use other people to minister to us.   And, there will even be those who are equipped to provide...  Read More

When we testify to the presence of the Lord Jesus, that could result in our encountering opposition for our faith.  We should always seek to be compelling and compassionate in our presentation, so that our witness can continue to be strong.  In Acts 18 (ESV), there is a fascinating reference:1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, re...  Read More

Around the world, we know that Christians are facing opposition and persecution for their faith. Many face acts of violence against them, others find themselves being arrested and imprisoned, maybe even losing their lives at the hands of government officials and religious extremists.  The Bible provides this reminder in 1st Peter 4 (ESV):12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it c...  Read More

Our walk with Jesus is a walk of faith - we instructed by Scripture to place our faith in Him, a faith that grows as we digest the Word of God and apply it to our lives.  Complete surrender may be perceived as being somewhat risky sometimes, but we can be confident in His strength to uphold us.  We are encompassed by His everlasting arms, according to Deuteronomy 33 (ESV):26 “There is none like Go...  Read More

We can be thankful that in America, there is a sizable Christian influence.  And, we should recognize that with this visibility for Christianity, that we can leverage that influence so that people might come to know Jesus personally and so that culture at large can be positively influenced.  Most countries in the world have a majority-Christian presence. We can seek to spread God's truth.   In 1st...  Read More

Our times are in the hands of the Lord.  We must be careful that we do not try to enter the domain that belongs to Him regarding life and death.  There is a continuum that we see in the pro-life community, dedicated to allowing pre-born children to live, and that extends to euthanasia and assisted suicide, where people, especially the infirmed, hasten their death, even with assistance from medical...  Read More

The Bible is very clear that there are consequences for our behavior - we are instructed that as we sow, we will reap.  That is in effect if we are sowing good seeds or bad.  There are consequences for our actions.  Fortunately, we were sentenced to die because of our sin, but Jesus intervened, and by accepting Him as Savior, there is a good outcome.  We are forgiven for our sins.  But there may s...  Read More

Life provides opportunities to make decisions - to glorify God or to make a futile effort to glorify self.  If we live according to the Scriptures and practice the teachings of Jesus, we can affect the lives of others and be at peace with the Lord and with ourselves.   In John 15 (ESV), Jesus taught His disciples:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will b...  Read More

Salvation comes to us in a moment.  Certainly there is a process through which the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to bring us into a saving knowledge of Jesus - it comes through the faithful witness of Christian believers and the planting of the seed of the Word in our hearts.  But, salvation comes to us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and are born-again. Then, we enter a process of d...  Read More

Everyone has a moral code - there are certain behaviors that some deem to be right and others deem to be wrong.  And, in a morally relativistic culture, we have seen where people will make up their own morality, without any sort of objective standards.  I would say that few embrace an "anything goes" philosophy, and there artificial, personal lines that some will not cross.But, what are the standa...  Read More

There are enormous pressures that people are facing across our world today.  We see an increased emphasis on mental health, something that the Church should rightly be addressing.  September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a chance to place our attention on challenges people are encountering.  When the pressures of life invade us, we can either choose to draw closer to Christ or, as some unf...  Read More

One of the 10 Commandments is that we should have no other gods before the One True God.  With so many false "gods" - idols - vying for our attention and our allegiance, we must recognize that we must surrender to the principles of Scripture and submit our decisions and our associations to our Creator, who sent His Son to save us.  The Bible says in Exodus 20, in a passage containing the first two...  Read More

There is a spiritual tug-of-war that is occurring in our world today.  Yes, we know that the enemy has been challenging the authority of God for quite some time, and the Bible shows us what his end will be.  But, there is a contest for the hearts and minds of especially young adults, those who are referred to as "Generation Z."  And, we can be thankful that the gospel is winning: that people are b...  Read More

The apostle Paul reminds us that we are to be consistent in our Christian life and we should always be growing and maturing in Him.  We are not to rest on past laurels and we can be devoted to finishing strong.  In 2nd Timothy 4 (ESV), Paul writes:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.Phillippians chapter 3 states:12 Not that I have already obtained this o...  Read More

This is the 24th anniversary of the dreadful day in American history where some 3000 people perished at the hands of people who sold out to religious ideology and committed a heinous act of terror.  It was, plain and simple, pure evil.  We remember those who lost their lives that day, the families and friends who were affected, and we cannot forget that on that day, evil was on display in a unbeli...  Read More

It is imperative as believers in Christ that we protect the credibiilty of our witness, that we are watchful of our associations - we don't want anything or anyone to damage our witness, and should always be cognizant of factors in our orbit that could cause people to think less of usand by extension, our Savior.   The Bible talks about maintaining that good witness in 1st Peter chapter 2 (ESV):9 ...  Read More

We can be confident that Jesus is preparing a place for us - that we will live forever in a place called heaven.  The Bible describes it as a glorious place, a place where we will be in the presence of the Lord.   When we leave this earth, we are promised that we will be with Him. 2nd Corinthians 5 (ESV) states:6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we ar...  Read More

Jesus taught on the subject of heaven, saying that He would go to prepare a place for us.  He also said that He was the resurrection and the life, the way to the Father - the Bible is clear, He is the only way through which we can experience eternal life in heaven with Him.  And, it's not by doing enough good works to outweigh our bad - and certainly not based on our own righteousness.  We can be ...  Read More