We’ve been away from home for a long time. We were visiting churches, visiting the people who support us in prayer and support us financially. We were sharing about what God is doing through the churches and Christians in Cuba. It was a very tiring time but also a delightful time as we re-connected with friends we had not seen for years and made new ones.
As we travelled we saw parts of North America which were submerged under floodwaters, peoples lives shattered by disaster. It was almost surreal to drive along a freeway and have flooded fields, flooded homes and flooded businesses on either side of us. We were a part of it, but only superficially, as we sped along in our car. We listened on the radio and heard army officers and elected officials giving evacuation and sand bagging instructions, reassuring people that everything possible was being done. It was heart warming and encouraging to hear that entire communities were coming together to help one another, to help those whose homes were under water. People were filling sand bags, raising dikes, making a difference. When we work together, cohesively, we can make a difference. God made us and gave us what we call the “human spirit.” The human spirit is a wonderful thing which enables us to rise above terrible circumstances and do great things. But there is still the reality of thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed as their homes succumbed to rising flood waters.
This experience has made me realize that all of us need to make sure we are in touch with what is happening in our communities. There are not always floods, but there are always needs, always places we can be helping and making a difference. God calls us to be engaged with our communities, to help those who can not help themselves. Don’t wait until there is a flood, we need to get involved with people now. It’s what Jesus wants us to do.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Who Can I Blame?
Who can I blame for my problems? It seems that everywhere I turn people are blaming others for their problems. They blame others for the things they themselves do and they blame others for the fact their life isn’t what they want it to be. They blame others when they don’t get the job they want or when their life isn’t joyful and happy all the time. Often it’s just the government they blame. People seem to look for someone to blame no matter what happens! Isn’t anyone willing to take responsibility for their own life and actions? Is everything I do my parents fault for not raising me correctly? Can’t we live without expecting the government to be our babysitter? What is going on?
It is so easy to blame others when things aren’t as we want them. Who wants to think that perhaps they forgot to do something or did something wrong. Who wants to believe that they are not perfect. I for one. I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, I forget things. When things go wrong in my life I am usually the one who is at the root of the problem. Most of us are at the root of our own problems. We just happen to live in a society which doesn’t believe in taking responsibility for ourselves so it is easier to blame others.
I think one of the reasons people reject Jesus and the salvation He offers is that in order to become a Christian you have to admit culpability. You have to admit you are to blame for your sinful actions and have to ask God to forgive you. To become a Christian you need to admit you can’t make it to heaven on your own and need Jesus to forgive you and provide your way to heaven. I don’t mind admitting I’m in need of Jesus’ help. In fact, I am very thankful that He died and rose again to provide eternal life to all who ask Him into their lives. I am thankful that Jesus is my Saviour.
It is so easy to blame others when things aren’t as we want them. Who wants to think that perhaps they forgot to do something or did something wrong. Who wants to believe that they are not perfect. I for one. I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, I forget things. When things go wrong in my life I am usually the one who is at the root of the problem. Most of us are at the root of our own problems. We just happen to live in a society which doesn’t believe in taking responsibility for ourselves so it is easier to blame others.
I think one of the reasons people reject Jesus and the salvation He offers is that in order to become a Christian you have to admit culpability. You have to admit you are to blame for your sinful actions and have to ask God to forgive you. To become a Christian you need to admit you can’t make it to heaven on your own and need Jesus to forgive you and provide your way to heaven. I don’t mind admitting I’m in need of Jesus’ help. In fact, I am very thankful that He died and rose again to provide eternal life to all who ask Him into their lives. I am thankful that Jesus is my Saviour.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Trouble With Trouble
Sometimes life is blissful, peaceful, wonderful, but sometimes life is not so easy. In the developed world we have things pretty easy, but in most of the world life is really hard. But no matter where we live, life is a mix of times of ease and times of difficulty. Sometimes natural disasters strike. Sometimes we find ourselves in crisis. Sometimes we seem to go through trial after trial and life can be overwhelming. Why doesn't Jesus take away all our problems? Why don't Christians have a trouble free life? Why do things have to be so hard? I don’t like trouble.
I’ve come to understand that it is in those times of trouble and trial that we really, truly come to trust God. When things seem darkest we have to go to our Lord Jesus to beg for help and He is always there to help. When I go to Him and fully trust Him in difficult times I grow the most in my Christian life. That’s right, it’s during difficult times, not during easy times, that we see most growth as Christians. When things are easy we can depend on ourselves and our own strengths and abilities, but when things begin to fall apart around us, when trials come into our lives, that’s when most of us turn to God for help. That’s when we learn to trust Him, when we grow and mature in our faith. I don’t like trials in my life, but in the beginning of the first chapter of the book of James is says,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Maybe I should learn to depend on God all the time, not just in the tough times. That would probably make life easier.
I’ve come to understand that it is in those times of trouble and trial that we really, truly come to trust God. When things seem darkest we have to go to our Lord Jesus to beg for help and He is always there to help. When I go to Him and fully trust Him in difficult times I grow the most in my Christian life. That’s right, it’s during difficult times, not during easy times, that we see most growth as Christians. When things are easy we can depend on ourselves and our own strengths and abilities, but when things begin to fall apart around us, when trials come into our lives, that’s when most of us turn to God for help. That’s when we learn to trust Him, when we grow and mature in our faith. I don’t like trials in my life, but in the beginning of the first chapter of the book of James is says,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Maybe I should learn to depend on God all the time, not just in the tough times. That would probably make life easier.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Truth in Advertising
Don’t you just hate false advertising? You read the advertisement, look at the product and marvel at what it can do. You buy it and then find it doesn’t perform as advertised. It isn’t the cleaner you were led to believe. It doesn’t make your car go 20 percent further on a tank of gas. You don’t shed pounds as if they were drops of water falling from a tree. False advertising.
This morning I was thinking of some of the false advertising done by Christians. “Accept Jesus into your life and everything will go right.” “Become a Christian and you won’t have any more problems.” You’ve heard it. And it isn’t true. Christians have lots of problems. Some are caused by the sinful world in which we live, some caused by our own actions, some caused just by the fact we are Christians in a non-Christian society. Jesus told his disciples that they would suffer for their faith. He didn’t say problems would go away. What Jesus did promise is that He would always be with us because we Christians have the Holy Spirit living within us. We may have problems but we never have to face them alone. No matter what happens in life we Christians have the Holy Spirit to walk beside us and see us through. We are also told we can always have joy in our life no matter what is happening around us. That’s a statement that is almost impossible to believe but it is true! Eternal life is a promise as are many other wonderful things. However, no problems? That was not one of Jesus’ promises to us.
As we share our faith with people we need to be careful to not use false advertising. Tell the truth. And the truth is pretty incredible. As a Christian I have the presence of God with me 24/7. I never have to face anything alone. His presence will allow me to have joy, true joy, no matter what is happening. And at life’s end, I will pass into the presence of the living God with whom I will live forever. Let’s hear it for Truth in Advertising.
This morning I was thinking of some of the false advertising done by Christians. “Accept Jesus into your life and everything will go right.” “Become a Christian and you won’t have any more problems.” You’ve heard it. And it isn’t true. Christians have lots of problems. Some are caused by the sinful world in which we live, some caused by our own actions, some caused just by the fact we are Christians in a non-Christian society. Jesus told his disciples that they would suffer for their faith. He didn’t say problems would go away. What Jesus did promise is that He would always be with us because we Christians have the Holy Spirit living within us. We may have problems but we never have to face them alone. No matter what happens in life we Christians have the Holy Spirit to walk beside us and see us through. We are also told we can always have joy in our life no matter what is happening around us. That’s a statement that is almost impossible to believe but it is true! Eternal life is a promise as are many other wonderful things. However, no problems? That was not one of Jesus’ promises to us.
As we share our faith with people we need to be careful to not use false advertising. Tell the truth. And the truth is pretty incredible. As a Christian I have the presence of God with me 24/7. I never have to face anything alone. His presence will allow me to have joy, true joy, no matter what is happening. And at life’s end, I will pass into the presence of the living God with whom I will live forever. Let’s hear it for Truth in Advertising.
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