It’s easy to become discouraged in our walk with Christ. The mission ahead is daunting and the pressures against us mount every day. There are so many in the world who hunger and thirst, how can we ever reach them all? Every day wars are creating more orphans and widows, and we haven’t yet begun to be able to help the ones we had the day before. We long to live a life that looks like Jesus, but the odds against us seem increasingly overwhelming. So many die without ever knowing the peace and love that can come only from Jesus; our hearts ache and we become paralyzed at the work before us.
Romans
Why God Allows Evil
For generations, people have pondered why bad things happen to good people. If God is good, why does He allow evil to occur in the world? The answer lies in God’s gift of freewill. He has allowed us to make our own decisions, regardless of how disastrous the consequences may be. Love requires freewill, so without it we could never choose to love Him.
If He required our love and devotion rather than requested it, we would not have the genuine collaborative relationship He desires. We cannot have freedom without being ready to accept the consequences it carries.
Gaining Momentum
For too long the Western church has rested on its laurels and has become fat and lazy. I am not speaking to those too few exceptions to the rule. I am speaking to the vast majority of American Christians who are content to go to church on Sunday and live the rest of their lives in pursuit of the American dream. We have bought into the lie that material success is proof of God’s blessing on our lives.
God never promised wealth to those who loved Him. This teaching goes beyond the so-called “health and wealth” theology, and has in fact become embedded in the church at large.
How Big is Too Big?
I want to start with a disclaimer: I currently attend a large church (4,000+ attendees each week). Perhaps it is because of this that I have recently been pondering if perhaps the so-called megachurches of our day are hindering the spread of the Gospel. Hang with me here, because I’m only stopping to consider some questions that have been troubling me.
This is not an indictment of any church based solely on their size. I know of many good things being done by large churches across the world. As I study the New Testament model for churches however, I am struck by how far we have deviated from that original design. [Read more…] about How Big is Too Big?
What Are You Waiting For?
Some people wait their entire lives for permission to do the thing they were created to do. They make excuses of being too young and then too old; too inexperienced and then overqualified. It seems like there are always a million reasons not to do the very thing we know we should be doing. Some wait to reach a certain level of financial security, while others convince themselves they don’t deserve to live the life of which they dream.
Photo courtesy of stock.xchng/Lenscap
As followers of Christ, we have to understand that time is both finite and fleeting. We have been called to carry out the mission of Christ, yet we hesitate, waiting for a sign or the stars to align. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus said, “Go”. What are you waiting for? [Read more…] about What Are You Waiting For?