Why is the Bible so complicated?

Gallup poll tells us that 52% of Americans claim some form of Christianity. Yet only one of five Americans read their Bible. Of the ones that read their Bible, 50% state they only read it a few times a year. That means only five percent of those claiming Christianity read their Bible regularly. One cause is they see the Bible as too complicated. Why would God make the Bible so complicated that people will not read it?

Part of the problem is not the Bible at all. Part of the issue is the traits that prosperity has brought the United States. Consider just a couple of these:

United States has become addicted to instant gratification. Consider the fitness industry. Fitness equipment industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Each new piece of equipment promises to get us in shape with little effort. Yet, more Americans are obese then ever before. We want someone else to do the work for us. We would rather trust what a preacher, pastor, priest tells us then search out the answers for ourselves. These habits are robbing us of the pearls in the word of God.

United States is addicted to taking shortcuts. We do not even write letters to each other anymore. We use cell phones to send short messages via text. Even then, we cannot even be bothered to write out our thoughts. We invented a whole language based on shorthand. Cliff notes created a cottage industry on keeping students from needing to read a whole assignment. These are just a few examples.

These traits are leading us to abandon the Bible. It is causing us to turn to any so-called preacher that promises to show us the way. Instead of using God’s blessings as a measure of success in our lives, we are using how church makes us feel. For many, walking into a building on Sunday and getting the same feeling from the 10 piece band as a rock concert passes for religion.

True religion is more than simply feeling good in a building. True religion is measured by the changes that are evident within our lives. How many people attend “church” but yet go home and beat their wives? How many listen to a rock band on Sunday morning but then get into drunken driving accidents before Monday morning? Consider what God really meant the Bible to do.

Bible is meant to create a desire for God in us. God made his creation in his own image. He could have made us to simply follow him. However, God chose to give us free will. God wants us to follow him because we want to. Anyone can sit in a building in Sunday and listen to a sermon. However, desiring to follow the will of God is the trait that causes us to apply it to our lives. Desire lays the foundation of our faith.

Bible prepares us to receive God’s gifts in our lives. God wants us to appreciate the gifts he gives us. Have you ever bought your child a toy only to have him destroy it within an hour? If you require your child to work for the money, to buy the toy, then does he treat it differently? God realizes that his children, of all ages, act the same way. If we are required to have some sweat equity in our faith then we appreciate the gifts God gives us.

Bible is meant to cause a change in us. God does not give us commandments or examples simply to play games with us. Every commandment, every example causes a change within us. Consider the example of cultivating an attitude of humility.

An attitude of humility requires us to realize that we have no control in this life. Once we realize that we really cannot control the world around us then we are ready to accept God. Only then are we ready to accept a higher authority. When we accept that God is there then we can start to build our faith. Only with proper humility are we able to completely turn our problems over to God.

Turning our problems over to God provides us with peace. Have you ever been with a child who is afraid of the dark? When they go to sleep they are afraid of what is in the dark. Notice how their attitude changes when you sit beside them, until they go to sleep. They trust that we can protect them. This trust gives them the peace to go to sleep. It is no different with our adult problems. Once we turn them over to our father then we should be able to sleep with the same trust as our children.

Humility is only one example. Every time we ingrain a commandment of God into our lives then we experience a similar progression. Take a moment and consider how following some of God’s other examples changes us. How does giving of our time and money change us? How does going to church change us? Every lesson in the Bible can cause a change in us.

Bible helps us to avoid consequences. God does not warn of to avoid sin simply because he wants to test our will. God does not play games with his creation. Every commandment, every example that God gives us is meant to keep us away from the consequences of sin. If we follow God’s commandments and examples then it will cause changes in us. These changes will help keep us from the consequences of sin.

Bible helps us to maximize God’s ability to work in our lives. James tells us that God tests the faith of his children. He does not do so because he is some supernatural trickster. God test us because he needs us to cultivate the spiritual maturity to carry out his plan for us. Studying the Bible provides the seeds of spiritual maturity. Spiritual mature gives God the clay to mold us into the Christians that he wants us to be.

Complication itself is part of God’s plan. God knows that we are a people prone to boredom. Once we figure something out then we move on to something else. Bible was put together in such a way to avoid this. We could study the Bible for years and never uncover all of its wisdom. However, the destination is not the point. During our Bible studies we will find the answers to whatever problem facing us. We will find strength to carry on. We will find guidance to lead the world around us.

Do not mourn the fact that the Bible takes study to understand. Realize that everything God does is part of his plan. Rejoice that he gave us such a book that can answer any situation we are facing. Realize that studying the Bible is the seed of greater things to come in our lives. Does that change the way you see the Bible? Does it make you want to spend some time with it today? I know for me it does. If you want to fulfill God’s plan for your life then you are going to need to spend some time with him. I urge you to spend just a few minutes each day with the Bible. You will be surprised the change it can make in our life.You can view more about church of Christ beliefs here.

Bible Verses About Prayer

Prayer is one thing that any Christian knows about. However, many are not familiar with. Prayer provides us a chance to talk with our heavenly father. Scripture gives us many examples of the importance of prayer. It also shows us how prayer helps our daily Christian walk. I hope you will walk with me through these bible verses about prayer.

Many verses teach us how to pray. Matthew tells us that prayer must be performed with the right intentions. Mat_6:5-6, "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Prayer is not supposed to be a thing to get us attention. It is a private conversation between us and our heavenly father.

Matthew 6:9-15 is one of the most memorized passages in the Bible. These passages are known as the Lord’s Prayer. However, memorizing this prayer and repeating it word for word completely violates the verses before it. Mat 6:7-8, "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8  "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Jesus warned us specifically about praying with repetition.

When you speak to your earthly parents, how many times do you simply repeat the same conversation over and over again? You don’t!! Then why would you do this to your heavenly father? He does not want meaningless repetition. God wants us to bring our fears, our doubts, our worries, our needs, and our gratitude to him. How can we do this is we simply repeat one prayer over and over again?

As Eastern religions have gained popularity, people speak of the importance of meditation. They speak about using meditation to ease their stress. That is what prayer was meant to be. Prayer was meant to be time for us to bring the worries of the day to our heavenly father. Man turned it into a time to repeat a few memorized prayers. We took the power out of prayer.

Several verses illustrate this. We don’t see any verses where Jesus said to meditate. We do see that, after a hard or busy day, Jesus went to his heavenly father in prayer.

• Mat_14:23, “After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”
• Luk_11:1  It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."
• Luk_5:16  But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
• Luk_6:12  It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
• Luk_22:41  And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,  
• Luk_9:28  Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.

On the night he was taken to die, Jesus went to his father in prayer.

• Mar 6:44-46, “There were five thousand men who ate the loaves. 45  Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away.  46  After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.”
• Mat_26:36  Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
• Mar_14:35  And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by.

Prayer is critical to a Christian life. Jesus told a parable about prayer. Luk 18:1-8, “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2  saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3  "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' 4  "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5  yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'" 6  And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7  now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8  "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Faith plays a large part in prayer. We cannot be the type of Christians that do things simply because we are supposed to. This is part of the reason why Jesus warned against simply praying with repetition. We must have enough faith to believe that God can hear us and will act upon our requests. Mar_11:24, "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.”

Our lives are very hectic. It is very easy for us to get wrapped up in our daily concerns. We also live in a country that is growingly turning its back on God. If we allow it then the world will gladly separate us from God.  Prayer also provides us the chance to once again focus on God. Luk_22:40  When He arrived at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

We are told to bless those that curse us. We are told to pray for them. Luk_6:28, “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” We are also told to pray for those who persecute us. Mat_5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

Why would God tell us to pray for people that are trying to hurt us? It cannot be just for their benefit. They probably won’t even know that we are praying for them. Could it be to cause a change in us? If someone is persecuting us then we can either approach it with patience or strike back at them. Praying allows us a chance to get rid of those feelings. Through prayer, we put away our bitterness.

Jesus told another parable about payer. This one illustrates the spirit we are supposed to have when we pray. Luk 18:9-14, “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10  "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  11  "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  12  'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' 13  "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' 14  "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

We are not to pray only when we want something. We are to pray consistently and constantly. 1Th_5:17, “pray without ceasing;”

If we pray with the proper spirit then we will not harbor ill will against anyone. Without this, we can carry with us wrath and dissension. If we bring these things into the church then we cause wrath and dissension among everyone. 1Ti_2:8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”

We are told that, if any among us are suffering, they must pray. Jas_5:13, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” We are told, if we are sick then we are to ask our brothers to pray for us. Jas_5:14, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;”

If we approach this verse with a little modern science then it takes on a whole new meaning. Science tells us that stress can make illness worse. Stress put a strain on our system. This strain can compromise our immune system. Once our immune system is compromised then we are more likely to get sick. If we are already sick then stress can hinder our recovery.

Obviously, our creator already knew this fact. That is why he tells us to pray. Through prayer, we leave our problems on him. By getting rid of our problems, we do not have to worry about stress.

We are going to sin. There is not a prefect Christian. Overcoming sin, requires us to realize that we are not alone. God told us to confess our sins to one another. Jas_5:16,   “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you maybe healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” By praying for each other then we gain strength from each other to overcome sin.

Selfinshness is another trait against God that pray can help fight against. 3Jn_1:2,  “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” By praying for each other then we take focus off of ourselves. We cultivate the love for other human beings. It is vey tough to cultivate a love for other people and be selfish, at the same time.

1 Corinthians 10:6: Daily Devotional

1Corinthians 10:6, "Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved."

As we read the bible, it is easy for us to see it as a history book. we can fall into the trap of simply seeing it as stories of ancient people. However, through the Holy Spirit, these stories were written down as an example to us. They were not simply written down so we would worship God. They were written down so we could learn from their mistakes. By learning from their mistakes then we can strengthen our own relationship with God.

By studying their mistakes, we not only learn how to avoid them but we also improve our focus. If we spend time studying the Bible then we will draw our focus onto heavenly things. We will crave heavenly things. If we are focused on God then we will no longer crave things of this world. This is simply one little verse but it shows us the importance of learning from the Bible.

Daily Devotional: Are You A Hearer Or A Doer?

For today’s daily devotional, I would like to look at James 1:22, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

“…prove yourselves doers of the word…” James starts to mention works here. In later chapters, he will develop this idea more fully. James tells us to “prove ourselves” because anyone can say they are anything they would like. Just because someone says something about themselves does not mean it is true. The true manner of a person is proven through our actions. Our actions prove what is in our heart. Jesus told us, “"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” Matt. 7:21

If we are focusing on God and making him the center of our life then our actions will reflect that. James is telling us it is not enough to simply say, “God I accept you into my life”. There has to be a change of the heart. This change of our hearts has to be enough to lead us to change our behavior.

Over the centuries, many bible scholars want to make works a salvation issue. At one point, Martin Luther even called the Book of James an “epistle of straw”. The bible looks at works as a doctor looks at a marathon runner. Being able to run a marathon is the outcome of a lot of hard work. The runner has trained very hard to be able to run a marathon. Works is the outcome of much study and time spent to focus one’s life on God. Works is the outcome of a person who has worked hard to build a biblical faith.

God expects us to produce. We see this example in Jesus’s encounter with the fig tree. Mat 21:18-19, “Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19  Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered.”

This fig tree had done nothing. It had only existed. Yet, this fig tree had one purpose to produce figs. I ask you, as Christians, “What is our purpose?” Is it to simply show up every Sunday? Jesus’s example shows us that it is much more. If our hearts become Christian then so will our actions. As our actions follow God’s will then people will notice. When people notice then we will bear fruit.

“…and not merely hearers…” Word of God is available to all men. Everyone has the chance to hear the word of God. Jesus reminded us in the parable of the sowers that a man’s heart determines how he reacts to the word of God. If our hearts are fertile soil then the word of God takes root and grows. Out of this growth comes action on our part. Salvation is gained through this action. For example, as the word of God grows then we ask the question necessary to bring us to baptism.

Christian life is much more then simply praying for Jesus to come into your heart. It is something that should cause a change in us. Christians share in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. As such, we should put away the person we were before. We should arise in newness of life. We should strive to live our life according to God’s ways. We should focus daily on him. If we do these things then we will become doers of the word. Not because we have to but because it now flows through every part of our body.

Free Will Vs Predestination

Does God determine saved and unsaved before we are even born? Do we spend our lives living out some predetermined plan? Do we actually have any free will at all? Throughout history man has pondered these questions. There has been a long standing debate over free will versus predestination. Can free will and predestination coexist in the world?

John Calvin was a large part of spreading predestination doctrine. He came to this doctrine from the belief that God rules over everything that happens here on earth. He taught that even before we are born that God determines whether we will be a child of his or not. Predestination states that God determines who will be saved and unsaved. Let us look at the verses that seem to point to predestination.

Jeremiah would seem to be an example of predestination. Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." This would seem to suggest that Jeremiah was predetermined to be a prophet. But, did Jeremiah have a choice whether or not to be a prophet?

Paul also would seem to state a predestined life. Galatians 1:15-16, “But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased  to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood.” God knew that Paul would be one to obey him. God knew that his obedience would lead him to be an apostle. He even knew that it would lead him to be the one to present the gospel to the Gentiles.

Did God predestine every part of Paul’s life? Here in lies the real questions. Does God simply have the ability to know what we are going to do before we do it? Thus, using the choices we will make to plan how he can best use us. Or, does he decide what we are going to do and we have no choice at all in it?

Examining Paul’s life would answer these questions:

• Paul started life as Saul. He worked hard to persecute Christians. Acts 8:1-3, “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.”
• He was even present at the stoning of Steven, the first martyr. Acts 7:58, “When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”
• Paul required persuasion to turn him to the path God laid out for him. Acts 9:1-9, “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3  As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4  and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5  And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6  but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." 7  The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8  Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9  And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Paul always had a heart to do God’s will. However, he spent much of his life misguided. What he thought was God’s will was actually man’s misinterpretation of the scriptures. God provided the discipline to change Paul’s behavior. God knew that Paul had the abilities that he needed to preach his word. He only needed to show Paul how to use these abilities correctly.

It is clear that God has a plan for man. He chose to create us. Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."”

God chose Israel to be his chosen people. Abram, later named Abraham, was so faithful to God that he gave him the land of Canaan. Genesis 12:7, “The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.” Why would God give a gift to someone for their faithfulness? If predestination was in then they have no choice but be faithful.

God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only begotten son. God knew that Abraham would follow his will. Yet, when Abraham did follow God’s will then God rewarded him for it. Genesis 22:15-17, “Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,   indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.” Again, why reward someone that has no choice but to obey you?

Throughout the bible, God rewards those who do his will. Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” If you predetermine that your child is going to be a doctor, he has no choice in the matter, then why reward him for passing medical school?

Abraham’s was justified by his faith. Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” If we are predestined to either follow God or not then why would faith matter? Is God simply a heavenly being that likes to play with his creation? He predetermines who is going to go to heaven but still expects faith and obedience. What would be the point of this?

God does know what is going to happen. In Noah’s case, God saw that the people were turning increasingly wicked. He knew that he was going to destroy the earth. Yet, through Noah, he gave them a way to save themselves. Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” If God had already predestined that only Noah would be saved then why give them another chance?

God does make plans for man. God planned to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Ephesians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6  to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

He made a plan for his son to die on the cross. Throughout the Old Testament, prophecies pointed to the coming of Jesus and his death on the cross. Jesus himself even Luke 24:25-27, “And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26  "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" 27  Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

Jesus knew what was going to happen to him. Matthew 16:21, “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”

He made a plan available to us that we might turn away from sin. God’s plan begins with us hearing the gospel. That is why Christians were given the great commission. We must then believe what we have heard and repent.  Mark 1:15  and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." We must be baptized. Mark 16:16, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

God made a plan to discipline us to improve our spiritual health. Hebrews 12:11, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Here we are told that discipline with train us. If our fate is already sealed then why do we need discipline. Wouldn’t predestination mean that we are not in control at all. We can just move through our lives. Predestination would mean we are waiting to win some spiritual lottery.

God judges us based on our deeds. Ezekiel 18:30, "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.” Even when God sees our wickedness and must discipline us, he does not take joy in it.

Jeremiah 26:3, “Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.”

God does not plan for anyone to disobey him. In fact, we see that his will is just the opposite. God does not want anyone to be lost. Not even one sheep in the flock is an acceptable loss. Matthew 18:12-14, "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13  "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14  "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”

“So it is not the will of your father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” (Matthew 18:14) Why would God decide who is going to heaven and hell, before we are born, then state that he does not want anyone to perish? If it is his will that no one perishes and he predestines this then why not just predestine for everyone to be saved?

God does not take pleasure in anyone being disobedient. Ezekiel 18:32, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live." If God cares for us so then why would he create people who are predestined to disobey him? Either God cares so little that he predestines people to hell or we live with free will to choose God or not.

While it is not his will God even speaks of those who “fall away”. Hebrews 6:4-6, “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6  and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”

God does have a plan for our lives. This should be comforting to each and every one of us. God does not want us to be on our own. God wants to provide us with the resources and opportunities to carry out his will. This does not mean that he will make us carry out his will. We still have to personally choose whether or not to follow his will.

If God has predestined whether or not we are saved then why give us the bible at all? Why provide us with a way to choose him? Why send his son to die on the cross? None of these actions would make any sense. However, there is a second scenario. God has the power to know the future. He is able to know the choices that every person will make. Based on these choices he plans events to give us the tools we need. This does not mean that he predetermines what will happen. This simply means God sets in motion the framework. We are still left to live our lives within this framework. We can choose to turn to God and fulfill his plan for us. We also can choose to turn our back on him.

Note: All verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Daily Devotional: Do You Find Joy In Trials?

What comes to mind when you think of trials? Most people think of something that is painful. We think of trials as something that will cause discomfort. It is true that trials are not always fun. However, speaking spiritual, trials may not be a bad thing. Trials may even be a source of joy. 

I realize this might sound crazy. How can we find joy in trials? But, that is exactly what God tells us to do. Through the apostle James, God tells us, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.“ (Jas 1:2) Why would God tell us to find joy in trials? Answering this question requires us to consider the source of trials.   

In modern times, we confuse trials with temptations. For most people, they would tell you that these are the same exact things. However, when you look at their definitions then you see a much different picture.  

Tempation is defined as, “A desire to do something, esp. something wrong or unwise”. It is also defined as, “A thing or course of action that attracts or tempts someone”.  

Trial is defined as, “Test (something, esp. a new product) to assess its suitability or performance”. 

These definitions tell us that temptations are meant to make a person do something wrong. Trials are meant to purify something. Bible tells us that Christians are no different.  

Tempation is a tool used by the devil. Jas 1:13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Temptation does not come from God. It begins inside of us. Jas 1:14, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” Once we allow lust in then we give the devil the ammunition that he needs. 

Trials are used by God for own good. Jas 1:3, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” God provides us with trials not to make us fail. He does not want anyone to fail. He does want us to develop a useful faith. Not just a faith where we believe in him. But, a faith that produces works in our life. God can use these works to spread his gospel.  

Trials are part of building our faith. We must do more then just believe in God. Jas 2:19, “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” Simply believing is not enough. We must cultivate an active faith. 

We do not want to end up like the fig tree. Matthew 21:18, “Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19  Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered.” We do not want Jesus to find us without any fruit. 

Many modern denominations want to downplay works. They are afraid of crossing the line between faith and works. A future devotional will talk more about this relationship. In trying to stay away from this topic, they do not address trials and temptations. It is crucial that we realize not all faith is the same. 

Growing a Godly faith requires more then just praying for Jesus to come into our lives. It requires that we walk with God daily. It is also important that we realize trials are not a bad thing. God uses trials to purify our faith. Unless we recognize this, we will confuse trials and temptations. We will see everything as being meant to cause us harm. This attitude can cause us to miss the lesson that God is trying to teach us. Unless we learn these lessons, our faith will stay stagnant. You can learn more about church of Christ beliefs on salvation here.

Daily Devotional: Are All Christians Blessed The Same

Throughout the Bible, we see the blessings of being a Christian. God promises us that through him we will escape the corruption caused by human desires (2 Peter 1:4). God promises that through him we will find rest from earthly discomforts. (Matthew 11:28-29). God promises that he will provide for Christians needs (Phillipians 4:19). This begs the question, Are all Christians blessed the same? 

This question came to me while studying Jesus’s parable of the talents. Traditionally, we think of this parable as speaking of our God given talents. We apply this to using our talents for the greatest glory of God. That application is completely true. While studying this parable, I realized another potential application. Could our blessings from God be connected to our talents? 

Jesus tells us, the master did not give all servants the same amount. Matthew 25:15, "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.” Jesus does not tell us why one is given more then another. There are many possible reasons; one might have been more responsible, one might have been newer, etc. Why is not as important as what they did with it. 

The first servant immediately began increasing his talents. Mat 25:16 “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. We are not told how he doubled his talents. He could have sought help from more experienced investors. Importance is placed in the fact that he sought to double his talents. He did not wait. He went immediately to work with his talents. 

The second servant does the same. Mat 25:17 “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.” Just like the first servant, he immediately set out to increase his talents. He did not wait for the right time. He did not wait for opportunity to fall into his lap. He worked with what he had. 

The third servant decided to take a much different approach. Mat 25:18 “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.” This servant does not use his talents at all. He simply hides them. Immediately nothing happens to this servant. 

When the master returns, we see the difference in their outcomes. Mat 25:19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.” The first servant is happy to show the master his progress. Mat 25:20 “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'” The master reacts lovingly to this servant. Mat 25:21 “His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'” 

The second servant shows the master his results. Mat 25:22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'” This servant is met with the same reaction as the first. Mat 25:23 “His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'”  

The third servant approaches the master in a much different way. He begins by giving the master an excuse. Mat 25:24-25, "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25  'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'” 

The master agrees with the servant’s fear. Mat 25:26  "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.” Just because his fear did have a basis does not absolve the servant. The master still calls him wicked and lazy. He reminds the servant that he did not even do the bear minimum. Mat 25:27, 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.”  

The master punishes the slave by stripping him of his talents. Mat 25:28, 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'” Stripping the servant of his talents was only the beginning. The master also has him thrown out of his house. Mat 25:30, "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

The tense of verse 29 is what caught my eye. Mat 25:29, "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” Jesus states that whoever has more shall be given. He does not talk about this increase being given sometime in the future. Is Jesus simply talking about our heavenly reward? Could he also be speaking of rewards we receive from God on Earth? 

Jesus finishes this parable by speaking about the judgement to come. Mat 25:31, "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32  "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33  and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34  "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  

In Jesus’s parable, the master judges each slave based on how he used their talents. Servants then received a reward based on their usage. Those who used their talents properly received more. The one who did not had everything taken away from them.

There is no doubt that God is active in our lives. Jesus tells us to trust that God will provide for us. Mat 6:25  "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Jesus reminds us that God takes care of all of his creation. He also reminds us that we are first among his creation. Mat 6:30  "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” 

Why do we restrict God’s blessings to the after life? Jesus has shown us that God moves in our lives. When we consider the parable of the talents, in this light, then we see a deeper application. Jesus is telling us that God will bless those that increase their talents. As we actively use our talents, for the glory of God, then God will reward us with more talents. 

This would explain the disparity among those who claim Christianity. Some claim that all we have do to is “bring Jesus into our hearts”. They promise that this will bring God’s blessings. Others, downplay the importance of repentance. They teach that we can do whatever we want (i.e. fornication, living with someone outside of marriage, etc.). The only thing God requires is that we confess our sins to another man and we will be forgiven. We can go right back and do the same sin again. Others, teach that show up on Sunday, listen to a rock concert, get a great emotional high then go about your lives.  

I do not question the sincerity of these different types of worshippers. I do question the outcome of these different approaches. How much does just showing up on Sunday require us to use our talents? How much effort does it take to do whatever we want as long as we confess it to another man? Wouldn’t this be equal to burying our talents in the ground?  

In Jesus’s parable, the master required each servant to actively, immediately begin doubling his talents. Do you think this expectation ended when he rewarded them with more talents? Isn’t it logical that this is simply the beginning of a cycle? The more we use our talents, the more talents we are given, and the more we are required to use those talents. This cycle requires us to focus completely and entirely on God. It requires us to use everyday to best use our talents, for the glory of God. 

It is not my job to judge the motives of another. Judgment is restricted for God himself. My job is to share the gospel with as many people as possible. Part of sharing the gospel is showing people how to apply it to their lives. I mentioned several different kinds of worship. I implore you to compare your life to the standard set out in Jesus’s parable. Are you continually and immediately using your talents to glorify God? Or are you actively living in sin expecting continual forgiveness from God? 

Just as the servants did, we will each stand before our Lord and give account of our lives. We will have to answer for why we did what we did. I ask you are your actions glorifying God? Are you working continually to use your talents for God? Do  you focus continually on God? Or, are you a Sunday Christian? Do you spend the rest of your week just moving through your life? Please take a few moments to ponder these questions. I want each and every one of you to hear, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'”

Jesus Parable of New Patch Old Garment

Every three months, I teach the junior high school class at my local congregation. As I began this three month period, I was asked to teach on Jesus's parables. Of course, Jesus used parables to teach lessons. However, I quickly saw that there are more to them then meets the eye. I decided to begin a series on Jesus's parables. The first parable I want to look at is Matthew 9:16.

This parable is only one verse long. Matthew 9:16, " "But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results." This is only one verse. Some do not even consider it a parable. However, it is a story that holds a much greater meaning. Is that not the definition of a parable?

How are we like old garments? When we are baptized then we put away our old selves. We are buried with Christ in baptism. Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." At that moment then our sins are washed away. Luke 3:3 "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;"Our old selves are to become like an old garment.

Can you put a patch on an old garment? Today, we are used to buying clothes that are pre-shrunk. However, at this time they did not have that luxury. They would buy clothing and deal with it shrinking through time. If you put a patch of new cloth on a garment that was already shrunk then the patch would shrink over time. This would cause the patch to pull away from the older clothing.

Just like this, we cannot just put a patch over our old selves. When we are baptized there must be a fundamental realization. We are no longer the same person we were before. Before our baptism, we lived as sinners. We were not aware of God's plan for our lives. We were not aware of Jesus's dying for our salvation. Upon learning and obeying these things then we must make some changes in our lives.

We must change the way we see the world. As sinners, we looked at the world through a sinner's eyes. We saw not what we could do for the world but what the world could do for us. We did not think of our actions as being either moral or immoral. We thought only about whether they were legal or illegal by human laws. Hopefully, you at least thought along those lines. We must begin to see the world through the eyes that God will supply to us.

We must begin to change our thoughts. Every word that proceeds out of our mouth shows the world what is in our hearts. Jas 1:26 "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless." Once we begin to change our thoughts then our actions will follow.

We must change the things that we focus on. As we begin to think more about higher things and less about worldly things then our focus will begin to change. We will focus more on how God wants us to act. Our associations will change. Our habits will change. How we spend our time will change. We will not want to frequent strip clubs anymore. We will not want to come out of the bar falling down on our faces. 

As our focus changes then so will our actions. As we focus more on God then we will see our old actions that were sinful. We will begin to no longer enjoy these actions. Their value will be diminished for us. We will start to see the value in Godly activities. We will cultivate more friends that also see the value in Godly activities. Once we reach this point then we will start to build the habits necessary to lead a Godly life. 

Are you trying to put a new patch on an old garment? It does not matter how long you have been a Christian. As you look at your life, was there a point of true change. Was there a point where you completely turned away from sin and embraced God? Did you do the things necessary (i.e. worship, study the bible, change your associations, etc.) to change your focus? Or have you been moving through life just trying to put new patches on an old garment?