Pure Relationships

God's priorities for His people have always included pure relationships. God's people are to confess their sins to one another, make amends to each other, and work for reconciliation with each other - with the goal of establishing and maintaining unity with each other. Pure relationships, in that context, includes relationships that aren't defiled with anger, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc.

Personal Holiness

God's relationship with His people extends to even the practical areas of every day living. (He cares about everything!) If our eating or drinking, for example, leads to escess, abuse or poor health, God is interested in that. He also holds us accountable to deal with the problem. Personal holiness relates even to these routine matters in life.

Marital Fidelity

Fidelity in marriage is central to God's plan for society and family. the bond of marriage is a foundational building block of society.

Fear & Serve

We are to fear and serve the Lord alone. This is based on the choice we make to obey Him. We are incapable of properly worshipping God because of our sin and rebellion. But by choosing God and choosing obedience, we enter into a covenant with Him --- whereby He promises not only to forgive and love us - but also to enable us by His Spirit.

Used By God

God often works through people whom we might typically be inclined to reject. They may appear to us to be rather ungodly, for example. Yet their faith - which is unseen by us - may indeed be sufficient for God's purposes. God uses even imperfect people - like me!

Nasty Jobs

Jobs that we don't enjoy require concentration, teamwork, twice as much time, lots of encouragement and real accountability. Yet doing such jobs may be precisely what God requires of us. What work does He have for you that you don't want to do?

Boundaries

Life has many walls and fences that divide, separate and compartmentalize. They are personal obstructions, blocking people from each other and from God. Where are your walls and fences? Who constructed them for you?

See A Christian?

Many people claim to be Christians - and we are not to judge them one way or the other. But a look at their life style may reveal much more about their true character and what they really believe. It will show us their values and indicate whether or not they've ordered their lives around Kingdom priorities. (Titus 1:16)

Leaders' Responsibility

Leaders are responsible for those who are entrusted to their care. IF you are a leader in any capacity, you would do well to remember that you are accountable to God for those whom you influence and lead.

Doing Right

Doing what is right is more than believing all the right doctrines about God. Is also requires us to live in relationship and obedience to God.

Only Jesus

There is no other name than that of Jesus for all of mankind to call on for salvation. This is the specific teaching of Jesus Himself. God made this designation and no one else can be His equal. Christians are to be open-mined about a lot of things. But we are never to be open-minded about how we are saved from sin.

Despair & Hope

So often Job said, especially in the early chapters of his story, words that I have often thought myself. My despair and anguish have seemed overwhelming at times. And yet I have a hope that transcends even my worst moments of despair. Such hope can only come from God Himself. It is supernaturally imparted to His children.

Righteous & Sinless

Righteousness and sinlessness are not the same thing. A righteous man (or woman) is not perfect. But he (or she) carefully obeys God to the best of their ability in all aspects of their life. Romans 3:23 tells us that nobody can be sinless ... it's not even humanly possible. Nevertheless each of us can be righteous. Learn the difference.

Expressing Emotion

God created each of us with the capacity for emotion. Typically our emotions are expressions of our feelings - or expressions of our spiritual and emotional state. You have to ask yourself why God did that. In our culture, we often try to suppress our feelings - not expressing them, not talking about them and of course not dealing with them. But this is selfish. Expressed in a manner that is respectful of others and representative of minds that are in line with God's ... expressing our feelings or emotions can be strong tools to build and strengthen relationships.

"How Are You?"

When people ask how you are, a natural inclination for many of us is to simply say something like, "Oh fine." But this is lying if that's not the case. We may have a sincere motive ... not wanting to burden them with our issues or not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. But valor requires us to look to God for a better answer that can be given truthfully. Dishonesty does nothing to build relationships. So when someone asks how you are, consider the fact that they may have sincere motives for asking. And commit to giving them the answer that they deserve.

Creation's Purpose

In the beginning God created. Have you ever wondered why He did? Basically the purpose of all creation is simply to please God. It pleased Him to create the heavens and the earth. It pleased Him to separate the land from the sea, and to stock it all with animals, ocean life, birds, etc. And it especially pleased God to create mankind. Whenever you want to question the point of your life, just remember that you exist to please God. It is as simple as that.

Seek Ye First ...

Matthew 6:33 tells us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all of these things will be added unto you." Have you ever wondered all of what things? We all should really contemplate that. When we seek Him first, He provides us with peace, prosperity, wisdom and much, much more. Did you know the reward could be so rich?

Building False Gods

No one sets out to worship a false god. But the amount of time we devote to anyone or anything can allow that object of our attention to grow into the role of a false god --- because it occupies or even controls our thoughts and energies.

Pride's Lies

Pride can be defined as any attitude or thinking that elevates our efforts or abilities above the recognition of God's efforts or abilities. It may even treat with disdain God's work in us. Pride causes us to congratulate ourselves for our successes and to look down on other people who don't rival our successes. Pride says simply, "If I did it and you didn't, then I am better than you." Pride lies to us.

Tithing

When it comes to money, God's people are to tithe as if it were a tax. Fully 10% of our gross income (not just taxable income) belongs to God. The church should use 10% of that tithe to support church staff. The other 90% of that tithe is to support the church's ministries (including the facilities that it uses).

Working for God

Whatever your job is ... whatever work that you do ... anywhere and any time ... God is concerned about the quality of your work. Your work should always reflect the creative abilities and strengths that God gave you. Moreover, your work should always be a positive reflection of who God is in your life.

God Speaks

God desires to give His people - His children, guidance and direction for everyday living. In these modern times, life is more complicated and we fundamentally need more guidance and direction in order to cope successfully. So ... God has more to say to you and I than He did to our ancestors. How well are we listening?

Heart's Devotion

The heart has, for centuries, been considered the core of our intellect and spirit. All people have someone or something as the object of their heart - someone or something that they are devoted to. They could be good things - like our children. But every one of them also has the potential to become an idol in our hearts (even if they started out as good things). We must never let anyone or anything captivate our allegiance or imagination in such a way that it replaces or weakens our devotion to God.

Ineffective Teaching

When religious leaders mislead people with false teaching or by failing to teach them the truth, they are lying to God's people who, in their sinful nature, love to listen to such lies. But these leaders are killing people who should not die and promising life to those who should not live. (Ezekiel 13:19 & 22)

Singleness of Heart

In Ezekiel 11:19, God promises to give "singleness of heart" to people who turn or return to Him. Singleness of heart means a unanimous singleness of purpose. God's people become content with God. They don't have to seek anything else. The hard, deaf, immovable heart of stone will be radically transformed into a tender, receptive and responsive heart (Jeremiah 32:39 or Ezekiel 18:31). This new life and its heart can only be the work of the Holy Spirit. When we recognize God and His work, and turn from our sin, God will give us new motives, new guidelines and new purpose.

Idols in Our Hearts

God condemns and promises He will punish so-called Christians who, as He puts it, "set up idols in their hearts." We have idols in our hearts when we pursue reputation, acceptance, wealth or sensual pleasure with the intensity and fervor that should be reserved for God.

On Grief

Sometimes our grief could actually be caused by circumstances or events in our lives that represent God's punishment for sins - our own and/or the sins of others. Regardless of the source of our grief though, our grief should turn us more toward God than away from Him.

Blinding Factors

Sometimes our prosperity, popularity or human strengths and abilities blind us to our spiritual helplessness.

Money's Dilemma

Money has a strange and unique ability to lead people into sin. It causes us to make bad choices and do wrong things - which displeases or even angers God. It is ironic that we use money - which itself is a gift form God - to buy things or pursue things and do things that separate us from God. Moreover, it is tragic that we spend so much money seeking to satisfy ourselves and so little time seeking God - who is the true source of satisfaction.

Hope

God's people are never left without hope. No matter what our circumstances look like, we who are in Christ are never left without explanation and direction. God is always in control, He will guide us through our troubles (Psalm 23), and there is hope for the future that God has planned for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11).