Tag: christian life

John 20:19-23

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            In the wake of Pentecost, it is necessary and important to live into our calling and mission as believers in Jesus who have been given the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when Jesus said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  What is more, we are anticipating the celebration of Trinity Sunday upcoming.
 
            Everything comes down to the triune God.  As people created in God’s image and likeness, we are to reflect God in all we say and do.  This includes our service and sense of mission.  What the church is to be all about is what God is all about.  Just as the heavenly Father sent King Jesus to earth in order to bring all creation under the divine reign, so we are being sent by God into the world so that we will bring the message of God’s kingdom rule to every creature.  What is more, we have been given the power source to accomplish the work:  the Holy Spirit, who is the battery of the Christian life.
 
            Every believer in Jesus must wrap his/her head around the spiritual reality that God has called us into his service to reach every race, class, and ethnicity on earth regardless of who they might be because everyone needs the saving work of Jesus Christ.  We are to be preoccupied with the bald fact that Jesus sends us into the world equipped with the Holy Spirit to bring a message of forgiveness of sins in Christ.
 
            If we must rearrange our lives to accommodate God’s call, then so be it.  Eating meals with non-Christians, prayer-walking our neighborhoods, doing our hobbies with new people, taking breaks together with co-workers, volunteering in the community, and tangibly serving our neighbors are all practical ways of developing and deepening relationships with people in order to love them with the love of Jesus Christ who loved us and forgave us of a great debt of sin.
            God of peace, just as you as Father, Son, and Spirit exist in perfect unity, harmony, and love, so help me to be so keenly aware of being united with Jesus Christ that his agenda is my agenda.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for filling and empowering me for loving service in the church and the world.  Amen.

Romans 2:1-11

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
            God shows not partiality.  He is right and just is all of his dealings with people.  The Lord judges all persons, no matter their race or ethnicity, economic status or social standing, according to their hearts and deeds.
 
            This means that none of us as Christians can rest on our laurels simply because we have made a confession of Christ.  We are not exempt or given a pass on any of our sin.  In a time when decrying the moral condition of our world is nearly a spectator sport, this Epistle text for today reminds us that we must be concerned for the condition of our own hearts before we can point the finger at another.
 
            We all equally stand in need of God’s grace in Jesus.  There is a symbiotic relationship between our actions and the state of our hearts.  A soft and tender heart toward God leads to obedience; disobedience hardens the heart and leads to God’s wrath, no matter the individual.
 
            So, we must all faithfully engage in daily spiritual practices which keep our hearts attentive and alert to God’s will and way.  No matter how busy we are, or how we feel, to forego or ignore the Word of God and prayer on a regular basis will slowly calcify our hearts and render them unable to respond rightly to grace.  Instead, we must drink deeply of the gospel throughout every day so that we may experience peace.
            O God, thank you for the gift of prayer and the grace of your Word.  May it seep deep down into my heart so that I am compassionate and kind, just like Jesus.  Amen.

Judges 2:6-15

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
            The Old Testament book of Judges is, frankly, a depressing piece of literature.  It is an account of a downward spiral into degeneracy and ignorance as God’s people forgot his laws and embraced foreign religious practices.  The Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament, often referred to as The Law) is filled with admonitions to teach children and to be careful in passing on God’s covenant to future generations.  But no sooner did the Israelite leader Joshua die that the people rested on their laurels in the good land God gave to them.  The Israelites simply failed their children.  They neglected their God-given duty and privilege to teach about the LORD and the great work he had done in delivering them from Egypt and giving them the Promised Land of Canaan.  And as a result, the people began experiencing the curses of God’s covenant instead of the blessings.
 
            We in Western civilization live in an extremely fast-paced and busy culture.  The gods of our age are effort, efficiency, and effectiveness.  We rise early and rush to get to work.  We move at the speed of light to get things done.  Then, at night, if we do not bring a stack of work home with us, we fall into our favorite chair with no energy left except the ability to watch TV.
 
            But what happens to the kids and to the family?  With such a lifestyle there is no space for relaxed time around the Word of God; no ability to pass on some instruction of Scripture; nothing left in the tank to give to the people who need it most.  It is no wonder an entire generation of people in the age range of 18-29 are leaving church in droves with a neglect of the Bible and its life-giving message.  Since it was not important enough for parents to pass it on to them, they simply ignore Christian redemption and the community of the redeemed who worship Jesus.
 
            We must, for God’s sake, rearrange our crazy lives so that God and his Word become valuable enough to be top priority in our families.  It is high time to stop the excuses and start the instruction.
            O God, I confess that my busy life has pushed out the people for whom I care most about.  Give me the courage to make a fierce moral and spiritual inventory of my busy life, and the care and conviction to act upon what you reveal to me so that my family may know your Holy Word through me.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

God’s Provision for Daily Life

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
 
God has provided everything we need today for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-9).  
 
Don’t just pass over that important biblical statement; let it sink in.  If that is really true (and it is!) then it is imperative that we learn how to utilize this divine provision in our daily lives.
 
The Apostle Paul said he was not ashamed of Christianity because it worked (Romans 1:16).  
 
There is nothing more practical, beneficial, and enjoyable than the application of biblical truth to our lives each and every day.  
 
Again, let that statement soak into the soul.  If we do not believe this, and think other things will bring greater joy, then it is no wonder that our lives would be characterized by cranky behavior and general anxiety about everything.  Rather, the application of biblical truth is an experience of getting to know Jesus Christ better, and becoming more involved with God.  This involvement, characterized by faith, hope, and love, increasingly transforms every area of the Christian’s character and life.  
 
It is not God’s will that we fail in living the Christian life.  
 
It is not his will that a church have ineffective ministry and milquetoast believers mumbling songs through a worship service; avoiding significant fellowship with other believers; and, unable to witness to their faith.  No, instead, we have all we need to love God, love one another, and love the world.
 
             If we are experiencing inner transformation; enjoyable fellowship; progressive deliverance from the power of sin; and, continual enablement to live a holy life and be an effective witness to the person and work of Jesus; then we know the grace of God in our current experience.  Living this kind of life will keep us from yielding to temptation.  It will motivate us to read the Bible and pray.  It will help us live above criticism and pretense.  It will cause others to understand we are genuine Christians.  And the most important benefit of all is that this kind of life will glorify God, enable us to enjoy him and serve Christ’s church with gladness.
 
            So, why don’t more Christians experience this kind of life-giving knowledge and joy?  It is possible, even with the best of intentions, to be mistaken in some important area of belief.  Such mistakes and errors almost always produce incorrect actions.  And these mistakes end up becoming barriers to living an enjoyable and productive Christian life.  Here are just a few erroneous statements I have heard as a pastor:
 
1.      It’s the pastor’s job to do all that stuff (as if parishioners can live vicariously through their pastor).
2.      I’m not obligated to be part of a church (as if we don’t really need other believers).
3.      I don’t like reading (as if this gets us off the hook to personally read the Bible).
4.      I feel _____ (as if feelings are the final authority concerning what I should do or not do).
5.      That’s nice advice (as if what is heard in the sermon does not really need to be followed).
6.      God will lead people to Jesus (as if I have no responsibility to witness).
7.      I sincerely believe ______ (as if sincerity makes something true).
8.      If I can’t do it 100% I won’t do it at all (as if service depends on my effort, not God’s power).
9.      I might fail (as if the word “grace” doesn’t exist in Christianity).
10.  That might work for you, but it doesn’t work for me (as if certain people are exceptions to being used of God).
 
      What would you add to this list? 
      What are some of the hindrances which keep you from enjoying the Lord?  
 
      Living in error will ultimately lead to broken relationships, unhappiness, or futility because it disconnects us from the God of grace.  Instead, let’s continually drink from the deep fount of Scripture and let the Holy Spirit be our divine mentor in leading us to Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life.