Tag: christian life

Hindrances to the Christian Life

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
           Within the church there are those persons who are committed, growing, and participating in the life of the congregation and exhibit spiritual sensitivity.  There are others, however, that are marginal in the church, seem stagnant in their faith, and do not readily express a fellowship with God.  And there are more who move in and out between vital relationship and indifferent service within the church.  There is no one-size-fits-all reason why this reality is so, but anyone who has been around the church very long knows that the congregants within are at differing places as to their spirituality.  It is possible, even with the best of intentions, for many believers in Jesus to be mistaken in some important area of belief and are living in error.  These erroneous beliefs almost always produce incorrect actions and become barriers to their Christian lives.  If we are to be successful in living the Christian life and be a vital part of the church’s life we must search out and destroy these hindrances.  God only delivers on the basis of truth.  Satan, on the other hand, keeps people in bondage through lies. 
 
            Consider twenty-five of these errors concerning the church and the Christian life that I have heard from people over the years as a pastor, preacher, and teacher.  I include these because they have been expressed several times from various people in different churches.  Buying into any one of the following of these mistaken beliefs inevitably brings spiritual slavery and hinders a believer from realizing the blessings of living for Christ and enjoying his church:
 
1.      God does not really care about me like he does others.
2.      There are “second rate” Christians.  God has not given himself equally to all believers.
3.      Only clergy are really called to ministry; the rest are not as obligated to either God or the church.
4.      Knowing the Bible is not necessary for everyone.  As long as the pastor knows Scripture, others can rely on his understanding.
5.      Prayer is for the spiritual, and not for everyone.  Moral action can take the place of prayer.
6.      I don’t need to learn because when I get to heaven the “egalitarian zap” by God will make me understand everything.
7.      Spiritual growth can happen apart from Scripture and the church.
8.      Religious feelings are reliable as confirmation of God’s will.
9.      Since I am saved, sanctified, and redeemed by the blood I can live however I want.
10.  The commandments of God are good advice, but not obligatory.
11.  Since I am a Christian, there is nothing I can do to displease God.
12.  I am under no obligation to grow spiritually; spiritual growth is optional.
13.  Faith is a feeling.
14.  I am saved by faith, but spiritually grow through effort.
15.  God will stop me if I am doing something wrong.
16.  I have tried the church thing and it doesn’t work for me; not everyone needs the church.
17.  Some sins are worse than others – physical sins are worse than spiritual sins.
18.  If someone in the church hurts me, I should hurt them back so they will know not to do it again.
19.  If I confess my sin to God I do not need to confess it to others.
20.  If I confess my sin to God I will be totally free from its consequences.
21.  Christianity works for some people, but not for everyone.
22.  As long as one is sincere, then everything is okay with God.
23.  If I cannot serve in the church giving 100% effort, then I should not serve at all.
24.  I put in my time serving the church; there is no need for me to serve anymore.
25.  A person can be right with God without believing in Jesus, if they are a good person.
 
What are some statements you would add to this list? 
What hindrances have you identified and overcome in your own Christian life? 
How would you respond to someone who believes any one of these errors? 
Do you have a plan for discipleship in your church to help people learn Scripture and grow in grace and truth?

 

Will you pray for your church and its leaders on a regular basis?

Reconcile the Past

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
 
            The Bible exhorts the believer in Jesus to live according to the truth.  When we fail to do so we suffer spiritual loss.  We are told to confess and reject all sinful patterns of past behavior and not allow these to influence us today (Titus 2:12; 1 Peter 1:14, 18).  Neglecting such spiritual responsibility will inevitably cause repercussions in other areas of life – emotional, mental and physical.  When the Apostle Paul said “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” he could say that because he had come to terms with and reconciled his own terrible past (Philippians 3:4-13).
 
            It is both helpful and necessary to go back into one’s life and deal with the past on the basis of biblical truth.  When we do so, we are seeking to honor God and obey his Word.  Ask the Lord to turn his searchlight of truth on you and your past.  Trust God to bring to your remembrance all those times which you need to reconcile.  Make a choice before God to be as honest as you possibly can.  The following are some suggestions from a former professor and mentor, the late Dr. Victor Matthews, (put in my own words) to carefully follow:
 
1.      Start with your earliest memories as a child.  Write out (reject the temptation to just think about it or talk it out) every time you sinned or were hurt.  Be complete, name the people involved, state what happened, do not try and protect yourself or other people and do not fantasize and let your thoughts run amok.
 
2.      Evaluate each past event on the basis of truth.  If you sinned, then confess it to God truthfully and receive his forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).  If you were hurt by someone, and it was their fault, then state “so and so should not have done that to me.”  When you have finished writing out the event, then deliberately stop and completely forgive the person(s) (Mark 11:25-26).  If you were at fault in some way, then confess that to God, as well.
 
3.      Resist the temptation to hurry with this process!  Do not generalize by putting many events into one.  Be specific and take the time necessary to get in touch with what the Holy Spirit of God is trying to help you connect with.  This practice of reconciling the past is not introspection, so do not indulge in self-pity, self-criticism, or develop a martyr syndrome.
 
4.      When you have finished each event and have confessed and/or forgiven the person(s) then do two things, and these are absolutely vital to bringing closure to past hurtful events:
 
—Make an affirmationthat Satan, the Accuser, may no longer use what you have written out against you.  Make this statement and say it with flavor:  “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I take this event away from Satan and declare that he may not use it against me anymore!” (Ephesians 4:27; 5:11; 6:14).
 
—Choose to receivethe healing the Lord Jesus died to provide for those who believe in him and live according to his Word (Isaiah 53:5).  Make this statement and say it with sincerity and conviction:  “Now that I have made this right with you, heavenly Father, I receive the healing you have provided for me through the cross of Jesus Christ.”
 

 

When you have finished your work (and, by the way, do not overlook the anger and/or grudges you may have against God) then count it finished.  After all, when Jesus said “it is finished!” he meant what he said.  Reconciling the past means leaning into the finished work of Jesus for our complete healing.  If and when you think of the bad event in your past, then firmly state:  “I have dealt with that truthfully and it is settled.”  Whenever you sin from this point forward, confess it, receive forgiveness, and make the affirmations of truth.  In doing so we are living by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us.  Amen and amen.

The Christian and Self-Worth

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
  
 
            One of the things that we must be clear about when it comes to living the Christian life is that God has made provision for the believer’s daily life to glorify him so that we may be successful in doing his will.  Toothless and ineffective Christians are persons whom do not know the truth about themselves.  Both truth and error are powerful.  If we think wrongly about who we are as Christians, we are like empty wells with no water to draw from.  Many of our problems, failures, and sins are largely due to our misunderstanding of the kind of person we are.  A profound result of this misunderstanding is a lack of self-worth.  When we are in error about who we really are, there is much limitation to what we can do in our lives.  We can neither solve the problem by comparing ourselves with others nor by trying to generate good feelings about ourselves.  Only through accepting what the Holy Scriptures say about us, and responding in faith, can we be truly helped.
 
            An important bedrock truth that we must understand about ourselves as believers in Jesus is that the Christian has been created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:16-17).  We can only begin to understand ourselves if we begin with creation.  Since God is a Person of infinite perfection and goodness, to be created in his image means we are persons of great potential and value.
 
            To be a person means that we are self-conscious and can make decisions. We also have inherent rights to know, to be heard, to feel, to have an opinion, to be honored, to develop potential, to assume responsibility, and to enjoy life and all creation.  In other words, God himself treats us as persons; therefore, we may not treat ourselves any less than that.
 
            God created us to know him, to understand spiritual truth and perform spiritual functions.  Because we are created by God, we are sacred individuals.  We commit a profound sin when we do not develop our potential and live as though life and fulfillment were graciously given by God for our good.  When we accept erroneous thoughts about ourselves (and we all have) then we almost always use that error to misinterpret our circumstances, relationships and opportunities.  Without even realizing it we bring confusion and failure into many if not all areas of our life.
 
            One of the clearest evidences that we do not know, accept, and practice the biblical truth of our self-worth is seen in our response to God’s Word.  Too often we read the Bible’s promises and say, “I can’t be like that!”  Or we read the Scripture’s commands and say, “I can’t do that!”  When we live that kind of unbelief and error in our lives the result is too often discouragement and/or criticism of others who seem to be successful in their Christian lives.
 
            Let’s get some genuine spiritual truth down deep in our bones:  the Christian has been and is loved by God(John 15:9; 17:23).  To be loved by God means that God recognizes us as persons, gives us our rightful place in his life, and will do what is right by us.  In other words, God has our back.  We must accept this truth.
 
            The Christian has been called to live in fellowship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9).  No greater honor could be bestowed on us than to be invited to interact with the Living God.  As we do, the door is open so God can minister to us and lead us into the knowledge and practice of his will.
 
            The Christian has been given divine revelation (Hebrews 1:1-3).  Having the Holy Scriptures available to us is the greatest possession we could ever receive.  There is nothing more powerful than the truth about God and his desires for our daily life.  Therefore, we commit a profound sin when we neglect and disobey what God has so graciously given us.
 
            The Christian has been made the object of divine redemption (Romans 5:8-9).  The great evidence of our human worth is the reality that Jesus Christ has secured our redemption from sin to himself.  Jesus, the Son of God, has loved us and gave himself for us (Galatians 2:20).
 
            The Christian has been made the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  The actual physical temple of the Old Testament was filled with the glory of God.  Today, through Christ’s redeeming love on the cross, every believer in Jesus is God’s temple.  Therefore, God wants to work in us and through us for his glory and honor.
 

 

            The conclusion to the matter is that the only way we will know true self-worth is to accept what the Bible says about us and respond by faith and love to its loving and redeeming message.  You are a person of infinite worth to God, so live into this wonderful truth.  May it be so.

Take Charge

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
  
 
           It would be wrongheaded if a coach relied only on drawing X’s and O’s on a whiteboard for his team without ever running plays and scrimmages in practices that hone the players’ ability to be successful in an actual game situation.  When it comes to the Christian life, it isn’t enough to listen to hundreds of sermons and amass only knowledge.  Jesus said that we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free (John 8:32).  The Lord Christ was not simply referring to being familiar with the X’s and O’s of life, but practicing the freedom we have through taking charge of our thoughts, emotions, and body.
 
            We are to take the promises of God given to us as believers in Jesus and purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1).  Christians have an entire array of spiritual weapons to use in the goal of personal and corporate holiness.  Those weapons have divine power to demolish the strongholds of needless arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.  We have the ability as Christ’s followers to take captive every single thought and make it obedient to Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).  We are to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8).  We must bring our bodies into subjection to what is most important to God so that our lives are not disqualified by bad behavior (1 Corinthians 9:27).
 
            The believer in Jesus has the ability to take charge of his/her thinking, emotional state, bodily desires, and daily life; therefore, we must do so.  It is important to recognize that we are not always responsible for the presence of a thought, emotion, or desire that pops up; but we certainly do have an obligation to reject all that is wrong in those areas.  In other words, to accept and act on a wrong thought or behavior is sinful.
 
            We are to take charge of our thinking.  The sinful nature of a person, the sinful world system, and demonic suggestions or accusations must be identified and rejected.  Our hearts are desperately wicked apart from God, and it is from the heart that evil thoughts proceed (Mark 7:21-22).  Everything that is in the world – our sinful cravings, lustful thoughts, and arrogant boasting – does not come from God but from a world under the dominion of the devil (1 John 2:16).  In the same way, temptation to evil thoughts and actions does not come from God but from the tempter of our souls (Genesis 3:1-5; Matthew 4:3; Revelation 12:9-11).
 
            We take charge of our thinking by refusing those thoughts that are wrong and aggressively choosing to think on correct thoughts.  We do this by putting off the old ways of speaking and acting, like lying or stealing, and putting on faith and love (Ephesians 4:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:8).  It is a good thing to actually speak out loud and say:  “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I take charge of my thinking.  I refuse to accept the thought of __________.  In full dependence on the true and living God I bring all my thinking into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
 
            We are to take charge of our emotions.  It is just as wrong to accept a wrong emotion (such as hopelessness) and to act on it as it would be to accept a wrong bodily desire and act on it.  The believer has no reason to be hopeless and ought not accept and practice error.  We must reject all emotions that come from the world, the flesh, and the devil.  Instead, we are to accept the truth of having hope overflow in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).  Then, we are to carefully practice it, over and over again, by faith.
 
            We are to take charge of our bodies.  We are to have spiritual control of how we handle our bodies.  Because Jesus died to sin once for all, we are to count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ.  So, we are not to let sin call the shots in our mortal bodies so that we obey our sinful desires.  Instead, we are to offer the parts of our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:10-13).
 

 

            Here’s the deal:  Christ has delivered us from sin through his death on a cross; we are, therefore, to live into this deliverance through our practice of the truth.  We must be aggressive, choose to deny ourselves, and take charge of our lives so that we may glorify him.  It is time to avail ourselves of the grace that has been given us.  Victory comes through practice using the spiritual tools available to us in the context of community.  Therefore, the church is not optional equipment but absolutely vital to living a successful Christian life.  So, let’s get into the game because we have submitted ourselves to the continual practice of taking charge of our minds, emotions, and desires.  Soli Deo Gloria.