Raised in the Church

Did you grow up going to church? Maybe you did... maybe you didn't. Take a look at this:

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15

Just because a person was raised going to church from a very young age does not mean that he or she has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us in this verse about someone who was raised learning the scriptures, but that was not the end of what Paul had to say. The point Paul made is that the knowledge of the scriptures made the person wise enough to realize that they needed salvation through Jesus.

Being raised in the church is great, but it is not salvation. No matter how old we are, when we receive Christ we become spiritual babies. So, if you didn't physically grow up in the church, its ok! The most important part is that we grow up spiritually in the church with Jesus in our heart!

Misplaced Confidence

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

Has anyone you trusted ever let you down? I am going to assume the answer to that question is YES. Putting your trust in other people is a risk. That doesn't mean that we should not trust other people, it means that we need to be careful who we choose to put our confidence in.

There are certain traits that trustworthy people possess. They are usually honest, reliable, and caring. However, no matter how many trustworthy characteristics they possess, they are still human and capable of disappointing us.

Don't despair... There is One who we can put our trust in over and over and never be disappointed. That is the Lord!

Christians need to stop trusting the Lord as their last resort. When we put our trust in other people first and then the Lord, we have seriously got our priorities out of place. Our trust must first go to the Lord and He will direct us to the other people we can trust.

Already Overcome!

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Considering all the evil in the world today can get us feeling discouraged pretty quickly. When we have these moments, we need to have an arsenal prepared to fight the discouragement. If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit as part of that arsenal to give you hope, love and encouragement. In addition to the Holy Spirit, we also have the Word of God -- The Bible!

When we read our Bibles and hear the Word preached and taught we start storing it in our hearts and minds. Then when we have a moment of discouragement we can recall those verses that speak the TRUTH!

John 16:33 is a wonderful example of how we can use our Biblical knowledge to recall the words of Jesus and tell ourselves, "You know what, the world is consumed in sin, but Jesus said that He has already overcome the world."

Jesus didn't say that He will overcome the world. He said that He already has overcome the world! That is a promise you can take to the bank no matter how you feel.

Remember, Jesus didn't promise everything would be perfect...He promised us the perfect outcome.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child (OCC) has become a very well known ministry for children and their families all over the world. Many of you may have participated in OCC before.

You wrapped a shoe box with Christmas paper and filled it with toys and miscellaneous items for a little boy or girl... You never met the child that you made that box for... You had no idea which country or continent it ended up on... The one thing you did know was that it made a child happy during Christmas and shared the love of Jesus with him or her.

Take a look at what Jesus said in Matthew 25:40:

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Wow! That says a lot. The love and generosity we show others not only helps the person in need, but we are also giving of ourselves to the Lord! The need around the world is so great. People need items necessary for life, they need joy, but most of all they need Jesus. OCC is a wonderful organization that attempts to fulfill all three of those needs with boxes full of necessities, joy, and the Word of God.

I would like to encourage you to become a part of OCC. Even if you make one box, that is one little life you are going to make so happy!!! Take a look at this video which is produced by Samaritan's Purse (OCC's parent organization). I will post more info on OCC in days to come. Check back for tips, ideas, and drop-off locations in your area!

The Old You

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

There is a song called "I'm Not Who I Was" that I can really relate with. How about you? Think about your old life? When you compare your old life without Jesus to your new life with Jesus you see just how much the old life stunk!

I have a few friends that will talk about their past every once in a while. When something shocking comes up, we just say, "Well that was B.C.!" (B.C. = Before Christ).

It is tough to explain to someone who does not know Christ just how much their joy will increase with Christ. When I try to put the joy and peace into words I don't know where to start.

Our words often get in the way when we try to share the joy of having Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Oftentimes the best way to show someone how great it is is to simply say, "Look at me, I am not who I was."

This video is the song I mentioned earlier. Brandon Heath is the artist. He is Christian singer and songwriter. I have loved this song for quite some time because it describes the reformation of being a Christian.

Remember Aesop?

Do you remember being in grade school and learning some of Aesop's fables? These were ancient fables that used animals in a story to illustrate a moral or teach a lesson. -- I read the following verses from Romans and it really made me think about one of Aesop's fables I learned as a child.

"Now I beseech thee brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16: 17-18

Ok, now you are thinking, "What is she talking about?!?" Let me explain:

Aesop wrote a fable about a fox and a crow. In the fable the crow picked up a piece of cheese and flew to a branch in a tree. The fox wanted the cheese and decided to compliment her singing voice deceitfully so she would start singing and the cheese would fall out of her mouth. Well, the crow fell for the trick and the fox gobbled up the cheese as soon as she dropped it. Then the fox laughed at the crow's gullibility.

In this passage from Romans Paul is warning Christians about false teachers like the fox. Paul tells us that we can spot a false teacher by his or her "fair speeches." Basically Paul is telling us that some people are all talk and are out to trip up Christians wherever they can. Christians often want to see the best in everyone because we are all created by God. However, there are people in the world that are teaching things contradictory to the Bible. Let's all remember to be vigilant and compare the word of God to what we are hearing because if something goes against God's word we need to get far away from it.

P.S. Don't forget to vote today!!!

Where Is Your Trust?

"Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7

You may read this verse and think, "I don't have a chariot or a horse!" (But that is not the point.) When David was writing this Psalm he was referring to battle conditions. David is saying that the earthly tools we have to defend ourselves should not be where we put our trust. Our trust should be in the Lord no matter what circumstances we are facing.

The battle David is facing can be translated to any battle or struggle that you experience in your own life. The stuff that surrounds you is not going to help you and give you victory. The Lord is the only One who can save you and give you ultimate victory.

We all know how it feels to take comfort in our stuff. We've all done it before. --- Let's not fall into this trap of false security designed by the enemy. Call on the name of the Lord and trust in Him alone. All our stuff will pass away, but the Lord is forever.