Have you ever wondered, “Does God really use imperfect people like me?” “How could He use me with my past?” “I don’t know enough,” “I don’t have the right gifts,” “I can’t do anything great for God”?
If your knowledge of God’s Word is primarily what you heard in Sunday school stories, you may not know how flawed some of God’s people really were.
While it’s true that David killed a giant with a slingshot, he also committed adultery and plotted to have the woman’s husband killed. Gideon led the Israelites to victory over the Midianites with just 300 men, but at times he was full of doubt and fear. Jonah was in the belly of a great fish because he was in rebellion against God’s calling. And mighty Sampson … well, you’ll have to read about it for yourself in today’s post.
It’s hard to imagine that anyone would intentionally set their children up for failure. But sometimes, we can do so without even realizing it by trying to give them everything they want. When we do, instead of being genuinely happy, they often become petulant, spoiled children. The added danger is that they can grow up to be selfish adults and even get a wrong view of God.
How does your parenting help or hinder your children’s understanding of God? How does it prepare them for marriage, work, and family relationships later in life?
“Why did God allow polygamy in the Old Testament?” I’ve heard that question many times. The truth is, it has always been sin, but it was what many considered an acceptable sin, if they viewed it as sin at all. What sins has our society come to consider acceptable? What sins do you and I consider acceptable?
Also, today, what keeps you from sharing your faith? Fear? Intimidation? Not having the right answers? What is hindering you from being a faithful witness for Christ at a time when many people are fearful and possibly considering eternal things?
Loving a prodigal can be heartbreaking and confusing. It’s hard to know what to do. When should we help? And when should we stay out of the way? Perhaps we should ask ourselves, are we really helping or could we merely be helping them stay comfortable in their pigsty, the very place God wants them to feel uncomfortable, even hungry?
If you have a prodigal, I hope you’ll read today’s post and share your thoughts.
And from our other readings:
What is death? Why do we call an unbeliever spiritually dead? What is the second death?
Finally, some questions we should ask ourselves. James tells us we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. But I think we could also say that we should be doers and not just talkers when it comes to doing. Do we talk a lot about God or actually live for Him? Do we talk about winning souls or do we share the gospel? And do we talk about prayer or do we pray? I know these are convicting questions for me. How about you?
Do you ever find yourself a little bored with the Bible? Or skimming over a passage because you’ve heard or read it many times before? Is it possible that our familiarity with the Word or with certain passages can keep us from benefiting from our Bible reading? Today we’ll look at one very familiar passage of Scripture, talk about why God doesn’t want us to have a ho-hum attitude, and why every verse in the Bible is important.
Is God calling you to be a superhero? Today in the book of Judges, we will meet two women, both of whom might be called superheroes. What do their stories possibly have to do with us? How might God be calling us to be superheroes?
And in our New Testament reading, great multitudes were following Jesus. What an evangelistic opportunity! But instead of encouraging them, he wanted to know if they had counted the cost of following Him and whether they were prepared to love Him so much that their love for father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even love for themselves would seem like hate in comparison. So, is Christianity really that simple … just pray a prayer and ask Jesus into your heart?
When it comes to parenting, few of us are prepared for the hard work and confusion that accompanies the job. We get caught up in the excitement of the first sonogram, getting the nursery ready, and buying all those cute little bibs and blankets. It’s not until we’re sleep-deprived and walking the floor with a crying baby that we start to wonder, am I doing something wrong? But gradually, day by day, we muddle through, making the best parenting decisions we can.
And the challenges don’t go away after those first few months and years. So, it’s important to ask ourselves, what overall views and ideas inform and influence the way we parent? Could a different backstory make our parenting easier and more meaningful?
Normally, on Sundays people around the world fill their churches. Most would identify themselves as Christians. Perhaps because they grew up in a Christian home or because they have some general belief in God. But could there be a great danger in that assumption? Could many, even some who attend church every week, be Christians in name only?
When an observer in Jesus’ time asked, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” He warned that the gate is narrow. And when the people of Joshua’s day claimed that they would serve the Lord, he told them not to take that commitment lightly. Are there many today who have failed to heed those warnings? Are there many who base their relationship with God on something besides the true gospel?
That should be a heart-breaking thought for those of us who truly understand the gospel because it is the most incredible GOOD NEWS ever! Today’s post includes a link to a video that could shake your understanding of what the good news of the gospel really is!
Perhaps more today than ever before, our nation’s airways, print media, internet, classrooms, political arenas, and even living rooms are filled with diverse and opposing views. There is a clash of ideas ranging from religion to science to right and wrong itself.
These aren’t minor differences of opinion. They are, at their heart, worldview issues. Yet, Jesus didn’t pray for us to be taken out of the world or out of these discussions. In fact, understanding what God says about many of these ideas should make us first examine our own ideas and opinions and then be willing to share the truth with others. But how can we do that without getting as angry as many of those with whom we disagree?
