Today’s events in the world make it seem like a rough time to be a Christian. However, there have been multiple periods in the history of the Church that have been FAR MORE challenging. Our brothers and sisters in previous years have had much greater opposition to their Christian faith…so much so, that today’s events aren’t even worth comparing! Even still, there IS A PARALLEL in that if you hold to your faith in Christ, today you can experience the hostility of the world.

As Christians, we should always be conscious of how we represent ourselves, and much more importantly, how we represent Jesus. We should always be unshakeable when we speak our beliefs in His Word, but we also need to be caring and loving to those who do not believe.

This is sometimes difficult because we may be called names or insulted. But if our true desire is to show/share the goodness of God and His Saving Grace and to be Ambassadors of Christ, then we should always respond in a manner that He has given us….

God bless you,

Bryan & Wanda

.

QUESTION: Why is Jesus called the ‘LILLY OF THE VALLEY’?

ANSWER: In the long-ago dry ground of Israel there was a flower called the ‘Lilly of the Valley’. This was a beautiful flower, giving a sweet-smelling fragrance and lived in areas where no other plant life could survive. 

Seeing how God is INFINITE, we only know a small portion of who He is (the portion that He has allowed us to), however, there is a point known as ‘IRRESISTIBLE GRACE’ where we actually can’t get enough of Him.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” –  Ps 34:8.

After this, a person cannot stop talking about Him. “But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” – Jer 20:9      

People can say many different names (Mohamed, Buddha, a higher-power, etc…) to reference their faith, but the fact is the fact is the fact…the only name that can offer a person salvation from an eternity of suffering in hell is JESUS!

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12

When a person stands before God they will be judged for THEIR OWN sins, not the sins of another person…for example: the person standing before God will not be able to say “I reacted in this sinful way because of what this other person did”…NO…instead, the person in front of God will be held accountable only for his/her REACTION to what the other person did!

If you were to ask an atheist about the creation of the universe he would immediately bring up The Big Bang Theory.

In discussing The Big Bang Theory, scientists often point to the fact that five specific components would have been necessary for creation:

1-Time, 2-Force, 3-Action, 4-Space, 5-Matter

….LET’S COMPARE…SHALL WE?…

In the beginning (Time) God (Force) Created (Action)

the heaven (Space) and the earth (matter). – Genesis 1:1

Sometimes they just don’t know how close they really are!!!

.

If we were to make the statement that “we see a picture’’ when really we are just holding a piece of the jig-saw puzzle, then we are actually only seeing a minute piece of the larger picture.

Only a few people have lived longer than 120 years (most living much less than that) but even 120 years is minute when considering eternity!

A person’s wealth and prosperous lifestyle is not evidence that he has given his life to Jesus (God’s son). When a person finds himself alone, naked and helpless in front of a mighty God at judgment, God will have for this person one and only one question: “What did you do with my son while you were alive on this earth?”…and his answer to this will determine his fate for all of eternity!

Doubtless, when a person comes to Christ his family and friends will believe that he is missing out on what life has to offer, but the truth is, this person is just answering God’s call. He would have to be totally stupid to trade God’s promises for what this world has to offer him!

His calling is for you also. He promises us that “anyone who goes after Him will find Him!”, and being a holy and perfect God, His promises must be true. All you have to do is come to Him. Honestly!

.

Back in the early 90’s, I went down to the Guadalupe river to ride the rapids. When I got there it was late in the day and the sun would be going down soon, so I had to wait until the next day to actually go riding.

Since I had set up camp on the shoreline (spiders galore!) the river was in easy view for me. I watched as the water went rushing by…I could see the rapids…I could see how the water was affecting everything that was around it.

Then the next morning came and it was time for my ride! Grabbing an intertube, I was on my way. Once I stepped into the water though, I had a completely different perspective of the river than the one I’d had the night before. All of a sudden I was actually seeing things around me that I had only heard of before!

Now I could see the trees from a different angle…I could see brooks that I hadn’t seen before…I could see little waterfalls that I didn’t know were there. But what made the difference? My perspective changed when I no longer just viewed the river from the outside but I actually got into it!

The same thing applies to the Christian walk. We can know about Jesus and we can see His work from a distance but it isn’t until we Jump In His river that we know Him personally!

Jump In.

.

“Unbelievers think that religion is a matter of opinion and so demand rational proof that Moses and the prophets were divinely inspired, if they are to have sufficient ground for belief.

My reply is that the testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason. As God alone can truly bear witness to His own words, so these words will not be given complete acknowledgement in the hearts of men, until they are sealed by the inner witness of the Spirit.” – John Calvin

.