Intentional Faith

5:6 While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6

      Christ died because he would die; other men admitted to the dignity of martyrdom are willing to die, but they die by the torments of the executioners; they cannot bid their souls go out and say, “Now I will die.” And this was Christ’s case: It was not only, “I lay down my life for my sheep” [John 10:15], but he says also, “No man can take away my soul; and I have power to lay it down” [10:18]. And, de facto, he did lay it down — he did die before the torments could have extorted his soul from him.

Many crucified men lived many days on a cross. The thieves were alive long after Christ was dead, and therefore Pilate wondered that he was already dead (Mark 15:44). His soul did not leave his body by force, but because he would, and when he would, and how he would. . . . Christ did not die naturally, nor violently, as all others do, but only voluntarily.

In this life, our Lord chooses the right time for us as he did for himself.  Trust His timing.  Michael

Allen Johnson, a conservative evangelical Christian living in the mountains of West Virginia, is an environmental activist and cofounder of Christians for the Mountains, a group of people who have demonstrated against coal companies and participated in Rainbow Family gatherings.

Allen hopes that environmental stewardship will quickly become a unifying issue for Christians across the nation. “God has called all of us seriously,” he says, “and we should agree on one thing: to take care of his earth.”

Allen’s passion for environmentalism began in 1993 while visiting Haiti with a Christian Peacemaker team. He saw desperate farmers cutting down grapefruit trees to make a cash crop of charcoal. “I just started sobbing,” he says. “It really hit me that impoverishment is so closely tied to environmental destruction.”

Since that day, Johnson has been a pioneer in a growing movement called “Eco-Christianity.” His biggest challenge has been convincing other Christians to join him in the fight instead of labeling him a “New Age wing nut” or a liberal. “My identity is not as an environmentalist,” says Johnson. “It’s as a Christian. Because I am Christian, I should be involved with social justice — the poor, the needy. Environmentalism is one thing in my circle, but it’s not my center.”

Tending to this world is what He told us to do.  Let’s do it.   Michael

"After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him." Luke 5:27-28

How we struggle to live our Christian lives! Some banter about the right doctrine or the right church. Others argue how we should worship or what version we read. But Jesus took a very simple approach to our discipleship. Just follow Him! Listen to His words. Consider His message and ways. Ask yourself always, "What would Jesus do?"

Christian faith is not complex just demanding. It is looking to Jesus each hour and chatting with Him along the way. It is completing the statement, "Jesus and I talked about that." Talk to Him. Often. Michael.

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness.    2 Corinthians 9:10

It is said that in this world we are just seven relationships from anyone else.  A telling concept for this verse that speaks of our seed or influence will grow under the capable provision of God.  If we are willing to sow liberally for God, He will bless that effort with more opportunity and ability.  What may escape us though is the harvest that God collects far beyond our recognition.  Our good words and deeds spawn new seed and new deeds in the lives of those touched by the bounty. 

We worship in churches built by the sacrifice and service of our forefathers and take it for granted.  We enjoy a freedom and prosperity that is not free.  We all enjoy the harvest of their work.  It is kind comfort to know that untold numbers will reap what was given to our hand by God.

Be a blessing today.  Michael

4:32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.

Acts 4:32

It is an amazing thing about Christians helping other Christians.  There seems to be little boundry between mine and yours.  You don’t even have to ask.  They volunteer.  The generosity between believers is a fact of grace.  I hear stories every week of people going out of their way to help another.  What we don’t realize is besides binding us together at the heart, such sharing joins us in our spirit.  We start to move and think alike in the cause of Christ.  We behave as a team or as Paul said, ‘One body’.  Enjoy the day and join your church family in moving forward.

Michael

I once asked a deeply religious man if he considered himself a truly pious person. He responded that while he aspired to be one, he felt that he fell short in two areas. One was his not being happy enough.

He said unhappy Christians reflect poorly on their religion and on their Creator. He was right — unhappy religious people do pose a real challenge to faith. If their faith is so impressive, why aren’t they happy?

There are only two possible reasons: either they are not practicing their faith correctly, or they are practicing their faith correctly and the religion itself is not conducive to happiness. Most outsiders assume the latter reason.

Unhappy religious people should therefore think about how important being happy is — if not for themselves, then for the sake of their religion. Unhappy religious people provide more persuasive arguments for atheism and secularism than do all the arguments of atheists.

63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.

This is "A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.” This is a special psalm. It is an ointment that is poured out upon all kinds of sores. It is a bandage for bruises. It is a balm to put upon wounds to help them heal. It has been a marvelous psalm for the church. It speaks of the thirst for the Water of Life.

There in the desert, David was hungry and thirsty, but his deepest desires were spiritual, not physical. With his whole being, body and soul, he yearned for God’s satisfying presence (v. 5; 42:1-2). Just as we have physical senses that are satisfied by God’s creation, so we have spiritual senses (Heb. 5:14) that can be satisfied only by Christ. Those who hunger and thirst for spiritual food and drink shall be filled (Matt. 5:6). David could say with Jesus, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (John 4:32).  Do you?

“Thus says the Lord, Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16b

We hear it mentioned all the time.  The good old days and how it used to be.  The prophet is not calling us to reminisce here.  He is asking us to pause on the hectic roads of life and to consider where we are really headed.  There are many roads but not all lead to life or peace.  Is the road you travel one of eternal significance?  Walk on those roads and you will find rest for your souls.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.

Lord, in your kindness fill our deepest being with your holy light, so that we may be steadfast in our devotion to you: for your wisdom created us and your providence guides us.  Amen.

In his book  Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."

Practice honesty and integrity; rescue the man who has been wronged from the hands of his oppressor; do not exploit the stranger, the orphan, the widow; do no violence; shed no innocent blood in this place.

Our King and Redeemer, listen to your Church as she sings your praises at the start of the day: teach her to give unceasing glory to your greatness.

After the American Civil War the managers of the infamous Louisiana Lottery approached Robert E. Lee and asked if he’d let them use his name in their scheme. They promised that if he did he would become rich. 

Astounded, Lee straightened up, buttoned his gray coat, and shouted, "Gentlemen, I lost my home in the war. I lost my fortune in the war. I lost everything except my name. My name is not for sale, and if you fellows don’t get out of here, I’ll break this crutch over year heads!"

Remember the helpless today and do the good thing.  Michael