Category: Matthew

  • Is the Christian life simple or easy?

    I sat in the coffee shop with a dear friend, savoring a  cup and chatting. After catching up on life and health issues, we discussed life, faith, God, and the church.

    We shared times when we had seen God’s hand undeniably at work. There were miracles and divine appointments. We talked about the skepticism that sometimes greets us when we speak of such things, even from fellow believers.

    We talked about the simplicity of the Christian faith. As a believer, you trust Jesus by faith, strive to follow Him, and love others. What could be simpler?

    It is simple, but it isn’t always easy. People tend to conflate the two or use the terms interchangeably. Simplicity doesn’t mean ease.

    Following Christ means we must humble ourselves and throw ourselves on His mercy. That can be a nearly impossible task.

    Loving others sounds like it should be simple, but we all know it’s not. We might find it easier to love others who love us back, but many people (all of us sometimes) are downright unloveable. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to help us love.

    Striving to follow Jesus should be a cakewalk. Well, it might be if it wasn’t for our sinful nature, rebellion, and the world’s pressures.

    The Scriptures don’t promise that a Christian’s life will be easy. We need to follow the simple path, not the easy one. Jesus warns against the easy way.

    Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14 ESV

    The Christian life can bring many hardships. It can be challenging to live.

    Yet, it can bring us great peace and joy and leads us to life everlasting in glory. Hold fast, my dear friends, when the simple way deviates from the easy path.

    Stay the course. Trust the one who loved you enough to come as a child and live amongst us only to be tortured and killed to set us free.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

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  • Foundations – What are you building on?

    Collapsing building foundation showing

    The news article showed a building that is  dangerously close to collapsing entirely. Indeed, it wasn’t safe to enter. The cause? A poor foundation.

    We often talk about the need for good foundations in faith and life, but it is surprising how seldom we take the time to build them.

    Relationships are often built on lies. There are the lies the world tells us about what good relationships are. There are the lies that come from our own experience. We build on lies about our expectations of a relationship. We lie about who we are and who we want our partners to be. It is no wonder that so many relationships crumble or, like this old building, are in danger of falling.

    Non-Christians plan their eternity on a wide variety of things. They wish and hope that, somehow, God will let them skate through their sin. They hope that all roads lead to God. On judgment day, Christ’s words will ring damningly in their ears.

    Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

    Even those of us who know Him and have our salvation assured do not build on solid foundations. We live our lives based on half-truths, other’s opinions and wishful thinking. We seldom take the time to go to God’s Word, chew on it, and truly digest its contents. We are often foolish builders.

    “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27 ESV

    Poor theology and doctrine won’t keep you out of heaven if your faith is truly in Christ.  However, it will distort your view of who God is and what your relationship with Him and others ought to be. It will rob you of joy and blessings. 

    What condition is your spiritual house in? Is it firmly anchored in the truth of God’s Word, like the wise man building on the rock? Is it sinking into quicksand? Is it leaning dangerously like that old porch?

    It is not too late to do some repair work. Get into the Word and learn what it has to say. Then, apply that knowledge to shore up the weak spots.

    Until next time, may you be resting on a solid foundation.

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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