Tag: Faith

  • Running Late

    Come to Jesus while there is still time

    A man looking at his watch with a panicked expression, he's running late

    The sound of the alarm going off this morning  reminded me of a morning many years ago. That morning, too, started with the sound of the alarm.

    I was a little tired, so I hit the snooze button. And again. Now, I was running a few minutes behind, but things were still manageable. I spilled the coffee as I filled the pot. Another minute gone. So it went. There were more annoyances here and there, but I managed to get ready. 

    I headed for the doors. Darn! Where were my keys? I searched frantically, overturning everything in my wake, and finally found them. Now, I was really late and stressed, too.

    I stepped out the door to find snow. I had to brush and scrape the car off. Where was the scraper? Another few minutes lost. Finally, I was on the road. 

    Red light at the first intersection and the second. By now, my stress levels were getting high, and I was mumbling very unchristian and unking words at traffic lights and crazy drivers.

    I pulled into the parking lot just in time for the day, but I was stressed and grouchy. My entire day was off-kilter.

    Can anyone relate?

    Jesus told a parable about being late. It’s well worth reading.

    “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:1-13 ESV

    He is coming back. That won’t be the time to be scrambling and running later. Are you ready?

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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  • Clash of Values

    Jesus didn’t come to change our value system.

    Can we talk?  

    There is plenty of hot and heavy debate and venting going on concerning issues such as gender identity and its many related issues, prayer in school, abortion, etc.  That’s not even considering the political falderal that seems to have been going on forever.

    There’s a wide diversity of opinion on these and many other issues. Public policy in these areas in North America often opposes what orthodox, historical, evangelical Christianity holds as truth.

    It shouldn’t surprise us when our beliefs clash with the world’s. When that happens, we need to remember that the world isn’t Christian, so we shouldn’t expect them to act as if they were. That doesn’t mean it won’t break our hearts, but it shouldn’t be a big surprise. Even as believers, we often behave in ways that contradict our beliefs.

    The whole concept of “Judeo-Christian values,” which seems to be increasingly slipping from the system, was based on a misunderstanding.

    Jesus didn’t come to change our value system. That truth is so important and overlooked it is worth repeating. “Jesus didn’t come to change our value system.” He came to change our hearts and make us pure and holy. The result of that heart change is the change in our value systems. It’s a consequence, not the goal.

    It’s a mistake to expect those with unredeemed hearts to hold the same values as a believer.

    The time for us to worry is not when we’re at odds with the culture around us. The time for us to worry is when we’re in sync with the culture. Sometimes, that happens because there are some universal truths that even the world gets right now and then. More often, it’s because somewhere along the line, we’ve compromised our own beliefs.

    If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  John 15:18-19 

    We belong to the kingdom of Light. The world is under the authority of the Prince of Darkness. The two are seldom going to agree. That should neither surprise nor discourage us. The victory is ours, even when we feel like we’re losing a battle.

    Knowing the truth doesn’t give us the right to be unloving or bigoted. We hold fast to that truth, but we speak the truth in love.

    Part of having a transformed heart is learning to love others. We need to practice grace, mercy, and forgiveness. We set aside our judgmental natures. We share the love of Jesus and let the Spirit transform the hearts and values of others. Only God can do that.

    Until next time, take heart … I’ve read the book.  We win.

    Kevin

    Some posts to consider

    Called to be bridge builders

    The gospel – the best news ever

    Tribulation produces perseverance

    Herded – an old border collie reminds me of the truth

    Upside down – nuthatches and the Christian life