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Archive for the ‘Faith in practice’ Category

Making America Great Again-O

07 May

–         Many churches today struggle with declining memberships and have difficulty attracting new members.  It seems like people are no longer interested in spiritual things. Many church leaders feel the church is no longer relevant and are trying to change the way they do things to make the church seem more relevant.  In addition, they down play the Christian message or ignore it altogether because they think that it is offensive to people. In fact, the Christian message is relevant and is needed more now than it was 60-70 years ago. The fact is, the church is not getting its message out. Those things that worked 60-70 years ago no longer work.

The number one question I am asked by pastors in America is how to get people more involved in the church. Many churches are constantly struggling to carry on with only a few members actively involved. People used to be actively involved but over the years it has become more and more difficult, until it is very difficult to get people to help. However, the problem is much deeper. While many pastors say that their churches are going well otherwise, I do not find that to be the case.  When I survey churches, I am primarily concerned about whether they are fulfilling Christ’s command to win the lost and make disciples, because that is how God measures the church. Many churches have not had a single conversion in years. All their new members come from those who have previously been members elsewhere, in spite of the fact that the portion of the population that has a church background continues to shrink. Yet churches overseas are experiencing unbelievable growth as many unbelievers flock to the church. What is the difference?

They are not doing very well at making disciples either. In many churches, members are little different than unbelievers though they have been members for many years.  If Jesus came to show us a better way, why aren’t Christians living out that new life and why aren’t they eager to serve God? Many  members struggle with balancing what they hear in church with what they hear from the world around them. They may pay lip service to the teachings of the church but do not live them out in their everyday life.              .

 

 

 

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent-March 6

05 Apr

Fifth Sunday in Lent-March 6, 2025-Doers, not just hearers-Matt 7:24-27  Jesus said those who hear his Word but do not do them are like a man who builds his house on sand and when storms come, the house will fall. But he who hears God’s Word and does it is like a man who builds his house on solid rock. If we hear His instructions, but do not follow them, we build on a very shaky foundation and when trials come, our house will collapse because it isn’t built on God’s Word. Men today think they know better than God but the world they built will collapse when trouble comes, as it must. Since God created us, He knows what is best for us. If we follow His instructions, we will prosper. If we hear His Word and follow it, we will be on a firm foundation and won’t be shaken when we experience trials. We need to return to the way God taught us.  Few churches today teach Biblical values to their people. That is why  wrote the courses on Biblical values. In the same way, preaching alone does not change people. Jesus spent three years teaching the masses but they did not automatically become disciples because His preaching told them what to do but did not show them how. Jesus chose twelve disciples and they followed Him. They watched Him as He lived out what it means to love God and those around them and they learned how to live a life pleasing to God as they watched Him. Too many churches are filled with spiritual babies because the church relies on preaching alone.

 

 

Study Course-Value of Time, Truth, And Education-promo

05 Apr

 

Fourth Sunday in Lent-March 30

28 Mar

Don’t do to be seen by men-Matt 6:1-8. Jesus tells us that we should not parade our piety before men but do it in secret before God.  Some people like to give alms and pray in front of everyone so everyone will be impressed with how pious we are. When we do that, it is to find favor with men and we will be rewarded by men, but God will not be impressed. The Pharisees used to stand on the street corners and pray so people would be impressed and look up to them as pious people and Jesus often chastised them for it because they loved the praise of men more than they loved God. He wants us to do it to please Him, not to please men. If we do it in secret, God will reward us openly.

 

 

study course-Value of You, Your Work, and Your Possessions

28 Mar

Course URL  https://www.udemy.com/course/the-value-of-you-work-and-possessions/?referralCode=D813C24FB55D47C46987

 

 

Making America Great Again-N

28 Mar

Value of Possessions-There is an old saying that “He who dies with the most toys wins.” If you don’t believe that there is a god and we are just the product of a series of fortunate accidents, then there is no purpose to life. One day, we were born and one day we will die. That will be the end. However, many feel that if you can accumulate enough money, enough possessions, or enough fame, you can live on in the things you leave behind. The problem is that when you die, the money and possessions go to someone else and people eventually forget you unless you make a really big dent in history.

We often feel that once we own something, it belongs to us, and we can do what we want with it subject to local laws. According to civil law in America, possession is nine tenths of the law. Whoever possesses something is responsible for it. How you got it determines what your responsibility is. If you made or manufactured it, it belongs to you until you sell it or give it to someone and you will be responsible if it causes damage to something or injures someone. You may own a race car but if you drag race it on the city streets, you can be arrested. If you give it away or sell it, it becomes the legal possession of the person who receives it and they are free to do with it what they want, subject to local laws, and they will be responsible if it causes damages to something or injures someone. If you loan it to someone, they are responsible for it and anything that happens to it until they return it to you, though you will retain some liability as the owner (the other one tenth of the law). If someone has an accident with it, you may be held partially responsible for the damages.  If you did not get it legally, you are guilty of theft if you stole it or at least possession of stolen goods if someone else stole it and gave it to you. Some become so obsessed with obtaining possessions that they bury themselves in work and often neglect their health and their family,

God does not view possessions in that way. Those who know God will see possessions in a whole different way than those who do not. Since God made everything, it belongs to Him. When He made man, He gave man the task of subduing the earth and exercising dominion over everything that He had created. God did not give man ownership of everything. He merely appointed man as a steward over it to tame it and to manage it. God reminds man that everything belongs to Him. God illustrated that when He established the Sabbatical and the day of Jubilee (see the lessons on Christian Celebrations).

 

 

Making America Great Again-M

28 Mar

Value of Work  God showed His view of the importance of work in Genesis. It says, that God put them in the garden to dress it and keep it. It wasn’t just a free ride where thtey were to sit around eating fruit and vegetables. They were responsible for caring for everything that God created. When God blessed them , He stated that they were to go out and subdue the earth and to exercise dominion over everything that He had created. Indeed, God created a desire in everyone to be needed, as well as being wanted. We feel better when we are helping others and when we are paying our own way.  On the other hand, we normally feel bad about being a burden on someone else. Often we develop our identity based on the work we do and how we view it. Often, the type work we do defines who we are to others. In addition, we value what we work for. If we are given something and lose it, it is a small loss but often quickly forgotten. If however, we work hard for a long time and save up for sometime, when it is lost, we feel it much more deeply because of what it cost us.

 

 

Making America Great Again-L

27 Mar

Value of You-God not only values life, He values us as individuals. Our value comes from Him. We are valuable because we are God’s creation. He created man a little lower than the angels, to be an overseer over all creation. Nothing in creation is more important than man. Everything in creation was made for man. God said He created every herb, every tree, every beast, and everything else that He created, for man. However, God didn’t just want a bunch of overseers, He wanted us as individuals. He created everyone of us as a unique individual. God didn’t want just a bunch of people, He wants you and me. He wants to preserve life because when someone dies, that is a loss of someone He created. All the other values come from the fact that He values us and wants what is best for us.

If we don’t know that God loves us and wants us, our perception of ourself comes from those around us. If we don’t know that God cares about us and we are important to Him, our only value comes from what we perceive is our value to others. If others treat us as if we are important, we will feel important, but it is a fragile thing as people can turn on us suddenly. If people just see us as old or crippled and ignore us or look down on us, we internalize it and it becomes a downward spiral.

 

 

Third Sunday of Lent Mar 23

24 Mar

Third Sunday in Lent March 17, 2022-Temptation-Matt.4:1-11. Once we become Christians, we often feel like we are in a spiritual wilderness and are tempted to give in to peer pressure or choose the easy way out. Jesus hadn’t eaten for forty days so that He might spend the time in prayer, seeking direction for His ministry. He could easily have made bread from the stones, but He did not. He knew that finding direction for His work was more important than satisfying His appetite. We should be just as deliberate in seeking His will for our lives. It is often helpful to find a spiritual adviser, someone who is mature in the faith to guide you, however these days it is difficult because there are few who seek the Lord. The church often looks to those with financial and business abilities to run the church and neglect the spiritual leadership they need.

 

 

study course-Value of Time, Truth, and Education

21 Mar

https://www.udemy.com/course/the-value-of-time-truth-and-education/?referralCode=C26C56C7A09175208154