Sian and Lee Strobel

I was very pleased to attend Lee Strobel’s seminar at the National Outreach Convention in San Diego recently. He was confident that apologetics was even more necessary in the postmodern world than before. In the old days, listening to Christian talks was almost acceptable but now people who are not Christians are more likely to turn up if there is a debate and if both sides are heard. He described a very well attended debate at his church, Willow Creek, in Chicago. An atheist and a Christian were locked in debate. Many journalists were excited about this opportunity and the debate was heard throughout the country by many people, both Christian and non Christian. Many became Christians as a result.

Lee Strobel was a journalist and he enjoys looking for evidence. He applies this skill brilliantly to investigate the Christian faith. His first experience of doing this resulted in a dramatic life change. His conclusions resulted in his becoming a Christian. He searched for facts and he was surprised that it took him two years to find out “who was Jesus?” He thought that he would be able to dismiss the claims of Jesus quickly but he was proved wrong.

When I gave my life to Christ when I was seventeen, I had attended church for most of my life. Although I had never heard a good sermon before I went to college, I had heard important verses in the Bible in the Anglican liturgy, in the traditional village church that I attended growing up in England. Although no one applied these important truths to my life, I was aware that I had sinned and that Jesus was the Savior. I knew that forgiveness was important and that God was much more important than me. When I went to a good church, It did not take me long to believe, as I was already half way there.

Today in America, most kids do not attend church. This is true of most people in Europe too. We can’t expect people to become Christians overnight. The danger is that we give them a short message about Jesus and encourage them to sign up. However if they have not had the opportunity to ask questions, and do not understand the problem of sin and the importance of the cross, as well as the need to repent, their faith may well be ill founded.

We must teach the Bible and we also need to answer people’s questions and discuss important issues with respect and integrity. I recommend Lee Strobel’s DVDs and books as they address issues that I do not have time to investigate. I can lend a book or refer to one to help answer others’ tough questions. I purchased Lee Strobel’s DVD “The Case For Christ” which is broken into six sessions to investigate the evidence for Jesus. There is opportunity for discussion and Bible study, but the DVD gets people started and addresses some important issues.

I want to help people find out about Jesus. My priority is to pray for their salvation. If some show an interest I want to be equipped to teach them the Bible, to address their questions and to be a consistent friend, showing them the love of Christ. Let’s expect our friends to ask questions and let’s know how to help them as they investigate Christianity.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Lee Strobel at the National Outreach Convention

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Yesterday I taught the Bible to teenagers at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ club at my daughter, Alice’s, middle school. I wanted them to understand the differences between a child of God and a child of the devil. I drew two columns on the white board, one for each type of child. There is a tendency in this culture to either over or under emphasize the devil. The children are usually shocked when I mention him and they are also offended by “hell” considering it to be a bad swear word rather than a real place where many are heading.

The kids wanted me to create a third column for those people who were not Christians but did not intentionally get involved with devil worship or witchcraft. I explained that I could not as the Bible clearly teaches that unless we are rescued out of the kingdom of darkness by Jesus ( Colossians 1:13 ) we are under the power of the evil one and are children of the devil.

I taught from 1 John 3:7-10: “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love his brother does not belong to God.”

This passage does not say that by behaving well we can earn our way into the family of God. Instead it explains that when we become part of God’s family, Jesus enters us and because we are now led by the Holy Spirit, we are changed and we cannot keep sinning routinely (although we will still make mistakes).

How do we become part of God’s family? The teenagers who prepared their testimonies believed that baptism was the clear proof that someone had become a child of God. The Bible explains that baptism is symbolic of a believer passing from death to new life and this is a powerful image. The reality is that some people get baptized and then settle down to a life of sin with the smug assumption that they have done what it takes to go to heaven one day. A baptism must be accompanied by a dramatic spiritual new birth, if it is to be more than a historic ritual. John 1 explains that ..”to all who believed Him and accepted Him, he gave the right to become children of God.” They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan but a birth that comes from God.” God re- creates us when we respond to Him, believing and receiving Him, accepting Him as Lord of our new life and repenting of the messy lives we used to live.

Once we are under the leadership of Christ, rather than (wittingly or unwittingly) under the devil’s authority, we will change, so long as we really are living under the authority of Christ with His Spirit.1 John 2:3 says that ..”we can be sure that we know Him if we obey His commandments.” If we refuse to obey Jesus we are not His children. Jesus commands us to love one another in a Christ like way. 1 John 4:17 challenges us to copy Jesus. He showed us real love by giving up His life for us. Similarly, “..we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” This is made even more challenging by the following verse: “Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

We are taught to be like Jesus: “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” If we are Christians we will obey Him and resemble Him, otherwise we are not His children. I John makes this very clear. A very important part of being a Christian is loving God and loving other Christians. Elsewhere we are also told to love our enemies: we are commanded to love everyone, but if Christians fail to love those who are members of the body of Christ, how can we effectively help people who are not part of the Christian family? We know that walking as Jesus did involved meeting all sorts of people, to heal them, to cast out demons, to teach them the truth and to invite them into a relationship with Him. Without Christ’s love we will fail to reach out to those who so desperately need His love.

If we are God’s children are we letting Him lead us, are we obedient, do we give up our lives to help others, are we asking Jesus to fill us with His Holy Spirit? Thankfully Jesus will forgive us and re-instate us as he did with Peter. We are told in 1 John that we will not continue to live a life of sin once we have been dramatically re-created as Christians, as Jesus is in charge of us. I John 1:8-10 encourages us that when we confess our sins Jesus will forgive us and purify us. Sin should be the exception rather than the routine. Let’s make sure that we are truly living as children of God: forgiven, transformed and radiating the love of Jesus in action. We can be full of good intentions but thankfully Jesus did not just profess His love for us but He demonstrated it on the cross. Let’s follow his lead and show others that we are truly God’s children expressing His love, extending His hand of mercy. If you are not yet a child of God, ask Him to rescue you from the kingdom of darkness and receive Him so that He will live in you, dramatically changing your life.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

A Child of God, or a Child of the Devil?

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Lou Engel conceived the idea of having a focus on corporate prayer and fasting in key cities, a number of years ago. Many Christians were present and they came and went through the day as it lasted for 12 hours. The atmosphere was one of wholehearted focus on God. Martyn commented afterwards that a half hearted response to Jesus was not acceptable. Being part of such a gathering provoked us to want lives that are more fully given over to Jesus. A nineteen year old girl who spoke had consecrated her life to Jesus at a similar prayer gathering 7 years ago. She gave her teenage years to Christ and her words radiated passion for Jesus. I am considered passionate but this girl shook and quivered with the pulse of Jesus. This reminded me that we will reap what we sow. She had given up the “rights” that teenagers expect but God had blessed her mightily. Let’s remember that Jesus gives us so much more than we can ever give. We will not miss out if we focus our lives on pleasing Him.

Prayer focused on Prop 8 and marriage, and also on abortion. James Dobson was one of the speakers and he reminded us how important marriage of one man to one woman is for the health of this nation. He canceled all his previous commitments to be there with his wife Shirley. His commitment to the prayer meeting was of great encouragement to us. My only concern was that more local Christians were not there. Understandably we all have busy lives but it would have been great to have seen the stadium as full as it is when the San Diego Chargers play football games there.

Repentance and prayer might not sound exciting, but they are way more significant than supporting a team or staying home to clean the house …… Football fans support their teams with a mighty clamor. The noise generated by a half empty stadium of Christians generated even more enthusiasm, cheering and worshiping than the football fans. As God is so much more significant than the defeat or victory of our local team, I was satisfied.

The most challenging aspect of our time at The Call was crying out to God regarding the death of fifty million unborn babies. We shouted “help, help” to Jesus. We definitely need His help to end an era of child sacrifice when it has become acceptable to sacrifice our babies for their mothers to maintain a certain lifestyle or reputation. It is not just the mothers who are at fault. If we know the truth about abortion and do nothing to warn girls in our churches, and do not offer financial help to those who cannot afford to provide for a baby, we are guilty too. If our silence and inaction lead to a death, how can we respond, except to cry out in pain and sorrow, seeking His forgiveness and mercy.

A Focus on the Family book: Answering The Call, Saving Innocent Lives, One Woman At A Time, by John Ensor (2003) is informative and Biblical. Ensor estimates that 250,000 evangelically oriented Christians are having abortions annually. Our churches must not be silent. The author explains that he was shocked in 1989 that fully 30% of the women in his own congregation had had abortions. He describes the day that they looked at abortion for the first time, “as the day God lanced a boil”. Ensor compares the responsibility of a Christian leader with that of a doctor: “A good doctor does not withhold the lance to spare the patient pain. Nor can good physicians of the human soul beg off examining the disease and discord now festering in 40 percent of the people in their own church. It is spiritual malpractice.”

John Ensor adds: “We must lance the boil of this guilt if we are going to produce true life and health. This is painful and difficult, but it is also purifying. And it is our duty. The biggest mistake we are making in our local churches today regarding abortion is rightly sensing its destructive power but then remaining silent to spare people hurt. Some tears are medicinal. This is a case, I assure you, where godly sorrow is cleansing.”

Paul explains that godly sorrow leads to repentance and ultimately to concern and to readiness to see justice done. Please read 2 Corinthians 7: 7-9 which describes how Paul wrote a challenging letter to the people in Corinth which caused hurt for a little while but led to repentance and to godly lives- well worth the temporary pain. Paul continues: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” (2 Corinthians 7: 10-12)

At The Call we were reminded that America is guilty of the blood of 50 million babies. (Other countries are equally guilty.) Are we ready to bring truth into our churches which will lead to healing? Are we ready to repent? Are we prepared to stand up to protect marriage between one man and one woman, whatever present or future laws dictate? We are God’s people and we are called to consecrate ourselves to Him. Are we ready to move beyond a faith that tends to be half hearted, to embrace and declare the real Jesus on His terms? When we humbly repent and pray, God will respond by forgiving our sin and healing our land. Let’s live life His way.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

The Call in San Diego: Calling Christians to Respond to Marriage and Abortion

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As a Christian I am concerned about the exclusion of Christianity in public schools. Like technology, if kids are not familiar with the Bible, they are likely to avoid it. If school shuns Christianity, where they spend most of their time, inevitably many will not consider picking up a Bible and reading it. If students are taught evolution as fact rather than as a theory, it is confusing to read the first few chapters of the Bible where it is taught that God created the world. Unless parents and churches teach the Biblical world view conscientiously school kids will assume that science contradicts faith.

I am not expecting public schools to exclusively teach a Biblical world view. However, the avoidance of any mention of God will have more serious consequences than failing to teach appropriate technology. The latter will cause us to potentially lag behind international competitors. Avoiding Jesus is resulting in many being ignorant of the meaning of life. We have been created by an all powerful, loving God, for a significant purpose. We are not a higher form of animal with instincts that need to be satisfied. We are made in God’s image to live godly lives responsibly reaching out in love to help others and to serve God. Sex education at school may suggest that satisfying our instincts is fine with appropriate protection. Christians need to teach a different message.

I appreciate that it is unlikely that schools will reintroduce the Bible and return to a pre-1960′s educational mind set. However, in my opinion good education should involve kids investigating different perspectives and opinions. Evolution should be taught as one approach and creation as another. In the same way that a biology teacher teaches evolutionary theory, it would be great if a Bible teacher could present the Christian world view. No one should be forced to believe, but good education requires an understanding of different perspectives. George Washington’s speeches should be read and discussed and his Christian perspective should not be eradicated by text book writers. Even if Christianity is not promoted, the kids should at least be encouraged to respect it and to understand how faith shaped American values and the constitution. Parents need to tell their kids about how Christians shaped this nation.

My husband could have made sure that all of our children were technically proficient making up for the inconsistent approach to technology at school. He chose not to push them to learn as they were already busy with homework and activities. It is easy to avoid making our children learn useful skills when they show little interest and start complaining. This is a greater problem when our children are not interested in finding out about Jesus. It is easier to leave them to sleep on Sunday mornings rather than take them to church against their will. Helping children to complete homework is bad enough but we may feel that encouraging them to read the Bible is yet one more battle. However if schools are no longer teaching about Jesus it is essential that we persevere.

I believe that despite our kids’ attitudes we must teach them about Jesus from the Bible and take them to church or to a meeting where they will learn from the Bible. My family is aware that many kids are not familiar with the Bible or church. Consequently we have been providing opportunities for our son James to ask his friends to come to our home to eat, play sports, “hang out” and to read the Bible. He invites lots of friends on Facebook and those who are interested come along. There is no pressure. They can walk from school in less than ten minutes. Most of the 8-12 kids who come have no church background but they are in a safe, comfortable place to ask questions. This has also boosted James’ faith. If it was not for him noone would come, and as a junior at high school he is learning the joy and the challenge of following Jesus. He is realizing that following is an active response and he is moving beyond just sitting and listening.

Jesus, in John 7:37 “cried in a loud voice, ‘if any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!’ ” We know that a drink is more vital than anything else. Are we receiving what we need from Jesus? Are we offering Him to others knowing that without Him they are spiritually thirsty and in great need? Encouraging kids to discover Jesus is not adding an extra burden to pressurized lives. We need to demonstrate that Jesus deals with our worries, refreshes us and loves us. He is not an extra activity but He is what life is all about and he offers life to the full. Kids are not hearing this at school, so we need to make sure that they are being offered the drink that Jesus offers. They may refuse to receive it now, but we can pray and we can offer opportunities for kids to find out more about Jesus.

As Christian women we can make a difference. If you are not yet a Christian Jesus will satisfy your thirst. Keep finding out about Him.

www.WomenRespond.com

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Biblical illiteracy

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People are inclined to forget that they are also vulnerable especially when they are behind the wheel of a strong looking car or sporting varsity football gear or a very impressive suit. There is a tendency to baby young kids, driving them everywhere and allowing them little freedom, until suddenly they are able to drive and their freedom apparently has few limits. As my two oldest kids are 18 and nearly 16, I am well aware of the potential hazards in and beyond the car. It seems that we need to train kids not only to drive well but to make good decisions. Once they can take passengers in the car, freedom is rather open ended. Arriving at a dance in a well cut suit or a beautiful dress at fifteen, must also be accompanied by a strong sense of right and wrong to ensure that the evening does not end in trouble. There are so many potential hazards.

Parents may spend many hours helping their kids learn to drive or investing money in various lessons to ensure that their children are accomplished in sports, music or ready to do well in the SAT test. However, I am not so sure that the same investment is always made to help them develop a good, responsible attitude. In my opinion, it cannot be assumed that either we or our kids can develop a godly response to life without help. According to the Bible, we are naturally inclined to make the wrong decisions. Ecclesiastes 7:20 illustrates this: “For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.”

If we are honest, we are all capable of thinking, saying and doing terrible things. Of course we need to protect girls and kids especially, from human predators but we also need to learn how to avoid foolish decisions that lead to awful consequences. This is particularly true for teenagers who are experiencing driving and dances for the first time, but it is also true for people of every age. We are generally careful to protect young, innocent children as we are more aware than animals that they are vulnerable. However, as they grow up do we train children to become aware of God’s wisdom that can help them make the right choices? As adults do we know and follow Biblical wisdom as we deal with life’s challenges? If we do not, how can we expect our kids or less mature people to take Jesus seriously?

We cannot be truly wise unless we submit our lives to Jesus, seek His mercy and forgiveness and study and follow Biblical truth. Proverbs 2:6 explains that “the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” We are well advised to seek these great qualities and we can find out about them in God’s Word, the Bible. The book of Proverbs is filled with wise, godly advice. It is very clear that there are two paths: one is following God’s lead, obeying His commandments and willingly living life with His help. The other path is the alternative, turning our backs on God and living our lives with no reference to Him. God calls out to us to turn and follow Him. He does not want any of us to walk away from His love, His guidance and His forgiveness.

The words in Proverbs are insistent that we should “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.” (Proverbs 4: 13-15). The Bible teaches about temptation, good, evil and the amazing love of Jesus who can forgive us even when we have wandered down the wrong path. I hear people say that they have not got time to read the Bible, but I would argue that we do not have time to ignore God’s Word. Despite our age, our abilities or our wealth, without God we are defenseless. We must not only teach children the right way to go but we must also pay attention ourselves. We can only be changed from being hopelessly bad to become righteous when God takes hold of our lives, and these words express the beautiful potential of transformed lives: “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” The next sentence is a reminder that we should avoid the alternative path: “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” (Proverbs 4:18-19)

In John chapter 8 verse 12 Jesus proclaims,”I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Are you following Jesus? If you feel that you are struggling in the darkness, call out to Him, seek Him and humbly follow Him. Without Jesus we are in great danger, but with Him we are in a very safe place. He is waiting for you, reaching out like a shepherd rescuing a small lamb lost in a dark cave. All of us are lost until we respond to Jesus. Reach out to Him and thank Him for His compassion and His mission to seek and to save the lost. He can transform your life.

God is calling Christian women to respond: Help others to seek God’s protection.

www.womenrespond.com

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Seek God’s protection

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I struggle to simply follow the published curriculum or program. My teacher training in England encouraged us to develop our own teaching materials and games and I am very grateful that I could apply this approach to teaching the Bible to kids. It is too easy to read something about the Bible to the kids, rather than getting into the Bible itself. There are lots of enjoyable teaching methods that can help the kids have fun while learning, without distracting from the message. I am not suggesting that everyone should abandon teaching aids or curriculum. Rather, if we are teaching the Bible to anyone we should ensure that the curriculum is Biblical and that we do not rely on the program rather than the Word of God.

Adults are capable of listening to a sermon and leaving with a confused picture of the truth. It is even more likely that children jump to inaccurate conclusions. For example, if we refer to Bible “stories” they may assume that David and Goliath and the feeding of the five thousand are works of fiction. It is tempting to teach certain episodes over and over again but to avoid teaching doctrine. Children need to know that they were born sinful and cannot earn their salvation. They must be taught that we deserve the wrath of God but Jesus in His mercy took the punishment in our place. If we do not teach these truths, neither children nor adults will understand why we need Jesus. Other truths that must be taught include the reality that we can’t earn our salvation by being good but instead we are saved by God’s grace: a gift that we do not deserve.

Our lives are changed radically when we receive the Holy Spirit, God, who lives in us when we repent of our sins, confess that Jesus is Lord and start to follow Him. Our words, thoughts and actions will show that Christ is our Lord but they can never be the reason that we can go to Heaven. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is our reason and His resurrection is the proof that our hope is not in vain.

I remember attending a church when we had just arrived in the US when our kids were 4, 6 and 8. They obviously believed that children should understand these important principles of Christianity but they taught large chunks of the book of Romans to young children in a way that they struggled to understand. The approach must be age appropriate and this was not!

I was teaching teenage girls this summer and wanted them to understand the reality of sin and the need for forgiveness. I made a game, writing questions on cards and Bible verses on different cards. The goal was to find the answers from verses from Romans that I had pre-selected. Of course, ultimately we want everyone to be able to discover these truths from the Blble, but the teacher needs to make it relatively easy to understand the main ideas when working with young people. The tendency is either to avoid teaching anything difficult or inundating the youth with material that is over their heads.

In general, our expectations of young people, regarding their ability to understand and learn from the Bible, can be rather low. If a teenager is doing a number of high level classes at high school we should assume that he is capable of learning the Bible at a similar level. Parents are ultimately responsible for the Christian education that their children receive. The challenge is to study the Bible ourselves so that we can encourage our kids. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us why the Bible is more valuable than any other book. It is unique and deserves our focused attention. The Amplified Bible explains that “Every Scripture is God breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose and action.) So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This means that the Scriptures clearly show God’s standards and expectations for man. I am so thankful that God has made His will clear and, like a bad child, I know that I can come back to Him whenever I go against His will because He will always forgive me. Without this standard I would be lost and I would not know right from wrong.

As a parent, teacher, or anyone seeking to follow Jesus, we are well advised to read the Bible regularly, recognizing that it is God’s Word. It is not an ancient, outdated commentary; rather it is “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) and Jesus, when tempted by Satan, quotes a passage in Deuteronomy saying, ” It is written , ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) If we base our lives on God’s Word we will be much better off than struggling to satisfy the ever changing and confusing standards of the world. The Bible is even more important than food. We can’t live a fulfilled life without it. All of us at some time in our lives take on the role of teacher when we explain a concept to someone. When we are handling the Word of God, let’s make sure that we do not pull verses out of context but rather present our friends or children with an accurate picture of who God is and how He wants to change us.

Christian women respond: teach the Bible accurately and encourage other women to trust Jesus.

www.WomenRespond.com

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Teaching the Bible

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In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) there are many seedlings that do not reach maturity. They are more disappointing to the gardener than the small dry grapefruit because the seedlings never bore any fruit and the seeds that were taken by the birds were non starters. Fruit is not only delicious but it also has the capacity for more of the same plant to grow. The original seed, if it grows effectively, can produce multiple seed producing fruits and the result is wonderful.

In Matthew 13:23, Jesus explains that “the seed that fell on good soil represent those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” This is God’s will, and surely the goal of the church, that those who hear the good news about Jesus will understand the truth, and mature and multiply in the sense that they will help others to become productive children of God.

A Christian is not the smug, pew filler that I used to be. I was smug because I thought that I had done what was necessary by being in church, but I was no more than a seed on a hard piece of English stone floor, waiting to grow. There was so little truth to listen to and I did not understand that I needed to respond. Thankfully, Jesus put me in the equivalent of fertile soil when I went to college and arrived in a good church. The Bible was taught faithfully and as I listened I started to grow.

It seems that the hearer needs to be alert and listening and the message needs to be clear and true. It is so easy for all of us to be selective in our hearing. My children are adept at ignoring instructions to help but quick to hear any mention of food! The seeds that successfully reached maturity are like people who understand that without Jesus they are hopelessly lost. They hear and apply every one of His words to ensure that they grow up as God’s children rather than as a stunted, self absorbed seedling that shrivels up when in difficulty. The seed that becomes productive is like a true follower of Jesus who is not seeking his own comfort and pleasure but instead, like Jesus gives up his life. In John 12:24 Jesus says,”Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”

Many people want to have the reassurance of being connected to Jesus. They marvel that He rose from the dead and they believe that He has the power to successfully rescue us from the curse of death. They are right to trust Jesus but many are tempted to avoid the self sacrifice that we are called to. Unless we die to ourselves we remain a single seed, but God’s vision is for us to produce much grain. It is only when we focus on loving Jesus and others instead of ourselves that we truly start to do what pleases God. My other blog posts about the seeds discuss the reasons that they fail to reach maturity (and fulfillment). They are stunted because they are like people who are focused on themselves, put off by persecution, money and other worries.

Instead we should be focused on pleasing God. He can be trusted with our lives and He can handle our troubles. There is no time to focus on these personal distractions as Christians must join Jesus in far more important work than feeling sorry for ourselves. He wants us to join with others to reach out to “the lost”, to those who do not yet know how much He loves them. First we need to give up our lives to follow Him: “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life you will lose it but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” When we give up trying to control things and trust God we are re-born as a new creation, a child of God with Jesus leading us. No wonder that we can now be productive, and bold, as Jesus is the one who through us can bring about a fantastic ‘harvest’. If we labor alone we will remain a single seed but when we die to our own ambitions we will belong to Christ and we will be producing much “grain”.

I was like a seed sitting immobile on hard stone. I was preoccupied with myself and I prioritized my pleasure and my success above spending time with God or helping others. Once I was placed in a church where I was taught the truth about Jesus, I started to change and by the time I was in my second year at college I was becoming more excited about helping others and teaching the Bible than pursuing my personal dreams. Now my desire was to please Jesus and this gave me fulfillment. I wanted others to grow into a relationship with Christ and I was eager to share the great news that God himself came to earth to die for you and me that we could be set free from the power of sin and death. I continue to share this message of great joy and I hope that others will become like seeds that are productive, bearing fruit and living abundant lives.

Christian women respond: Persevere and become spiritually mature. God’s harvest is beautiful and impacts the world.

www.WomenRespond.com

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

The Harvest

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One of the dangers of money is that it can give us a false sense of security, lulling us into a reassuring state that we are in control and that we have the power to do what we like so long as we can afford it. I feel very sorry for those who have lost a lot of money in the recent stock market crash. We have not because most of our assets are in our home, but that has also gone down in value and so has our business….Our financial shock started a few years ago and it absorbed much of our thoughts and time. It took away our power, our status and a sense of control.

Of course we never really had much power or control anyway but the perception can be reassuring. The Bible warns us of assuming too much: “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16)

Our financial situation is more threatening now than when we first experienced a downturn in our personal finances. However, it seems so much better because we no longer expect to be in control. Martyn and I worry less and pray more and Jesus gives us encouragement and reassurance. Recently our van “died”. Martyn suggested that we should pray and soon after a good friend gave us one of his cars. It had belonged to his wife who had died a year ago and he very kindly offered it to us. Meanwhile, the talented Welsh man who has been working on our roof applied his technical skills to our van. He managed to salvage it and now that California has re-introduced the scheme to pay money to car owners whose cars fail the smog test, we will now receive $1,000 dollars for the vehicle. A few weeks later, I was handed a $100.00 visa card at church. Minutes before I had told a friend that we were enjoying an opportunity for kids to find out mote about the Bible in our home, but feeding teenage boys regularly could be expensive. The gift was perfectly timed and was a reassurance that Jesus understands and cares about what we are doing. I believe that the givers will be blessed for they are significantly involved in God’s work.

At different times in our lives we may have much or little money, but it is important that we do not let it, or other concerns, dominate our thoughts, words and actions. I can say with confidence that Jesus will take care of us. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that Jesus can very competently deal with our worries: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all that he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything that we can understand.” This does not mean that we complain at God but rather that we should trust Him with the outcome with a thankful and faithful heart.

Unless we re-focus our lives and yield control to Jesus, we are in danger of looking like the seeds in the parable about the sower (Matthew 13) that started to grow but they were choked by the thorns. Verse 22 explains that “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.” Isn’t it ironic that stressing about life’s worries and pursuing wealth as a life goal can actually prevent us from being fruitful as Christians. In fact these people, along with those who give up as a result of persecution (verse 21and blog post: “Christians should expect persecution“) are in danger of falling away completely. They may earn lots of money but in the end this will not solve the eternal issues of life and death and peace, and our need for the wonderful presence of Jesus in our lives. Let’s not crowd out Jesus with other distractions.

In answer to the question “Could money worries be fatal?”, the answer is yes. Not only are we more likely to suffer an early heart attack but also a preoccupation with money can prevent us worshiping the one who can give us everlasting life. This would be fatal.

Christian Women Respond: trust Jesus completely whether you do or don’t have much money.

www.WomenRespond icom

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Could money worries be fatal?

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Isn’t it a tragedy that many men and women are living miserable lives, refusing to listen to Jesus and failing to receive the healing that He wants to offer us. We must challenge ourselves to consider whether we are really giving Jesus our full attention and receiving the healing that we need. Stubbornly refusing to pay attention to Jesus is like a foolish person refusing to go to the doctor when he is hardly able to breathe. Jesus offers much more than an inhaler to help an asthma sufferer breathe. He offers life in its fullness as well as eternal life, for Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.”

Some people do listen temporarily to Jesus’ words, but not for long enough to receive long lasting benefit. Many of us are a bit like the patient who goes once to the doctor but does not actually take the medicine or return for future treatment. We can’t really blame the physician when we remain sick and neither can we blame Jesus if we do not allow Him to help us.

In Jesus’ parable some of the seed fell on “rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.”( Matthew 13:5-6). Jesus explains in verses 20-21 that this type of person hears God’s Word ‘with joy’ to start with but this is short lived for,”As he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.”

This is a real wake up call isn’t it? The church in the west has got used to having it easy. Typically, many Christians do not see the need to immerse themselves in the Bible because they enjoy a superficial awareness of Jesus. Sadly many pastors do not challenge their congregations to dig deep and to become mature Christians. Rather than expecting to be tested and challenged by difficult circumstances, many people who have a shallow belief in God, give up the moment they face difficulty. James wants us to expect trials and to rejoice in the maturity and strengthened faith that result from facing such challenges with Jesus: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1: 2-4)

It is essential that we realize that Christians must expect persecution in the same way that soldiers expect to be attacked. When we tell others the good news about Jesus (“sowing the seed”), we must not adapt the message to make it more acceptable. This might make us more popular but it would stop people discovering the only truth that can set them free. If we do not teach about sin and Hell, non Christians will not realize why they need Jesus’ offer of salvation. Christians are to suffer, and if we seek God’s help throughout the trial, our faith will become more mature and Christ like. Christians will be persecuted for their faith, just like Jesus was.

It is unpopular to teach that Jesus is the only way, and proclaiming a more tolerant message would lead to less opposition. However avoiding teaching the truth would lead to significant disappointment one day. Our goal must be to share the good news about Jesus and the bad news about our sinful state, irrespective of others’ responses. We need to explain that Jesus offers the only way to escape the eternal punishment that we deserve, and the only way to get to Heaven: a destination that so many look forward to. Instead of giving up, Paul describes how he and his companions respond to hunger and brutal persecution in 1 Corinthians 11-12: “When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it: when we are slandered, we answer kindly.”

Jesus will bless those who suffer or who are persecuted for His sake. We must not harden our hearts or give up the moment trouble or persecution challenge us, like a seedling that shrivels in the sun because it has so little root or depth. If you are experiencing opposition for being a Christian you are probably doing a good job of presenting Christ. Keep going, dig deeper into the Bible and persevere because Jesus loves you and your rewards in Heaven will be great. Our lives must not be about pain avoidance or seeking popularity now. “Now” is short lived but eternity is forever and our focus must be on pleasing the eternal king: Jesus.

www.WomenRespond.com

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Christians should expect persecution

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Our "lawn"

We covered the seed with wire netting, we added compost to the soil to make it richer and we watered it consistently when we remembered. I have to say “we” as, to be honest, my husband, Martyn, has been more wholehearted in his attempts to grow the grass than me.

Our livelihood does not rely on the success or the failure of our grass seed and nor does our eternal future. This is apparent because much of our grass has died thanks to the birds, rabbits, the scorching sun and the lack of water. We have left the ground bare. We have simply given up. For a farmer this would be a catastrophe but for us we simply put up with ugliness.

In Matthew 13 when Jesus told the story about the sower, it is likely that most understood seed sowing much better than me but they may have struggled to understand the meaning of Jesus’ story. Some of the seed fell on the path and was eaten by birds. In verse 18, Jesus explains that the soil is like a person’s heart and when the seed is immediately snatched away from the path it is like Satan snatching away the good news from a listener’s heart. Perhaps a friend shows a moment of interest during a conversation or after a Christian movie and then Satan distracts her or presents her with doubt or confusion.

Perhaps you are like I was when I was a teenager, when I did not believe in Satan or the Devil or Lucifer. These are all names for the enemy of Jesus who is also described in the Bible as “the father of lies” and the “evil one”. He is not an illusion but a cunning evil being who is more powerful than us but less powerful than Jesus. If we do not allow Jesus to help us, Satan will deceive us. No wonder many people fail to really hear the words of hope that Jesus offers. They are under his spell.

Please recognize that the power of darkness is very strong and unless we have specifically prayed for Jesus to set us free from Satan’s deception, we will be blinded by it. The Amplified version of the Bible explains that “the god of the world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds (that they should not discern the truth), preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), who is the Image and Likeness of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The little ‘g’ in the word god makes it clear that the one doing the blinding is not Almighty God but His enemy the devil.

If you agree with what I have written, I hope that you will see clearly that one of the reasons that many people are not Christians is because they are blinded by unbelief by a powerful and evil deceiver. If we did not take action by putting netting over our grass seed nothing would be left. The local birds would get fatter and fatter. Satan is compared with the birds in Jesus’ story.

Is there any preventative action that we can take to protect one another from Satan’s grip, like covering the seed with netting? Absolutely there is! In the most famous prayer in the Bible, the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, including “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” We are taught to resist Satan through prayer and as we do so we need to ask Christ to arm us with Spiritual armor for protection. This is described in Ephesians chapter 6. Paul exhorts us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6: 11-12).

We are not merely looking at a sweet story about birds and seed. Jesus’ story illustrates the threatening and dreadful attack of a supernatural enemy who has spiritual forces of evil under him. Let’s wake up from any ill informed lethargy and read Ephesians chapter 6. In prayer ask Jesus to equip you with the spiritual “armor” that you need and find Christian friends to join in the prayer battle. The Devil threatens the growth of all the seeds, trying to stop the growth of faith in human hearts. Jesus already won the battle when he died on the cross and rose again two thousand years ago. We must spend time reading His word, the Bible and praying for His protection. Wake up and pray, for human lives are at stake, including our own.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

The Devil blinds us from seeing the truth.

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