The Problem of Debt

For most of us in this country, not having enough money is not the real problem.  The real problem is not handling or managing the money we do have effectively.  What do I mean? Many Americans are overwhelmed by personal debt. A man earning $35,000 per year with no debts is far better off than a man earning seven figures who is over his head in debt. Facts are facts, folks! We are in a much better position financially when we don't owe anything to anyone! We can be more free to give generously to those who are really in need, we can save, we can invest wisely, and we can leave a financial legacy to our children.

The Bible speaks powerfully on these points. Consider these passages about debt:

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender" - Proverbs 22:7

"Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you." - Proverbs 22:26-27

God wants us to be free from debt so that we can better testify of what it means to be a good steward (manager) of everything He has given to us.

Let us beseech and pray earnestly to the God of heaven to release us from the bondage to debt, so that we as a people can be liberated to live as our Creator has intended us to live. 

What Do You Say?

What do you say to fellow Christians when it seems like everything else takes precedence over God?  How do you challenge your brothers and sisters in Christ who are supposed to know better? Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness … Matthew 6:33. The church is most certainly a part of the kingdom of God.  It is the body of Christ, the hands, feet, arms, & mouth of Jesus on earth.  Christians meet together for the express purposes of collective worship/praise, communion of the Lord’s Supper, and to hear a word of exhortation from those called/gifted in that area of ministry. 

But what happens when work, sports, prior engagements, family issues and other things begin to compete and even supersede the importance of meeting with the church during those designated times of the week?

Does the Bible encourage the meeting together of Christians?

Acts 2:46 - Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Acts 5:12 - The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Hebrews 3:13 - But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In all of these passages, there seems to be a common theme of meeting together, encouraging one another, breaking bread (meal/communion), and spurring each other on to deeper love and commitment to Christ.

What Do You Say? God has already spoken about this: Christians must make time with God and His people a priority!

AWESOME GOD – Part 2 

God is SO Awesome! My family and I went tubing today in the Delaware River, which took about half of our day.  We basked in warm 80 plus degree temperature, while floating on water.  The skies were blue, and the clouds were high and few.  There were little fish swimming in teams throughout the river that anyone could see, and there was a cool breeze that accompanied the delightful weather.  

I couldn’t help but praise God for His wonderful creation, His love and compassion toward us, and the freedoms that we enjoy here in the United States.  In fact, I remarked to my youngest daughter about the reality of our freedom in this country to do just about anything that we want. 

But that is not the point of this post.  The point of this post is to remind you (the reader) about how majestic God really is.  

Consider the following passages of Scripture: 

Psalm 19:1-4

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they display knowledge.
³ There is no speech or language
    where their voice is not heard.^[a]
4 Their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

King David (author of this psalm) expresses a heart-felt praise to the one true God of the universe for His wonderful creation! Nature teaches us about who God is, and how truly powerful He is.  If we will take a few minutes out of our busy day to reflect on the majestic qualities of God, His goodness toward each one of us, and how marvelous His plans are for our lives, there is no way that we can walk about from that meditation and not feel elated, joyful, and full of hope! 

God not only created this universe and made us part of it, but He desires for each of us to be in a personal relationship with Him.  

Remember: GOD WANTS YOU!!!!!!

AWESOME GOD – PART 1

My family and I are currently enjoying some vacation time. One of the great aspects of any vacation is the opportunity to travel to different places and do different things.  On this past Sunday, my family and I went down to Wildwood, NJ and had a lot of fun riding the water slides at Morey’s Piers. 

After our fun filled slide experience, we left the water park to walk on the boardwalk, grab something to eat, and visit some stores.  One of the stores that we went to sold a lot of apparel and gadgets unique to Wildwood. Aside from those articles, however, was something even more memorable.  The store sells hermit crabs.  I never had a hermit crab growing up as a boy, and never desired to have such a creature as a pet.  I was a typical kid who liked dogs, cats, parakeets, and fish.  But my kids have been asking me for a while to buy them a hermit crab.  Hermit crabs are interesting little creatures.  They are tiny little crabs that crawl into shells for protection.  As they continue to grow, they have to vacate their original shell and  move into a bigger one, and then into another bigger one.  

Today is day two since purchasing this little interesting creature, and we watched him eat his food this morning.  It was fascinating to see how he ate, and how he drinks water from a sponge.  

I remarked to my girls how powerful and awesome God is to create all that He has created.  Think about it, folks! You and I can only make something from something else that already exists. For example, as humans we can build houses from wood, build fireplaces from brick, make glass from sand, and erect skyscrapers from metal.  But ONLY God can create something out of nothing! Before this universe, there was God! 

Consider this passage of Scripture:

Romans 1:20

²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I encouraged my kids to think about how powerful a being must be to create LIFE! Not only that, but the creation showcases so many fascinating and wonderful creatures (including hermit crabs :). By the way, my kids named their hermit crab “Sherman.” Truth is, we don’t whether this hermit crab is male or female, but we all like the name “Sherman. “

GOD is GOOD! And GOD WANTS YOU!

Feeling Frustrated? ... Join the Club!

I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is the highest privilege that I know.  To know that I have a relationship with the creator of the universe is awesome! My sins are forgiven, I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me, I am a member of Christ's church (His living body on earth), and yet I am frustrated.  Why? That's the million dollar question.  

I am frustrated with what I have seen for so many years of my short lived life on earth.  I am frustrated about all of the division within Christianity.  I am tired of hearing 10 different ways of how to "get saved", a 100 different ways of how to worship God, a variety of books out there professing to be the word of God, and so many radically different messages coming from the pulpits on any given Sunday.  Pastors, Bishops, Preachers, and teachers all proclaim to speak the truth of God's word, and yet there are too many interpretations that lead to too many different practices. Why? Something is wrong with this picture, folks!

Consider these passages of Scripture and meditate:

• Psalm 133:1 ~ "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"
• John 17:22-23 ~ "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
• Acts 2:44 ~ "All the believers were together and had everything in common."
• Acts 4:32 ~ "All the believers were one in heart and mind."
• Romans 15:5 ~ "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus ..." 
• 1 Corinthians 1:10 ~ "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought."
• Ephesians 4:3 ~ "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

These passages of Scripture (both Old & New Testaments) affirm the will of God for His people to live in unity with each other.  But today we see a vastly different picture.  There are so many different denominations, and so many different opinions and interpretations about how to serve, honor, worship and obey the one true God.  

How can we all profess to worship the same God, and yet have so many vastly different interpretations of how to honor this God? Sometimes it is as simple as this: man wants to do things his way rather than God's way.  In taking that position, man finds himself ignoring God's word and thus creating new philosophies/ideologies that lead others away from the original paths of truth and unity.  

May God help each one of us seriously begin a journey of intensely reading, meditating, and obeying the word of God in our lives, and then encouraging others to do the same thing that we may return to the paths of truth and unity.  As the Scripture says, "There is one body and one Spirit —just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." ~ Ephesians 4:4-6   

GOD WANTS YOU!!