Category: Discipleship Foundations

Overcoming Barriers to Following Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)

Jesus warned that being his disciple is only for those who are willing to pay a price.

Because we are born with a sin nature and are inherently self-centered, we all tend to take the easy way, just as water seeks the path of least resistance. Very few embrace the difficult path by choice, but that is exactly what Jesus tells us to do. Is it any wonder that many of his would be disciples turned back from following him? Let’s look at some of the barriers to following Jesus that are listed in Luke’s gospel and see how we might overcome them.

Pressures from Family

If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26 (NLT)

One of the first hurdles every follower of Christ likely will face is the conflict between following Jesus and pleasing his or her family. Being a disciple is not something we do it our spare time. It is not something we tack on to our lives without fundamentally altering everything else. Following Jesus is more like gutting a home and totally remodeling it than simply rearranging the furniture. Following Jesus means that we love him more than any other person or thing. Our relatives may misinterpret our dedication to Christ as hatred toward them. Some followers of Christ have suffered the loss of their families. This is a painful test which many fail.

If we cannot put Jesus ahead of family, we will get mired into compromise and disobedience, and our testimony to the family will be ruined.

We can only walk with those with whom we can agree to follow the same path. (Amos 3:3) The only way to overcome this barrier is to steel ourselves against rejection and trust the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to put God ahead of everything else, even family.

Putting Our Own Interests First

And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 (NLT)

A cross was an horrible instrument of torture and death. Everyone who heard these words must have inwardly cringed. No one wanted to be crucified. Why would Jesus link following him with dying on a cross? This was not merely a metaphor. Many of his followers would die painful deaths for their allegiance to Jesus.

We are all inwardly motivated to preserve our lives, sometimes at all costs. The second barrier to discipleship is overcoming the impulse or habit to put ourselves first without regard for God’s will or the best interests of others. Being a disciple means we follow Jesus wherever he may lead and we fish for people. Sharing the gospel is potentially a dangerous business, especially in closed countries. But even here in the USA people may suffer for their declared allegiance to Christ and his teachings. Following Christ means we choose to embrace our Lord and the gospel, no matter what the personal cost. God has a vested interest in enlarging his family, which happens when the gospel is shared and believed.

People who do not yet know Christ have a desperate need to hear the gospel, which trumps our desire for self-preservation. Jesus calls his followers to put their self interests behind his and those they serve, trusting that God will take care of them.

Following Jesus may require us to make choices that may not always seem to be in our own best interests. In these cases we must choose Christ’s interests over our own.

These choices can involve to whom we relate , where we live, whom we marry, what job we take, how we spend our money and time, and possibly even whether we live or die. Martyrs make the choice to remain steadfast to Jesus at the cost of their own lives. This is the ultimate death to self, but the smaller day to day choices are what challenge most of us. The ability to put others first and trust God to take care of us is a true test of faith. Overcoming the barrier of self-interest can be done with God’s help. We must trust the Holy Spirit to do this deep work in our hearts.

Paying the Piper

But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29  Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30  They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31  “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32  And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33  So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. Luke 14:28-33 (NLT)

The third hurdle for every disciple is the financial cost of following Jesus, who is Lord of all, even our money. The rich young man chose not to follow Jesus because he was unwilling to part with his wealth. Wealth represents different things to different people. It can be our ticket to comfort and material things. For others it provides security. Still others imagine that it provides power, recognition, and esteem.

Parting with our money means we are willing to let go of what it gives us and choose to trust God to provide those things instead.

The rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-24) did not realize he loved money more than God. He was surprised that Jesus’ offer of a place in his discipleship band carried such a heavy price tag – giving away all his wealth. When faced with having to make a choice between keeping his money or following Christ, he chose the former, to his own detriment and sadness. Jesus does not want us to be caught by surprise as was the young ruler, but to intelligently consider the cost of discipleship prior to launching out on our journey with him.

Jesus claims the right to all we have because he is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. If he demands that we give it all away to please him, we must do that. The cost of discipleship is more than monetary, however. Following Jesus will cost us our time, energy, freedom, family relationships, and may even impinge on our health. We must be willing to pay any and every price in order to follow Jesus. (Read Acts 4:34-37.) What financial cost have you paid to follow Jesus? What other costs have you incurred?

Overcoming this barrier requires that we honestly face our relationship with money and choose to put God first, trusting the Holy Spirit to develop faith in us that God is our ultimate Provider.

The Willingness to Endure Conflict

Anyone who chooses to follow Jesus will experience resistance and conflict. Spiritual warfare comes from the devil and from people who have a worldly perspective and are thus, often unwittingly, aligned with Satan. Our enemy seeks to harass, intimidate, demoralize, and stop the work of God. The more important our call and role is in God’s kingdom, the more intense the warfare we should expect. God does not want us to be surprised by this, nor does he want us to surrender. God has made his children more than conquerors, but it takes courage and perseverance to overcome the enemy.

Spiritual warfare does not always show up the way we might expect.

Suddenly everything may seem to start “going wrong.” Appliances or automobiles break. Loved ones get sick. Strife erupts. Discouragement pays a visit. Unless we are alert, we may be well on our way to losing the battle without even knowing that we are under attack.

Disciples need to be alert and determined to acknowledge and praise God in all things because we truly believe Romans 8:28. Once we understand that we are in warfare, it actually gets easier to make a stand.

We cannot afford to be uninformed and oblivious to the devil’s tactics. (Read Ephesians 6:10-18.)

What was the most costly conflict you have endured thus far that came as a result of being a disciple of Jesus? Were you surprised when it happened? Had you already made up your mind to push through it, or did you have to regroup? Have any loved ones suffered as a result of your commitment to Jesus? How is this different from personal suffering?

Overcoming this barrier to discipleship requires that we choose up front to keep going when we encounter conflict and resistance – spiritual warfare. Retreat and surrender cannot be an option. Double minded people are unstable and often abandon ship in the midst of a storm. Ask the Holy Spirit to inwardly fortify you to endure warfare.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT)

Giving Up Everything

The last instruction Jesus gave to his followers was to renounce everything they owned. When we declare allegiance to Christ at water baptism, unknown to many, Jesus gets us to sign a blank check. He will choose when, where, and how much the amount will be collected, up to everything we have.

It is one thing to agree to the principle of Jesus’ ownership of everything, but it is quite another to deliberately renounce our “rights” to all we own.

Renunciation makes it official. All we have belongs to Jesus and every good gift comes from God. He allows us to use it as he sees fit, and we should be ready to dispose of it at a moment’s notice. Whoa! Did just write that? Yes, I did.

Renunciation does not mean we do not appreciate or get to enjoy what God has given us. It means nothing “owns” us but God.

This is not necessarily a one and done proposition. We will probably need to continually disentangle ourselves from the pull of what we have until the day we let go of it all at death. He does not require the same things at the same time from everyone. We cannot compare ourselves to others in this matter. Ours is to faithfully follow our Lord.

Prayer

Jesus, I choose to be your disciple and I embrace the cost. I choose my relationship with you over all my other relationships. I am willing to be rejected by people who may misunderstand or hate my loyalty to you. My desire is for my family and friends to walk together with me on this journey of faith, but, if need be, I choose to put you ahead of them, no matter how much it hurts to do so. Lord, forgive me for loving myself more than I love you. I purpose to put you first from now on. Help me to boldly embrace any persecution or suffering which may accompany boldly witnessing to you and sharing the gospel. I choose to carry my cross daily and put your will over mine whenever there is a conflict. Lord, I give you my finances. All I have came from you and belongs to you, and I give it back to you. Help me to never back away from any cost associated with following you, even if it means death. Help me never to retreat or surrender to the attacks from Satan and those who serve him. I renounce everything I have – my relationships, my choices, my money, my right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, my comfort, my time, my peace – so that I can please you. I know that you will give me back more than I can ever give you. I totally depend on your grace and Holy Spirit to enable me to follow you as a disciple. Allow me to be an encourager to all those who call on your name. Amen.

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Repentance: Being Honest with God

 

 

 

 

 

Repentance requires us to move from self-justification to admitting that God is right about our sin.

King David perfectly exemplified what it means to be on God’s side when it comes to sin.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2  Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. Psalm 51:1-4 (NLT)

Opposed to this, after choosing to eat the fruit God had forbidden them on the pain of death, Adam and Eve chose to play the blame game instead of honesty acknowledging their sin.

Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10  He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11  “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” 12  The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 13  Then the LORD God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” Genesis 3:9-13 (NLT)

The only proper way to repent is to be straightforward about our sin and to side with God.

The minute we try to evade the truth, deny our responsibility, shift blame, minimize what we did, or otherwise be less than candid, we fail when it comes to repentance.

Paul said it very well in his Letter to the Romans.

...Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” Romans 3:4 (NLT)

Since God knows all about us, even down to the hidden motivations of the heart, isn’t it reasonable and advisable to be absolutely honest about our sin?

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

When we chose to repent, the Bible says that we come “into the light.” The act of exposing our sin to the light is part of what is necessary for us to experience God’s freeing forgiveness.

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:7-10 (NLT)

It is shocking to consider that refusing to admit the truth about our sinfulness is the same as calling God a liar, but that is what it says! The natural propensity of our human nature is to do just that, however. Jesus said it this way.

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:19-21 (NLT)

Our refusal to be honest about our sins is based on fear.

We are afraid to admit how evil we are because it is so disconcerting to us. We usually imagine that we are far better than we really are. It is also based on the fear that God will reject us because of our sin, but that cannot be true. God chose us in Christ before he created the world. (Ephesians 1:4) He chose us in advance, knowing full well all our faults, weaknesses, and future sins. When Jesus died on the cross, the forgiveness he provided extended back through time to include those who died in faith before his resurrection and forward in time to include all future children of God.

Knowing that God chose us despite everything should give us great confidence to be honest with him. Do we believe he loves us or not?

Being honest about our sins and taking God’s side are marks of genuine repentance and a gateway into freedom. (John 8:31-32)

Prayer

Lord, I am tired of hiding from you and refusing to be honest about my sin. I choose now to admit that I am guilty of (state your particular sins). Thank you loving me and forgiving me. Help me to live “in the light.” Let me experience freedom in this area of my life. Amen.

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Repentance: Mind, Heart, Will, and Faith

 

 

 

 

A Matter of the Heart

Have you ever had someone apologize to you under duress, but you knew they did not mean it? It usually goes something like this: if I hurt you, I am sorry. This sort of thing is forced upon little children by well-meaning parents. We repent because we know we are supposed to do it, but our hearts are not in it.

Repentance that does not come from the heart is fairly worthless.

The basic definition of repentance is a change of mind, but that does not mean it is mere intellectual assent. If it does not extend all the way to the heart, it is not real. It may start with mental comprehension of a wrong done, but it should impact the emotions, too. Paul wrote about the emotional side of repentance when he addressed a sin issue in the church in Corinth. Before his letter, the church members were not sorry for what was happening in the church. They had not chosen to deal with a man who was having sexual relations with his step-mother, a serious offense that even the pagans thought was heinous. Paul rebuked the church by letter, and thankfully they dealt with the situation, expelling the unrepentant sinner. Later he repented and was restored, which was the hope all along. Here is what Paul wrote in the aftermath.

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 11  Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NLT)

Engaging the Will

Most of us have encountered people who have some besetting sin to which they have succumbed, such as alcoholism, for example. Plenty of alcoholics, if they are not in denial, will sorrowfully acknowledge they have a problem, while making little or no effort to overcome their addiction. This happens all the time when drunk panhandlers ask people for money. They are sorrowful, but unrepentant. They have not changed their mind about sinning: they simply admit they have a problem.

This is not repentance. It is not from the heart, and it is not a true change of mind because the will has never been engaged.

Real repentance was demonstrated by many people in the Bible. King David was a good example. He sinned against God and one of his most loyal friends when he committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and deliberately arranged to have Uriah killed in battle to cover it up. He concealed this sin for at least nine months, the opposite of repentance. After the baby was born, Nathan the prophet confronted David about his sin. It was at this point that David broke, repented from the heart, and changed his ways. He chose to make things right as best he could. Here is the psalm he wrote at the time. This was heartfelt repentance that engaged the will.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2  Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. Psalm 51:1-4 (NLT)

Combining Repentance with Faith

David revealed that, despite his sin, he had faith that he still could turn to God.

True repentance has a faith component.

The apostle Peter is another example of real repentance. After he denied the Lord, he wept, exhibiting a strong emotional component. But would he change his ways, too, or simply slink away in shame, never to be heard from again? After Jesus’ resurrection, when Peter saw the Lord, he ran to him to seek forgiveness and be reconciled. Peter’s repentance combined a change of mind, emotional sorrow, a choice to make things right, and it was accompanied by faith, making it real.

Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders, also felt remorse, but he had no faith that he could be forgiven. Instead of running to the Lord, he hung himself. Faith makes the difference. It’s one thing to be sorry for something, but quite another thing to actively seek forgiveness, try to make things right, and turn to God in the belief that we can be forgiven.

Biblical repentance combined with faith leads to forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.

Perhaps this meditation has made you realize that you need to repent in some area. Don’t delay. Strike while the iron is hot. It is easy to put things off… forever. Tell God you are sorry. Seek to make things right. Ask for and receive forgiveness. Choose to stop sinning, as you rely on the Spirit’s help. We cannot change on our own, but God will transform us from the inside out.

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Repentance Is Loving the Truth

 

 

 

 

 

In his Letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul teaches us that societies degenerate when they deliberately suppress the truth about God.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19  They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22  Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. Romans 1:18-22 (NLT)

What we believe about God affects everything.

Since we were designed by God to live in a vital life-giving dependence upon his Spirit, when we deny this relationship, everything breaks down, even our ability to think.

Today we see this all around us. Those of us who accept the Bible’s testimony look at some of our government leaders, media figures, and even our neighbors and scratch our heads, wondering how they could be so blind and foolish. The answer is simple, they suppressed the truth about God and have become utter fools.

When Jesus walked the earth, the Bible says that “the Word became human.” (John 1:14 NLT) In other words, he was God’s truth in human form. Jesus confirmed this.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

Satan stands in complete opposition to the truth. He brought down all of humanity and the creation by enticing us to believe a lie about God. Jesus called the Devil the “father of lies,” (John 8:44) who came to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10)

Lies have been the basis of Satan’s attack upon the human race since the Garden of Eden. Believing lies, therefore, is a sinful rejection of God.

Rejecting truth is a form of idolatry that permeates humanity. It is only as we come back into the orbit of God’s truth that we can be saved. Repentance is the process through which God helps us to do this.

Those who humbly embrace the Bible’s true testimony about Jesus will be saved.

Those who refuse pave their own road to hell. The apostle Paul wrote about this, with a specific reference to the end times.

This man [the antichrist] will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10  He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NLT)

None of us knows precisely where we are in the end times, but we do know that each day brings us closer to Christ’s Second Coming. We also plainly see that deception is increasing all around us. The mainstream media has been engaged in mass deception and propaganda for years. Our schools teach little children that humans evolved, thus suppressing the truth about God the Creator. Our government and Hollywood seeks to normalize homosexuality.

The assault on truth is so pervasive that it is hard to know what to believe any more, unless we have the Bible as our anchor.

Truth suppression is the devil’s strategy to take as many people with him into the lake of fire as possible. Repentance and embracing the truth is our only hope.

Prayer

Perhaps you have never surrendered to Jesus, the Truth, or accepted God’s revealed truth in the Bible, but now you want to do that. Here is a sample prayer you might use to take care of business with God right now.

Jesus, I am worn out by trying to live apart from you. I admit that I need you. Today I surrender my life to you. Jesus, I acknowledge and receive you as the Truth, the Lord, and my Savior. I give you my life, my all. Please forgive my many sins. Spirit of God, help me to embrace your truth found in the Bible and help me to yield to your leading in my life from this time forward. Amen!

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What Is Repentance?

 

 

 

 

 

When Jesus started his public ministry, his first message was to repent.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 (ESV)

The Greek word for repentance” is metanoia, which means a change of mind or thinking.

Simply put, to repent is to alter our way of thinking so that it conforms to God’s truth and his will.

Repentance has a broad application. Whenever the Holy Spirit and God’s Word convict us that our thinking or behavior is out of step with God’s plan and purpose for our lives, we must turn away from our old way of thinking and acting and toward God’s new way. This means that we agree with God and stop insisting on going our own way.

A change of thinking, if heart felt, will always eventually lead to a change of behavior; otherwise, repentance is not real.

The most fundamental type of repentance necessary for a person to become a follower of Christ is to recognize who Jesus is and act accordingly. Notice how Peter called his hearers to surrender to Jesus the Lord.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” Acts 2:36-39 (ESV)

True repentance does not merely focus on some specific sin or behavior: it addresses our determination to live independently from God.

Repentance calls us to lay down our pride and admit that we have a serious problem: we are fatally flawed at the core of our being and hostilely oriented toward God. Our fatal flaw is an inherited sin nature, which is the source of our hostility.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Colossians 1:21 (NLT)

Admitting we have a sin nature requires us to admit we need a Savior and cannot save ourselves. We do not have the inherent goodness or moral fortitude to live a life of perfect obedience and submission to God. If we did, Jesus died needlessly. Although the admission of our sinfulness and need for a Savior is difficult for us because of our pride, it is easier than the next aspect of repentance, which focuses on Jesus’ Lordship.

It is one thing to admit we need forgiveness and saving, but it is something else to relinquish the “right” to our lives to Jesus. There are plenty of so called Christians who have opted for eternal security from hell’s flames but who have never bowed the knee to Jesus as the Lord of their lives. This is a complete contradiction of the meaning of repentance.

The source of our desire to be independent goes back to the garden of Eden. Our insistence of doing life on our own is a fundamental rejection of God, who is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. He never intended for us to go it alone. He wants us to live in a joyful and fulfilling partnership with his Spirit. Repentance opens the door into our experiencing through Christ what alone brings eternal life and happiness.

The most fundamental and necessary form of repentance is surrender to Jesus in every aspect of life.

If we fail to do this, it is doubtful that we are his disciples. If we fail to repent of our independent orientation, we remain essentially hostile toward God. It is rebellion all dressed up in Christian clothes.

Repentance, then, is the everyday act of surrendering ourselves to Jesus.

As we read the Scriptures and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we will be tested in this area on a daily basis. Repentance is not a one time event. We are born again once and for all, but we must repent daily. It is vital that we  maintain a heart that is open and pliable in regard to repentance. Otherwise we run the risk of becoming hardened in sin and deceived.

Application

  • If you have never consciously and intentionally surrendered everything to Jesus the Lord, now is the time.

Here is a sample prayer. Jesus, I recognize that you are the Messiah King of Israel and the Lord of my life. I surrender ownership of my life and all I have, including my dreams, relationships, money, hopes, family, friends, ministry, job, health, and everything else to you. I recognize your right to my life, since you are my Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. You can ask me to do anything, and I trust you with my life. With the help of your Spirit, I will obey you. Amen.

  • Each day as we spend time reading and meditating on the Scriptures and in prayer, we should listen attentively to the promptings of God’s Spirit and seek to obey them. This will include turning from sin and embracing areas of obedience that are difficult for us.

Here is another sample prayer. Jesus, open my heart to hear your voice as I read the Bible, pray, and go through my day. Thank you for grace to always obey you in every area of my life. Forgive me when I fail and help me to truly repent day by day as my life is transformed by the Spirit to be more and more like yours. Amen.

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Are You Stuck? Confused? Desperate?

 

 

 

 

 

Life is a journey with plenty of ups and downs, easy times and difficulties. All of us must make important choices along the way, and these decisions often have far reaching consequences. Sometimes we can back away from a bad decision and get back on the right path. Other decisions we make tend to lock us into a bad outcome that may leave us feeling stuck, confused, or desperate.

All believers have the Bible to guide them. It is up to us to study God’s word and familiarize ourselves with the truths it teaches, seeking to apply them to each life situation.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

In addition, Jesus is the Lord of life and positions himself at every fork in the road in each of our life journeys, offering his guidance and protection, if we will choose to walk with him. All believers are indwelled by God’s own Spirit who guides us from within. Every follower of Christ has the ability to hear his voice and sense his guidance.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; John 10:27 (NASB)

Even when we do not have any objective way to discern his voice, we know that the Spirit guides us nevertheless in imperceptible ways.

These pivotal forks in the road on our life journey test our willingness to follow the Spirit and our ability to trust in God and his power, protection, provision, wisdom, and love.

If we are not yet at a place where we are able to trust in God, we generally try to figure out things for ourselves and rely on whatever strengths and understanding we think we have. By nature, we generally tend to become independent operators in a world which God designed for us to continually depend on him. Whenever we choose to walk alone, it often leads to an increasingly difficult and confusing path, causing much consternation and, eventually, desperation. Sin invariably produces bad consequences, even if they are slow in coming.

If we choose to walk away from Jesus and his path for us, he will pursue us, using the difficulties that we encounter will help us to come to our senses and return to him and his path of life.

People tend to get stuck in life when we are unable to trust God in some area and fail to take the road Jesus offers. There are multiple reasons why we get stuck: fear, pride, rebelliousness, greed, lust, and the list goes on. Basically, we get stuck or choose wrong paths when we love something or someone more than we love God. This is what the Bible calls idolatry. Idols can do nothing for us except strip us of our dignity and drain the very life out of us. Serving false gods is based on having false beliefs and false hopes. Jesus is the only One who offers real life and hope. He is the only One who can be safely trusted.

Are you stuck? Have you become increasingly aware that somewhere along the way you took a wrong turn, and now things have gotten dark and confusing? Are you finally ready to surrender your life to Jesus? You can be assured that he has been keeping a watchful eye upon you, waiting for the turnaround. If you return to him, he will never ever reject or belittle you. Instead, he will place your feet back on the highway of life and remove the desperation and confusion. It’s good to be back under the Shepherd’s care.

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. 20  Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21  Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. 22  Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!” Isaiah 30:19-22 (NLT)
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Faith’s Reward

 

 

 

 

 

Faith is the lynch pin upon which hangs our salvation. The author of Hebrews spent an entire chapter illustrating this (Hebrews 11), which he summarized as follows.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

Faith is the central thing God is looking for in us. We really don’t bring a whole lot to the table when we approach God besides faith. As we covered in the first article in this series, faith is loyalty to God because we are convinced that he is absolutely trustworthy. Faith honors God. Our faith opens the door for everything else. God sends his Spirit to indwell and transform those who believe, propelling us toward God’s goal for our lives – that we become like Jesus.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:28-29 (NLT)

God’s honor and glory is always the most important thing, but, since our Lord is the kindest and most loving Being, he always chooses to share what he has with those who trust in him.

Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) administered by the Spirit of God, who is also called the Spirit of faith (2 Corinthians 4:13). We cooperate with God’s gift and Spirit by choosing to believe the gospel message of his resurrection from our hearts and giving Christ our full allegiance.

The Christian life can be thought of as an opportunity to display our loyalty to Christ, no matter what we may encounter.

Thinking of faith as allegiance helps make sense of why God allows us to face and endure difficulties, tests, and trials of our faith. As we maintain our faithfulness in the midst of these things, it brings great glory to God. And God, the most generous beings of all, will not let such allegiance go unrewarded.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4  and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5  And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 6  So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:3-7 (NLT)

Therefore, the difficulties and tests we face in life are not pointless exercises in frustration and futility. Quite the opposite, seen in the correct light, they are God-given opportunities to earn eternal reward by maintaining loyalty to our unseen God.

Jesus accomplished this when he died on the cross. He kept his eyes on the reward by faith, which gave him the strength and endurance to continue faithful to the end.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)

Never cast away your faith. It has a great reward.

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)
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Faith Is Boldly Courageous

 

 

 

 

 

By its nature, faith takes action. God is not fearfully passive, and neither are people of faith. Faith is convinced that what God says is true and lives accordingly. When we know that God is our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer – Provider – Lord who keeps his promises, it gives us an enormous amount of confidence. If God will always be with us and has our back in every situation, we know that we can act boldly and courageously. If we know that God is ultimately in control of every situation, we can joyfully encounter the unknown and thrive in the midst of uncertainty. If we are convinced that death cannot defeat us, that life extends beyond the grave, and that Jesus holds the keys of hell and death, we can boldly face death and suffering.

Faith is known by its boldness and courage.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about Gideon, the timid man that God converted into a mighty warrior and leader of Israel. I will not recount the story here, but I encourage you to read it in its entirety. (Judges 6-7) Suffice it to say that God took a man who was afraid of his enemies and too timid to lead and made him into a fearless warrior who led Israel to victory in a battle against ridiculous odds. It was possible because God convinced him that he would always be with him. When God is with us, it is enough. That is what he told Moses (Exodus 3:11-12), Joshua (Joshua 1:5), and what he tells us. (John 14:16-17)

The first key to boldness and courage is knowing that God will always be with us.

A second component of the boldness and courage that belong to faith is being sure to what God has called us to do and embracing it.  Going back to Gideon, it took quite a bit of convincing to get that man to buy into God’s seemingly outlandish plan, but when he did, there was no turning him back. The steps in Gideon’s development were as follows:

  1. The Call. God called Gideon a mighty warrior and proceeded to give him a job to deliver Israel from her enemies. The call seemed crazy to Gideon, but he was willing to go with God on a faith journey. God revealed himself to Gideon as Jehovah-Shalom, the God who is peace, as he set him on a collision course with the enemies of God. God gives us peace as we stand strong in faith against God’s enemies.
  2. The First Test. God commanded Gideon to confront the idolatry in his family and tribe. If he could face the wrath of his own people, it would help prepare him to take on a vast enemy army. God was with him and protected him after he tore down the community altar to a false god.
  3. The Commission to Do the Impossible. God called Gideon to lead Israel into battle against an enemy whose forces were astronomically larger than his. It made no sense, but God went to great pains and was very patient with our reluctant hero in order to convince him that it was really God asking him to do this. Once that happened, Gideon was fearless. Faith enters our hearts when we know for sure what God wants us to do.
  4. The Victory. Gideon followed God’s specific instructions and led 300 God-selected men against an army of 135,000. That is 450 to 1! Numbers do not matter to God. All that matters to him is having people who boldly and courageously follow him.

Jesus called his disciples to go to “war” against equally impossible odds. The Jewish leaders and the Roman empire opposed them and their message. Jesus taught his disciples to boldly face death and persecution as his representatives, which they did. The early disciples were convinced that the Spirit of God was with them, that the gospel message would eventually triumph, and that death and pain were nothing to be feared. As John wrote:

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11  And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. 12  Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” Revelation 12:10-12 (NLT)

My friends, I hope this meditation does not seem to be to you a lesson in ancient history. The accuser of the brethren, the devil, is still at work. We see him in operation on a daily basis as the politics of the day plays out. Our president has been constantly accused of being treasonous and illegitimate since his election. Those who follow the media have heard the chorus for his impeachment literally “day and night.” Those who vilify and curse authority are at war with God himself, who is the one who appoints all authority.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. Romans 13:1-2 (NLT)

Whether or not leaders are righteous, we are still called to respect and obey them whenever they do not command us to do things that oppose God’s commands or our conscience. We should not think for a moment that the Left is merely opposing our president. We are in the midst of a movement to overthrow all vestiges of Christianity in our country.

Many Christians are concerned with what they perceive to be the increasing secularization of popular culture today. They express concern that Christianity will one day become hated and persecuted in America as it is in much of the world. That day may not be far off. (Life Site News)

Those who seek to conserve the founding values of our nation were described by then President Obama as “bitter” people” who cling to guns, religion, and hatred of those unlike them. This does not do justice to the Christians I know who oppose the godless drift of our culture and nation, but who care about their neighbors. As the nation rapidly shifts to a “Progressive” (shall we be honest and say, “communist”?) mindset, those who hold to Christ and his teachings are being positioned more and more like a group of people who stand in the way of enlightened progress. It is not hard to imagine the nation turning on us. I believe that we must prepare ourselves for the persecution that is surely coming. My friends, the Last Days are upon us.

Whether or not such a Last Days scenario actually develops in the near future, followers of Christ are called, like Gideon, to face up to a seemingly unconquerable foe, our culture, with courage and zeal.

We are not fighting with conventional weapons of war. We do battle in the spiritual realm.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

Part of the genius of Christianity is that we overcome by spiritual means – the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and courageous faith often leading to martyrdom.

Perhaps we will one day take our place in the history of Christianity alongside other martyrs. We shall see. Be strong in faith.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 14  And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT)
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Faith Versus Magic

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus taught that people utter whatever fills their hearts. This applies to truth tellers and liars. What is inside is going to come out. We might think of the mouth as the pressure vent of the soul.

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35  "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36  "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37  "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:34-37 (NASB)

When we hear people lie, curse, mock, belittle, accuse, and vilify authority, we know that what fills their hearts is inspired by Satan, who is the arch rebel, liar, and destroyer.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14  “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16  in their paths are ruin and misery, 17  and the way of peace they have not known.” 18  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:12-18 (ESV)

In contrast, when love for God and his truth fills us, it will be revealed in words of affirmation, praise, and faith.

Faith is the conviction that God is loving, kind, powerful, and utterly trustworthy and true to his promises. When we receive a promise from God by faith, it is the most natural thing in the world to share it aloud.

The night I first came to believe in Jesus, I immediately told my friends and dorm mates who were still awake. How could I not? I had just met the Creator of the universe, the risen Lord! I discovered that he is knowable and loves us! Everyone needs to know this, and I had to tell it. When we see how loving, kind, and generous God is, we want to tell others.

Making a good confession is the overflow of a grateful heart.

Over the years, however, I have observed another type of “confession” of faith that to me seems more like an attempt to control God and get the outcome we want through saying the right words. People who do this seem to believe that God will not bless us unless we maintain a correct attitude and expression of faith, which includes saying the proper faith words and not speaking words of doubt or unbelief. Although there is some truth to this position, I believe it tends toward what I call “magical” thinking and treats making a faith confession like reciting an incantation.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines an incantation as “a written or recited formula of words designed to produce a particular effect.” Many people confess words of faith in this manner, thinking that, if they say the right words over and over, being careful to avoid any negative words of doubt, God is bound to do what they confess.

Some even go so far as to say we create our own reality through our confession. This firmly plants on our shoulders the responsibility to obtain what God has promised by saying the right things. It portrays God as a rather stern legalist who blesses people if they keep the rules, but withholds blessings when they slip up. I strongly disagree with this view. We are already blessed with all blessings in Christ. Gaining this understanding causes faith to well up in our hearts, which will result in our confessing that faith. We don’t have to manipulate God through clever words to get his blessings. They are already ours.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)

Unenlightened people over the centuries have tried to use religion to control outcomes. Witchcraft by definition is an attempt to control people and situations through using spells, incantations, curses, and other means that employ the activity and power of demon spirits and evil. Those who try to control and use malevolent beings and power for their own purposes have to make an allegiance with the “dark” side. The Bible expressly forbids this. We should certainly never attempt to manipulate the powers of evil on our behalf. Neither should we think that God can be so manipulated. We serve him; not he us.

The God revealed through Christ and the New Testament writings is so completely committed to us that it is strange to think that anyone would believe that he requires us to say things “just so” in order to get him to bless us.

While our words are extremely important, God is not a stern taskmaster who is looking for any slip up in order to deny us what we need and want. I have been around many people who are battling cancer, but who are afraid of saying the “c” word, lest by doing so they somehow give that disease power over them. This is a very harmful form of magical thinking. Either we have cancer or we do not.

We need to be realists who accept that in our fallen world we have to face the reality of sickness and death. In fact, we cannot be healed unless we are first sick.

People who cannot even admit they are sick are living in a form of self-deception. Fear is usually the culprit that leads to such behavior. I remember hearing of a case when a young man’s family would not allow any person in the room with him as he was in the last stages of dying from pancreatic cancer, unless their confession of faith and healing was in alignment with the family’s. They apparently feared that a visitor’s unbelief might block his healing. How tragic. People who loved this young man were not allowed to comfort him as he prepared to transition into eternity. It is a very different thing to encourage a person to be healed and to prepare someone to die well. Dying is part of our human experience, and doing so in faith and peace is a mighty testimony, just as healing is. Think about it: healing is always a temporary stay of our confrontation with death.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) )

The God of the New Covenant is the initiator of our salvation. He chose us to be his friends and family before the world began. Christ died for us when we were still his enemies. (Romans 5:8-10) God gave us his best, his own Son, freely and without reserve.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Romans 8:31-32 (NLT)

Why would we think that he would be hesitant to bless us, and maybe even refuse to heal or provide for us, unless we perfectly profess a testimony of faith?

What many people fail to grasp is that God is predisposed to bless us. Christ earned our blessings for us.

He is not looking for reasons to withhold good things from us. He has already given us all blessings in Christ. He does want us to grow in our trust in him and his promises. He may take us through some difficult tests and trials in life to develop faith in us, but he is a loving Father who carefully superintends the entire process.

I suppose that people try to use a good confession to “make” God bless them because they do not know or believe how much God loves them.

Their view of God does not line up with how the Bible presents him. For example, Abraham and Sarah both laughed at God’s promise that they would have a son in their old age, but God did not reject them or take back his word. Jacob complained that everything was against him, just before discovering that God had actually been working continually behind the scenes to give him the biggest blessing of his life – seeing Joseph again and having all his family’s needs supplied during a terrible famine. Gideon struggled with unbelief, but God did not cast him off. Jeremiah struggled with despondency at times, but God still used him mightily. Peter actually denied the Lord three times but was restored because he believed that Jesus still loved him. Thomas refused to believe that Jesus rose from the dead until our Lord appeared physically to him and told him to put his hand in his side and his finger in the nail holes. Does this sound like a God who would cut off a blessing to us if we fail to properly confess faith or dare to say the dreaded “c” word?

Confessing what we believe should be an natural response of a heart full of faith, not a contrived and contorted means to earn a blessing from a hesitant God.

Faith comes first, then the confession. When we get it backward, we start trying to confess our way to faith. Real faith knows it already has what God has promised and is unafraid to say so.

Magical faith is not sure that God can be trusted to bless us on his own and believes it must constrain God by properly saying incantational faith words.

Consider the following passage.

And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22  And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23  And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25  And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” Mark 9:21-25 (ESV)

The father of this demonized boy had very imperfect faith, but he knew enough to come to Jesus and not let go. That was what Jesus was looking for.

If saying, “I believe; help my unbelief!” is all it takes to persuade Jesus to help us, this is a bar most of us can get over.

Jacob was riddled with doubts and fears for most of his adult life, but his relationship with God was real and was based on God’s choice of him. (Romans 9:13) As he prepared to meet his brother Esau after years of being apart, he was terrified that his brother was going to harm him, as he promised he would do years earlier. The 400 armed men with Esau did nothing to calm his fears. The night before this reunion, Jacob wrestled with an angel from God. The angel overpowered him and commanded him to let him go, but Jacob said these very important words.

...“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26 (ESV)

Faith is a personal relationship with God. It understands that God’s heart is to bless us because he has chosen us before the foundation of the world and loves us dearly. Faith knows that since God has already given us Jesus, all other blessings come with him. Faith knows that it can hold tight to God until it receives all the blessings God has already given us in Christ. Faith knows that God loves us and is the greatest giver of all.

Faith rests in God’s loving generosity. It has no use for magic.

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Faith Produces Good Works

 

 

 

 

 

There is an apparent conflict between faith and works in the Bible. Paul taught that we are saved or made right with God by faith “apart from works.” (Romans 3:28) James, on the other hand, stressed that good works are necessary and actually prove the reality of our faith. (James 2:18) Is it possible to reconcile these two seemingly opposite views? Certainly, and it is not even difficult.

Paul meant that our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross and in his resurrection makes us right with God, something keeping the Law could never do (Galatians 2:16), since we are unable to keep its requirements (Romans 8:3). In other words, Christ’s work on our behalf saves us, if we put our complete trust in him. Jesus confirmed this way of thinking by his response to a direct question.

Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" 29  Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." John 6:28-29 (NASB)

For Jesus (and us), putting one’s confidence and allegiance in him was a “work.” Faith in Christ requires that we follow him and his teachings. It means being radically committed to the kingdom of God. It is not mere intellectual assent or passive acknowledgement of his person and ministry. It is indeed a work because it produces something.

Faith resides in the heart and is manifested through our words and deeds.

Even Paul, the apostle of grace, acknowledged the necessity of the work of faith called verbal confession in order to be saved. He wrote…

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

The work of confessing Christ publicly testifies to or gives evidence of the reality of the faith that resides in our hearts.

A public confession of allegiance to Christ moves us beyond a “safe” and perhaps non-committal silent assent to a realm in which misunderstanding or persecution may follow.

Faith by its nature proves or reveals itself by its words and deeds.

But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19  You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20  But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? James 2:18-20 (NASB)

Simply confessing Christ is not sufficient, however, unless it is accompanied by a changed life.

Saying we believe is much easier than living out our faith.

Our churches are filled with professing Christians who show little demonstrable difference that Christ has made in their lives besides church attendance. How we live is the litmus test for what we actually believe. That is why Jesus warned us that we will be judged for what we say and do.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV) 

"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. Matthew 16:27 (NASB)

The faith that saves us is based on Christ’s good works, not ours.

The faith that saves us requires that we take hold of Christ in our hearts, confess our allegiance to him with our mouths, and live accordingly as his disciples. Any breakdown in the sequence reveals that our supposed “faith” is counterfeit.

Jesus told his disciples that we will be judged for how we treat the “least of these my brethren” – the poor, sick, imprisoned, naked, and hungry… the marginalized, despised, and neglected members of society. (Matthew 25:31-46) Paul admonished the church to live in harmony with our confession of faith in Christ.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6  whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7  so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8  This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. Titus 3:5-8 (NASB)

The early Christians were known for fearlessly confessing Christ in the face of persecution and serving the poor and the sick. What are we known for?

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