“Social” Problems

I remember in college taking a course called The Sociology of Social Problems. In it we learned about social problems and theories as to their cause and solution. It was an interesting course. But it lacked a spiritual component.

Too often we Christians think about things just like our unsaved counterparts do. Sometimes we even defer to their “expertise” if the have a title or a PhD behind their name. I’m challenging you to think spiritually.

You may say “The Bible does not speak to our crime problem, our broken home problem, our hopelessness problem.” But it does. Ask yourself this. “What Biblical teaching has been ignored to cause this social problem?”

Broken homes? God has a lot to say about man/woman relationships. Hatred and violence? God has the answer to those things too. Hopelessness? God is the giver of hope. So many problems can be traced to disobedience. As Christians we will be much more successful in dealing with social problems if we think spiritually and deal with the problems at a spiritual level. The spiritual world and the natural world are not disconnected. Think about it.

Don’t Believe the Lies. 1

In case you never read the Bible, I should let you know that the devil is a liar. He lies to rob you of what is yours. Lie #1 is “That is NOT for you.” Satan has had a lot of help promoting this lie. Sometimes he uses our own doubts and insecurities. Sometimes He uses theologians and preachers that do not believe in the goodness of God. But anyone or any thing that disagrees with God’s Word lies. The Bible clearly and repeatedly says these things are for you. Salvation is for you. God’s love is for you. God’s righteousness is for you. Healing is for you. Success is for you. God’s provision is for you. God’s Spirit is to live in you. The fruit and gifts of the Spirit are for you. Deliverance and liberty are for you. These things and more are for YOU.

They are Not yours because you earned them but because God is good and generous and HE LOVES YOU. Doubting God’s Word is believing a lie, Repent. Renew your mind. What is it that you need but have not believed was for you? Change your mind. Believe the truth not the lie.

Meditate on these things.

How GOOD God Is

Sometimes we are so lost in our circumstances or our emotions we feel as if God is not good. But He is. Let us start with the basics. When He designed you He included your senses. Have you ever loved the smell of a flower or of baking food? Have you ever heard the birds sing or were transfixed by musicians and singers? Have you ever been grateful for sight while enjoying a sunset or a gaze at a starry sky? Have you ever enjoyed a loving touch? Have you ever given thanks for delicious food? Just part of the design, you say. Yes God’s design because He wanted you to experience all these things.

Sometimes we get so theologically minded we don’t appreciate God’s goodness to us in our design. Think about it. Be thankful because He is good and did good.

More GOOD to come.

Getting Ready for hard times-Getting Ready for end times-

So many times I’ve heard Christians say, “I wasn’t ready for this.” (Note one of our pastors taught a two part message on Get Ready. You can find them on YouTube. Just type in Faith Christian Outreach Church. This post is an expansion of that theme.)

We need to be ready what does that mean? Some think they can’t be ready if they don’t know everything that will happen and when. I want to challenge that. Though it is good to know what to expect, that is not as important as having our mind and heart right. Our faith must already be settled before troubles come if we are to overcome, walking through troubles in peace.

For instance when the covid pandemic hit there was a lot of fear. But I have put my faith in God for health and protection for decades. Since that was already settled I experienced NO FEAR about my health.

Just a note. If you want health and strength as you get older, settle that faith issue while you are younger. Then when you are sixty and feel a twinge of pain you will not automatically accept the typical negative explanation. We all are different and we have all been through different stuff physically. But if we trust God for our health and strength, if that is settled in our hearts we will deal with life challenges more successfully.

But how do you get ready for end times? God’s Word tells us what to expect. It also tells us not to be troubled in our minds and emotions. How can we do that…by settling our faith issues before the crisis. If we don’t do that the troubles will affect our minds, our emotions, and even our health. We must decide what will decide our peace and faith, God’s Word or circumstances.

Whether we are preparing for end times or just hard times trust in God’s love and keeping power is key in BEING READY.

(Note: You can find the messages mentioned earlier at http://www.fcoc.net)

Have a great week.

Jesus, the Loving Lord

We often think of Jesus as Savior, Healer, Deliverer, And so we should. But let us not forget that He is to be Lord (in 21st century English, “boss”).

We have a lot of people we answer to in our lives. Our bosses at work, the state and federal inspectors in our businesses, our teachers at school, etc. As independent minded Americans we often feel we have reason to dislike people who tell us what to do and sometimes how to do it. Sometimes we shift that attitude to God. We were born into liberty and freedom in the Lord, Weren’t we?

Paul reminds us not to misuse our liberty. Remember, doing things our way before Christ’s intervention got us into the messes, the bondage we were in. Though we are created to be free, (and God is the ultimate supporter of human freedom) we are not equipped to be God. God, unlike worldly bosses ALWAYS has what is best for us in mind.

Jesus, the Loving Lord tells you to do things that will edify you, strengthen you, and keep you free from bondage that always accompanies sin. His lordship and leading result in love, peace, joy, and other good results. Doing your own thing instead of the Lords results in frustration, anger, hatred, etc.

ANYTHING the Lord tells us to do will improve our lives, if we will not only hear it but do it. It may be something simple or small. (Don’t forsake the gathering together of the saints. Spend time in the Word and prayer.) Or it may be something about your lifestyle or thought patterns. Whatever He wants us to do will make us and our lives better. He is a Good and Loving Lord.

Meditate on God’s Goodness.

We are encouraged in scripture to remember and meditate on the goodness of God to us. The phrase “God is good” is not just a cute saying it is an affirmation of God’s unfailing goodness to His people. He is good. He does good. His gifts are good.

As we approach Resurrection Sunday we need to appreciate the goodness of a Holy God who gave His only begotten Son to save us. How good is he? He paid for our sins. He gave us new life. He gave us His Spirit. He leads us and guides us. He heals us. He delivers us. He fellowships with us. How good is God!

I love Psalm 136. It is a song of remembrance and thanksgiving and encouragement to the Children of Israel. It chronicles The faithfulness of God’s faithful love and goodness. Perhaps we should list God’s blessings in our lives and encourage ourselves in His goodness to us.

Psalm 34:8

O Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

Think. Remind yourself how GOOD God is to you.

Jesus: His Life in You

When we come to Jesus and are born-again much seems the same as the day before. We see the same person in the mirror. We still have the same tastes in food, in sports. But much of great importance has happened to us.

We have been made righteous before God. Righteousness has been imputed to us. It is a legal term and because of that imputation we stand before God righteous, as if we had never sinned.

In us a new spiritual life is born. And because of that life we can commune with a Holy God. Because of that new life we can experience the benefits of God’s spiritual gifts for us. In Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4 Paul discusses these. They include Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Pastors, Miracles, Discernment of Spirits, Words of Knowledge, Words of Wisdom,Faith, Healing, Tongues, interpretation, Serving, Administration, Mercy, Giving and more.

Besides all of those benefits in our lives there is Christ nature in us. There is a new nature which, if we walk accordingly, can transform our everyday lives. The new nature is made up of what scripture calls the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5) Included in our new nature is Love, Joy, Peace, Long Suffering, Gentleness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance.

If you are not walking in your newness of life or experiencing the these gifts of God don’t feel down or discouraged. Read the Bible. Ask your ministers about this. Rejoice for you have SO MUCH good yet to experience.

Jesus, His Love and Sacrifice

Introduction to Relationships Theology

We often approach theology as if it were about static truths and not about dynamic relationships. If we read again Jesus’ teachings and the teachings of the apostles we will see much of what is taught is about relationships: with God, with Satan, and with each other. Let us look at theology with that in mind.

Any relationship theology for Christians must start with Jesus. Jesus’ love and sacrifice as an overview is where we begin. (Later lessons will be more specific.)

We are to be in relationship and fellowship with God. What is His nature? He is Love. He is a generous giver. The greatest gift was his gift of Jesus. God was the giver. He made the Word to become flesh, literally giving part of Himself. It is important to know how generous God is and how much He loves us. If we understand these things it is easier for us to obey Him; it is easier for us to believe Him.

We all have heard John 3:16. God’s generosity and motive for Jesus’ coming is made plain. He gave His only begotten son so we could be saved. John 3:17 is also important. It tells us that Jesus did not come to judge but to save. This is not just a theological fact but a glimpse into the grace and mercy of God.

All through Jesus’ ministry He was moved with compassion. He healed. He raised the dead back to life. He fed the hungry. He was not a dry crusty theologian but the incarnation of a compassionate God. His compassion always caused action which always caused positive change.

He was so much a giver, so much a lover: that He gave His life for sinful humankind.

God in the flesh submitted to abuse, beating, whipping and crucifixion. This is the person with whom we are to be in fellowship. How hard can it be to be in relationship with such a person?

A New Nation

“and ye are a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” 1 Peter 2:9a

“who were once not a people, and are now the people of God…” 1 Peter 2:10a

Read all of verses nine and ten. The above portions are from the Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible. See what your favorite version says.

We have been made a special people…a (spiritually based) ethnic group; a group blessed and separated by God; a group received of His mercy.

We know the ethnic groups, races, and nations of man. They all have a mix of good and evil…good because of God’s gifts in creation, evil due the the fall of humankind and the attending sin.

God wants us to embrace our new, special status and walk in newness of life. Our colors, natural ethnicity, or nation have not changed. But this new nation, this new ethnic group is to supersede the sins attendant to all human groups. We are to be a HOLY NATION.

Our identity comes from God and manifests from the new life within us. Our new identity comes from that new nature within us not from outside sources.

We have been made a people who were not a people before. We are God’s special people and He wants to demonstrate His glory through us.

Read verses 9-10 in there entirety and meditate, seek God for a revelation of what it means to be a new nation, God’s nation.

God’s Love is Active.

Often when we think of love we think of feelings. That’s not all there is to it. That is especially true if we are talking about God’s love. I love the feelings when in God’s manifest presence. I love that feeling of love and peace and joy just like others do. But God’s love goes a long way beyond those feelings.

For one thing God’s love is active. When He loves He does. We have all known people who professed love but did nothing to act it out. God is not like that. His love is so powerful that He acts upon it.

John 3:16 says He loved and gave His Son. Ps. 136 lists generations of good works by God because of His love for His people. All through scripture we see that because He loved He Healed, provided, protected, and on and on.

God’s love for you is a dynamic thing. He wants to express that love to you in your day to day life. Just believe in Him and His love and accept it as He pours His goodness into your life.