Walking The Walk . . .

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2 I heard a politician say this week, "I don't let my religious beliefs interfere with my decision making."  And while it's not my place to judge the faith of another, I have to wonder how a believer's beliefs could possibly NOT influence their decision making.  Isn't that the entire point of faith?  That we live a certain way and believe a certain way based on God's values?  Values that are very much in contrast with the fallen world we live in? We see this a lot these days--this is a question often asked in confirmation hearings.  I think it's an inappropriate question myself, but it is commonly asked.  You could certainly never ask that question in the private sector when you're hiring an employee--there's laws that say you absolutely can not do that.  Why our elected officials feel it's appropriate to get into somebody's religious beli

 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?   ~Matthew 6:27 In 1988, Bobby McFerrin wrote on of the most addictive songs in world history.  "Don't worry!  Be Happy!"  I don't think I've heard that song on the radio on time in over thirty years that it hasn't wound up being stuck in my head for a week.  It was the first a cappella song in history to reach number one on the Billboard charts.  There's not a single instrument used.  All the parts are vocal or sounds made by Bobby McFerrin.   Everybody seems to love that song when it came out, and it was made even more popular due to the music video that featured the antics of legendary comedian Robin Williams.   And you could almost say unintentionally, the song is a very Biblical concept boiled down into four words.  Don't Worry.  Be Happy! God didn't build us to worry.  But honestly I don't know many Christians that don't worry on occasion.  We add layers and layers of com

I've been working at home for the last two years, and starting at the beginning of March, we've slowly been working our way back into the office with the goal of finally being back in the office three days a week.  For a month we worked one day in the office.  Then in April it was two days a week.  And now we're up to three days a week in May.   It wasn't going that well for me.  When we first started working from home, I didn't like.  But I've grown used to it.  My wife works.  My youngest goes to high school.  It's been just me and my dog, Daisy, for the majority of it--we added a puppy named Scooter a few months ago.  I've been pretty happy working from home.  Going back to the office has been a bigger adjustment than going home.  I dread going in on those three days.  Last week, I realized my attitude was the biggest problem, so I decided I was going to work on that.  I got up early.  I put on a nice tie.  I stopped and got an overpriced cup of coffe

43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor [ a ] and hate your enemy.’ 44  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~Matthew 5: 43-48  Love is a central theme in the Bible--we've all heard it said that God is love.  So much of what we believe revolves around this idea of love.  But love is also a challenging topic for Christians, because we tend to put limits on it.  We want to love this group, but no that group.  We want to define how we love, who we love, and when we love, and sometimes even who we

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” ~Matthew 14: 31  We are familiar with the story of Jesus walking on the water.  And how Peter, because he lacked faith, sank when he walked out to Jesus on the water.  That's the lesson we generally associate with these verses.  But the first time the read the story in Matthew 14: 22-31, I got something else from it as well.   Do you know what I originally thought Jesus was talking about when he asked “Why did you doubt?”   I understood why Peter doubted his ability to walk on water.   To my mind, it took tremendous faith in God to just step out of the boat, let alone to find his faith sufficient to carry him ON the water.   What I couldn’t understand is why Peter and the disciples didn’t recognize Jesus in the storm.   “Lord, if it’s you tell me to come to you on the water.” King James: If it be thou, bid me come New American Standard Bible: Lord if it is you, comma

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9 I think most of us have dealt with difficult people in our lives.  I certainly have.  I've dealt with difficult people the right way, and I've dealt with difficult people the wrong way.  I'd have to say I'm much better about it now than I was just a few years ago because I've made an effort not to fall into the trap.  I've learned to avoid falling into situations that lead to unnecessary confrontations. Notice I said "unnecessary confrontations."  Sometimes we get the idea that we should avoid all confrontations.  That's not necessarily true.  There are times in our life when we're going to have to have an uncomfortable conversation somebody.  There's going to be situations where we have a difference of opinion that must be worked out.  With some people it's easy to work out a difference of opinion, but with others, even the smallest thing is going to lead to

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. ~Titus 2: 11-14  Verses like this one not only describe how something works--in this case it talks about grace.  But verses like this one explain to us how it applies to us right here and right now.  But it requires a little work. We have to take it apart first and look at it in order to understand everything God intended for us to understand about these verses.  When we do that we understand the nature of grace. We understand grace by salvation.  We understand grace through sanctification.  We understand grace in glorification.  We und