Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Two Reasons to Believe

The person who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ because of the "scientific evidence", is deceiving themselves. Seemingly legitimate arguments of logic and science can be offered from both sides of the table. Science, of this sort, is just a trumped up excuse to maintain the worldview you started with. It bolsters and supports the egocentric. It's foolishness to argue with a made up mind. Why waste time?

If cogent argument is making one more defensive, then what is left? One who does not believe needs to see something worth believing in. This person will want to see something that they will want for themselves.

Seeing the difference Christ makes, in the the lives of believers, is one reason to believe that He can make a difference in yours. The active, miraculous love shining out of a believer will make you wonder. Seeing the peace and just plain sanity with which a true christian faces the most challenging of circumstances can persuade the most sceptical. A believer always has something awesome to look forward to, that hope that cannot die! Opiate of the people, indeed!

The other reason to believe, and the best one, is that you get to know Jesus Christ! Remember, this is the One that was sent to show us what God is like! This is the One who gave up everything, including His life, just to have us with Him! In tenderness, He holds us, comforts us, and sustains us! Obedience to His every word is a joy, because He holds only our highest interests in His heart! With Him with us, we need fear nothing! Is it any wonder that praising Him is our greatest honor? That rejoicing in Him is something we'll gladly do, forever?

Anyone who has not trusted Jesus is missing out on anything and everything worthwhile and worth having. Christianity can be proven, but no one should believe only because of the cold, hard facts. That is only a part of it! Convicting is done by the convincing of the heart! Who wouldn't want to be a part of the best possible outcome?

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Be Valiant for Him

So what, exactly, is in a name, anyway? When men give names to God, the names describe His character and attributes, sort of like a description after the fact. It's looking back, in time, to tell who He is. When parents name a baby, the name contains the dreams and aspirations of the parents, like a look into the future. That is two origins for names.

There is a third one. Far more personal and intimate is it when a name is bestowed by God. Far more than mere hope, it encompasses a destiny and expresses a life mission. When He has lovingly spoken your name, you then are gifted the highest goals of all to work towards. That calling's fulfillment is to be found in Him, forever...........

What does being called valiant look like? Being called valiant is not about being large, loud, or impressive. It's about eschewing glory for yourself and valuing a stillness of character that saves words for the finding of supportive things to do and say for others. Being valiant is not about overcompensating for the lost child within. It's a mission to speak gently to the hurting child in others.

This same valiant person will not reconcile himself to evil. He will, instead, gently and lovingly assert the truth into the face of raging intimidation. He will actively demonstrate this love, though anger would despise him and hold him in contempt for the doing. And when evil shall rail against him for the insufficiency of his love, than shall the valiant sever himself from those lost in their own selfishness, thereby denying such selfishness more fodder for the flames of it's own destruction. The valiant will go forward into pain and self denial, if by such means any shall be saved.

The valiant mission is also to wring out of each drop of pain, through soul searching, that bright jewel of God's hope, so it is available to others who search. Then the valiant will praise God for the pain, because of the reason of God's purpose that was accomplished through it. To be valiant is to always live in His praises because of the wonderful and awesome things He has done!


"Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name: you are mine!" Isa 43:1