Christian Living

“Agony, torture, psychological abuse, mentally stressful, complete exhaustion, physically excruciating, and cruel and unusual punishment” are just a few of the descriptions that Navy Seals who have experienced the fourth week of Seal training in San Diego, California use to describe it. The week begins on Sunday evening at Midnight and ends on Friday around midday. For five and a half days these Seals go through some of the most physical, emotional, and psychological pressure that most of us will never have to endure.

We are faced with choices every day. Decisions must be made on an hourly basis. And there is a great possibility for error, simply because we are human! In addition, many of the choices we face don’t have an exact Bible chapter and verse for us to follow. Because of this, we must claim the promise of the provision of God’s wisdom. James 1:5 says “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

If there is one thing that is clear in the New Testament, it is that the gospel doesn’t end with receiving it. It is a truth to pass on to others.

In the midst of difficult circumstances or trials God can seem distant. We wonder if He hears our prayers or cares about our heartache. The prophet Isaiah was no doubt at that point in his life when King Uzziah died in chapter six.

I cannot help but think it would have been a terrifying experience to have the Lord “depart” from you especially when at one time, the Lord was with you mightily.

How do you thank those who willingly place themselves “between their loved home and the war’s desolation”?

Any reader of the divinely-inspired record of early Christianity written in the book of Acts will note the attention given to numbers. Those who were saved in the days after the coming of the Holy Spirit were “added to the church.”

It was 1948. A young soldier had been released from the Army after World War II and intended to go to Columbia University on the GI bill. General Eisenhower had become the president of Columbia University, and this young soldier thought, “If it’s good enough for Ike, it’s good enough for me.”

I wrote these thoughts last month in the middle of our annual Faith Promise Missions Conference. This year, like most years, we were privileged to have a number of missionaries and fields represented in our conference. They are sharp, articulate people desiring to go the mission field and share Christ with the multitudes. The only thing holding them back is the financial resources necessary to go and be sustained on those fields.

Christians across America are frustrated. Some are discouraged. Some are fearful. Some are hopeless. Our culture is shifting before our very eyes, and there seems to be little to nothing we can do to stop it. We see the decaying morals and we sense the intolerance toward Christians growing around us.

In my last article concerning the Christian & Civil Government, I wrote about seven basic principles that God’s Word teaches Christians about their responsibility to human government. Today I want to examine these principals in light of our position as citizens of the United State of America.

The Bible perseveres throughout the course of history. Everything else comes and goes. People, cultures, and nations are like grass and flowers—slowly dying and eventually withering away; but God’s Word abides forever.

How are we to respond to those in authority and those who govern us? In this series, I want to take a closer look at our responsibilities as Christian’s and the role civil government plays in our lives.

Jesus said more than once that His hour had not yet come. However, just a few hours before He was to be crucified, He proclaimed in John 12:23, “The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.”

Recently, I read an article that used an ancient metaphor of a man that asked God to make him stronger in order to be more useful.

If you’ve served the Lord any length of time, you know that the outward expressions of service don’t guarantee a consistent heart for the Lord. The same is true of serving on a church staff. Being in the ministry is no guarantee that you will be strong as a Christian or that you will be diligent in the spiritual disciplines of following God and serving His people.

I’ll never forget my first roller-coaster ride. Neither will my sister, Michele—my unfortunate companion. Poor Michele. She, who even at ten years old loved roller-coasters, didn’t know that during our hour-long wait in line, my second thoughts were multiplying. This was my first roller-coaster, and I was beginning to think this wasn’t such a great idea. By the time we were being seated, I was truly afraid.

Besides the looming presidential election, there are two key issues presently facing our country—both of which are issues in which you can make a difference. Of course, the most important actions Bible-believing Christians can take are to pray and to witness. These are the direct commands God has given Christians who live in any country and in every era of history.

Jesus Christ is alive and His resurrection is paramount to our faith in Him. Every truth seeker must come face to face with the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Resurrection validated the claims of Jesus and provided ultimate credibility to His person. Because the Resurrection offers such proof, we can believe His message; moreover, we can belong to the Master (i.e. we can take Him at His simple word and be saved!).