Tag: Choices

Christian Living

A Case for Asking Other Christians for Advice

Chris

Life is complicated. The world swirls around us in what can feel like ever-increasing chaos. There are pressures put on us by others: work, spouse, children, society, church. And there are pressures we put on ourselves: professional aspirations, finance goals, character development, comparison with others.

Life is also hard. It takes effort, investment, perspiration. If we allow life to “just happen” to us, we get tossed by a current that is unrelenting and unforgiving. “Along for the ride” is a hazardous approach to life, for the highs and lows will feel like an extreme roller coaster, and the scars will be worse than taking a boogie board through white water rapids.

Thankfully, life is not meant to be a solo endeavor. We are designed for community. This is much more than the presence of others, though. It includes the participation of others. Asking others to help us evaluate the complications and hardships of life is even a default setting for us; we often seek the input of others. And when we are disciples of Jesus, we should prioritize fellow believers as a source for godly input.

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Christian Living

5 Reasons We Make Bad Choices

Chris

Every day is full of decisions. Some are simple and have little effect on what happens next or what happens a year from now. Others are so important they can change the direction of our lives forever.

Bad decisions have a way of setting life on a path of difficulty and pain. When we feel the pain early into the journey we are quick to make changes to get back to safety. We change jobs, end relationships, ask forgiveness from God and others.

But how do we get started down those trails of bad decisions and the scars they leave in and on our lives? Is there a way to avoid these pitfalls on our journey?

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Christian Living

The Fine Line

Chris

To be a Christian is not easy. There is a constant battle between who we could be and who we should be, what to desire and what to turn away from. No one of us is perfect and yet God calls us to strive for it.

At times we walk along a fine line and have to choose a side to fall on. Culture makes us choose. Work makes us choose. Maybe it is family or friends. In a world constantly flipping over or twisting around us, it could simply be the gnawing in our guts driving us to pick a side.

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Podcast

Hope When God’s Way Leads to Trouble (Podcast)

Chris

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, but without hope our season of thanks will be short-lived. We face the real world when the turkey and pies are gone. To believe in Jesus means we step into that world living Jesus’ way.

Some of us have tried to walk that road and been hurt. God clearly led the way but trouble or pain resulted. We’ve lost hope in God’s path. But God says it has to be this way. He doesn’t make mistakes. We have to look for hope when God’s way leads to trouble.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/hope-when-gods-way-leads-to-trouble

[If you can’t see the audio player, CLICK HERE to listen.]

Podcast

Hope When It’s All Your Fault (Podcast)

Chris

It’s good to know we can have hope when the world’s mess surrounds us. But what about when the mess is our fault? We aren’t perfect. So sooner or later we are going to be the cause of the trouble and pain in our lives and even for those close to us.

The instant we recognize the mess is our fault, we face a moment of decision. There are two options. Will we surrender our hope, dooming ourselves to the darkness of despair? It’s a dark fate and it never ends well. Or will we hold on to the faintest glimmer of hope, believing good is still possible?

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/when-its-all-our-fault

Podcast

From Welcomed to Spurned

Chris

As we stack these truths about living as the People of God, one more should become obvious. There’s a canyon growing between us and this world as we choose to follow Christ and live according to Heaven’s values. A chasm forms, and the world takes it personal when we depart from its ways. How will we respond when the we feel the effects of the separation?

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