Tag: Religion

Christian Living

In Need of Peace

Chris

It’s ironic, I think, that as we stand at the gateway to the Christmas season, we find ourselves suddenly in a panic. When we should be echoing the angel cry, “Peace on Earth,” we instead find ourselves full of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

What’s driving this sudden assault on peace in our lives? If you’ve been in a box for the past week or so, it is the H1N1 virus.

I’m not going to take a stance on whether or not you, as a Christian, should go out and get the vaccine. Something tells me that if you want to find an argument for one side or the other, there are plenty out there on the internet. For some of us it might be as simple as logging in to Facebook. Like I said, though, that’s not why I’m writing.

Honestly, it seems that whether we have had the vaccine or not, we still find ourselves handcuffed by the spread of this virus. What does that mean for us? Does it reveal something in our lives? That’s why I’m writing today.

Continue reading “In Need of Peace” →

Bible, Christian Living

To See Jesus – 2

Chris

We started some thoughts on whether it is good for us to long to physically see Christ while we live on this earth. For whatever reason, many have come to believe that they must see Him. Some believe that it will be a sort of seal of approval on their conversion. Others believe that you cannot truly profess to be a Christian until you have seen Him.

There are few in the New Testament who saw Christ following His ascension into the clouds. We talked about two of them in the previous post. Let’s look at one more, and then see if we can tell why they were allowed to see Jesus.

Continue reading “To See Jesus – 2” →

Bible, Christian Living

To See Jesus

Chris

What do you hope or wish for? What is that you long for? Where would you go? Who would you see? What would you do? We all have dreams and desires, for our present, for our future and for the futures of others.

These dreams and hopes are often our motivation for dealing with the ins and outs of our daily lives. We drag ourselves out of bet and push through another work day because we hold to the hope that our will work will be noticed, we’ll get that promotion, start making more money, and be able to buy a home of our own, or take the family on that special vacation.

Most of our hopes and dreams are related to this physical life. Work, home, family, relationships, achievements. We don’t often wish for something in the spiritual realm. If we do, it’s usually related to healing, miracles, or another kind of blessing that actually affects our temporal lives.

That is, of course, with exception. I’ve run into some people who simply want to see Jesus. But is it really as simple as it sounds, and should we be hoping so intently for it to happen?

Continue reading “To See Jesus” →

Christian Living

A Sense of Urgency

Chris

When was the last time you were in the store, maybe a department, grocery or convenience store, and thought you’d pick the shortest line so you would have the shortest wait? If you’re like me, you often find yourself wishing you had picked a different line. It seems that whenever we have someplace to go or something to do, and even if we don’t, we tend stand and wait while the person ahead of us counts exact change, has to write out a check, or goes through a couple of different credit cards, all to pay for the three items that you guessed would get him or her through the checkout line in a hurry.

Today I found myself in one of those situations. Just before I started stewing, God reminded me of a truth that I often speak about in ministry and Christian living.

Continue reading “A Sense of Urgency” →

Book Reviews

Book Review: “It Came From Within” by Andy Stanley

Chris

“…each of us lives from the heart. And the health of your heart will be reflected in the quality of your life” (204). While this quote comes from late in Andy Stanley’s It Came From Within: the shocking truth of what lurks in the heart (Multnomah, 2006), it is the premise for the book. In his easy style, Andy Stanley grips you from page with interest in what can make your heart sick, delve into Scripture to find the truth of what is there and God’s prescription to defeat the monster(s) within.

Continue reading at www.christianbooklounge.com…

Book Reviews

Book Review: “Real Church” by Larry Crabb

Chris

I’ve just finished Larry Crabb’s Real Church (Thomas Nelson, 2009). When I found it in the bookstore, I thought, “This sounds like it will encourage my thinking about the Church, modern Christianity, and what it means to be the Body of Christ.” Six weeks later, I realize how right I was, though the book took a far different path than I expected.

Continue reading at www.christianbooklounge.com