Part One: What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?

Christian comes from the Greek word Christianos, meaning follower of Christ. But the need for Christ began in the Garden of Eden.

God said to Adam, “Enjoy everything in this Garden, but do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The penalty is death” (Genesis 2:15-16).      

God created Eve because He thought it would be good for man not to be alone (Genesis 2:18-25). Eve knew God’s warning, but was not a careful listener. Satan came to her, casting doubt by saying, “Did God really say?” He misquoted God’s word, and so did Eve in her reply (Genesis 3:1-7).

She was tempted as she looked, desired, and took the forbidden fruit. She offered it to Adam, and he chose to participate, rather than obey God’s warning (Genesis 3:1-7).

That’s why James could say, “Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin (James 4:17).

In His time, God took away the Old Testament animal sacrifices for sin. Here’s why:  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). How’s that for good news?

The New Testament says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

A friend was telling me the other day how great it is that salvation is not by works. She said, “We’d always have to wonder: (1) What kind of works? (2) How many? (3) How often?

Salvation by faith includes belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). With this faith, we are rewarded with new life, born again, spiritually. 

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).   

Final Good News, Part One: When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to live in us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

As Christians, we are to follow Jesus’ teachings. The Holy Spirit will teach us and help us to do that (John 14:15-17).

More Good News Next Week: Part Two

Pixabay: Question Mark, Question; Peggy_Marco.

How To Have A Friend And Be A Friend

It’s a long title, I know. But the point is that true friendship works both ways.

Of course, there are casual friends or acquaintances. They’re important and add variety to our lives; however, we also need close friends, people who know us well and love us anyway.  

Mutual Interests

People can enjoy being together if they agree on things (Amos 3:3). That’s why I enjoy my Christian friends. They understand my scriptural choices and I theirs. We also enjoy places to eat, entertainment, and topics of conversation. I no longer live near a long-time friend, but our telephone conversations still cover these basic areas of interest.   

Encouragement and Understanding

Understanding is a fountain of life, pleasant words are sweet to the soul and bring healing to our bodies (Proverbs 16:22, 24). When I was in a care center after hip surgery, days and nights seemed endless. But kind words and encouragement from friends helped me keep focused on my recovery.

Truthful Communication

It’s good to have someone who can help us face the truth (Proverbs 27:6); however, wise friends do it in such a way as not to crush our spirit (Proverbs 15:4). Remember, life and death are both in the power of the tongue! (Proverbs 18:21)

Help When Needed

We’re not to be concerned only with our own interests, but also the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). An example for me was a friend who volunteered to stay in my guest room and help me the first two weeks I was home from hip surgery. On the flip side, I scheduled other friends to stay with me each afternoon to give her a break.

Take No Offense

A true friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17), but misunderstandings do happen. We are to forgive and bear with one another (Colossians 3:13), but let’s get real. If it’s something you can’t overlook, then talk it over.

Friendships are important to our health. Don’t isolate. Sometimes, when I feel extremely lonely, I’m grateful I can pick up my phone and call a friend.   

Pixabay:

Fresh Hope Each Day

When I became a caregiver for my father, I thanked the Lord for fresh hope each day. Upon waking, my first words were, “Thank you, Lord, for new mercies today.”

I was familiar with Lamentations 3:22-23 long before that, but now it was a life verse:

Because of the loving devotion of the LORD, we are not consumed,

for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

I took care of Dad for about two and a half years before he passed away. A few years later, I became a caregiver for my husband. I never knew what to expect from day to day, so once again, Lamentations 3:22-23 became my fresh hope.

Even now, it’s my wake-up prayer, though I’m no longer a caregiver. Why am I writing about this now? Because I had a refreshing look at God’s mercies in a Bible study this week, in Psalms.

Psalm 106:43-45 caught my attention. It was talking about the children of Israel, how God delivered them many times, yet they continued to rebel. They’re not the only ones. I’ve seen plenty of that in our day.

I stopped to meditate on Psalm 106:44-45. God chose to continue helping them whenever He heard their cry. He remembered His covenant with them and relented, or had compassion on them, according to the multitude of His mercies.  

I read about “Mercy” in my *Bible dictionary.  I started writing down thoughts of God’s mercies. Here’s my list, but you might think of more:

Answered Prayer/Salvation/Healing

Deliverance from Trouble

Provision, as needed

Love/Kindness/Compassion

Justice/Action on our behalf

Truth/Taught in Scripture

Fellowship/Eternal Life

No prejudice--Salvation for ALL

Restoration, as needed

Protection/Our Good Shepherd

Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”

Psalm 100:4 reminds us to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name.

Maybe these ideas will get you started.

*Mercy, pp. 1106-1108, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN, Copyright 2003.

Pixabay: Tree. Sunrise, Field image; rperucho.                                                                                                    

Who Started Communion and Sunday Worship?

COMMUNION.

The Passover meal had been celebrated from the time of Israel’s EXODUS out of Egypt. Jesus and His disciples celebrated Passover just before His betrayal (Luke 22:7-23). It was at this meal (known also as The Last Supper) that Jesus created a new celebration with only two elements.

First, He took the Passover non-yeast, cracker-like bread, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This is My body broken for you.” He knew He would suffer terrible abuse before He was even crucified (Matthew 27:24-26; 27:27-31).

Next, he took the cup and said, “This is my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28; John 3:16).

But, get this! He also said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29; Paul’s follow-up, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

His disciples received confirmation of this message after the Resurrection, as Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:10-11). I’m looking forward to His return, are you?

SUNDAY WORSHIP

The Old Testament commanded a holy Sabbath, every seven days (Exodus 20:8-11). Sunday Worship requires a three-day timeline to explain:

1.       Friday afternoon, Jesus died on a Roman cross (Matthew 27:45—46). As Evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea (a rich man and secret follower of Jesus) asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Nicodemus (another secret follower) brought burial spices, and together they prepared Jesus’ body and laid it in Joseph’s tomb (John 19:38-42).    

 2.       Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath.

 3.       Sunday, at dawn on the first day of the week, certain women went to the tomb where they were shocked! The tomb was open, and they saw an angel who said, “He is not here. He is risen . . . go quickly, tell His disciples . . . He is going ahead of you to Galilee” (Matthew 28:1-7).

Early Christians then started worshiping on the first day of the week, calling it “The Lord’s Day.” First-day worship was also mentioned in Paul’s day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4).

 I’m thankful to celebrate these two ancient Christian traditions in my spiritual life. How about you?

Pixabay:

The Wordless Book

When I’m running errands, I often thank God for colors like white clouds, blue sky, green trees in a variety of shades, and houses, too.

My mind often turns to the Wordless Book with its colorful message.

I learned it in a neighborhood Bible club, but its truth is for people of all ages, an illustration of John 3:16:  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God loved the world! My husband and I once worked at a very large church that I called “world-class.” On the front of our church, up high, were large white letters that read like the old King James: “Whosoever Will May Come.” And come they did!

We had a diverse range of people groups, economic and educational levels, and all ages, from babies to senior citizens. It was an exciting place to be!

THE WORDLESS BOOK IS SIMPLE 

Four Colors - - - Four Truths

PAGE ONE:  Sin has darkened our hearts; the darkest primary color is BLACK.

Adam and Eve weren’t the only ones who chose to disobey God. Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way.”

PAGE TWO:  Jesus shed his blood on the cross as a sacrifice to remove sin; that’s RED.

Because of that, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  

PAGE THREE: Christ’s blood removes our sin; we are pure, WHITE as snow.

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will become like wool” (Isaiah1:18).  

PAGE FOUR: Eternal life in heaven includes streets of GOLD.

Revelation 21:21 says, “The main street of the city was pure gold as clear as glass.” Won’t that be something to see!

It’s a wonderful new day when our sins are washed away.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. 

Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Believe it! The message of The Wordless Book is for each of us---fresh hope and a fresh start!

Pixabay: watercolor box; stux.

The Choice is Yours

Have you ever thanked God for the ability to think and make choices? Many daily choices seem routine. But there was a time we had thought about them and made a choice.

From the beginning, God gave humans a choice, and from Genesis to Revelation, His will is made clear. However, the choice is ours: (1) Will we believe His word, and (2) will we obey His word?  

Psalm Chapter One is a favorite. Six powerful little verses contrast the righteous with the wicked. People in our day tend to downplay the meaning of wicked, but God’s word is eternal.

What do the righteous DO? They delight in the law of the Lord and choose to keep it in mind day and night. The Psalm calls this meditation.

What do the righteous NOT DO? By focusing on God’s word, they don’t: (1) walk in wicked or ungodly counsel, (2) follow the way of sinners, nor (3) sit with mockers.

In our modern day, we need to apply this to our entertainment and social media choices. But mockery doesn’t have to be outright ridicule of God. We can also mock by simply brushing Him off with our choices and actions as if He doesn’t matter.

How’s this for contrast? Psalm One says the righteous are blessed, but not so the wicked. The righteous are rooted and bear fruit, but the wicked are blown away like chaff (Psalm 1: 1-3, 4-5).  

Have you heard of the broad way and the narrow way? Jesus said there’s a broad way that leads to destruction. It’s full of people who want big and easy.

On the other hand, there’s a narrow gate and a narrow way that leads to life, but compared to the broad way, only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

There’s an old joke that says, ‘When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” But the reality is that choices matter.

The choice is yours. God’s way or your way? The broad way or the narrow way?

It takes more effort to stay on a narrow path, but with eternal values in view, it’s worth the effort!

Pixabay: Decision, Choice, Path; Waldryana.

  

You Can Hold A Miracle

Some of you do this every day. I started doing it at about age ten, following a summer Vacation Bible School (VBS) whose theme was God’s Word, A Treasure.

I googled “amazing facts about the Bible,” and here’s what I read: (1) 66 distinct books, (2) 40 authors, (3) written across 1500 years, (4) three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, (5) still the world’s best-seller, and (6) the first book off Gutenberg’s printing press.

Church history shows three major councils, or meetings of church leaders, whose purpose was to determine which early writings were inspired. I first heard of this in a Christian University.

In more modern times, the Dead Sea Scrolls, mostly fragments, found between 1947 and 1956, have verified scripture.

The Bible is a library of books. Old Testament Books are listed on some charts as The Law, History, Wisdom, Major Prophets, and Minor Prophets. New Testament books include The Gospels, Paul’s Letters to the Churches, Paul’s Letters to Friends, and General Letters.

I’m always interested in Jesus’ use of scripture. At the beginning of His ministry, after He was baptized in the Jordan, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).

Three times the devil tempted Him, and three times He quoted scriptures from Deuteronomy to refute the temptation. We have both the Old and New Testaments, and can quote from them when needed, if we have them in our hearts as Jesus did.

How can we learn the Bible? It requires more than Sunday services, small group studies, or TV and social media. We must study God’s word daily.

I enjoy my *Life Application Study Bible, NIV (LASB, New International Version). I have other versions, but I ordered this as a hardcover, large-print edition, easy to read.

It has footnotes, book introductions, charts, maps, a concordance, and more. It’s heavy, but I consider it worth its weight in gold.

What’s so important about the Bible?

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Thank God for His gift to us, a miracle we can hold in our hands and hide in our hearts.                       

*You can find Life Application Study Bibles (LASB) wherever books are sold; however, I usually check christianbooks.com (the largest online Christian bookseller). The Life Application Study Bible, NIV (LASB, New International Version) is published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, and Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, IL.

Pixabay: Read, Book, Blank Book; Tilixia-Summer.