Can you imagine giving birth to a baby, and then saying to the child, have a good life, and I hope you are able to figure out how to grow and mature. That would be irresponsible at best, and criminal at worst. Yet, many times we approach someone’s rebirth into the kingdom of God, in just this manner. We say to the new believer, welcome to the family of God, hope you are able to navigate all the issues in growing and maturing. Looking to Christ as Lord means being united to Christ’s people. The church is more than a business that is being run with the gospel as its product. The church is to become a family to us, which will enable us to grow and mature. Every family member has responsibilities to fulfill within that family, and it is essential that they carry out those duties. Same is true in the church. The local church is the organism in which we are to carry out those responsibilities, and minister to the needs of each other. Therefore, the local church becomes to the believer, what parents are to become to a child. That church provides hope and help to … READ MORE

In Genesis 2, we see in the creation of man, that God said in verse 18, that the Lord said, “It is not good for man to be alone” By creating woman and brining her to the man, God established the importance or relationships, and the establishment of the family. This is a significant statement, especially when we remember that sin had not yet entered the world. Since, that was a true statement before sin, how much more is relationships needed now that sin has entered the world. During His incarnation, Jesus, recognized that because of sin, family and relationships will be hindered by the barriers of relationship with God. As a result, God established the church to be the family unit, to provide relationships in a sin cursed world. The enablement of that relationship was established by the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. We must remember that church is not an event, it is a organism provided to the believer for hope and help in this sin cursed environment. One of the reasons for the church, is to provide the accountability we need to live a life that is honoring and pleasing to the Lord. The … READ MORE

Well we have entered into a new year, and we are finding that 2021 is starting the way 2020 ended. How are we to respond to all the news that we have before us? Allow me to make a few suggestions.

1. We must trust God in ALL situations. Our careers and destinies are in God’s hands, no one can harm us or jeopardize our future apart from the sovereign will of God. This is not a fatalism, but a confidence given to us through the Word of God. Our future is in Good hands as we trust God with it. (Jeremiah 29:11)

2. We should look to God in prayer in all situations as we deal with the circumstances that are around us. We do not know how God will answer our prayers, or if He will move in the hearts of other individuals, but it is enough to know that our destiny is in His hands, not those of other people. (James 1:5)

3. As we put our confidence in the Sovereign will of God, it will keep us from becoming resentful or bitter when we are treated unjustly or maliciously by others. (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Bitterness usually … READ MORE