I remember when my wife had what I thought was a “routine” Dr. appointment. When I came home from work that day, she sat me down and said, “I have something to tell you” She told me that the doctor found a tumor and the “C” word was used in their meeting. That was the last think I expected, and the last word I wanted to hear. She was good with the diagnosis, and I found my head spinning as we considered the consequences. The good news was that they were able to remove the tumor, and all is good today, but that did not change the challenge that the initial diagnosis provided. While God may have different purposes in the trials that we face as His children, one overriding result of all trials is clear: “SUFFERING REFINES PEOPLE’S FAITH.” Genuine faith is indestructible for all eternity, because God values a fire-tested faith. All of us has faith that is mixed with improper attitudes and sinful motives, and those things need to be purged, and our true hearts revealed. The fire of difficulties and suffering tests the genuineness of our faith. If we, as believers, can trust God and rejoice … READ MORE

An essential part of being a follower of Jesus requires bearing fruit for the Lord. God did not save us to sit, sour, and soak, He saved us to walk, worship, and work! I remember a time when I was asked at 12 am on a Sunday morning, to help a fellow whose car was dead in the parking lot of his work. He had neglected it on Friday and Saturday, and wanted to get to church on Sunday morning. He called me as his pastor to assist him in getting it started. I drove to his house, picked him up, and took him back past my house to his place of employment. We pushed his car out of his parking place, hooked up the jumper cables, and I told him to get in and attempt to start the car, to which he looked at me and said, “I forgot to bring my keys!” We unhooked the car, pushed it back into the parking spot, traveled past my house to his, he ran into the house and came back out, we traveled past my house to his car, pushed it out, hooked up the jumper cables and I told him … READ MORE

One day, as a young believer, I was in the lunchroom, where I worked, and one of my coworkers asked me a question. He asked, “You want to be a preacher, let me asked you a question, ‘Can a prostitute be saved?'” I replied, “God can save anyone.” His response was “Then save one for me this Saturday!” Everyone in the lunchroom began to laugh, and the Lord gave me this response, “I cannot save anyone, but if you bring her to me, I will share with her the gospel message, and we will see if the Lord will choose to open her heart to that message and if she will accept the salvation offered to her through Christ.” He then began to attempt to explain the purpose of his question was not to get a response but a reaction from me. I look back at that response and am responded of Peter’s teaching in 1 Peter 4:14-16. When people look at us who or what do they see? In 1 Peter 4:14-16, Peter offered a specific example of the type of suffering a follower of Christ might face. In this passage he says if you are “insulted” because people … READ MORE