Category: Christian Living

It’s Not About The Money

Would you prefer a job that was high paying but not fulfilling or one with average pay but enjoyable?

Some believe they want a high-paying job even though they might not be fulfilled by their career. This is a mistake that can cause a lot of stress in your life and you may find that no matter the pay you can’t stand the job. There are many stories of people who leave careers in medicine, law, and other high paying occupations because their work is not fulfilling. Considering that people spend most of the average week at work, it is worth spending time to find a career that will allow you to meet your financial obligations, give generously to the Lord’s work, and do work that provides satisfaction. Even the best fitting jobs have tough days and unpleasant tasks but the pleasure of the job overall will compensate for that.

No amount of money should influence you to choose a career that would include work that is immoral or immerses you in an immoral environment. Many Christians have changed careers later in life because they felt their work environment was leading them away from Christ. Some have become so frustrated with the extreme worldliness in some work environments that they simply found other work. Sadly, some Christians have left the Lord due to the influence of ungodly work environments.

A final consideration is choosing a career that allows you to worship God regularly (Hebrews 10:25). Choosing a career that regularly keeps you away from worship or even a location that is far removed from a church to worship with can be hazardous to your spiritual health. You might be able to start a local work in a remote location–which would be a good thing–but be aware that it is a tough road. The wisdom of God is evident in the establishment of the church as a place where Christians can be edified and encouraged and we cut ourselves off from a great source of power and strength when we are regularly absent from worship services.

As you contemplate your career choices, don’t forget to keep your relationship with God a the center of your decision. No amount of money will make you happy if you don’t.

The Power of a Good Example

The Bible clearly teaches that we will be judged by our actions. Revelation 20:12 tells of judgment where “…I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” The books (Old Testament and New Testament) reveal the standard of what we must do in order to please Him (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:3). Paul clearly links our actions to eternal punishment or reward (Romans 2:6-11 – note the variations of “do” and its direct relationship to the results). Jesus says that we will even be called into judgment for every careless word (Matthew 12:36). What we do and say impacts our eternal life.

Our actions also enrich our earthly life and the lives of others. I think the scripture makes it clear that God does not want us to live holy lives to prepare for a grand accounting, but rather to share in His holiness and to be like His righteous Son. Jesus lived the life of a servant and had a tremendous impact on the lives of those He touched. When we live like Him, we will make our world a better place.

When you are young your example can influence young and old. Young people who stand against the filthy and impure activities common with “sins of youth” may embolden other young people to make the tough decision to life holy in an ungodly world (Titus 2:11-14). Their righteousness encourages older Christians who are distressed with the wickedness they see in so many youth. Young people living active Christian lives make choices they can be proud of throughout their lives. I have talked with so many people who lived with much shame and regret for time spent in youthful lusts and opportunities to serve God that were squandered so they could wallow in the mud.

I hope you are choosing such a life. Your Creator knows what is best for you and wants you to enjoy your youth and if you follow His commands you truly will.

Does Your Facebook Activity Betray You?

Guest post by Aaron Beard

 It was a highly pressurized situation.  Jesus had been arrested on the way out of the Garden of Gethsemane and was in the process of going through one of a series “kangaroo court” hearings.  He had been mocked, spit upon, and struck with a staff on his head while wearing a crown of thorns.  During the last of these illegal hearings held by the Jewish leaders, Peter was standing outside in the courtyard.  He was there warming himself at the fire andwas surrounded by a group of people who were hostile to Jesus.  At that moment, people started asking Peter questions about whether or not he was one of Jesus’ disciples.   He likely assumed if he was identified as afollower of Jesus that he too would be arrested, beaten, or even killed.  At first Peter politely denies his association.  Then Peter gets even more adamant in his denial of his relationship with Jesus. At this point Matthew records these words:   “After a little while the bystanders came upand said to Peter, ‘Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you'” (Matthew 26:73).   Sadly, Peter begins to curse and swear saying that he did not know Jesus.  Perhaps Peter began to curse and swear because he was angry and afraid.  Perhaps it was an added effort to cover up the fact that he really was one of the disciples ofJesus.  Peter did tried to cover up who he was, but he could not hide the truth forever.  Eventually it was his speech that gave him away.

 Does Peter’s behavior during the trials of Jesus shock you?  Perhaps it should, but considering the behavior of those who profess to follow Christ today, the less surprising his actions are.  When around the world, it is not uncommon for Christians to either hide their faith or to behave in such a way that their actions betray them.   One place where such contradictory behavior and speech is common is the internet networking blog called Facebook.  Facebook can be a usefultool to glorify the Lord and spiritual things. This is very refreshing, especially with the sinful garbage that dominates the internet.  But sadly, the Facebook activity of some who are supposed to be Christians does more to glorify sin and this world.  Some profess to be Christians, while their Facebook activity tells a much different story.  Whether we realize it or not, what we do on Facebook speaks volumes about us.   When you look at a person’s profile, pictures, updates, and comments you learn much about their life – their family, job, hobbies, dislikes, food preferences, daily activities, goals, dreams, relationships, and so much more.  So if a person is trying to please God, would that also not be evident in the things they do on Facebook?   It must be! Paul writes, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).   If this is true of us, Jesus will permeate all aspects of our life.  This would certainly include what we do on Facebook.

 Consider some ways people who profess to follow Christ can be betrayed by their Facebook activity.   Some will post pictures of themselves and others in clothing that is immodest.  Personally speaking, I have been saddened and even sickened by having to see way too much of some of my friends who are supposed to be Christians.  Our clothing should be consistent with that of a person confessing godliness with good works (1 Timothy 2:10).  Based on some people’s pictures on Facebook, they are certainly professing something but it sure isn’t godliness!   Occasionally you will find posts to links forvideos that are unrighteous in nature. Many times the video is supposed to be funny, but its humor comes from sinful behavior or speech.  Have we forgotten the admonition, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9)?  It is also fairly common to see people using language that is ungodly.  Sometimes it is suggestive words about a person’s picture, sometimes it is a vulgar joke,and sometimes it is the use of profanity or euphemisms.  Perhaps one wouldn’t dare type a curse word or take God’s name in vain, but they will use abbreviations like “omg” and evenworse without a second thought.  Paul writes, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4).  There are some who would not do any of these things, but they show their approval of those who do.  On Facebook you can leave comments under people’s posts and pictures as well as clicking that you “like” something posted.   Perhaps what we really need is a “dislike” option!  Remember how Peter’s speech betrayed him, making it impossible to hide that he was really one of Jesus’ disciples?   Christians need to carefully consider if their Facebook activity betrays their confession of faith and fellowship with Jesus.

 This Facebook problem is a reflection of the problem of conforming to the world. Romans 12:1 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  It is a great struggle to live in the world while still living above the world, but this is our duty and our goal.

What Do You Do For Fun?

Author Unknown

Several years ago a Christian girl told me about an incident with a young man who had been trying to date her. He was not a member of the church, and they just did not have anything in common. She had turned him down twice and now she had said “no” to attending a rock concert with him. In a kind of mock exasperation, the young man asked, “What do you do for fun?  You don’t dance, you don’t drink, you don’t attend rock concerts. What do you do for fun?”

She replied, “For fun, I get up in the morning without feeling embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about what I did the night before.” The young man had nothing more to say. She was right; it is not fun to feel guilty for your actions the night before. There are many things in life that are fun. For example, the Christian girl is now married to a fine Christian man. They have a little girl and are building an outstanding Christian home together. Think of the fun she is having.

She is having fun every day living without the scars of fornication, drugs, alcohol, or regrets from her past. She is having fun getting ready each afternoon to receive a husband home from work; knowing that he will not be stopping off at the local bar for a few drinks with his friends. She is having fun knowing that her little girl will never see her father in a drunken stupor or experimenting with drugs. She is having fun knowing that while he is away from her, his Christian conduct will not allow infidelity or even flirting. She is having fun watching him hold his little girl on his lap with loving, protective arms. She is having fun living with the assurance that the home will be led by a spiritual leader who will guide each family member towards heaven.

The list of fun things for the Christian is endless.

What do you do for fun?

Who You Are Is Not Who You Were

The Bible clearly teaches that we will be judged by our actions. Revelation 20:12 tells of judgment where “…I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” The books (Old Testament and New Testament) reveal the standard of what we must do in order to please Him (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:3). Paul clearly links our actions to eternal punishment or reward (Romans 2:6-11 – note the variations of “do” and its direct relationship to the results). Jesus says that we will even be called into judgment for every careless word (Matthew 12:36). What we do and say impacts our eternal life.

But our actions also enrich our earthly life and the lives of others. I think the scripture makes it clear that God does not want us to live holy lives to prepare for a grand accounting, but in order to share in His holiness and to be like His righteous Son. Jesus lived the life of a servant and had a tremendous impact on the lives of those He touched. A life that serves God and others is the life revealed in God’s word.

The Bible teaches that we have all fallen short of the standard God has set (Romans 3:23). The question is, how will you react to your failure to be holy? You can beat yourself up and say that you’ll never be able to live up to God’s standard but, in truth, you are blaming God for your lack of effort. You can say that you have too many sins or you have messed your life up too much, but that is accusing God of having insufficient grace. However, God wants you to take two important steps.

First, be reconciled to Him through His Son. We must believe what the gospel says about Jesus and confess Him as God’s Son (Romans 10:9-15). We must also turn away from a life that is dedicated to honoring self instead of God and the sin that separates us from God (Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19). We must also submit to baptism, immersion in water, which is a burial and resurrection with Christ, so that our sins may be cleansed (Romans 6:1-14). Note that it is not the actions themselves that save us but obeying the will of God that commands these things. When we sin after we are baptized, we can repent and pray to God to forgive us (1 John 2:1-5).

Second, as a child of God you have the duty and privilege to bring others to God to receive the forgiveness, hope, peace, and joy that you received. The reaction of the Samaritan woman in John 4 is a great example of one who lived an unrighteous life but used the testimony of her past (“Come see a man who told me all things I ever did”) to bring others to Jesus. If you have overcome a type of sin or habit you are in a better position to help others overcome that sin or habit better than someone who has no experience with it. We should not indulge in sin so we can help others–we must strive for holiness–but when we do fall, we should use our failures to help others succeed. God can help us use our defeats to bring victory in our life and the lives of others.

Do not let yourself be defined by failures of your past. What has been done cannot be changed, only forgiven. But yesterday’s actions do not demand the same actions today. When we give up because of past sins, we allow history to steal the present and hinder the opportunity for a brighter future. When we give our sins to God, make the choice to reject sin, and strive for holiness we will become more like Jesus and less like what we were. Jesus can clean up a polluted life, fix what is damaged, and create a wonderful child who lives a satisfying life and makes a positive imact on the lives of others.