No Shame

Being a Christian is not easy at times. There are many people that think we are crazy to believe in God and especially to believe in the person of Jesus. It is even hard to try and fully explain why we believe and what we believe, because people seem to have their arguments all neatly packaged.

Despite all of this, it is still a great privilege for me to be called a "Christ-ian" - or "little Christ." I really enjoyed this verse from 1 Peter 4 over the weekend - it reminded me not to feel ashamed of what I believe it.

"But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name." - 1 Peter 4:16 (NLT)

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

There is NO shame in following Jesus.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Cares, stoops, rescues

"Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues." - John Stott

The remarkable thing about receiving God's grace is that it should remind us that ...
God cares
God stoops
God rescues.

When Jesus came to earth it was a reminder that God cares enough about us to 'stoop' to our level so that we can be rescued.

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8 

In response to God's grace, how can we CARE, STOOP and RESCUE?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Why suffering?

This age old question seems to haunt us: Why does God allow suffering?
While I don't have a nice neat, quick answer for this blog, I have found some thoughts from David Watson helpful. Before you read his quote, put into context that David was a well known Minister in his church, a great Evangelist and author. Despite his commitment to Jesus Christ, he still got cancer and subsequently passed away. Many Christians battled with the fact that David got cancer, even though he was such a servant of God. Here is what David said:

"It is sometimes only through suffering that we begin to listen to God. Our natural pride and self-confidence have to be stripped painfully away and we become aware, perhaps for the first time, of our own personal needs." - David Watson

I am not sure what you think of David's thoughts on this, but his words were borne from his own trials and sufferings, so I suppose they are his take on the issue. In the end, we have to put our lives into the hands of Jesus and to trust in his goodness. It seems like a simple answer, but perhaps that is all we can do. 

Romans 5:3-5 - Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Absence of danger?

What do you make of these words?

"The Christian finds safety not in the absence of danger, but in the presence of God." - Anon

Thomas a Kempis wrote something similar in the Imitation of Christ. He said,
"When Jesus is present, all is good and nothing seems difficult;
but when Jesus is absent, all is hard."

I find these words quite reassuring today, because it is our natural inclination to run away from trials and hardships, or at least to play it safe. However, LIFE always presents us with struggles and it is then that we need to remember that God is present with us.

"Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:20

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Stop digging

"The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging." - Warren Buffett

Sometimes we get ourselves into all sorts of difficulty. It can be of our own making or else at the hands of someone else. Usually we begin by trying to dig our way out of the situation, but this can end up having the opposite results - It may get us into even more trouble.

As Warren Buffett suggests, we could stop digging ourselves deeper into trouble and ask for help. Perhaps there is someone who is able to lift us out of the pit. I know that God is always willing to assist us in getting back onto our feet.

"God redeems your life from the pit, he surrounds you with grace and compassion..." - Psalm 103:4

Have you stopped digging long enough to ask God for help?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Where is the Evidence?

"Let us beware of repentance without evidence." - JC Ryle

I am always wary of advocating anything like 'works' in our Christian lifestyle, because we are certainly NOT saved by what we can do - it is all thanks to the Grace of God. However, when you read the above quote, it does speak a lot of truth into how we should be 'revealing' our Christian lives. If I claim to have turned from my old life (Repentance), yet I am showing no evidence of a NEW life, then surely there is something wrong?

Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 7:20

"Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions."

Is there Evidence of our NEW life in Christ? If not, then perhaps we haven't quite turned from our old lives as yet?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Love covers a multitude of sins

The Soncino commentary remarks, “Hatred makes mountains out of mole hills, but love covers, or puts out of sight, and enables one to overlook insults and wrongs.”

In reality, Love is willing to overlook insults and hurt in order to restore a relationship or friendship. The chance to make a 'mountain' out of the injury is always present, but Love chooses to take a different route.

Peter wrote these words in 1 Peter 4:8 - "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

As you read these words today, is there someone who has hurt you? Are you willing to allow God's love to fill you and to help you 'cover' the pain that has been inflicted upon you?

Living in Grace
D3LM3