Your 2007 Spiritual Checkup

“11These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so….” (Acts 17:11 NKJV)

The Gospel of Luke tells Jesus’ story from Luke’s unique perspective as a Gentile, a physician, and the first historian of the early church. Luke was concerned with accuracy.

As a medical doctor Luke knew the importance of being thorough. He used his skills in observation and analysis to thoroughly investigate the stories about Jesus. His diagnosis? The gospel of Jesus Christ is true! You can read the accounts of Jesus’ life with confidence that they are true and reliable. Because the gospel is founded on historical truth, our spiritual growth must involve careful, disciplined, and thorough investigation of the truth of God’s Word so that we can understand how God has acted in history…and in our own life. Christianity doesn’t say, “Close your eyes and believe,” but rather, “Open your eyes and you’ll believe!” Jesus didn’t blind people, He opened their eyes! Jesus has nothing to hide; He has everything to display! Look for yourself!

The Bible encourages you to investigate its claims thoroughly because your conclusion about Jesus is a life-and-death matter. Check out the evidence. This is an invitation for the biblically knowledgeable as well as the ignorant. This is an invitation for the spiritually healthy as well as the spiritually sick. This is an invitation for the saved soul as well as the searching soul. This is an invitation for the spiritually secure as well as the agnostic or skeptic.

Go on! Investigate! Challenge! Pursue! Jesus can handle it. In my college days I rebelled against the Christian faith seeing it as a crutch for the psychologically weak. I attacked with a vengeance. Jesus won. He always will. To this day, the great ancient historian Josephus is my anchor. Josephus is known for his thoroughness. He did not accept Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. But his passion for historical accuracy drove him to in-depth research. The more he learned. The more he doubted…his own doubts. At the end of it all, Josephus acknowledges Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world! When you’re dealing with a doubter, don’t feel YOU have to defend the faith, challenge THEM to DISPROVE it! And, for our own spiritual growth, each day of 2007 let’s look into something about the faith that we are uncertain of, confused about, doubt. Keep looking, keep researching, keep digging…




until our eyes are opened to the subject. Our faith will be strengthened.


Blessings Always
in All Ways,

Steve
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The Stamp of Christ

Mother Teresa said, “You love Jesus only as much as the person you love the least.”

For all that confuses us about Jesus Christ, there is one truth that he made completely clear. The Christian faith is about service and humility. It’s about helping those who can’t help themselves. It’s about loving others more than we love ourselves—even the most unlovable among us.

What is the sign of true followers? Is it the amount of knowledge that we have? Is it the money we give to missions? Is it the hours we’ve spent worshiping in church? Is it the Christian books we’ve read?

According to Jesus, the sign of the saved is their love for the least.

When the great Church father, Francis of Assisi, left his wealth behind to seek God, he stripped naked and walked out of the city. The first person he encountered on his journey was a leper on the side of the road. He first passed him, then turned back. He embraced the leper in his arms before continuing his journey. A few steps down the road he turned and saw that the leper was gone. Until his dying day, Francis of Assisi was convinced that the leper was Jesus. Even if he was wrong, he was right.

31 “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ 40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’.”
(Matt. 25:31-41)

Being a good humanitarian doesn’t give us the eternal fulfilling relationship we seek. However, Jesus makes clear, having a committed relationship with Jesus Christ inevitably results in sincerely caring for our fellow human being. Not caring for selected individuals, but caring for all we encounter. Throughout 2007, every person you see, whether you like them or not, whether you understand them or not, whether you agree with them or not, is Christ confronting you: how will you deal with Him?

Steve

Sing a New Song to the Lord in 2007

“He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.”
Ps. 40:1-3

David is stating this as both a reflection of his past and as a future vision. He recently had many trials and frustrations, yet his focus in the Lord gave him strength, a positive attitude, and, a hope. It paid off. He discovered at the end of his current experiences that in the end, God truly does bring happiness and fulfillment…even when times are low…and he knew that people were
watching him.

He took a leap of faith, and it proved itself a reality. Based upon that reality, he is now looking to the days ahead. Experience has strengthened his faith and his reason to hope. He now knows that our commitment to the Lord will help us through our challenges and fears. He also knows that people will be watching, especially skeptics, and our faithfulness to God will also serve as a witness to others (don’t kid yourself, you ARE being watched! We’re being observed by people who wish to disprove our faith…we’re being observed by people who wish to have faith like ours but are unsure).

As we enter 2007, so long as we stay focused on Christ through everything that happens, we will find peace, we will find fulfillment, and we will reinforce one another’s faith.

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve
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The Journey into 2007

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Lk. 2:1-7)

When Joseph and Mary headed out of Nazareth to Bethlehem, they had to be scared. The journey was uncertain. It was filled with robbers and pitfalls. In fact, no one made this journey without either securing private bodyguards or at least traveling in a large group. This was no luxury travel experience. But at the end, the Lord of Lord, the King of Kings, the Messiah, was in their midst. Yet, even with Him as their center, life was no picnic.

You and I are looking forward into a new 365 days ahead. It’s guaranteed to have its pitfalls. Undoubtedly, there are threats awaiting us. But if we join Joseph and Mary in being willing to go forward, with Christ as our center, the journey will be worth it.

As you move forward into a new year, where is your focus? It’ll make the difference.

Blessings Always in All Ways,

Steve

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