Category: Christian Thoughts

The Blessing Or Approval Of God In Our Lives Is So Needed For Us Christians

“How are you brother? I’m blessed… but the reality is that we’re broke, fighting with our families and our lives are in disarray.

The approval of God is having his hand at work in our lives… approving his workmanship as he shapes and molds us into the image of Christ.

Christ didn’t chase the same type of “blessings” that so many of us Christians chase.

He valued things like relationship with God, truth, submission to God’s word, the freedom and clarity of heart it brings.

When we value the same things too, they bring order in our lives.

Too often we are seeking the kingdom so that “worldly blessings” can be added to our lives.

It’s not really the kingdom of God (righteousness, peace, joy and the things mentioned above) that we want.

  • Mark Saunders

Christians, If We Don’t Accept Suffering We Miss Out On Many Blessings Of God

What?? That’s not right? Yes it is…

Our suffering is to identify with the sufferings of Christ or to experience the suffering, death and then “resurrection life of Jesus” at work in us.

An example… we disagree with our spouse, we argue, we stand our ground and defend our position because we are right.

The result? Condemnation, judgment and division.

Repeat and repeat until the marriage breaks apart.

What point is there praying for and expecting the blessings of God when you can’t talk to your spouse?

That’s the way of the flesh.

Now, the way of the cross… I’m right but it doesn’t matter and I seek the grace of God to equip me to follow the example of Christ who humbled himself, came down from his position and lost his life for those he loved. He accepted to take the cross and suffer.

The result? A work of God in our hearts as we allow ourselves to be “formed” to the image of Christ in us.

Repeat and repeat until our spouse feels the heart of God through you.

This is where the true power and impact of the gospel lies… and this is where our greatest challenge lies… to accept to loose our lives.

  • Mark Saunders

The Narrow Road

Being a Christian means we follow Christ.

Jesus invites us to follow Him by denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily.

The cross is the key to following Jesus. It’s simple but so, so challenging!

It’s easy to misunderstand “denying yourself.”

It doesn’t mean “making your life difficult” and it’s not “works.”

It’s accepting to lay aside the right to our lives and accept the will of God. It invites a deep work of God in one’s life that marks you.

This is lived out in the circumstances of everyday life…

Lord my life is not my own… what is your will? Let me decrease and you increase.

This is what the Holy Spirit wants to teach us… to discern and accept the will of God for our lives.

So is it easy – absolutely not!

But is it worth it – absolutely yes!

The way of the cross is almost a “forgotten road”…but when we find it we realize that it’s the only road for a Christian to walk.

There is no other way to follow Jesus… the narrow road.

  • Mark Saunders

The Door To Change Is Opened By God’s Grace

Living in the shadows is not what the Lord intended for us… living in the light is.

The old covenant is a shadow of the reality that would be revealed through the new covenant.

The old covenant had its own type of “light” or glory… it was expressed externally.

It can’t compare to the light or glory of the new covenant which is Christ in us…the hope of Glory.

This glory is expressed through a changed heart… it’s the work of the Holy Spirit in us that changes our hearts.

We certainly can’t change ourselves… we can try… but the change lasts as long as our efforts.

It’s not by our might, nor by our power… it’s by the Spirit of God that this mountain of law… mountain of works to keep it and ultimately mountain of sin produced by our inability to keep it …shall become a plain… it shall be removed… with cryings of Grace, Grace to it!
(Zechariah 4:6-7)

The door to this change is opened by His Grace.

We become His workmanship… as we accept to carry our cross or surrender our lives… to be worked by God… and that’s not always easy… but we become a reflection of His Glory… a glimmer of Christ in us.

  • Mark Saunders

Christians, It’s Ok To “Not Be Ok.”

Pretending is tiring.
Pretending you’re ok when you’re not.

Christians, it’s ok to “not be ok.”
It’s not lack of faith. It’s called being honest.

Life has its ups and downs… but hold on to the faith we have in Jesus… he never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Faith is not confessing your problems away and speaking as if they don’t exist… as if these things depend on your words.

Faith is a surrendered life, that holds on through thick and thin… knowing that He’s in control… not us and our words.

Life has issues. Our victory in them is that we come through by the grace of God, being somehow shaped by the hand of God… a rough edge smoothed, a lesson learned… an attitude changed.

What a privilege we have as Christians to walk with the Lord through these things… what hope, what victory!

  • Mark Saunders