Category: Christian Thoughts

God’s Word Is Not About Putting Restrictions On Us – It’s About A Great Freedom He Wants Us To Live.

Faith and obedience are closely linked.

Faith comes from hearing the word of the Lord. Obedience comes when we submit to the authority of that word.

There’s the real challenge and test of faith… obedience. That’s often where there’s a price to pay.

For a Christian, obedience, or submission to God’s word is the “real deal.”

It’s easy to cover our real state of heart with many types of “Christian activity” but given time, his word always exposes the truth of what’s in our hearts.

God’s word is not about putting restrictions on us - it’s about a great freedom He wants us to live.

That’s part of his grace towards us. Why? To set us free… not by just knowing His word but by repentance and submission to His word.

God’s Word is not about putting restrictions on us – it’s about a great freedom He wants us to live.

Romans 16:26
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

He wants to write that word in our hearts. Let him. It’s sets us free.

  • Mark Saunders

You’re The Potter Lord And I’m The Clay

A good hunter knows how to lay a trap that his prey is lured into.

Comparing ourselves to others is a trap. Don’t be lured in.

It bears the fruits of either pride or condemnation. Neither is God’s heart for us.

Comparing ourselves to others has its roots in legalism which has the same fruits – self righteousness or condemnation.

So what do we do? Surrender and accept who we are. That’s tough but it’s the first step towards giving the Lord access to change us.

The change begins with surrender… Lord let me be what you want me to be. You’re the potter Lord and I’m the clay.

Without this surrender we’re still in the trap… comparing ourselves to who we would like to be. There’s no freedom in that.

Are you dissatisfied with yourself?
Surrender your life Jesus – He’ll know what to do.

2 Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.

Isaiah 29:16
Surely you have things turned around!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the thing made say of him who made it,
“He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?

  • Mark Saunders

Why Jesus Came

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)
Why Jesus Came

There was no other reason why Jesus came into the world; He came to save sinners, you and I. We must never take this lightly. Jesus loves us and came to save us from certain life in eternal hell. This marvellous truth should so captivate our thoughts that we are driven to our knees in gratitude and worship our wondrous Saviour and Lord.

I don’t know how you perceived yourself before you came to Christ. Paul saw himself as the worst of sinners. No matter how good of a person we thought we were, without Christ we were in the same boat as Paul. We were sinners undeserving of God’s love and favor. Like Paul, we ought to be amazed at the fact that Jesus bothered with us. Our sins made us enemies of God and deserving of His wrath. You without Christ were the worst you have ever been. Whether you were the best or worst of sinners, you were still an enemy of God, undeserving of God’s forgiveness and mercy.

Jesus saves us so that we can tell others this simple truth: “If God can save me, He can save you, too.” We each have a story of redemption to tell. We ought to be telling it over and over again. No one is beyond God’s forgiveness. God is patient with the lost and anyone who is willing can be saved. Our lives are a living testimony of what God can do.

Praise God for His marvellous patience, mercy, and love! I am redeemed! Shout it from the rooftop to all who will listen. Let your voice be heard. People everywhere must be told that Jesus can and does save everyone who comes to Him with a broken, repentant heart.

What Really Matters

Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.

1 Timothy 1:4 (NLT)

How much time is wasted arguing over things that really don’t matter? Probably a lot. We sometimes get into some interesting “discussions” that end up doing nothing more than cause hard feelings that sometimes result in broken fellowship that is never quite restored. How sad!! We need to be careful about what issues we choose to get defensive over. As much as we would like to think otherwise, our opinions really don’t matter all that much. What does matter are those things which help us and others to grow in faith.

We need to focus our attention on things that edify the soul and the source of those things is the Word of God. The Word of God should never be argued over. We can have different understandings on interpretations and applications, but they should NEVER be allowed to sever relationships in the body of Christ. We should agree to disagree agreeably on our different understandings and move on to how we can help each other grow in faith.

If we truly love each other as God loves us, we will work very hard to live peaceably with each other and work together for our common good and Christ’s glory on earth. Loving each other ought to disarm those things which divide us. As long as Christ is the focus of our faith and we rally around the cross, we should accept one another as brothers and sisters in Him and help each other become a holy people, a people after God’s own heart.

What Are You Other Than A Servant Of The Lord?

“Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.”

Isaiah 10:15 (KJV)
axe in wood

‬What are you other than a servant of the Lord? What have you other than that which He has given you? Can you indeed say anything in your life is not that which God has ordained?

It is foolishness to think than you are the successor of God’s work. You are His tool and implement, designed by Him for His use. No tool can boast in itself and put itself to the task it was designed for. Only God can wield that which He ordained for the task!

Nothing you have is your own; all is for the glory of God! Your talent, your wealth, and your blessings are utter vanity/meaninglessness if not put under subjection to God’s will.

Take stock of what the LORD has given unto you and consider how you are using it to glorify Him. Glorify God with what He has given! Do it now, for the LORD gives and He takes away!

  • Jonathan G Ettrick