Is this you? You wish your life was better than it is. But there’s this problem. This problem is keeping you from enjoying a better life. Continue reading
Month: April 2013
Will Your Sins Find You Out?
By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Executive Director
John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries
“Be sure your sins will find you out.” I have heard that growing up. It is true. Richard Eggers discovered it recently.
You Plus God Equals Zero U+GOD=0
Lots of people who don’t know their true identity in Christ believe and live out of a contrived philosophy of works and performance. They think God plus 
their good works is what brings God glory. If the truth be told, in my opinion and from my experience, usually the motivation for their good works is probably more about getting approval from God.
I had a friend who used to tell me, and everyone else, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” I had to bite my tongue every time I heard that platitude. First, it’s not the least bit scriptural or true. And second, it creates the impression that one has to do stuff to get help, approval or acceptance from God.
I was teaching about grace and the freedom we have in Christ one Sunday in my adult Bible study class. One of our members grew up in another faith, a legalistic, works oriented religion. She made this statement, “Okay, I hear what you’re saying, but surely there must be something we need to do to receive God’s grace.”
Obviously she did NOT hear what I was saying. Her resistance to surrendering her life to Christ and abiding in Christ (John 15:1-5) caused her to struggle with God’s grace and receive it. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing!”
Abiding is the toughest “nothing” we will ever do. But as the verses in John say, unless we do nothing in and of ourselves and just abide, we won’t produce anything worthwhile for the Kingdom of God.
//
Preeminent Leaders and Super Gurus–Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Divsion — Part 7
Loving The Whacky, Not Their Whackiness — Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Division Part 6
Where Are You Going?
By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Executive Director
John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries
When you look for guidance be sure you get good instructions.
Sabine Moreau is 67-years-old. She was going on what she thought would be a short trip, so she followed her navigation
system. It sent her on a 1,800-mile detour through six countries! Sabine only intended to drive 93 miles to Brussels, but ended up in Croatia. She said, “Suddenly I appeared in Zagreb and I realized I wasn’t in Belgium anymore.”
We rely a lot on Lowrance, TomTom, Garmin, Smart phones, and other GPS navigational devices. Most of the time they are correct, but they can be faulty. I read about one elderly man who was following his navigation system and drove off of a pier into the lake!
The Bible teaches us that God wants to guide us through life. In Psalm 23 David says that God is like a shepherd who wants to guide us to the green pastures, the still waters, and the paths of righteousness. (Psalm 23:1, 2)
We can trust God’s guidance. He never sends us on a wild goose chase. He never makes mistakes when He guides. What we need to do is follow.
There was small boy who had an unusual fear of the dark. Late one evening his father asked him to go out to the barn to get some tools. The boy broke down and confessed that he was afraid of the dark.
The father gave the boy a lantern and said, “How far can you see son?” The boy said, “Well I can see to the mulberry tree.” The father said, “Good. Then go to the mulberry tree.” When the boy reached the tree the father said, “How far can you see now?” The boy replied that he could see the currant bushes. The father said, “Go to the bushes.”
As the boy reached the bushes the father asked again, “How far can you see now?” This time the boy said he could see the hen house and then finally to the barn. The father told him to proceed and the boy went step by step and made it to the barn.
When God guides us he doesn’t always show us the destination. What He expects is for us to follow Him to the next point, then continue and trust Him. It is all about trust. He knows where we need to be and He knows how to guide us there. He does it step by step.
Sometimes I get impatient and want to see the full map. God is always reminding me that it is His responsibility to guide – it is my responsibility to follow.
Technology is good. I will continue to use my GPS device, but want to remember that sometimes it can be wrong. More importantly, I am going to ask for God’s navigation system. He has never been wrong in thousands of years. He has never carried a person to where they do not need to be. He has never made a mistake.
He guides! I follow!
John Ed’s blog posts appear each Thursday on For His Glory
Contact: JAM Executive Suite 4, 4131 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106 | 334.270.2149 | info@johnedmathison.org
//
The Love Of God
By Dr. Steve McVey
Founder of Grace Walk Ministries
Tampa Bay, Florida
Editor’s Note: Dr. McVey’s The Love Of God post on FHG today appeared on his blog yesterday. Dr. McVey is a pastor, well-respected author and public speaker. If you sometimes doubt God’s, Dr. McVey’s words should help you better understand how much God loves you.
Dividing over Issues – Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Division – part 5
By Rob Morely
Light and Life Bible Ministries.
Fifth post in a series Continue reading
The Problem Of Being Different In Church; Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Divisions
By Rob Morley
Pastor, Real Life Church
Exploring the possibility of real unity under one roof despite differences of opinion
A Homosexual’s Open Letter To The Church
Here We Go Again!
A New Way Of Winning
Simple
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
We have an overwhelming tendency to complicate simple things. We have all heard the K.I.S.S. principle, but we seldom
apply it. James Madison, our fourth President, warned against creating laws “so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they can not be understood.”¹
I guess our lawmakers were on the campaign trail or a fact-finding junket in Maui when Madison said that.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple a child can understand it. When we’re talking about the Gospel to folks, or even to each other, we don’t have to explain justification or sanctification or election or the Trinity or grace. The best Gospel we can ever preach is the one we live out. That sermon will preach clearer and simpler than any testimony we could share with words.
¹Our Daily Bread devotional for April 10, 2013, Keep It Simple, by Dave Egner, was the inspiration for this devotional today on For His Glory
Gay Marriage Post Draws Fire, Favor
The Most Commented-On For His Glory Post Ever Continue reading
Comment-to-post On “Jesus Loves Homosexuals”
EL No Condemnation
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Continue reading
Just For You
Blissfully Ignorant in My Church: Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Division – Part 3
Holy Sexuality, Batman!
Read The Whole Message
EL Why The “Born This Way” Argument Fails
EL Not Guilty
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24 (NIV).
When I was just a little guy I threw a hammer through our picture window. Continue reading
Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Division; Part 2
Issues and Opinions: Welcoming Differences, Avoiding Division – Part 2
By Rob Morley
Free to be different Continue reading
For His Glory 