MOTIVATIONS
Sometimes it takes grace and wisdom to distinguish between God using a flawed person …
And a flawed person using God.
Category: Simple Virtue
MATURITY
With age and wisdom, I increasingly understand the importance of God-centered gratitude, awe and stewardship …
As antidotes to the self-consumed hopelessness, inertia and despair that grips many.
THE POWER OF PRAYER
Effective prayer is more about hearing and doing what God wants …
Than Him hearing and doing what we want.
TRANSFORMATION
Faith presumes obedience …
Because without obedience, there is no faith.
THE HARD PATH
I will continue to speak, work and stand for real solutions to real problems …
Rather than take the easy out of conspiracy paranoia.
The Sovereign God of Heaven and Earth …
Expects no less.
STANDING FIRM
The fight these days is not between conservative verses liberal or Republican verses Democrat, but between:
Truth verses deception;
Reality verses destruction; and
Virtue verses depravity.
Fortunately, when it comes to what’s true, real and right …
Biblical Christians have the home court advantage.
So don’t give in or grow weary of standing firm for what is eternal and good …
Even if the heathen rage in response.
They’re only protesting their own failures and frustrations …
Born of their own irrational incoherence.
GODLY COURAGE
May we be less concerned about offending others with our speech …
Than offending God with our silence.
DECLARE OR DO?
The clamorous “declare” and “proclaim” crowd seems more driven by the anxiety of their own fears and insecurities …
Than by authentic faith.
Authentic faith, in contrast, quietly goes forth in the power of Godly confidence and assurance …
To actually redeem lives and the world around them.
“PROGRESSIVE” RACISM
These days, if you oppose the Leftist political views held by many (but certainly not all) black organizations, it is called racism – even if you oppose those views because you want the best for the black community.
Thus, according to how oppressive “progressives” have redefined the word, you are “racist” based on legitimate political differences even if you care deeply about what’s happening in the black community.
This twisting of language by the Left is insidious, and is used by the Left to stifle honest debate over their political policies that are actually doing great harm to the black community.
Don’t let the rhetoric of hate from the Left silence you:
Renounce their oppressive policies that are destroying Black lives, Black families and Black communities;
Proclaim with confidence those Godly principles – like worth, dignity and responsibility, in the context of faith, family and community – which offer true hope for all as we seek to heal our broken nation; and
Stand for virtue.
Only then will the true racists be unmasked.
As goes the Church,
So goes the Nation.
Repent,
While there’s still time.
According to the New Testament, civil government is ordained by God …
Not to make us good, but to protect us from those who aren’t.
Because I love Christ, I’ve opened my home and my life to those abused by people who use Christ to exploit others.
Because I love Christ, I’ve ministered to people in jail and the woods with whom polite society won’t dirty their lives.
Because I love Christ, I’ve loved His “ekklesia” rather than the man-centered institution often called the “church” these days.
Because I love Christ, I’m still willing to exceed my comfort zones.
How about you?
Being an adult means fully bearing the costs, and the consequences, of our own choices.
Unfortunately, many parents today don’t let that happen …
Then wonder why their “grown” kids are such failures at life.
Tragically, I frequently see this as I go into our local jail …
Mostly among twenty-something boys from middle class families.
Even more tragically, the parents and their churches often continue – out of guilt – to enable their immaturity even when they get out.
It never turns out well.
Do them a favor:
Let ’em fail!
Stop enabling them and let them begin to experience the full, unmitigated consequences of their choices …
Even if it means they go homeless and risk destitution until they begin making mature decisions and start to grow up.
Being allowed to become homeless and nearly destitute will be a great shock to them – and they may initially stumbled badly – but with time I’ve always seen it turn out to be the best thing for them.
For the first time, they learn to grow up and own their own future.
These are not theoretical musings, but how our churches over the years have helped guys from the jail who had no family but needed to grow up.
In the long run, tough love may be the best love you can give.
A Christian can’t truly love the LGBTQ community …
Without opposing the deceptions that trap them in sin and bondage.
God is …
Therefore, I think.
Misplaced Loyalties:
Getting more upset about abuse, lies and cover-up being exposed in your beloved “church” and its leaders …
Than about the impact of that abuse on the victims.
God will not hold you blameless.
I’ve seen more carnal rubbish under claims of being “in the Spirit” than I care to remember.
In contrast, I’ve found that those who live lives of simple humility and faithful obedience …
More often are the real deal.
Guys in jail often ask me how to find a good church when they get out.
I tell them that if they visit a couple of times on Sunday and no one ever invites them home to share friendship and a meal together, move on …
It’s just a meeting, not a church.
When people say “worship” today …
They mean reverent music.
When the New Testament says “worship” …
It means living our lives in reverent submission and obedience to God.
There’s nothing wrong with music.
It has its place, when done as the New Testament actually says …
But not as a substitute or new definition for true worship.
That was never God’s intent.
Authentic citizens of God’s Kingdom …
Are the greatest force for reforming earthly kingdoms.
History proves this time and again …
And God is not yet done with history.
The key to success in business, as in life, is legitimately meeting people’s needs …
Rather than using them to meet yours.
Profits and wages, then, are simply your portion of that added value you create for others.
State-ratified vice …
Is State-ratified bondage.
It’s one thing to allow private sin …
But another entirely for the State to publicly endorse it.
Cynicism isn’t a retreat from evil …
But from good.
It brings no dishonor to God …
To honor what is honorable in a nation and its founding principles.
“Who are you to judge? God knows my heart.”
Yes. Yes He does:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jer 17:9)
Which is why, in fact, we ARE to judge …
But righteously. (Jn 7:24)
Which means wisely applying God’s external standards of what’s true, real and right…
To internally justified lies, distortions and immorality.
Plumbline Faith 