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UPDATED MAY 2, 2008 A magnitude-5.2 earthquake hit the Midwest two weeks ago, the strongest quake to hit this part of the country in 40 years. A lot of people are worried about probably continued earthquake activity, because most buildings in the Midwest haven't been built to withstand earthquakes. I think there's a major parallel that can be made with the spiritual lives of many of us who claim to follow Christ but who in reality have poor spiritual structures we've built upon unsteady foundations. Click here to read my May newsletter that I sent out this morning about spiritual preparedness and building our lives only upon Christ. UPDATED APRIL 17, 2008 I just posted an entry on JesusFreakBlog.com about the clarity and meaning we can find only through Christ. You can click here to read it. I hope it challenges you. UPDATED MARCH 16, 2008 As we celebrate the events of Jesus' death and resurrection this week, I hope that those of us who claim to trust and follow Him will start thinking about not just what we believe, but why we believe it. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." But how many of us have really taken the time to think about why we believe what we do as Christ's followers, and to consider how reliable and trustworthy the evidence is? Click here to read my March newsletter, and an article I posted in early 2004 about why we can stake our very lives on the resurrection of Jesus. UPDATED FEB. 3, 2008 Better late than never for thoughts on today's Super Bowl and putting the earthly things we consider "super" in proper perspective. I've just reposted a blog entry from two years ago, God really doesn't care who wins the Super Bowl. I hope the message will stick with each of us long after the game is over. "holiday shopping season" UPDATED JAN. 3, 2008 For my upcoming January newsletter, I'm working on some thoughts on how to keep our focus only on Christ as we start this new year--and that everything else in our lives and in this world is trash compared to Him. And tonight after hearing the song "All That Matters" by the band Jonah 33, I thought that a blog entry I posted on JesusFreakBlog.com two years ago about that song is especially appropriate right now. Click here for a repost of that entry. UPDATED DEC. 14, 2007 It can be so easy, even in countries and cultures where everyone seems to know the name of Jesus--or maybe because of that very reason--that we so often take our relationship with Him for granted and sometimes don't focus on sharing His love except around Christmastime. I've just reposted at this link some thoughts I posted two years ago on JesusFreakBlog.com on letting Christmas be the starting point in our lives for us to commit to serve and love others in everything we do, and to let Jesus' example of His love be our model. Instead of shopping for Christmas presents this holiday season, how much more of an impact could we make for Christ if we served in a soup kitchen, gave our Christmas shopping money to a homeless shelter or invited strangers into our homes for a meal? Pray that the Lord would show you ways for you to serve and that He would use you for His glory now and the rest of the year. Share your thoughts and experiences at the blog link above about how the Lord has given you a chance to serve Him by serving others. I look forward to hearing from you. I encourage you to also check out my December newsletter which has some thoughts on renewing our focus on Christ right now even if we haven't thought much about Him since last Christmas. UPDATED OCT. 3, 2007 I am in the process of setting up a new ministry site as a counterpart to JesusFreak.com, with a heavy emphasis on basic doctrinal issues such as the deity of Christ, the Trinity, commonly believed false doctrines, and so on. If you would like to link your site to the new one, Jesus.net.nz, you can click here to add a link to your site. The new site is a work in progress at the moment, but I wanted to put this out there for your perusal. If you would like to suggest any articles for the new site, please e-mail me and put "Suggestions for the new site" in the subject line. UPDATED SEPT. 8, 2007 Some of you who receive my monthly newsletter may be wondering why my September newsletter focused on congregations' mortgage debt rather than other more typical devotional topics that I normally write about. But Jesus gave more parables about accountability of our time, talents and resources than about any other topic. And the rest of the world is watching what we do with what we have--if congregations are pouring all of their money into buildings instead of investing in people, if pastors are so focused on bringing people in to help pay the mortgage on an expensive new building instead of trusting God to provide and not going into debt for His work, then not only will we not be doing what we should to draw people to Christ, but our misguided efforts and focus will give the rest of the world the wrong impression about what it means to be a follower of Christ. Check out my newsletter at the link above and feel free to chime in. Are you willing to die for Jesus? UPDATED AUGUST 25, 2007 I've been convinced for a long time now that most Christians in developed countries have absolutely no idea what it means to really live for Christ to the point of being willing to die for Him. And when our faith is put to the fire--if it is at all--too many of us will not withstand extreme trials because we have not bolstered our spiritual strength by relying solely upon Christ. Having said that, I think the appeal of the "Left Behind" phenomenon that promises Christians won't have to suffer the ultimate price for their faith because Jesus will remove us from the Great Tribulation is misguided and unbiblical. I've set up a page at PostTribRapture.com which I encourage you to check out and read with an open mind as to what Scripture really says about the end times, not about what pop culture has led too many people to believe. I encourage your feedback and look forward to hearing from you. UPDATED JULY 18, 2007 I've just added a page at this link on the issue of pastoral accountability which I hope will be a very useful resource for a lot of people. The issue of holding pastors accountable may be a touchy issue with some people whose pastors have been or are involved in immorality, or who seem unapproachable, or who try to wield their authority to keep everyone else in submission to them. But that's exactly why we need to understand and follow what the Bible says about those whom the Lord calls to serve, not to be served. (1 Peter 5:2-3) And when the Lord tells us to speak to those who are in error, no matter what their title or position, we should go, and let Him speak through us as we obey Him. UPDATED JULY 9, 2007 The Lord has been doing more and more amazing things in this ministry, and now more than ever, as the reach of this ministry is expanding literally all over the world, I am asking for your prayers for this ministry, and for all of us who are involved in it. Click here for a note I've just posted on JesusFreakBlog.com about prayer for this ministry. UPDATED JUNE 24, 2007 It's rare that I post comments about individual e-mails I receive, but a message I received a few hours ago from a person who said he was about to commit suicide is one that I hope will make each of us stop and think about who the Lord might be putting in our lives, even for just a moment, for us to tell and show them about His love. Click here to read the message I received, and some thoughts on what the Lord may be telling each of us at any moment of any day. UPDATED JUNE 23, 2007 As an outgrowth of the links below regarding church debt, I am about to add a section on a number of issues that can pose practical and spiritual problems for pastors and their congregations--and debt is just one of those issues. Check back for an update, hopefully by sometime in early July. UPDATED JUNE 11, 2007 I had a series of conversations with people online a couple of years ago on topics that seem to be surfacing again. The conversations have revolved around the amount of debt (mostly for building projects) of churches in general and churches in the United States in particular, whether debt is ever Biblically justified, and what congregations' focus really is--is God providing or isn't He??--if they insist on borrowing money instead of trusting God to provide for their needs. I realize this issue is a real hornets' nest for some people, but I'd like to hear from you. You can post replies on this thread on JesusFreakBlog.com, or you can e-mail me your comments and I will post them online. I'd like to offer some other links as well for your perusal:
And we should, too. UPDATED MAY 3, 2007 I sent out my May newsletter yesterday, mentioning the e-mail below that I received last week. Click here to read the newsletter. I just got this e-mail from a friend of mine in Florida, a guy named Lance Vick: Yo man, we are having a huge problem in Orlando. You may of heard about it in the news. They have BANNED the feeding of homeless people. (See this link for news stories.) Very few people here are aware of the law, and all the local churches have backed down like cowards spouting "Man's law is God's law." There comes a time when basic human decency and the command of Jesus should trump "man's law." This is one of those instances when it couldn't be more crystal-clear to those of us who claim to follow Him. Laws like this are not only not worth keeping, but keeping this particular manmade law violates a direct command from Christ: Matthew 25:41-46: "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." If Christians in cities where these manmade laws have been passed are not willing to do what is right in God's eyes, then they can forget about calling themselves followers of Christ. If you're not willing to do whatever it takes to help "the least of these" no matter what it costs you, then don't go telling anyone you follow Christ. If you're not willing to put your comfort and convenience on the line to do what the Lord commands, no matter if it means breaking this law to push for it to change, then you're not a follower of Christ. Check out Lance's site, JesusWasHomeless.com, and pass it along to as many people as possible. What would Jesus do? It's time for a bunch of us to get arrested for following Him. I'll see you in court. UPDATED APRIL 20, 2007 This ministry has just started a new site, LoveYourWife.org, to challenge Christian husbands to be a model of Christ's love to their wives. I hope it will challenge and encourage each of you to glorify Christ in every way through your marriage. And for those of you who have not yet walked the aisle, I hope this will challenge you to become more like Christ as you wait for the woman He will put in your life. UPDATED APRIL 6, 2007 I have just set up an interactive calendar to allow visitors to this site to commit to pray for this ministry 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to receive reminders by e-mail to pray. Please check out PrayForJesusFreak.com and pass the word along. Since this ministry has a 24/7 presence around the world online, prayer is certainly our most vital need. UPDATED FEB. 26, 2007 I've heard a lot of people say that they can worship God just as easily while they're out on the golf course or fishing or wherever as they can "at church." But are they growing spiritually? I'd be willing to bet the odds aren't good. Click here for my latest article. UPDATED FEB. 10, 2007 But an e-mail I just received about this site does just that. Pray that the Lord will grab the hearts of that site's visitors and that He will draw them irresistably to Himself. Also check out ChallengeTheBlasphemy.com and please pray for their ministry. UPDATED FEB. 3, 2007
UPDATED JAN. 23, 2007 I have added a new article written by a brother in the Lord, Brian O'Connell, about the idea that once we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation. "Once saved always saved" might be a popular doctrine, but it's not Biblical. Jesus promised us that He would never let go of us, but also commanded us to remain with Him no matter the circumstances. Click here to read this article. UPDATED DEC. 5, 2006 In response to far too much nonsense I've heard, seen and read recently from people who claim to be Christian but whose lives show none of the love that Jesus commanded us to show, I just registered WhoWouldJesusHate.net. I hope this will give a good punch in the gut to those of us who need it. |
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