Welcome To The Christian Journeyman!

Welcome To The Christian Journeyman!
A CHRISTIAN TEACHING AND RESOURCE MINISTRY!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

What We Do For Christ!

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8) During a Bible Study, I was looking at a pen I had picked up to take notes with, and noticed these words that were inscribed: "What you do for Christ, only that will last!" As Christians do we realize the influence we will make in all the things we do for Christ?
We can speak volumes about Jesus, in our conversation, our conduct, our treatement of others, our ministry to others, the way we react to trials. The disciples were called to be witnesses for Christ, not only in their place of residence, but to the ends of the earth. Today Christians are all over the world. And we have heard recently of Christians in Lybia, who have been martyred by the extremist Muslum terrorist group ISIS. I read that not one of the 21 who were killed, recanted their belief in Jesus Christ. What does that say to the world? Is Jesus worth dying for? He died for us! He gave His life, so we could have life, abundant and eternal. We may not be called to physically die for Jesus. But we are called to be a living sacrifice for Him. (Romans 12:1) And by our sacrificial life and service for the Lord, we testify to why He means so much to us. We testify to what He did, and what He can do for us, and the world. GP Photo by Naypong. Published on 05 November 2014
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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Our Choice

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) In Ephesians 1:4 the Apostle Paul speaks of us being chosen by God, to be His adopted children, before the foundation of the world. That should make us feel very special, and secure. But like it was in the time of Joshua, the problem of idolatry still remains today. We are worshipping the gods of this world. We can get specific, but they fall under the categories of Power, Position, Possessions, Popularity, and Pleasure. Knowing as Christians, that we were chosen by God, because of His sincere deep love for us, why do we struggle to keep the commitment that Joshua made before the people; to serve the Lord, and put Him first and foremost in our lives? To be honest, it's because of our sinful nature, that causes us to chase after the gods of this world, instead of placing our lives in the love and care of the true God of the universe. God made His choice, and we must make our choice. Jesus told us that "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24) What will be "Our Choice?" GP Photo by bluebay. Published on 21 February 2015
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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

"For The Sake Of The Call"

"And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:19-20) A popular song recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman entitled "For The Sake Of The Call" challenges us to have the same desire and commitment that the disciples did, when they left their nets, to become apart of Jesus' kingdom outreach ministry. The question comes: Have we come to the place in our Christian walk, where we have truly accepted the call, to try and bring people to the Savior? When we go through the week, do we focus on our commission to share the Gospel, and make disciples of all nations? (Matthew 28:19-20) Has it become an urgent thing with us, or just an optional thing? Are we serious about this ministry, or do we leave it for others to do? If you and another person were in a burning house, and you knew of a way out, would you not quickly reveal the path to safety, and pursue that path, or would you say, and do nothing, and burn to death? Without Jesus, people have no hope. If they die without a saving relationship with Him, what will be their eternal destiny? If there is one thing that is clear in Scripture, it is God's plan for the salvation of man-kind. And we as Christians are apart of that rescue effort. We can't afford to think that there is plenty of time. For so many, time is of the essence! GP Photo by noomhh. Published on 18 April 2012
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Monday, February 23, 2015

How "Strong" Are We?

"I can do all things through Christ who strenthens me." (Philippians 4:13) What does it take to live the Christian life these days? There are many things that could be mentioned, but this one thing the Apostle Paul mentions in our text, is very essential, and that is "strength". It would be nice if we could do like the people at Staples (R), and hit the "easy button" when ever we had to deal with temptation or trial. Or to just speak the words, and in an instant an insurance agent appears out of nowhere and says that "we're covered" and that "everything is going to be alright." Most of the time, we are not taken out of our circumstances, but have to deal with them head on. That takes "strength". The Apostle Paul does not hesitate to mention to the Christians at Phillipi (and us) who the source of His strength is: It's Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, but He is also our sustainer. I believe He was the one who was with the three Hebrew boys, when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. (Daniel 3) To know that in all things we face that is difficult, the Lord will be present with us. His Word, His example, His sovereignty, should be a source of comfort to us. The Lord will truly do His part, but we have to do ours. To say in faith, "I can do all things" is the key to unlocking the door of blessings that comes from the Lord. Again, we stand in the grace of God, in Christ Jesus. And we stand there confident, because we believe that "all things will work together for good; because we love God, and we want to accpmplish His purpose for our lives." (Romans 8:28)
Yes, we are not strong within ourselves, but in Christ, we can do more than what we think is possible. GP I received inspiration from my mother in the writing of this article!   
Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 06 March 2013
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Friday, February 20, 2015

Taking On The Giant!

"For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness; like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed" (Psalm 143:3-4) How low can you feel? In Psalm 143, David feels pretty low. He calls on the Lord to help against past enemies. Satan our enemy can cause things to happen in our lives, that will bring us to a breaking point. But I am sure that David remembered the time when he took down a giant, not only with a little stone, but in the strength and power of the Lord. The giant may seem big, and intimidating, but there is no power in the universe greater that that of our awesome God. And when we feel overwhelmed we need to remember to do what our spiritual 911 number tells us: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1) Yes, the Almighty. Let's bring our cares to Him, and pray, that in His way, and in His time, He will bring about the results, that are in line with His will. Let's walk in faith, and place ourselves in the eye of the storm, where God is, and feel the peace, that only He can give. GP

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Bearing With One Another

"Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Colossians 3:13) I like this commercial on television, that is promoting an insurance company, and the girl on the commercial talks about when you bump into someone with your car, and because of it, they raise your rates. She says: "Why should we get punished for using our insurance?" "News-flash insurance companies, nobody's perfect." This is so true in our relationships with one another in the body of Christ. No one is perfect. We all are like buildings under construction. The Apostle Paul, says that we are to be "bearing with one another" The fruit of the Spirit "Long-suffering" (Galatians 5:22) comes into view here, as we talk about how we are to "bear" with the problems that people have in their lives. All of us, are not easy to get along with at times. There are times when we really must be patience with each other, and try to help each other with the selfishness, hurt, and discouragement that we deal with. No one is perfect, and all of us stand in the grace of God. We need to be in God's Word everyday, and we need the encouragement, and support of fellow Christians, as we face the troubles of the moments in our lives. To say to someone who is acting out of line with the will of God" I love you, but you need to listen!" is a proper approach. The struggle to keep one tied to the rope of God's love, and God's will, is worth it. If not they could fall to their death. GP Photo by stockimages. Published on 01 May 2014
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Playing With Fire!

I am preaching this Sunday on Sexual sin (Read Proverbs 5:1-23)
It was a shocking tragedy. A 15 year-old boy was strangled by the family’s pet. The slender youth had gone to an upstairs bedroom to play with an 11 foot Burmese python. Nobody is sure how it happened, but the supposedly tame snake turned into a killer that took the boy’s life. Why play with a powerful snake that can turn into a horrifying agent of death? Why even bring such a potentially dangerous creature into the house? This news story changes the adage “Don’t play with fire!” into a flashing warning signal. (Our Daily Bread/12/94) Being involved in sex outside of marriage is like playing with fire. We will not be the only ones to get burned, and to feel the affects of this act of disobedience. God intended sex to be between a man and a woman (Read Matthew 19:4-6) It makes the intimate statement that there is love for each another, a care for each another, a feeling of security, that we will be there for each other. Opposite this, in the act of adultery, is the selfish desire to find satisfaction in our sexual desires. And it doesn't go any further than that. To God the act of adultery is sin. It is breaking one of the ten commandments. (Exodus 20:14) It is like giving someone a present, all wrapped up in pretty paper, with pretty bows, and only to find nothing inside. God placed the act of sex in marriage, not to rob us, but to protect us, and to have the enjoyment of it, be right with Him, and us. (GP)
Photo by sumetho. Published on 14 June 2012 www.freedigitalphotos.net

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Essential Access

"Let us draw nearer with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22) Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we have access to God, any time, and any where. The choice is ours to take advantage of this opportunity to draw near to God. We come to the cross, and we repent of our sins, and we place ourselves in the waters of baptism so our hearts can be washed clean from the sinful nature, and the evil conscience. The Apostle Paul made it clear in Romans 6:4 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." This salvation process has prepared us for fellowship with the heavenly Father, now and forever. Because our life is in Christ, we can draw near to God, and enjoy His presence, and His provision. But again the choice is ours. The problem is that we have a lot of distractions, that the enemy is hoping we will take advantage of. Yes, you can say that your life is in Christ. Yes, you can say that you are a Christian. Just don't get so serious about it. Yes, it's important, but it isn't that important. Can you hear Satan whispering these words in your ear. When the golden scepter was held out by the king, one could come into his court. (Esther 4:11) Thanks to Jesus Christ, we have that access, let's take advantage of it! (GP)

Monday, February 16, 2015

Our Position With The President!

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." (Romans 13:1) Today is "Presidents' Day." and I felt that I should write an article concerning the importance of honoring the office of the President. Although I don't always agree with the actions of the person who is serving as president, I am instructed by God's Word to respect the office, and try to subscribe to the rulings that are given. First and foremost, as Christians we are citizens of heaven. And first and foremost is the obedience to the instruction of God's Word. It is hard to submit to rulings that go against what is taught in the Word of God.
But instead of severe criticism, slander, and even violent protest, we are commanded to show love, and respect. It is not wrong to have a voice in this nation. but it is wrong to make that voice so angry, and hostile that it defeats the objective all together. From our text we are reminded that the authorities that exist, have been appointed by God. Whoever is in the office of the presidency, or any of the legislative positions, are there because God allowed it. For us it is not a question of why they are there. For us as citizens of heaven, and of America, the question is, are we going to act like responsible citizens, and strive to live in peace, instead of chaos and conflict. In my family, I did not always agree with my father. But I still loved him, and obeyed what he said. That same love and respect is to be shown, by us, who are apart of the national American family. Let's keep our leaders in our prayers! GP www.freedigitalphotos.com

Friday, February 13, 2015

Lust Or Love?

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."(Matthew 5:28) 
I have been hearing a lot about a movie entitled: "Fifty Shades Of Grey" based on a novel by E.L. James. I have not seen the movie, nor will I see the movie, because it features explicit sex, that I feel no one in the public eye should see. I believe that it gives both men and women opportunity to pursue their lustful feelings, connected with their human nature. Jesus said in our text, that if a man looks at a woman with lustful intent, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart, and that is sin. Pursuing our sexuality these days is a constant endeavor. Sex is everywhere. from TV shows, movies, books, songs, advertisements. All around us we see the allure of sex. I had a man in my church during a Bible study ask the question: "Do people know the difference between love and lust? When the quest is "to make love" are people really wanting to express real true sincere love, or be satisfied sexually? For married people, sex is not just the opportunity to receive a real good feeling, but an opportunity to express strong intimate love. Sex outside of marriage is like playing with fire. In some way, your heart is going to be damaged. Your relationships are not going to be right. God placed sex in its proper place in marriage for a reason. As Christians, we need to show the world, that God knew what He was doing. And in doing the right thing, according to His will, we can live in peace. GP
Photo by photostock. Published on 05 June 2011 www.freedigitalphotos.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The Plans I Have For You!"

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) What do you do, when you make plans, and you think these plans are under the umbrella of God's will, and than to find out, that they were not what the Lord wanted? How do you deal with the disappointment? God spoke to the people through Jeremiah and assurred them that even though they would spend time in captivity, there would be a time when He would bring them back to their homeland, back to Jerusalem. After 70 years, this did happen.
No doubt, to liive in captivity for this amount of time, led to more than a feeling of disappointment, but great sorrow, and despair. What is a people to do? The most important thing to do, is to to keep having faith. and trusting in God's future plans. We don't know what God has in store for us in the future. Our responsibility is to be faithful in what He has entrusted us with today. To be and to do the very best we can, with what we know today is the call on our lives. Instead of putting our heads in the sand, we need to keep our heads up, and look to the sunrise. Today is a new day, with new opportunities, and a path to positiveness and productivity. With God as our pilot, we can stay confident in the ride, knowing that the future is in His hands (GP)
Photo by stockimages. Published on 11 June 2014 www.freedigitalphotos.com

Monday, February 9, 2015

To Be One!

"...That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:21) Have you ever carried a sack full of groceries, and have the sack break, and all the groceries go everywhere. You would hope that when that happens, you are not standing in front of a whole group of people witnessing your mishap. Keeping things together is not always easy. It is the Lord Jesus' prayer that all that belong to Him, have a unity that is strong and lasting. Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a unity that is solid, so is it to be with us, as fellow Christians. I believe for the local church, to have unity, there must be humility. I have brought this out so many times in my sermons, that people are probably tired of hearing about it. When we constantly have an inward focus, this only leads to selfishness. But when we have a constant outward focus, than this leads to unity and stability, in the family of God. You can tell in the words of our Lord, in His prayer. He wants those who belong to Him, to have what He has, with the Father. He wants this unity to be seen, so that people in the world will believe, and come to Him to experience this blessed fellowship. The world needs to see that God sent a Savior. And that coming to Jesus, we can be saved from sin, and from our selfishness. We can live in peace, and enjoy the wonderful fellowship with the Father, and the Son, and with each other. There is nothing that is more fulfilling, than to be together with our Lord, and to feel the Love, that is so true and abundant. GP
Photo by hin255. Published on 06 October 2013 www.freedigitalphotos.net

Friday, February 6, 2015

Tomorrow We Will See The Son!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." 
(1 Peter 1:3) "The sun'll come out tomorrow bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun!" This line from a song from the play "Annie" reminds us to have hope for tomorrow. As Christians, we truly have hope for tomorrow. As Peter brings out in our text, God has "begotten us again to a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(1 Peter 1:3) The Son of God, died, was buried, but on the third day, He arose from the dead, and one day He is coming back to receive us, as His family, to take us home to be with Him for eternity.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) It doesn't matter, what life dishes out to us, what trials we face in this life. The hope that we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, can never be taken away. We can get up each morning, and face the day, knowing that we are one day closer to meeting the Son of God, and being escorted home with Him forever (John 14:1-3) There is no reason to live in despair, when we have the greatest hope there is. Realizing what we have in the Lord, we can soar above the trouble and turmoil of this life. Physically we may be hurting. Our world may be crashing all around us. But in spite of it all, in the midst of it all, we can stand and face the Sun. We can bet our bottom dollar, tomorrow, we will see The Son! (GP)
Photo by Witthaya Phonsawat. Published on 15 May 2013 www.freedigitalphotos.net



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Victory In The Vapor

"Whereas, you do not know what will happen tomorrow, For what is your life? It is evan a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14) 
A read a joke about a snowman that goes to the doctor, and the doctor informs him: "The groundhog tests came in, and I am sorry to inform you, that you only have six weeks to live." Putting humor aside, James tells us in our text, that our lives are short. Like a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. How many people in this short time, have placed their lives in the saving hands of Jesus Christ. With us as Christians, can life be just business as usual, when there are so many who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? If the first word of the Great Commission is not an indication of the urgency of this matter, I don't know what is. In Matthew 28:19, the first word is "GO" not "wait" or "stay", but "GO"! The problem is that we, along with our society, live as if we have all the time in the world. But life has a way of turning on a dime. Just when we think that all is well, things can turn ugly, and even end. For us as Christians, this life is not the end, but for many the end will be tragic. We should know by now the basics of the salvation message. It is urgent that we witness for Jesus right now. Yes, how we live, and what we say, makes a huge difference, in influencing people to make the most important decision of their lives. As it is said:
"We are the only Bible that people will read." Let's make sure they read it today! GP