More Than a Church Kid

Day 3: Those who may be carrying the virus (maybe without knowing) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Dear Lord, Thank you for the victory we have in You. Thank you for overcoming sin, death, & the world on our behalf. Thank you for all the health You’ve given us so far & we confess that we often take this blessing for granted. Forgive us for the entitlement we may feel toward gifts (such as health) that You don’t owe us but give out of your grace. For anyone carrying the virus (or who may potentially carry the virus) that may not know it yet, please strengthen their bodies to fight off the virus before it causes symptoms. Please grant them peace, good sleep, & all the necessary components of a healthy immune system. Please give them the wisdom to physically distance themselves. Protect those around them who may beco...

In my last two posts, I've covered four out of five reasons for difficult times in our lives. Since I've had so much to say about each reason, what was meant to be one article turned into a three-part series. Well, I hope you haven't become annoyed with my wordiness. The last reason for adversity is... 5. Suffering Gives Us a Story to Tell Now, when I say, “suffering gives us a story to tell,” I  don't  mean the kind of story where the victim of life's circumstances complains to drum up sympathy from others. What I mean is that our story may someday help others.  The difference is in our motives: when we complain, chances are, we're doing it for ourselves. We may want to look like the victim, point fingers, and drum up sympathy from others. On the other hand, when we share our story in a beneficial way, we do so for the good of others, not out of selfish ambition. It helps us to empathize with them so  they  can feel understood and validated. ...

In my last post,  I began a list of five reasons for hardships. I mentioned the wrong ideology that our relationship with God is a way to take the easy route in life. Some televangelists and other pastors promise that faith is a definite ticket toward financial success, physical blessings, and illness-free living. This growing belief, most commonly known as the "prosperity gospel," is sweeping the nation. This doesn't make it right. In fact, being perfectly honest: the prosperity gospel is dead wrong.  The prosperity gospel is idolatry with the word "Jesus" sprinkled in a few times. It is not the Gospel. Anyway, since this topic could (and possibly will) turn into a whole blog post, I suppose I'll get back to the point. We aren't promised a shower of  physical  blessings   here on this earth. We are to live a life broken and spilled out for the sake of gaining Christ. However, we are promised  spiritual  prosperity, as well as the hop...

Oftentimes, the Gospel is advertised as a ticket out of hard times. We may say things like, "If you believe in God, He will heal your body." Or, "If you have enough faith, God will take away your financial struggles."  Some say that God wants you to chase your dreams. While He often  does  use our desires for His glory, our number one goal should be to chase  Jesus. Whatever gets us to that end, we can be willing to endure for the sake of worshiping, enjoying, and exemplifying Christ. After all, I don't think it was Paul's dream to go to prison. However, he learned to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11) through the joy that Christ brings. Although we serve a healing, delivering, all-powerful God, we aren't promised that life will be a bed of roses. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The Bible promises hardship (see John 16:33, Hebrews 12:5-8). However, there is hope. One thing that you won't hear me...