Are You Any Better - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) January 19, 2024

As believers, It is easy to look at all the things we do and be reassured by them. We might look to our regular fasting, constant prayers, and consistent Bible study and take pride in the fact that we are on the right track with the Lord. So much so, that we may start to think that we are better than others. After all, we obey God's instructions and don't live like evil-doers such as fornicators, murderers, thieves, and liars.

Jesus shared a lesson about someone who felt puffed up by all he was doing right. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector highlights a Pharisee - a respected religious leader - who visited the Temple to pray one day. This involved telling God how good he was. He thanked the Lord he wasn't like the robbers, adulterers, or the tax collector who was praying nearby. He said, "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get" (Luke 18:12).

His disdain for tax collectors was because these men were some of the most hated members of Israelite society at the time. They were seen as traitors who oppressed their people on behalf of the Roman Empire. Nevertheless, the tax collector prayed, beating his chest and keeping his eyes lowered ("unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven"), saying, "God have mercy on me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

Jesus said that the tax collector was more righteous than the Pharisee. Luke 18:14 - "I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

We cannot gauge our walk by comparing ourselves to those who we think aren't as good as we are. To do so is indicative of a prideful heart and the Lord despises the proud (Proverbs 16:5). Instead, let us all approach our Father with an acknowledgment of His grace and mercy as our starting point. 2 Timothy 1:9 tells us, He has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.

Yes, the Lord wants us to live a holy life that involves avoiding sin, meditating on His word, giving Him praise, and more. However, it will not do for us to look down on others who aren't there yet. Rather, let us, by our actions and words, encourage the newcomer to the faith and even those who don't believe to follow our example and start living righteously. We must treat others with love and concern for their physical and spiritual well-being. We must not allow pride to make us think we are better than anyone for the scripture warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12 - So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! After all, it's only the grace of God that we know Him, are known by Him, and have been saved through the sacrifice of Christ. May we never forget this IJMN Amen.

See you for fellowship at Noon EST. God bless you.

The Sin of Disbelief - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 16, 2024

Have you ever witnessed the mighty hand of God? Maybe you saw a miracle happen for someone. Or have you experienced something that can only be attributed to the Lord?

If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions then pay close attention to the following words - Be careful to not commit the Sin of Disbelief.

The Sin of Disbelief applies to a particular type of person - someone to whom God has shown His power and might. This is a man or woman who has had experience with the Lord and His capacity to save. Despite this, such a person buckles under the weight of life's challenges forgetting that the God who helped them the last time is more than able to do so again. As such, in their time of trouble, they reject Him and rely instead on false gods, idols, another person or even themself.

It's quite easy to make this mistake. When a challenge arises and as the clock ticks down, it is unfortunately commonplace for many to worry that the Lord won't step into the situation. Frightened and confused, the person neglects to pray, flying into action instead. Another scenario could be that someone forgets that the Lord promised to solve their problem. Thus as a deadline looms, they think things over and can't imagine how God could take care of the issue. They opt to handle the matter, without waiting to see how God could have fulfilled His promise.

​Most of us have committed this sin at some point or another. Previous disappointments and failures color the lens through which we look at things and this can hamper our faith. Still, it is essential to become aware of the Sin of Disbelief because God takes it seriously. It hurts Him especially because He has proven Himself faithful and will remain faithful, regardless of whether we are (2 Timothy 2:13). Cooperating with the Lord will thereby help us to not repeat the error of our ways. Being aware of this sin is also important because Jesus described such disbelief as akin to hatred in John 15:24 - If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

Long before Jesus pointed to this form of hatred, God had mentioned it in Numbers 14:11, saying, The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?

Therefore, we need to pay close attention to our thoughts and our actions. We have to learn how to slow down and apply our faith in the tough moments of life. For those of us who have been blessed to see God's miracles, we need to ask ourselves whether we are treating Him with contempt. Does our constant disbelief actually qualify as hatred toward Him?

King Asa committed the Sin of Disbelief when despite previously seeing God miraculously defeat his enemies, he opted to rely on his intelligence the next time he needed victory against a military foe. His experience is a lesson to us all to not make the same error. We must remember that God shows us His power and allows us to witness miracles so we grow in faith. He shows us His capacity to solve our problems so we understand His faithfulness. He does one great thing at a time so we increasingly apply our faith in Him instead of turning elsewhere for solutions.

We therefore need to submit to this progressive training and allow the Lord to build up our faith muscles so we flex them in times of challenge. Seeking and paying attention to the testimonies of others can help in this regard. In addition, keeping track of how God has blessed us, while regularly reviewing those miracles, is also key. We cannot afford to forget how faithful the Lord is because when we do, the devil uses that opportunity to attack us with anxiety, doubt, and fear. In those instances, our discernment and faith fly out the window allowing negativity to reign in our hearts and minds. Thankfully, we serve a merciful God who will steer us to grow in faith so we don't fall into this sin but instead terrify hell with our commitment to the Kingdom.

The Lord will help each of us to remember that the Sin of Disbelief means contempt and hatred for God. He will teach us not to be among those who succumb guiding us to be steadfast in trusting Him. By His grace, we will not reject God or His Son, IJMN Amen.

Don't Cause Others To Sin - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) January 12, 2024

No matter how often we read the Bible, there will always be a nugget in there that is mind-blowing. One such verse is 1 Corinthians 10:32 - Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God.

I'd previously learned to not cause a fellow believer to stumble in their walk with God (1 Corinthians 8:13). However, this verse implied something new (at least to me) - that I have a similar responsibility to nonbelievers. And that was astounding.

Imagine there's a self-professed Christian on social media with a sizable following. Let's call her Alice. She occasionally shares stories about her faith and experiences as a believer. Maisha is a young girl who is inspired by Alice and follows along with the daily scriptures she shares. Although an atheist, she likes how Alice relies on scripture to stay calm while navigating challenges.

One day, Maisha sees Alice at the local farmer's market. Wide-eyed and excited, she hurries to thank Alice for encouraging her to consider Christ. Alas, in her haste, she trips, spilling her nachos, covered in dip and cheese, all over Alicia's white shoes. Understandably upset, the influencer screams in horror at the state of her shoes. As Maisha stutters an apology, Alicia shouts a string of profane insults. She then shoves the fan out of her way and saunters off. Maisha doesn't hold back either, firing salvo after salvo of curse words. She catches up with Alice, grabs her hair, and soon, both come to blows.

Dan, a fellow shopper, livestreams the entire incident and comments flood in. They range from insulting both girls to saying disparaging things about Christians, and even God.

This scenario may seem overly dramatic but the probability of this happening is high in a world filled with angry people who are easily triggered. And I see exactly how today's scripture comes into play in such a situation.

Alicia's inability to keep her cool caused her to speak to Maisha in anger and disrespectfully. This violates the instruction to Christians to do all they can to be at peace with others (Romans 12:18). Maisha, an atheist, reacted in kind thereby sinning by using coarse language, something the Bible instructs people not to do (Ephesians 4:29). The fighting is problematic because Jesus said in Matthew 5:39 - But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. He didn't encourage people to get into fights. Dan, amused by the mess of it all, had no care for either girl's welfare (Ephesians 4:32). Instead of stopping the fight, he created an opportunity for people to insult and slander both girls, Christianity and even the Lord (Proverbs 10:18). God despises slander and will silence those who do it (Psalm 101:5).

This illustration is a reminder that believers need to be careful. We must remember that just because we can do something or are justified in doing something doesn't mean we should. We have a responsibility to others and our behavior is key. What we choose to do or not do can influence others and if we influence others to sin, that is not a good thing.

Listen, all of us will make mistakes but if we rely on God, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, we will receive the help needed to make the right choices at the right time so as not to be the reason why people sin. May the Lord help us, IJMN.