Ten of my favorite blog posts on Real Christianity

I cannot believe that I have been blogging for over five years beginning with How Important is Doctrine and as of today, have written 619 posts, this being my 620th. Every now and then, I go back to my old posts and re-read some of them, if not for anything else to re-encourage myself. So out of these 600+posts, below are ten of my favorite posts in no particular order and my reasons why. Just click on the titles to read the posts

1. The Marks of False ‘Christian’ teachers and teaching - OK, I am going to cheat on the first one as it was my first series (11 parts in total) called The Marks of False ‘Christian’ teachers and teaching starting with A Form of godliness. I saw so much foolishness in churches and on Christian TV and I knew that a lot of people were beginning to question a lot of things but were afraid to say anything. I just said what they were thinking. So I wrote the series and gave my reasons for doing it as I know a lot of people would think that I was just a heresy hunter. If you want to read the full series, just follow the links at the bottom of the posts

2. To tithe or not to tithe - Tithing was one of those things that kept me in bondage early on in my days and I know keeps many in bondage today. Many preachers use old testament scriptures like Malachi 3:8-12 to manipulate people into giving money and making them feel that they have robbed God if they don’t give their 10%.  That was until I searched the scriptures for myself only to find that the new testament principle of giving is proportional giving and giving out of what you have and not out of what you don’t have thus getting yourself into debt. It is also about a person giving what THEY purpose in their heart (2 Cor 9:7) . I wrote this to make it plain why Christians are not under any obligation to tithe anymore under the new covenant.

3. How do you know that you are saved (that you are a Christian)? - I really enjoyed writing this blog because it became very apparent to me that many people thought that they were Christians but they were actually self-deceived. This troubled me so I wanted to have some kind of ‘test’ whereby a person could measure up themselves to. Luckily the books of 1 and 2 John has such a test and has been one of my most popular posts that is found when people do searches, which tells me that a lot of people really do want to know if they are a Christian or not.

4. So you think that you’re a Christian. Power testimonies from former false converts - This ties in to number 3. When I heard these testimonies, I knew there were countless amount of people in this situation and I wanted to share it because I wanted others to see if they could see themselves in the mirror and if so, do something about it. The worse deception ever is to think that you are a Christian when, in fact, you are not

5. Spending Quality Time with God - This post always comes to haunt me because I know that this is something that I am constantly guilty of not doing but it is a constant reminder of where our priorities should be  

6. When your children don’t want to follow God – This post was and still is a very personal one to me. It hurts me to know that my children (so far) have decided to not follow Christ. I can only pray that God orchestrates the events in their life to point them to him.

7. Every Man’s Battle - I wrote this because it is a taboo subject amongst Christian men but can be a deadly poison if not dealt with….especially when it comes to the summer.

8. The Money Challenge - If anything, this is a shame on most of us as Christians about what motivates us to share the  gospel with others. I never want to be  Christian that as the gospel group, Commissioned, say in one of their songs that we “tend to find security in our salvation. We should constantly think about the lost”

9. Should we ever question what the man of God says – This post goes hand in hand with the post of Touch not the Lord’s anointed. Say goodbye to the untouchable preachers. The reason why I started this whole blogging stuff is because I questioned everything that I had previously heard and decided to go back to the basics of the gospel. You know, things like the cross, salvation, sin, repentance, faith, discipleship and NOT breakthroughs, blessings and divine favour which seems to be so prevalent in churches these days.

10. Christ is the only way, now you choose - I have posted many videos over the years but I love this video because it puts everything in perspective about what Christ has done and how he has provided a way out for those who have repented and put their trust in him

Bear with the failings of the weak

¹ We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Following my ‘We Must Go’ post, one thing that I know is that I have been guilty of not bearing with the failings of the week. It is so easy for us who are strong to expect others to be just like us or to be just as mature as we are but we often forget how many of us were when we just came to faith. Many of us (including me) had a lot of zeal without knowledge and maturer christians had to bear with us. At the same time I must balance this because there is a difference with ‘bearing with the failing of the weak’ and ‘bearing with the failing of those who know better but REFUSE to do better’. The danger sometimes is that those who should be mature (Hebrews 5:12) , try to justify their sin with a ‘God is not through with me yet’ attitude and refuse to receive godly counsel and instruction at every turn. Matthew 18:15-20 deals with this subject.

Then there are those who have been genuinely hurt by life. My wife goes to The Feast every Wednesday to help feed the homeless and disadvantaged and she tells me of where people are coming from. Sometimes we as christians are so used to be in our christian bubble that we forget that there are real people out there with real problems who need to experience a real God. This came home to me as well when I helped hosting a table at an Alpha Course and knowing that different people are at a different stage in their christian walk or in their searching.

Below are examples taken from I am Second which provides ”insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed” 

I Am Second – Michelle Aguilar

 

I Am Second – Lecrae

 

I Am Second – Josh Hamilton

 

I Am Second – Karen Green

 

I Am Second – Nate Larkin

ONLY the gospel can save but we must take into consideration where people are coming from, not diluting the message but speaking the truth IN LOVE

We Must Go

 ¹³ When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”
¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. ²¹ Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

Lately, God has opened my eyes to the real plight of real people. The fact is in this fallen life we live in, many people struggle with life in one way or another. My wife is involved in The Feast in my church which meet every Wednesday evening and supply the homeless with soup, a hot meal and pudding for all who come, with hot drinks, clothing, emergency food packs and housing advice provided – as well as fun and friendship. The Feast is part of the Jericho Road Project which was ‘set up with the aim of supporting those who live on the streets and helping them to become functioning members of society’.  My wife always tells me about the real problems that these people have which could range from alcoholism to drug addition to teenage pregnancy to sexual/physical abuse. I think sometimes, we (including myself) as Christians are so used to being in our Christian bubble or we are so used to being around ‘safe’ people that we forget that the good news of the gospel is for everyone in spite of their background and what they have gone/are going through.

Last year, I remember seeing this program on TV and it broke my heart to see that children could live in these conditions

Sometimes, we can feel helpless and overwhelmed that we cannot solve all the worlds woes or make a difference in the whole world but we CAN make a difference in one persons life. Maybe give some money to a worthy cause or give someone who is ‘going through’ a listening ear. Make them feel like somebody and that they are valued. Do something. Jesus was moved with compassion and told US to ‘give them something to eat’. I love this song below which challenges us to move into action.

One thing we must be careful of though is not to omit the gospel when caring for the disadvantaged.

The Gospel – Social Justice = Not true Christianity

Social Justice – The Gospel = A better earth to go to hell from

The Gospel + Social Justice = Christlike Christianity

WE MUST GO!!

Christ in the workplace (or learning place)

Here is a question for you? Do your work colleagues or your school friends know that you are a Christian. If so, how do you act in front of them? Does your light shine? Do you laugh at their ungodly jokes? If most of us are honest, we have all failed in one or more of these areas

However, the bible gives us instructions on how to act in these situations

¹⁴ Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast the word of life… (Phil 2:4-16)

Being blameless doesn’t mean we can be sinless but what it means is that our life should be such that the unbelievers
around you will have to really pick their brains to say anything bad about you that will damage or destroy your christian witness

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  (Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus said that if we ashamed of him then he will be ashamed of us. This does not mean that you preach at them at every opportunity. This would be totally inappropriate but what it does mean is that they should be aware, in one form or another, that you are different. The bible says that we should be ready at all times to give someone an answer to the hope that lies in us (1 Peter 3:15). If someone is hopeless, be the one who can give them hope. As stated above in Phillipians 2:16, ‘hold up the word of life’ to them

Another thing we need to do is…wait for it….work. And not just when our bosses and teachers are watching us.

 ⁵ Slaves (employees/students), obey your earthly masters (employers/bosses/teachers) with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶ Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

 ⁹ And masters (employers/teachers/bosses) , treat your slaves (employers/students) in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.  Eph 6:5-9) (italics added by me)

 I have a Christian group at my work place and I received this email so thought I would share it with you

In Between Times 17.9: Sleep and Awake: Joseph’s Career

Discovering The Therapy of Work

When Joseph was 17 years old, he had a dream that his father and brothers would bow down to him. As a result of that dream, his brothers treated him terribly and then lied to their father. Joseph experienced nearly 15 year of injustice as a direct result of his brothers’ reaction to his dream.

During those 15 awful years, Joseph was a slave and a prisoner, working long hours for no pay and little comfort. It was an agonising ‘in between time’ and there must have been times when he really struggled to understand what was going on. He was slandered, abused, used and forgotten , and needed all his strength to carry on.

There was one stream of life in which he found his path. Sure he was faithful to God and seemed to find reasons for hope under terrible circumstances.

But Joseph’s expression of faith during this dream-initiated ‘in between time’ was his conscientious work ethic. Everywhere he went, he did his job well. In Potiphar’s house he was a professional, upright estate manager. In prison he became a supervisor over other prisoners. For Joseph, his work-style was his therapy, his sanity, and in the end, his passport to success. It was his work that earned him a place in the national government and gave him the route to the fulfillment of his dreams. It was his career path that enabled him to confront his family damage and a toxic behaviour of his brothers.

Many of you reading this piece will know only too well some of its themes. Around 17 years of age, lots of us carry a dream, an ambition or a hope. Similarly, life can be unjust, unfair and damaging both in family and work context. Surely one key feature of Joseph’s story is that his conscientious, uncompromising, honourable and hard working approach to his job opportunities paved the path for dream fulfillment and family reintegration. Perhaps this year is a good time to choose working hard and well as a redemptive path, all the time recognising the inner work of God as your source of progress, so in 2011 work well.

In everything give thanks

If I’m honest, I was hesitant in sharing this video as I know God has a way of testing you on what you put out there (forgive me Lord) but I pray that it will minister to somebody

When your children dont want to follow God

When children decide that they dont want to follow God is one of the saddest thing that a parent can hear. In this post, I mentioned that the relationship between me and my teenage daughter was strained (and still is, if not worst) and in my post about the pursuit of happyness, I mentioned

As a father who does not live with his children but lives for his children, the film struck a chord with me and made me realise how my kids are my world. I understand that my ultimate goal for them is to point them to Christ so that they can receive salvation. I am still grateful for the parenting course that I attended at my church. However I realise that that no matter how good a parent you are, there is still no guarantee that your children will turn out to be angels because of their sinful nature. I mean who is the best ‘parent’ around? Isnt it God and look how we are, disobedient and rebellious. So parents, don’t always keep beating yourself up if your children go off the rails even though you have trained them up in the ways of the Lord.

Our sin does not have any bearing on God’s character and therefore we should not automatically think that the sins of our children is a direct result of bad parenting on our part (even though its hard not to think that sometimes). One thing I have noticed in church is that there seems to be an exodus of young people who have been bought up in church, going to all the Christian youth events, concerts etc but when they reach a certain age, normally their teens, they decide that they have had enough of this ‘God stuff’ and I often wonder where the church (and myself) have gone wrong. My friend S.O, made me aware of this article which touches on this subject.

I have always said that after a certain time, I did not want to force my children to come to church because I didn’t want their view of God to be distorted and viewed as their parents dragging them to church against their will. But at the same time you don’t want to leave them to fend for themselves so finding that balance is a hard one.

If I honest, sometimes I feel like a failure as a parent when it comes to investing spiritually into my children. The thoughts that come to my head is did I not pray with them enough? Did I not talk to them about God enough? You look at other parents in church and their kids are raising their hands in the church service in adoration, worship and praise to God and are active in the church, not because they have to but because they want to and you think “I wish my children loved God like that”.

I once heard Paul Washer preach a sermon where he said that,when it comes to children, the church has put the emphasis in the wrong area. Instead of putting the emphasis on Sunday schools and childrens ministries (not saying that there is anything wrong with these in and of themselves), the church should be putting the emphasis on the parents, especially the fathers because they are supposed to be the leaders in the home because this is where the bible puts the emphasis. This is an interesting thought and one I have to concede does make biblical sense.

Any person can tell you that being a parent is the hardest job in the world. It is a BIG responsibility. To raise a child and mould them into a responsible adult who loves God is not easy by any means. Mistakes WILL be made along the way but, as stated before, every Christian parents long term goal should be to point them to Christ and to make Jesus their treasure.

Remember, they need salvation too.

If you were brought up in church but have now left. Please can you leave a comment and tell me your reasons why as I really would be interested to know. If you would like to remain anonymous and give a fake name, that’s fine. Thankyou

Your end goal is for your child’s salvation

As a parent, I recognise how easy it is to take it for granted that I am able to have children , as I know that there are many people that cannot but I also know about the awesome reponsibility that I have to raise my children to know God and ultimately be saved. In an era where there is so much peer pressure and distractions for our young people, I have to readily admit that this is a challenge. For  me, it is especially difficult as my 11 and soon to be 16 year old do not live with me and their mum is not a christian so I have to try and influence from afar and when they visit.  I love this quote from Tedd Tripp

You must equip your children to function in a culture that has abandoned the knowledge of God. If you teach them to use their abilities, aptitudes, talents, and intelligence to make their lives better, without reference to God, you turn them away from God. If your objectives are anything other than “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” you teach your children to function in the culture on its terms.

The Brady story below is a very touching one which explains how God in his sovereignty and providence used a devastating circumstance to bring about the salvation of a young boy and how the parents had ‘done their job’ in ultimately directing their son to the Savior.

May this encourage us as parents to prioritise what we input into our kids spiritually. I for one have been guilty of not doing this and intend to make it a priority for I do not want them to live to 70 and die without Christ.

Related Post:

Leaving a Legacy: An Interview with Voddie and Bridget Baucham

I’m Back People

Yes, after taking my break from blogging, I have returned. I am definitely more focused and hopefully I will be consistent in my prayer life which was my weakness.

In the space of a week, God revealed areas of my life which needed to be addressed, the disagreement with my daughter took a turn for the worse (but is now on the mend, thank God) and a fellow person in the music ministry in my church died suddenly from inflammation of the brain. It was a total shock as nobody expected it but we can be rest assured that we do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13)

Anyway, I will be reading some of your blogs that are in my feeds so it will take a bit of time for me to get back into the swing of things

BTW, thanks Isaiah for posting that post. Sometimes, we never know how our blogs can help others

The Pursuit of Happyness

I know I am very late but a few weeks ago, I watched that great theological film ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’. The synposis reads as follows:

Will Smith stars in this moving tale inspired by a true story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman who’s struggling to make ends meet. When his girlfriend Linda (Thandie Newton) walks out, Chris is left to raise their 5-year old son Christopher (Jaden Smith) on his own. Chris’ determination finally pays off when he lands an unpaid internship in a brutally competitive stockbroker-training program, where only twenty interns will make the cut. But without a salary, Chris and his son are evicted from their apartment and are forced to sleep on the streets, in homeless shelters and even behind the locked doors of a metro station bathroom. With self confidence and the love and trust of his son, Chris Gardner rises above his obstacles to become a Wall Street legend.

I absolutely loved the film. For some reason though at certain points, I’m sure someone brought some onions in the room because my eyes were watering

As a father who does not live with his children but lives for his children, the film struck a chord with me and made me realise how my kids are my world. I understand that my ultimate goal for them is to point them to Christ so that they can receive salvation. I am still grateful for the parenting course that I attended at my church. However I realise that that no matter how good a parent you are, there is still no guarantee that your children will turn out to be angels because of their sinful nature. I mean who is the best ‘parent’ around? Isnt it God and look how we are. Disobedient and rebellious. So parents, don’t always keep beating yourself up if your children go off the rails even though you have trained them up in the ways of the Lord.

At the moment, myself and my soon to be 15 year old daughter are not on the best of terms and she has decided not to stay with me for two weeks during the summer holidays so it is just me and my son. I am asking God for wisdom in dealing with this situation as its not nice and it’s very awkward at the moment.

For me, I never under-estimate how important the job of a parent is, especially in the early years and like Chris Gardner in the film, I want my children growing up knowing that I did everything possible as a parent to give them the best in life in every way and that includes spiritually

Well that’s your opinion