Paul's Ponderings

Kept for Christ: Contend for the Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 15:43:00 +0000

This week’s post, based on my June 29 sermon, explores Jude 1:1–4 and the urgent call to defend the faith in a time of spiritual compromise. We often think the biggest threats to Christianity come from outside the Church—but Jude reminds us that deception often begins from within.

We are called, loved, and kept by God—not just to believe the Gospel, but to protect and live it. This reflection will help you recognize the urgency, stand firm in the truth, and follow Jesus with both courage and compassion.

🛡️ Plus, read a prayer response to help you ground your heart in the faith we’ve been entrusted with.

Read: Contend for the Faith

Journaling for Spiritual Formation

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:35:00 +0000

How often do you find yourself saying, “Life is busy right now”? In our over-scheduled, noisy world, it’s easy to drift through days without ever stopping to reflect. But if we want to grow spiritually, we need space to process life with God—and journaling can be a powerful way to do just that.

In this new blog post, I explore how journaling helps us reflect honestly, bring clarity to our thoughts, deepen our prayer life, and recognize God’s faithfulness. Whether you’re a seasoned journaler or simply curious, this post will give you practical tips to begin (or restart) the habit.

👉 Journaling for Spiritual Formation

Let your journal become a holy space where your faith deepens and your soul finds rest.

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:04:00 +0000

In the fourth installment of our Clarity series, we tackle a question that stirs hearts and minds: What is my political obligation? Grounded in Colossians 3:17, we explore how to engage politics as citizens of God’s Kingdom, not just the world. From voting to praying, discover how to represent King Jesus with love, wisdom, and integrity.

Politics isn’t just about elections—it’s about shaping communities for God’s glory. Join us as we unpack what it means to live as exiles (1 Peter 2:11) in today’s world, blessing those around us while staying faithful to our true King.

Read the full post and reflect on the question: How can you honor Jesus in your political engagement?

Clarity: What is My Political Obligation?

Life Patterns: Living as Citizens of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:01:00 +0000

Have you ever felt like you don’t quite belong in the world around you? As disciples of Jesus, that sense of disconnect isn’t a mistake—it’s a reminder of where our true citizenship lies.

In this post at Paul’s Ponderings, I reflect on Philippians 1:27–30 and share three key life patterns that help us live as citizens of heaven: loyalty, courage, and awareness. These aren’t lofty ideals—they’re practical ways to show the world who we really are and what kingdom we represent.

I invite you to read, reflect, and respond—and to ask God for the strength to live faithfully, no matter what comes your way.

Read the full post here: Life Patterns: Living as Citizens of Heaven

Making the Most of Our Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 13 May 2025 17:49:00 +0000

This post reflects on how quickly time passes and how our dreams can feel increasingly out of reach. It challenges readers to examine how they use their time and encourages them to make intentional, wise choices in everyday moments. Drawing on insights from Erwin McManus and Scripture (Ephesians 5:15–17), it emphasizes that the abundant life Jesus promises is found in how we steward the time we’re given. The message is clear: don’t wait—seize your divine moment and make each day count.

Read Making the Most of Our Moments.

Transformed by Grace: Guarding the Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 13 May 2025 17:45:00 +0000

In a world flooded with spiritual noise, discerning truth from deception isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Titus 1:10–16 reminds us that false teaching isn’t new, and the stakes are high. Whether it’s ancient myths or modern-day scams wrapped in religious language, only God’s grace and truth can cut through the fog. Let’s learn how to guard the truth with discernment, courage, and lives that reflect the gospel we proclaim.

Read Guarding the Truth.

The Life We Imagined

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 08 May 2025 12:25:00 +0000

We all carry an ideal image of what life should be—but for many of us, reality falls short, leading to disappointment and frustration. While hardship is undeniably part of the human experience, settling for a survival mindset may cause us to miss something greater: the life God truly intends for us. In this post, we’ll reflect on the Apostle John’s words in 1 John 2:24–25 and explore two powerful truths—true life flows from obedience to Jesus, and it is found in fellowship with God. This “eternal life” isn’t merely about duration; it’s about depth. It’s a life of meaning, purpose, and redemption—and it’s available to all who walk with God.

Read The Life We Imagine vs The Life God Offers.

The Foundation For Godly Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 06 May 2025 16:42:00 +0000

We live in an age of influencers—people who shape how we think, feel, and live, often without accountability or grounding in truth. In this post, based on Titus 1:1–9, we’re reminded that real transformation comes not from trends, but from God’s Word. The Apostle Paul calls for godly leaders who live with integrity and guide others toward King Jesus. But leadership isn’t limited to pastors or church elders—it’s a calling for every follower of Christ. Whether at home, at work, or online, your life has influence. This post will challenge you to consider who you’re leading and how your life reflects the truth of the Gospel.

Read Transformed by Grace: The Foundation for Godly Leadership.

What Type of Relationship?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 01 May 2025 11:24:00 +0000

The blog post examines the popular evangelical saying, “Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship,” which aims to emphasize a personal, transformative connection with Jesus over rigid rituals. While the phrase captures the intimate, grace-filled dynamic of faith, it falters by dismissing Christianity’s religious elements—sacred texts, doctrines, and rituals like baptism and communion. The post argues that Christianity is both a religion and a relationship, best understood through the lens of covenant: a sacred, binding agreement between God and His people that fosters both personal intimacy and communal purpose. Overemphasizing “relationship” risks shrinking this covenant into a solo experience, sidelining the broader, collective reality of God’s plan. The post proposes reframing the saying to reflect Christianity as a covenant relationship, balancing its personal and communal dimensions for a fuller picture of faith.

Read What Type of Relationship?

The Way of the Pilgrim

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:52:00 +0000

In his book Hebrews: A Call to Commitment, William Lane describes Christians as pilgrims journeying toward the New Creation, a perspective explored in this blog post. Drawing from Hebrews, the post emphasizes that believers, like Abraham, are called to trust God’s guidance despite uncertainties, fixing their hope on the eternal Kingdom rather than worldly comforts. Pilgrims travel lightly, letting go of material attachments through generosity to stay focused on God’s purpose. They rely on Scripture and the Holy Spirit as their guide and journey together as a supportive Church community. Ultimately, the post challenges Christians to live with anticipation for the New Jerusalem, holding loosely to this world while encouraging one another toward their true home.

Read The Way of the Pilgrim.

Transformed by Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:15:00 +0000

Four years ago, 18-year-old pianist Josiah Jackson made a promise at Chicago O’Hare International Airport: one day, he would return and fix a broken, out-of-tune public piano—for free. In 2024, he fulfilled that promise, spending seven hours meticulously restoring the instrument, bringing music and joy back to a busy terminal.

Josiah’s story is a powerful picture of the Gospel. Like that neglected piano, sin has left each of us broken and out of tune, unable to live the life God designed us for. But there’s hope: God’s grace restores us.

In my latest post, we dive into Romans 6:1-14 to see how grace transforms our lives. We are given new lives through Jesus’ death and resurrection, welcomed into a new relationship with God, and freed to live as instruments of righteousness. This transformation isn’t about trying harder—it’s about trusting God’s restoring work and living each day in the safety net of His grace.

You’ll also discover a simple two-step daily challenge to help you live in the freedom and confidence that comes from being made new in Christ.

Big Idea: God’s grace doesn’t just cover our sins—it transforms us, tuning our lives to reflect His love and purpose in the world.

I invite you to read the full post, be encouraged by Josiah’s inspiring story, and be challenged to live each day as a song of praise to the God who catches us when we fall and tunes us for His glory.

Read Transformed by Grace here.

King Jesus Above All: The Case for Christian Anarchy

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

What if following Jesus means rejecting the world’s obsession with power and control? In my latest blog post, I explore Christian Anarchy—not chaos or rebellion, but a radical allegiance to King Jesus above all earthly authorities. It’s about living out His teachings of love, humility, and nonviolence, even when they clash with societal norms or coercive systems like taxation and state power.

Drawing from Scripture and thinkers like Murray Rothbard and Tom Woods, I argue that Jesus’ kingdom operates on principles of voluntary cooperation and sacrificial love, not force or domination. Christian Anarchy challenges us to embody the Sermon on the Mount, reject idolatrous power, and bear witness to a King whose reign transforms hearts and communities.

Ask yourself: Where does your highest loyalty lie? Join me in reflecting on what it means to seek first the Kingdom of God in a world obsessed with power. Read the full post and share your thoughts! Read King Jesus Above All.

The Right Cross at the Right Time

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Discover the power of the cross in this Paul’s Ponderings post, “The Right Cross at the Right Time” (Romans 5:6-11). Learn how Jesus’ sacrifice shows God’s love, justifies us, and reconciles us to Him. Find joy in a restored relationship with God and hope for the future. The death of Jesus reveals God love and reconciles us with Him. Read now and worship with gratitude this week. Read The Right Cross at the Right Time.

Getting Out of the Dark

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 03:13:00 +0000

Feeling lost in the dark? In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins faced goblins and despair with just a small elvish dagger—Sting—to guide him. It wasn’t much, but it sparked courage to keep going. Life can feel like that shadowy cave, but the Bible offers a sharper tool: God’s Word. ‘For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword’ (Hebrews 4:12). It cuts through confusion and lights the way forward. Like Bilbo, we can’t go back—only ahead. Pick up your sword, trust God’s truth, and take the next step. Read more about finding hope in the darkness! Read Getting Out of the Dark.

Far Too Easily Pleased

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:59:00 +0000

Uncover the life God dreams for you in Shattered Dreams: Far Too Easily Pleased, the powerful finale of our 4-part series. Explore five transformative traits from John 13–17—servanthood, love, abiding in Jesus, Spirit-led guidance, and unity—that reveal God’s vast vision beyond our fragile plans. Inspired by C.S. Lewis, this post challenges us to trade mud pies for infinite joy. Read now and awaken to the unshakable purpose waiting in your brokenness!

Shattered Dreams: Far Too Easily Pleased

Lessons from the King: True Obedience

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:41:00 +0000

Build Your Life on the Rock: True Obedience
What’s your foundation? In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus contrasts two builders—one wise, one foolish—facing the same storm. The difference? Obedience. In the post True Obedience Paul’s Ponderings dives into the Sermon on the Mount’s climax, exploring how loyalty to King Jesus through action, not just words, keeps us standing when life’s winds blow. Read it now and ask: Which house are you living in?

In God’s Image: Why Women Belong in Pastoral Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:43:00 +0000

Does God’s design limit women in pastoral ministry, or did tradition get it wrong? In ‘In God’s Image: Why Women Belong in Pastoral Ministry,’ I explore how Genesis 1’s co-rulership, prophets like Deborah and Huldah, and early church leaders like Phoebe reveal God’s plan for women to lead. This isn’t woke theology—it’s biblical truth. Read more at Paul’s Ponderings.

The Discipleship Road: Providence

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 22:10:00 +0000

I am preaching a sermon series called The Discipleship Road at Bethlehem Church. The series is loosely based on Eugene Peterson’s book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.

The big idea I have for the series is: Discipleship takes us from the place we don’t want to be to the place God has prepared for us.

Discipleship is like a long journey. It starts with the realization that we are in a place that we don’t want to be, or that we are not the people we want to be, and that we are committed to doing what it takes to change.

Yet, maybe the most important part of that is the understanding that we need God’s help to make this possible. A disciple of Jesus acknowledges that everything, even faith and repentance, are ultimately gifts from God.

Text: Psalm 121
Bottomline: Our Discipleship journey relies on God’s power and help.
Challenge: Daily surrender your discipleship to God.

Prayer is Essential to Change

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 15:33:00 +0000

The world that we live in is not what it should be. On a daily basis we are saddened to hear about the murders, disasters, wars, and other tragedies that dominate our headlines.

Even though we are saddened, we know that there is little that we dan do to change the major issues that face the world. So what are we to do?

As cliché as it might sound, we who follow Jesus are called to pray. It is through prayer that we experience change.

The reality is that we have very little control over what goes on in this world, but what we do have control over is how we live. While we our actions may not result in world peace or solve world hunger or diminish crime in our communities, our choice to love, to forgive, and to serve can have a huge impact on those around us.

Here is the issue, we are not naturally loving, forgiving, or merciful. We tend to be selfish, prideful, and untrustworthy. In other words, we contribute to the problems in the world, rather than doing what we can do to relieve the issues in our part of the world.

This is why change is crucial.

If all our failed attempts to change have taught us anything, it is that we need help to change. We can’t change on our own, especially in ways that make this world a better place.

Ephesians 3:14-18 (NLT)
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

Paul’s prayer for the people who received his letter was that they would receive what they needed, that they would be strengthened and experience God, and that they would have a knowledge of God’s love. This was a prayer for the Ephesians to experience transformation. A transformation that allows them to know and experience God in a new way.

This is a transformation that cannot happen apart from God working in our lives. The deep work that needs to happen in our hearts and minds can only be done through the work of the Spirit. Without prayer and surrendering our wills this transformation is not going to happen.

While it is important for us to pray for healing or friends, family, and acquaintances, it is equally important for us to pray prayers similar to Paul’s for ourselves and our church families. Without God’s work, change will not happen.

Make prayer an essential part of your spiritual formation.

The Discipleship Road: Repentance

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:30:00 +0000

At Bethlehem Church I have started a new sermon series entitled The Discipleship Road. It is loosely based off Eugene Peterson’s book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. The point of the series is to emphasize the importance of being committed to the discipleship process. Being a disciple of Jesus is a journey that is going to take the rest of our lives.

This first sermon looks at repentance. Repentance starts with the realization that we are in a place that we don’t want to be in or that we are not the person that we want to be. That is motivation that gets us started on the journey.

Text: Psalm 120

Bottomline: Our Discipleship Journey begins with repentance.

Challenge: Daily Confess That You are not where You want to be. Ask God to rescue you.

Living a God Honoring Life

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:00:00 +0000

We are created in God’s image.

The main point of that reality is that we are to be God’s representatives in the world. I like to say, “We are created to demonstrate God’s character.”

Demonstrating God’s character means, like any good representative, that we bring honor to Him. Our lives should honor God.

This is how Jesus lived.

On two occasions (his baptism and the transfiguration) God declared that He was pleased with Jesus (Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:6). Jesus lived the life that God desired him to live.

A question I need to ask myself is: Do I seek please God with my life?

I confess the answer is scary.

Honetly, I have a desire to honor God and to please Him with the way I live. If that wasn’t the case I wouldn’t be a pastor and I wouldn’t spend so much time thinking, writing, and talking about following Jesus.

There is no doubt that I want to live a life that honors God.

Yet, when I take an honest evaluation of my life, I get discouraged by the lack of intention that I put into actually living a life that follows Jesus and honors God.

I realize that part of this is human nature. It is hard to give up our agendas and pursue God.

We are trained to think about what is best for ourselves and to look after number 1. Perhaps it should come to no surprise that part of what Paul prayed for the Colossians, people he had never met, was that they would live lives that honored God.

In order to honor and please God, I must have a knowledge of God’s will.

The number one way to know God’s will is to be a student of Scripture. This includes personal reading and study to sitting under the instruction of qualified teachers. We need to be diligent and intentional in learning for God’s Word.

To honor and please God, I need to be a person of prayer.

Paul prayed that God will fill the Colossians with a knowledge of His will and spiritual understanding. While it is essential for us to be intentional students of the Bible, the reality is that part of being a student is asking for help. Through prayer we can ask the Author for the help we need in understanding.

To honor and please God, I need to obey.

It is one thing to know what to do, but it is another to do it. Remember, faith isn’t so much about believing the truth at it is about living the truth. By living out the truth we know we discover even more and deeper truths about God.

Living out the truth isn’t just about living a moral life and going to church. It is also about bending our wills to the will of God. It is about doing those hard things that He asks us to do that we don’t want to do.

It isn’t easy to live a life that honors and pleases God.

The easiest thing to do, in the short term, is to continue to live the way I want to live. That way of life requires little effort from me.

We were created to demonstrate God’s character, so for us to experience life at its fullest, we have to intentionally seek to do God’s will. In this way, we will live a life that honors God.

The Bible is not an Answer Book

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:25:00 +0000

I love the Bible.

In fact, I believe that people who follow Jesus should be readers and students of the Bible. In the Bible we discover God, His character, and His will.

Without the Bible we would not be able to follow Jesus or be the people God created us to be.

Last year I lead Bethlehem Church through The Story to give us a good overview of what the Bible is about. One of the things I constantly talked about through that series is that the Bible is gift from God. In all the 30 sermons I preached, I said, “We need to read, study, meditate on, and pray the Bible to be good stewards of the gift God has given to us.”

Even though I have a high view of Scripture, I also understand that it has limitations.

As modern readers of the Bible, we often approach it as if it has the answer to all of life’s questions. That is a primary reason why we read and study the Bible: to have all the right answers.

Instead of viewing the Bible as an answer book, we need to see the Bible as a tool to help create a worldview. It may not provide the answers to all the questions asked in our culture, but it does provide a framework that helps us create a Christian worldview.

I have been pondering how we use the Bible the past few days for a couple of reasons.

1. BibleProject has a podcast series that looks at ancient cosmology. One of the key points in the series is looking at how the Biblical account of creation is in dialogue and debate with the other ancient creation myths.

Many Western Christians, for the past 120 years or so, have used the Bible to provide facts and answers about the beginning of the universe. The problem is that the Bible was not written to answer modern scientific questions. It was written to give God’s people a particular view of the world and to combat the pagan religious views of their neighbors.

Therefore, we shouldn’t expect the Bible to give us definitive answers about the how and when of creation, but we should expect it to give us an understanding about who God is and why He created the world.

2. Preston Sprinkle wrote:

If someone experiences and congruent between their biological sex and their gender, which one determines who they are—and why? What does the Bible say about this question?
That’s the problem. The Bible doesn’t directly ask and answer this question. There’s no verse in, say, Leviticus 28 that says, “If thy gender identity does not match thy biological sex, then thine body is who you really are.” Or whatever. (There is no Leviticus 28, in case you are flipping pages to check.) But the Bible does say quite a few relevant things about human nature and the importance of our biological sex which will position us to cultivate a theologically informed and biblically rooted answer to our question. (Embodied, p. 63)

After doing lots of research, Sprinkle admits that the Bible doesn’t contain the answers to the questions surrounding the transgender conversation. You can’t compile a list of verses that deal specifically with these issues.

Not only is this true for the transgender conversation, but it is true for many of the questions we have today. Our culture is significantly different from the cultures that the Bible was originally written for. We shouldn’t expect to to have answers to our modern questions.

Since the Bible is God’s gift to His people, we can expect that it will give us a proper perspective to see the world.

It is important to make this shift away from seeing the Bible as an answer book to one that helps us create a Christian worldview.

God did not give us the Bible so we can have all the right answers.

Rather, He gave us the Bible so we can become the right type of people.

If we primarily use the Bible to have the right answers, to win arguments, and to point out other people’s sin then we are using the Bible wrong.

The Bible should help form us into the people God created us to be. One of the ways it does that is to create a proper perspective for us to see the world.

Let the Bible form your worldview.

Join the Paul’s Ponderings Facebook Page.

The Best Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 17:47:00 +0000

Our motivations matter.

We can do the right thing for the wrong reasons, but eventually we will be discovered to be a fake.

On the other hand, we can do things wrong and make mistakes, but if we do them for the right reasons those things become lessons that help us get better.

There are many different reasons why a person would follow Jesus.

Fear is a big motivation. We are afraid of going to hell, so we want to follow Jesus to avoid the punishment.

Obligation is another reason. We think, “Jesus died for me, so I guess I had better go to church.” Our obedience is something that we feel like we need to do.

Expectation might be another reason. Our family and friends are Christians, so we feel like we are expected to be Christians as well.

Reward is a motivation for following Jesus. Not only do we want to escape Hell, but we want to enjoy the eternal life God has created for His people. We keep the end in mind to remind us what it is important to follow Jesus.

While all these motivations have their place, they miss the most important reason for following Jesus.

The best motivation we can have when it comes to following Jesus is love.

John wrote:

Love is the best motivation for following Jesus because it is a response to the love Jesus had for us.

It was love that motivated Jesus to show compassion and heal people. It was love that motivated Jesus to spend time with those on the margins of society. It was love that motivated Jesus to stand against the oppressive behavior of the religious leaders. It was love that motivated Jesus to leave Heaven, become a man, and die a painful death on a Roman cross.

Love is what motivated Jesus.

The proper response to love is love.

This means that the more we experience God’s love, the more our understanding of Jesus grows, and the more the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, the stronger our love for God becomes.

Fear may have been the reason why we first decided to follow Jesus. A sense of obligation might be the reason why we first started to be committed in our weekly church attendance. The expectation of friends and family might have been the reason why we started to worship. Our starting motivation doesn’t matter, what matters is the reason why we continue to follow Jesus.

One of the ways we know we are growing in our faith is because motivation becomes more about our love for Jesus than it does anything else.

There is no formula for learning to love Jesus. It happens as we study Scripture, as we engage in the work of ministry, as we sacrifice in our giving, as we spend time in prayer, and as build friendships with other Christians. Just like other relationships, love grows stronger the more time you spend with them.

Follow Jesus because you love him.

There is more content on the Paul’s Ponderings Facebook Page.

Don’t Neglect to Train

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 23:45:00 +0000

Practice makes perfect.

This old saying reminds us of a basic truth: In order to do things well we need to learn how to do them.

This is a process that takes time. The repetition that happens through practice is essential for learning fundamentals and building muscle memory. Both are needed to make a new skill become like second nature in our lives.

If we are going to do something well we have practice doing it.

A musician needs to learn how to read music, to play scales, and to keep time before any actual music can even be played. Even then hours of practice are required to play a piece of music well.

A basketball player needs to learn how to dribble, pass, and shoot so he can play with other players. After that hours of practicing the game is needed before an actual game can be played so that both player and team play well.

Practice is a universal law governing how we improve a skill or a talent.

Since this is the case, why have we overlooked the importance of practice when it comes to our spiritual development?

Perhaps it is because we don’t want to be accused of doing “works” to earn our salvation.

Perhaps it is because we don’t have a coach, teacher, or mentor guiding us through what we need to do.

Whatever the reason, we have neglected the development of our spirits.

C. E. Orr in his book How to Live a Holy Life wrote:

One of the main problems for American Christians today is an understanding of spiritual formation. They have confessed their sin, repented, declared their faith in Jesus, and have been baptized, but then they have been abandoned to figure things out for themselves.

The American church lacks true discipleship.

Reflect on what the apostle Paul told Timothy:

Paul reminded Timothy not to waste his life in doing things that did not matter. Timothy could spend his life arguing against the silly myths of the day, which would take time but ultimately would be ineffective and a waste of his time.

Timothy could also devote his time to healthy living and exercise, which would benefit the body, but would have minimal impact on his spiritual formation.

Instead Paul told him to train for godliness.

How do we do that?

If we approach our spiritual formation in Jesus like we approach training and practice in other areas, like music and sports, then I think we can see two commitments we must make.

First, we need to commit to spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines are activities that God’s people have historically done to mature as people of faith. In fact, many of these disciplines are things that Jesus during his time on earth. These disciplines include activities such as Bible study, prayer, fasting, giving, and worship. These things are the equivalent of learning how to play a music scale or learning how to dribble a basketball. They are want teach your mind, heart, soul, and body how to act when faced with the realities of life.

Second, we need to commit to Christian duties. Duties are those things that God expects His people to do. They include things like serving people, forgiving those people who hurt us, sacrificing time and money to help make disciples, and standing up for what is right. These are not things that we do naturally or even enjoy doing, and that is why they become duties. When we do them, because of our love for God, they teach us humility and loving neighbor as ourselves. These duties are much like practice. They are boring, just like playing the same piece of music a thousand different times or going to basketball practice day after day and compete against the same people, but they help you get ready for the concert or game. When we make the choice to do these duties we are preparing to meet the unpredictable choices that we face in life.

If we are going to be like Jesus we need to train to be like him. This training is going to take a lot of hard work on our part and a lot of grace on God’s part, but working together transformation will take place.

We can be conformed into the image of Jesus!

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Trust God to Forgive

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Steele) — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 00:14:00 +0000

It is never easy to admit that we have made a mistake.

The bigger the mistake the more we want to hide it, deny it, or ignore it.

It is no wonder that we have a hard time confessing our sin, even in our private prayers to God. The result is that we carry around a complex baggage of guilt, shame, temptation, and habitual sin. This reality makes it difficult to accept God’s promise of forgiveness.

I know that I find it hard to confess my sins to God because I am embarrassed about what my sin reveals about my weakness.

After all I should know better!

“If I truly had faith,” I reason, “this sin wouldn’t be a problem.”

As a result I keep my distance from God. I don’t want to be weak faithless fool before Him.

Perhaps you struggle with asking for forgiveness because you are afraid of God.

There is a voice inside of your mind telling you that if you confess your sins to God then He will punish you.

“After all,” you think, “isn’t God going to judge lawbreakers?”

In his book Created to Be God’s Friend, Henry Blackaby wrote:

Faith is lived out through trust.

The question we need to ask ourselves is this: Do I trust God to forgive me?

If we don’t trust God to forgive then we won’t turn to Him and confess our sins.

Instead we will run away and hide. We will ignore the sin that is ruining our lives. We will do every thing we can think of to avoid God.

For us to trust people we have to believe that they have our best interest at heart.

This means we need to answer this question: Is there any reason why we should trust God to forgive us?

The reason we can trust God is Jesus.

The life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the evidence we need to trust that God will forgive us. This is true, no matter who we are or what we have done.

The writer of the book of Hebrews gave us this gem of truth:

How do we come before the throne of God?

First, it requires our surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. If we are not willing to be a follower of Jesus it is impossible for us to experience God’s gift of forgiveness. Jesus is the High Priest who has prepared the way to God. There is no other way to forgiveness except through Jesus.

Second, we need to confess our sins to God through prayer. God knows our sins, and He has declared His willingness to forgive. Yet, forgiveness requires the acknowledgement that we have done something wrong. This is an act of trust, because we need to believe that God has our best interest at heart. So we confess our sin because we trust that God will forgive us.

Third, we need to worship God. From singing praise songs to serving people in need, it is important that we set our hearts towards God. Worship requires the right motivation more than it requires the right actions. We can go through the motions of worship without love and trust. Worship that is grounded in faith is the type of worship that God desires from us.

Living in these bodies of flesh in this world means that sin will be a part of our lives.

Not only do we need constantly struggle with sin to eliminate it from our lives, we also have to trust God to forgive us when we sin.

God is gracious and willing to forgive us, but we need to turn to Him and ask for it.

Trust God to forgive you.