The prophet Habakkuk in the Old Testament questioned God about something that I hear many people say, "Why do so many bad things happen?". "Why do people get away with doing wrong and justice seems nowhere in sight?" (Habakkuk 1: 2-4) As many people today put it, "If God is good, why does He allow bad things to happen?" Habakkuk is specifically referring to his nation, Judah. Habakkuk sees the violence and evil that is everywhere in Judah. When will it stop he asks God? Why is God allowing these terrible things to continue? God gives Habakkuk a surprising answer. God tells Habakkuk that he is raising up the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) to bring judgment on Judah. In Habakkuk's eyes this makes no sense. The Babylonians were worse than the people of Judah. Habakkuk knew that his people had strayed from God but in his mind the Babylonians were worse because they didn't even know who God was. God Is In Control God answers that Babylon is being used to judge Judah but, Babylon will, in turn, also be judged. In Habakkuk 2 God lists many 'woes' that will happen to the evil Babylonians. In contrast, God tells Habakkuk in chapter 2: 4(b) that the "just shall live by his faith" . Habakkuk was written around 600 BC, but by 539 BC the Babylonians themselves no longer existed, having been defeated and swallowed up by the Persians. As Judah received their judgement, so did the Babylonians. Habakkuk ends his book with these verses: "Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills." Habakkuk 3: 17-19 Habakkuk does not pretend to understand how all these things will happen. What Habakkuk does understand however is that God is in control . Habakkuk's faith in the just justice of God allows him to trust that, whatever happens, it is ultimately what should happen. God does not ask us if we understand and agree with how He rules the world. No, God asks us to trust in Him by faith and in His plan for our life. Justice happens in His perfect timing. They Wait for God's Justice In Revelation 6:9-10 after the opening of the 5th seal we see "the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." They asked God how long would they have to wait to be avenged. These martyrs sought to remain faithful to God even unto death. The wrath of God would be poured out on the world who killed them for their faith. But they had to wait for justice. Who Is It That Rebukes God? In the book of Job, Job questions God as to why these great tragedies had happened to him. In Chapter 40 verse 2, God says to Job: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” Indeed, who are we to question God? It might not be a very satisfying answer but this is where humility comes in in the life of a Christian. We simply can't understand everything. Job realizes this. In chapter 42: 2-6, Job is overwhelmed by God's power and knowledge. In humility , Job says he has spoken of things he did not understand, things too wonderful for him that he did not know. For this Job repented. Our Strength In Whom We Trust In Psalm 18:2, David tells us that God is His deliverer, his rock and his fortress. David calls God his strength. He says he trusts God and that God is his stronghold. Like Job, like the martyrs, and like Habakkuk, when evil seems to be winning, God is in control. We look to our Rock, our strong foundation, who allows us to live and die with courage in spite of not knowing the answer to ' why '! He IS our strength in whom we can trust. Enjoy " On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand" by clicking here .

We live busy lives. So busy that many times we forget what is truly important. We forget the ways that God has benefited us. We see prayers answered and take those answered prayers for granted. Sometimes we even think we are deserving of answered prayers. We forget that it is by the grace of God that He hears us and blesses us. David Addresses His Soul Psalm 103 is considered one of the great Psalms of gratitude and thankfulness in the Bible. In this Psalm we might assume that David is talking to God or to the Israelites, but that would be wrong. David tells us in verse one who he is addressing—his soul. David is quite literally commanding his soul to do better. He is telling his soul to bless God's holy name for all of His benefits. The benefits of God are the ways He has graciously dealt with us through our lives. With David we will bless the Lord - Psalm 103. Bless The Lord O My Soul - Psalm 103 We are commanded to bless God. In Psalm 134: 1-2, we are told to lift up our hands and bless the Lord. In Hebrew, the word bless is related to a Hebrew word that means to kneel. When we bless God we aren't giving God anything, because He needs nothing. We are praising and giving thanks to Him. Blessing God doesn't exactly mean thanking. In this instance to bless the Lord is more about praising the essence of who God is. We are really speaking of how blessed God is. He is the source of all of our blessings, simply because that is who God really is. What Is The Soul What does David mean when he speaks of his soul? The soul is both the physical and life giving spirit that we are given by God. Literally, God's breath that gave us life. It is everything that we are, everything that makes you, you. Bless God With Your All David knew that when he blessed God he had not been doing it with everything that he was. This Psalm is a wake up call for him. Remember! Remember the benefits with everything that is within you. How terribly easy it is to take those benefits for granted. How easily we haphazardly worship and praise God. Bless God For His Benefits What are these benefits that David is talking about? In Psalm 103:3-5, he lists them: He forgives our iniquities, literally all the things in our lives that twist and distort our soul from being what God had perfectly planned for it. This is the first and greatest benefit from God; the restoration of our soul. He heals our diseases. This can refer to spiritual or physical diseases. We may go to a skilled doctor and be treated with the best medical care, but ultimately our healing comes from God. And because of God's forgiveness, if healing doesn't come in this life it will in the next. He redeems us from the pit. By this David means that God delivers us from death. Believers will never truly die (John 11: 25-26). He crowns us with His great compassion, tender mercies and love. God Himself shows favor to those who are His faithful servants. His tender mercies, His gentle concerns, are towards us, as weak and needy creatures. He satisfies us with what is truly good. No satisfaction can come from the world. True satisfaction can only come from God. The good that David is talking about is what God knows is good for us, not necessarily what we think is good. Because of these good things that we are satisfied with, our strength is renewed like when we were young. This isn't talking about physical strength, but spiritual strength. It is God working in our lives by loving, encouraging, forgiving, and transforming us that we are made spiritually strong. Bless God For What He Has Done In Psalm 103: 6-7, David remembers and blesses God for what He has done for David's people. God cares for and gives justice to people who are oppressed. Just as the Israelites labored as slaves in Egypt for 400 years before their deliverer, Moses, appeared, so the oppressed of today will have justice done for them. Maybe not in their life time, but eventually it will surely happen. He is a righteous and just God. He is faithful . God loves us enough to " make known His ways " just as He did to Moses. God is not some cloud in the sky deity who stays hidden from us except for a few stray thunderbolts. No! Our God shows Himself strong for us. He makes Himself so known to us that He comes down in the form of a man, Jesus, to live and walk among us. Bless God For His Graciousness In Psalm 103: 8-10, David reminds us of the graciousness of God. Unlike us, God doesn't get angry quickly, and He has an almost endless supply of mercy that He shows us. God doesn't hold grudges. When he does become angry with us for our rebellion, it will give way to compassion and forgiveness immediately when we seek His face. David says, although we may have been disciplined for our sins by God, we haven't been dealt with as we deserved. Bless God For His Mercy In Psalm 103: 11-12, we are told about the greatness of God's mercy and forgiveness. David explains that God's mercy is almost immeasurable towards those " who fear Him". He removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. I love this commentary on this verse, “As the east and the west can never meet in one point, but be for ever at the same distance from each other, so our sins and their decreed punishment are removed to an eternal distance by his mercy.” (Clarke) God Is Compassionate In Psalm 103: 13-14, David tells us that if we fear Him, He will pity us like a father pities a child. God knows our frailties and our weaknesses better than anyone. When we see our own children struggling with life; making poor choices, trying to do what is right, suffering with sickness, we feel pity or compassion . In this verse, it means that God takes action. He does something to alleviate that suffering, just like a human father would. God Is Merciful In Psalm 103: 15-18, God promises his mercy on his frail creation. He promises mercy towards His obedient children who fear Him. God's great mercy and love is forever and without limit. God Is Sovereign In Psalm 103:19, David tells us that God's kingdom " rules over all ". There is no aspect of creation that God does not command. God is sovereign over His creation. The author of 2 Chronicles 20:6 says, "You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you". All Creation Bless God Finally, in Psalm 103: 20-22, David calls on the angels in Heaven to bless God and goes further to say that all of God's works, every creation of God, should bless Him. As Psalm 19:1 says, the glory of God is even proclaimed by the Heavens that He created. Paul echoes this in 2 Corinthians 9:15 when he proclaims, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" Bless God In Our Prayers With Intentionality This call to bless God is not just for the angels and the heavens, but for each of us in our daily lives. When we pray it is easy to forget to bless God. I think it might be better if we were more intentional in our prayers. Maybe before you pray, take a moment to read Psalm 103 or other similar Psalms, and reflect on your own life. Remember that, " once I was lost but now I am found ". Bless God for that. Bless God by your obedience, your love, your zeal to know Him and serve Him and others. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Jesus loves and cares deeply for each of us whether we are a man or a woman. He has a task for each of us. No part of the body of Christ is more important than another according to Paul (I Corinthians 12: 15-26). The early church included many women who are specifically spoken about in the book of Acts. Each woman had a role to play, even though there are sometimes few details, they were important enough to be named. Mary, the Mother of Jesus In chapter one of Acts, we read that the disciples gathered together with other believers numbering in total 120. There were men and women present including Mary, the mother of Jesus. An important task was at hand. The replacement for Judas must be decided. This was a matter that was to be decided by all present. Mary was an active participant, as were the other unnamed women present that day, in matters important to the early church. Your Daughters Will Prophesy In chapter two of Acts, Peter addresses the crowd after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and quotes the Old Testament book of Joel in verses 17 and 18. “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy." (NIV) It is not just the sons who will prophesy, not just the men, but it will be the daughters and the women as well. The Spirit of God will be poured out on both men and women. Tabitha In chapter nine of Acts, Peter travels to the city of Lydda. This city is about 22 miles northwest of Jerusalem and today is call Lod. Near Lydda was the town of Joppa and here there had lived a woman named Tabitha (in Greek she was known as Dorcas). She had died and friends were sent to Peter to ask him to come and revive this woman known for always doing good and helping the poor. When Peter arrived, he found the widows that she had provided clothing for weeping by the side of her body. Peter commanded Tabitha to get up. She opened her eyes and arose from her death bed. Her charity and faithfulness caused those around her to reach out to Peter. When Peter raised her from the dead her faithfulness spread, because this event was crucial to many becoming believers in Joppa. Women Were Also in Danger Also in chapter nine Paul, who is still known as Saul at this point, was in Damascus looking for both men and women who followed The Way, as the early church was referred to. His intent was to drag them off to prison in Jerusalem. Both men and women risked their lives to follow Christ. Mary, Mother of John In chapter twelve, we read how Peter miraculously was freed from prison. When he left, he went to Mary's home where believers were meeting. This Mary was the mother of John (also called Mark). The same Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark. Rhoda When Peter knocked on the door of Mary's home her servant, Rhoda answered. She was so excited to see Peter that she shut the door in his face and hurried back to tell everyone that Peter was here. They thought she was crazy until Peter's knocking caused them to open the door and to their amazement find him standing in front of them. Peter relayed his story of his escape from prison and asked them specifically to " tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this ." Women as well as men were considered important enough to hear this miraculous story. Lydia In chapter sixteen, we read about Lydia of Thyatira. Thyatira was a Greek city, now in modern Turkey. Paul had traveled to Philippi (a Roman colony in Macedonia in Biblical times, but today located in Greece.) Paul had had a vision to preach to those in Macedonia. It is believed that this was the first time Paul preached on European soil. While there, he preached to women who had gathered at the river located outside the city gate. Lydia was one of these women. She was a business woman, a dealer in purple cloth for which the city of Thyatira was famous. Obviously, she was a woman of some means. God opened her heart and she believed, then she and her whole household were baptized. She persuaded Paul and his companions to stay at her home. Paul's vision to preach to those in Macedonia obviously was Holy Spirit inspired to reach out to this woman, Lydia, whose heart had been opened by God. Damaris In chapter seventeen, Paul preached in Athens explaining to them that His God was the " unknown god " that they had erected an altar to. The crowd had gathered at the Areopagus where philosophers and thinkers would get together and discuss ideas. After preaching, several believed, and one woman specifically named was Damaris. There has been much speculation as to who Damaris was. Heather Farrell, in her blog " Women in the Scriptures ", says this about Damaris , " Despite the debate about who Damaris was, a wife, a mistress, a Greek, a foreigner a philosopher, or just an ordinary woman, the one thing we know for sure about her is that she was a believer . In a city swirling with many different types of religious and intellectual philosophies Damaris heard and recognized the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She believed ." Priscilla In chapter eighteen, Paul went to the home of Priscilla and Aquilla in Corinth located west of Athens. Just as Paul was a tentmaker, so were they. Eventually Paul, Priscilla, and Aquilla sailed for Syria. Priscilla and Aquilla were left in Ephesus, another town in modern Turkey. Priscilla and Aquilla were instrumental in training Apollos (who was from Alexandria in Egypt) about Jesus. Apollos was then a successful missionary to Achaia in Greece where he proved from the scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. Always mentioned together, Priscilla and Aquilla, Priscilla is usually mentioned first, possibly an indication that she was more influential in her community. Women of Acts These women were from all walks of life. Some were wealthy business women, some were servants, some played an important role in early church decisions, some were known for their charity and kindness, some were working class people, some were prophets and some held house church meetings in their home. These women lived all over the Roman world and their faith helped spread the gospel. They risked their lives along side men to become believers. As Paul says in Galatians 3: 28, " There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Women have always played a vital role in the church. God views Christian men and women as one in Christ. God uses us all for a purpose. Christianity, more than any religion of the time, gave a voice and a place for women alongside men. These women are role models for us today. They are worthy of study.

Recently, my Bible study group has talked quite a bit about boldness. We are to be humble when we approach people, no doubt, but that does not mean we should not be bold. Often, we weakly approach people, if we approach them at all, not wanting to offend we may say something to them about God loving them, or have a blessed day, and those things can be a blessing, but how often do we speak boldly? Bold As A Lion In Proverbs 28:1, we find Solomon telling us that the righteous are as " bold as a lion ." Our strength to speak boldly comes from the Lord. "according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him." Ephesians 3: 11-12 Eight times in the book of Acts the apostles are described as preaching boldly. They aren't described as timidly looking for the right opportunity to speak a few words to someone they know very well about Christ. No, they are described as preaching the word of God boldly to the masses that were in Jerusalem. They went from hiding in a room afraid they would be arrested, to boldly preaching with faith and power about Jesus. What made the difference? The gift of the Holy Spirit! What were they preaching in Acts? They were boldly proclaiming that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead and reasoning and persuading their listeners that Jesus was the promised Messiah. What do we proclaim when we speak of Jesus? Paul Needed Prayer In Ephesians 6, Paul says that he is an " ambassador in chains " who needs prayer, so that he can preach boldly the mystery of the gospel. If Paul needs prayer to be bold, how much more do we? A Spirit Of Power In 2 Timothy 1:7, we're told that God didn't give us a spirit of fear. No! He gave us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. My brothers and sisters, what have we lost, that today so few of us have a spirit of power and so many seem to be consumed by a spirit of fear? This spirit of fear does not come from God. We try to speak to others in our own power. That is the first mistake. We can do nothing. Only the Holy Spirit working in us can speak to people with power. In 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Paul tells us be steadfast, brave and strong. I like how the King James Version translates " be brave ". It says to " quit you like men" . Be brave, be bold and do it all with love. Go Boldly In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul tells us that the brethren became confident to speak out boldly without fear. They became confident by Paul's chains. What the world used against the ones who followed Christ, Paul and others used to go boldly and preach. Paul's chains were used to further the gospel, not to inhibit it. In 1 Thessalonians 2: 2, Paul says that he and others were " bold in our God to speak to you ", even after they had suffered and were mistreated in Philippi. They did not allow persecution to intimidate them from speaking truth. We have forgotten perhaps that the gospel is the gospel of truth . It is not a self-help manual. It does not teach how to have our best life now. It does not promise prosperity or even health. What it does tell us, is that the gospel is the truth. We profess Christ because people need to know the truth. Today's world gives us lies. Today's world tells us there are many truths. No! There is one truth. The truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is Jesus, dying and rising again to save us from our sins, that provides a way for us to be one with God. This gospel we preach says that we can be Christ's brother and God can be our Father. The Bible reminds us that just like the disciples in the book of Acts we are to speak boldly. We have the love and grace of God. We have the Holy Spirit. We have the power of God with us. Does that not give us boldness when we go before men? Do we fear so much, are we so timid, as to stay silent? Go Boldly To The Throne Of Grace We speak to others of Christ boldly, but we also go before our Lord boldly. We are told to go " boldly to the throne of grace " (Hebrews 4:16). When we pray according to God's will, our needs will be met. Is it God's will to heal you? If it is, then you can pray boldly and expect a healing. Our bold prayers can change our perspective, change our outlook, we can know that God can and will do more than we can imagine. In Ephesians 3:20, Paul says this, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," Paul tells us we have a " power that works in us ". When we rely on that power, we can go to God boldly. Not in fear and intimidation. Praise be to God " who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think "! Enjoy " Boldly I Approach " by Rend Collective.

How do we witness to non-believers? Paul gives us some guidelines in Acts 17 when he preaches in Athens. At the time Paul arrived in Athens, they may have worshipped as many as 30,000 gods. The ancient historian Petronius is quoted as saying that it was easier to find a god in Athens than a human. The Athenians so desperately wanted to 'get it right' that they had even erected a statue to the unknown god. Paul Was Provoked When Paul saw all of the idols in Athens, the Bible says that he was provoked in his spirit (Acts 17:16). The word provoked here can mean that his spirit was stirred into action. What are these people doing? Why are they so far from God, even though they seemed to be seeking Him? Paul is stirred to reason with them (Acts 17:17). It is safe to say, that today, we also have idols. Today our idols aren't usually gold and silver fashioned with hands, but our idols are the things we place our trust and hope in. The things that mean more to us than anything else. Our idols could be ourselves, our children, our career, our money and any number of things. I think if Paul were here today he would be very " provoked in the spirit " just as he was almost 2,000 years ago. Paul Preaches In The Synagogue As Paul usually did, he began his preaching in the synagogue among the Jews and the devout gentiles. When Acts 17:17 talks of reasoning, it comes from the Greek word, dialegomai , which means to thoughtfully discuss and to use persuasive arguments. All of Paul's preaching was scriptural. Since at this point in time there was no Bible as we know it, he was using scripture from the Old Testament. Preaching In The Agora After preaching in the synagogue, Paul began to preach in the market, literally known as the Agora. This was the meeting place where politics, business and the arts were all represented. Everything in the Agora revolved around religion and it was considered a sacred place. While Paul preached, certain philosophers, Epicureans and Stoics, heard him preaching the good news of Jesus and the Resurrection (Acts 17:18). For the Epicureans, death was annihilation- both body and mind would be completely destroyed; and the Stoics believed the soul simply went back to be part of the universe. Neither believed in a resurrection. Epicureans And Stoics So who were these philosophers? Epicureans lived for pleasure. They believed happiness in life came from doing what made you feel good. Today we would call them hedonistic. As far as the gods were considered, Epicureans believed they lived far off and didn't interfere with man. For the Epicurean, nothing you did could gain the attention of the gods in a good or a bad way. Stoic philosophers, on the other hand, believed that living a virtuous life would bring happiness. They believed in fate and that a person should just accept their fate as an unchangeable fact. They were pantheists, which means that they believed that god and the universe are the same thing. They believed that god was in all things and all things were in god. Neither philosophy offered hope. Neither philosophy spoke of loving others as yourself. Neither philosophy believed in a loving God capable of sacrificing Himself for a human being. The Epicureans thought Paul was just "babbling " about nothing of value; and the Stoics were intrigued, in an intellectual sense, because he seemed to be talking about a " foreign god " that they were not aware of. So to learn more about what Paul was preaching they invited him to the Areopagus (Acts 17:19-21). Preaching In The Areopagus The Areopagus was a council in Athens that was tasked with administrative, judicial, and religious education functions. They had trials, debates, and important discussions, a little like the Jewish Sanhedrin. They wanted to understand more about Paul's new teaching because as Acts tells us, all they spent their time doing was, " telling or hearing something new. " Sounds like the social media of the ancient world! In Acts 17:22, Paul gives a slight compliment to his audience. He tells them they seem to be very religious in all they do. When we speak to others about Christ we shouldn't insult them. We see no name calling or condemning here by Paul. Paul knows they are so religious that they have even included the statue to the "unknown god". This Paul says, is the God he wants to tell them about. In verses 24-31 he proceeds to tell them about the God that they are really seeking and had not found. Paul informs them that his God made the world and everything in it. People don't create things for Him, He created the universe. Life comes from Him, He needs nothing - certainly not statues made by human hands. He created man and determines history. God did these things to show man His glory and help them find Him. Paul's God loves His creation. Paul Quotes The Stoics Then Paul quotes their own philosophers. Paul says that " in Him we live and move and have our being ." When Paul said this he was quoting a Stoic philosopher, Epimenides. Where the Stoic philosopher meant it in a pantheistic way, Paul uses it to teach a personal relationship with God. All joy comes from the blessings of God. He then quotes another Stoic philosopher, Aratus, when Paul says, " for we are also His children. " He turns these philosophic statements on their heads. Indeed we are the children of God, adopted into His family through Christ, even though the Stoic philosopher certainly didn't mean it this way. These quotes would have made them realize that Paul was no ignorant, itinerant preacher, no, Paul even knew of the teachings of some of their lesser known philosophers. This would have caused them to be more interested in what Paul had to say. As Paul says, " I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some" (I Corinthians 9:22). Paul didn't compromise his beliefs, but he was sensitive to the culture of his audience in Athens. Paul Preaches Repentance Most importantly, Paul preached repentance. Why was it necessary? Because Jesus will judge us all and we know this is true because Jesus has been raised from the dead. Paul says we have been given " proof " of this. The resurrection is real! As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, if Jesus wasn't raised from the dead then his preaching is useless and so is your faith. If Jesus wasn't raised then we would still be in our sin (1 Corinthians 15:17). And finally, in 1 Corinthians 15:19, Paul tells us, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." How Did They Respond? What were the people's responses from this "reasoning" of Paul's? One of two reactions, some laughed and mocked, while others wanted to learn more. Some became followers and believed, like Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, plus others not named. Paul's Model For Witnessing To Unbelievers - Acts 17 Acts 17 teaches us several things about witnessing to unbelievers. As much as possible we need to know what they really believe. We need to know why they believe it. We need to approach people without condemnation or belittling. We need to speak to the heart of what is important to them. We can even quote from other belief systems that they may respect; but in doing so we don't do it to support that belief system; we do it to show them what it means in view of Christ and His gift to us. Finally, we mustn't leave out the most important aspects of our faith. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again! In the same way that Paul approached the Athenians with respect and an understanding of their beliefs, we can look at how we respond to modern challenges. Take, for example, the controversy over the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics. How should we respond? Should we call names, tell people they are hell-bound, or jump on social media to proclaim how offended we are? That was certainly not Paul's approach. Paul says " we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles " (1 Corinthians 1:23). Anytime we as Christians are blocked, banned or silenced by unbelievers for speaking the truth of Christ; anytime we are confronted by a coworker, for example, that challenges our faith; it is our responsibility to stand and continue to speak truth. We have to be sure though, that we do this in a way that is not obnoxious, unloving, or unwise. If people respond with animosity, it has to be because we spoke truth, and not that we spoke it in an un-Christian way. The Holy Spirit Convicts Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who moves and convicts people. All of our nice arguments, facts and knowledge may be good, but people are only changed by the movement of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who brings about transformation, who gives faith, who helps us put on the " new man ". Paul's Example When we witness to others we certainly won't convert them all. Even the great apostle Paul didn't do that. Many will believe the preaching of the cross is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18). Our greatest witness will be the love we show for others. Paul's example in Acts 17 is a model for us today. When we tell others about God we are being obedient to the Lord in reaching out to share the greatest blessing that we have - His Son, Jesus.

"Hope, in the world's phrase, refers only to an uncertain good, for all worldly hopes are tottering, built upon sand..." Matthew Henry Where is Job's Hope? When Job answers one of his so-called friends who is making unjust accusations against him in Job 17:13-16, he says, "If I wait for the grave as my house, If I make my bed in the darkness, If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’ Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it? Will they go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we have rest together in the dust?” In the midst of Job's suffering he can see only death looming before him. He has lost hope and his "friends" are not helping. Job Abounds in Hope And yet in Job 19: 25-27, Job remembers again where his hope lies. He remembers why he has hope when he says that he knows that his Redeemer lives. We have all had those moments when our faith wavers, when hope seems lost to us. Tragedy does things to a person. In James 5:11, James tells us that Job is an example of perseverance during trials. We are reminded of Jesus's mercy and compassion towards him. We know that Job is counted as blessed because he endured. Perseverance of Hope In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul talks about the, " perseverance of hope ". Hope in the Bible does not mean some " uncertain good " as Matthew Henry put it. The Hebrew word for hope is qawa. This can be translated as trust. We trust our God is good, that He is just, that He is love, and that He is full of compassion and lovingkindness. The Hebrew word also often carries with it a sense of expectancy, of waiting for suffering and injustice to end and God's grace to abound. Hope for the Messiah The Old Testament looks with hope, trust and expectancy towards the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament fulfills that hope and teaches us to continue to hope for His return. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:1, " Christ Jesus our Hope ". Without Him and His sacrifice on the cross there would be no hope. Hope for Eternal Life Faith, hope and love we are told in 1 Corinthians 13:13 abide. All three are part of living a life abiding in Christ . In Colossians, Paul tells us that the reason we have faith and love is , " because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven " (Colossians 1: 5). What is the hope he refers to? It is salvation and eternal life purchased for us by the Cross. A Defense Against Falling Away In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul commends the church saying that he is always mindful of ," your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope ". When we can keep hold of our hope, even in dark times, it will be a defense against falling away . What a blessing we would have, and be to others, if the same things could be said of each of us. Hope Fills Us With Joy and Peace Paul tells us in Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The hope of God fills us with joy and peace. These are the fruits of the Spirit given to us by His power in our lives. These are gifts of God that we may use to show others His love. When the world sees us rejoicing in times of darkness, when the world sees us at peace when tragedy abounds, they see the difference that the Holy Spirit makes in our lives. We don't face the world alone and with no hope. As the old hymn says, " My hope is nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness "

Our Holiness Journey We serve a God who tells us to " Be holy, as I am holy ." (I Peter 1:16) Many people have lived lives of even temper, good disposition, loving their friends and family and being overall just nice. People who are like this may have trouble seeing their need for God. If being nice is what Christianity is all about, well they already have that. For others who have struggled with sin all their lives, who perhaps weren't very pleasant people, or maybe weren't viewed as nice, those are often the people who see their need for a Savior sooner than the nice folks do. These Knew Their Need These are the very people that Jesus surrounded Himself with. Jesus was mocked for hanging out with tax collectors, prostitutes and other undesirables. Yet these are the very people who quickly saw their need for a Savior. They wanted to be changed. They wanted God to write His word on their heart that they might not sin against Him. Jesus says this in Luke 7:47 "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” God Wants Us To Be Holy God works on us to grow more and more Christlike. (See more on becoming like Christ here .) Often, we believe that once those big sins are gone, that God's work is done, but in fact it is barely beginning. We may be satisfied to be "nicer" people but God has a vision for us much greater than the one we have for ourselves. He wants us to " put on Christ " (Romans 13:14). He wants us to become holy. Don't Relax Maybe sometimes when we become better people, we think to ourselves, "Ah now, I can relax because life will be smoother. I have become a nicer person so God does not have to hand me anymore unpleasant or trying circumstances from which I can grow. My growth is done." But no, God still has us undergo tests and trials, God still has more for us. God will always have more for us to learn about Him and His nature. God will always want us to be more like his Son. There Is A River There is a curious chapter in Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 47, Ezekiel has a vision of water flowing from the temple of God—a river of living water. This living water first comes up to Ezekiel's ankles, then as he goes further it is to his knees and as he continues the water is finally so high he begins to swim. He is not disturbed or afraid by this. It is just a matter of fact. This vision has been interpreted both literally and symbolically. A Work In Progress When we first come to God we are changed, we become new creatures and yet we are a work in progress. We see small steps in our lives towards holiness. Like Ezekiel's symbolic living water going up to our ankles, but as our life continues the progress continues. The living water is now to our knees. We see more and more of our life taken over by the Holy Spirit of God, changing us and transforming us. Finally we are in these living waters so deep that we swim. They surround us and make us holy creatures. Water of Life In John 7:38 Jesus promises that when we believe in Him, rivers of living water will flow from us. The water of life that He blesses us with will be something that we share with others around us. They will see Him in us. This is us becoming a new creation in action . The waters of life don't just save us, but they will help others through us, as well. The Holy Spirit Is Our Teacher Like a loving Father watching their child learn to walk, God is ever so patient, loving and forgiving. He doesn't expect this transformation to be complete overnight. (For more on a transformed life click here .) When we have set backs, when we fall back into our old ways, He gives us strength to stand up and try again. Jesus promises in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit will " will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." How blessed we are to have such a patient teacher. Never Enough We have to be careful not to be complacent . We should never just stop at our ankle-deep water. We should allow God to change us as much as possible during this life. His vision of what we can do with our lives for His kingdom is so much richer than anything we can imagine. We are all being changed (2 Corinthians 5:17). Don't ever fall into the trap of thinking that the change you see is enough. Nice But Still Needy For people who have been born with a nicer disposition than others, or who feel less temptation to do bad things, be grateful to the God who made you this way, but also recognize that you too need a Savior. You too, even after accepting Him in faith, need to grow and become more like Him. All of us need to examine ourselves to understand what God would have us change (2 Corinthians 13:5). Be Gracious To Each Other As Christians we are all on a journey to holiness. Each one of us is in a different place than our neighbors. We need to take this journey and be gracious to others. Maybe we aren't all as nice as we should be, maybe we aren't all as changed as we should be, but as we take up our own individual crosses and follow Christ, we are all being changed, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). As the NIV translation puts it, "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." Enjoy, "There is a River" by the Gaither Vocal Band here .

Life is a series of life altering and difficult decisions. What career should I pursue? Who should I marry? Where should I live? Should I buy a house? God's desire is to be a part of every decision we make. Jesus called Himself a door in John 10:7-10. We have to begin with going through the open door that is His Son. As a shepherd would literally become the door to His flock by sleeping in the opening of the sheepfold , so Jesus is our door through which we enter eternal life. I Placed Before You An Open Door In Revelation 3:8, Jesus tells the church at Philadelphia that He has " placed before you an open door " and it cannot be shut. This is foreshadowed in Isaiah 22:22 when Isaiah says that God said, "So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open." God's doors can only be shut by Him and only opened by Him. The question we have in our day to day life is how do we know it is God who has opened or closed a door? Who Has Opened The Door? Paul gives us many examples of God opening and closing doors for him. Paul says that if we have allowed the Holy Spirit to transform our lives to become more like Jesus then we will be able to " test and approve " what God's will is for us (Romans 12:2). We can discern whether it is God who has opened a door for us or not, in the same way that Paul did. Paul's Opened And Closed Doors In 1 Corinthians 16: 8-9, Paul explains that he will stay in Ephesus for a while because a " great and effective door has opened to me " even though, as he says, there were many who opposed him. Again in 2 Corinthians 2:12, Paul recounts preaching in Troas and how the Lord " opened a door of opportunity " for him. Acts 14:27 tells us that God had " opened the door of faith " for the gentiles. In Acts 16: 6-7, the Lord closed a door by the working of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit directed Paul, causing him to know they were not to go to Asia or Mysia at that particular time. How To Know If God Has Opened The Door How was Paul so in tune with God's will that he knew when a door was opened and when it was closed? First, Paul prayed. Ask God to show you, as he showed Paul, if this is a door that you should go through. God, is this the person I should marry? Father, is this the career that I should have? Always seek answers in God's word. Is there someone who faced a similar circumstance to you in the Bible? Ask for advice from Godly and wise people that you know. God works not just on us, but on those around us. Look at the circumstances that God is directing. If you are really seeking God's will then you will have the Holy Spirit, that inner voice, that will be telling you to go in a certain way (Isaiah 30:21). Then, if God is directing you, trust Him that He is with you, guiding you. You are never alone . Paul knew this. God's Open Door Or Our Own? The danger is that we sometimes confuse our desires for God's desires. Personally I have made some tragic mistakes thinking that something was an open door from God when it was not. Understanding if it is God opening or closing a door comes down to our relationship with Him. Just as we know to do or not do certain things because we know our parents so well and how they would react, so to, the better we know God our Father the easier it will be to discern His will, His direction for us. Going Through The Wrong Door God is in control of the doors that open and close in our lives. King David went through a door that was not of God when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband. He suffered the consequences of that decision. But David learned from that terrible mistake. In Psalm 32, David explains the importance of confessing sin to God (Psalm 32:5). He tells us the importance of prayer (Psalm 32:6). David writes in verse 8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.". We are told not to be like a horse or mule who must be harnessed with bit and bridle (Psalm 32:9). In other words, don't resist being led by God. Finally, David tells us that those who trust in God are surrounded by mercy and we will rejoice and shout for joy because of this (Psalm 32:10-11). Knock And It Will Be Opened Jesus says, in Revelation 3:20, that He stands at a door and knocks. He waits for someone to hear His voice and open the door to allow Him to come in and dine with us. Do we need a door opened to us? Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7, "knock, and it will be opened to you." God longs to give us good things. He wants to open good doors. He wants us to use His word, our life's circumstances and the guidance of His Holy Spirit to show us the doors He has opened and the ones He has closed. Do you see? He knocks at a door waiting for us to open it for Him to come in (Revelation 3:20) and then in His mercy, grace and love, He wants us to knock at a door so that He can open it to bless us with all good gifts (Matthew 7:11). Pray that God guides you to open doors of opportunities, to recognize when doors are closed, to have patience to wait on your Father; but above all, choose to open the door to eternal life which is God's Son, Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 5: 20, Paul tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. What does an ambassador actually do in our world today? Their main responsibility is to support and promote the policies of our country in other countries. They literally represent the President of the United States in the country that they are assigned to. They are appointed by the President of the United States. Ambassadors For Christ Similarly, as Ambassadors for Christ, Paul says, " Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God." We are ambassadors for another kingdom, a kingdom not of this world , the kingdom of God. Our task is to plead, beg, and implore people to be reconciled with God. What does reconciliation with God mean? The word reconciliation means to restore a relationship after a dispute. To make things right again. When we are reconciled to God through Jesus, we have a restored relationship to God. In Romans 5:10, Paul explains that God reconciled us to Himself while we were still enemies of Christ by the death of His Son, Jesus and that Christ's life will save us. Christ's reconciliation allows us to be, as Paul says, a new creation. Just as an earthly appointed ambassador's job is to promote the United States to other countries, so our job is to promote the Kingdom of God in this world. We are the duly appointed representatives of our Father in Heaven. We have a responsibility to do the job we have been assigned and that is to remind people of their need for reconciliation. Not Of This World In John chapter 15, Jesus tells his disciples they are not of the world. We are truly other worldly people with a purpose. We are to show the world the God we say we love. We are to share this Jesus, the crucified Christ, who rose from the dead and conquered sin. Of course we will face opposition. The devil will make sure of that. The devil will present all kinds of seemingly reasonable arguments to us to keep us from being the ambassador we are called to be. We Can't Stay The Same We don't approach people as if we are perfect and worthy of the salvation we have received. We approach people in humility reminding them that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. To have the good and joy filled life that God wants us to have, He sent His beloved son to carry our sins on the cross and make a way for us to become His children. A reconciled life is a changed life . We cannot encounter Christ and stay the same. It is impossible. What Is A Good Ambassador? A good ambassador is a role model. A good ambassador is consistent. A good ambassador is disciplined. A good ambassador takes his job very seriously. In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul tells the Corinthians that he has placed no obstacles in the way of his message to the lost. Paul and his workers have made it a priority to be above reproach. They endured all kinds of hardships, beatings, hunger, and lack of sleep with patience, kindness and love. They triumphed over hard times with the Holy Spirit, the power of God, the word of truth and the armor of righteousness. The world described Paul and his workers as deceivers, unknown, sorrowful and poor but God would describe them as true, well known, joyful and possessing all things. Paul was the ultimate ambassador for Christ. Paul The Ultimate Ambassador Paul's ambassadorship for Christ took Him all over the known Roman world to spread the message of reconciliation. Our job, even if it is just in our family, with our friends and community is to do the same.

~Like Pilate we are without excuse~ In Matthew 27 we are told that Pontius Pilate stood before Jesus to pass judgement. He had been brought to the governor of Judea by the Jewish high priest for trial. But right before Pilate passed judgement, he received a message from his wife. "While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” Matthew 27: 19 God Himself had sent a warning to Pilate. What Pilate decided to do with Jesus would be totally on him. He would have no excuse. His wife had warned him. Used By God What this passage tells us is that God can use people who do not know Him to warn us that we are making a mistake. It tells us that God can use even our dreams to speak to us. How will God use you ? God gave Pilate's wife insight into things she knew nothing about. She called Jesus a "just Man", meaning someone morally upright and honest. Pilate lived in a culture that believed that dreams were often ways that the "gods" spoke to people. He would have been inclined to believe that the dream was significant and yet he chose to ignore his wife. Envy Brought Jesus To Pilate When Pilate stood before the crowd and offered them the choice to free a prisoner, between Barabbas and Jesus, the Bible tells us that Pilate knew why the Jews had brought Jesus to him. Because of envy! " For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. " (Matthew 27: 18). Jesus had something the Pharisees wanted but did not have. Jesus had many followers and had performed many miracles - things the Pharisees could not do. That Just Man At the moment Pilate was about to offer a choice to the crowds, his wife approached with news of her dream. So Pilate knew that envy was the reason he had been handed over, not because of any real crime. And then his own wife told him that Jesus was a just Man. Pilate was without excuse. "When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” Matthew 17:24 Pilate Blames Others Pilate attempted to put the blame on others. He symbolically washed his hands of the situation and actually repeated his wife's very words. He called Jesus a "just" Person. But Pilate was weak. Fearing a revolt if he did not give into the crowd's wishes to release Barabbas, Pilate gave into their demands. Power was really Pilate's god. Pilate gave Jesus over to be crucified. Crucifixion was a Roman punishment. In spite of his words, Pilate was NOT innocent of the blood of Jesus. Have We Been Warned? How can we relate to Pilate? Have we been warned by God not to do something? Maybe even warned by someone who is not a Christian. I have. In our heart of hearts don't we see the thing we want to do is wrong, sinful , but choose to ignore that voice that says stop. Don't we look for others to blame for our choices just as Pilate did? We are no more innocent than Pilate. But because of Christ's death and resurrection we have the grace of Christ's love and forgiveness. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Enjoy this hymn, Dream of Pilate's Wife, here .

Many times today we are reminded by people that Jesus showed love to tax collectors and sinners by eating and drinking with them. This story is told in Mark 2: 15-22. In the story the Pharisees are horrified that Jesus would spend time in the company of such people. The Pharisees were a Jewish sect obsessed with keeping the law of Moses to the letter. Jesus condemned them in Matthew 23:23 for neglecting what was really important - justice, mercy and faithfulness. Calling Sinners To Repent When Jesus heard of their complaints, He explains why he keeps company with tax collectors and sinners. He says He has come to call sinners to repentance. They are the ones most in need of a physician. Today this story is often told to show that Jesus was "cool" with sinners. But in reality Jesus explained plainly that He came because these people needed healing and repentance from the sin they were living in. He came to change them! Table For All Dining together was culturally important in Jesus's time. Today we have lost a lot of the significance of eating with our family and friends. Jesus dined with people who were outcasts to show that God's family, His table, was open to all. This is what Jesus told the Pharisees in Luke 14:12-14, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed...." A Heavenly Banquet Several times Jesus is described as eating meals with others. He tells us to " come and dine ". These were earthly representations of the heavenly banquet that we look forward to. Isaiah speaks about this coming banquet in Isaiah 25:6, " The Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. " (ESV) This banquet is described in the most luxurious of terms. As Isaiah says it is made for all people. Not just the rich and the influential. Sinners Need A Doctor This story is so important it is told in three of the gospels. Besides Mark, it is related in Matthew 9: 10-17 and Luke 5: 29-39. In Romans 5:8 we are told by Paul that God loves sinners. This is not to imply that Jesus didn't come to save the Pharisees or that they were so righteous they didn't need to repent. What Jesus was saying was that the tax collectors and sinners knew they needed a doctor, they needed healing and realized it. The Pharisees were so self righteous that they did not see their need for repentance. Be Transformed Jesus didn't require the tax collectors and sinners to "clean up" first and become righteous. However, after they met Him He did. Their lives would be changed forever by their encounter with Christ. They would not be the same people who walked into that dinner. No, they would turn from their sin and become a holy and living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) by the power of the Holy Spirit, who would live in their hearts. True Righteousness In Matthew 9:13 Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to the Pharisees. " For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. " The Pharisees were convinced that God desired perfect adherence to the law; but in reality God wanted the Pharisees to do more than that. He wanted them to really know Him. He wanted them to desire the knowledge of God . If they did, they would realize that mercy was more important than ritual sacrifices. This was true righteousness, not self-righteousness. Blessed Who Hunger For Righteousness Jesus's mission on earth was not to tell the Pharisees what a great job they had done by following the law but to " seek and save the lost " (Luke 19:10) by His death and resurrection. Matthew 5:6 tells us that the blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. These tax collectors and sinners were hungry to know God. They followed Jesus according to Mark. They weren't standing on the sidelines criticizing everything He did like the Pharisees. Self Righteous Like The Pharisees Who would we call self-righteous today? The self-righteous today would be similar to the Pharisees. They would be people who forget that there's more to being righteous than following rules. Love. Mercy. Compassion. Kindness. These people often see themselves as righteous like the Pharisees. Jesus calls them " blind fools " (Matthew 23: 16-17). They see no need for God to change them. They believe they are "nice" people and they think that is enough. They are described in 2 Timothy 3:5 as " having a form of godliness ". They appear religious on the outside, but their heart has not been changed. Reach The Unlovable If we want to love like Christ, then we need to reach out to the unlovable. People who have been marginalized by society; drug addicts, the homeless, the lonely elderly, or criminals for example. We are called to love powerless people who the world does not value. Like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) our love will be turned into action , not just vague well wishing, but doing for others. As Greg Grandchamp says, " Jesus was living who He was. " Who is it that you and I are living? Christ, or someone else? Come And Dine Jesus tells us in John 21:12 to " come and dine ." Let us feast at His table. He will show us our lives for what they really are and we will realize that we need healing. We all need a great physician. We all need to know God. We will, if we want to be healed like the tax collectors and sinners in Mark, follow Jesus. When we do, we won't stay the same. When we follow Him, we will become transformed into a " new man " , one who is " clothed with Christ ".

Cheap grace was a term used by the Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer to describe the state of modern Christianity. In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer describes cheap grace like this, " Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." This type of preaching is very popular today. "Come as you are!" pastors say. They forget to tell you that you cannot stay that way. When we come to Christ we become slaves to righteousness, we give up being slaves to sin (Romans 6:16). Costly Grace Bonhoeffer goes on to describe costly grace this way, "Such grace is costly because it causes us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it cost a Man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son...." To become a disciple of Christ means to follow Him. We leave everything to follow His will for our lives just as His first disciples did. The evidence of our faith is our obedience and our faith causes us to be obedient! James tells us this in James 2: 20-24. He tells us that faith without works is dead. He says that a man is not justified by faith alone but by works. Transformed By Christ So how do we reconcile what James says with the words of Paul in Ephesians 2: 8-9 that tell us that we have been saved through faith and not works? Our salvation is the gift of God, the gift of faith, given to us by His grace and mercy. Grace is not given to us because of something that we did. It is an undeserved gift of God. The evidence of this salvation is our works. We do not become Christians to just stay the same and go our way. We become Christians and turn on backs on the world to follow Christ. When we are brought to a knowledge of Christ through faith, action is expected, even required, because how we live and what we do is evidence of our transformation by the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ. Cheap Grace Cheap grace says we only have to believe. Cheap grace doesn't require change. Cheap grace says I can live how I want to as long as I have faith. Cheap grace makes a mockery of Christ's sacrifice for us on the Cross. And yet, if I am an alcoholic and give up my alcohol or rich and give away all my money, then that is wonderful, but that does not save me. A saint without faith is no saint at all. When we step out in faith and come to Christ when He calls, that is our first act of obedience. If however we continue in disobedience to Jesus and His call on our lives, that is evidence that we do not have faith. The Bible plainly tells us that simple belief is not enough. In James 2:19 we are commended for having belief but we are also told that " even the demons believe and tremble." It is sad to consider how many people today believe they are Christians because they believe in God, but aren't because they haven't repented and turned to obedience. They are believers but not transformed believers. Perhaps you wonder how then, are people on their death beds who become Christians truly saved? They have done nothing. Like the thief on the cross they have no works. Our Lord knows the heart. He knows that if that person were to live they would have works. They would have been obedient. He also knows when someone is only saying the words in hopes of saving their skins. Again, God knows us like no other. How Obedient Are We? When Abraham was called to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice, he did not question God but just obeyed. His obedience was a direct result of his faith. What area of our lives are we holding back from God? How far does our obedience go? Do we tell God, in so many words, I will go this far but no farther in my obedience? Do we want "cheap grace" or do we understand how costly His grace really is? At the very least our obedience will cause us to be a stranger in the world . We will be unlike those around us and because of this we will be ridiculed and considered odd. Our obedience could cost us our families, it could cost us our jobs, it could cost us the "respect" of the world. Our love, our mercy and our forgiveness should be so different from the world that people have trouble understanding us. Why don't these people seek revenge? Why don't these people want to be powerful and important? Why don't these people just "go along to get along"? Everything about us should shout that we are followers of Christ. What Does Obedience Cost? Dietrich Bonhoeffer was killed by the Nazi's in a concentration camp in World War 2. His crime was speaking out against them. Bonhoeffer knew what obedience to God's will might cost him but that did not stop him. Costly grace calls us to follow Christ wherever that takes us, cheap grace requires nothing from us. What will obedience cost us? Will we sacrifice everything for our Lord?