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Great Attributes of Christianity

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Mark Shields

In the post The Strategy to Trap Jesus, The answer Jesus gave to the question raised by the Pharisee spies demonstrated that Christianity is broad-minded. It is clear from the response of Jesus that Christianity respects the state and can work alongside it.

Christianity celebrates our differences. God has made us all for a purpose and we need to understand that our differences are really our strength. Not only are we all different in how we think, but also in our physical attributes.

God has made us all for a purpose and we need to celebrate our differences. Here is an interesting fact about our physical differences: according to Guinness World Records, the tallest man living is 8 ft. 3 inches. The shortest man living is 2 feet tall. A startling comparison is that if humans varied as much in height as dogs do, the smallest person would be 2 feet tall and the tallest person would stand 31 feet tall!

Human relationships are made complicated by our differences but this diversity actually makes us stronger. One great aspect of marriage is that a husband has certain attributes that help in a marriage and a wife has certain attributes. Each are united as one and offer something positive to the relationship.

Christianity is not only broad-minded in how people interact between their religion and the state, it is also perfect for human relationships. Most of all, Christianity is absolutely perfect in our relationship to God because it provides a way to return to Him. As this video points out, Christianity is a friend of sinners: Jesus, Friend of Sinners – Casting Crowns.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. – Romans 15:7

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Posted in Devotionals, Music, Tolerance, Video | Tagged Authority, Celebrate, Church, Diversity, Friend, God, Governments, Jesus, Lesson, Praise, Prayer, Purpose, Relationships, Stronger, Unity, Video | Leave a comment

The Strategy to Trap Jesus

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Mark Shields

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for ways to trap Jesus. Reading in Luke 20:19-26, they employed a new strategy by sending spies who pretended to be sincere so they could catch Jesus in something He said. This would then give them an excuse for handing Him over to the power and authority of the governor (v. 20).

The spies pretend to be supporters of Jesus by being deceptively pleasant towards Him; being sly in their question as though they were offering encouragement, they said “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” (v. 21) Then they ask the question, “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not” (v. 22)?

Unfortunately, just like during the time of Jesus, state and church concerns seem to conflict with each other with one gaining too much power over the other rather than working together. Jesus’ lesson was that we are to respect governmental authority. We may not have a lot of respect for those who hold positions within the government but we are to respect the office because its authority has been instituted by God (vv. 23-24).

This day with God, let us try to be peace-makers and not trouble-makers. Let us call to God in a prayer of unity so there is justice throughout the world. Let us pray that governments know their role in society and that churches are allowed to fill their role.

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Posted in Bible Study, Tolerance | Tagged Authority, Church, God, Governments, Jesus, Lesson, Prayer, Unity | Leave a comment

Avoiding the Traps

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Mark Shields

Life can get complicated but we are blessed in the Bible with great lessons that help. In the post Leading With Servant Authority, the lesson Jesus teaches is about avoiding traps others want to get us into. Jesus also knew that the people were on his side and this gave Him a great advantage.

God’s got His hand on you, so don’t live in fear but be confident that He will get you through. You will do great things so take your time and pray for the Father’s guidance. Never give up hope and take a few minutes to be inspired by this video: Words I Would Say – Sidewalk Prophets.

For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. – Romans 6:6-7

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Posted in Devotionals, Good Common Sense, Music, Video | Tagged Bible, Bible Study, Faith, Freedom, Hope, Inspiration, Jesus, Lessons, Palm Sunday, Pray | Leave a comment

Leading With Servant Authority

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Mark Shields

As written in Luke 20:1-18, there is a conflict of authority between the religious leaders and Jesus. Jesus came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and was angry when he saw people buying and selling within the Temple. The Pharisees reaction to Jesus’ reform was to question where His authority came from.

Jesus avoided the trap the Pharisees had set by putting them on the defensive when answering their question with another question about the baptism of John. He asked if the baptism was from heaven or from men (Luke 20:4). The Pharisees knew that no matter what answer they gave, they were in trouble. Jesus also uses the advantage of knowing that the people believed John the Baptist was a prophet who the Pharisees did not follow.

So if the Pharisees answered from heaven, Jesus will catch them because they did not follow him but if they responded with from men, then the people would stone them because they believed John was a prophet. The Pharisees were trapped and did not answer the question of Jesus at all.

Just like the Pharisees, the world rejects the authority of God; rejecting His Word, pays little attention to His impending punishment, and does not accept the gift of His Son. He owns everything; the place where we live, our car, our job, and even our own life but the world has little time for Him although He continues to show patience and tolerance to all.

This day with God, let us recognize the authority of Jesus and share with others this gift of God’s love. Let them know that God thinks they are AWESOME! Let them know of their value, how important they are, and the joy of knowing the bright future of freedom God offers for those who follow the authority of Jesus.

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Blessings Multiplied

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Mark Shields

Jacob’s dream of a stairway to Heaven gave him hope and optimism for a blessed future. It gave him momentum to apply his faith and do what is right. If faced with difficulty, may this poem provide a turning point to receiving blessings multiplied into the future! Enjoy your weekend my friends!

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