Make the right choice

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

When I first became a Christian, I decided that I would somehow find a way to live in two worlds. I was planning to hang out with my old friends and still be a Christian. For a time, it was almost like I was in a state of suspended animation. I wasn’t comfortable with my old buddies, but I wasn’t quite comfortable with the Christians, either.

So I decided to be Mr. Solo Christian. I even said to my friends, “Don’t worry about me. You’re thinking I’ll become a fanatic and carry a Bible and say, ‘Praise the Lord.’ It’ll never happen. I’m going to be cool about this. I won’t embarrass you, but I’m going to believe in God now.”

However, as God became more real to me and I began to follow Him more closely, He changed my life and my outlook and my priorities began to change as well.

There are people who will discourage you from growing spiritually. They’ll say, “I think it’s good you are a Christian. I go to church, too—at Christmas and Easter, and for weddings. But you’re getting a little too fanatical. You actually brought a Bible to work the other day. We were so embarrassed. You’re no fun anymore. We’re glad you have made changes in your life, but don’t become too extreme.” There are people like this who will discourage you.

When this happens, you have the choice to either do what God wants you to do or to go with the flow. So here’s the question: Are you going to let people hold you back? Are you going to let people discourage you from wholehearted commitment to Jesus Christ?

The path will divide before you at this very point. Take the way of God’s blessing and favor! The first step will be the hardest, but He’ll be with you all the way.

(Blue-ridge Broadcasting)

Eternal Value

“Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6:26–27)

In John 6, we see a huge crowd following Jesus in Capernaum. Why is this? Because Jesus had performed His most popular miracle ever: the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had taken the little boy’s lunch and blessed it and multiplied it. And everyone was filled. They thought, This is great. Not only does He teach us, not only does He dazzle us with miracles, but He gives us a free meal.

When the crowd pursued Him, Jesus told them, essentially, “Let’s skip the formality. I know why you are here. Stop laboring for the bread that simply feeds your stomach. I am the bread of life. I want you to focus on spiritual things. I didn’t do that miracle to just feed you that day. I was trying to teach you something more. Don’t labor for the food that perishes.”

Jesus was saying that life is more than the things of this Earth. Life is more than food, more than clothing, more than possessions, more than a career, more than the pursuit of success. Believe in Him, and eat the bread of life.

Feed on Him every day and grow strong. As Jesus promised, this is food “which endures to eternal life.”

-Blue-ridge Broadcasting-

Someone's watching

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)

A little boy was always getting into trouble in his Sunday School class, so in exasperation, his teacher said to him, “I want you to know that God is watching you all the time. Even when I can’t keep my eyes on you, God has His eyes on you. He is watching you. So you’d better straighten up.”

The boy was terrified by the thought of God watching him all the time. After Sunday School, he told his parents, “The teacher said that God is watching me all the time.” They could see that the thought terrified their son rather than bringing comfort to his heart. So his parents put it into proper context for him. They said, “Yes, it’s true that God is always watching you. But the reason is because He loves you so much that He can’t take His eyes off you.”

Many times when we think of God watching us, what comes to mind are the surveillance cameras we have in public places today. I knew someone who worked in a department store and showed me how these work. They are hidden in places where we tend to never look, and they can pretty much watch everyone.. People don’t even realize a camera is turning around and following them wherever they go.

So when we consider the fact that God is watching us, we might think, That is terrifying. But it all depends. If we are rebelling against the Lord, then the thought of it can be more than a little frightening.

But if our hearts are right with Him, then what an incredible comfort! He never loses track of us, never misplaces our file, never takes His loving attention from us for even one moment. God is watching us, but He loves us so much that He can’t take His eyes off us. We may lose sight of God, but He never loses sight of us.

(Blue-Ridge Broadcasting)