Crisis in the Central African Republic

The crisis is still unfolding in the CAR with peace talks beginning at some point this week (click here ---- and here for latest news updates). And for the latest update from Dr. Augustin Hibaile, click here. 

Please be in prayer for Dr. Hibaile and his family, our Hand-in-Hand Orphan school in Bangui and the people of the CAR. Pray that the gospel will shine brightly during these dark days.

Thanks for praying . . .

And thanks for stopping by . . .
pj


PS --- Here is an article from the Economist that paints a very bleak picture of the future for the CAR. At the end of the article, there is this quote: "In its recently published quality-of-life survey of 221 of the world’s major cities, Mercer, an American consultancy, ranked Bangui 220th, a whisker ahead of Baghdad. The CAR looks set to rot away on its own." Ouch! A bad situation looking to only get worse! 

Five Steps to Failure (part 3)

I have been tackling an issue in such a way that may cause some of you to wonder if I have finally buckled under the stress of life and gone of the deep end. Well ... no. I am quite sane and there is, I believe, some method to my "madness!"  Today, step three toward failure in the Christian Life.

Step #3  Pour your energies into making money versus those activities that help make disciples. 

This step should come as no surprise. After all, what was the very last command given by Jesus to his disciples? We find it in Matthew 28 where Jesus tells them to "Go and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:18-20). So if we really want to fail at the Christian walk, then we surely do not want to take the last command of the Lord Jesus Christ and make it our first concern!  So instead of getting into step with the heart beat of Christ, let's pour ourselves into the spirit of our age and go hard after making money and lots of it! Making money, after all, is much more beneficial to us than making disciples. Right?

So instead of identifying with Christ at work, do all you can to climb the corporate ladder. Ethics? Throw them to the wind! Knock someone over in your drive to the top? So what! And when it comes to any kind of mentoring or teaching ministries, stay away. These things take a lot of time and we all know, "time is money!"

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Five Steps to Failure (part 2)

Today a quick look at the second step you need to take as you choose to walk down the path of spiritual failure (please read step 1 post before reading further).

If you want to fail at this thing called the Christian life ... then in addition to diminishing the Bible's importance in your life you must also:

Step #2  Throw spiritual discipline out the window!

The Apostle Paul makes it quite clear if you want to grow in godliness, you must learn to practice discipline. Here is how he puts it: "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come"  (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

The English word, "train" is a translation of the Greek word, "gymnao." If this word sounds a little familiar, it should. Our English words "gymnasium" and "gymnastics" are derived from this Greek word. Now ... let me ask you a question. What goes on in a gym? You could answer with a long list of activities. But ... no matter the activity, if the participants are going after it hard, there is going to be a lot of good old fashioned sweat being produced!  Because perspiration and physical exertion go hand-in-hand. In using this term --- Paul is thinking of the athletic realm and he is saying this. If you really want to be godly, you are going to have to really work at it - so much so that you work up a spiritual sweat (see 1 Corinthians 9:25-27).

So ... if you really want to fail to grow in your faith, then by all means avoid any type of strenuous effort. Strict training? Forget it! Avoid any kind of discipline. Instead, give in to the lusts and desires of your body and sinful flesh. After all, it's a lot EASIER to be lazy than disciplined!

Step #3 coming tomorrow, God willing!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Five Steps to Failure in the Christian Life

Across the course of the past 40 years, I have spent a lot of time with Christians, people of all ages from all walks of life who profess an allegiance to Jesus Christ. Much of this time has been spent in training, discipling, mentoring, teaching, and counseling them. As a result of all this time investment, I have become convinced that many Christians are out to fail. Why do I say this? As I have observed the lives of those who claim to be Christ-followers, I have seen them take the steps necessary to fail at what they profess to be! Therefore, I must conclude that they must desire to fail. Why would anyone seem to intentionally follow the path of failure if it something they do not desire? With this in mind, beginning with today's post, I want to detail what I consider to be FIVE STEPS TO FAILURE in the Christian life. So ... if you are one of those whom I talked about above and want to fail, then read on and be sure that you understand and then put into practice these five essential steps. Today, the first ... back next week with the rest.

Step #1 - Diminish the Bible's importance in your life. 

If 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and John 17:17 mean anything at all ... then you had better be sure you stay as far away from the Bible as possible.Here are two practical suggestions to do just that:

1. Freely admit that you are too busy for daily interaction with the Bible.  Now if your life is anything like mine ... this should not be hard. There's the kids (or in my case, grand kids) to care for, doctor and dentist appointments to keep, shopping runs to make, friends to facebook, lawns to mow (or driveways to shovel ... depending on the season), meals to prepare, houses to clean, clothes to launder, etc., etc., etc. ... and all this on top of that thing called "a job!" Add our favorite TV shows to watch or the Internet to cruise ... and life is downright BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! So ... just admit (and do so guilt-free) ... "I am too busy to spend time in the Bible!"

2. When you do read the Bible, be selective in what you choose to obey.  To achieve this, ask the following questions of each and every command you happen to come across in Scripture:

- Will obeying this command cause me to be inconvenienced?  If the answer to this is YES, then by all means don't obey! The last thing you want is to experience inconvenience of any kind in your life. Life in America is meant to be comfortable and convenient - it's the American way!

- Will obeying this command cramp my style in any way?  We all have our rights. And one of our rights is to be happy! And if you believe obeying this command will keep you from getting the happiness that you are entitled to, then forget it. You have your agenda (your happiness above all)... stick to it!

- If I obey this command, will I go against the flow of society? Really, the last thing you want to do is stand out like a sore thumb among your friends, neighbors, co-workers and class mates! Don't be odd. Seek to fit in at all costs!

So this is the first step toward failure in your walk with God. And it very well may be the biggest! So if your goal is to fail at this thing we call "the Christian Life", then make sure that you do all you can to diminish the importance of the Bible in your life!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Relationships that Honor God and Enrich Life!

Twice before on this blog (2006 and 2011) I have offered up the thoughts below. I do so again at the start of this new year in the hopes that as you understand this very basic yet very powerful principle about relationships (and then, of course, "put it into practice!"), you will enjoy relationships that will honor the One who gave up his life for you (and bring much blessing to you in the process!).


If we are to have relationships that honor God and enrich our lives, then we must have the right focus - and far too many of us don't! So what is the right focus when it comes to relationships? God answers this question (I never get over just how relevant the Bible is for day-to-day living!). In Philippians 2:3-4, we read, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also for the interests of others." In Romans 12:10 the Apostle Paul commands us to be devoted to one another in brother love and to honor each other above ourselves! So you see - it all comes down to our focus. Our default focus is SELF. When push comes to shove we would much rather be on the shoving end, yes? The first person we normally think of is ourselves. But God tells us that we need to reset our default focus. We do so as we consider others to be more important than us and as we, then, seek to honor them ABOVE ourselves!

So .... are the relationships in your life not working? Well the problem might be found as you take a long look in the mirror. My guess is that you are focused on the wrong person. Get your eyes off yourself and get them looking at others. Then and only then will you begin to experience God-honoring and life-enriching relationships!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Update on Crisis in Central African Republic

According to this latest news report from Retuers, it does appear that a genuine attempt at arriving at a political solution is in the works. Please continue to pray for peace for that impoverished land. Also, please continue to pray for my dear friend and his family, Dr. Augustine Hibaile (please click here for his latest email update).

Thanks for praying!
pj

A Prayer for your New Year

Scotty Smith knows how to pray (I am guessing because he knows his God!). This morning as I read through this prayer and made it my own, I realized I needed to share it with you. Please take some time and carefully read through this prayer and, as I did today, make it YOUR prayer for the upcoming new year.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24– 25 NIV)

Heavenly Father, while many clamor about and try to “claim” more blessings from you, may this be a year in which we come alive to the multiplied blessings you’ve already lavished upon us in the gospel. Already you have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and have placed us in the kingdom of your beloved Son, Jesus (Col. 1: 13). Already you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1: 3). Already we are completely loved by you because of Jesus’ completed work on our behalf. As the year progresses, open the eyes of our hearts to see all these glorious riches more clearly and enjoy them more fully (Eph. 1: 18– 19). All year long you’ll prove your covenant and capacity to keep us from falling. Though we may falter in the journey, the grasp of your grace is steady and secure. When we waver in our adoration of you, you will remain constant in your affection for us. When we are faithless and disobedient, you will remain committed and fully engaged with us. Even when you must discipline us this year, it will be in love, never in disgust or regret that you have adopted us (Heb. 12: 7– 12). We praise you for being the perfect Father to your daughters and sons. All year long you’ll be at work preparing us for the day when we come into your glorious presence. We’re confident and grateful as we face that day, because you have promised to complete the good work of the gospel you’ve begun in us (Phil. 1: 6). Indeed, Father, if this should be the year in which you call me “home,” herein lies my humble confidence: I will stand before you without fault because you’ve placed me in the faultless Righteous One, Jesus. Our hope is built on nothing less, nothing more, and nothing other than Jesus’ blood and his righteousness. Jesus is the only reason we can be sure we’ll stand before you with great joy. Your joy is our strength (Neh. 8: 10). Because of your great delight in us, we find great delight in you. Because you rejoice over us with singing, we will sing the new song of the gospel forever (Zeph. 3: 14– 17). Gracious Father, you are the only God, the only Savior— to you “be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!” (Jude 25 NIV). In Jesus’ merciful and matchless name we pray. Amen.

(Smith, Scotty. Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith.)

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj