Deeper Bible Studies Blog

I was recently interviewed on a nationally syndicated morning radio show about my faith story (FamilyNet/Sirius 161, Mornings with Lorri and Larry).

I was an atheist for 13 years, and through a miracle, started believing in God and eventually put my faith in Jesus Christ. Hear about my transformation and also learn a few tips on influencing Atheists.

Click here to hear the radio interview (26 Minutes). Also, let me know if you have any comments.

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I was recently on the radio sharing my faith story from Atheist to Christian. During the interview, the host asked a question I wasn’t completely prepared for. She said “Given that you were an atheist, how do you suggest Christians should approach an atheist”?

Now, I knew how NOT too…but how to? I thought for a second and answered… you simply much SHOW God’s love to them. You can’t quote scripture (they don’t believe in the Book), you can’t say “I’ll pray for you” because that’s like telling an Atheist you are from Mars and your name is Shraaaak-neebo-alkkksitar”. It just doesn’t resonate with them. So, the only way to truly win them over is to show them genuine Christianity. The kind where you actually DO love your neighbor in words and actions. The kind where you don’t look and act like every other person in the world.

In my words, you show them the true FACE of christianity….the kind they can’t resist.

So, a quick topic to discuss as a group. What REAL, practical, do-able, genuine acts of Christian Love are you doing for Christians and non-christians alike? Share your best tips!!!

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I recently read a blog article about Holy Ostracism. It was asking the question if we should isolate ourselves…or otherwise refuse fellowship with homosexuals. There are biblical references to not fellowshipping with “sinners” that people rely on to support this view. However, here is my response.

I think we Christians, to our discredit, place much too much importance on the issue of homesexual sin. Outsiders view us a haters, high and mighty, pompous, etc…  Is homosexuality a sin? yes. But remember that ANY sin is just as sinful as homosexuality to God. God teaches us to take the plank out of our own eye before we look to take the speck out of another person’s eye.

Should we practice holy ostracism because someone is homosexual? absolutely not. That only feeds the negative perception…that “we won’t associate with those sinners”..and that we are somehow better than them.

The fact is that we are NOT better than them. Even if we are Christian, and they are not…we are still NOT better than them. God is better…and it is Him who redeems us.

Would you ostracize someone who drank excessively? How about someone who was prideful. How about someone who lusts after someone who is not our spouse? How about someone who (insert any other sin you’ve ever heard of)?

Unless you are going to ostracise everyone (for all sins), I wouldn’t recommend ostracizing anyone for simply being homosexual.

Instead, associate with them. Share your love with them. Engage with them and let your life influence them positively. Let them know that even though God considers their behavior a sin…that we ALL sin, and God still loves us. Then encourage them to seek God and ask him into their life. Homosexuals don’t need to be “fixed”…they need to be loved. God will take it from there.

By the way, I’m very passionate about this negative perception of Christianity. I’ve started a movement to counter those negative perceptions…but it starts with YOU..and how you interface with the world. If you are interested, join our facebook group called “Chaning the Face of Christianity“:

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My wife and I spent the weekend out of town and visited the church of our in-laws. It was interesting to note how different their church was. In fact, without close inspection it would be easy to ONLY see the differences. The music was different. Songs we sing…they sing differently. Their communion was different. The sermon style was different. The bulletin was different. In other words, it was a completely different experience. OK…then what was so profound that I should write about it?

It was the same! Christians devoted to Christ, praising and worshiping him. The people loved God although they expressed it differently than I was used to.

In this life, it’s so easy to look at how we are different than other people. It’s harder, but so much more meaningful, to focus on how we are the same. We are all in need of a savior. We are all imperfect. We all have hurts and doubts, but our God covers them all. We all have a God who loves us and makes us complete. We all have a God who deserves our worship and praise. How you and your church congregation expresses that is up to you.

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When did you accept Christ into your life? That was a significant, eternal life event that likely happened many moons ago.

However, do you live your life today as if you JUST made that choice…full of passion and eagerness to please God?

Remember that we must take up our cross DAILY (Luke 9:23). Choose Christ daily and see how God blesses your life and uses you to bless others.

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Just before Jesus was crucified on the cross, he was brought before the Roman governor in Jerusalem, Pontius Pilot. After a series of questions by Pilot, Jesus said “for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Pilot responded with “What is Truth?” My thoughts on this are below. But for your convenience, here are the verses:

John 18:37-38 (NIV)
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

So, what is truth? There are too many references in the New Testament where Jesus says “I tell you the truth…” or “Truly, Truly, I say to you…” to mention here, but take some time and look them up. You’ll be amazed.

Here’s my feeble attempt at an answer.

Throughout the Bible, we read about people coming to God, then falling away. Worshiping God, then starting to worship other gods and idols of this world. People serving God, then choosing to serve themselves. This pattern is repeated several hundred times!

God says I AM the only God. We should worship and serve ONLY HIM!

But if truth is relative, and everyone’s religion and spirituality is just as good as anyone else’s, then what’s the harm in worshiping money, our jobs, our hobbies, other “gods”, ourselves? The answer? We are harming our relationship with the One True God.

I believe Jesus was saying that truth ISN’T relative. God IS real. Jesus’s teachings, and His redeeming sacrifice on the Cross is real. His resurrection is real. We can have eternal life with the father by accepting Jesus’s sacrifice…that is the truth!

So, what is truth? Even though we all sin and don’t deserve it, God loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you. Jesus was God in the flesh and came to earth to die for your sins, so that you can have eternal life and fellowship with the One Truth God. All we have to do is accept this precious gift. Amen!

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John 14:6 (NIV)
⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I hear it all the time: “I can’t believe in Christianity…or in a God that would exclude so many people from enjoying a relationship and eternal life with Him”.

With so many religions out there, how pompous is it of Christianity to think it’s the only true religion, and be SO exlusive…right?

I’ll save the topic of what makes Christianity different and special for a later post. I will say in summary…NOT all religions are true. Not all of them can be right at the same time. People who haven’t really studied the various religions look at that debate and say “look at all of the things these religions have in common; golden rule, the flood story, virgin birth, blah blah blah”. But its’ the differences that you have to look at when trying to compare them. If one religion says there is no heaven, and one religion says that there is…then one of them is wrong…end of story. I’ll talk more on that later. But for now, let’s talk about our exclusive little club shall we?

So, is Christianity exlusive and pompous? Hardly. Read on…

Let’s tear this argument apart, piece by piece.

1. Did Jesus die for just Christians (who didn’t exist at the time he walked the earth) or Jews? No. He died for EVERYONE, so that ALL could have eternal life with God.
2. Did Jesus put any restrictions on who could accept him…or difficult barriers between you and Him? Did he load you up with burdens that you must carry in order to be on His team? No.

   He said in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
   ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
   ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
   ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

3. If Christianity was a country club…what would you have to do to be a member? Answer: walk up and say “I accept your membership, that has already been paid for me by the owner…Jesus Christ”.

So, how can you call something exlusionary and intollerant…if all you have to do is ASK for it? Again, just say “Jesus, I accept your free gift. Instead of rejecting you…I accept you. Instead of putting up exuses and walking away from you…I want a relationship with you.”

The next time you hear someone say “Christianity is intollerant and exlusionary”…ask them to explain what is keeping them from accepting his free gift? Ask them to explain, specifically, what Christians are doing to keep them out of the club. The fact is that Christianity is the most open, tollerant, non-exlusive club on earth. ANYONE can join, ANYTIME in their life…and they will be accepted.

So what’s it going to be? Want in? All you have to do is ask. .

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My wife and I spent a few hours this Saturday, doing some home improvement at the home of a single mother and her family. One of the tasks was to remove the rocks, gravel, and dirt near the front entrance of the home…to make way for future plants and flowers. In all, we probably removed about 3 inches of ground in a 4 x 12 area.

My reason for telling you this is to point out the unfathomably enormous power of God. How so?

We only spent three hours doing the job, and it broke our back. We were spent. Our muscles were aching, but we felt great for doing the work and helping out. But as we worked, I couldn’t help contemplating the power of God. We were killing ourselves JUST to move a small amount of dirt. It took all of our might. Yet…God, created not only the dirt that we were now moving, but ALL of creation. He created the entire earth, all the planets, all the stars, EVERYTHING.

Think about that for a moment. What is impossible for humans to do…God did without even breaking a sweat. Can you imagine how supremely powerful God must be to do that?

Let us rest in the peace that we have a Great God who is powerful beyond our imaginations. Let us give Him thanks and praise. The next time you feel like you can’t go another step or can’t make it another minute, think about God. Ask God for His power. He has more than enough power to help all of us in our times of need. All Glory to God in the highest. Amen!

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We’ve designed a cool laptop skin to help you promote God’s word and engage with people around you. It’s a clear laptop skin that stics to the top of your laptop that others can see. It says “What is Truth? Ask Me!”.

Check it out and buy your own at http://www.sticviews.com.

Here is a quick link to the exact laptop skin you can buy: http://sticviews.com/yourCreation.aspx?ArtworkID=1661&from=database

Just follow the link, click Add to Cart, and you are on your way. Enjoy.

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1 John 1:1-4 (NIV)
¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
² The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
⁴ We write this to make our joy complete.

Let us not forget that John the Apostle, actually SAW, SPOKE WITH, AND TOUCHED JESUS. Some people falsely claim that the writers of the Bible never actually saw or spoke with Jesus. Non-believers would like to believe that was true. However, you and I know differently. We know the truth.

In the above passage, when John says “the life appeared” he is referring to Jesus Christ. Isn’t it powerful to have a first hand account of the teachings of Jesus…an eye witness to his ministry in this world?

So what do we do with this information? How are we to respond? My answer is “with confidence and grace”. When confronted or challenged by a non-believer…speak the truth. The Bible is the truth.

My second answer is…”by changing your life”. Think about it. If you truly believed that what the Bible teaches is 100% true…how would you think and how would you treat others? Would you start forgiving others (quickly)…as the Bible commands? Would you LOVE others as John suggests? Would you be slow to become angry as instructed in James 1:19?

It is my prayer that we all LIVE a life inspired by the truth of God’s word.

(for more information on 1 John, check out our 5 week, 1 John bible study.)

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The 2nd fruit of the spirit is Joy.

I can honestly say I don’t have enough joy in my life. How about you?

I get so busy, trying to manage too many responsibilities…and it all just gets to be too much at times. That steals my joy.

So, I can’t offer much advise on the topic of joy… Except to say that joy MUST be a choice. I make choices which lead to joy or choices that lead to the lack of joy. So what are we to do to experience joy and reflect God’s joy to the world? I say we try the following as a start: when tempted to complain, argue, or be moody…let’s pause. Let’s make a choice to be joyous instead.

Think about how wonderfully God has blessed you. And if that isn’t easy to do in your current phase of life, instead, think about how much more suffering Jesus Christ endured for your sake. What you are experiencing is nothing compared to that.

Let me know how it goes…I want to hear from you!

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Love is the first Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.

How do you measure up? Christians are called to be role models to our society. How well do you love your spouse, your children (or parents), or complete strangers?

The Bible doesn’t say “Love those who love you” or “Love just those who deserve to be loved”. On the contrary, LOVE must begin and end with you. Let YOUR love be the spark that encourages others to do the same.

In the coming week, just pause now and then and contemplate…”in that conversation or in that action, how well did I show love?” Only by focusing on this Fruit can you hope to Love others as God calls us to.

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There has been a lot of interest in the debate between the biblical “fact” of Creation vs the “theory” of Evolution. By the way, in case you didn’t know…a “theory” is something that HASN’T been proven. The reason why it’s not called the law of evolution is because it’s not true . Check out the debate between Richard Dawkins (star of the Darwinian Evolutionists) and several Creationists who duke it out using scientific arguments. www.deeperbiblestudies.com/bible_study_resources.htm.

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