Search Results for: blog are you a disciple of christ

Discipling Young Hearts: Femininity

Femininity is a divine gift. A mother ought to take great pleasure in teaching her daughters to glorify God through femininity. To glorify God through a characteristic one must agree with God on the definition of that characteristic. Therefore the first order of business is to define femininity from a biblical standpoint and shed the world’s view on the subject. A daughter may appear feminine in her ribbons and bows yet her tongue lashes at her father. We are to focus on having a heart to please the Lord and not superficial means of convincing the world. Let us explore … Continue reading →

Can You (and Should You) Talk About Serious Social Issues With Your Child?

Yes. In a word, yes. You should talk about serious social issues with your child. My daughter was sick this week and we were watching The Sound of Music. Until a few months ago, I had never watched this movie. I’d played its music ad infinitum in band classes from grade 6 on, but I’d avoided watching it. However, my daughter loves musicals, so The Sound of Music it has been, over and over for the past few months. The Sound of Music is a relatively light movie until just over halfway through. It involves a lot of singing and … Continue reading →

How Open Are You?

Supposing you were being interviewed, what would your answers reveal about you? What would they reveal about your Christian life? Would they reveal anything at all? Would you make it public knowledge or try and keep it a secret, and be a secret disciple like Joseph of Arimathea was for a time. In the end though, ignoring any risk, Joseph stood up for Jesus and for what he believed, John 20:38-42. This blog is prompted by something I did recently. In an effort to help promote my book, I interviewed a character from Streets on a Map. It was interesting … Continue reading →

Three Things Needed for a Triumphant Christian Life

When we read Mark’s gospel we see that there were three things, which made it possible for Jesus to triumphantly enter Jerusalem. Those three things were 1. Obedience, 2. Sacrifice 3. Worship Jesus was obedient to the Father’s will. He knew what awaited him in Jerusalem but he willingly went forward to Jerusalem as the sacrifice for our sinsMark 10:45, Philippians 2:6-8.. His whole life was one of obedience and worship of His Heavenly Father, It is because of what Jesus has done in giving his life for us that we are able to enter into a relationship with the … Continue reading →

Ever Feel You Don’t Get it Right?

Sorry everyone, the days got away from me which is why my post for this blog didn’t go up yesterday. But in God’s timing even that worked out, because I want to share something that came up last night at bible study. Our home group has been studying Mark’s gospel. One of the things that struck me is the attitudes of the disciples. They are such an encouragement to those of us who struggle in our Christian life, which I assume is not just me but most of us. Even though they had Jesus right there with them and they … Continue reading →

When You’re Having Trouble Coping

Sometimes it seems God gives us more than we can cope with. He promises not to test us beyond what we can bear, 1 Corinthians 10:13. But at times it seems we have a different opinion to God about what we can endure. This blog is prompted by what is happening with two dear people I love, who at present seem to have more than they can cope with. But we know several things: God is faithful God always provides a way out to endure. God know better than we do what is going on and why God always keeps … Continue reading →

How Can You Be Sure That You Are Born Again?

So, we saw that to be sure of getting into heaven we need to be born again. But how can you be sure you have been born again? We saw that being born again is a work of the Spirit. We can’t see the Spirit just as we can’t see the wind, John 3:8. We can see where wind has been and what it has done. We can see where The Holy Spirit has entered a life and changed the person. We can see the evidence of a changed life in several ways. The simple test of whether you are … Continue reading →

Are You Up For A Challenge?

In a recent newsletter I subscribe to it asked ‘When was the last time you challenged yourself as a writer? What challenge did you make?’ Let me turn that around and ask when was the last time you challenged yourself as a Christian? Challenged yourself to take on a job or ministry that takes you out of your comfort zone? I love writing. Writing bible study questions and notes was no exception. Leading a discussion group was also something I felt comfortable doing. But when asked to become the teaching leader, standing up each week to give a 40 minute … Continue reading →

Being A Christian Is Not for Wimps

Yesterday we looked at what being a Christian is. A families.com member contacted me admitting he found it hard to always love other believers. I agree it is hard. A lot of things Christians are called to do are hard – like loving others even when sometimes they are unlovable and rub us up the wrong way. It’s hard too at times not to let the cares of this world and the emphasis on material possessions that constantly surround us on the TV and in magazines not take over and shift our focus. Jesus was aware this was a problem … Continue reading →

How Can You Tell if You Are Really a Christian?

How can you tell if you have really come to know Jesus and entered into a relationship with Him? In our home bible study group we recently started studying the John’s letters and 1 John 2 gives some answers to this question. I John 2:3 says we ‘know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commands.’ Obeying rules and regulations are not our entry ticket to heaven. That comes only through knowing Jesus. But, when we do know Jesus and have come into a relationship with Him, then we will want to please Him by keeping … Continue reading →