… Life and Love in Jesus
Infectious… wasn’t there a guy once….? Hmmmm
Brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to get to the point where we engage the very people we avoid. Love all and be the face of Christ. Remember your Interaction with someone may be the one time they interact with a follower of Christ.
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts, a Weekly Offering here at Christ In You, where I post a prompt for your Thinking and Consideration, perhaps even for your prayer time as we head into the weekend from a busy work week. Enjoy. – Barabbas
From my reading this morning and as a Reminder to some of what should be true of us as Believers
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 KJV
The Evidence of Christ in Me… The Fruit of The Spirit of God
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” – Galatians 5:22-25 KJV
The Thursday Thought for today is to self evaluate and ask ourselves… does my Life reflect His Life in me and thru me? Is the Evidence or Fruit or Outworking of His Grace Gift to me being Outwardly Obvious? Have I lost the point of “being a Christian” and sharing that wonderful message of Grace and Redemption with the World around me?
Just “Whose” am I? And by Whose LIFE am I living?
– Barabbas
So, I’ve been on this WP thing for just over a month. My blog is decidedly Christian but from time to time I have seen commenters on other blogs that are decidedly… uh… Not. Actually, the most vocal seem to be of the “atheist” variety. And seeing as I’d like to increase the traffic and conversation here… I’ve devised some Questions for said “atheists”.
Don’t worry, there are only 5 and i promise to do my best to “seek to understand first then to be understood” as Stephen Covey so eloquently and wisely encourages.
The 5 are as follows….
1. Would you say you are Convinced that God or gods do not exist, or simply that you don’t Believe that they do? (Two very different statements. The first applies to Knowledge, the second only to Belief)
2. We’re you ever at one time in your life a Believer in God or Gods, and if so… which one or ones? (Mind you, I’m not asking at this time why you left, just did you previously Believe)
3. Have you ever had any Experiences that might be described as “spiritual” or “supernatural” that others might see as “experiences with God”? And if so, what did you think of them at the time… and what do you think of them Now? (I apologize for the “3 in 1”. They seem linked to the same question, yes?)
4. How do you view those who do Believe in God or gods? Are they ‘brainwashed’, ‘stupid’ or just wrong? (I know the first two are ‘loaded’, but I’m looking for your mindset as well as what you perceive ours to be)
5. What Evidence or Experience or Arguments would lead you to believe in God or gods generally… or Christianity specifically… if any? (Mind you, I’m not asking “Why you don’t believe”. I’m asking what would lead you to Believe)
I look forward to the repartee. I do hope it will be a meeting of the minds as well as the hearts. -Barabbas
Revelation 3:1 KJV — And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
What do you mean when you say or think of the word CHURCH? Is it a Place you go or a Service you attend once or several times a week? Is it the local Organization or national/international Denomination you “belong” to?
Would it surprise you to learn… that the word CHURCH… is actually… YOU?
When we “go to church” we are really Bringing the Church with us to the meeting place. We are The Church, the “called out ones” gathering “In His Name” With other Believers as the Body of Jesus.
An “Infamous” verse…
“not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” –Hebrews 10:25 KJV
And brother… do we see the Day approaching these days!! Ugh!! This verse in Hebrews isn’t beating you over the head to get your lazy butt out of bed on a Sunday Morning. It’s exhorting us to meet as the Church “so much the more”… Wherever… Whenever… With Whomsoever… in Whatever venue we can “as the day approaches”. We don’t need more “church”. We need more Church!!
We have “names that live” and yet we are “dead” to what it really means to be The Church. Let all commit to reaching out this week by text, email, phone or whatever way we can to another brother or sister in prayer or fellowship or just sharing our lives over a cup of coffee (or other adult beverages… with moderation, of course). Let’s BE the Church this week instead of just waiting to GO TO church on Sunday morning.
-Barabbas
Finding it difficult to trust God this morning for what is happening in our country. Please pray for me and our Nation. -Barabbas
Good morning all and welcome back to the Monday Grind. From my morning reading thru the Book of Job. This is from chapter 23, after many ‘assaults’ on his integrity and the truth of his relationship and trust in the Lord God… Job is getting tired of “defending himself”.
I decided to focus on Faith this am because alot of times we as Christians are ‘less than enthused’ to stand by the NT definition of Faith that can, in the eyes of some unbelievers, make us look foolish and “earn” us the charge of believing by “Blind Faith”.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.”– Hebrews 11:1-2 KJV
While I don’t think this is actually a fair charge, I do believe that many Christians jump thru enumerate hoops and multitudinous arguments and cogitations to “escape” the impression that we believe… just because we Believe.
Take Job for instance. He would be one of the Elders that “obtained a good report”. Though beset by Satan… at God’s allowance no less… “comforted” by friends who only wanted to figure out what Job had done or not done to earn “God’s wrath” and finally to feel abandoned by both… and even his own wife, Job gives us a “definition” of Faith in a living, breathing example. “Though He slay me”. Not though Satan slay me… not though my friends or my wife slay me… But though HE slay me…
Faith is Trust regardless of evidence, in spite of evidence and sometimes… even contrary to the evidence that I or others may “see”. Because “He knows my way… and has appointed many such things for me”.
You all can keep your “fear of man” that “draws a snare” with your attempts to philosophize and justify from a psychological or “logical”, rational way a Definition that seeks to satisfy the critics and skeptics of your Faith. I will continue to define Faith as “the Substance or substantiation of my Hope that God loves me and keeps His Promises… and as the “Evidence”, or the manifestation of things that ARE and yet are not Seen.
Faith is Trust. And I Trust Him. Do you Today? Why not reach out to Him and allow Him to show you what “many such things” He has “appointed for you”.
– Barabbas
– Barabbas
What’s a guy gotta do to get some action around here?
“That’s what she said” – Michael Scott, Dunder Mifflin, inc.
The floor is open. Please say Something. – Barabbas
Good morning all and welcome to Friday Free for All, a Weekly Offering of discussion and Feedback on the blog articles, Christianity or the particular section of scripture I offer up for discussion.
Jesus was praying the REAL “The Lord’s Prayer” and His primary focus was on US as the Body… being One WITH HIM and with each other as He and the Father are One. Let me give you the whole section for more context.
“that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” – John 17:21-23 KJV
We as the Church, “called out” Believers in Christ as our Life, are a People of a Different Source. That Source is the very Life Supply of Jesus with the Father… In Us and Thru Us… to each other and the World around us who so desperately needs Him and His Life.
Today, let’s meditate on that section of John chapter 17 verses 21-23 as we contemplate the Source, the Supply and the Onenes we have in Jesus Christ our Saviour and our VERY LIFE.
Let’s meet the Lord and Each other over the Word of God in Christ. – Barabbas
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts, a Weekly Offering here at Christ In You, where I post a prompt for your Thinking and Consideration, perhaps even for your prayer time as we head into the weekend from a busy work week. Enjoy. – Barabbas
From my reading this morning
I once had a conversation with my Grandmother on the last time she visited. She has since passed and I later found out that she was a wonderful Christian who attended a Methodist church in her town, after coming to Faith in Christ and being baptized… at the age of 81 !!
I’m not sure if our conversation was before or after that conversion, but it still sticks in my head today. We were all having a chat on life or some such thing and she had said… “well, I’m no Saint”
Remembering this passage from the 1st section of 1st Corinthians chapter 1, I chimed in… of course I did…
“Do you believe in Jesus?” She said at that time that she did. So I pointed her, probably just quoted, the passage above that if she believed in Christ she WAS in fact a Saint, with all those who also had Jesus to be their Saviour and Lord.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s: grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 KJV
My mom, the “Jack” Catholic at the time, also since passed on, gave me such a look… but said nothing.
We are Saints, sanctified and made Holy and Righteous IN HIM !! Never sell yourself short of your New-Birthright, your Adoption as the Sons and Daughters of God in Christ. Yes… You and I are the Saints of God in Christ Jesus. Amen!!!
– Barabbas
Christ in You 