What would you do with Christ?

"Jesus said; "I tell you today will be with me in paradise." Luke23:43

When I was young, I remember a song I sang with the church’s choir that said something like this; "Before Pilate Jesus is standing, all his disciples are gone. The question before Pilate is; “What would you do with Christ? You cannot be neutral. Soon you will have to decide”. This is the question that Jesus is asking you today, what would you do with me? You cannot be neutral. People often say, "If only I had one more day of life, this is what I do.” Hence, they produce a list of various activities and desires. The truth is that none of us knows the day or the hour in which we take our last breath. Only God knows. This verse found in the Gospel of Luke tells the story of two criminals sentenced to die along with Jesus. Most likely that these two individuals were not prepared for what was about to happen. At the end of their lives, one of them continued to resist the saving love of God, while the other humbled himself and asked Jesus to save him. What difference that made in the spiritual life of this man! A man died without God, the other died with the peace of knowing that from that moment he would be walking with the Lord in paradise. What would you do with Christ? You cannot be neutral. Pilate washed his hands and sentenced him. The Jewish people chose Barabbas and rejected the Messiah. The other criminal on the cross chooses to die without Christ in his heart. What about you? What would you do with Christ? There are two options, but only one takes you to eternal life and experience the love and glory of God for eternity. What is your decision? May God continue to blessed you always.

Pastor Dimas

Marks of Genuine Faith

James 1:26-27

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. ²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world (Holman Christian Standard Bible ).

Throughout generations and cultures, people have asked the question, what should a relationship with God look? James response is stunning in that is does not focus on behaviors to appease the divine. Instead, it offers a simple description of controlling the tongue and caring for other people. A right relationship with God will be evident in the right relationship with other people. Jesus said people would know His disciples by their love for one another (John 13:35). Christlike love is most evident in relationships in which the other people have nothing to offer in return. This kind of love is countercultural. It is selfless. It is righteous. Orphans and widows are vulnerable and have nothing to make an offer in return for kindness, especially in the context in which James is writing, where Christians were persecuted. God expects us, His church to go out of our way to love the overlooked, the vulnerable, and the needy. Why? Because showing God’s love and kindness for others is precisely what the Bible commands us to do.[1] May God help us to have spiritual ears to hear His truth and eyes to see opportunities to put it into practice.

Pastor Dimas

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[1] Adapted from James: Faith and Works by Matt Chadler. P. 45. Lifeway Resources

Dealing with Anger

Anger is a powerful emotion and how we deal with this emotion will impact our relationships, our attitude toward life, and even our witness before a watching world. The Bible has much to say about anger. Psalm 37:8 “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evil”. The New Testament tells us to get rid of anger. It says true love is not “easily angered”. James tells us to be slow to anger. With all these commands in mind, we may be surprised at this command from the Apostle Paul, “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold”.

There are times we should be angry. Anger is a valuable emotion because it alerts us to a problem that needs to be addressed. We become angry when we feel pushed aside, taken advantage of, or when we see that someone is being inconsiderate or self-absorbed. We get angry when we see destructive things happening in the life of another. We get angry when others are being mistreated.

Our real question is: How do we control our anger rather than letting it control us? Let me offer some suggestions. First, embrace your position in Christ. This may be the most helpful aspect of dealing with anger. No matter what the world says or does God sees us, knows us, and loves us. We need to remember that we ARE significant in Christ whether or not the world around us recognizes it. Second, be aware when anger begins to rise.  The first key to handling anger is to deal with it before it is out of control. Third, identify the source of your response. It is helpful to ask, “Why am I angry?” The anger that gets us into trouble is always the result of some kind of pain. Fourth, deal with anger immediately. Paul tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger. Fifth, take responsibility for your anger and choose to release it. Blaming others for our angry outbursts is easy. Finally, look for the positive. We have a choice: we can look for a fight or look for a blessing. We can focus on the faults or the gifts that reside in another. Choose to focus on positive things.

We live in an angry world. Controlling anger will enrich our relationships, will allow our families to thrive, will enhance our Christian witness, and will also help us to enjoy the journey of life. May God bless you and keep you always.

Pastor Dimas