Tag: hope

We Cannot be Sinning Christians

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Imagine a convicted felon who has received a pardon, and the court has expunged his record. That person is no longer identified by his or her past crimes. If someone asks if they have ever been arrested, they can say “No.” And they can say this without being a liar because the record of their arrest and conviction has been expunged. What they CANNOT DO is choose to continue to engage in criminal activity. If they refuse to accept their new found position in society as a law abiding, free citizen, and instead choose to commit criminal acts, their continuing crimes will cause them to be arrested and convicted. And although their past crimes have previously been expunged, the prosecutor can use those past crimes to show a pattern of continuing behavior, and to ask the judge to enhance their sentence after conviction. That’s exactly what Satan wants to do to us.

1) Introduction

We live in a world where even those who claim to follow Christ have forgotten God’s command to “Be holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) Many churches have allowed the culture around us to dictate what is acceptable, instead of allowing God’s word and the Holy Spirit to guide.

To be honest, God’s people have always struggled with this in some way. Jesus recognized it among the Jewish religious leaders. Paul had to deal with it in his day, particularly in the Corinthian church. It has been this way throughout Christian history, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Church needs to address it today.

2) Following Jesus is more than saying a prayer

Not all who claim to follow Jesus are Christians. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus gives a very somber warning; that on judgement day there will be many who call out, “Lord! Lord! Look at all that we did in YOUR name!” Jesus’s response will simply be “Go away. I have no idea who you are.” Good works, even when supposedly done in the name of Jesus, are not a guarantee that we are following Him, especially when we have refused to obey his commands.

Matthew 13:24-30 warns that even among the righteous there will be those who claim to belong to Christ, yet in the end they will be uprooted, separated from the righteous, bound and thrown into the fire. Why?

3) Do you want to be defined by your sin, or by Jesus

What do you choose to define you? Your desires or Jesus? It’s pretty simple, those who do wrong will NOT inherit God’s kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:9)

If we allow our sin to continue to define us, then have we truly repented? Too many people who claim to be Christians have accepted the lies of Satan under the fallacy that, “God created me this way, therefore I can’t (or don’t need to) change.” If I’m honest, I have to admit that I have tried to hide behind this lie. We mostly hear this argument from those in the LGBT lifestyle. However, before we condemn them, let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:8-10.

“Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers. Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.” (NLT)

Paul mentions several sinful behaviors here. Paul also mentions those who worship idols, thieves, the greedy, drunkards (we’d probably also include the drug users), abusers, and those who cheat people. Let’s make one thing clear, sexual sin is sexual sin. Too often I have witnessed Christians condemn LGBT, then in the very next breath they’re lusting after a member of the opposite sex. Many times these people are married. It’s still SIN.

How many times have we gotten angry and attempted to justify our lashing out at someone? Or maybe we’ve attempted to justify cheating others, or the government. Many attempt to justify greed by saying things like “God wants to bless us.” Thieves often claim they deserve what they’re stealing, because it’s owed to them. In Romans, Paul includes gossip in a similar list. How often have we participated in gossip, claiming that we’re “just sharing a prayer request”, or “passing on information.”

For every sin, we can create a multitude of excuses. While we all may have a tendency toward certain behaviors that God calls sin, we always have a choice. We can choose to lean into those tendencies, or we can lean into Christ.

Accepting the excuse that “I was born this way” to justify sin denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Let me say that again, justifying any sin with the excuse that “this is just who I am,” or “God made me this way,” denies the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us.

4) God has called us to be HOLY

After going through this list of sinful behaviors, Paul continues in verse 11 reminding the Corinthians that some of them were once guilty of one of more of these sins. But now they are clean. Their records have been expunged. They have been made HOLY. They have been made right with God.

If we go down to verse 20, Paul reminds them that we were bought with a high price. That price was Christ’s death on a cross. So we must honor God with our bodies.

I go back to the example of the convicted felon who has been pardoned. He has a choice. And you and I have a choice. So I ask again, what defines you? Your sin? Or Jesus

5) Invitation

By His grace we can choose to ask for and accept His forgiveness, and receive the pardon that He is so eager to give us. We can choose to be identified as a child of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can reject our tendencies toward sin and allow Him to guide us into a new identify in Christ Jesus.

YOU are invited to accept Jesus, and begin your relationship with Him. And you don’t have to wait for a church service. You can do it right now, wherever you are.

There are no magic words, or special prayer required. It’s simply acknowledging to God that we have sinned, asking for, and accepting, His forgiveness. Accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, and to change you.

The Hope of Christmas

/ CD Hamman

Video here

Isaiah 9:6-7 & Acts 1:9-11

I am really starting to think that the NFL is scripted, just like WWE, and other “reality” television shows. Every year, Cleveland Browns fans believe this could be the year we finally go to the Super Bowl. We have talented players, and a couple years ago, we got Baker Mayfield. We are anxiously waiting to see the Browns flag planted on the 50 yard line in Pittsburgh. And every year, we are met with disappointment. I suppose that may be how Michigan fans feel against Ohio State each year. Or Oklahoma State most years after Bedlam. But at the beginning of the season, we all have one thing in common: HOPE.

What is “hope?” Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary gives these definitions:

A. Desire accompanied by expectation of, or belief in fulfillment. (Hope for a cure.)

B. Someone or something on which hopes are centered. (Mayfield is the Browns hope for a Superbowl championship.)

C. To cherish a desire with anticipation. (hope for a promotion)

D. To desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. (I hope Messiah comes soon)

Bottom Line: Are we staring, or are we striving?

Do we have just a little bit of hope, and we’re standing still, just staring off into space, looking for Jesus? Or is our hope so deep that we KNOW He is coming back, so we are working to live a life that honors Him, and that lets us share Him with the world around us?

1. There was hope in the beginning.

Most of us know the creation story. God created the world, and everything in it. Then, finally He created man and woman. They could eat from any tree, except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And He warned them that if they eat that one fruit, just one little bite, they will die. And what happened? The devil came in the form of a snake and tempted Eve, by twisting God’s words. She fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Then the first thing she does is gives Adam the forbidden fruit. And now they realize what they have done.

After the fall, God first pronounces judgment, and a curse on the serpent. And even before pronouncing judgment and punishment on Adam & Eve, God pronounces the first Gospel promise.

Genesis 3:15 reads “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (NLT)

This is the very first glimpse of the promise of Messiah. There will be one who will come and strike Satan’s head, and crush him.

Another example of early hope is found when God called Abram, in Genesis 12:1-3. The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

And there are still more examples of the hope of the coming Messiah, throughout the Old Testament, including God’s promise to David that his descendant would always be on the throne.

2. Hope is fulfilled in Jesus part 1

Isaiah 9:6-7 reads “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (NLT)

Israel longed for the coming Messiah. The prophets had been promising a Messiah. The people were looking for One who would make things right. When Jesus was born, he fullfiled that promise. His birth, His life, His death and resurrection, was the fulfillment of the prophesies. Sadly, not all have recognized that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He did not come in the way that they thought the Messiah should come. Indeed, there had even been others who had claimed to be Messiah, who were great disappointments. And some who should have recognized Jesus as Messiah, the religious leaders, refused to accept Him.

But God knew what was going to happen. Jesus knew it too. It was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross, taking our guilt upon himself, and paying the price for our sin. His death paid our penalty. His resurrection, that dealt the final blow to death, and satan. That first Gospel promise was fulfilled.

3. Hope will be finalized in Jesus part 2

I want to read Acts 1:6-8, to kind of set the scene: So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8, NLT)

I noticed something funny as I read this account of Jesus’ ascension. In Acts 1:6 we are told that when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him when He was going to free Israel and restore their kingdom. They are still looking for an earthly kingdom. Of course Jesus tells them that only the Father has the authority to set those times, and they are not for the apostles to know.

After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:9-11, NLT)

I get it. They have just spent all this time traveling with, and learning from, Jesus. They have witnessed His execution, and His resurrection. They think they have Him back. But, He just left them again. Even weirder, He just was taken up into a cloud. I think I’d be looking up, straining to see Him, and trying to explain it, myself.

But as they are standing there, straining to see Him, two guys dressed in white robes appear and give them the promise that all hope, will be finally realized when Jesus comes back. Wait, so He’s coming back? Oh yes. And this time, we know what to look for. This time he will be coming back on a cloud. And this is confirmed throughout the New Testament.

And when He returns, all will be made right. We who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior will be with Him forever. The peace that we so desperately hope for will be finally realized. And we will again have full fellowship with God.

But, while we are waiting for His second advent, we should be striving to live according to His commands. Not to be saved, but because He has already saved us. We are also to spread the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ.

Even as we strive to grow in our relationship with Christ, are we sharing the Good news with our neighbors? Are we sharing Jesus with those we meet?

Bottom Line: Are you staring or sharing?

Even as we look forward to the future fulfillment of our Hope, our hope is also realized here and now, in the work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. What is the source of your hope, this Christmas?

There is an old hymn, written in 1834, by Edward Mote, The Solid Rock. The first verse states: My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

The last verse reads: When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne.

Will you be able to stand before His throne? Will your family, friends, and neighbors?

Slow down if you have to, but keep going

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23, NIV1984)

I hate driving in bad weather, or fog. However, I have adapted, and I drive my truck each day, regardless of the weather. I get really nervous when driving in heavy fog, rain or snow. And days that are just overcast and dreary, can cause depression to kick into high gear.

But I’ve also noticed that when I push through, and get to the other side of that thick fog, or get through the heavy snow or rain, and see sunshine and clear skies, there is a great relief, and even a lift in my mood.

My first few weeks of driving truck on my own, I experienced several days of some fairly heavy rains. I had to fight the urge to stop. I slowed down, and pushed on through, knowing that eventually the rain would end.

I have witnessed some amazing sights, just because I pushed through. Several months ago, going through the mountains of Pennsylvania early one morning I hit some really thick fog. I actually debated if I should pull off and shut down, because I couldn’t see as far ahead as I like. I made the decision to keep rolling. But, for safety, I had to slow down. As I reached the peak, the fog began to thin out until I broke through, into a beautiful  sunshine filled sky and got to the peak of the mountain. I was able to look across, and where I should have seen the valley, all I saw was the top of the fog. It looked like I could just walk out on it. If I had allowed my fears and discomfort to convince me to stop I would have missed out on this breathtakingly, beautiful sight.

Growing up, and learning to drive in Ohio, I learned how to drive in the snow. But this is my first winter driving a semi. As I was coming through the mountains of West Virginia about a week and a half ago I would be driving on clear roads, then as I would crest a hill, or drive through the toll both it seemed like suddenly I was in a white out, with heavy snow, and snow covered roads. Again, I had the urge shut down each time. However, by the time I would reach a place to pull off the highway, things were clear.

So what might truck driving have to do with Christian living? These instances have a couple things on common. First, they were times that fear tried to dictate my response.  Second, I adjust my driving to conditions. And third, there was always a breakthrough.

Life works in much the same way. One moment the road is smooth and things are going great. The next moment you find yourself in the middle of a storm. The weather is rough, the road is treacherous, and you’re not sure you can keep going forward. You just want to stop. Sometimes, stopping, just for a bit, to regroup, is the best thing. But sometimes, the best thing is to keep moving. You may need to slow down, and “drive for the conditions,” But the breakthrough is coming. If I stopped every time conditions are less than ideal, I would get very little driving done.  Life is the same way. We can’t give up just because things get rough.

But there is something more here. Something that it took me a while to see. Hope. Even when I have to slow down, or stop briefly, I have the hope, and the knowledge that the breakthrough is coming. Sometimes it takes a just a few minutes. Sometimes, it takes several days. But the breakthrough, the sunshine, is just on the other side of the fog. And I realized how much more I appreciate the beauty of the sunshine, and the rainbows after coming through a storm.

Tonight, as I type this, I am grateful that I have spent today in the warm sunshine of Florida, after having driven the last several days through dreary, gloomy, and cold, rainy conditions that followed me all the way from New Jersey down into Georgia. And again, I am reminded that no matter what, there is always hope. And hope is eventually rewarded. Especially, if our hope is in Christ.