Your Step Your Choice

Your Christian friend tells you to just accept what they’re telling you but it’s not that easy.  Change, especially in the spiritual realm can make a huge difference in day to day life and you’re not sure it’s going to work for you.  But there are some things that resonate in your heart about what they told you so what’s your next step?

Steps to Consider

Explore: Information is critical in making decisions and there’s no shortage of it out there when it comes to spirituality.  You could try searching online, finding a book to read, or asking some questions.

Listen: One on one conversations can be VERY helpful, so if you don’t feel comfortable continuing the discussion with your friend who ‘insists’ that you just need to believe, see if you can find another ear.  And being part of a group can be helpful too; especially because you can more easily just listen.  See if there might be something on Meetup or consider going to a local church, where you can sit in the back and just tune in to what’s being said.

Ponder: Using your thinking cap can give you insight when other methods don’t seem to be working.  Take what you know, let it run through your thoughts, and see what comes up.

Ask: You’ve got questions; maybe someone has the answers.  A good way to make the search less personal is to ask a stranger, like the pastor of a church in town or a student at a seminary.

Pray: If you’re already at the point of believing that God exists, asking Him for clarification or understanding might be the best place to start.  But what if you’re not sure about God?  Well, how about a prayer like this: “God, I don’t know for sure that you exist but if you do, I’ve got this question…could you provide an answer for me?”

What Do You Think

See yourself jumping into one of those ‘next steps’?  None are as easy as hoping into your car to go shopping but if you set your mind to something, the amount of ground you can cover may surprise you.

Some Small Step Options

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Questions Allowed

If the resurrection of Christ is explicitly revealed in the Old Testament, why hasn’t everyone jumped on the Jesus bandwagon?  In today’s “Next Question Please“, that’s exactly what I’ll be looking at and you can bet I’ve got a question or two about it.

In an article posted on Bible.org, Charles Bing, writing on how to clearly communicate the gospel, shares a passage attributed to Paul, an early apostle of Jesus Christ.  It identifies information about Jesus, that Paul is passing on.  Two key components are that Christ died for our sins and that he later rose from the dead.  Regarding both points, Paul asserts that the Old Testament attests to his statements.

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Charles includes several locations in the Old Testament Scriptures that pictured or predicted the first point; the suffering of Jesus.  About the second point, he wrote, “It is harder to find the resurrection of Christ in the OT. However it is there not only explicitly,” and then he gives verses to support that statement (Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110:1), “but also implicitly” in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah.  He concludes, “the implication is clearly that He rose from the dead.”

I’m convinced of two things.  Jesus did suffer, die and rise again, and some people will have questions because they won’t see the clear implication Mr. Bing describes.  I’ll bet if I searched online I’d find posts and articles posing questions and expressing doubt about each of the passages referred to in Mr. Bing’s article.  But I’m not going to do that, at least not right now, because I’d rather hear those questions and doubts from you.  That of course puts you in the vulnerability chair but I hope you’ll reach out in trust and share what’s on your heart.  If it would help, I’ve written fairly extensively, on this site, about how I try and respond to questions and concerns people have, so perhaps reading through that section would be a good first step.

Don’t Look, Keep Walking

A common cure for dealing with the uncomfortable situations of life…don’t look, keep walking.  That’s the one I often employ when encountering someone appearing to be homeless.  I don’t throw out the cheery “Good morning” that I might send the way of a suit dressed citizen and, if I think there may be a plea for money coming my way, I’m apt to look away and speed up my steps a bit.  Is that what Jesus would do?

The Bible records many instances of Jesus meeting strangers and helping them in various ways.  Here are a few…

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He never seemed troubled by how to act and this is a great lesson for myself and others who call themselves Christians.  I don’t like to think about it too much, but sometimes I wonder what type of taste for the Christian faith I’ve left in someone’s mouth by the way I treated them.

How have you been treated by one of my brothers or sisters in Christ?  Hope to hear some encouraging stories of how your life was touched by someone you might not even have known.

He Rose…Right?

The word, ‘undeniable’, for me, is one of those words that sounds like nails screeching on a blackboard when I hear it, and yet I went searching for such a word for this article.

The Elon Small Group is a weekly, Sunday morning study, in the Digging Deeper Class of the Lamb’s Chapel in Burlington, NC.  On their blog, I found an article titled, Three Undeniable Proofs of the Resurrection.  I don’t dispute the three proofs but I do wonder what impact that one word has on people who still have some questions about the whole story of Christianity.

As that type of reader of their article, there’s no way to immediately determine exactly what they meant by their use of ‘undeniable’ or why they chose it over another word.  About all you can do is fall back on the word’s meaning.  According to Merriam-Webster, the basic connotation is: plainly true – incontestable, and their definition for English language learners makes it even easier to grasp: clearly true – impossible to deny.

Would a reader with doubts about Jesus feel that a discussion would be possible with the author or the members of the Digging Deeper Class?  What if they had visited the church and later read the post; how comfortable would the typical person be toward asking a question about something unchallengeable or irrefutable?

In the event you don’t hop on over and read the Elon Small Group’s article, here are the three proofs…

  • Proof One – Jesus’ Tomb was Empty
  • Proof Two – The Early Church Believed Jesus Rose from the Dead
  • Proof Three – People Claimed to See Jesus

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I believe in all three but the big question is, for me, who would you be most likely to ask for more information…someone who had gone on record as saying the three proofs were undeniable or a person who claimed to believe them but was willing to listen respectfully to any questions you might have?  My guess is that more people would turn away from the ‘undeniable’ minded Christian and I don’t want that to be me.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  I’m hoping that someone will reach out with questions about the three proofs or anything else related to Christ, the Bible, Christianity or the church, because they feel safe.  That’s what Nothing Forced is all about.

 

 

The Nature of Gifts

The greatest gifts are those we don’t deserve!  Now I realize that’s just my opinion but it leads us directly into my first ‘What Is…’ post, which deals with, what I think, may be one of the most amazing truths in existence.

We’re going to look at one Christian belief today – Salvation – and two common opinions about how people receive it.  First just what is salvation?  At it’s simplest, salvation is being protected from harm.  Now that’s easy enough to understand, but in the context of Christianity, what are we being protected from?

The Bible makes a very scary statement in the 6th chapter of Romans, saying that death results from willful disobedience to God.  So if there’s a standard to follow and God has the authority to pass sentence when the ‘law’ is broken, the penalty, according to this verse, is very severe.  So how do you and I escape this punishment?

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So if being perfect won’t cut it, what are the other options?

Boiled down, the two doctrines in the world today regarding salvation say you must either be good enough to make the cut or you have to rely on something someone else did on your behalf that you didn’t deserve…works or grace.  Since I’m not writing a book here, I won’t be unpacking those two doctrines today.  However, because they’re so important, I will cover them in upcoming “What Is…” post.  In the meantime, what do you think so far?

10 Roadblocks of Spiritual Journeys

Some journeys just don’t seem worth fighting around the roadblocks we encounter, especially, for some, the path leading toward Christianity.  There can be so much junk blocking our progress that going forward doesn’t look like much of an option and turning around and giving up appears to be the best alternative.

Below are ten road blockers that I’ve been able to identify.  Each on its own can be enough to make people want to shut down their travel and head home.  See if you’ve encountered any of the statements in your life and then read on for a few roadway tips.

  1. There’s no answer to the question I have
  2. I’ve asked questions before and been unsatisfied with the answer
  3. Issues in my life make me angry when I think of God
  4. The Bible doesn’t make any sense to me
  5. A Christian friend makes even less sense than the Bible
  6. I’m ridiculed because of what I believe
  7. I feel angry because of what others are trying to make me believe
  8. When I discuss spiritual issues, it seems others are just trying to win a point
  9. People don’t take my questions seriously
  10. My questions don’t get asked for fear of what the answer will be

Any of those can be enough to make a person wince and head in the opposite direction, but I think there are potential detours around them.  As in real driving situations, a detour may not always be the easiest or most direct route, but they’re designed to get the vehicle moving in the right direction.  So if you’re ready, read my…

Detour Suggestions

  • Drive Forward Carefully – Sometimes what seems at first like a roadblock may just be something you can drive around if you’re cautious.  Perhaps it’s not that there’s no answer to your question, but rather the answer is difficult to hear.  If you’ve not been satisfied with the answer you’ve received, perhaps look for someone else who you could ask.
  • Follow the Signs – Drivers are often in uncharted territory during a detour so watching the signs carefully can be very important.  Angry at God?  Consider talking to that friend who also has reason to be angry with God but seems to be dealing with it differently.  Is the Bible confusing?  Look for someone you know who seems comfortable with the contents of the book and perhaps they can direct you.
  • Stay Ready – The road crew sent to clear that fallen tree in front of you may be just around the bend.  That confusing Christian friend?  Don’t discard the friendship but perhaps look for another source of information about your questions.  Ridiculed for your beliefs?  It’s highly unlikely you’re experiencing a Christ-like response but I’ll bet there’s someone who would listen and respond with gentleness and respect.  The tough part is finding them.

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Caution – Daring Detour – For some this next suggestion could be a giant leap and I wouldn’t fault you for disregarding it, but I encourage you to read through it anyway as that might be a pretty small step in itself.

  • Ask for Help – If God exists (big ‘if’ for some) and love is at the center of his character (another big ‘if’), it makes sense he’d want to help.  Take the situation that’s rightfully bothering you and simply request, out loud or in thought, if he would help you find a way around that particular roadblock.

Bottom Lines

Basically, I’m saying Try Again! It’s easy to say and I realize it may be very difficult to do but there’s a chance this time could be different. And if you’re up for trying something a little audacious, take another look at the list above, identify where you are and then tell me about it.  If you take that suggestion, I’ll listen carefully and respond compassionately. It’s the least you deserve. After all, I think you are highly valued by God. That makes you important in my book too.

 

Can Anchors Fail?

When a Christian says, ‘how could anyone believe otherwise’, it seems they’re most likely criticizing another person’s opinion, as opposed to announcing their intent to intellectually examine the various reasons for a friend’s thoughts.  And when criticism is the real goal, we can fail to recognize how others might perceive us as arrogant, self-righteous, or foolish. You may have been the victim of such a statement if you ever read a post about “The Anchor Holds.”

In this Ray Boltz song, the ship’s anchor (Jesus) keeps our life (the ship) in place “in spite of the storm.”  As I searched various sites, I came across a comment that echoed the message of the song about Jesus and also expressed disbelief that anyone could think differently.  The writer said, “Truly the anchor, Christ – still, still, holds. How could anyone believe otherwise ?”  Well for starters, what about the crew of sailors on a Vietnamese cargo vessel?

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As opposed to critically voicing our bewilderment, what else could a Christian do that could be more helpful and loving toward the one in doubt?

A Birth Announcement

We want you to believeWe’re like proud parents with the launch of the Facebook page for Nothing Forced.  But as with any new child, there were things to be done and we realized we didn’t have a profile picture.  But by applying a little bit of word processing to the And while they may be djpaulkom.tv buy generic cialis considerate and bear with your sexual performance, you may be reluctant to talk to doctor about this. In rare cases online pharmacy levitra can also impair liver function, however by and large viagra if used judiciously is free from harmful side effects. In female, viagra canada sales djpaulkom.tv high-tech vaginal lubricants & hormone unguent & rings are feasible surrogate for what nature no longer offers. Another go right here ordine cialis on line common condition associated with alcoholism is Erectile Dysfunction (ED) or impotence issue. underlying philosophy of Nothing Forced, we came up with what you see here.

“We want you to believe.  We won’t try and force you to accept.”  More than our profile picture, we think that’s good advice for Christians trying to share their faith.  Unfortunately, Christians don’t always follow this philosophy.  Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone trying to force you to believe?

 

A Preview of Nothing Forced

Greetings!  Have you ever had a friend or family member shove their brand of spirituality down your throat?  Nothing Forced is not like that, at least that’s our goal.  We’ll be sharing posts, in several different categories, in the hope that you might find a safe place to explore aspects of the Christian faith.  We’ll be getting started soon so we hope you drop back by.

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