When you read books about Christianity written before the 1900s, or even the early 20th century, they often used different words to described what a person coming to Christ should look like and act like. Generally, they did not use the word “SAVED” or even ”Born again” but rather they used a word like “Converted” to describe the change in a person’s life. Why is this important and and how should we look at our own salvation or the experience of others who have been “Born again?”

These days very few writers talk about the fear of the Lord because I think that they probably don’t understand the topic from God’s perspective in the scripture and because they think it is only an Old Testament concept which is outdated because Jesus came. So, is the topic useful to those who believe in Jesus or is it an outdated concept for Bible believing Christians?

Have you ever felt like God is not listening to your prayer? I know I have, and that feeling may not be wrong depending on the motive of our hearts when we pray, and whether we have kept short accounts with God regarding our sins. Although I believe God wants to hear us our own “Position” in life may deny us such access. Consider what king David wrote about God and his prayers, and see if you understand his insight concerning whether God is listening or not.

We are often told that fear is bad and there are a multitude of book & tapes on how to overcome fear but what if we are trying to get rid of something that is meant for our good? What if fear can actually enable us to succeed in life rather than fail?

This may seem like and odd question but trust me there is a logical reason for asking it. I listened to a sermon the other day that asked if Jesus was first our teacher before we embraced him as our savior. The idea he was trying to bring across is the problem that many churches today are trying get people to embrace Jesus as their savior without knowing what he teaches or requires of them.

When I was an unbeliever and walking in rebellion to God I could discern the people that walked in the power of the Holy Spirit and those who didn’t.  To me, it was apparent and obvious. I didn’t know there was any controversy about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, just the evidence or the lack there of. Later, after receiving the Lord into my life, I was amazed to discover believers were arguing that when you got saved you already received the Holy Spirit and don’t need any further baptism. The person I wanted to pray for me to receive Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit and I could tell the difference between those who talked a good game and those who were walking with the Holy Spirit.

There is so much to learn from the traditions and behavior of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament.  Unfortunately, many Christians today neglect it, for various reasons, despite the fact that it can benefit those who truly want to be centered in their relationship with God.  Simply put, ignorance may hinder our ability to come closer to God today.

People are born with an innate desire to build relationships and friendships. God made us to be “Social Creatures.” But, what happens if we encounter bad relationships or friendships? These bad encounters can, and often do, hinder our willingness to be open and transparent with people which is a building block in cultivating future relationships. This includes building a healthy friendship with God.

I was a very rebellious individual in my younger days and one of the most challenging parts of becoming a Christian, even after believing in God’s existence, was that I knew my rebellion had to be broken if I was going to be able to embrace the forgiveness of Christ.

In this third and final article on healing and the atonement I want to to conclude with the passage in 2 Peter 24-25 as Peter references the passage used previously in Isaiah 53, typically used as the text for the purpose of Jesus coming to earth to save humanity from sin. This now is the third article on healing, so if you have not read parts 1 and 2, please do so before reading this final one, as they are built on each other.