The Hardest Thing for a Christian to do is Rest

by Barbara Latta

Once we make the decision to give our lives to Christ a new life begins (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Church attendance is important
 but won't earn God's favor.

We know we have been saved from sin but then we receive well-meaning advice from older Christians.

You must go to church regularly.

You need to read your Bible every day.

Reading the Bible in the morning is best.

Reading the Bible at night is best because you need God on your mind before your sleep.

Give an offering every Sunday.

Examine yourself all the time in case you sinned.

Participate in the church.

God won’t fellowship with you if you have sinned so you must confess all the time.

Study your Sunday School lesson.

Quit all your bad habits.

The list could go on and on and can be confusing to a new Christian but trying to keep this list will not earn brownie points with God. Nothing will affect our relationship with God unless we let it. God does not relate to us on what we do and He doesn’t turn away from us when we don’t do what is right. But if we let our conscience condemn us, we can feel separated from Him because we feel unworthy to be in His presence. He is not the one who leaves, we are the ones who turn away.

I remember the Sunday School envelopes I would fill out as a child. Scores were applied to achievements such as attendance, studying the Sunday School lesson and attending worship. When I could check every box and made 100% I swelled with pride and thought surely God must be looking down from heaven with a smile on his face and putting a gold star next to my name on his roster. When I found out I didn’t earn God’s love and acceptance by what I do, I was set free from condemnation and guilt.

The hardest thing for a Christian to do is rest. We struggle to let go of works and simply accept grace.

Grace is God’s gift. No strings attached (Ephesians 2:8-9). The only requirement is to

God's gift of grace has no strings attached.

receive the gift. If we were in God’s favor because of reading the Bible, giving an offering or quitting bad habits, then our salvation would be based on us instead of Jesus. The good things we do benefit us and are a fruit of knowing God but are not how we know him.

Jesus paid the price. A very costly price. When we try to add to that sacrifice by our works we are saying Jesus didn’t do enough and we have to help Him out.

Resting in Him requires labor but a different kind of labor than our works tries to bring (Hebrews 4:9-10). We have to work to rest because most of our life on earth is performance based. Our humanity requires us to work at acceptance from employers, teachers and sometimes friends. We then approach God in the same way expecting to only receive favor from Him if we have been good enough.  

If you are struggling to earn God’s favor, rest in His grace and know you are accepted.

Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

TWEETABLES

The hardest thing for a Christian to do is rest (click to tweet)

Grace is God’s gift with no strings attached (click totweet)

.

Earthly Dad and Heavenly Father – Childhood Memories and the Role of Joseph in Jesus’ Life

by Barbara Latta

My Dad

His arms covered in sawdust and sweat, my dad would come out of his shop after working on another piece of wood he had created into a work of art. He had many hobbies over the years including scuba diving, leathercraft and archery, but woodworking was his favorite. Photography was another at the top of the list that he developed into a sideline business. He was busy week after week recording on film the memories of weddings, graduations, school functions and sports. My brothers and I were among the subject matter for photo practice and our images filled up numerous photo albums. I spent a lot of time with him in his darkroom watching the magic of glossy paper immersed in chemicals become a black and white photo. Ah, the days of film. Eastman Kodak never dreamed the days of celluloid would end.

How Baby Boomers can reach Millennials with the Gospel

by Barbara Latta

The generation of Millennials and Gen Xers spans the period between the early 1980’s and

Millennials live on social media.

ending in the early 2000’s. Most Baby Boomers are afraid of them because older people don't know how to relate to the younger way of thinking so reaching Millennials with the gospel remains a challenge.

Millennials and Gen Xers grew up in a technological age while those in my generation groan every time a new gadget comes out that has to be learned. We do what we can get by, but Millennials and Gen Xers fight to be the first in line when a new advancement is released on the market.This group lives on social media. Their life would disappear without electronic connections. 

What has happened to a biblical worldview?

by Barbara Latta

The number of people with a biblical worldview has declined.

Social media is buzzing about the recent transgression of CNN’s Kathy Griffin. The deplorable act of holding up a bloodied effigy of President Trump can only be taken as a threat to his life. Many others in despair over the presidential election have taken similar actions with slurs and outrageous signs. Thankfully, enough viewers spoke up and she was removed from their lineup.  But she is already crying “victim” as if she were the one being attacked. Political correctness at its best.