Word of the Week: ‘Be ready to explain why your actions honored Christ’

Pastor Joe Gale, Calvary Chapel Fernley

Continuing my thoughts about simplification, my mind returned to many years ago when my daughter was in college. (Sorry about the ‘many years ago’ Bethany.) But she attended what was called at the time, ‘Western Baptist College’ in Salem, Oregon; now it is called ‘Corban University’. Another young lady that attend ‘Calvary Chapel of Fernley’, called ‘Faith Bible Church of Fernley’ then, attended a very fundamental Christian College in ‘Pensacola’, Florida, I just can’t think of its name right now. But when they were home on their first Christmas breaks they were comparing colleges. My daughter’s colleges ‘Rules and Standards for Student Behavior’ was one sheet of paper; while, I called her Amy, because that was her name, Amy’s ‘Rules and Standards for Student Behavior’ was about as thick as those old manuals that came with computers which no one read. One college had one rule; while the other tried to outguess and cover every possibility any student of any day and age would do.

Well, that is the difference between the ‘complicated’ ‘religions’ created, or recreated, by man and what I believe the Lord created as a guide for us to live by.

So, let me strive for brevity this week, every week in counseling, messages, discipleship or Bible Studies, I will say, ‘God can only Bless, what HE can Bless’ and ‘HE can only Honor what HE can honor’. That is my guideline for Christian living, and like Bethany’s Rules and Standards for Student Behavior’s one line kept is short and simple, for her it was, ‘Be ready to explain why your actions honored Christ’; for me is which of this choice before me will honor the Lord and which of the choices will be something HE can bless.

So as you face temptation, as you face trials, as you face choices apply that simple rubix and see if your walk gets more simple or more complex. It might even help explain some of those, ‘Can God make a rock even HE can’t lift?’ questions we come up with. When your face moments like: ‘Should I do ‘A’?’ or ‘Should I do ‘B’?’ ask yourself, could the LORD bless me ‘stealing that Snicker’s bar’ or could HE bless ‘buying it’. See how it works for you.

As you think about this thought remember this verse: “For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14. Could it be that simple? I think it could. Because as I understand the applied Word of God, the Lord isn’t in the punishing sin business, HE is in the blessing business.