Tag Archives: gospel

November 26, 2012

It’s All I Want To Hear

By Ryan Miller

Could you imagine if all you ever heard was Jesus?

There are over 250 million proclaimed Christians in the United States. I’m not going to debate that number (even though I could) but use it to show something quite shocking. Stats on the web show that in order for a topic to trend on Twitter, it needs approximately 30 tweets every 5 seconds. If approximately 500,000 people tweeted once per day something about Jesus, he would never leave number 1. Jesus would be the most talked about (trending) topic on Twitter every single day. And that’s only 500,000. Could you imagine if 1 million? 100 million? Instead of Jesus, we get trending topics like #20ThingsIDontLike or #CyberMonday. Those are just today’s most recent trends. Other days, it’s the name of the latest celebrity to get pregnant, or divorced, or both. For a while it was all politics. Food probably lands there from time to time. It is just ridiculous to think that anything other than Jesus would be number 1.

He is the Savior of the World, your Savior if you call yourself a Christian. Through none other will you receive the eternal security that you so dearly hold onto. 

So how about you personally? What do you talk about? What trends in your life? As Christians, we are called to glorify God in all we do (1 Cor 10:31). Are we glorifying God when we spend so much time talking about the things we do? I know I’m not! It’s time I examined my life and so should you. The examination has to take place every day. I ask you join me in praying a simple prayer now…..

“Father forgive me for the time I have wasted on selfish and futile things. May I always live to honor and glorify you”.

Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, the dinner table, the grocery store line, your job or school, it’s time Jesus is trending number 1 in your life.

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November 15, 2012

Guarantee

By Ryan Miller

There are performance guarantees and money back guarantees.You can get them in durations of days, months, years and even a lifetime. Unfortunately most of those guarantees have loopholes. The fine print is so small you couldn’t see it with a microscope. You void the guarantee as soon as you get it.

And even if you find the perfect-no-loopholes-guarantee, it will only last until you die. Then you don’t need to care, right?

That type of thinking may work with products and services, but not our actual lives. There is a huge debate in regards to what happens after you die. That debate leads to many conversations and HUGE amounts of worry. People are freaked out by death.

But what if there was a guarantee for life (against death)?

I’ve got one for you. Clear as day, for you to read and receive even right now.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Those beautiful words were penned by the apostle Paul in the Book of Romans (Rom 6:23). It is a signed, sealed, and delivered guarantee that if you accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life you are given the gift of eternal life. This means that you do not have to fear death. NOT NOW, NOT EVER! You may experience a tragedy and leave this earth early or you may not wake up from a good night’s sleep at some point, but that isn’t death. That’s the beginning of the rest of your life loving, worshiping, and experiencing Jesus face to face.

So what are you waiting for? This isn’t a guarantee that will cost you a thing. It was bought and paid for over two thousand years ago.

All you need to do is accept it!

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October 28, 2012

Impossible Earnings

By Ryan Miller

After church this afternoon, we headed over to the quad at the Claremont Colleges to engage the community. While walking around we noticed a guy on his knees, burying his face in the grass every minute or so but we figured he was praying so we kept kept walking as not to interrupt what he was doing. After talking to a few other people, we made our way back over towards he and his family.

The man was extremely polite, eager to share with us about his upbringing, his profession, and his faith. There was no heated discussion, no debate over view points, not even push-back from me when he blatantly discounted my Jesus as a mere man. He went on to talk more about the dedication he has to his faith.

He memorizes his entire religious book. He prays at least five times a day, saying exactly what he is told to and in the same direction he is always supposed to point (yes, direction). He gives of his time and money to those that need it more. He respects others. He worships his god. Then I asked him.

“What happens after you die?” 

“Hopefully I have done enough to earn a good standing with God” he says.

Done enough? Good standing?

How about no chance!

I responded ”The Bible says that none is righteous, not one. We all sin and fall short.”

“I serve a merciful and just God” he says.

No matter how hard we try, not matter how much we do (or don’t do), we will never earn one sliver of good standing with God. The same God that has mercy on all must also be just with all. Justice means we all pay for our sins. Thankfully mercy came in the way of Jesus.

Without spinning circles with this man, I shared one sentence.

“Through Jesus, you can be sure of your standing with God”

With that, I thanked him for his time, greeted his wife and kids and went on my way. You see, there was nothing I could say in that moment to get him to feel what I feel.

ONLY GOD SAVES

What breaks my heart is he will go about his life doing everything he can to earn the impossible.

I only pray God changes what my conversation never could.

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October 7, 2012

Caught Up

By Ryan Miller

Theology, Themes, Genres, Chaisms, Parallels, Author, Audience, Context

I have spent the last couple of days in lectures, learning to become a better preacher and teacher of God’s word (I have a long way to go). And this session has been part of a three month journey covering additional areas of biblical study and ministry. It will span five more months.

Two things have become very apparent.

  1. Image being extremely thirsty. You are looking everywhere for water and your only alternative is the fire hydrant on the street. As you go to get a drink, someone cracks it wide open. How much would even get in your mouth? That’s how much information we have been taking in. It is a blessing beyond all belief and the content is life-changing, but getting it all in my little brain has been a challenge to say the least!
  2. I can get so caught up in all the teaching, all the information and all the preparation that I lose sight. I can begin preparing my next sermon with my notes on the right outline, right content and right delivery but forget.

Without the Holy Spirit leading and guiding my preparation, it won’t affect a single person. With the Holy Spirit opening my mind to the Word of God, it will never make any sense to me, nevertheless to the people I am attempting to teach.

But this doesn’t just pertain to me studying in this program. It goes for all of us at work, at home, and in every other area of our lives. Without the power of the Holy Spirit we will end up doing the same things in the the same ways the rest of the world does them.

WHAT’S THE POINT OF THAT?

The answer is…….THERE IS NO POINT!

We have been created to image and glorify God. The only way that can be accomplished will be by asking God to send the Spirit down on us. Maybe by this point you are wondering when you should ask that question.

  1. Before you start your day
  2. Before you get to work
  3. Before you walk into your bosses office for a “talk”
  4. Before you head out to a business meeting
  5. Before you make a phone call
  6. Before you discipline your children
  7. Before you disagree with your spouse
  8. Before you eat
  9. Before you go to sleep

You see a pattern here?

BEFORE YOU DO EVERYTHING ASK FOR A FRESH FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

“God I pray now that as I send this blog post out, I pray that these words are your words laid on my heart for your people. I pray that this blog blesses someone in a new way. I pray that you would be made known to someone new. Father I pray that my life would always be a testimony of the love and grace you have given to me through the cross of Jesus Christ.”

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August 22, 2012

Planted

By Ryan Miller

For just over one year, what started out as a few families praying has brought about the opportunity to plant a new church in Claremont, California.

We have struggled through many things to this point and I am certain that there will be many more ahead. But knowing that this is what God has called each of us to, we are ready to do whatever is takes to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ in Claremont.

Claremont is a great little city (population approx 40,000). The residents are diverse, with a variety of people of all shapes, sizes and colors. Faith is diverse as well, with multiple Christian, Quaker, Catholic, Jewish and Islamic churches/worship centers (and a Church of Scientology). Overall, the vibe is fairly liberal and this is evident in the Claremont School of Theology’s recent addition of a “Master’s in Muslim Leadership Degree” (the first of it’s kind in the United States). The arts are also well represented, ranging from music to dance to theater. There are great families spread throughout the city and kids from all over flock to Claremont for their well-regarded Claremont Colleges.

By the grace of God, we pray that we are a light for Jesus to the people of Claremont. We want to share the Gospel in truth and love. 

I ask that you come along side us in prayer that God would be glorified and that many would come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

It is all For His Glory!!!!

You can like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ForHisGloryClaremont

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August 2, 2012

What Did You Say?

By Ryan Miller

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Phillip, Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place. And he rose and went.” Acts 8:26-27

This is the beginning of the story of Phillip meeting the Ethiopian Eunuch on the road. I think about how often we don’t take the time necessary to hear from God when we seek to share the gospel with the lost (or do any of His work for that matter). And how often do we question God after we have been given direction? In this story from Acts, God commands and Phillip goes. It is that kind of obedience that causes God to produce fruits from our work.

Time and time again in the Bible this type of story reigns true. God calls on someone to go or do and the result of their obedience is fruit. Alternatively, we see evidences in the Bible where God calls and people disobey. Take Jonah for instance. He went in the complete opposite direction that God asked of him. The great thing is that God’s perfect grace is irresistible and in His timing, Jonah saw God’s ways as better than his own.

Our disobedience will always have consequences but better yet, our obedience will always produce fruit. In the case of Phillip in this story, the fruit produced was an an eternal one. The Eunuch heard the gospel, accepted Christ and was baptized!

So what is it that God has called you to do? Are you waiting to hear a better confirmation on something God has asked? Or are you all out disobeying the calling God has for you? 

Trust that God’s will for your life is perfect and go for it, because inside of that will there are no regrets!

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July 23, 2012

Intolerance Will Not Be Tolerated

By Ryan Miller

Here is something that I can’t seem to wrap my head around….

Major companies like Google, Oreo, Starbucks, and Home Depot have come out in support of gay marriage. While I do not agree with gay marriage, I do believe that these companies have the right to exercise their support of certain groups or personal beliefs and are not necessarily “God-haters” (though some may be). I continue to shop at these places when I need certain products (who can resist an Oreo or Gmail) and will not protest them based on their actions.

So in comes Chick-Fil-A (article here). They decide to stand up in support of their own Biblical values. Now they are being protested by the LGBT community for their stance. One man makes a comment that their chicken nuggets are “filled with hate”. I mean really?? They are not posting signs on their doors rejecting homosexual clients. Why is it some want tolerance for all while being intolerant of some? If you call for tolerance of all, that includes sexuality AND religion even when you don’t agree.

And before you put me in the “hater box” (if you have read this far), I believe this is a wake up call for the Christian as well.

You shouldn’t be supporting companies like Chick-Fil-A because they are against homosexuality. You should be supporting them because they are speaking truth for Jesus Christ.

8 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

June 4, 2012

This Isn’t the Way It’s Supposed to Be

By Ryan Miller

Last night I witnessed the sovereign work of God in what some wouldn’t ever really think twice about. An awesome worship session finishes, we all take our seats and listen to what at first seemed like a joke. “I was back stage thinking about how awful it would be if my message wasn’t on my iPad. Then to my horror I came out on stage and my message isn’t on my iPad”.

But it wasn’t a joke. The pastor was serious. He had studied the topic of guilt. He had prepared what I am sure was to be an awesome message on guilt. Everyone was there to hear about guilt. Number 7 in an 8 week series on important life changing topics couldn’t be preached. So now what? Does everyone just go home? Not hardly.

What transpired was exactly what God purposed well before the night got started. The pastor shared his heartfelt and powerful testimony. The crowd got something the didn’t expect. And when it came time to share the gospel, people made decisions to follow Jesus. 

Too often we are so dependent on our finite minds and finite plans that we forget we serve an infinite God who does indeed “work ALL things together for good for those who love Him” (Rom 8:28). He doesn’t need a pastor’s message. He doesn’t need a church’s program. But He wants us to trust in Him. He wants us to quote Jeremiah 29:11 from the depths of our heart. 

The next time you (and I) are frustrated because things aren’t working out like we had planned, just know that God’s plans are better.

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