Category Archives: Christianity

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.”

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

September 23, 2012

Past, Present and Future

By Ryan Miller

Everybody sins and there is no getting around it. And if that’s not bad enough, we are told that because we sin, we have to pay the penalty of death. We are totally depraved and cannot help ourselves. Thankfully God sent Jesus down to pay the penalty for those that will be saved. In one of the most incomprehensible acts the world has ever seen, our sins our erased.

But it doesn’t stop there!!!!

The more I grow in my relationship with Jesus, the less I will sin (hopefully). But I will still sin and the wages of those sins is still death. Wonderfully, Jesus’ death on the cross paid for ALL my sins (not just the past).

PERFECT PAYMENT

Today in church my pastor shared a bit on the security of our salvation. We were studying 1 Corinthians and in chapter 1, verses 7-8 the apostle Paul says Jesus will sustain us to the end. It is an awesome promise and stems from the perfect payment Jesus gave on the cross.  There are plenty of other verses in the Bible which confirm our eternal security in Jesus. Check out Colossians 1:21-23, 2 Timothy 2:11-12 and Philippians 1:6 to name a few. 

There was nothing that I did to earn my salvation.

There is nothing I can do to ever lose my salvation.

I love knowing that I am eternally secure in Jesus because while I want to live in such a way that obeys Jesus’ commands and glorifies God, I am bound to have days that just aren’t so good.

You can be confident in that too!

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

September 11, 2012

Unstained

By Ryan Miller

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

I had a discussion the other day with another pastor and a young guy over the topic of alcohol (now let me preface this by saying that I believe the Bible allows for the Christian to drink on occasion. The Bible does not call moderate consumption of alcohol a sin). The conversation was much more about what we should and should not do as Christians versus clear sin or not sin. 

The Bible says that in this life, we will never be perfect. Our sanctification is a process in which every single day (hopefully) we are made more righteous by the Holy Spirit by the loving grace of God (2 Cor 3:18). While we hold onto that truth as hope for transformation from our sinful ways, there are things we just can’t perfect in this life. 

So why in the world would you continue to partake in things that are “borderline” which you can control?

I have many times told people (and God) that I want my life to be all about Jesus. LOVE JESUS, SERVE JESUS. In my heart that means that I am willing to give up everything for His glory. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for the One that did everything for me. There are many things in this world that are allowable but not good for me as a follower of Jesus so I just won’t do them. When I said yes to Jesus, my rights became His. Now even more so as a pastor I need to live in such a way that glorifies Jesus. Even when that means I don’t do something that is allowable.

A case can be made for many things which are allowable but not good. Things like drinking, smoking, and watching certain movies or television programs. What do you think? Am I going too far? Could we pick apart our entire lives determining what’s good and what’s not? Maybe that’s exactly what Jesus wants!

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

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

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

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!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

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

July 20, 2012

Not Negotiable

By Ryan Miller

There are some things in life that just aren’t negotiable. If you live and work in the United States, you must pay taxes. It is not a negotiable thing. Taxes are based upon what the law says. Certain parts of the tax law pertain to everyone while other parts are left to interpretation. Now people will find ways around paying their taxes or just simply avoid paying their taxes but sooner or later it will catch up.

In many ways Christianity is the same. There are specific commands and references in the Bible, if you are to consider yourself a God-loving Christian, that are not negotiable. They include such statements like Mark 12:30-31 where Jesus says “And he said to him, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” or Romans 10:9 where Paul says “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. 

There are other things in the Bible which I believe God has left to our own interpretation. In doing so, God has said that those things are for our own personal exhortation and conviction and not to cause division. These include things like election versus free will, the time of the rapture, and even the consumption of alcohol.

So what’s my point? Two things.

  1. There are certain things that you have no option to lend your own opinion to. God has made it clear that when it comes to areas such as who He is as part of the trinity and how you inherit salvation, there are NO OPTIONS. Quit trying to tweak God’s word for your personal interests.
  2. There are certain things that you need to settle down about. It is great to constantly challenge our heart and intellect in studying scripture, but if it doesn’t keep someone from understanding who God is and how someone is saved think twice before challenging others. As Christians, we end up causing more damage to each other than the world could ever do.

Not sure what to think of certain areas of scripture?

  • Pray and ask God for wisdom
  • Read your Bible yourself instead of solely relying on others to tell you what it says
  • Seek advice from well leaders
  • Pray and ask God for wisdom
  • Pray and ask God for wisdom
  • Oh, and pray and ask God  for wisdom!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christianity

July 13, 2012

Who Do You Want To Be?

By Ryan Miller

We all want to be somebody or something. Whether that is a successful business professional, a great spouse/parent or a ministry leader. But any time we strive for an identity in an area like that, we set ourselves up for more stress and frustration that it’s worth. The successful professional will have many bad deals, the spouse/parent will have numerous bad days and the ministry leader will not always be able to keep up with those they serve. Then what? Then we turn to less than desirable ways of coping. Unless we don’t strive for an identity in any of those things. 

Our identity should be in Jesus Christ and Him alone. When our identity is in Jesus, we don’t have to strive to “be better”. We don’t have to get down when we struggle or fail. We know that we aren’t expected to be anything other than who God made us to be (Genesis 1:27). We know that when we struggle or fail, Jesus is right there to pick us up (1 Corinthians 1:4-8). 

So who do you want to be?

As for me, I want to be a child of God, a follower of Jesus Christ.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Christianity

July 8, 2012

10,000 Ways to Die

By Ryan Miller

My pastor shared this morning that on a recent Barbara Walters special regarding heaven, she stated that there are now 10,000 religions in the world. 10,000 is a pretty insane number. Especially when you consider that 9,999 of them are wrong and their path to heaven is incorrect. Right now you are probably expecting that I am going to tell you why Christianity is the 1 right one. Well I am not. I am asking you to do a personal evaluation.

Are you 100% sure that your way is the right way? Is there are any doubt in your mind that you may not end up in heaven after following your religion’s doctrine? You should be positive. If you are not, you need to get with your church leader or a trusted friend and ask the hard questions. You should also be able to find some supporting historical documents to back up your beliefs and not be completely blind. Look into your literature and study it for yourself.

I read my Bible and study it for myself. I read other supporting literature including that of other religions. I can say that I am 100% positive my spot in heaven is secure and you can too!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Christianity

July 1, 2012

Who’s Direction Am I Taking

By Ryan Miller

I think every Christian has walked a path in which they started second guessing whether it was God leading or them pushing. We pray and seek God’s wisdom. We ask for advice from trusted people in our circles. We slowly step down the path. Then there comes a time when it isn’t going the way we thought it would. Now what?

I am there right now. Through much prayer and advice, I followed a path I felt God orchestrated. But as I am walking, I am doubting myself. Did I want it so bad that I thought I heard God’s direction and now I should stop? Or was it really God leading and I just need to keep going?

This blog post is just me thinking out loud. I actually hope to hear from readers. Share your experiences and offer any advice you believe to be sound.

As for me now, I sit and wait. I pray harder. I trust my initial decision was right and not only will God continue to lead me down this path, but He will rid me of my doubt. 

I am so thankful to know that God’s will for my life is perfect. Even when I don’t have it figured out, He already has!

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Christianity