Personal Failure Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Church Is Definitely A Crutch – Own It!

March 19, 2015 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Crutchless Living
Is Not Possible

There are several words associated with religion, some of which are complimentary and others not. A few can be taken both positively and negatively.

A good example is the word school. The church is a place of learning so we call it a Sunday School. That can be good or bad.

Some kids hate it but once they reach adult age the attitude changes. Instead of hating school, they wish they had taken more advantage of the opportunity when they had it. It’s a bad thing at one point and a good thing at another.

In other words, they learned to love what they used to hate.

But there are other words that aren’t so easy to workaround. They are used as insults when referring to the church and believers take it personally. One such word is Crutch. [Read more…] about The Church Is Definitely A Crutch – Own It!

Faith Is Formed Through Wobbles – Abraham

March 12, 2015 by EnnisP 2 Comments

In Abraham’s Case
Strong Means Persistent

Please note that I didn’t say faith is formed in spite of wobbles but rather it is formed through wobbles.

Wobbles are the exercises that faith goes through to grow and Abraham exemplifies this truth.

The Bible says of Abraham that he was strong in faith, and yet it records his many foibles. It makes you wonder.

You could almost define Abraham by his wobbles so we need to qualify what strong in faith really means. But first, what it doesn’t mean or what the Bible doesn’t say.

It doesn’t say he had enough faith, as if faith is something to keep pumped up. Abraham didn’t go through hyping exercises each morning trying to achieve a faith-state mentally.

It doesn’t say his faith was big, as if it comes in sizes, the implication being faith only works when it is big. If faith was measured by size, we would have to say his was often just as small as it was big. Size wasn’t an issue.

It doesn’t even say that his faith was strong. It says he, Abraham, was strong in faith. That is a significant distinction. Faith is just faith. It’s a tool. We use it – or not – as much as we will.

Many people have handyman tools they rarely use and are dangerous on the odd occasions when they do. Maybe faith works in a similar fashion.

Not only is Abraham credited as being strong where faith is concerned, he is also referred to as the example for all those who follow. That is, he is the father of faith. This is very interesting because, as I said: [Read more…] about Faith Is Formed Through Wobbles – Abraham

5 Guidelines For Making Personal Choices

November 27, 2014 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

The Freedom Of Choice
Should Be Guarded
With Deliberation

Because choice isn’t absolute, because some choices can be hurtful, because wrong choices can retard growth, because the number of choices we have is always reduced by making only one, and they are reduced even more when we make poor choices, we must approach choice-making cautiously, deliberately and judiciously.

The following guidelines are offered to inform the deliberative process: [Read more…] about 5 Guidelines For Making Personal Choices

3 Things That Influence Christian Behavior

November 11, 2014 by EnnisP 5 Comments

You Can Counter
Bad Qualities
With Good Ones
You Can’t Eradicate Them

Have you ever wondered why people act out?

I’m talking about the good people, the ones who usually appear quite decent, no foul language or anti-social behavior.

Why do these people get caught in lies or found stealing, or worse, unexpectedly?

Sounds horrible, I know, and we don’t like talking about it but it does happen.

But the real question is this. Have you ever wondered why Christians sometimes act badly, worse even than many non-Christians?

We consider that an anomaly.

Christians are the ones who adamantly oppose wrong and hassle those who practice or promote it. They also claim to be the best and there is good reason to believe they should be.

So when a Christian does something out of character with the image they project, we get caught off balance. Makes you scratch your head and wonder what went wrong.

It can also make Christians feel a little insecure.

If it happened to them, can it happen to me?

It’s a different story for non-believers. In fact, the stubbornly non-believing are almost gleeful when Christians color outside the lines. It’s all nonsense anyway so a misstep is all the proof they need to cry hypocrisy.

Less damning unbelievers entertain the same thoughts but are a bit more gracious. They don’t assume hypocrisy or make a lot of noise.

Hypocrisy, of course, can be an issue. We can’t just ignore it but is that the only reason Christians act badly?

Are there other factors to consider? [Read more…] about 3 Things That Influence Christian Behavior

6 Proofs Your “Old Nature” Won’t Get Worse

October 31, 2014 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

If We Could Change
Our Nature
By Acting Differently
Why Would We Need Jesus

If I were to say the old nature couldn’t change many people might agree.

By “Old Nature” I mean the sinful nature, the flawed one we’re all born with.

But, if I were to say the old nature couldn’t get worse, which is what this post will try and prove, many might balk.

On the face of it, that statement isn’t easy to accept.

We know people can deteriorate morally. They can do terrible things on one day and then commit worse crimes later. It’s a process of change and it’s for the worse.

We’ve all seen it happen. One step downward creates a spiraling momentum that’s hard to stop. Inertia, once moving, doesn’t halt easily.

But there are reasons to believe this change doesn’t effect a person’s nature. [Read more…] about 6 Proofs Your “Old Nature” Won’t Get Worse