On Becoming Seventy! A Few Reflections (Part 2 of 7) E=ENGAGEMENT!

Groundhogs’ Day. February 2nd. That’s my birthday! Now, I think that Groundhogs’ Day ought to be declared a national holiday. This furry creature comes out of its comfortable underground home to prognosticate about the next six weeks of weather — Surely that deserves to be honored as a national holiday!

But it’s also my birthday. My 70th birthday. And as it approaches, I want to think about a couple of issues before it is “here.”

We’ve thought about the letter “S” (survival!). This morning let’s think about the letter “E.” I’m thinking that a great “E” word is . . . ENGAGEMENT! Here are some areas where I’m engaged — AND STILL IN THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE!

I’m so thankful that the Lord is keeping me busy in areas where I’m somewhat qualified.

Would you pray with me? “Father, what we do with our lives matters! Help me to invest the days and months and (hopefully) years that You have remaining for me to do Your work! Thank You that I can feel useful in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

 

Habits of Holiness: #5- Engaging with Unbelief?

“Sorry, only six months!” “SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, Doc?” “That’s right. Say, you could use some of that time to engage with some unbelievers who are attacking the Christian faith!” “Okay, Doc,” I said, as I left his office with only 180 days left on this earth.

What if I, what if you, had only six months to live? How would your life be different over the next 180 days?

Several holy habits ought to mark each of us if we are followers of Jesus. We must spend time in His Word; we must take prayer much more seriously than we do; we must follow Jesus’ example and be a friend of sinners; and we must look for opportunities to disciple others!

Another holy habit, I would suggest, applies to those who have been believers for a while. There are some strong challenges to the gospel, the reliability of the Bible, and the exclusivity of Jesus. Titus 1:11 says, “They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.” False teaching and teachers must be confronted. And Christian leaders need to read books they know will boil their blood before they get past the preface (my definition of a “boiling book”).

Here are some of the books I’ve read that challenge my Christian convictions. I don’t read these books for spiritual nourishment (much of their content is spiritual poison).

Here are a few books by the false teacher Spong:If you’ve been a believer for a few years, you need to read some books that don’t agree with your Christian convictions, especially if some of your unsaved friends are being influenced by them. Faithful readers of this blog know that I did a 22-post review of Michael Thielen’s book What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian?

Here’s an assignment: Ask your unsaved friend what he or she has been reading. Unless it’s a novel, tell them you want to read the same book and discuss it sometime. Then do it!