Are You Better?

Thank you for your prayers and kindness to our family the last few days…

One of my cries out to God is to make me better for the service I am in. I firmly believe that if Christianity doesn’t make us better people then we are really not Christians at all. Knowing Christ, imbibing His Word, striving to live to the standard of His example, being influenced by His People, should make us better. If you are not a better person as a Christian than you would otherwise be, are you really a Christian at all? 

I was reminded again this weekend and today.

Preaching should make us better men. It should make us think deeply and biblically through the issues of life. It should press us to handle with grace and faith hardships as an example of that faith. It should push us to overcome the personal demons that plague us and might lead to reactions that might ruin our ministry in a moment. It should compel us to a greater love than “the heathen,” loving our adversaries and forgiving the worst of human enemies. If should lead us to greater heights as a husband and father, imitating Christ and God. It should call us to love the souls of each person we have the opportunity to influence to Christ. Time in the Word should cause us to examine our own lives and challenge us to allowing It to disciple us. 

My brother buried his beloved companion of roughly 40 years on Saturday afternoon and then Sunday he chose to preach. I got to hear his message online this afternoon. It was as passionate, tender, compelling call to Christ as I can ever remember hearing. Yes, preaching, the life of ministry, time in the Word, deeply considering life in light of God, living a life of love and service to Laura, have all refined him to be a better man because he is a Christian man.

I pray you are allowing God to make you better because you belong to Him. I am proud of and thankful for my humble brother and pray I can be like him as he is like Christ.