Something that is important for every Christian to do periodically, if not daily, should be to evaluate the lines they’ve drawn in their life. They need to look at where these lines are drawn, why they are drawn there, and should they be drawn elsewhere? We draw lines in our relationships, in our budgets, what we physically put in our bodies, how much we work, etc. We also draw lines in terms of what we listen to, and what we watch.

As far as music goes, some Christians draw their line at lustful content. Some draw their line at cuss words, or maybe at anything that is not exclusively, “Christian.” When it comes to T.V. or movies, you’ll have some Christians who draw the line at nudity, others at sex scenes- even if there is no nudity, some draw the line at excessive cussing, magic, or extreme violence, and some seem to barely have a line at all.

When discussion over these lines occur, accusations of being, “too religious or strict,” and, “too liberal or loose,” often enter the conversation. How does one become, “too strict,” or, “too loose?” Let’s ask another question:

Why do we draw our lines where we do?

I think several factors play into where we draw our lines. These could include:

• Where our parents drew their lines, and to what extent we felt the need to obey or rebel against those lines.
• The culture in which we’ve grown up in. (You can examine this as general as what country you were raised in, or as specific as what town. I.e. San Francisco, California, versus Provo, Utah.)
• How mature, or immature you are in your walk with God.
• Where your spouse expects you to draw your line.
• The pros and cons of where lines could be drawn, and what you deem beneficial, or worth it.
  

This is not an all-encompassing list, but only what came first to my mind.

We’ve discussed the first question of where we’ve drawn our lines, then we addressed why we’ve drawn them there, and now thirdly…

Who really gets to decide where our lines should be drawn?

For Christians, the obvious answer should be that God decides this. He can’t decide that we will in fact draw our lines in a particular spot, but He does decide where they should be drawn. We have the free will of whether or not we will obey His leading, and good or bad consequences will naturally follow. So, how do we know where God wants us to draw them?

The best course of action is to first and foremost prayerfully read His word. The Bible is quite clear on certain lines that need drawn, while others can seem more ambiguous to us. I believe that God does not reside in a realm of ambiguity when it comes to sin, but rather certainty, and there are times where we need to just pursue Him more. No one on this earth has all the answers, and has perfect revelation.

We all have lines in places they shouldn’t be, and need the help of the Holy Spirit to discern which lines need moved, and which ones still need drawn.

God’s desire is to transform us from glory to glory, and help us to become more like Jesus. There is a perfect place to draw our lines, but we need to be relying on God to show us where that is- not ourselves, and not our friends. Sure, it can be helpful to ask mature believers what they think, but ultimately our plumb line must be God, and God alone.

I believe that if we are going to continue to grow and mature in our faith, and become more effective in showing others Jesus, then we should always be open to the Lord examining us. We need to be humble and teachable, sincerely asking Him to evaluate our actions, thoughts, intents and motives. If we allow Him to do this, He can better mold us into His likeness.

Let’s commit ourselves to a lifetime of praying:

“Examine me, O God, and know my mind. Test me, and know my thoughts. See whether I am on an evil path. Then lead me on the everlasting path.” (Psalm 139:23-24, GW).

The post Where Do You Draw The Line? first appeared on John Silkauskas.

Often times there’s one of two reasons we continue to see the same problems reoccur over and over and over again in our lives. In this short message John Silkauskas identifies those two reasons as well as shares the one way we’re certain to see the change we’re longing for. Real, true, miraculous, God sized change… Be inspired, be challenged and be blessed!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:20

The post The God Effect first appeared on John Silkauskas.

Today I am so grateful:

Grateful for life – just being alive and enjoying the simple things in life.

Grateful for where I am in my life and where I believe I’m going.

Grateful for all that God has done for me in my past and my present.

Grateful for the people that He has put in my life and blessed me with over the years.

And so I thank you God!

Thank you God for my family and friends!

Thank you God for all of the everyday luxuries I get to freely enjoy.

Thank you God for my health, for opportunity and provision.

Thank you God (for everything)!

What are grateful for?
Have you thanked God today?

Blessings,

John

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

The post Grateful… first appeared on John Silkauskas.

Recently God has been teaching me lessons in humility, some tougher than others. Each one is bringing me to an overwhelming sense of my need for Him and His grace and at the same time a humble gratitude.

As I become more and more aware of my own lack I become more and more aware of His abundance. And this leaves me both speechless and utterly grateful for His great love for me as He is patient and filled with kindness.

At first it’s painful but in the midst of God humbling me I become aware of a greater strength that lies within me – this is God Himself! “Christ in me the hope of glory” as the apostle Paul put it in Colossians. Humility is a good thing, it’s attractive, it’s Christlike, it precedes honor and it invites promotion!

And so my message for you today is be teachable, be willing, be humble and embrace your lessons in humility because there is great reward in this! When we humble ourselves we become aware of God’s empowering presence ready to assist us in that very moment! And the more we sense His presence the more joy we will have on a daily basis!

Praying for you friends,

John

“Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10

The post Lesson In Humility first appeared on John Silkauskas.

Do you ever get frustrated and wish you had someone to help you in everyday life?

I know I do! Sometimes I wish there was a manual on marriage, a mechanic on call, a last minute babysitter, someone who could help me when I feel in over my head or when I just don’t have a clue what I’m doing.

Although I may not have all of these things, I do know one who can help in all of these areas.

Do you know that God is our helper? He is! Over and over it’s all throughout scripture, even the very name of the Holy Spirit means helper!

I’ve come to take Him up on His offer more and more lately. I’ve lived long enough to know when someone is offering to help – you should let them! Over the years God has given me great joy and sweet peace, He has helped me through very difficult times and He loves to help me in the small things too!

Take my advice and ask Him for help today! Allow His Spirit to comfort you, direct you and HELP you! You will be glad you did, you will find life become a little easier and you will have more joy along the way!

Blessings,

John

“The Lord is my helper” Hebrews 13:6

He is faithful to help us ANYTIME WE NEED IT!

The post Help is Available first appeared on John Silkauskas.