Gregory E. Lang's Blog, page 14

Kirkus Review is in!

A Christian author offers simple, pragmatic advice to the faithful in this nonfiction work.

Presented as a collection of letters written to unnamed “friends and loved ones,” Lang’s book offers practical advice on how to live out the basic teachings of Christianity, distilled down to Jesus’ maxims to love God and one’s neighbor. The author deliberately eschews complex doctrinal questions, asserting that it is “better for you to begin acting like a Christian as soon as you can rather than wait until you are intellectually satisfied with theological answers to your questions.” Writing on the importance of humility, the author highlights the virtue’s connection to kindness and an “unassuming spirit, which is easy for others to befriend.” A letter about envy notes that Christian duties of “unselfish love and unambitious intentions” are not compatible with materialistic cravings. Other topics addressed among the book’s 42 letters include self-control, forgiveness, gratitude, and service. While Lang’s approach to Christianity here is broadly Protestant and evangelical in its emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus and the primacy of Scripture, it is also ecumenical. Thus, while Catholic or Orthodox doctrines or liturgical approaches may not be highlighted, the author is careful not to exclude them from his practical advice. (A chapter on worship, for example, emphasizes that “Worship takes many forms,” and includes participation in sacraments alongside singing, prayer, and preaching.) This is an accessible book whose target audience is those seeking ways to pragmatically apply Christianity to everyday life. Readers looking for in-depth theological discussions will be disappointed, though the author, who holds a doctorate in child and family development, is careful to back up his advice with an ample assortment of Bible verses. The book unfortunately avoids guidance on how Christians should approach contemporary political discourse and important social issues; still, Lang’s empathetic approach is certainly welcome.

An accessible, if not particularly deep, exploration of Christian living. - Kirkus Reviews

Meaning

You understand your purpose, and you know that you must believe. Now, one day, you will feel drawn to give meaning to your life. All creatures desire significance in their existence; we want to believe we made a difference in the world and left something worthy behind so that others will remember us. Resist the temptation to find meaning in worldly pursuits, no matter how worthy they may seem. Resist the temptation to congratulate yourself or boast of your talent or wisdom as you experience new accomplishments. Be sure of your motives in all that you do and give yourself to. You are not forbidden from being righteous before men but from making it your goal to be seen as righteous for the sake of receiving their praise. The world and its expectations are fickle, and you will never be satisfied if you think your life’s meaning is to be found in praise from men.

Instead, find your meaning in serving God. Do not find meaning in anything you have done in the past, or expect more meaning to be found in what you plan to do in the future. For yesterday is gone, and tomorrow may never come. Live as if today were your last day, surrendering every aspect of your life to God, seeking to live more and more as Christ lived, even in your final moments. Your meaning, in fact, your satisfaction in life will be found in your earnest pursuit of serving the God who created you.

The true meaning of life is to know and obey God as your Creator, to enjoy the rest of God’s creation, and to reflect his character so that others may see some of the beauty of God as you know and experience him in Christ. The hope you have in Christ should be the source of your greatest joy. As God’s child, you have a glorious hope of eternal life, a hope not only of eternal existence but that you become a joint heir with Christ. Let your meaning be defined by a heavenly inheritance that is yet to come but is as sure to come as the sun rises on every new day.

Again, find your meaning in your relationship with God. Praise God and enjoy the blessings he has put before you today. Always remember there is meaning in every breath you draw because you are a representative of Christ, and your actions should give meaning to what he has done for you. God gives you meaning, and that meaning should drive you to fulfill your only purpose, and to remind you, that is to glorify him. Look for meaning elsewhere, and it will indeed be very difficult for you to achieve your purpose. What is life without your divine purpose?

Child of God, let your existential quest for meaning begin and end with God. There is meaning in knowing and sharing the Gospel. Be an effective and productive child of God, commit yourself to the meaning you have in Christ, and refuse to let anyone lead you astray. Be a beacon of light and shine brightly so others can see what you do for your Lord. May your meaning in Christ always guide you into righteousness. Amen.

The post Meaning appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Believe

Friend, it can be easy to let doubts and reservations creep in and cause your belief to waver. You might ask how you can believe what you cannot see. Indeed, I asked this question myself before I believed. Today, I understand that such a question assumes that God should be reducible to our human level of understanding. You must not attempt to reduce the nonreducible; you cannot comprehend the ways of God. You must worship him by faith rather than evidence. Do we want our God to be easily comprehended within the limitations of our simple reasoning abilities? Do we want our God to be that small? How, then, could we be in awe of him if we could rationally understand his ways? It is better, isn’t it, to worship a God who is incomprehensible on a scale so grand that he is far beyond the precise understanding of those who worship him?

Now, be still and consider the origin of the intricate design of a rosebud just before it blooms, the beauty of the constellations set against a dark night sky, and how the birds know that it is morning before the sun rises. Creation and all other miracles are the evidence of God’s existence shown to you so that you might more easily believe in him. Yet, those who believe without seeing are even more blessed, for they walk by faith instead of sight. Increase your belief without evidence but instead with trusting faith, and you will grow more intimate with the Lord. If your belief should wane, and it most likely will from time to time, rush to kneel and pray that it will swiftly increase! God loves those who earnestly seek him; your prayer for increased belief will most certainly be answered.

Moreover, believe in Christ and his resurrection, too, for that also pleases God. It is through the sufferings of Christ that you are enabled to come to God. Without Christ and his death on the cross, there would be no reconciliation with God. You are reconciled with God when you believe in the atoning work of his Son. The Father promises if you believe and trust in Christ, his Son, he will give you this eternal life you hear me speak of. Believe that what lies ahead for believers is far greater than anything that has or will come to pass in the present world. This is the promise of God to those who believe in the saving grace of his Son: you will see a new Heaven and a new Earth and live an eternal life with a heavenly inheritance, affording you more joy than you can now imagine.

Your belief in God and His teachings is essential to establishing your faith. I encourage you to read and study the Bible to increase your belief in God the Father and Christ your Savior. By reading and studying the Bible, you will gain a deeper understanding of God’s Word and His teachings. I also encourage you to pray. By talking to God in prayer, you can express your most troubling thoughts, feelings, and doubts to him, and in doing so, you will strengthen your relationship with him. And I encourage you to attend church and fellowship with other believers so that you may gain encouragement and support as you seek to increase your belief.

Please always remember that living a Christian life is a long journey that takes time, effort, and practice to strengthen and deepen your commitment to God. Do not tire of this worthy pursuit. I assure you that by incorporating the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and worship into your routine, you will experience an increase in your belief in God and his ways.

Friend, please push yourself beyond simply believing in God—believe God. Your belief in God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit and their love for you will remind you and bind you to your purpose. There is no better reassurance than to believe God. Even Christ said, “Just believe.” For you, I pray that your belief in our holy God and all his divine attributes will increase in abundance each day. May it be so!

The post Believe appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Holy Spirit

Friend, I have shared good news with you in my previous letters. Indulge me while I teach you a little more. As I’ve told you, you cannot fix yourself. Consequently, you might be afraid that you will experience failure at Christian living because it seems such an unlikely way to live, even if you believe in everything you have learned thus far. Well, I have more good news. Jesus told the apostles he was sending an “advocate” to be their helper. That advocate, the Holy Spirit, would help them carry out their assignment. The Holy Spirit is, thanks be to God, with you now and desires to help you as well.

The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God, are equal and work in harmony with one another. The three persons of the Trinity are intimately related, mutually indwelling one another and sharing the divine essence. The Father is the creator; he chooses, plans, and wills. The Son is the fulfiller; he obeys the Father and does His will. The Spirit dwells in us, pointing us to the Father and the Son. The uniqueness of the Holy Spirit is his loving and influential living presence within you on a day-to-day basis. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would live within each of us who believe. Your indwelling advocate empowers you to live victoriously for the cause of Christ and the glory of God. You need the Holy Spirit as a facilitator to become who God created you to be, and through his power, you have divine assistance in all situations. Tempted by sin? Call on the Holy Spirit. Burdened with fear? Call on the Holy Spirit. Struggling to demonstrate the attributes of Christian living? Call on the Holy Spirit!

Praise the Lord, for the Holy Spirit lives within you, changing your heart, giving you increasing faith, and transforming your life. In the Old Testament, God was so glorious that no one could approach him. Today, because of grace and the great blessing of atonement and redemption, God the Father and God the Son dwell in you through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Friend, if you were to heartfully commit yourself to following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will assure your success. Your advocate will help you tune into the voice of God and, in faith, follow through with whatever you believe he is calling you to. The Holy Spirit will help you in practical ways, giving you insight into what you read in the Bible and helping you recall what you have learned through the scriptures. He brings to your mind understanding and truth. He empowers you with wisdom and compassion and the ability to respond as Jesus would to the circumstances of your life.

The fact that God is Triune – three persons in eternal relationship – should remind you that relationships are what life is meant to be about. Life is not about power, possessions, or success. It’s about thriving in loving relationships, especially with the Lord. May it be so for you and yours, forever and ever. Amen

The post Holy Spirit appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Atonement and Redemption

Beloved, we sinners owe a moral debt to a holy and just God because we disobey his commands daily. We cannot of ourselves ever pay this moral debt because it requires something we do not have to offer: a blameless life free of sin. Jesus, however, sinless and without blame, paid this moral debt on our behalf by offering his perfect life on the cross as a ransom for our souls. This glorious act of perfect sacrifice was the atonement, the making right of a great wrong, that is, the created sinning against the Creator. Christ’s death satisfied our moral debt to God forever and always and redeemed (freed) us from condemnation and eternal death. You are redeemed by the atoning work of Christ. Friend, praise God! You have been delivered from sin and unto an eternal heavenly life!

Christ died for all, and they who believe are saved. Christ, suffering until death on the cross, made the atonement for all mankind, effecting your redemption. But where the atonement was an event that took place “once for all,” redemption is constantly taking place within the hearts of all of God’s people, including you. Because you are forgiven and are under God’s grace, you are no longer a slave to sin. Yet, you remain imperfect; therefore, sin will continue to tempt you in all its power and effect. You must resist this temptation. Guard yourself against thinking and behaving as if you claim the benefits of atonement but do not see the need to honor it with a reformed life. If you truly believe your life is saved through Jesus Christ, then your life must leave your old ways and move in the direction of God’s will.

Friend, I beg you not to consider yourself beyond forgiveness. I once was of this mind, and I realize now it is a very arrogant thing to think. My sins are more powerful than the atoning power of Jesus’ sacrifice? Certainly not! Let us not think such foolish thoughts, for it is precisely what the evil one wants us to believe so that we might become doubters and unwittingly invite him to use us for his wicked ways. Not one of us, not even you or me, have sinned so much that we cannot be forgiven and saved. Your redemption is secure when you genuinely believe in the Lord and the efficacy of his blood, which was shed for thee.

By God’s generous grace, you have never been any more redeemed or free than you are today, and this truth shall remain the truth forever more. Amen.

The post Atonement and Redemption appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Grace

Friend, I’m sure you agree with me that most human interactions are transactional in nature. We exchange value for value and favor for favor. I do something for you, and you do something for me in return. Often, whether openly acknowledged or not, this creates a cycle of indebtedness to one another. I am moved to do something for you because you recently did something for me. I may become unwilling to do more for you because you have not recently returned my favors, so I decide to withhold future favors from you until the reciprocal exchange resumes.  In such a dynamic, it is difficult to prove that my motive for engaging with you at all is my love for you rather than my hope for some selfish gain.

I’m writing to tell you, and I want you to believe it, that unlike you, me, and others who look at our fellow man from a perspective of earning and deserving, Jesus always considers us with unconditional love. How wonderful that he does not withhold himself from us until we are obedient and worthy. This is most true when you sincerely ask yourself what can you give him that is fair repayment for what he has done for you? The honest answer is a big nothing. You, as am I, are a sinner who always falls short of the glory of God. Try as you might to live a life without sin, you will always be broken and unworthy. And just as you did not create yourself, neither can you fix yourself. That is why grace is such a wonderful thing. Grace, unmerited favor, is the expression of Christ’s unconditional love for you. It is when, even if you are doing the very things you should not do or refuse to do the things that are asked of you, you continue to be loved by your Savior and receive his blessings, though you do not deserve even one. Christ’s abundant grace should be most reassuring to you because it means you are not required to merit his favor. Indeed, you cannot earn your salvation. Instead, grace is an unmerited gift of divine favor that first results in your salvation and then continues to operate in you to bring about the righteous nature that God desires in you.

Friend, grace is getting what you don’t deserve and not getting what you do deserve.  It is grace that saved you, grace that sustains you, and grace that keeps you from falling. You nor I would be saved if grace were not undeserved favor and were it not a constant in the heart and nature of God. More than this, as though salvation alone is not enough, grace is also the holy influence that works within you to change your prideful thoughts of merit after achievement to thoughts of thanksgiving and praise for what you have received, that you have been saved for an eternal life where you will enjoy infinitely more than you deserve. Think on this, and often, for your right relationship with God depends on you seeing grace for what it is, a priceless gift from him. I pray your awareness and appreciation of grace will stir up gratitude and obedience, resulting in a life that brings increasing pleasure and glory to the Lord. Amen.

The post Grace appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Jesus

My friend, the subject of this letter, Jesus, is of immeasurable importance. Please take a deep breath, clear your mind of all distractions, and pay close attention to what I am about to teach you, for it is a challenging thing to comprehend. In fact, it is quite difficult to condense all that can be understood about Jesus into a single brief letter, so I urge you to consider this only a primer. If my teaching appeals to you at all, commit yourself to learning more through your study and curiosity. You will be richly rewarded for the time you spend discovering more about Jesus.

Now, on to the reason I am writing to you. You are a broken person living in a broken world and, as such, are constantly bombarded by the temptation of sin. In the exercise of your free will, you inevitably do the very things you ought not to do. Your sin renders you unclean and unholy in the sight of God, thus you are rightly separated from him. How is it, then, that a broken and unholy person can glorify a God who demands perfection in his creature? You may aspire to holiness, but sadly, you will never achieve it because you, as am I, are cursed with an inherited sin nature passed down to us through our disobedient forefathers, beginning with Adam. As much effort as you may invest in being good, you can never be good enough, for the weakness of the flesh will always fail you. Therefore, what to do? Friend, you need an advocate to represent you before God, and in fact, you have the perfect one in Jesus Christ.

 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our advocate, is your Savior. He is your Savior because only he, who is God himself on Earth in the form of man, is able to protect you from the just punishment you, a sinner, are due. Although born into a broken world, Jesus was not conceived by man. Thus, he had no sin nature, and without a sin nature he was able to obey God completely and with absolute perfection. Thus blameless because he violated not one of God’s commandments (was without sin), he stands before God on the merit of his righteousness.  And in his unlimited and uncompromising love for you, knowing your weaknesses and inabilities, he gave himself as a willing sacrifice for the benefit of you, indeed for all men, to pay the penalty of sin so that you might live in Heaven in the presence of God where you will glorify him, just as intended. Wonderful! Yes, but how is this amazing thing accomplished?

If the wages of sin are death, and you and I, as sinners, are surely destined to die, what is the reward for living a life absent of sin? Life! Jesus, the lamb without blemish who was slain, defeated death, and is now in the company of God where he, stirred by his love for you, through grace (unmerited favor), extends his boundless righteous credit to cover your debt when you profess your belief that the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is far more than enough to overshadow, indeed erase, your guilt as a sinner. Christ satisfied the wrath of God once and for all time. God is so pleased in the faith and work of Christ that his good pleasure overflows and reaches all men who cling to Christ as their hope for eternal survival. Yes, Christ died in this world so that dead men might live with him in the next. This is an invaluable offer, and I beg you to accept it.

Friend, it took me a long time to understand this, and it might for you, too. I pray that you spend time reading the Bible, praying, and fellowshipping with other believers so that what I have written to you may become more believable and irresistible. I pray this because it is my heart’s desire that we will enjoy God in Heaven together for eternity. Amen.

The post Jesus appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Your Purpose

Friend, this letter brings you a lesson of immeasurable importance; consider this carefully. As I have already told you, the foundation of Christianity is built upon our proper relation to God as our Creator. You must understand that you are not your own; you belong to God. You are a splendid jar of clay made with his very hands. He designed and formed you. And just as you are not your own, your purpose in this world is not your own; instead, it belongs to God. God’s purpose for you is your only ordained purpose. Your ordained purpose is the very reason you were created, and you were created to glorify God. You have but one objective in life: to please the Lord through praise and worship of him. God owes you nothing, but you owe him everything!

Therefore, do not seek anything other than the glory of God and his approval of you. Spend your time and energy in constant devotion to him, giving your whole life to his praise and glory, pressing through every difficulty in your path in faithful pursuit of fulfilling your purpose. Then, not only will you please God, but he will show you his pleasure, fill you with hope, and prosper you with Heavenly blessings. Friend, blessings on Earth are one thing, but those that await you in Heaven far exceed the riches of this world! Please, do not lust and labor for worldly treasures for your gratification today, for not one of them will sustain you. Only your Creator sustains you; he is worthy of your every effort, ceaseless praise, and undivided devotion.

This is a difficult teaching, but learn it you must. To glorify God, much is required of you. For example, you must always be willing to go to uncomfortable places or endure uncomfortable experiences if doing so brings credit and praise for the Lord. Never tolerate any avoidance of your purpose in yourself. Never self-indulge in any practice or opinion that is not agreeable to a holy God. Always be aware of every thought on your mind and the words coming from your mouth, and let both be an example to others of what a God-honoring life looks like. Take no credit for being a good person; do nothing for your praise and glory, for you cannot save yourself. Jesus, the manifestation of God in the flesh, has done that work for you.  So instead, praise God that he holds you upright in his mighty and merciful hand.

I know it is tempting to think you know what is best for you and to imagine what will be your lasting legacy. But your legacy will not last, for all worldly things pass away and are forgotten over time. Only Heavenly things will endure. It is far better that your legacy be that you had the saving knowledge of Christ, as shown by your loyal, heartfelt obedience to his commands. Strive to know his commands and abide in them. They are quite simple: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Do that, and you will live forever.

 Remember always that you are an image-bearer of the Almighty God. You were created to bring glory to him, to honor him, to praise his name, to thank him for his abundance in your life, and to praise him for his endless grace, the riches of his love, his splendor, and majesty as a God who is righteous and just. This is the very purpose of man – to glorify God in every way, all of the time. Go to him daily in reverence and awe and willfully submit to your purpose!

Again, Child of God, give glory to God in Christ and represent him well. Remember, your Father in Heaven wants to bless you, prosper you, and help you find joy in all his creation because he loves you. Where else might you find a love such as this! It is fitting, then, I think, to give yourself entirely to him and his plans for you in a spirit of thanksgiving and posture of obedience. If you agree, and I pray you do, labor for the Lord, making him known through your righteous words and deeds, and praise him in your thoughts and words. I encourage you as a friend and one who loves you to accept, embrace, and fulfill your purpose. Thanks be to God for all that you will accomplish in his name. Amen.

The post Your Purpose appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Awe of God

Friend, let us begin at the beginning. What better place in the whole collection of God-breathed words to encounter our first conflict between God and the world than Genesis 1:1. I tell you the truth: these ten words are pivotal to your journey through the remainder of your coming to know God. The foundation of Christianity is laid in our relation to God as our Creator. If you do not believe Genesis 1:1 without any qualification or rationalization, if you cannot take the verse on its face and believe that God is the origin, the author, of all things, that he needed no help to turn nothing into something, and not just any something but something as grand and splendorous as the star-filled galaxy and the vestibular system within your inner ears that keeps you upright in that galaxy as the world spins on its axis at more than 1000 miles per hour, you will gain little if anything from my letters.

God–the name of the Supreme Being. One of the main themes of Genesis is to establish the sovereignty of God. The sovereignty, the full right and power to govern oneself without any interference from outside sources, of God. There is absolutely nothing that happens in the universe that is outside of God’s influence and authority. As King of kings and Lord of lords, God has no limitations. The sovereignty of God is not merely that God has the power and right to govern all things but that He does govern all things, always and without exception. God is not simply sovereign in principle but sovereign in practice.

Genesis 1:1 affirms God alone is eternal and that all else owes its origin and existence to him. No doubt, the very first verse of the Bible is a major stumbling block for those who place their faith in science. Your first surrender during this journey is to accept what you may not understand as truth and to believe in God and what he says. If you fail to do that, you hold science in higher esteem than God. You must not attempt to reduce the nonreducible; you cannot comprehend the ways of God. You must worship him by faith rather than evidence. As a wise man once said, “If you understand, it is not God.” (St. Augustine)

The real danger of dismissing the miracle of creation is that such thoughts introduce doubt about the truth of the whole Bible. Doubt is insidious and pervasive, a great arrow in the enemy’s sheath. Doubt about the truth of Genesis 1:1 will lead you to doubt that Adam was formed from dirt and Eve from his rib. When you dismiss these and all other miracles, you put aside the very evidence given to you that should leave you with your mouth dropped in awe of God.

But you are tempted to understand the miracles of the Bible with the aid of science, aren’t you? Be warned: do not burden your mind with efforts to fuse science and the word of God; such is to attempt a peace accord between God’s truth and man’s knowledge. Such is to believe the knowledge of man is equal to the wisdom of God. It is not necessary here to discredit science but to put it in its proper place, and that place is not just after God but also beneath God.

An abundance of scientific evidence suggests the universe had a beginning. If there was a beginning, there was a cause for that beginning. Since the beginning, we have had a very complex universe, an intricate system of cause-and-effect forces that work together for the mutual benefit of the whole. The Earth is not breaking down before our eyes and devolving into random chaos, but it is stable, sustained, and predictable; the Earth and its living creatures are an amalgam of particularities that work together according to a design—a masterful design—not by chance.

There was a cause that brought about a beginning that resulted in something that is the product of a masterful design. What was that cause? We cannot say it was something else without falling into the trap of explaining one beginning with an endless regression of causes that begot other beginnings, predating the beginning that resulted in us. According to God, he created the heavens and the earth; they were not formed from any pre-existing materials but made from nothing. Again, be in awe!

Only something that had no beginning but rather always was and is and will be could be the agent that caused the beginning, and that would be God. God is the uncaused cause of all finite things. When Moses asked God for his name, his response was ” “I Am Who I Am”. It is clear God determines God; no one or anything else does. God is omnipotent (can do anything), omnipresent (is everywhere), and omniscient (knows everything), and on that divine authority, in the beginning, he created the heavens and the earth. 

In the beginning of time, this world was created by a Being of infinite wisdom and power, who was himself before all time and all worlds. This first verse declares the great and important truth that all things had a beginning, that nothing throughout the vast extent of nature existed from eternity, originated by chance, or from the skill of any inferior agent, but that God’s creative power produced the whole universe. God made heaven and earth out of nothing. The world was not eternal but had a beginning, and its creation was caused only by the power and wisdom of God, the first cause and sole author of all things.

Lay everything else aside, take a step in faith, and embrace Genesis 1:1, the first documented miracle, given to you so that you may know your Father’s awe-inspiring power and unfathomable brilliance. It is your first step in surrendering to God.

The post Awe of God appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Letters to a Friend: Simple Lessons in Christian Living (Introduction)

Dear Beloved Friend:

I write these little letters to give you advice that will keep you in the right relationship with God. A right relationship with God is more important than anything else you might enjoy in this world, but without proper attention,  it can be elusive for many of your days. I  want to help spare you any separation from God. My friend, there is an ongoing war between good and evil that will endure for a time, and your very soul is the object of this conflict. This war is not always obvious; it is often played out in subtle maneuvers on the battlefields of your heart and mind. The enemy utilizes so many distractions and falsehoods in this war that it would be easy for you to become preoccupied with pondering immediate and empirical things rather than things unseen and of a time beyond the here and now. I want your life to be of the utmost purpose, meaning, and peace that will last forever, so I want to teach you these few important lessons while I can about how to guard yourself against defeat by the attacks of this enemy.

My letters are more about what you should do and how to be in this world during this war than they are explanations for the inevitable Why questions that will arise during your daily struggles. It is perfectly fine to ask why questions; I have so many times myself, and truthfully, I often still do. But I think it better for you to begin acting like a Christian as soon as you can rather than wait until you are intellectually satisfied with theological answers to your questions. I think this because I believe God smiles on your good conduct even if you may not know the doctrine supporting your actions. As God smiles on you, you will enjoy his blessings, and those blessings will urge you to continue your good deeds, which, in turn, helps to open your heart and mind to explanations that might otherwise escape your understanding. This is your strategy for prevailing triumphant in this war, to discern and obey the will of God.

You may think my letters are repetitious, but the truth deserves repeating, and often. Practice makes perfect. All these lessons may not be believable and relatable to you just yet. Still, I promise, if you heed my advice and return to these letters often, your heart and mind will slowly be opened to an incomprehensible wonder you cannot ignore. This is my hope for you,  that you will know the Lord as I do, for that would mean we will one day be together in fellowship in Heaven into eternity. Oh, what a victorious blessing that will be! I thank God for you and pray that he and my letters will comfort you throughout your life. May it be so!

The post Letters to a Friend: Simple Lessons in Christian Living (Introduction) appeared first on Gregoryelang.