What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Many years ago an older Pastor gave me some advice about marriage. He said, “The world thinks marriage is about give and take, but marriage is really about give and give”.
He went on to say that giving and serving your partner is the best way to have a long and happy marriage. I was a new Christian and had not met my wife yet, but the advice always stayed with me.
I can honestly say as a Christian man, this is the best advice I have ever received.
Here is another good answer to the question, “Do we go straight to heaven when we die?”
As we see in the video some branches of Christianity believe we go purgatory to be punished before we go to heaven or others believe we have a period of soul sleep when we die and we are awakened when Jesus returns.
The Bible teaches we go straight in to God’s presence when we die as Christians. This video from GotQuestions.org outlines this position with numerous Bible verses to back it up.
Here is a good explanation of progressive theology. In short progressive theology adds worldly ideas in with the Christian faith and the truths of the Bible.
Progressive theology approaches the Bible with a set of beliefs and tries to make them fit. It approaches the Bible with a set of beliefs and interprets the Bible from their established position.
This is opposite to true Christianity which reads and interprets the Bible in a way that tries to understand the original meaning. It then draws out these truths and tries to apply them to our daily lives.
Today’s reading and devotion is from Philippians 4:2-9. It is titled, “Words of encouragement”. In this passage three things spoke to me.
Get on well with each other
In verse 2 Paul appeals to Euodia and Syntyche. “Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement”.
It is so important that we get on well because the world is watching and Jesus said people will know we are His disciples because our love for one another.
Don’t worry, pray
Verse 6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”.
Sometimes I think worry is the default setting for us who live in this world. This is why prayer is so important. We connect with God and exchange our needs and concerns for His peace (v7).
Focus on what is good
In verse 8 Paul says, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”.
Finally Paul encourages us to focus on what is good. He says to “fix our thoughts” on these things. We need to keep a Kingdom focus.
So today let us get on well with each other, don’t worry and keep praying, and focus on what is good. If we do these things, then “the God of peace will be with us” (v9).
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