Do You Have the Receipts?


“They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11b).


There is an interesting statement that is making the rounds in our society. “I have
the receipts!” It’s a novel way of saying, “I’m telling the truth, and I can prove it.”
The origin of this statement, no doubt, is the policy of many stores to require a receipt (paper or digital) in order to accept a return.


Jesus tasked His disciples (including you and me) with spreading His gospel to all people throughout the world. As Paul fulfilled that commission in Berea, he proclaimed the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to them. Unlike those he previously preached to in Thessalonica, the open-minded Bereans gave Paul a fair hearing. But before accepting what he taught, they checked to see if he “had the receipts” (i.e. they searched the scriptures to verify that Paul spoke the truth).


We cannot expect people to believe what we teach them about Jesus unless we, like Paul, “have the receipts.” In fact, many people in our culture are more skeptical than ever. Fact checking is virtually essential to make certain that one is not being duped or scammed.


We owe it to our neighbors (and to the Lord) to know the Bible well enough to lovingly point people to God’s word, which is truth (John 17:17). Jesus said the truth will make people free from the slavery of sin (John 8:32). That being the case, we must strive to “have the receipts” at all times. If we don’t, we have no right to expect people to believe our message.


Be a Light for Christ in 2025!
 
Dennis

How is Your Faith Doing?
 
How important is faith to a Christian? The Bible says, “…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is…” (Heb 11:6). Moreover, the apostle Paul added, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Co 5:7). Clearly, faith is as crucial to the Christian as air is to human life.
 
As important as faith is, it is rarely static; it can increase or decrease. Who can forget how Peter’s faith fluctuated when Jesus walked on the sea to approach His disciples (Mat 14:25ff). Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." Jesus gave the command and Peter, abounding with faith, stepped out of the boat and onto the water. “…but when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid…" In a few moments, Peter and his faith sank like a stone. Jesus, pulling him to safety said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
 
Since faith is crucial to our relationship with God, we need to be aware of the factors that can negatively impact our faith. Six such factors include:
 
1. Worry & Anxiety Over Adverse Circumstances.
·       Unexpected “storms” - hardships, illness, setbacks and bad news can definitely shake our faith!
·       We can, however, withstand such circumstances with God’s help. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Php 4:6-7).
 
2. Willful or Unrepentant Sin.
·       Sin not only displeases God, but it can devastate our faith.
·       Heb 3:12-13 says, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; (13) but exhort one another daily, while it is called "today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
·       Which is why we must do our best (with God’s help – 1 Cor 10:12) to resist temptation.
 
3. Lack of Communication with God – Prayer.
·       In Luk 18:1 we read, “Then (Jesus) spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…”
·       The first sign that a relationship is in trouble is a decrease in communication.
·       To maintain our faith, we MUST pray without ceasing – 1 Thes 5:17.
·       Prayer is not just communication—it’s connection.
 


To be continued…


Be a Light for Christ in 2025


Dennis