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Kreig Durham

Truth or Consequences? – Part 1

May 20, 2011 by Kreig Durham Leave a Comment

Consequences.

Everyone has experienced them. Everyone has been threatened with them. Everyone threatens others with them. They can be constructive or destructive. No one wants bad ones. Good ones can be used as an incentive for further good behavior. However, few people consider them before acting. Fewer people want to take responsibility when they turn out to be bad.

Newton’s 3rd Law of Physics tells us that for every action, there is an equal yet opposite reaction. The dictionary defines consequences as the effects, results, or outcomes of something occurring earlier. Most importantly, Scripture says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) So why is it that we so often live without regard to the consequences of our actions? We all want good consequences for the smallest grain of good that we do, but when we mess up, we fuss and fight over the just desserts of our actions. Why? A. W. Tozer put it this way in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, “Because man is born a rebel, he is unaware that he is one. His constant assertion of self, as far as he thinks of it all, appears to him a perfectly normal thing… Sin has many manifestations but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and from that elevated position declares, ‘I AM.’ ”

Part of maturity is the willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions, and the consequences of said actions. The price for a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) offence in New Mexico is considerable. One time, and you go to jail and get a whopping fine. Why, then, are there still so many drunk drivers on the road? With all the sorrow and death that drunk drivers have left in their wake, with the steep penalty, why do so many still do it? Mostly because they think, “It won’t happen to me. I won’t get caught. Nobody will get hurt.”

But there are always consequences, and the Bible shows us two sobering realities about the consequences of bad actions.

1. The fact of judgment. This is a fearful fact for those that do not know Christ as Savior. For those trusting in anything else but Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and glorious resurrection, eternity is not a happy future. For at the Great White Throne judgment, God will judge the lost according to their works, then will cast them forever into the literal Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Many Christians will look at this and think that at the end of their life, God will just smile and say “Well done,” give them a pat on the back, and applaud them for having made it to the pearly gates. However, we too will will stand at the judgment seat of Christ, and give an account of what we have done in this life for Christ. Our works will be tried by fire, and what counts for Christ will be gold, silver, and precious stone (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). All else will be wood, hay, and stubble. Oh you will still be saved, and your future in heaven with Christ is secure, but you will have no rewards – no crowns to lay at Jesus’ feet. Be sure, Christian, there is a day of reckoning.

2. Somebody always gets hurt. Sin first and foremost hurts the sinner. Proverbs 5:22 says, “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” You cannot sin without great personal detriment to yourself. When you sin, your relationship and communication with God is destroyed (Isaiah 59:1, 2; Psalm 68:18). Your mind and conscience are corrupted (1 Timothy 4:2). And God does say you will reap what you sow (by the way, you always reap more than you sow). And on and on the list could go. But not only does sin hurt the sinner, it affects people around you. “…for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:5). That’s a pretty stiff consequence to push on your great grandchildren. Your sin and mine will have an effect on others around us. God declares it in His Word, so you better bank on it.

Considering the tremendous consequences of our actions would keep us from a lot of trouble. Before you take that first little tiny step, consider where your choice will lead you. Don’t just think about the here and now. Stop and think. Think about the pain in your spouse’s eyes, or the disappointment on your parents’ faces, or the cost it will bring to you personally.

There are both good and bad consequences for our actions. Mature Christians must learn to think about those consequences, and take responsibility for them, both good and bad.

To read part 2, click here!

Filed Under: Bible, Blog

Only in My Life

May 14, 2011 by Kreig Durham Leave a Comment

Some people think they have really bad luck. They think that if something crazy is going to happen, it is going to happen to them. I submit to you that they are wrong, because I am that person. If there is any chance of something going askew in an altogether unforeseeable manner, it will happen to me. Why? Why me, of all the people on planet earth? I haven’t the slightest idea! Maybe it’s that God has a sense of humor…

You want examples? Well fine then, Mr./Mrs./Ms./Mz. Critic, I would be more than happy to share.

1. When the health inspector came through the dorms, whose room just so happened to have a dead mouse in it that we didn’t even know was there? Mine.

2. On the day I left to come back home from college this summer, whose back hatch to their SUV decided to just not open when the vehicle was still only half-packed, causing a 3-hour delay in departure? Yup. Mine.

3. Who runs into a random 7/11 attendant that just so happens to guess his name because of some two-bit film that nobody has ever seen? Me.

4. Who goes out soulwinning with a friend and runs into three drunk/high/strung out guys, one of which repeats everything he says and laughs (and later drives away after drinking about four beers), another who just agrees vehemently with whomever is speaking at that exact moment, and another who just so happens to be some crazy pagan/atheist/agnostic/philosophical apologist (and was also rolling a joint while speaking to him)? You probably guessed it. Yours truly!

5. Who gets his debit card deactivated because he used it a couple too many times at Walmart, the place he works at? No surprise here. Me.

My point? I don’t think I have one. I just wanted to let you know, the next time you think crazy things happen to only you, just call me up and ask me about Birdman, Moose Lady, Lady Who Curses at Beef Tongue, and the Woman Who Makes You Help Her Shop for Three Hours.

Filed Under: Blog, Humor

Knowing God Personally (It’s Not Just for Pastors!)

May 14, 2011 by Kreig Durham Leave a Comment

Psalm 103:7 says, “He [the LORD] made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” Moses was a man who walked with God, and knew Him personally. He knew God’s “ways.” That is, His manner of being and moral character. Moses knew the LORD personally. Yet, we see in this short verse that in contrast to one man who had a real, intimate walk with God, there were a couple million people who were only familiar with the things that God had done. They knew all about the Red Sea. They knew all about the Passover. They were very familiar with the water out of the rock, the impossible victories over heathen kings, the daily manna from heaven. But something was missing….

Moses knew Who God was (and is). Israel, by and large, knew what God had done for them.

Sadly, those who will seek God and know Him personally will always be in the minority. Such is the case in many of our churches today. Ask Average Joe Christian Who God is, and you will likely hear things like, “He’s the one that saved me. He’s the one that wrote the Bible. He’s the one that helps me when I’m in a bad way.” But God is so much more!

God is more than just the sum of all His actions! He is more than the Holy Savior Who died upon the cross for your sins and for mine, was buried, and three days later arose victorious over the grave! (Though I praise God every day that He did that for a bag of dirt like me!) He went to Calvary to atone for my sins so that I could have a relationship with Him! He is more than the God Who inspired holy men of old to pen the very Word of God, though that is more incredible than words can describe! He gave His Word so that finite, limited, sinful men, could know the infinite, unlimited, Holy One!

Isn’t it about time that we stop seeking the God-who-does-stuff-for-us and linger in the presence of the Almighty. The LORD of all heaven and earth, the God Who created the entire universe by speaking, the Lord and Savior of my soul wants to have a deep, personal relationship with me and with you! If this fact alone does not compel you to beg for God’s mercy and seek His face anew and afresh, I don’t know what will. Stop looking for the God you want, and come to know and obey the God Who is.

Filed Under: Bible, Blog

For Real

May 12, 2011 by Kreig Durham Leave a Comment

Two little words. We say them all the time, for two main reasons.

“Dude I can’t believe coach would just cut you like that. What a bummer.”

“For real…”

or…

“I don’t really know if that guy is for real or not.”

We all live in reality (well, most of us do anyway…). We desire the people around us to “be real” with us. When we experience something incredible, we usually say, “Pinch me I think I’m dreaming!” because we can hardly believe what we’re experiencing is real. We absolutely hate it when people accuse us of being fake, and we hate it even more when we find out someone we trust is actually faking.

But when God looks at you, blood-bought child of God, does He find someone who is being “for real” with Him? Or does He see right through the mask? The chameleon has an incredible ability to change the pigmentation of its skin to adapt to many situations: hiding from predators, intimidating a competing male, attracting a mate. It probably took a minute for you to find the chameleon in the above picture. However, when the chameleon becomes comfortable, he will always drop the disguise and return to his normal pigmentation. While this is vital to a chameleon’s existence, it is awful for a Christian’s. But I’m not talking about blending in with the world, but blending in with other Christians.

You go to church, you talk the Bible jargon, you preach, you teach a Sunday school class, and you win souls to the Lord – and on and on the list could go….

Yet inside you have no peace, no contentment, no joy. You struggle with assurance of your salvation. You don’t have a consistent walk with God. Proverbs 5:21 says, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.” When God looks at your life, He doesn’t see the polished shell you present the world. He sees your true colors. He sees that you don’t read your Bible, and when you do it’s with a heart to just “check it off the list.” He sees that you don’t have a real prayer life. He sees what you struggle with in your heart of hearts, though you may have yourself and everyone else convince that everything’s fine. God looks on your heart, and He knows it even when we can’t.

The challenge? The remedy? Be real with God!

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

1. Leave the unnecessary. Jesus Christ sacrificed from the moment of His birth until the day He died for our sins. The least you and I can do is sacrifice some things (good and bad) so that we can spend time with Him every day. 2. Leave the unrighteous. Get into the Light of the Word, and let it reveal you for who you are: then confess and forsake your sin before Holy God! 3. Determine to continue. Get up, with your heart and mind cleansed and renewed, and determine to keep running your own personal race before God. 4. Remember your Redeemer. Keep your eyes fixed steadfastly on Christ alone. Turn your eyes from absolutely everything that is not Jesus, and look day by day, moment by moment to Him.

God demands us to be “for real” Christians. It’s not an option, but rather a matter of obedience.

Filed Under: Bible, Blog

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Curt King and Kreig Durham are two Christians and nerds with a passion for studying and sharing the Word of God. Join them as they study through books of the Bible, diving into the Truth of the Word and injecting their own quirks and humor along the way! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebibleburrito/support

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1 John 3:11-24: Love is (Not) a Dagger
byCurt & Kreig

Chapter 3 of 1 John concludes with a case study of love. What is love? What does it look like? We dive into the second major theme of this letter: God is love. And because God is love, He expects His children to be examples of true love. From extreme examples of hatred like Cain to more reassurances about our relationship with God, we explore this fascinating passage.

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1 John 3:11-24: Love is (Not) a Dagger
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