On D.E.C.K. with Roderick...

Am I Committed? Self-examination is a vital component to the Christian life. Without it, the Christian will not experience personal growth and spiritual maturity. Paul challenged his readers to examine themselves… Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. 2 Cor 13:5 (KJV) Self-examination in the life of the Christian serves a two-fold purpose. The first is to ensure that the individual is walking as a true Christian (characterized by the words “in the faith”). The second purpose is to propel the Christian to a greater expression of Christ’s character and nature in their daily walk. From this, we can see the importance of self-examination. Self-examination always leads to questions. These questions should challenge you to look at yourself in a candid fashion. One important question that should arise through self-evaluation is “Am I Committed?” Commitment keeps you focused during difficult times. It helps bring stability to your life when things around you ar

It should be the desire of every Christian to be a useful and productive servant of the Lord; that is, a worthy Christian. On any job, qualified individuals are sought to fill positions. We know that anyone that is qualified makes necessary adjustments and work hard to obtain the necessary skills. The same is true of the Christian. We have to be willing to adjust and work towards being a qualified and productive servant. Jesus’ words to the disciples reveal to us that He would have it no other way, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matt 5:13 (KJV)      With these things in mind, the question arises, “How can I become a qualified Christian?” Many steps can one use to maintain their usefulness to the work of Christ. If the Christian employs these steps, he will become and remain a qualified servant of Christ. Let us briefly explore t

What is your reason for living? Is it your spouse, family, job, ministry, friends, or even yourself? For the Christian, the reason for our existence should be Christ. When Christ is not at the center of our being, we will struggle internally to continue to serve Him. We must remember that He gave His life that we would have eternal life. On the shores of the beach, Jesus came to the disciples and ate with them. He asked Peter: “Lovest thou Me more than these? Or, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15)     We must consider this question and our answer presently. Whatever you love will become your reason for living. It will become the “these” in your life. There have been many speculations of what is the subject of “these” in Jesus’ question to Peter. There are two popular viewpoints. First, they represented the fish. Peter and some of the others had returned to their former profession of fishing. Second, they represented the other disciples. Since Peter denied the Lord on the nig

     To believe or not to believe is the question at hand. Foundational to the Christian life is the ability to have faith; that is, believe. Without a belief in the work of God through Jesus Christ, one cannot enter into salvation. Moreover, the obtained salvation cannot be maintained without an ever-growing faith, hope, and belief in God. Our belief in God has to go beyond a general belief in His existence. It has to expand to a solid belief in His power and ability to move on the behalf of man. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:24 (KJV)      Why is it hard at times to maintain an unwavering faith God? Even after He has done so many things apparently, it can still be difficult to trust Him. Many believe and do not believe, simultaneously. They know that God answers prayer and can do all things, but the breakdown is that they do not believe that God will do it for THEM. Many Christians do not strugg

  As a boy, I participated in the Boy Scouts. Part of the activities of the group consisted of survival training.  We had to learn certain skills in order to receive badges. The skills learned were to be used in various situations that could arise in one’s life. In the kingdom of God, we must learn the necessary skills to survive in a world that is becoming opposed to God and His Christ. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…Isaiah 43:2-3 (KJV)      God promised Israel that they would survive any situations that came upon them because He was with them. As a Boy Scout, I was taught to depend on my training and ingenuity. This made the effectiveness of the training limited for survival rested on me alone. However, in the kingdom of God, once we hav

In military action, they have covert operations. These are military campaigns, which are done undercover to surprise and subdue the adversary. In Christianity, there is a covert operation in place by the adversary; that is, frustration. Frustration is an inevitable part of life; even the Christian life. Frustration surfaces because life does not stop. Even those that have faith in God can sometimes sink into this pit of discouragement, depression, and despair. The words of David become the hallmark of existence, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Psalms 22:1 (KJV)           Have you ever wondered: Why does God allow us to suffer? Why does He seem so uninterested at times to our supplications and prayers? It feels as if He does not care about what we are going through. We know from David’s words and the words of Christ on the cross that it happens in the life of those who possess faith in God.        We may n