Is God Punishing Me With Singleness?

Is singleness a blessing or a curse?

Is God punishing me with singleness?

1 Corinthians 7:7

Is God punishing you with singleness? Is Christian singleness a curse or a blessing?

The Bible answers all questions like these indirectly and directly. What follows is a foundational understanding of what the Bible says about singleness.

The Bible says singleness is a gift, so God is not punishing you with singleness. However, marriage is a gift too. God can withhold marriage not as punishment but as a form of loving discipline to help correct your sinful behavior.

Why You Should Stop “Putting God First to Find a Spouse”

“Putting God First to Find a Spouse” Is Biblically Backwards

1 Corinthians 10:31

What I’m about to say is going to come off as blasphemous at first. So please read this whole article to get the full context of this statement. If you do, I believe you will better enjoy your Christian singleness and be better situated to find a Christian spouse. Alright, here it goes:

Stop trying to put God first as a way of finding your future spouse.

What Does the Bible Say About the Ends Justifying the Means?

Do Marketing Tactics, Strategies, and Human Wisdom Have a Place in Christian Ministry?

What Does the Bible Say About the Ends Justify the Means

Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.-2 Chronicles 16:7

Does the Bible say that the ends justify the means? In other words, does God care about what we accomplish for him, how we accomplish it, or both? The Bible is very clear that in God’s eyes, the ends never justify sinful means.

How To Be Used Mightily By God (Part 2)

4 Prerequisites to Being Used By God Found in John 21:1-19

HOW TO BE USED MIGHTILY BY GOD

In part 1 of this blog series called, “How to be used mightily by God,” we learned that Jesus prepared Peter to be used in great ways by reminding him of his need to listen to Jesus.

Through comparing John 21:1-19 and Luke 5:1-11, we saw how Jesus had to repair the damage Peter had done to himself when he betrayed Jesus. The way Jesus did this was by reminding Peter of how their relationship had begun in the first place.

In part 2 of “How to be used mightily by God” we will talk about three more prerequisite actions Jesus helped Peter do to be prepared for God using him. If we prepare in these three ways as well, God will use us for his purposes.

What Should You Do When You Don’t Feel Like Worshipping God?

What should you do when you don't feel like worshipping GodAll this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.-2 Corinthians 4:15

Let’s be honest. As Christians, sometimes we just don’t feel like worshipping God. It’s tempting to give some comforting words like, “And that’s okay.” But frankly it’s not okay. Throughout the Bible, we are told to glorify and worship God all the time (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17).

So when we don’t feel like worshipping God, this is a huge problem for us. But what can be done? The answer: dwell on the gospel, meaning the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

How To Be Used Mightily By God (Part 1)

4 Prerequisites to Being Used By God Found in John 21:1-19

HOW TO BE USED MIGHTILY BY GOD

God can use anyone. God even uses men and women who are in rebellion against him like he did with Pharaoh (Exodus 9:17). God can use men and women who love him and yet have moments of backsliding like Moses did (Numbers 20:2-13). While God can use anyone, he prefers to use a certain type of person.

8 Awesome Christian Books You Probably Have Not Read

christian books must read

Proverbs 13:20

Looking for a great Christian book that engages your mind and heart? There are so many options now days. Too many really. You’ve probably read many of the Christian classics: Mere Christianity, Pilgrim’s Progress, Basic Christianity, Knowing God, and the list could go on for miles.

My hope in this post is to expose you to some awesome Christian books that engage your mind and heart but that you’ve probably never read.

24 Signs Your Church Is Super Healthy

Built to Last

signs of a healthy church

Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:16

Click here to download the pdf version. (This article was also published on ChurchLeaders.com)

Recent statistics show that every year in the US, 4000 churches close their doors while only 1000 new churches are planted. Among existing churches, half did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years. From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations dropped by almost 5 million members, while the US population rose by 24 million.1

These are alarming statistics!

Each church that shuts down represents real people who have lost their church family. So if you are someone looking for a new church, someone wondering if their church is built to last, or someone who would love to help their church improve, here are 24 signs of a super healthy church.