© Photo: courtesy of Brian Vallelunga
Jesus isn’t running away from you; rather, He is pursuing you. In other words, Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart and waiting for you to invite Him in.
You simply need to acknowledge that He’s there because He loves you, recognize your need for Him, receive all that He has to offer, and walk in obedience to His commands. Then you will begin to get to know who Jesus is, and how much He loves you.
© Chris S. Esty
© Photo: courtesy of Erik Anderson
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; neither will the flame kindle upon you. (Isaiah 43:2)
Because people tend to fear the unknown, they’re often reluctant to step out in faith and give God full control of their lives. It is as though they feel they might miss-out on something good by letting Him lead the way. But what is there to lose when God wants to do nothing but good things for you? You aren’t being asked to place your trust in a whimsical human being who could care less about you; rather, you’re receiving an invitation to walk with a God who knows everything about you, loves you unconditionally, and gave His only begotten Son for you!
Do you want to see positive changes in your life? If so, it’s not going to happen if you confine yourself to a box. You must enter new territory with God. If you remain hidden in a box of fear, you’ll never experience the fullness of the life God wants to give you in Christ. [continue reading…]
I have received many messages lately from people offering words of encouragement in response to my previous post; and some from people who believe, that, by speaking out against copyright infringement, I am making this ministry about myself. I would like to thank those who have sent me encouraging messages. You have been a blessing to me! As for those who feel the need to accuse me of wrongdoing for speaking out against plagiarism, I have a few things to say about this.
Copyrights don’t exist because people want to make a name for themselves, but to protect their work. It’s not unethical for a person to want to do that; and frankly, I can’t see why anyone would throw stones at someone for speaking out against plagiarism. To accuse someone of wrongdoing for this is to defend the people who are breaking the law. It makes no sense to do that, for those who speak out against plagiarism are encouraging people to obey the law. Aren’t we instructed to obey the laws of the land and show respect for others in Romans 13? Indeed! So why accuse those of wrongdoing for reminding people of this?
As Christians, we not only have a responsibility to walk with integrity, but to call sin by its rightful name. The Bible instructs us to “give honor to whom honor is due” (Rom. 13:7). Those who take a person’s work and pass it off as their own are not honoring the people who created it; instead, they are dishonoring them, while deceiving others at the same time.
Having said that, if you see someone using another person’s work in such a way as to pass it off as their own, then confront them. For by doing that, they are breaking the law. No doubt, some will get angry with you because of it. Nevertheless, others will thank you for it. You will know who your brothers and sisters are by their response to you. And if you know who the work belongs to, then let that person know about the infringement.
Copyright infringement has become a major problem on the Internet, especially with images. As much as possible, we need to work together to put a stop to it within the Christian community, for that is the responsible thing to do. After all, a family looks out for each other. And looking out for each other sometimes involves giving correction where it is needed.
Remember, copyright infringement is theft; and the Bible says, “Do not steal” (Ex. 20:15). Don’t be afraid to remind people of that.
By the way, I will continue to post encouraging messages here to help you in your walk with God. I can’t make any promises to post frequently, but I will share thoughts with you as the Lord leads.
God bless you,
- Chris S. Esty