Core Values — Why a Christian?

People have said, “I don’t know if I could be okay with not knowing some things.”

People ask, “What about the inconsistencies?”

My response now, to almost all of those questions, and many others is, “Have you read the whole Bible?”

Because the answers are in there — they were for me.

I do have a very analytical mind and I’ve become accustomed to being able to figure things out in this life and on this earth. But that’s not always possible.

I could spend hours and weeks and months studying certain types of art and how a timeless painting was created and I still might not know why — not on my own anyway.

That’s the same thing with the faith for me.

I can spend hours and weeks and months trying to answer the questions I have for myself but until I opened my Bible, read it, prayed through it, and asked God what was on my heart, I was lost.

The only things that have been able to provide clarity for me have been prayer, reading the Bible, and speaking to mentors or Bible scholars about some of the deeper questions (but not for answers, just for guidance).

Here’s the truth that I had to wrap my head around:

“No human can ever explain something that is a divine occurrence — if they could they’d be God.”

I’m going to focus this piece of writing around 5 different biblical verses that have been particularly impactful and directional for me — especially in recent months.

1. “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” — Proverbs 27:19 NIV

It’s a lifestyle. Christianity is not just something that we do once a week.

In the Bible, there is a term for people who go to church on Sundays yet do not spend time growing closer to God or striving to live like Jesus.

LUKEWARM.

What can you do with lukewarm water?

It doesn’t boil so you can’t cook anything.

It’s not cold so you can see that it’s trying or pretending to heat up.

But you can’t do anything with it.

As I have shared near the end of this piece of the writing, when we go before God, there will be some of us whom He will tell them, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

I don’t want that to be me.

AND I definitely don’t want that to be you.

I strive to remember what is in my heart and live that out every day.

Here’s a short snapshot of my actions to correspond with that:

I’ve been called “a beacon of light in the workplace” there are not many occasions where people will see me stressed, depressed, or frustrated. I float like a butterfly, I smile. I’m positive.

I no longer drink alcohol — at all — because I don’t want to send the wrong impression. I would go to clubs, drink, hang out, party, whatever you can think of — I did it. But then I realized I needed to quit cold turkey. Because even if I’m having a glass of wine — someone might conclude that I’m drunk and irresponsible. “Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler, whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” — Proverbs 20:1 NIV I’m the same person in every situation, my actions cannot be misinterpreted.

I begin each morning with a gratitude list, a daily devotional, Bible reading, and dedicated prayer time. I need to center and ground myself on what I believe so my actions exude my heart’s state.

I write and share the things that I am experiencing — both successes and failures — in the hopes that others realize they are not alone. I am imperfect and I am growing.

2. “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law but under grace.” — Romans 6:13–14 NIV

Who is my master? That’s the question and realization that I had.

My boss wants to yell at me for a misstep I made? No problem — I work for God, may His will be done.

A girl wants to spend time doing something that I know would not be God-honoring? You don’t need to come around then, no problem — God’s got a girl for me if it’s His will.

Sin is NOT my master — God is.

I still continue to get pulled back into sin and led astray but I strive to look to God and call out to Him in every situation.

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” — Proverbs 4:26–27 NIV

It’s tough.

It’s not meant to be easy.

Genesis makes it very clear that God no longer made our life easy. We are now to LABOR and sweat. That was not His original design. But we, as people, brought sin into the world and must deal with the consequences. I am oh so grateful that Jesus paid our debts because as strong as I am — I don’t think I could do it. I could not suffer on a cross and die for my sins — but Jesus suffered on a cross and died for OUR sins. Each and every one…

That hit me when I truly understood the depth of it all. This life is not ours. The car I drive is not mine. The body (temple) that I honor God with is not mine. The apartment I live in is not mine. The clothes on my back are not mine. The thoughts in my head are not mine.

God created it all, designed it all, purposed it all, and knows everything before it is going to happen—and yet we still have free will.

He is the alpha and the omega. It’s unfathomable. We only know the earthly time but God operates outside of that. God can be with each and every individual at the same exact time and be 100% present in every place at once.

HOW? I don’t know. God does — that’s why He is God and I am Harrison.

3. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” — Psalm 42:1 NIV

I read this in my nightly devotional from Charles Swindoll and realized something I never had before.

I was forced to reflect on the question of, why do Christians continue to dive deeper into the Bible and deeper still?

Because when we really begin to know God, we WANT to know God. That means all of Him.

I have some great spiritual influences who spend hours in the Word every single day. One of my great friends has been spending 8–10 hours daily studying and praying and reading the Word. WOW. That’s a relationship with God.

It’s like when we’re in love, we want to spend every waking moment around a certain individual.

When we truly love God, we WANT to spend time with Him and as the verse states, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” — Psalm 42:1 NIV

That’s strong. We NEED to Word.

Jesus said (when his disciples asked why he was not hungry) that, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” — John 4:32 NIV

4. “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” — John 3:20–21 NIV

God sees all. I read this and was reminded that there is absolutely nothing that we do that is hidden from God. NOTHING. Behind closed doors? Nope. In the night? Nope. With friends? Nope. Alone? Nope. God knows ALL.

How am I living?

I was convicted. That’s not a word I frequently use nor is it one that I use lightly.

I have lived self-righteously and as though the “good” decisions that I’ve made have been fully from me and the bad decisions that I’ve made do not have much importance. That’s ridiculous. That is NOT what the Bible says.

The Bible says, “the wages of sin is death.” — Romans 6:23

How can I ever look myself in the mirror and say, “Oh yeah, that was a white lie. Oh yeah, that sin didn’t matter. Oh yeah, nobody that I did that.” ???

I cannot.

That’s not how it works.

EVERYTHING has been done in the sight of God.

Whether something we did in the dark or something that we did in the light — God knows.

What and who do you live for?

No matter what your answer to that question is, we ALL answer to God. If not today — then after death.

5. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” — John 15:4 NIV

For as long as I can remember this has been my favorite verse.

But that doesn’t mean much.

It did not mean much when I chased women.

It did not mean much when I soaked myself in liquor.

It did not mean much when I was greedy beyond compare.
It did not mean much when I cloaked myself in self-righteousness.

I did not APPLY this verse to my life.

I appreciated the verse and thought it was nice but I did NOT remain in God.

How can we grow?

NOT without water.

“‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” — John 4:10 NIV

We need living water. When plants are just seeds, we do not know what they are going to become. That’s what’s incredible about our Creator.

He was and He is and He is to come.

God KNOWS.

“Before you were formed in the woom I knew you.” — Jeremiah 1:5 (paraphrased).

God knows our potential because HE created it. We need to remain in Him if we want to become that all we were created to become. Let’s become all that we were created to become and live our lives with a mission that wakes us up each and every single day. Let’s store up our treasure in heaven and bring all those around with us.

5 verses that have been most personally impactful:

1. “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” — Proverbs 27:19 NIV

2. “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law but under grace.” — Romans 6:13–14 NIV

3. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” — Psalm 42:1 NIV

4. “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” — John 3:20–21 NIV

5. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” — John 15:4 NIV

“‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:36–37 NIV

That’s the call on your life today.

We all called to become more and more and more like Jesus each and every day.

Most religions are fairly consistent amongst each other about a way of living. Most preach integrity, kindness, love for your neighbor, loyalty, prudence, trust, stewardship, and peace.

But there are HUGE differences when it comes to what happens after the life on this earth ends. And that’s the most important thing of all.

There are a number of people in my circle who have it incredibly heavy on their hearts that Jesus is returning SOON. Like really soon. The next few months soon.

The Bible tells us that we will never know when Jesus is coming again because he is going to come “like a thief in the night,” — Revelation 16:15 (paraphrased).

I can’t speak on the timing one way or another but I can say this — with my analytical mind I’ve absolutely assessed the potential rewards and consequences. If there really is nothing after death and there is no heaven and there is no hell, we all experience the same thing no matter what we believe.

But if there is a heaven (like I oh so deeply believe that there is) and I don’t accept Jesus as my savior as the way and truth and the life… I experience eternal suffering. NO THANK YOU.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6 NIV

Do I have doubts? Absolutely… I’m a human and the WORST sinner that I’ve ever met. I see the severity of my cosmic treason more and more every single waking minute. It’s crazy.

But… God’s grace overcomes. Jesus already PAID the price. I don’t need to do anything to earn my salvation.

At the same time though, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” — Psalm 42:1 NIV

As we get to know God better, we also desire Him more fully and want to live more like Jesus did when He walked this earth in human form.