questions

Questions From a Writer’s Journal

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

I find as I grow older that I still don’t know the answers to the questions that I had when I was younger but am more at peace with not knowing. But I am discovering along the way that the Holy Spirit is helping me to begin asking some of the right questions.

I thought it might be helpful for others who also for one reason or another enjoy putting words together. If you are a Christian writer then we share a struggle with questions that are unique to that calling. Why am I writing? What are my motivations and goals? Money? Notoriety? Guilt? Loneliness? If we had x-ray vision and could see into hearts we might find out that some books we enjoyed reading have been born from motivations we never imagined. This morning I was touched when I came across this passage from the Apostle Paul as he invites us to look over his shoulder and peer into his writer’s heart.

Take a moment and let his words sink in and then ask yourself as I did today; “Are my words really born out of my own tears and personal experience? Do I really care about my readers or am I simply vying for their attention? Do I have a heart of love for my readers and are my goals for their good or is it all about me?”

Those are hard questions but I am convinced that finding the answers is more than worth the time and effort. What about you? What kinds of questions are you struggling with today? May you truly have a blessed week as you seek the Lord and write as He gives you stories to tell and words to say.

Questions Not Asked

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Since we have heard of Christ and were told

He is the answer and teacher of all

So when if distressed and can’t find our way

Remember on Him we can call

He has promised us answers

And to stay by our side

In our battles be strength

And our Shield

He’s the Savior of all

To all who will come

When our questions to Jesus we yield

Because there’s a day at the end of the road

When we’ll turn and look back at what’s past

And see that the doubts and worries we carried

Were all from those questions not asked

 Questions Not Asked by Peter Caligiuri © 2020 All rights reserved

The Best Question

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Are you afraid to ask God for answers? Do you feel like church is the last place you would feel comfortable asking questions? But in the Bible people asked questions all the time. How many times should I forgive? Who is my neighbor? How can I inherit eternal life? These were questions that Jesus answered with stories like the prodigal son and the good Samaritan. In fact the best answers in the Bible are given to the people who ask the best questions..

When Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail in Philippi one afternoon things looked pretty bleak. After weeks of preaching they had gathered only a handful of followers. But God had a wonderful miracle in store for that small city. At midnight as Paul and Silas praised and worshipped God sent an earthquake whose aftershocks are still being felt today. The first church in the Western world was about the have revival and it all began with the spark of the astonished jailers question. “What must I do to be saved?”

Maybe we are seeing litte growth in our ministries because we make our answers so complicated. But Paul didn’t waste any time with lists of secondary things. He pulled back on the bowstring of his opportunity and shot one arrow dead into the bullseye of our greatest need today. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!” If we are not being asked this question in one form or another then maybe our problem is that we are giving out the wrong answers. The world is no darker, no more lost or violent today than in the Paul’s day. If we determine as Paul did to pray for freedom of the oppressed, be willing to joyfully deal with the consequences and be ready with the right answer then God will begin to shake things up! Salvation is still as freely available right now and right here. If we are ready with Paul’s answer then prepare ready for someone to come with their question. “What must I do to be saved?”