Perhaps the greatest sacrifice we make on a daily basis is our time. Whether you are graced with resources, gifts or talents, time supersedes them all because it is something every human has in their possession. You can waste your time or use it wisely. The choice is yours.
Read MoreSpiritual warfare is real. Anyone who has ever felt the pull of temptation can attest to it, yet how often are we fully aware of all that is going on around us in the spiritual realm? Can we see it? Hear it? Feel it? Taste it?
Read MoreExpectations. Entitlement. These are words that should invoke great fear and trembling within the heart of a Christian. The concepts are pervasive throughout our culture yet in the church we are universally susceptible to failure in these areas. The simple truth, though, is that while God does NOT need us, we DO need him and are thus indebted to Christ for the honor and privilege of serving Him.
Read MoreYou are never too young to be used by God. That was the instruction the apostle Paul gave to his #1 gun, Timothy, as he was charged to lead the church in Ephesus, and that is the reminder we all need regarding how we minister and how we allow others to minister to us.
Read MoreThere is something deep within the human psyche that demands justice be served when wrongs are committed. When we have been hurt, insulted, violated, mocked, injured, falsely accused, persecuted, etc., we typically turn inward and focus on the impact suffering has upon us, first and foremost.
Read MoreWords are important. Words convey a message. Words reveal what we believe. In many cases, words have incredible power when used to tear down or build up others. Our ability to receive salvation is made possible through spoken words.
Read More"It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery" (Matthew 5:31-32).
Read MoreLove of self simply results in a slow and agonizing death that leaves one numb over time to the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit. Left untreated, this wilderness attitude can drive us further into self-righteousness and inevitably, spiritual death.
Read MoreImagine the possibilities that would flourish in our lives if we chose to filter our minds through the spiritual colander of humility, washing away all unrighteousness and iniquity that enslaves us and leaving behind only the God honoring qualities that produce the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Read MoreSo if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Read MoreOur enemies will themselves be frightened at their impending destruction when we corporately come together as we were intended to from the beginning and start living as the body of Christ—and that begins by loving one another through the power of the Holy Spirit, under compulsion of unconditional obedience and submission to God's Word and its position of absolute authority in our lives.
Read MoreThe beauty of Philippians 1:19-26 is that Paul provides a transparent glimpse into the struggle between his own flesh and spirit as he wrestled with the majesty of heaven compared to this fallen world. Knowing he was born-again, Paul longed to spend eternity with Jesus. Yet despite the glory heaven promised, Paul understood that obedience to God's Word and His will took precedent over personal desire.
Read MoreAs Christians living in a world that is watching our every move, how we respond to adversity can be the greatest witnessing tool we have at our disposal. What makes things difficult and/or counter-productive though is that we're human and our flaws, imperfections and insecurities cause us to shrink back when troubles come, rather than embrace the moment with a positive frame of mind.
Read MoreIt has been said that people are the greatest blessing and curse of ministry. It has also been said that more pastors resign on Monday than any other day of the week due to the highs and lows they succumb to emotionally, physically, and mentally as a result of their jobs. Why?
Read MoreEvery day of our lives we manage priorities. Whether personal or professional, we shift the bulk of our time, energy and resources toward what (we perceive) needs to be done rather than what we would like to get done. However, there are times when opportunity presents itself and we choose to cater to our wants at the expense of our needs.
Read MoreAs self-proclaimed Christians, we are tasked by the authority of Almighty God to cast off fear and passivity, and embrace opportunities which stretch our comfort levels. The ultimate goal is expanding our capacity to love others by humbling ourselves.
Read MoreEveryone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Read MoreTruthfully, only God knows the heart of man which Jesus specifically speaks to in Matthew 7:21-23. It is a sobering reality though that people we know and love will never spend eternity in heaven. It is a far greater shock to know that simply declaring oneself as "Christian" provides no certainty whatsoever whether he/she will spend eternity in heaven one day.
Read MoreIt has been said that what we feed our minds with will determine our appetite, therefore we are wise to discern what we allow our minds to dwell upon vs. what we should resist.
Read MoreThe Golden Rule is one of the most popular teachings in the world today, originated by Jesus and commonly accepted within our secular culture as well. Its premise is simple: "Treat others the same way we would like to be treated."
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