Isaiah 26.18 describes, we, too, writhe in agony, but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given
salvation to the earth, nor brought life into the world.
This observation recorded more than 3000 years ago is a perfect description of the Church in the Western Hemisphere and possibly beyond. (more…)
1 Peter 3.12 promises, the eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to
their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.
This promise is what we would expect from a God Who is good. It makes sense to us that a good God would watch over those who do good and hear their prayers. It also makes sense to us that God would oppose those who do evil in the world.
There is a disconnect however from this logic and some of our experiences. Evil in the world is a problem for people. (more…)
2 Timothy 1.7-8 explains, God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and
self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.
A lot of Christians know the first verse but don’t understand its connected to the second verse. The purpose of the promise is to equip Christians for their mission.
The work of God is the bringing of His Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. Step one is for every knee to bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Savior and Lord of all. (more…)
Colossians 1.28 explains, we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
This verse most succinctly defines the occupation or purpose of every Christian: to bring people to Jesus and help them know His will.
When God lived on earth He began His work by inviting men to follow Him so that they could become fishers of men. When God left the earth entrusting His work to the care of men He commanded them to go and make disciples. (more…)
John 20.21 defines the Christian destiny, as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.
Jesus, God, left His message and work of reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus the resurrected Savior, in the hands of His followers.
What are Christians supposed to give their lives to? Making disciples. How are Christians supposed to do this work? As Jesus did. What does this look like? We are to live as Jesus lived while He lived with us on the earth. How did Jesus live? Simply, humbly and purposefully. (more…)
John 11.41 observes Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me.”
One of our hindrances to prayer is our belief that God hears us. God the Son had no such hindrance with believing that God the Father heard His prayers. Why? (more…)
John 7.13 observes no one had the courage to speak favorably about Him in public, for they were afraid
of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
While watching a popular sports talk show yesterday I noticed the interviewee easily referenced his commitment to God but not to Jesus. As he was wearing a cross around his neck I am assuming he would identify with Christianity as his religion.
This comfort with God and discomfort with Jesus is age-old and helps explain why we are so broken in our current culture. (more…)
Mark 11.17 describes, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations . But you have turned it
into a den of robbers!
What is the purpose of Church?
If the Church is the world wide ‘body’ of Christ, the faithful followers of Jesus, then it’s mission is the Great Commission. If the Church is the local building where the followers of Jesus gather then…..it gets a bit more nebulous, at least to the followers. (more…)
Romans 7.4 states because you are united with the One who was raised from the dead, we can produce
a harvest of good deeds for God.
Everyone wants to do good. Its in our nature to want to do good deeds that generates recognition of our goodness. We have this nature because we were created in the image of God Who is good.
Our original design was for us to always do good for the glory of God but now that we have been corrupted through generational disobedience to God we seek to do good to obtain esteem from one another. What we recognize is this inherent need and desire to do good. (more…)
Nehemiah 1.11 is the prayer; O Lord, please grant me success today by making the king favorable to
me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me. In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.
Things were bad in Nehemiah’s day, real bad. The nation of Israel, the people of God, were no longer living free under their own rule but were disbursed and distributed to the nations around them to live as slaves and servants of their captors. But some still had hope in God. (more…)
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