I recently had the thought, “ISIS has a purpose. Ebola has a purpose. Do believers have a purpose?” Clearly, ISIS and Ebola have a purpose to bring death and destruction, and both seem resolute and persistent in their endeavors. But what about believers? What about...
4. Am I willing to work?Work is not an unspiritual word. When the Holy Spirit spoke in Antioch, He said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2 NKJV). Did you notice what their spiritual calling entailed? It was a...
One of the most common statements I hear from pastors pertains to the need for workers—for committed, reliable, and consistent volunteers. Every pastor’s dream is to have an overflowing army of eager, joyful volunteers. When I think of this, I am reminded of...
There are two particular usages of the word “quench” in Paul’s writings that are very important in our walk with God. ...taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Eph. 6:16)Do not quench the Spirit. (1...
Do you remember trying to learn to ride your bicycle without training wheels? In a word, you were trying to achieve balance. You wanted to stay upright and make forward progress, and you didn’t want to fall to one side or the other.Balance is a beautiful thing....
In the Bible, the first time the phrase “false witness” is used is in the Decalogue—the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:16 says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The last time the phrase is used is in Paul’s epistle to the Romans (13:8-9): “Owe...
Jesus’ Basin of Water: Embraced ResponsibilityShortly before Pilate called for a basin, Jesus had taken another basin and used it for a far more godly purpose. We read about this in John’s account of the Last Supper. Jesus knew that the Father had given him...
There are two stories in the New Testament that occurred within twenty-four hours of each other, and they create an amazing contrast of two individuals, two life-styles, two attitudes, and two perspectives. About the only common denominator between these two...
Velcro ChristianityWhen we speak of Velcro Christianity, we’re talking about having an aggressive attitude toward the things of God...a tenacity that seizes upon what God has said and refuses to let go.Jesus spoke of the kind of person who brings forth fruit from...
“I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” Did you ever hear that said on the playground as a kid? Today, we might be more prone to think of teflon and velcro.Teflon is a non-stick coating that’s used on pans and other kinds of...
It’s amazing how we can focus on certain aspects of Scripture at one point in our lives, only to see richer, broader, deeper thoughts in surrounding and complementary passages as we mature through time, growth, and experience.For example, when I was a Bible School...
Question 3: If a Christian is struggling with sickness, we don’t tell them to confess their sickness, but to confess healing. If a Christian is struggling with lack, we don’t tell them to confess their lack, but to confess abundance. Why, then, would we tell a...
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