God Makes It Grow
Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church to correct several problems. The Corinthian’s needed instruction in marriage, Christian freedom, worship, and various issues which tended to cause division. He rebuked the church for quarreling about whom they followed: “You are still worldly… For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow […]
Strong, Courageous, and Humble
Joshua was Moses’ field commander in the fight against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:9) and his assistant when the Law was given at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:13). After initially exploring the land of Canaan, Joshua was one of only two men to advise the Israelites to trust God and enter the promised land (Numbers 14:6-9). When […]
Enter His Rest
In the last two messages, we’ve considered the glory of the Lord. We saw how we are now God’s Temple and are to “reflect the Lord’s glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18) into the world as we are transformed into the likeness of Christ. It is a great honor to be in the presence of the Lord […]
Ever-Increasing Glory
In the message “Dedicate His Temple” we saw that through the forgiveness of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are now God’s Temple; “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). And as with the Temple during the reign of King […]
Dedicate His Temple
The Old Testament adds wonderful richness to our faith. In the very first verse of the Bible we read “God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). By reflecting on this wonderful truth we can better understand the words of Jesus that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Throughout the Old Testament […]
Opportunity of Our Words
Every day we are given the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Every time we open our mouth to speak, we send forth words which have an effect on those around us. Our words, which come “out of the overflow of the heart” (Matthew 12:34), will either cause a positive or negative reaction […]
Always Rejoice
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul gives an exhortation to “Rejoice in the Lord always – and again I say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Paul had been arrested and sent to Rome to await trial. He spent his days and nights under house arrest chained to a Roman soldier, but was still able to say, […]
Free Of Thorns
In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-8), Jesus told about a farmer who scattered seed on four different types of soil: packed, shallow, thorny, and fertile. In this parable, the seed refers to the Word of God and the soil refers to those who hear the Word. Those of packed soil have hearts which […]
The Father’s View
In the message “Cut The Lifeboats” we were encouraged to cut away those areas of our life which still cling to the world’s answers for fulfillment and security – those areas which keep our hearts from being fully devoted to God. But at the same time, we acknowledged this can be a difficult process. One […]
Cut The Lifeboats
At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, transferred about 40 miles up the road to Caesarea, and sat in prison for over two years before being sent by boat to stand trial in Rome. During the journey to Rome, a storm blew the ship off course and threatened to […]
The Other Son
The parable of the prodigal son contains so many practical lessons on relationships (particularly for parents) that we often forget Jesus spoke this parable in response to an accusation from the Pharisees; “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). The message of the prodigal son is really about our Heavenly Father who […]