A True Heart of Thanksgiving
In the message “Praise Him Even More” we considered our command, as well as our need, to rejoice and praise in order to sustain Spiritual life. A heart that has not been transformed by the Spirit of God cannot truly praise, and a transformed heart that does not praise will surely cease to pump Spiritual […]
Praise Him Even More
I don’t recall ever being asked to explain the importance of breathing. It is pretty well accepted that breathing is a good idea and that we should do it many times every day; a lack of breathing is definitely bad for our physical health! And it is not an exaggeration to say that praise is […]
The Risk of Faith
At the beginning of Elijah’s ministry, God sent him to stay with a widow and her son. When he first arrived, Elijah asked the widow for some bread. The woman sadly said she only had enough for one final meal: “I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and […]
The Gift of Eternal Life
In our last few messages we have seen that being discipled is a life-long process which begins prior to Salvation with a clear presentation of the gospel and continues all the rest of our days. As Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, He began the process of discipleship by giving clear instruction on belief and eternal […]
Enter Through The Gate
In the message “A Life of Discipleship” we considered our need to be continually discipled and the vital importance of discipling others before and after Salvation. The message stated: “Receiving the Word, or even initial growth, is not Salvation.” Many people pray to “receive” salvation without an understanding of the gospel message. But without the […]
A Life of Discipleship
When Jesus told His closest followers, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), He wasn’t just talking about the one-time event of Salvation; He was referring to the life-long process of “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded” (Matthew 28:20). The process of discipleship actually begins prior to Salvation as we are […]
Be Still And Know
The presence of God is a wonderful gift which is available to every believer. No longer is His presence confined to a specific location or available to only a few; “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But the gift of His presence requires discipline in order to […]
Strengthened By Hardship
On Paul’s first missionary journey, he traveled with Barnabas to Cyprus and then up through several cities in Galatia. After preaching the gospel in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, they returned back through the same cities so they could strengthen those who had recently placed their faith in Jesus. Acts 14:21-22 “They returned to Lystra, […]
Learn How to Fall
When my daughter was beginning to ride her bike she discovered an all-important truth. After a particularly difficult afternoon she came inside and said; “Daddy, you know the hardest part about riding a bike? It’s learning how to fall!” At five years of age she had discovered that falling was an inevitable part of the […]
Resolve To Be Transformed
In the days immediately preceding and following the first of the year there is always talk about resolutions. I’m surprised at the number of people who speak ill about making resolutions. The discussion is usually focused on how resolutions always fail. It seems wrong, or at least unwise, to set goals when you are just […]
Off The Throne
After the birth of Jesus, Magi (wise men) came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). When King Herod heard about this he became greatly disturbed. Herod had been appointed King of the Jews by the Roman government; but he was only partially Jewish […]
End of Year Financial Update
It’s hard to believe that 2012 is coming to an end. Each year I allow myself one message to specifically ask for additional support…and this is the one. I apologize if this is one of the first messages you are receiving from this ministry; honestly, I only do this once a year. Like most ministries, […]