Author Howard Snyder wrote, “Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put church work above concerns of justice, mercy and truth. Church people think about how to get people into the church; Kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world. Church people worry that…
Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote, “The divine Instructor has taken us under his wing and he is putting us through our exercises so that hands which hang down can be lifted up, and feet are straightened out, and a lame man is helped to walk. The Instructor is saying such things as, now “Keep moving, don’t let…
People try various strategies in dealing with their extreme pain. These include over-eating, smoking, alcohol, drugs, sex, busyness, television, social media, and accomplishments. Israel experienced severe pain when Babylon conquered and removed them from Jerusalem, the place where God dwelt. God shared an alternative strategy in dealing with extreme pain. We wept by the…
It’s easy and tempting to put your trust in made-made idols instead of God. Money, position, possessions and status can easily make you forget Him. Those who serve, praise, exalt, trust, revere, thank, remember and love Him, will know that He rescues and provides for our needs. All of the Lord’s servants who serve by…
Sowing the word produces fruit in your children and work. It protects you from the wicked. Coupled with prayer, sowing the word leads to His love, forgiveness and redemption from sin. A humble heart trusting in God enables you to equip other sowers as lights to bless the needy. The ultimate fruit of sowing God’s word is unity…
Churches long to see a spiritual harvest of souls. Christ commanded His disciples to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers because the fields are white until harvest (Matt. 9:37-38; Jn. 4:35). After Christ led the woman at the well into a relationship with Himself, He told His disciples that “one sows,…
Holistic spiritual growth through transparency and application of God’s word to overcome sin should be your goal in life. The journey involves hating falseness and expecting God to act. Meditate on God’s word and ask for deliverance so sin won’t rule over you. Plead your cause to be rescued and revived in the midst of adversaries. Praise…
God wants His word to fully possess every part of your being. It begins with seeking Him and then obeying Him as we saw in the earlier chapters of Psalm 119 (Part 1). God wants to be your guide, joy and ultimate rest so you don’t have to be concerned about anything. We will examine how…
God’s word, which is more important than riches, has many benefits during affliction, persecution and hard times. The Lord relates in personal ways to make a huge difference as He possesses more of you. We will examine disciplines in God’s word resulting in obedience and accountability. How blessed are those whose way is complete with integrity,…
Everyone faces distressful circumstances from time to time. It could be a bad marriage, child who strays, financial loss or tough relationship. When things aren’t going well, it’s tempting to look for human help first instead of trusting God in the situation. Because God wants to be exalted, He brings tough times to discipline you….
Tim Keller says the following about idolatry: 1. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God,2. Anything you seek to give you what only God can give you.3. A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living4. An…
It’s easy to take God for granted and diminish His attributes. We forget His great works in saving us. We diminish His honor and glory. We overlook how God transforms people. We disregard His presence in our lives. We fail to acknowledge His miracles of provision. To counteract apathy in your relationship with God, study…