Do you want to grow spiritually? Do you know someone else you’d like to see grow spiritually?
Matthew 28.19-20 says we are all to go and make disciples and to teach others how to live the Christian life. That often involves us growing, too.
So, how can the average person live out Matthew 28.19-20, also called the Great Commission? Watch the video to learn about an easy-to-use resource that can help you do that.
Probably few of us could have foreseen the damage an invisible virus would do to our economy, sense of security, and national attitudes before 2019. Add to that concerns about terrorism, crime, social and moral changes in our nation and the world, growing hostility toward people of faith, and the normal effects of living in a fallen world, like sickness and disease, and there is much that could tempt us to worry.
Yet, none of this is a surprise to God. And if we understand His sovereignty, we must admit that He knows, allows, and sometimes ordains the circumstances of our lives. All that happens, including our responses, happens in the presence of God, coram Deo, literally before His face.
As we contemplate that fact, we should also remember that what God allows and ordains in our lives serves His purposes. He has general purposes for us all, but He also has specific plans and purposes for each of us. Those purposes are always for our good and His glory. And those two are never opposed to one another. They work in perfect harmony. So, how can understanding these things help us respond better in times of adversity?
God allows us to make our own choices, but we should not think we can disobey Him and somehow be in control of where it ends. Today’s reading in Deuteronomy gives us a stark picture of total depravity and where the downward spiral of sin can lead, including things that could be taken right out of today’s headlines.
As someone said and has been quoted many times:
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay!”
Could you be on a path that could start the slide into that downward spiral?
Today is April Fool’s Day, a day to have fun and play practical jokes. I’ve carried out a few and been the recipient of even more … all in fun. But being a true fool is no laughing matter. Biblically, a fool is a man who fails to heed God’s warnings or refuses to live according to God’s wise principles.
Ironically, some who don’t know the Lord believe the opposite. They call us foolish for forgiving those who have hurt us, keeping God’s moral laws, and refusing to lie, cheat, or steal. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be called a fool for God than foolishly live in ways that will be displeasing to God and bring about His discipline.
Could you be judging God? Too often we read certain portions of Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, and we’re tempted to judge God by our human standards. What do we need to remember about God when we’re tempted to doubt His goodness, love, or mercy? Or when we doubt Him altogether because His ways don’t make sense to us?
We live in a world where the Bible and religious liberty are under siege. Many people point to the Old Testament, in particular, and say it’s outdated and irrelevant. Others want to discredit the Bible all together as something devised by men. They call those of us who hold to it everything from ignorant to mean-spirited.
Is the Bible and the Old Testament, in particular, still relevant? Does it have something to say to New Testament believers? If so, why are some Old Testament laws still valid and others are not?
No matter what the battle or who the enemy is, we are not to look at the size of the enemy, but at the size of our God! So, if you’re struggling with anxiety about everything going on in our nation and the world or with the circumstances of your life, there is a better way to process it all. Today we’ll look at how we can refocus on the bigness of God and respond biblically.
Everything we do, we do before the Lord. Everything. But, too often, while we may be doctrinally sound in our theology, we don’t let our theology overlay everything in our lives. We may know much of the Bible and claim to accept it as truth. But are there times when we allow what amounts to opinions have more of an effect on our behavior and the things we stand for than the truth?
It happens to us all. Maybe it’s someone standing on the street corner with a cardboard sign, maybe it’s a friend or a co-worker or maybe it’s a grown son or daughter. They need a loan. Or another loan. Or just a little help. Maybe it doesn’t seem right, but there’s the guilt. You wonder … what is the right thing to do?
The future, it’s full of promise, but often mixed with uncertainty. Should I marry this person? Does he or she really love me? Is this the right job? Could my spouse be cheating on me?
The temptation to want to know what the future holds can be huge. But what does God say about knowing the future or seeking information about things He has not revealed?
And what about your heart? Do you have a wise heart? Are you teachable? Do you listen to godly counsel? Or do you first make up your own mind and then look for justification to believe and do what you want? What does it mean, “What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies”? Find out more in today’s Proverbs reading.
Are you tempted with discouragement? Do you feel like caving in or giving up? Do the news reports and other things going on around you have you anxious and worried? Maybe it’s your family’s finances and the general uncertainty of life? Maybe it’s health concerns, family problems, or something else. Or maybe it’s your own unsettled heart. What does God’s word say about discouragement and what will help?
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