The Apostle Paul had a passion to see those he led to the Lord grow and become faithful followers of Christ. And the prayer recorded in today’s reading from Ephesians and others from his letters give us a blueprint for how to pray for those we love. How might his prayers be different from those we often pray?
We will also look at:
One of the most complete Old Testament pictures of the sufferings of Christ and all that would come about as a result. And what Proverbs has to say about sarcasm and mean-spirited joking.
We call it by a lot of different names: peer pressure, people-pleasing, co-dependency. Proverbs tells us it is a trap into which we can easily fall. What is it and how can we be free from its grip?
Just as our sin nature blinds us to the danger of people-pleasing and co-dependency, we can be blinded about the nature of true freedom. Could something that looks like freedom actually bring you into bondage?
Is there true biblical prosperity and how does it differ from the popular “prosperity doctrine” preached from many pulpits today? If so, how do we put ourselves in a position to experience it? And what is the danger of believing an unbiblical doctrine concerning prosperity?
Worry, distress, anxiety, and depression are all on the rise. Yet, some people seem to have peace even in our troubled world. What’s the difference? And is it possible to have that peace?
Also, I can’t imagine anything worse than believing you are right with God and when you stand before Him, hear those words, “I never knew you.” Yet, in the “Parable of the Wheat and the Tares” and in the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus acknowledged that there are many sitting in churches who don’t belong to Him and will hear Him say, “I never knew you.”
James compared God’s Word to a mirror and anytime we look into the mirror of the Word it can help us see where we need to change and grow. As we meditate on the character of Christ, we can see where we’re not like Him. Today’s reading has two lists: the fruit of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. We may think we know which one describes us, but let’s look again.
Parental legalism often focuses on behavior as opposed to the heart. These legalists make Christianity all about “the law,” often their own law or house rules. When they do, they run the risk of keeping their children from seeing their need for genuine heart change and a personal relationship with Christ. Could you have fallen into parental legalism?
Also, read about how and how not to communicate with a person who is acting like a fool and how we can sometimes practice idolatry without recognizing it for what it is.
When people are asked whether they believe they will go to heaven and why, what is the most frequent answer? Why is their belief such a dangerous one? And what about after we’re saved, what keeps us right with God? Is it right living or something else?
Most of us have probably heard and thought more about politics in the last couple of years than we would like. The political narrative has become so contentious and divisive that at times it seems to threaten the stability of our nation. How did we get here? Some of the blame goes back to an attitude that is not new but is shared by many of our politicians. But could we bear some of the blame?
I’ve heard it said that we are all legalists at heart. Some people believe that we must earn our salvation by our good works. Others may realize we can only be saved by grace but add to the gospel by thinking there are things we must do to stay in God’s good graces. But there is another form of legalism that we may not have recognized as such. It’s the popular “faith and prosperity doctrine.” Don’t believe me? Keep reading.
In today’s post … How can you be sure you belong to God and your faith is genuine saving faith? How can you, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith” as the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians?
We’ll also read about the schemes of the enemy and how the devil wraps up sin so deceptively, talk about imprecatory prayer and look at what happens when we don’t exercise self-control.
