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?
In the first century, a small army of believers turned the known world upside down in a matter of a few years without TV, radio, or mass media. They simply believed in the power of the gospel to change lives and the Holy Spirit working through them. And they did it in the face of intense opposition.
Today our world is being turned upside down but not by the gospel. How should we respond? What can we do? What is the ultimate answer? These are questions that haunt many of us.
In today’s post, you’ll also read about:
One of the greatest evils in our nation and our accountability before God.
And finally, we’ll look at one of the greatest prayers ever recorded. It was prayed by a man who fell short like us, but who understood where to turn for help.
God gifts us all differently and those differences not only enable us to do a variety of things, but they will also cause us to see things from different perspectives. Even in ministry, we may disagree. And as with Paul and Barnabas, those disagreements can cause us to go in different directions. But when understood rightly, just as in Paul’s illustration of the body in 1 Corinthians 12, people with different visions can not only work together but complement each other.
All believers receive at least one spiritual gift at the time of their salvation and more often several in varying amounts. Do you know your spiritual gifts and are you using them for God’s glory?
And from our Old Testament reading:
Are there times when you feel completely overwhelmed by the circumstances in your life? Read about a man who was completely outnumbered in battle and how he turned to the Lord in prayer.
By what are your children known? Do you see tendencies that, if not dealt with biblically, will produce attitudes and actions that are not pleasing to God? What will those attitudes look like if carried into adulthood? Could our lack of wise parenting hinder them as spouses or in other relationships? Today’s reading in Proverbs speaks to this issue. But good parenting, also, includes teaching our children to understand history, economics, and civic responsibility. This is not only important to our nation wherever we live but it is our responsibility before God.
And speaking of our nation, how do you view what is going on in our country? Do you believe God is chastising or pruning our nation? Could He be turning up the heat because of our rejection of Him and His truth? Are you praying about what you see happening or merely complaining?
What does it mean that God gives us the desires of our hearts? Is prayer like having a blank check with God? Should we expect God to give us anything we want when we ask in prayer? How should we interpret passages like the ones we’ll read today? Are there some simple principles we should know and understand that can help us?
We are all faced with decisions on a regular basis. Some of them are big and others seemingly small, but life is full of choices. You have probably read or had someone suggest you write out a pros and cons list to help you make a decision. But are there some other things we need to consider as believers or at least a deeper way of looking at the pros and cons of any situation? Elizabeth George provides us with four questions we can ask ourselves when faced with decisions.
Also, what can we learn from a first-century Roman centurion about hearing God’s Word?
Are you a person of prayer? Do you pray at the first sign of a problem? Or do you first exhaust all your other options and pray only as a last resort? And when you do pray, what is the focus of your prayers?
King Hezekiah gave us one of the greatest examples of prayer in the Old Testament. His amazing prayer has a lot to teach us about the importance and right focus of prayer.
Have you ever wondered, “Does God really use imperfect people like me?” “How could He use me with my past?” “I don’t know enough,” “I don’t have the right gifts,” “I can’t do anything great for God”?
If your knowledge of God’s Word is primarily what you heard in Sunday school stories, you may not know how flawed some of God’s people really were.
While it’s true that David killed a giant with a slingshot, he also committed adultery and plotted to have the woman’s husband killed. Gideon led the Israelites to victory over the Midianites with just 300 men, but at times he was full of doubt and fear. Jonah was in the belly of a great fish because he was in rebellion against God’s calling. And mighty Sampson … well, you’ll have to read about it for yourself in today’s post.
We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re there right now. You’re going through a trial yet God seems nowhere to be found. And you find yourself wondering why.
You believe His promise to never leave you or forsake you. You believe God answers prayers. But … silence.
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.
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