kingdom

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Today’s me-centered culture has created a comfortable brand of Christianity that is becoming a hindrance for so many believers in the race of faith. This kind of faith is producing greenhouse Christians—believers who are daily nourished inside the walls of the church building, only to wilt under the heat of tests, trials, and persecution once they leave their protective environments. The New Testament epistle James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3). How is spiritual endurance cultivated? Through the testing of our faith! In order to truly flourish, we must face, rather than avoid, the spiritual challenges that come before us. Instead of allowing trials to turn us away from the Lord, trials can teach us to […]

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). The line in the Lord’s Prayer that reads, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” does not mean that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving other people (Matthew 6:12). If that were true, then salvation would rest on good works, and faith would be unnecessary. Paul says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our eternal debt was paid on the cross once and for all. Nothing is outstanding. Forgiving others is not a payment toward our own forgiveness: It’s a sign of spiritual life. Once we have received God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, it follows that we should become more forgiving of people. There are two sides to forgiving. The […]

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The spirit of the age that Paul warns us about also comes dressed in the form of moral tolerance. Today, this spirit declares that Jesus is ambiguous about sin and so must we be. This movement proclaims that Christ does not care how people behave morally. It declares that Christ is apathetic toward our decisions and lifestyles, but God loves us too much to let us live a life of sin. He wants us to follow Him on the only path to fullness of life. Read Romans 6:23. Paul tells us that sin has a price, and that price is death. Any sin we commit ushers decay into our lives. Sexual immorality kills intimacy. Lying damages integrity. Gossip destroys relationships. Every sin brings something corrupt and evil into our lives. The spirit of the age wants to keep […]

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Our society tells us that the key to success is to acquire as much as we can—money, possessions, assets, friends, promotions. But this is the opposite of God’s formula for success: giving our all.   When we fully comprehend the price of our salvation, we want to give back to God out of gratitude and thanksgiving. When we fully realize the mercies of God, we want to worship Him with our every breath. God’s love and sacrifice for us should motivate us to love and to sacrifice ourselves in return.   “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for […]

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Another role of the godly parent is to cultivate compassion for others. Job trained his children to be generous, hospitable, responsible, kind, and considerate and to be leaders in building up others and the community in unity and harmony. This does not mean Job taught his children to compromise for the sake of agreement, but rather to hold strong principles and demonstrate genuine love. How do we develop compassion for others? We first must experience God’s love and then be challenged to pass on that love. Children first experience God’s love by experiencing the love of their own parents. The more their parents express love to them, the quicker they are to show compassion. Assure your children repeatedly of God’s love, even when they disobey. Be affectionate with them, hugging and kissing them and putting your hand on their shoulders […]

“. . . for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). As the voice of the Holy Spirit calls us to do courageous things for the Kingdom of God, we sometimes wonder if we are really hearing His voice. We may shy away from walking down a certain path in faith and boldness for fear of ruining God’s reputation when, in fact, it is His glory that rests at the end of the road. Paul found God’s grace in the unlikeliest of places—on a dusty road to Damascus. Yet, he was more than simply arrested by God’s splendor and glory. In a matter of days, as Paul regained his vision, he saw God’s vision for his life. Basking in the glow of God’s glorious grace, Paul found himself venturing into something that, less than a week before, no one would have thought possible. More than […]

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). The Bible gives us many examples of people embracing God’s vision, even when they may have felt afraid or unqualified. Let’s look at the life of Esther. Esther realized God’s vision when she was called to approach King Xerxes on behalf of the Jewish people. In Esther 4:14, Mordecai suggests that perhaps she has come to her royal position for such a time as this. Esther was afraid and unsure, but she still stepped up and accepted God’s vision for her life. At great personal risk, she met the need before her and saved God’s people. What if Esther had convinced herself she was not worthy of the task or had refused to carry it out for fear of the consequences? What a missed opportunity that would have been to glorify God by trusting in His sovereign will that flows […]

“Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). How many times in the Gospel of John does Jesus talk about His hour? He regularly said, “My hour has not yet come,” or, “The hour is coming.” It was as if Jesus was hearing the chimes of a clock that nobody else could. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ—the sum total of His ministry and mission—was leading to this one, final cry, “Tetelestai,” or, “It is finished.” From His birth through His boyhood, manhood, and public ministry, Jesus’ focus was to finish the work His Father had given to Him—the work of redemption. From the very beginning, God’s plan for our redemption required Jesus’ death and resurrection. If you have never experienced the finished work of the cross of Christ, you can today. Right now you can say, “It is finished. Lord God, I come surrendering my life to You. […]