Resources
December 9, 2019
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14). The Bible is a tale of two cities: the City of Man and the City of God. We can trace these two cities from the opening pages of Genesis to the closing paragraphs of the book of Revelation. The City of Man is symbolized by Babylon, Rome, and even today by Western civilization. In contrast, the City of God is symbolized by the elect of God from every nation, tribe, and generation. For believers currently living their earthly lives in the City of Man, it may appear to be the worst of times. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ promises that one day all believers will experience the best of times. Read Genesis 4:1-16. Here we see these two opposing cities begin to take shape in the lives of the children […]
December 2, 2019
“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light” (Revelation 22:5). Throughout the Bible, we see God leading and comforting His people with the presence of His holy light. In Exodus, the ninth plague upon the Egyptians was one of darkness so great that the people could not see one another. However, the children of Israel had light in their homes (see Exodus 10:21-23). Christ Jesus, the Light of the World, shines not only in the hearts and minds of those who follow Him, but also in their homes and dwelling places. Once Israel was released from Egyptian bondage, the Lord led them out: By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, . . . Neither the […]
April 29, 2019
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). As wonderful as God’s grace is in redeeming our past, it is equally powerful in the way it changes our future. No matter how far we strayed before God’s grace rescued us from our sin, His plan for our future cannot be thwarted because it is not contingent on our works, but on Christ’s. His saving grace entirely transforms us so that we are no longer dead in transgressions but alive in Christ. And because God wants to see us following after Him, living lives full of love and compassion for Him and for others, He will see this through in us by His grace and His Spirit (see Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 13:20-21). The apostle Paul, a worthy vessel to convey the power of God’s grace, wrote: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do […]
April 21, 2019
“The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Martha’s brother Lazarus had been dead in his grave for several days. Although Martha had seen Jesus heal many in the past, she was doubtful that Jesus would raise Lazarus to life in the present. However, there is no “too late” for the Lord Jesus. In the very presence of a dead man, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), declaring that this resurrection was not just a future hope, but a present reality. Soon after, Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave, demonstrating His power over death. In the moment when resurrection was needed most, Christ proved that He was the only way for this man to be revived. Not long after He made this claim, Jesus endured the cross and then rose from the grave Himself. He proved […]
April 15, 2019
“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). With so many people and influences trying to mold us into their version of “truth,” how are we to withstand their pressures and continue to reflect the light of Christ? We need to lean on the Word of God. Paul said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Whatever encounters we face with the ungodly, we can find wisdom and guidance and comfort in the Bible. When we share the Good News, the Bible will equip us with the Truth. When we experience rejection, the Word of God will comfort and soothe our wounds. When we fear persecution, God’s promises will give us the strength to overcome our anxieties. When we begin to […]
April 8, 2019
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). When Elisha looked into the widow’s situation, he immediately told the woman about three conditions under which her jar of oil could become her miracle. Today we will look at the first condition. The first condition was this: Get lots of empty jars. “Go around and ask your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (2 Kings 4:3). What are these borrowed vessels? These borrowed vessels represent her capacity to receive from God. The more vessels she had, the more she was going to receive. For, every jar she gathered in faith would be filled—the oil would continue to pour. The moment the widow ran out of empty vessels, the oil stopped flowing. God blesses you to the capacity that you make yourself available for Him to bless. If you close off […]
April 1, 2019
“The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:64). Praise opens our eyes and ears to God. When we focus on the Lord in praise, we are much more likely to hear what He has to say to us. Praise opens us up spiritually to hear God’s commands. In fact, that Truth helps explain why praise is often so difficult for us: Praise demands that we make changes in our lives, and most of us do not welcome the prospect of change. It takes courage to reexamine what we believe to be true about ourselves and about God and to realize what we need to change about our lives. Sometimes the change God commands will require us to confess and repent of a sin and to make adjustments in how we live, especially in how we think of others and relate to others. We cannot harbor anger, resentment, or hatred toward others and at […]
March 24, 2019
“Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). How often do you read instruction manuals for new appliances, toys, or gadgets? Most of us are guilty of either not following the directions closely or tossing out the booklet completely. But there is one instruction manual we cannot afford to ignore—the Bible. It is our spiritual operations manual. And when we ignore it, the consequences can be eternal. Scanning through the Scriptures for the main points won’t stretch us. Randomly flipping through the pages won’t develop our spiritual maturity. We can’t skim the surface and expect to find the pearls. We need to dive deep under the surface to find the treasure. To truly grow spiritually, we need to devote time, effort, and focused attention to learning from God’s Word. Before we begin reading God’s Word, we need to prepare our […]
March 17, 2019
“What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12). When I am seeking to discern the mind of God, the first thing I do is examine my life to be certain that every area of my life comes under His lordship. The second thing I do is try to put my desires in neutral so the Holy Spirit can work His will in me. And the third thing is that I expect God to speak to me. I expect to hear from Him through His Word. I expect the Lord to speak to me through open and shut doors, through godly, praying friends, and through circumstances. The fourth thing I do to discern the mind of God is test the spirits. Ask the question: Is what I am doing or what I am about to do […]
March 11, 2019
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Ephesians 1:17). James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” What a relief! God will not only give us wisdom in our moments of need; He will give it generously. Many ask for wisdom and direction with the assumption that God is a reluctant giver, but He, more than anyone, wants us to walk in righteousness. The problem is that many who ask for God’s wisdom are not willing to obey it. Often we ask God for the answer to our problem or situation, only to ignore Him when He actually responds. But we cannot pick and choose when to obey God and when to go our own […]
March 4, 2019
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). God has a unique vision and purpose for each of His children. God wants to bring glory to Himself through our lives. We must remember that God does not reveal His vision for our lives all at once. God reveals His vision to us when He knows we are ready and able to receive it. How then do we prepare ourselves to receive God’s vision? First, to understand and embrace God’s vision, we must ask Him for it. The Bible tells us we have not because we ask not—and sometimes when we do ask, we ask with selfish rather than God-honoring motives. But God promises us, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). God wishes to reveal Himself to us, but we must first […]
February 25, 2019
“You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). How you view your life will make a world of difference in how you live your life. If you live your life viewing it from a Biblical perspective, it will have deeper meaning than if you see it through a pessimistic looking glass. In Ecclesiastes 11-12, we find Solomon’s ultimate conclusion to his view on life and the lessons he learned. Today we will look at two key points from those chapters: Life is a stewardship; invest it wisely. (See Ecclesiastes 11:1-6.) Everything in life—not only possessions, but also family, friends, relationships, everything you have—is a gift from God. He entrusted you to manage all of His bounties on His behalf. You don’t own it, but He’s giving it to you to manage it for Him. You see, the whole of life, Solomon said, is […]