“Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet. Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their
“Be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:9 NLT). Our freedom in Christ does not relieve us of our responsibility to lovingly consider others, especially new believers. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he was concerned about those who felt free to eat meat
‘The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you”‘ (Psalm 32:8 NLT). David reminds us in this psalm that the Lord offers to lead, guide, and direct us. He says don’t be like a mule that needs a bit and bridle to
“Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin” (Proverbs 21:4 NLT). This proverbs speaks to the reality that sin is more than an action, but is preceded by an attitude and heart condition. Jesus addressed this reality in the Sermon on the Mount when he connected the prohibitions of the Decalogue with
“Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT). After admonishing believers in Corinth for suing other brothers in court, rather than
“I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” (Psalm 31:7 NLT). This Psalm of David teaches us to choose gladness and worship, while giving our troubles to God. David wrote that God had seen his trouble. In other
“Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT). Paul called himself a servant of Christ and a steward of God’s mysteries. A steward is a manager who serves on behalf of the owner. Managers in business are judged by their success. But Paul said that
“After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5-6 NLT). Paul wrote
“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT). The one who has not been spiritually born again cannot understand spiritual things. They are still
“For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 HCSB). Why is it easier to invite someone to church than it is to invite them to follow Jesus? Talking about church is not the most comfortable thing in our modern