DON’T BE ABSORBED BY TEMPORARY CONDITIONS Are you weeping over a loss today? Be mindful that the Lord will soon wipe away every tear (Rev. 21:4), turning your mourning into dancing (Psa. 30:11). Are you rejoicing in your blessings today? Wonderful. Yet, let the One who blesses be the focus of your joy, rather than
DOES GOD FORGET HIS PROMISES? When Nehemiah heard the report about the broken down condition of Jerusalem’s walls, he fasted and prayed with weeping. As he poured out his heart to God, he reminded God to “remember” His Word. This seems a little strange doesn’t it? Asking the omniscient God to “remember” His own Word?
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND WHOSE YOU ARE When Paul wrote this to the Corinthians he was primarily addressing the problem of sexual sin that was so prevalent in their culture. Believers were to live differently than the culture around them. This was not a call to an outward asceticism, but a reminder of an
GOD’S SPIRITUAL EKG Our self-awareness is limited. And we rarely hold a mirror up to our own attitudes and actions. We tend to judge others harshly, but we always have an excuse for our own shortcomings and sins. In our hypocrisy, we often declare ourselves righteous in our own eyes. Yet the Lord knows us
THE NEW SPIRITUAL REALITY: WE ARE GOD’S FAMILY! Paul reminded the Corinthians of their spiritual relationship to him. He had become their spiritual father because he was the one who had first preached the Gospel to them. Yet, they were treating him disgracefully by comparing him to other preachers, such as Apollos, who had come
WHO GETS THE CREDIT? Paul was concerned with the church at Corinth because of reports that there were divisions among them concerning which teacher they followed. Some were claiming to be followers of Paul and others, followers of Apollos. This was heartbreaking news to Paul, for he knew the foundation he had laid when he
WE CAN KNOW Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis for
GOD WILL FULFILL HIS WORD King Cyrus of Persia enabled the Jews who had been captured by the Babylonian king to return to Jerusalem for the rebuilding of their temple. Persia (modern day Iran) overthrew Babylon and showed favor to the Jews by not only allowing their return, but also giving back whatever temple implements
DOES THE LOCAL CHURCH HAVE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS IT NEEDS? Paul told the Corinthian church that it already had every spiritual gift that it needed. Is this true for every church? Does God give every local body of believers every spiritual gift that they need to stand faithful until Christ’s return? Perhaps it is an
DID PAUL GO TO SPAIN? What we know from Scripture is that Paul did indeed visit Rome, carried there to appear before Caesar under Roman guard. According to the final verses in Acts (Acts 28:30-31), Paul was held under house arrest in Rome for two years awaiting trial, yet had great freedom to preach and