Month: April 2018

Question: “Who am I in Christ?”

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Question: “Who am I in Christ?” Answer: According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” There are two Greek words which are translated “new” in the Bible. The first, neos, refers to something that has just been made, but there are already many others in existence just like it. The word translated “new” in this verse is the word kainos, which means “something just made which is unlike anything else in existence.” In Christ, we are made an entirely new creation, just as God created …

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WHEN WE FEEL HELPLESS

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WHEN WE FEEL HELPLESS Psalm 50:15 (KJV) 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. In adventure movies, we often see people trapped and helpless, frantically looking for a way to escape. Real life can sometimes feel that way for us, and as we begin to look for a way out, our prayers become filled with requests for rescue—physical healing, changed circumstances, additional provision. Did you ever consider that even more important than physical rescue is spiritual liberation? (See Eph. 6:12.) First and foremost, Jesus Christ delivered you from …

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Worry Is Distracting

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Worry Is Distracting Philippians 4:6 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Anxious. Intriguing word. It literally means “to be divided” or “distracted.” . . . We find a perfect illustration of this in the story of Mary and Martha recorded in Luke 10:38–42. Taking a minute to look into their little abode, we find that Martha is distracted, anxious. Jesus is sitting down talking, and Mary is sitting at His feet, enjoying His presence, . . . and His teachings. But not Martha. She …

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Question: “What is the story of Elijah and the widow?”

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Question: “What is the story of Elijah and the widow?” Answer: First Kings 17 introduces the prophet Elijah and gives the account of his dealings with a widow from Zarephath. The chapter notes that the Lord was withholding rain from Israel (verse 1). The drought was in judgment of the nation’s rampant idolatry, led by the royal couple Ahab and Jezebel. In verse 8, the Lord commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath, a town outside of Israel, where a widow would provide food for him. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. He said to her, “Bring me a little …

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The Staff of God

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The Staff of God Exodus 4:21-23(KJV) 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. …

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PRAYING THE PROMISES OF GOD

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PRAYING THE PROMISES OF GOD ISAIAH 40:8 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Jesus made it clear that we would endure many hardships in this life. But God provided amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. In addition, He gave us prayer so we could not only communicate and stay connected with our Father but also bring Him our requests. Today I want to focus on yet another one of His marvelous gifts: the Bible. Scripture is …

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Fulfillment in life comes from knowing the Father and serving Him.

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Fulfillment in life comes from knowing the Father and serving Him. 1 SAMUEL 16:6-13 6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9 …

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Stay Ready

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Stay Ready “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” -Luke 21:34-36 “On your mark, get set, go!” This is a familiar announcement to all. I can remember playing as a child with my friends. …

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A bruised reed he will not break

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A bruised reed he will not break I love how Isaiah 42 shows God’s heart for the broken. Even in the midst of delivering hard news for his people, pumping through this chapter is a beautiful reaffirmation of the deep, deep love of God. Christ (who wouldn’t come until about 700 years later), is described so gently: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not stuff out.” And look at what’s happening, even as old resources and surroundings become unfamiliar and hostile: “I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all …

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Lo, in the midst of the throne … stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” Revelation 5:6

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Lo, in the midst of the throne … stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” Revelation 5:6 Why should our exalted Lord appear in his wounds in glory? The wounds of Jesus are his glories, his jewels, his sacred ornaments. To the eye of the believer, Jesus is passing fair because he is “white and ruddy:” white with innocence, and ruddy with his own blood. We see him as the lily of matchless purity, and as the rose crimsoned with his own gore. Christ is lovely upon Olivet and Tabor, and by the sea, but oh! there never was such …

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You Are His Concern

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You Are His Concern Exodus 4:19-20 (KJV) 19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. Isn’t God gracious? We have a Lord who knows our hearts, knows our thoughts, and knows our fears. When Moses had left Egypt forty years before there were those who sought his life. He was probably featured …

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