Our text contains the three essential Christian virtues, faith (6:12), hope (6:11), and love (6:10). Those who are genuinely saved will be growing in these three areas, and so they are good yardsticks to measure your life by. Are you living by faith in God's promises in your daily life? Are you growing in hope? Are you growing in love? Do you love God more and more, cherishing His Word? You must cultivate each of them daily through living out these spiritual disciplines. These are the things that accompany genuine salvation.
9.10.2017 Bright Hope for Tomorrow
Bright hope for tomorrow begins with a saving faith. Many passages of scripture affirm that man's only responsibility in salvation is believe in Jesus (John 3:16). But what does it mean to believe in Jesus? What is faith?
9.3.2017 Strength for Today
As a junior in college I received a phone call at 2 am. My mom was struggling with a panic attack. My dad was at work and she asked if I would come over. When I got there she was breathing into a paper bag. She was very close to calling the paramedics. To get her mind focused on something else, I read to her a Bible passage she had bookmarked. The passage was Psalm 46. A half hour later her panic attack subsided and I went home. Psalm 46:1 and 10 have been verses I have quoted often for strength in tough times. Maybe you should join me!
8.27.2017 I Am with You! Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow!
Just as the Israelites faced trials and challenges roaming the desert for forty years. Our journey and walk with God is often characterized by trials, as either we are going through a trial, going into a trial or coming out of a trial. During these ebbs and flows on our daily journey we often are overcome with waves of emotions: anger, fear, worry, anxiety, sadness, silence, despair, mourning, laughter, competitiveness, hopelessness and frustration. We are encouraged to hold on to the promises of the Lord that are written throughout the Scriptures. Deut. 31:6 is an encouraging word as well as a promise from God. Let's be careful though, never to take His promises out of context and use them as an excuse for ungodly living.
8.20.2017 Strength for Today
Many moons ago (probably in the 70's) my youth pastor shared this verse with me and it stuck! It's a promise that has no expiration date. Every moment of every day our Lord's eagle eye scans every corner of the globe, looking into every person's heart, looking for someone, for you, for anyone whose heart is fully committed to Jesus Christ. When He finds that person He wants to unite His strength with our committed heart. Here's how it works:
8.13.2017 - Faith is...
Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith. Do you believe in Him? Do you love Him? If so, sin is not an option. We should crave correction and fully surrender to Christ's transformation everyday.
8.6.2017 - Strength for Today
Don't you wish the "extra strength Tylenol" could really give you extra strength? Sometimes there are days when we could use some extra strength just to make it through. During those times it's not an extra strength pill we need, but extra strength passages from God's Word! Deuteronomy 33:25 is one such passage.
7.30.2017 - Sucked In, Washed Up and Blown Over? Strength for Today
God knows how we feel and what we fear, and He is adequate to meet our every need. We can never obey God in our own strength, but we can always trust Him to provide the strength we need (Phil 4:13). If we trust ourselves, we will faint and fall; but if we wait on the Lord by faith, we will receive strength for the journey.