Breaking Through Satan’s Roadblocks (1 Thess. 2:15-18)
The Lord sees all the roadblocks that Satan and others construct across your path. You may be stuck behind one now, unsure of whether to plow through, climb over, go around, or give up.
The Problems with Easy Christianity (1 Thess. 1:6-9)
One of the goals of the church for the past 30-40 years has been to make it as easy as possible for people to “accept Christ” and then to be comfortably integrated into the current Christian culture. The result has been what we see around us today: a church shrinking each year in size and influence – except, that is, in those areas of the world where Christianity is still hard.
Bread of Life
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34, NIV) Outside of Jesus’ resurrection, the only miracle recorded in all four Gospel accounts is Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000. And of those accounts, only […]
Devotion to Prayer and to Each Other (Col. 4)
I’m dealing with several issues today that require more wisdom, maturity, and insight than I have. As Paul said, “Who is adequate for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16) … Then I opened today’s chapter, and God showed me three things I can do to make it easier for Him to meet me in these places of need…
Choose Your Focus (Col. 3:1-4)
When the Lord returns, we will share in His glory and our lives will be glorious. “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3: 4). In the meantime, things don’t look so glorious … The problem is our focus.
God Has a Name
“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to […]
The Danger of Self-Made Religion (Col. 2:8-10)
People have always developed religions – in every age, culture, and location. We’ve worshipped about everything and in about every way. Paul calls this “self-made religion” (Col. 2:23) …. Adding “Jesus” or other Christian words to a religion we have either invented or inherited doesn’t keep it from being self-made religion.
Is Your Jesus Too Small? (Col. 1:15-19)
Jesus’ disciples began following Him as a rabbi they could learn from. Then they saw Him as a healer who could mend lives. Gradually they understood that He was the promised Messiah who could bring people back to God. Their discipleship was weak because their assessment of Jesus was small. They didn’t realize the staggering immensity of the One who led them around the villages of Galilee…
Can You Say “Beloved”? (Phil. 4:1)
If you want to be part of a people who love each other like the New Testament Christians did, you can do one of two things: (1) Die and go to heaven, or, if that isn’t in your near-term plans, (2) be part of changing your “outpost of heaven” into that kind of community.
The Core of Normal Christianity (Phil. 3:8-14)
Biblical Christianity is not what you do for Jesus but what Jesus does in you. … So, the object of the Christian life is not to know more about Jesus, but to know Jesus more – more intimately, more immediately, more lovingly, more deeply.
Take Heart
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? […]
“Normal Christianity” in One Sentence (Phil. 2:12-13)
There was much interest and some surprise at my previous devotional describing “normal Christianity.” … I believe that today’s chapter summarizes that biblically “normal” Christian life in one sentence.
