What does the baptism with the Holy Spirit mean to you and me? For one thing, the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the ability to trust in Christ.
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On one occasion, Jesus told the story of a lost child (Luke 15:11–32). Many of us are familiar with this parable, in which the Prodigal Son left his father’s home and squandered his inheritance through reckless living—and then, upon the son’s sorrowful return, his father met him with tremendous compassion and rejoicing.
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During World War II, Allied troops found themselves trapped in Dunkerque, France, facing certain destruction by the German army and most likely a Nazi invasion of Britain. King George called for a National Day of Prayer, and the churches of the United Kingdom were filled to overflowing as believers called on God to intervene.
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Why do we make sure our kids have their textbooks, notebooks, pencils, and supplies for school, but not for church? Which is more important: Your kids going to Heaven or college? Getting good grades or knowing more about Jesus? Improving test scores or overcoming life's hurdles?
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When Daniel was well over 80 years old, he was still living in captivity in Babylon, which by that time had been overthrown by the Medes and the Persians. King Nebuchadnezzar and all the royal family had been killed, and King Darius of the Medes sat on the throne. In order to try to bring some continuity and stability to his government, Darius kept on his court a lot of ...
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Many people grew up with an abusive father, negligent father, or an absent father. For some, tragedy struck and our fathers died way too early leaving some questions unanswered, conflicts unresolved, and memories never made. Thus, for countless squirming saints in the Church, the idea of having or even wanting an intimate relationship with God as “Father" is not only incomprehensible; it is altogether repulsive.
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It's been said that a picture's worth a thousand words, and that's probably accurate. If you never witnessed a sunset, I could spend hours describing one, and your mental picture might still be inadequate. In the absence of the real thing, it would require a picture for you to appreciate the immensity and beauty of a sunset.
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Imagine looking up at the evening sky in the desert somewhere in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Think of all the brilliant stars you would have seen without the ambient lights of modern civilization. That's the type of night sky Abraham would have seen when God told him, "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them. . . . So shall your ...
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Depression is a cruel and unfair player. It singles us out at inconvenient times and is unconcerned about our commitments or schedules. Nor is it a respecter of persons. Many of God’s great warriors fought attacks of depression. The prophet Elijah despaired to the point of praying “Lord, take my life!” The apostle Paul was often overwhelmed, making it necessary for the Lord to speak to him in a night ...
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God is never becoming—never growing, learning, or increasing in anything. From eternity past to eternity future, He is always being who He has always been. His infinite perfections cannot be improved upon. It’s hard for us to comprehend the difference between being and becoming. God’s moral perfection and sinlessness is fixed and immutable. In that regard, His holiness is nothing like the holiness of the saints. We who believe are being conformed to ...
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