Daniel was born in the land of Judah during a time when much of the nation had fallen away from God. He was a teenager when God permitted the forces of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to lay siege to Jerusalem.
Read MoreSome believers think that Christ has saved us from divine judgment, including divine discipline. If you are in Christ, it is absolutely true that God will never condemn you. But Hebrews 12:6 also tells us, "[T]he Lord disciplines the one he loves." If God is your heavenly Father, He is committed to your spiritual growth.
Read MorePeople who are worldly wise often try to disguise this worldly wisdom as God's wisdom. Worldly wisdom comes in the guise of spirituality or religion, but there is a vast difference between the wisdom of these false religions and that of true spirituality rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ. God's wisdom is pure in motive, gentle, and merciful. It is not arrogant, boastful, harsh, or unforgiving.Â
Read MoreThe moment you are born again by the Spirit of God, you are a new creation in Christ with an inescapable desire for spiritual growth. It's a desire God calls every Christian to pursue because there is no end to knowing and becoming like Christ.
Read MoreWe often claim that we want God's vision and we want God to use us, but in reality we want to be used only on our terms. Our words loudly profess, "Here I am, Lord. Use me however You want." But our hearts whisper, "Lord, I want to serve You, but only if it means working on this project or serving in that location.
Read MoreJesus instituted the Lord's Supper as a means of helping us remember together how, with His own blood, He secured our salvation. The Lord's Supper is supposed to be a time of true spiritual enrichment. But the Corinthians had turned it into a time of shame for the poorer members of their congregation.Â
Read MoreContentment is not something we're born with; it's something we learn. We must train ourselves to be satisfied, and we do this by simply counting our blessings. When we count our blessings, we remember that all we have is ours by grace.
Read MoreJoshua knew what it meant to stand his ground against the surrounding culture. Today, we need an entire generation of Joshuas—men and women who will stand boldly on the Lord's promises and teach their children to know, honor, and trust Him.
Read MoreIntimacy is the connection of spirit to spirit, soul to soul, heart to heart. It's the connection people have when they love Jesus and each other. It's a beautiful, wonderful thing. Of course, true intimacy is rare these days. That's because intimacy requires trust, the kind of trust that allows a person to be his or her true self.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered how Moses handled discouragement? Or how Paul maintained a positive attitude when he faced the criticism and threats of others? Surely Paul fought with discouragement when he faced the threat of death. However, he kept his focus set on Christ, his source of infinite strength and eternal hope. We can do the same.
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