How to Avoid Church-Shopping but Still Decide on a Church “What’s the most I can get for my money?” Whether it’s a return on an investment or looking for the best deal on a product, this question is central to a consumer mindset. Not a bad question to avoid wasting resources, but it’s a terrible question to …
Category Archives: Discipleship
32612 Why Church?
Paul Simon sang in “I am a Rock”: “I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain…If I never loved I never would have cried. I am a rock, I am an island.” The Church, at its heart is about relationships—relationships with others and relationship with God. But relationships are hard and being truly open …
32570 Visions and Dreams
Throughout the history of the people of Israel, there were occasions when God spoke in visions and dreams as documented in the Scriptures. God appeared to Abraham in a vision and repeated his promise to make him great (Genesis 15:1). Prophets like Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, Nahum and others recorded in their writing that they received …
32560 Parallel Examples
We can glean insights from God through parallel examples. There are two kinds of parallel examples. The Bible is written as an example for us. The stories and characters in the Bible give us insights into life as it is and as it should or could be. The power of the Biblical narratives is the …
32550 Spirit-Inspired People
God speaks through others who are filled and led by the Holy Spirit. They are spiritually mature and have known and walked with Jesus through the ups and downs of life. They have trained themselves in righteousness and discernment (Hebrews 5:14), handling the Word of truth rightly (1 Timothy 3:15). God designed us to live …
32540 Divine Flashes of Insight
“After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are …
32530 Christ’s Incarnation
“Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.” – John 1:14 Insights from God come through Christ’s incarnation. Jesus is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), …
32454 Be Filled with the Holy Spirit
“I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father.” – John 14:12 When Jesus became human to be with His twelve disciples, He was full of the Holy Spirit …
32453 Abide in Jesus Christ
At the very moment that you received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you stepped across a threshold to begin an exciting adventure. You took the first step in fulfilling the purpose for which you were created — to glorify God by loving Him, doing His will, and enjoying Him forever. God’s goal is to …
32452 Submit to God the Father
“The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.” – John 14:21 “If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have …