We must have a desire for the Scripture. It’s through the pages of the Bible we come to know the author. My prayer is that we would develop a hunger for the Word of God, because we have a hunger to know God personally. Main Points: 1. If today, you find yourself with little desire for the Word of God, there are some things you can do. Pray and admi…

In Scripture we see that he glory of God is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. His glory is the combined manifestation of His attributes. He is glorious because no one can compare. Main Points: 1. The glory of God was visibly seen in the character of Jesus, his teachin…

In the Gospels, Jesus uses the faith of children to teach us about the kingdom of God. He tells us that unless we become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom of God. Main Points: 1. Child-like faith. We must come to God with this same simplicity and sincerity. Just as a child can have complete faith in the protection and provision of…

How many people are there, who once burned hot for God, now no longer serve Him? How many who were on fire for God, now have no spiritual passion at all? The sober reality is that this could happen to any of us. Main Points: 1. Why did God repeatedly tell the Israelites to not let the fire burn out? Why did the instruction need to be repeated? The …

The scripture says to us, “don’t forget about all of God’s benefits. In the midst of life’s challenges, don’t forget about all the good things God has done for you.” Main Points: 1. Even when life is good and our struggles are minimal, it’s easy for us to forget what the Lord has done. In the hustle and bustle of life, it's easy to become consumed …

I’m convinced, as long as we trust in our own resources, we’ll see very little of God’s power in our lives. Why would God intervene, if we leave Him out? Why would God do miraculous things, if we act as if we don’t need Him. Main Points: 1. Victory does not depend on the size of our resources, but on the power and sovereignty of God. 2. In our live…

Yet, can we just take moment of honest evaluation? Among many churches, prayer is given very little emphasis. Church calendars are filled with ministry and activities, but often no prayer meeting is scheduled. In churches that do have a consistent prayer meeting, the attendance is often very low. Main Points: 1. We must ask, “Why has corporate pray…

We often talk about the inner Christian life. It’s true God works in our lives from the inside out, but rarely do I hear anyone talk about the outer Christian life. We talk about the personal relationship with Christ, but not much about the public Christian life. Main Points: 1. We have relegated faith in Christ as something private and personal. I…

We cannot dismiss our lack of fruit by arguing that “at least we have been faithful.” Faithfulness in duty for Christ is not the same thing as abiding with Christ. Main Points: 1. We often talk about faithfulness as the goal of the Christian life. After all, when we stand before Him, we desperately want to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithfu…

As we read the Bible, it is very clear, Jesus is coming back. While many scoff and disbelieve, it doesn’t change the truth of what Jesus has said. We don’t know when He is coming, but we do know He is coming soon. Main Points: 1. Knowledge of Christ’s return should not produce fear or anxiety in the heart of the believer. This truth should give us …

Can I encourage you today with a powerful truth? The Lord fights for you. Main Points: 1. As we face the many battles of this life, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, and financial, we don’t face them alone. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. 2. His Holy Spirit is in us and with us. He will give us strength when we a…

Let me ask you a question. Do you love God with your whole heart? It’s a powerful question, isn’t it? Perhaps you feel a bit convicted by the question. Our hearts are so easily divided among a lot of things we love and desire. We can be tempted to love God, but to do so without giving Him our whole heart. Main Points: 1. As I think about our lives,…

Who is Jesus Christ? This is the most important question you will ever be asked. A good man? A great teacher? A revolutionary leader? Or is he the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Who was he? Who is he? Your eternal destiny hangs on your answer. Main Points: 1. Jesus came as a savior and as a king, but not an earthly one. He came for a greater pu…

If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. His love is willing to meet the demands of his justice. Main Points: 1. There are no small sins. Here’s why: because God is not small. The seriousness…

Not only does the Psalms tell us we can be full of joy. It tells how to obtain it. David said, this joy is found in the presence of God. This joy is God-given. It cannot be acquired from the things of this world. This is a sustaining joy. It is not a fleeting happiness that is dependent upon a good set of circumstances. Main Points: 1. As I look ar…

I learned that the growth of my spiritual life was my responsibility. My growth in Christ was not the responsibility of my pastor, my Sunday school teacher, or even my parents. God used each of them to play a role, but my spiritual growth depended on whether or not I accepted the responsibility to grow. Main Points: 1. The scripture teaches us that…

Looking at the night sky with the radiance of the moon and stars, King David understood what it all revealed. He said, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” The brightness and the brilliance of the skies tell us about the beauty and the majesty of God. Only someone so powerful and so creative could design what we see each night. Main Points: 1. R…

Of all the questions in life that go unanswered, it’s often the question of why. Everyone listening to this podcast episode has asked this question. Why? Why did this happen? Why am I going through this? Since this is a universal question, it brings up another great question: As Christians, how do we respond when we don’t understand? Main Points: 1…

Remember this truth today: We have been blessed to be a blessing. What are we to do with our blessings? We are to bless others. Proverbs teaches that those who hoard their blessings will no longer be blessed. The blessing is found in the giving. Main Points: 1. I’m convinced that most of us listening today would say we have been blessed by God. In …

Let’s recognize our desperate need for God’s wisdom. Let’s ask Him for wisdom and believe His promise that He will provide. Main Points: 1. We can live self-sufficient lives that leave God out of our decision making. This is a critical mistake. God wants to be right in the middle of our choices and decision. He wants to lead, guide, and direct our …

How many times you and I have come to God in prayer over a desperate situation and we felt as if we didn’t have the words to pray? We didn’t know what to say. In that moment words seem to fail us. Main Points: 1. What a powerful truth this is! The Spirit of God knows what our needs are and in our moments of weakness begins to intercede for us. 2. W…

The giants we struggle with the most are not sickness, finances, pain, loss, or grief. Our biggest giants are internal. The battles that take us out are personal. Struggles like lust, greed, selfishness, anger, bitterness, and fear can become giants that destroy our faith, our relationships, and our future. We must guard our hearts and develop a cl…

It seems that memorizing scripture is a lost discipline in today’s church culture. I rarely hear anyone talking about the verse they are memorizing, nor do I hear people reciting the verses they have learned by heart. Main Points: 1. A generation ago, scripture memorization was practiced more regularly. It was talked about in the church. At home, f…

The Bible reveals that one of the characteristics that is most damaging to our relationship with God and others is pride. Yet, most of us don’t readily confess pride as a struggle. Perhaps, it’s because pride is subtle and it’s difficult to see in ourselves. Main Points: 1. Pride is often described as the silent enemy of the soul, lurking in the sh…

Communion is important for us because it is about remembering. We are forgetful people. Jesus left us with a tangible, visual to help us remember the vital importance of His death and resurrection. Main Points: 1. Holy Communion, sometimes called The Lord’s Supper, is one of the ordinances of the church and is an important part of our worship. As w…

How are you using your influence? Now, you might think you are are not very influential because you define influence as position, fame, prominence, or name recognition. But listen to this definition of influence. Influence is the effect of something on a person; the power that somebody has to affect other people's lives, beliefs, thinking and actio…

The Bible teaches us that not only does God forgive us, but he removes our condemnation. Grace brings freedom. It provide healing for the soul. Sins are not only forgiven, but God lifts our sentence of guilt. Shame is erased. Main Points: 1. There is one universal thing every human has in common. We are all sinners. We have all made mistakes. We al…

Today, you and I will say a lot of words. We have more ways to communicate than any previous generation. We speak, write, text, email, and social media, all of which require a choice of words. Let’s slow down, think before speaking, allow the Lord to give us wisdom, and choose our words carefully. Main Points: 1. We might be tempted to think our wo…

Isn’t it incredible to think that before you and I were born, God already had a plan and a purpose for our lives? One of the ways God prepared us in advance is that He has given us spiritual gifts. Main Points: 1. The Bible has a lot to say about spiritual gifts. There are at least 20 of them listed in the Bible. We don’t have time to define them a…

What is envy? A feeling of discontentment or resentment over the opportunities, possessions, or blessings of another. I once heard envy described as the combination of a desire for something, with the resentment that another is enjoying it and you are not. Main Points: 1. It’s been my experience that envy is not a sin we readily confess. There is a…

Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit will be our comforter. The term “Comforter” comes from a Greek word that means “one called alongside to help.” The Holy Spirit is an advocate, counselor, and helper. Main Points: 1. The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or an abstract concept; He is a Person who comes to dwell within believers. 2. The Holy Spirit i…

Some think God hates sinners. You’ve seen people hold up those signs on street corners, right? Some think God rejects sinners and wants nothing to do with them, or maybe he wants to strike them with lightning. But let me share with you a powerful truth. God loves sinners. Main Points: 1. In the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen…

What’s next? Isn’t that the question many of us are asking? As humans, we are forward-looking. What does tomorrow hold? Many feel that God has a next season for their lives. We acknowledge that as long as we are living, God has a next step for our spiritual growth and purpose. Main Points: 1. It’s vital that we learn a great truth: God’s next seaso…

God’s heart beats with compassion for the lost, and He passionately seeks them out. As followers of Christ, we are invited into this search. We become part of the process by sharing the message of the Gospel with those around us. What is important to God, must be important to us. Main Points: 1. Jesus’ very purpose in coming to earth and dying for …

God’s promise echoes through time: He fights for us. When life’s battles rage, we do not need to panic or despair. We stand on His promise. We trust in His greatness and His love for us. God fights for His children. Main Points: 1. Life is filled with storms. We will all face circumstances that seem insurmountable. We will endure hardships that thr…

Unequivocally, I can say that God is looking for us to say “yes” to Him. Have you given God your yes? Have you surrendered your will and your life to God? Have you said “God, I’m yours. Take my life and use it for your glory?” Have you said, “God, I’ll say what you want me to say, go where you want me to go, and do what you want me to do?” Main Poi…

Let me ask you, “What are your priorities? What is most important in your life? Do your actions demonstrate that your priorities are more than good intentions? Are you really living out your priorities? These are good questions for all of us to reflect upon. Main Points: 1. In the hustle and bustle of life, it's so easy to get swept away by the dem…

The Holy Spirit is speaking to every believer in Jesus and He’s asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” God wants to send every one of us into His Kingdom work. When we say “Here am I, Send me,” God will use our lives for His glory. Main Points: 1. I’ve noticed over the years, that the thing that keeps many Christians from…

The Bible teaches us we are to love God with our soul. This refers to the inner man. We are to love God with our emotions, feelings, intellect, and will. Main Points: 1. To love God with all your soul is to love God with your entire inner life. This means everything your inner life experiences - everything you feel, decide, believe, think, choose, …

The scripture likens the Christian life to a race that is to be finished. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. It’s the only way we will finish this race. We must not become distracted and lose our focus. Main Points: 1. It’s so easy to become distracted and to turn our eyes to other things. Whether it’s other people, mistakes or failures, or simply the…

Every generation has the responsibility to pass their faith to the next generation. This requires diligent training and discipleship. Main Points: 1. For those of you who are parents, let me ask you to consider something: What are you actively teaching your children? Are you consistently discipling your own children? Do they see a commitment in you…

You and I have a truth we can hold onto today: God is a promise-keeper. He will not fail. What He has said, He will do. What He has promised, He will perform. Main Points: 1. Let this truth be an encouragement in your life today. No word from God ever fails. No matter your current circumstances, God's Word remains unshakable. In times of uncertaint…

It seems that when we are in right relationship with God, through the blood of Jesus, and we are pursuing a righteous lifestyle, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God say your prayers will be powerful and effective. Main Points: 1. The word “righteous” – being in a right relationship with God. We are intimidated by this. The word “righteous” sc…

Why do we suffer? You and I have lived long enough to see and experience suffering. It comes to us all. Suffering is no respecter of persons. There is coming a day when all suffering will cease. When we are in the eternal presence of our God. He will wipe away all tears. But for now, suffering is a part of our human existence. Main Points: 1. Suffe…

When we place our faith in Jesus, we do so because we have been exposed to his light. We are changed and impacted by the truth of His Word and His presence. Prior to our relationship with Christ we lived in darkness and sin, but the light has now changed us. Main Points: 1. As a result of our encounter with the light of the world, we are now to be …

Pray and ask God to search your heart. As the Lord reveals things that are hindering your spiritual growth, be willing to throw them off so that nothing slows you down. Main Points: 1. I must ask the Lord to show me if there is anything in my life that is hindering my relationship with Christ. Is there anything that is hindering me? Is there anythi…

God, in His infinite wisdom, uses what the world considers foolish—the preaching of the cross—to confound the wise. The power of salvation is not found in human wisdom or eloquence, but in the message of Christ's sacrificial love. Main Points: 1. To an unsaved world, the salvation that God offers us through Christ, seems incomprehensible to those w…

Greatness in the kingdom of God, is rooted in humility and sacrificial service. So, we see that greatness is achievable for all of us. It’s not dependent on your title, position, location, influence, or anything else. Greatness is achieved when we serve others. All of us can do this today. Main Points: 1. Our culture sees greatness as record-breaki…

If there is anything constant about the world we live in, it is that things are going to change. We may not like it, we may not want to embrace the change, but nothing in this life is static. Except God. Main Points: 1. Think about it. God’s love never changes. His character will not change. His power, strength, and abilities never change. His know…

Have you ever encountered someone who simply wouldn’t listen to wise advice? Or what about you? Have you ever refused to listen to words of wisdom? Main Points: 1. Recently, while reading in the book of Proverbs, I noticed that Solomon repeatedly used the words “fool” or “foolish.” I decided to count and learned Solomon uses the word “fool” 72 time…