“And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.” Josh 4:18 (NIV) The Christian life is a life […]
Category: Faith
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Going Ankle Deep
“Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of […]
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Keeping the Faith
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 […]
“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” Psalms […]
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints.” Col 1:3-4 (NIV) What are people hearing about you? Do they hear about your obsession with hobbies? Do they […]
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Still Living By Faith
“All these people were still living by faith when they died.” Heb 11:13 (NIV) It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. Commit to finish well. When you study the Hall of Faith found in Hebrews chapter eleven, you will discover great men and women who chose to finish well. They were still living […]
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Taking God at His Word
“By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.” Heb 11:11 (NIV) Is the level of your faith determined by the intensity and severity of your circumstances or by the One in whom you are placing […]
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Heb 11:7 (NIV) Making decisions about things not seen requires faith. However, faith is not walking in the […]
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Faith and Pleasing God
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Heb 11:6 (NIV) Pleasing the Creator of the universe seems impossible. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. God is holy, perfect, immutable, and eternal. God is […]
“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.” Heb 11:5 (NIV) Two people in the Bible had the distinct privilege of not experiencing death, […]
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Heb 11:1 (NIV) Are you convinced that you are saved and that you will go to heaven? Are you convinced that God is who He says He is? That’s faith! Being confident of your current reality in […]
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Authentic Faith
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Tim 1:5 (NIV) What kind of faith has been handed down to you? Maybe you had a godly upbringing where Christ was honored in your […]
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NIV) View your trials from God’s perspective. Knowledge is needed to take things apart. Wisdom is needed to put things back together. When your life is coming apart, […]
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Tim 1:5 (NIV) Your reputation is based on what others say about you. Your character is based on what you really are when no one is looking. Nothing neutralizes your witness faster than […]
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Relational
Religion is like a vaccination. It will give you just enough to keep you from getting the real thing. Religion is our attempt to reach up to God. God desires relationship. Relationship is demonstrated by God coming down to us. The Creator coming down to His created ones. Though we are fallen, flawed, and fall short, […]
“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he […]
“The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’” Acts 23:11 (NIV) Paul experienced intense opposition as he shared the gospel in Jerusalem. He caused turbulence in the Temple among the crowd and chaos as he faced […]
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Forgiveness Forever
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:13-14 (NIV) If you are in Christ, then you are forgiven. Because of Christ’s atonement, you have been declared righteous. Your sins have been […]
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Redeemed by the Blood
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Eph 1:7-8 (NIV) Our position of being “in Christ” unlocks the treasure chest of His resources. It is imperative that you make certain that you […]
“…to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Eph 1:6 (NIV) How do you respond to rejection? Do you allow the rejection to inject you with insecurity or do you challenge the rejection? Rejection is painful. We long for acceptance. The wonderful news is that […]
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Eph 1:3 (NIV) You are God’s treasure. Can you imagine the Creator of the universe being the reason for your existence? You are not an accident. God purposed for […]
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:” Eph 1:1 (NIV) In her book, Breaking Free, Beth Moore reminds us of our position in Christ in the following affirmations: God is who He says He is. God can do what He says […]
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Resurrection Faith
“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:34 (NIV) What did Jesus do? He lived a sinless life, He died a sacrificial death, and He rose bodily from the dead. After His resurrection, […]
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Relying Upon God
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7 (NIV) This verse became dear to my heart when I was pastoring my seminary church in 1992. My wife, Tonya, and I went through the Experiencing God study along with our deacons and their wives. […]
“Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” James 2:21-22 (NIV) Doing life requires faith. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you […]
“So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.” Gen 12:4 (NIV) What is keeping you from obeying God? Do you fear the unknown? Are you uncomfortable making a move without having more information? Maybe God has chosen to […]
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless […]
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Healing
“They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, ‘My child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.” Luke 8:53-55 (NIV) Jairus, the synagogue rule, only had one daughter. She was twelve. […]
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Interruptions
“As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” Luke 8:42-44 (NIV) Has your life been […]
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Fortifying Your Faith
“The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds […]