Three Tests God Ordains for His People

Three Tests God Ordains for His People

Not all tests are designed with the same purpose (and some we may never grasp in this life). But we do know this: God is good. And the clearest demonstration of his goodness was at the cross. In the face of every test, we can remember Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Winning The Unseen Battles

Winning The Unseen Battles

We may experience seasons where enemies surround us, illness overtakes us, or conflict overwhelms us. In each of those cases, we can choose to fight the wrong battles, or like Daniel and Joseph, we can rest knowing God is fighting for us.

For Nothing Will Be Impossible With God

For Nothing Will Be Impossible With God

Mary trusted God with her future. The coming Messiah was the answer to a long awaited promise of salvation and deliverance, and though she didn’t know exactly how God would accomplish the birth of her baby, she trusted that would do what he said he’d do.

Steadfast, Watchful, Thankful Prayer

Steadfast, Watchful, Thankful Prayer

According to the Pew Research Center, 55 percent of Americans say that they pray every day. However, their prayers may not be the kind of prayers that Jesus taught the disciples to pray. From the Expositor’s Bible: Colossians and Philemon written in 1902: Many people’s notion is that prayer is urging our wishes on God, and that His answer is giving us what we desire. But true prayer is the meeting in harmony of God’s will and man’s, and its deepest expression is not, Do this, because I desire it, O Lord; but, I do this because Thou desirest it, O Lord.  We read example after example of God’s people praying. In prayer, they offered thanks (Daniel 6:10). They prayed for forgiveness (Numbers 21:17) and for mercy (Deuteronomy 9:26). They prayed in barrenness (1 Samuel 1:10) and in plenty (1 Chronicles 29:9-11). They prayed that God would open the eyes of some (2 Kings 6:17) and shut the eyes of others (2 Kings 6:18). God’s people asked for boldness (Acts 4:29). They interceded for others (1 Samuel 12:23). They prayed for healing (2 Kings 20:2), for protection (Ezra 8:21), for success (Nehemiah 1:11). They prayed in whispers (Isaiah 26:16), and they also cried out (Psalm 28:2). Jesus was in the habit of praying. And if it was important to him, it’s important to us. Though we can find many lessons throughout the Bible on how to pray, here are just three elements of prayer that we can put into practice now. Steadfastness in Prayer Successful athletes know what it means to pursue a goal with earnestness. Practicing day after...
Making the Best Use of the Time

Making the Best Use of the Time

God’s word tells us to make the most of opportunities with respect to people around us. And this New Year, we can make the most of opportunities by being ready, available, and watchful