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.

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...
Seeking God: My Quest

Seeking God: My Quest

I was brought up in the church, and some of my earliest memories are of the little country church I attended as a small child with my parents and grandparents. So you might think that my journey to faith would have been an uneventful one. This is not the case.

Six Steps to Personal Bible Study

Six Steps to Personal Bible Study

It’s not necessary to have a seminary degree to understand God’s word; He only expects you to be hungry. For those who are Bible study leaders already, your ability to learn from God’s word and teach others will be enhanced by learning a few simple techniques for studying on your own.

All it takes to begin studying God’s word on your own is discipline, a Bible, a notebook, and a pen.