I know your industry…But I have this [one charge to make] against you…[you have deserted Me, your first love]. – Revelation 2: 2, 4, Amplified Bible (AMP) From time to time we need to be reminded of the trappings of the church of Ephesus. In Revelation 2, God praised the church for the following, admirable… Continue reading It’s all for nought if you leave your first love.
Category: Savior
Beware the trappings of a soup kitchen ministry.
Jesus answered them…you have been searching for Me…because you were fed…and were filled and satisfied. – John 6:26, Amplified Bible (AMP) Nobody knows better than Jesus how effective it can be to reach someone’s soul by first taking care of his/her physical needs. By healing the sick, casting out demons, and feeding the hungry, Chirst opened hearts… Continue reading Beware the trappings of a soup kitchen ministry.
Let God be your Superman.
…I am the Almighty God… – Genesis 17:1, Amplified Bible (AMP) I recently watched a short documentary about the making of Man of Steel, the 2013 blockbuster movie about the DC Comics character, Superman. During the documentary, one of the producers of the film likened the character of Superman to a melding of the Old… Continue reading Let God be your Superman.
You can learn a lot from watching pro wrestling.
God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1, Amplified Bible (AMP) Ok, I’ll admit it. I loved watching pro wrestling as a child. I’m not sure what attracted me to it. Maybe it was the conflict inside of the ring. Maybe… Continue reading You can learn a lot from watching pro wrestling.
God will hold you accountable for not caring about the souls of others.
…but his blood will I require at your hand. – Ezekiel 3:18, Amplified Bible (AMP) Let’s be brutally honest: most of us don’t believe Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:16-20 really apply to us. Oh, we give lip service to the importance of the Great Commission, and we give a mental nod to the idea that… Continue reading God will hold you accountable for not caring about the souls of others.
Where do you get your energy?
So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple. – Luke 14:33, Amplified Bible (AMP). I was involved in a discussion not long ago where there were differing opinions about what makes someone an “extrovert” or an “introvert.”… Continue reading Where do you get your energy?
You are never your own master.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but…Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. – Romans 6:17-18, Amplified Bible (AMP) One of the most common reasons a person gives for rejecting the Gospel goes something like this: “I don’t want to give up my freedom. I… Continue reading You are never your own master.
Come, let us reason together.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord… – Isaiah 1:18, Amplified Bible (AMP) Imagine that you are Adam (or Eve) before The Fall. It’s a beautiful afternoon in April. The garden is blooming, the sun has assumed the rich orange of sunset, the air is perfectly cool, and peace saturates everything. After… Continue reading Come, let us reason together.
God will lift you up out of the miry clay.
…And in the dungeon or cistern pit there was no water, but only mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire. – Jeremiah 38:6, Amplified Bible, AMP We have a bad habit of thinking that if we are obedient to The Lord, life will be easy. Such thinking isn’t rooted in reality, however. Bad things happen to obedient… Continue reading God will lift you up out of the miry clay.
God knows how to take care of His own.
…And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion? – Esther 4:14, Amplified Bible (AMP) A missionary family in the country of Panama recently received a questionnaire from the Panamanian immigration office. After filling out and returning the questionnaire, the family received… Continue reading God knows how to take care of His own.