Month: April 2017

Don’t Hurt the Lord

Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? —John 14:9

Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us— astounded at how “un-simple” we are. It is our own opinions that make us dense and slow to understand, but when we are simple we are never dense; we have discernment all the time. Philip expected the future revelation of a tremendous…

“Mentor for Life”

You may have heard the phrase “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” So, how might that idea impact the body of Christ? Well, today on Discover the Word, the answer might surprise you as we, along with special guest Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, conclude the challenging, but inspiring series titled . . […]

The Gift of Giving

A pastor breathed life into the phrase “He’d give you the shirt off his back” when he gave this unsettling challenge to his church: “What would happen if we took the coats off our backs and gave them to the needy?” Then he took his own coat and laid it at the front of the church. Dozens of others followed his example. This was during the winter, so the trip home was surely less comfortable that day. But for dozens of people in need, the season warmed up just a bit that day.

When John the Baptist roamed the Judean wilderness,…

Can a Saint Falsely Accuse God?

Jesus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30  was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant falsely accused his master when he said, “You expect more of me than you gave me the power to do.

Our walk of faith requires training

No one wakes up one morning and decides to run a marathon that afternoon. It requires training. And so does our walk of faith! Today on Discover the Word, the team continues the series titled, “Mentor for Life.” They’re joined this week by author Natasha Sistrunk Robinson who brings a fascinating perspective to the subject of discipleship. […]

My Awful Baptism Story

Holding a sunflower stalk, I waited at the foot of the stage. That day, my cell group member was getting baptized.

Letting Go

For our wedding anniversary, my husband borrowed a tandem bike so we could enjoy a romantic adventure together. As we began to pedal on our way, I quickly realized that as the rider on the back my vision of the road ahead was eclipsed by my husband’s broad shoulders. Furthermore, my handlebars were fixed; they didn’t affect the steering of our bike. Only the front handlebars determined our direction; mine served merely as support for my upper body. I had the choice to either be frustrated by my lack of control or to embrace the journey and trust Mike would…

Beware of the Least Likely Temptation

Joab withstood the greatest test of his life, remaining absolutely loyal to David by not turning to follow after the fascinating and ambitious Absalom. Yet toward the end of his life he turned to follow after the weak and cowardly Adonijah. Always remain alert to the fact that where one person has turned back is exactly where anyone may be tempted to turn back (see 1 Corinthians 10:11-13). You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall.

Discipleship: a matter of both knowing and doing

Sometimes, there can be a big difference between what people want and what they need. Today on Discover the Word, the team is joined by a special guest to discuss how discipleship is a matter of both knowing . . . and doing. Author Natasha Sistrunk Robinson joins the group to talk about mentoring for life. Listen […]

Обзор Нового Завета

Добро пожаловать на наш курс «Обзор Нового Завета»! Тема Нового Завета интересует многих, но возможно, далеко не каждый имеет ясное представление о том, как все его части гармонично соединяются в единое целое. В своём электронном курсе д-р Сид Баззелл даст нам общее представление об этой бессмертной и важной части Библии, делая это в доступной форме. Вместе с нами он будет изучать текст Писания, которое актуально и сегодня. Мы надеемся, что этот короткий курс вызовет у вас интерес к дальнейшему изучению Нового Завета.

Sweet Scent

Author Rita Snowden tells a delightful story about visiting a small village in Dover, England. Sitting outside a café one afternoon enjoying a cup of tea, she became aware of a beautiful scent. Rita asked a waiter where it was coming from, and was told it was the people she could see passing by. Most of the villagers were employed at a nearby perfume factory. As they walked home, they carried the fragrance that permeated their clothes out into the street.

What a beautiful image of the Christian life! As the apostle Paul says, we are the aroma of Christ, spreading…

Is there a difference between Christ-followers and the lost?

Why does it sometimes seem like there’s no real difference between the lives of professing Christians and those who are lost in the world? Today, the Discover the Word group is joined by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson to discuss methods of evangelism that lead people to true spiritual maturity. Discipleship is part of the deal! Don’t […]

Readiness

When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, and we give no answer. Moses’ reply to God revealed that he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry out,

Enjoy the View

Sunsets. People tend to stop what they are doing to watch them . . . snap pictures of them . . . enjoy the beautiful view.

My wife and I watched the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico recently. A crowd of people surrounded us, mostly strangers who had gathered at the beach to watch this nightly phenomenon. At the moment the sun fully slipped below the horizon the crowd broke out with applause.

Why do people respond like that? The book of Psalms offers a clue. The psalmist wrote of God ordering the sun to praise its Creator (Ps. 148:3).…

3 Ways Discomfort Discomforted Me

Not again. I was at my wit’s end. A good two and a half weeks had passed since I had finished my second course of antibiotics, but as I gazed at the ceiling that night—awake, alert, and anxious—it felt as though I was back to square one.