Topic > Spiritual Growth
During times of transition will you trust God?
During times of transition we’re all enrolled in Trust School. The question is, will we barely pass, fail completely, or graduate with honors? Today on Discover the Word, our team, along with pastor and author Jeff Manion, concludes their series called “The Land Between.” When life is turned upside down, God wants to know, “Will […]
“Whom the Lord loves He chastens”
“Whom the Lord loves He chastens.” We read that in the Bible, but what does that mean exactly? Today on Discover the Word, our team, and Pastor Jeff Manion, discusses the uncomfortable topic of when God is a disciplinarian. Discover the relationship between rescue and discipline by being part of the study today on Discover the Word.
“Time heals all wounds” . . . or does it?
It’s a common expression “Time heals all wounds,” but is it really true? Today on Discover the Word, author Jeff Manion maintains it’s not time that makes the difference during times of transition but the choices we make while we’re in that “Land Between.” Jeff rejoins our team to talk about that precarious land where […]
Living Out Our Faith
How do you live out your faith in your everyday life? God calls you to live a life that obeys the words of Jesus Christ. This course will show you how to continue to grow in your faith and to live out your faith in every area of your life.
We deeply appreciate the provision of these course materials from Urban Youth Workers Institute. If you have interest in their ministry please visit uywi.org.
Growing in The Faith
This course takes an in-depth look at what it means to follow Christ while learning how to study His words on being a disciple.
We deeply appreciate the provision of these course materials from Urban Youth Workers Institute. If you have interest in their ministry please visit uywi.org.
Language of Love
When my grandmother came to Mexico as a missionary, she had a hard time learning Spanish. One day she went to the market. She showed her shopping list to the girl helping her and said, “It’s in two tongues (lenguas).” But she meant to say that she had written it in two languages (idiomas). The butcher overheard them and assumed she wanted to purchase two cow tongues. My grandmother didn’t realize it until she got home. She had never cooked beef tongue before!
Mistakes are inevitable when we are learning a second language, including learning the new language of God’s love. At…
God’s not put off by our honest complaints
Any pastor can tell you that too much whining in the wilderness wears a leader down. It did for Moses. He complained to God and told Him the load of leadership was too much to bear! Today on Discover the Word, the group and pastor and author Jeff Manion discuss how God’s not put off […]
Important Reminders
Anthropologist Anthony Graesch says that the outside of a refrigerator reveals what’s important to people. During a research study of families in Los Angeles, Graesch and his colleagues noted an average of 52 items posted on the fridge—including school schedules, family photos, children’s drawings and magnets. Graesch calls the refrigerator “a repository of family memory.”
The Lord may use a tangible item like a photo, keepsake, or Scripture verse to remind us of His faithfulness and the call to obey His Word. When Moses addressed the Israelites just before they entered the land of Canaan, he urged them to keep all…
One question to ask ourselves before judging others
Could you eat one food—for every meal—for days, and not complain? Our guest this week on Discover the Word, Jeff Manion, tried that and today he tells us about his experiment. And the conversation reveals the one question we should ask ourselves when we’re tempted to judge others. Find out what that question is today […]
Strengthening the Heart
The neighborhood fitness center where I have worked out for years closed down last month, and I had to join a new gym. The former place was a warm, friendly facility, patronized by older folks who liked to socialize while they worked out. We hardly ever broke a sweat. The new gym is a hard-core facility filled with serious men and women, earnestly invested in building better bodies. I watch these people strain and toil. Their bodies look strong, but I wonder if their hearts are being strengthened with grace.
Physiologically, the heart is a muscle—the muscle that keeps the other…
“The Land Between”
Most people would love to travel, but there’s one place nobody wants to travel to—the “Land Between.” Today on Discover the Word, our group, along with special guest Jeff Manion, begin a new series called, “The Land Between.” It’s a discussion about what to do after a job loss, a serious illness, the end of a […]
Our Way of Life
I was struck by a phrase I heard quoted from a contemporary Bible translation. When I Googled the phrase “our way of life” to locate the passage, many of the results focused on things people felt were threatening their expected way of living. Prominent among the perceived threats were climate change, terrorism, and government policies.
What really is our way of life as followers of Jesus? I wondered. Is it what makes us comfortable, secure, and happy, or is it something more?
Paul reminded the Christians in Ephesus of the remarkable way God had transformed their lives. “God, who is rich…
Leaving the Past Behind
Chris Baker is a tattoo artist who transforms symbols of pain and enslavement into works of art. Many of his clients are former gang members and victims of human trafficking who have been marked with identifying names, symbols, or codes. Chris transforms these into beautiful art by tattooing over them with new images.
Jesus does for the soul what Chris Baker does for the skin—He takes us as we are and transforms us. The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:17 nlt).…
No Drifting
At the end of one school semester, my wife and I picked up our daughter from her school 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. On our way back home we detoured to a nearby beach resort for snacks. While enjoying our time there, we watched the boats at the seashore. Usually they are anchored to prevent them from drifting away, but I noticed one boat drifting unhindered among the others—slowly and steadily making its way out to sea.
As we drove home, I reflected on the timely caution given to believers in the book of Hebrews: “We must pay the most careful…
Putting the pieces back together
When a prized possession in our home shatters, we’re prone to simply throw away the pieces. Thankfully, that’s not what God does with broken things! Today on Discover the Word, we study how the fractured parts of our families bring us closer to God. Looking to put the pieces back together in your family? Join […]
