Are You Tempting God?
As Jesus stood at the highest point of the temple, Satan whispered to him, “Go ahead. Jump! If you’re really God’s son, he’ll save you.” “Then the devil took him up into the holy city, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw…
Wholly Dependent on Him
God took the little nation of Israel and isolated them in a wilderness. He was placing them in a school of testing to produce a people who would trust in him no matter the circumstances. He wanted Israel to testify, “I can go through any test, any difficulty, even those beyond my abilities. How? I…
Living a Genuine Life
Back when some of these televangelist con-artists were soaking the people for money, any crack addict would watch that and say, “Are you kidding me? He’s running a scam.” Meanwhile, Christians are writing checks, saying, “Who do I make this out to?” This shouldn’t be, and yet it so often happens. Do you know that…
The Art of Contentment
Contentment was a huge test in Paul’s life. After all, God said he would use him mightily: “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15, NKJV). When Paul first received this commission, “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues,…
True Riches in an Empty World
No one on earth can place you in ministry. You may be given a diploma by a seminary, ordained by a bishop or commissioned by a denomination; but the apostle Paul reveals the only source of any true call to ministry: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because he counted me…
The Good and Faithful Servant
Skeptics love to come into our lives and say things like “Hey, I love your vision and passion; they’re great. But why risk it? Some people aren’t going to like it. You’ll probably get some negative feedback. You might make some people outright angry. If you offend somebody, why do what you’re called to do…
How Much of God Do You Want?
Surrender . What does this word tell you? In literal terms, surrender means “to give up something to another person.” It also means to relinquish something granted to you. This could include your possessions, power, goals or even your life. Christians today hear much about the surrendered life, but what does it mean exactly? Jesus…
The Best Gift We Can Give
The pace of our modern life is so frantic! Between work, school, church, housework, errands, homework, sports, iPad, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Netflix, etc., there isn’t always a lot of time left to have great family conversations. Monday through Sunday, life runs at a hundred miles an hour, and too often we stick to superficial…
The Distinguishing Mark of Jesus’ Presence
In Acts 3, we find Peter and John going to the temple to worship. Just outside the temple gate sat a beggar who had been crippled from birth. Peter told him to stand and walk in the name of Jesus, and the man was healed! When Peter and John saw crowds gathering to marvel at…
Always Ready by Prayer
When a crisis strikes, you don’t have time to build yourself up in prayer and faith. Those who spend their time in the prayer closet with Jesus, though, are always ready. A couple wrote to our ministry recently in a spirit that revealed they’d been with Jesus. Their 24-year-old daughter had been out with a…