4 Simple Ways to Grow in Christ

May 20, 2013 By 9 Comments
4 simple ways to grow in Christ

Grow up into Him in all things… Eph. 4:15b

“How can I grow in Christ?”

Have you ever asked yourself this question?

Whether you have been a Christian for many years or just recently received the Lord Jesus, it’s very important to know how to grow in Christ.

Unfortunately, improving behavior, increasing Bible knowledge, or developing spiritual gifts may become distractions from real growth in Christ.

The real growth in Christ is the increase of God’s life in you.

For example, the believers in Corinthian were very much for knowledge and gifts, but the Apostle Paul told them that they were “infants in Christ”—short of the real growth in God’s life (1 Cor. 3:1-2).

So if you’re longing for growth in Christ, I hope you’ll keep reading…

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What is Life?

May 13, 2013 By 4 Comments
What is life?

What is life?

“What is life?” Have you ever asked yourself this question?

…Possibly when you were plagued by troubles and frustrations in your human life, family life or profession.

Or…maybe it was just a deep, inner sense of emptiness that caused you to consider—“what is life?”

You’re not alone. Even some of the most successful, famous, and wealthy people have reached the top only to find that they’ve missed out on that which is “really life.” They were not satisfied.

To get to the heart of the issue, we’ll first have to realize that “life” is profound. We’re complex beings and there are different kinds of life that contribute to our total life experience.

 So what is the real life that makes the human life meaningful?

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3 Blessings God Has Prepared for You

May 6, 2013 By 6 Comments
God...blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Eph 1:3

God…blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Eph 1:3

Is your view of  God’s blessings the same as His?

Consider. Have you ever been disappointed that God didn’t “bless  you” in the way you’d hoped? 

 Maybe…

  • You didn’t succeed in school or sports as you had expected or…
  • You didn’t get that job that you really wanted or…
  • The person that you loved, didn’t love you back or…
  • Your kids didn’t excel as you hoped they would or…
  • You didn’t receive that answer to prayer that you petitioned for.

I sincerely hope that you’re not offended by God due to His lack of “blessing” or the lack of answers to your prayers.

But frankly, God’s commitment to us is not in material blessings…although He does promise to take care of our needs (Matt. 6:33).

But, He is no less God, and no less true and real when He withholds material blessings from us…Job found that out.

What’s my point? God’s ways are much higher than ours and His divine thought of blessing is much higher than ours.

Then you might ask, “What are the blessings that God has planned for us?”

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Speak to Christ the Rock to Drink the Spirit as the Water of Life!

April 29, 2013 By 4 Comments

Speak to Christ, the Rock, to drink the water of life!

Speak to the Rock,
Bid the waters flow,
Doubt not the Spirit,
Given long ago;
Take what He waiteth,
Freely to bestow,
Drink till its fulness
All Thy being know.

This chorus from A.B.  Simpson’s (1843-1918) classic hymn has really spoken to me! It rises up in my heart again and again! “Oh, speak to the Rock, bid the waters flow!”

It is full of light, inspiration and supply not only for me, but for every thirsty seeker of God today.

Inspired by the Lord’s words to Moses in Exodus 17:1-6 and Numbers 20:8-11, Simpson echoed God’s charge to Moses to “speak to the rock…strike not its bosom opened long ago.”

So what does this mean?’…

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“What Must I Do to Be Saved?”

April 22, 2013 By 4 Comments
"Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved..." Acts 16:31a

“Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved…” Acts 16:31a

This was the anxious word of a despairing jailor in the ancient city of Philippi.

A great earthquake had shaken the foundations of the prison that he guarded. And all the prison doors were opened. The prisoners’ escape meant his execution—his life for theirs. So he was ready to kill himself.

But the jailed apostles, Paul and Silas, comforted him saying that the prisoners were all there. Yet there was now a greater issue. It was not just a matter of  being saved from physical death, but of something deeper—the salvation of his soul.

Maybe this is the question you’re groping with today. If so you may want to read on…

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Have You Found the “Way of Peace?”

April 15, 2013 By 6 Comments

Have you found the "way of peace?"

“We have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1b

Is there a “way of peace” in this world today?

The world is full of unrest and anxiety. People are more anxious than ever…and rightfully so. But it’s not just troubling news reports…

Hidden deep in the hearts of people, from all walks of life, is an absence of peace.  It’s not just the turmoil between nations, economic woes, and domestic problems. But within your own soul there may be an inexplicable feeling of restlessness, with no peace.

Then how can you find “the way of peace?”

Notice, I didn’t say, “the way to peace” That’s because it’s not just a destination to arrive at—like “when the problems are all solved, then you’ll have peace.”

Don’t expect the world situation, financial markets, or your personal life to become like a calm lake. And that’s not the real peace anyway.

Rather, I’m speaking of a present path, a realm, and a way to walk right now—the “way of peace.”

So, have you found this “way of peace?”  If not, you may want to read on…

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What is Redemption? How is Salvation Different?

April 8, 2013 By 5 Comments
What is "Redemption?"

God paid the highest price to redeem us, to recover us as vessels for His purpose!

Redemption refers to the price that you have to pay to get back what is yours, but has been lost.

Years ago you could take soda bottles back to the grocery store and they’d give you the “redemption value” right on the spot.

If your car ever got impounded for being left in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may have had to pay a significant price to get it back.

These are just a couple of examples of redemption that immediately come to mind.

But what is the redemption spoken of in the Bible? And how does it differ or compare with the salvation spoken of there?

In this post we’ll consider redemption and then go on to see how it relates to God’s salvation.

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Are You Living in the Mystery?

April 1, 2013 By 5 Comments
Making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure... Eph 1:9

Making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure… Eph 1:9

Does this question sound intriguing? I really hope so.

That’s because the genuine Christian life is a life in the divine mystery.

Unfortunately, many well-intended Christians are distracted from the mysterious realm of God’s purpose revealed in the Bible to the material realm of the physical universe around them.

This may be expressed in:

  • treasuring material blessings.
  • valuing physical miracles.
  • exalting material success.
  • petitioning for material desires.
  • focusing on material change in society.
  • and much more.

None of these things are sinful or evil.  But, they may distract  the believers with the good things of their material existence and cause them to miss the mark of God’s mysterious plan.

Then what should be the focus of our Christian life?

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Have You Sung God’s Word Today?

March 25, 2013 By 1 Comment

Have you sung God's Word today?Would you like God’s Word to dwell in you richly?  Try singing it.

That’s what the Psalmists did. They sang the Word of God…with incredible benefits.

Just read Psalm 119. Their vital practice of singing God’s Word enlivened them (vv. 25, 50). It strengthened them (v. 28). It brought them salvation (v. 41) and comforted them (vv. 50, 76). It made them wiser, and gave them more insight and understanding (vv. 98-100). It was a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (v. 105) and much more.

Listen to what Paul said in Colossians 3:16,

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.”

So in this post we’ll consider this enriching practice of singing God’s Word and introduce a simple way to implement it in your daily Christian life.

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3 Vital Practices to Enrich Your Prayer Life

March 18, 2013 By 1 Comment

Have you ever noticed your experience of prayer becoming routine or stale? I know I have.

Praying the same old prayers, without having a fresh touch with the Lord Jesus, can cause you to lose interest in prayer and possibly even quit praying. What a loss!

But what can you do to invigorate and sustain your prayer life? …

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