2. Lack of Spiritual Discernment“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).When you consider the groups who use crystals, you will notice they all have one thing in common. T

But when it comes to prayer, we don’t need to worry about that. See, if we are believers in Jesus Christ as our savior and redeemer, we can have faith that the Holy Spirit lives within our hearts. Because of this, we can be assured that the Spirit will speak on our behalf when needed.As Romans 8:26 tells us, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We

In the Parable of the Wedding Banquet, Jesus likened God’s Kingdom to a king who prepared his son’s wedding feast. When the invited guests refused to attend, the king extended the invitation to others, symbolizing God’s inclusive call to all people and how many rejected Jesus as the Messiah.During the Last Supper, which coincided with Passover, Jes

Here are other interpretations beyond the common Seleucid and Ptolemaic ones.Some interpreters view the King of the North symbolically as representing a broader archetype of political powers or forces opposing God's people throughout history. In this view, the King of the North is not tied to a single historical empire. He represents any entity tha

We receive godly counsel from many sources: our Heavenly Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. In regard to entertainment, we might ask: Does God’s Word give “light” or direction about this? Have I prayed about my amusements with humility and a desire for God’s will? What kind of counsel have I sought — godly or worldly? The Convicti

1. Do Not Pray with a Proud HeartOne of the most common ways to create a barrier between oneself and God is to be prideful. When someone is proud, he or she is putting faith in their own goodness, their own achievements, and their own abilities. The Bible makes it clear that no one is righteous, and that it is better to rely on God, rather than one

1. Be Sensitive to People’s Feelings Don’t tell them to enjoy their period of singleness. The Apostle Paul was at peace with his state of singleness, but that doesn’t mean that unmarried people want to hear they should be as well. While there are always going to be people who do appreciate that encouragement, many unmarried individuals don’t apprec

Isaiah 9:2 says, “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Matthew repeated Isaiah’s words, referring to Jesus. Malachi 4:2 says, “The sun of righteousness will dawn” on those who honor God’s name. This light cannot be extinguished; it is irrepressible. Jesus, who came

The Bible doesn’t tell us to pray to the saints (Matt. 6:6) or through the saints (1 Tim. 2:5). Instead, we think of our connectedness to past saints and find inspiration in their stories of God's faithfulness. Hebrews 11 gives many examples of the great cloud of witnesses whose lives tell of God's unfailing love and grace. These saints speak from

Just like a venomous snake bite means death unless we receive the antidote, we are hopeless. Science Nordic reveals that it takes on average between 20 minutes and 72 hours to die from a venomous snake bite. This means that when we ponder the time of the Israelites in the wilderness, death was occurring all around them at different rates. Just like

God Can Stop Us Dead in Our TracksSaul was determined to arrest anyone who dared profess that Jesus was the promised, risen Messiah. He even obtained official authority from the chief priests in Jerusalem to do just that. Clearly, he was not a great target for street evangelism. In fact, there is no indication he would have even entertained a conve

What Does the Bible Say about Marriage? Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman, ordained by God for them to experience love, unity, to create a family, and to build one another up spiritually. When people get married, they are agreeing to build a life together, which means they are moving together toward one common goal - a future.In a Ch

1. Making New Visitors Stand Up or Identify ThemselvesWhen a new visitor comes to your church, most of the time, they just want to blend in with the audience. They may welcome an acknowledgement, but they are not looking for recognition. The last thing most new visitors want to do is to be put on the spot.In one church I used to go to, they would a

When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, it says in Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45 that the veil to the Holy of Holies tore in two from top to bottom. Jesus broke the barrier between us and the Lord. His death was the final sacrifice to give us full access to our Creator again.5. We Will Mourn Our Sin“Therefore, since we are surrounded

If the word of God will order your steps, then you must know what the word of God says. Therefore, you must spend time in God's word.One challenge the body of Christ faces right now is a lack of biblical literacy. One of the primary reasons is that many people don't read the Bible regularly. A 2021 study by the Barna Research Group found that 75 pe

1. The Son of GodBe thankful for Jesus, the Savior.1 John 4:14 reads, “. . . the Father has sent the son to be the Savior of the world.” The Son is the Father’s gift to us, and He wants us to rejoice and be grateful for that gift. Tied up in that word “Savior” is all that Jesus accomplished for God’s children in His sinless life, death, and resurre

Thank you for being with those who mourn, with those who are struggling, and with those who are going through valleys and tribulation. Even though Christmas brings the good news of the birth of the Savior, there are many people out there who are struggling with depression, sadness, loneliness, and pain.For believers, Holy Spirit, please minister in

How Does Knowing God Owns Cattle on a Thousand Hills Change Our Lives?The Israelites were giving gifts of sacrifice to God with the mindset that it was something they owned. Melissa Henderson points out in her article “What Does it Mean That God Owns Cattle on a Thousand Hills?” that God doesn’t just want our sacrifice; he wants a relationship with

1. The Importance of WorshipThe book of Revelation vividly underscores the importance of worship, presenting it as a central theme in the heavenly realm and a critical aspect of our life. In Revelation 4, John’s vision of heaven reveals the throne room of God, surrounded by twenty-four elders and four living creatures. These beings continually wors

We know we cannot possibly earn God’s protection. God is God, almighty and all-powerful. It is his grace and love and mercy that saved us, not anything we can possibly do (Ephesians 2:8). But we who strive to be righteous and walk with God can be assured that God takes care of those who belong to him.Does God Not Bless the Unrighteous? However, let