Okay. Then let's go Old Testament. Prophetic. Action-oriented. Micah 6:8 says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"It's still simple, still bunched in a group of three, still indicating that there's no big mystery way far out there which

Do not underestimate the Holy Spirit's ability to lead you in planning. If the Spirit can guide you at the altar, during your prayer time, or in day-to-day living, He can certainly give you wisdom to plan. Remember that the preaching plan, like all plans, are projections that are based on the best information you have at the time, if it needs to be

1. The bad newsYou will encounter this same problem to one degree or another in every church you serve. No church is without the sleeping, the dormant, the complacent. It’s the human thing. In high school physics we learned that a body at rest prefers to remain at rest, while one on the move wants to keep traveling. So, the question is how to arous

The first century church gave of what they had so that no one was in need (Acts 2:44). But the difference between this and socialism is that their actions flowed from their own free will. Believers were free to sell as much or as little of their belongings to participate in the community as they wished. We see this in Acts 5:4 when Peter tells Anan

Have you ever felt like your battle against sin was impossible to win? Perhaps you’ve thought, I want to flee from temptation, but at times it seems like I just can’t. If so, you are not alone. The apostle Paul essentially said that very thing in Romans 7. He wrote, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I

Another way to assess your relational investment planning is to begin with the relationships closest to you. Begin with your family. In my case, I am investing my time in strengthening my relationship with my wife and two boys (and girl on the way). From there, I think about my covenant community (local church). God will open doors and create oppor

Further Reading:What Does the Bible Say about Suffering?Why Does the Christian Life Lead to Suffering?Why Is There Suffering in the World?Why Does God Allow Suffering?4 Encouraging Truths about SufferingWhat Not to Say to Those Who are SufferingWhat Does It Mean to Suffer Awhile?Does Jesus Understand Our Suffering?If God Is Good, Why Does He Allow

1. Psalm 91:1-2, 4“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge...”2. Philippians 4:8-9“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is no

Reading a psalm in light of its threefold structure gives us a strategy to better understand a psalm’s overall message. And, as we comprehend each psalm’s overall message, may God grant that they guide us in our worship of him.

Bible Verses About Forgiving OthersPsalm 103:11-12For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."Think about this imagery for a moment. God can remove our sins from out from as far as the east is from the

Excursus—Royal Annals Both Hezekiah's and Sennacherib's accounts are royal annals. Sennacherib's account states: "As for Hezekiah, the Judean,  I besieged forty-six of his fortified walled cities and surrounding smaller towns, which were without number … He sent me after my departure to Nineveh, my royal city … 30 talents of gold, 800 talents of si

1. Understand the battle.Make sure you understand the real source of the conflict. Many times we address symptoms, but we really aren’t even addressing with the real issue. That wastes time, frustrates people, and makes the conflict linger longer. It’s usually a heart issue that is controlling everything being said (Proverbs 4:23). Discovering that

This verse talks about three feelings: hope, disappointment, and love.  How have you experienced these three? • Hope: • Disappointment:• Love:  Write about a personal relationship that has included all three. How is your relationship with God similar to this relationship? God has called you into a special love relationship, one based on hope. These

If you are a Christian you have experienced resurrection power, for as Paul earlier said of God’s power in the believer in 1:19, 20: “[It is like] the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead.” Humanity is divided into two groups: those who are resurrected, and those who are dead. Self-help will not save

"Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth." Many saints of old have died with these words on their lips. Polycarp and John Huss thus comforted themselves on their way to the stake. Luther and Melanchthon repeated them on their deathbeds. "Blessed," said Luther, "are they who die not only for the Lord, as the martyrs,

1. Focus on God instead of your situation.That's easier said than done, but that's what Paul means when he says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). He's not saying that we're happy about what we're going through; he's not even saying to rejoice in our difficulties. He's saying rejoice in the Lord, and that's

See? You're not late for everything. Alex Crainis the editor of Christianity.com and BibleStudyTools.com. He is a contributing editor for Crosswalk.com and Jesus.org. He has served pastorally at various churches in the areas of teaching, outreach, small groups and worship ministries. He also serves as the pastor of worship at harvest christian fell

Sometimes we react by a kind of religious reflex and repeat dutifully the proper words and phrases even though they fail to express our real feelings and lack the authenticity of personal experience. Right now is such a time. A certain conventional loyalty may lead some who hear this unfamiliar truth expressed for the first time to say brightly, "O

1. Live your life as if there is no God.The greatest mistake you could ever make in your life would be to live as if there is no God. Some people choose to believe that there is no God. Big mistake. Others claim to believe in God, but they still seem to live their lives as if he does not exist. Another big mistake. Proverbs 9:10The fear of the Lord

Peter seems to be writing in the style of a Jewish Diaspora letter written from Jerusalem to Jewish exiles.50 Indeed there are good reasons to think that his letter is modeled on a letter the prophet Jeremiah wrote back in the sixth century BC to the exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 29). Jeremiah’s letter is introduced: “This is the text of the letter t