How can we make friends for God and share our faith with others? How powerful can a personal testimony be? Why? How much should we share? How did Mary,Peter, John, and Paul use their testimonies to reach others and witness to the world? Is a personal testimony always convincing? Why does a changed life matter? What if your testimony wasn't like Paul's?
How does God expect us to overcome evil with good? How should a Christian live in their communities? How should Christians relate to government? Do these answers change when people are difficult to deal with, wrong us, or when a government is corrupt? Does salvation mean law is no longer important? What does Paul mean by love fulfilling the law?
What are the characteristics of a steward? As stewards of God's truth, gospel, wisdom, and all that He entrusts to us, what is expected of believers? Are we accountable individually accountable to God? How can we be faithful with a clear conscience? How does how we conduct ourselves in everyday secular activities demonstrate our loyalty to God?
How influential was Jesus' sermon on the mount? What did these powerful words mean? What was the purpose behind the sermon and what did it mean for believers? What was so radical and different about the words of Jesus? Do they still apply to us today? How did Jesus establish the relationship between law and grace? Did Jesus use this sermon to replace the law? Did His sermon replace a system of legalism? Or was salvation always by grace? What did Jesus mean by exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees and Scribes? This week we explore Jesus' sermon on the mount.
The Bible teaches about a day lost in history. A day God designed for us to remember. This week's lesson uncovers the mystery of this forgotten and lost day.
The Centurion totally surrendered all control and authority when he bid Jesus “speak the word” so that his servant could receive healing. There are many more such examples. But for me, the one that stands out more is Hosea: despite his Christian morals and beliefs, and against his better hope and aspirations, he chose to follow God and marry a woman who would bring him untold grief.
In all these assurances, I am comforted and strengthened to keep on praying. Just as Moses cried to God when faced with the red sea and Pharaoh’s army behind, I too must cry to God for deliverance from my red sea experiences. You can too. Do not give up on life, and don’t you give up on God. Keep on praying. Keep on believing and hoping that God will make a way when there seems to be no way. His answer may seem slow in coming, but it’s coming nonetheless. Jesus promised that Our Father will answer His elect speedily.
Our sinful desires to tear down and put down each other, speak evil of one another, gossip and engage in tale-bearing: are all symptoms which show that we do not regard each other as brothers. No one would willfully and intentionally kill their father’s child. So, why do it to God’s child? Gossiping and tale-bearing destroys unity and genuineness of friendships. Resentment and hatred should not be harbored in hearts that are preparing for Heaven. We are brothers and sisters.