Regardless of what our culture has come to believe, as a Christian, you have a mandate from Christ himself, to share the gospel with others. We cannot believe that evangelism is a calling for someone else. We cannot leave the responsibility to others. No, we are all called by Jesus to be His witnesses. Main Points: 1. In my lifetime there has been a growing sentiment in our society that it’s wrong to talk about matters of faith. People have come to believe it’s improper to try to convert...

Many feel the yearning, but do not recognize that it is spiritual in nature. They feel a sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction with life. So many people are thinking, “There must be something more to life. What am I missing?” Main Points: 1. People try to assuage their spiritual hunger with pleasure, relationships, travel, shopping, sports, substances like alcohol and drugs. Satisfaction is pursued with attempts to make more money, buy more things, and to have more fun. None of these...

Have you ever had an encourager in your life, someone that whenever you were around them, you found your spirit lifted? This is the kind of person I want to be. I want to be an encourager.  Main Points: 1. n the New Testament, there is a man named Barnabas. He was a leader in the early church and a partner with the Apostle Paul on some of his missionary journeys. His real name was Joseph, but he was given a nickname by the apostles. They called him Barnabas, which meant “son of...

We are all aware of the spiritual battle that rages. We do have an adversary. We do have opposition. We are in a fight, but find encouragement in these verses. Christ Jesus will place us on a firm foundation. He is our firm foundation. He is the rock we have built our lives upon, and He cannot be moved. Main Points: 1. No matter how fierce the fight, no matter how difficult the battle, our firm foundation is not shaken. Yes, we have to stand firm. Yes, we must be strong in the faith. But...

We must have a desire for the Scripture. It’s through the pages of the Bible we come to know the author. My prayer is that we would develop a hunger for the Word of God, because we have a hunger to know God personally. Main Points: 1. If today, you find yourself with little desire for the Word of God, there are some things you can do. Pray and admit to God what’s in your heart. Begin to ask God everyday to give you  a hunger and delight for Scripture. 2. I believe God will develop in us...

In Scripture we see that he glory of God is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. His glory is the combined manifestation of His attributes. He is glorious because no one can compare. Main Points: 1. The glory of God was visibly seen in the character of Jesus, his teaching, preaching, and miraculous power. Imagine walking and talking with God himself. 2. As we study the Bible we discover the glory of God...

In the Gospels, Jesus uses the faith of children to teach us about the kingdom of God. He tells us that unless we become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom of God. Main Points: 1. Child-like faith. We must come to God with this same simplicity and sincerity. Just as a child can have complete faith in the protection and provision of their parents, so we must come to God with such faith. We must completely believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the he alone can save us...

How many people are there, who once burned hot for God, now no longer serve Him? How many who were on fire for God, now have no spiritual passion at all? The sober reality is that this could happen to any of us. Main Points: 1. Why did God repeatedly tell the Israelites to not let the fire burn out? Why did the instruction need to be repeated? The answer is because there was a real possibility that keeping the fire burning hot could lose its importance to the people.  2. It is critical...

The scripture says to us, “don’t forget about all of God’s benefits. In the midst of life’s challenges, don’t forget about all the good things God has done for you.” Main Points: 1. Even when life is good and our struggles are minimal, it’s easy for us to forget what the Lord has done. In the hustle and bustle of life, it's easy to become consumed by our daily routines, obligations, and distractions. Our minds can be preoccupied with tasks, worries, and plans, leaving little room to stop...

I’m convinced, as long as we trust in our own resources, we’ll see very little of God’s power in our lives. Why would God intervene, if we leave Him out? Why would God do miraculous things, if we act as if we don’t need Him. Main Points: 1. Victory does not depend on the size of our resources, but on the power and sovereignty of God. 2. In our lives, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable. We may feel inadequate, outnumbered, or overwhelmed. Yet, the story of Gideon reminds us...

Yet, can we just take moment of honest evaluation? Among many churches, prayer is given very little emphasis. Church calendars are filled with ministry and activities, but often no prayer meeting is scheduled. In churches that do have a consistent prayer meeting, the attendance is often very low. Main Points: 1. We must ask, “Why has corporate prayer become such a low priority? Isn’t prayer the engine of the church? Doesn’t prayer and faith move the hand of God? Shouldn’t prayer be our...

We often talk about the inner Christian life. It’s true God works in our lives from the inside out, but rarely do I hear anyone talk about the outer Christian life. We talk about the personal relationship with Christ, but not much about the public Christian life. Main Points: 1. We have relegated faith in Christ as something private and personal. It’s between me and the Lord, people say. Yet, Paul is teaching us that if Christ is on the inside, it will show on the outside. Personal faith...

We cannot dismiss our lack of fruit by arguing that “at least we have been faithful.” Faithfulness in duty for Christ is not the same thing as abiding with Christ.  Main Points: 1. We often talk about faithfulness as the goal of the Christian life. After all, when we stand before Him, we desperately want to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” While remaining faithful is a common topic of conversation, I rarely hear God’s expectation of fruitfulness being discussed.  2....

As we read the Bible, it is very clear, Jesus is coming back. While many scoff and disbelieve, it doesn’t change the truth of what Jesus has said. We don’t know when He is coming, but we do know He is coming soon.  Main Points: 1. Knowledge of Christ’s return should not produce fear or anxiety in the heart of the believer. This truth should give us hope. It should cause us to be encouraged. What God has prepared for us is greater than anything this would could give us. 2. In an...

Can I encourage you today with a powerful truth? The Lord fights for you.  Main Points: 1. As we face the many battles of this life, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, and financial, we don’t face them alone. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. 2. His Holy Spirit is in us and with us. He will give us strength when we are weary, peace when we are confused, joy when we are sad, and wisdom when we are confused. 3. There is no limit to his power, his...

Let me ask you a question. Do you love God with your whole heart? It’s a powerful question, isn’t it? Perhaps you feel a bit convicted by the question. Our hearts are so easily divided among a lot of things we love and desire. We can be tempted to love God, but to do so without giving Him our whole heart.  Main Points: 1. As I think about our lives, I recognize that one of the primary obstacles to wholehearted devotion to God is simply distraction. In a world filled with noise and...

Who is Jesus Christ?  This is the most important question you will ever be asked. A good man? A great teacher? A revolutionary leader? Or is he the Christ, the Son of the Living God?  Who was he? Who is he? Your eternal destiny hangs on your answer. Main Points: 1. Jesus came as a savior and as a king, but not an earthly one. He came for a greater purpose. He came to save us from a greater oppression than a Roman army. He came to save us from our sins, that which would keep us from God for...

If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. His love is willing to meet the demands of his justice. Main Points: 1. There are no small sins. Here’s why: because God is not small. The seriousness of the insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. The Creator of the universe is infinitely worthy of respect, admiration, and...

Not only does the Psalms tell us we can be full of joy. It tells how to obtain it. David said, this joy is found in the presence of God. This joy is God-given. It cannot be acquired from the things of this world. This is a sustaining joy. It is not a fleeting happiness that is dependent upon a good set of circumstances.  Main Points: 1. As I look around I see so many who are discouraged. They feel beaten down by the pressures of life. Some Christians have fallen into a place of negativity...

I  learned that the growth of my spiritual life was my responsibility. My growth in Christ was not the responsibility of my pastor, my Sunday school teacher, or even my parents. God used each of them to play a role, but my spiritual growth depended on whether or not I accepted the responsibility to grow. Main Points: 1. The scripture teaches us that our knowledge of God and our experience with Him is something we must pursue. His presence, power, wisdom, strength, peace, and joy can all be...

Looking at the night sky with the radiance of the moon and stars, King David understood what it all revealed. He said, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” The brightness and the brilliance of the skies tell us about the beauty and the majesty of God. Only someone so powerful and so creative could design what we see each night. Main Points: 1. Regardless of where we live on earth, the voice of God speaks to us through nature, revealing His existence, power, and glory. 2. Because of...

Of all the questions in life that go unanswered, it’s often the question of why. Everyone listening to this podcast episode has asked this question. Why? Why did this happen? Why am I going through this? Since this is a universal question, it brings up another great question: As Christians, how do we respond when we don’t understand? Main Points: 1. Who among us hasn’t had some kind of unexpected, disappointing experience that sends our minds into overdrive with questions of confusion? A...

Remember this truth today: We have been blessed to be a blessing. What are we to do with our blessings? We are to bless others. Proverbs teaches that those who hoard their blessings will no longer be blessed. The blessing is found in the giving. Main Points: 1. I’m convinced that most of us listening today would say we have been blessed by God. In fact, many would say that have been greatly blessed and blessed beyond what they deserve. God has been so good to us. So what do we do with our...

Let’s recognize our desperate need for God’s wisdom. Let’s ask Him for wisdom and believe His promise that He will provide. Main Points: 1. We can live self-sufficient lives that leave God out of our decision making. This is a critical mistake. God wants to be right in the middle of our choices and decision. He wants to lead, guide, and direct our steps. He has given us His Word, the Bible to be a daily resource that provides His wisdom. 2. Let’s see the value of Godly wisdom. The world,...