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Wasted Pain “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 The “unfairness” of life and its troubles are typically felt when God, in His sovereignty, chooses to deepen your maturity through trials. We know that shallow faith will not suffice when conditions threaten you and what you treasure the most. This should not surprise us anymore. Ideally, through your dilemma, your faith in God deepens. It’s true that our growth & maturity mayRead More →

Who Holds the Key to Your Heart? He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow Me.” (Luke 18:22) “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? The rich young ruler came to Jesus with this question, resulting in Jesus’ response in our verse above. Jesus understood this young Jewish checklist-mindset… He first names some of the 10 Commandments… a list that the young ruler felt he had kept well. But then Jesus adds: “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give toRead More →

God is Faithful! “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God”. Deuteronomy 7:9 Years ago, we had a series on “The Immutability of God”, a sermon series that emphasized on the ETERNAL, UNCHANGING and PERFECT nature of God. I remember preparing and learning a lot from my personal studies on this important sermon topic! His faithfulness is an essential component of His very nature – an important subdivision of God’s unchanging character. It is what allows us to know Him as God! For God to be unfaithful would be to act contrary to His very nature. At the very core,Read More →

Gamechanger: The Resurrection The Apostle Paul asked, “What if there is no resurrection?” (1 Cor. 15:13–18). If so, Jesus has not risen, then our faith is useless and the Gospel is false! And, if the resurrection didn’t happen, then we are not saved. Without the truth and doctrine of the resurrection, we don’t have hope in Christ (v.19). Then this life is all there is – and death is the end. Without the Resurrection, Sin and Death have won! On the other hand, if Jesus did rise from the dead, then so will we! (vv. 20–23). If so, our faith is powerful, the Gospel isRead More →

Pure JOY and Great POWER for YOU! (The Resurrection & the Holy Spirit) But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7 NASB) After His Resurrection, Jesus had authority together with the Father to send His Holy Spirit. He spoke of the necessity of leaving in order for the Spirit to come. He then declared, “You shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Two extraordinary things happenedRead More →

“BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE” “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loveshas been born of God and knows God.  8  Whoever does not love does not know God,because God is love.  9  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his oneand only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 Jn.4:7-8) Devotional Reading: I John 4:7-21“God loves you!” we are told in church every week. It’s so often repeated, it’s in dangerof losing its potency!… NOT that it’s truth is diminished – but that we become numb toits power, or grow unaffectedRead More →

The Push of Hope Millionaire Eugene Land was featured character in Parade Magazine. He was asked to speak to a class of 6th graders in the Harlem School District of IL. How will he inspire these students, most of whom, statistically, would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these mostly minority children to even look and listen to him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak from his heart… “Stay in school,” he admonished, “and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you!” At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they hadRead More →

Three Ways to Keep Christ in Your Christmas Of course, there are more than three ways, but here are three ways I’ve seen families do (including my own family!) to keep Christ in their Christmas celebrations…  1. Start/Keep Christ-centered TRADITIONS. Prayer. Bible. Church… while the world gets busy with the commercialism and consumerism of the season, make sure your household keeps these Christ-honoring traditions intact. No matter how awkward it gets, read the Christmas Story from the source (The Bible), say a family prayer (not just for the food!) and worship together in church! I’ve even heard of families with traditions of volunteering in community service events orRead More →

The Treasure of The WORD A pastor went to an elderly woman’s home to help repaint her house. Upon entering, he noticed a large family Bible prominently displayed in the center of the room. The elderly woman commented that the Bible was 122 years old and was a treasured family heirloom! The pastor was impressed and said “it doesn’t really matter how old the bible is, it’s what’s inside that really matters.” The woman quickly replied “Oh, so true, pastor!… We have family records of birthdates, marriages and deaths in there that could never be replaced!”… Don’t miss the point – Read the Bible. ItRead More →