In ministering to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul prayed for three specific requests that serve to show us how we ought to pray for others (1 Thessalonians 3:10-13). First, he prayed that their faith might mature (v.10). The faith of Christians never reaches perfection; there is always need for adjustment...

In one of the churches I pastored, a teenager seemed to be the center of every problem in the youth group. He was a gifted musician and a member of the church, but nevertheless a problem. One summer when he went to our church youth camp, the youth leaders and...

Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, believers have been “begotten again” to a living hope, and that hope includes the glory of God. But what do we mean by “the glory of God”? The glory of God means the sum of all that God is and does....

Christian love is not something that we work up; it is something that God does in us and through us. When we permit God to perform His “good work” in us, then we grow in our love for one another. How can we tell that we are truly bound in...

Christians are obligated to help each other grow in grace. When we do not judge ourselves, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt those to whom we could minister. The Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good. But Christians should judge themselves so that they...

Trusting Christ is a matter not only of believing, but also of obeying. Part of obeying includes heeding Christ’s Great Commission. In addition, God “commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). We must never minimize the missionary outreach of the church. Lost souls around the world cannot be saved...

Materialism will enslave the heart, the mind, and the will. We can become shackled by the material things of life, but we ought to be liberated and controlled by the Spirit of God. If the heart loves material things and puts earthly gain above heavenly investments, the result can only...

Yes, nature determines appetite. The pig wants slop but the sheep desires green pastures. Nature also determines behavior. An eagle flies because it has an eagle’s nature, and a dolphin swims because that is the nature of the dolphin. Nature determines environment: squirrels climb trees, moles burrow underground, and trout...

The accounts of Paul’s conversion tell very little that parallels our salvation experience today. Certainly none of us has seen Christ in glory or actually heard Him speak from heaven. We are neither blinded by the light of heaven nor thrown to the ground. In what way, then, is Paul’s...

Trials are controlled by God. They do not last forever, they are “for a season.” When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. If we rebel, He may have to reset the clock; but if...