See You in September 2024!

“Nothing can calm our souls more or better prepare us for life’s challenges than time spent alone with God.”  - Billy Graham

As has been our tradition every summer since the beginning, The Coffeehouse Bible Ministry will now be taking its annual summer hiatus.

Though the blog itself will temporarily be on hold, the task of spreading and teaching the Word of God never stops. We continue on with His important work within our own local churches, groups, and organizations during the interim.

As always, it has been an honor and blessing to share the Word with all of you during the past year. I pray that our messages have provided you with encouragement, education, and comfort when needed.

First and foremost, we thank Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior for the opportunity to serve him in this capacity. I also want to thank all of the wonderful people in our ministry who work tirelessly both upfront, and behind the scenes. And, of course, thank you for your fellowship during this past year!

Finally, our blog archives are always available (as is The Daily Bible Podcast) to use as the Spirit moves you. The Coffeehouse Bible Ministry blog will return in September 2024.

On behalf of The Coffeehouse Bible Ministry we wish you a safe, healthy, and richly blessed summer season!

May God always be with you,

~Eve

The Abominable Cost of Sin

"Sin has the devil for its father, shame for its companion and death for its wages."  - Thomas Watson 

Sin is universal. What does that mean? It means that every single one of us is sinful. It is common to all men (Romans 3:23). No exceptions! We are born that way, and we all struggle with it on a daily basis.

We live in a world permeated with sin. It is deeply embedded in our nature. At its very basic level, we recognize it as a wrong relationship with God (Psalm 51:4; Luke 15:18). But sin is not limited only towards God.

It can also manifest itself in wrong attitudes, actions, possessions, and relationships toward others. Scripture characterizes sin as hostility, disgust, and utter dislike before God.

God hates sin because it is in opposition of his nature (Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 6:16-19. This comprises many different things, including: guilt, rebellion, even uncleanliness, to name a few.

Naturally, it only follows that because of God's hatred of sin there must be a remedy for it. We can see in the Old Testament that sin was forgiven through sacrifice. That is, by the shedding of animal blood (Leviticus 17:11).

Besides sacrifices of atonement, repentance and obedience to the Lord were also required of the guilty party or parties (1 Samuel 15:22). The OT prophets issued warnings regarding non-compliance to these binding laws ( 2 Kings 17:13; Ezekiel 3:16-19).

Moving forward, it wasn't until the New Testment when the death of Jesus Christ finally brought forgiveness of sin. He died on behalf of all sinful mankind (Romans 5:6; John 10:11, 15:13).

Jesus bore all of our sins on the cross in his sacrifical death (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:25). He brought us redemption by taking our place on that cross instead (Matthew 20:28).

Just as the Old Testament shedding of animal blood was symbolic of the cleansing of sin, so was the spilling of Jesus' blood necessary to bring us forgiveness of sin (1John 1:7; Ephesians 1:7).

The gospel reveals the intent and power of God to engage with sin and all of its apalling consequences. You'll find that Scripture incorporates many different images to demonstrate the fullness of salvation (Hebrews 2:17; 1 Timothy 1:15).

Yes, we are beneficiaries of the salvation brought to us by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. However, we cannot sit back and let Him do all of the work. Ultimately, we must acknowledge God's offer of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Scripture: Psalm 51:10; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 5:12; James 5:16;

Prayer: "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin." - Psalm 32:5

Grace to all,

Marsha 

Video Presentation - Lisa Harper: Staying Close to God in Every Season

In my search for video lessons, presentations, Bible studies, etc., I always try to keep my eyes open for subject matter that I feel is not only inspirational and informative, but entertaining, as well. 

Author, speaker, master storyteller, and much sought-after Bible teacher Lisa Harper never disappoints in any of these areas. She is consistently right on target with her messages. 

I hope that you will find her as engaging as I do. Lisa always provides something beneficial and leaves you wanting more!

©Praise on TBN

Here, Lisa Harper speaks at 2019's Propel Women's Conference on the topic of staying close to God in every season, and living a life that prioritizes time with Him.

Scriptural References: Luke 4: 16-22; 23-27; 28-30

Enjoy!

~Eve

Holy Spirit, God and Lord!

"God does not bestow his Spirit on his people in order to set aside the use of his Word, but rather to render it fruitful."  - John Calvin

To be fair, there are a lot of misconceptions about who or what the Holy Spirit is. Some might see it as some magical entity, or a cold, indifferent force provided by God to believers. 

As usual, if we want to find out more about this matter we should turn to the most reliable source, the Bible. Therein, it doesn't take long to discover the identity of the Holy Spirit: God.

Due to obvious limitations here, we cannot cover everything about the Holy Spirit. We can, however, briefly examine some basic points on the subject. Perhaps this might even encourage you to pursue a further study.

Many times you will hear some allude to the Spirit as "it," but this is not the case. The Holy Spirit is a person. The Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is a divine being with intelligence, feelings, and even a will (Romans 8:27). 

A person receives the Holy Spirit at the moment they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9). In other words, the moment we believe, the Holy Spirit abides permanently inside us.

This wasn't the case in the Old Testament. The Spirit would go back and forth among the saints, equipping them for service, but never really residing within them (Judges 15:14; 1 Chronicles 12:18; Psalm 51:11).

One of the many wonderful functions of the Holy Spirit is that of providing the wisdom to understand things that God has revealed to us by his Spirit. There is no way this would be possible without it. Only the Spirit of God knows his thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).

It's important to stress that this wisdom comes directly from God and not man. Our feeble minds could never accommodate the knowledge that would be required to replace the Holy Spirit's instruction (1 Corinthians 2: 12-13).

Needless to say, the believer derives considerable benefits from the Holy Spirit. Of foremost importance, having been forgiven and made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ, the believer has become the temple of God the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Scripture: Isaiah 11:2; Romans 5:5; Ephesians 1:13; John 16:13; Romans 8:14

Prayer: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."  - Psalm 143:10

God bless you!

Mary

Weekend Message: Lisa Bevere | How to Discover Your Inner Strength | Adamant Course | Lesson 6 of 6 (Final Session)

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

It's my great pleasure to bring you quality presentations from some of the best Christian teachers in the world! Each video presentation can vary, but whatever the topic, you can be certain that it will be informative and Bible-based.

In this, Lesson 6, the final lesson of a six-part series, Christian speaker and author Lisa Bevere brings to a close her study based on her book "Adamant: Finding Truth in a Universe of Opinions." 

Lisa opens by presenting some very good food for thought. She says: "You need to stand in the truth. Do not think that what you see in the natural is what you are in the Spirit." 

©Lisa Bevere

Scriptural References: Luke 3:16; Zechariah 2:5; 13:9; Psalm 104:4; Isaiah 40:25-26

You are God’s adamant. His image, strength, power, and fire are all in you right now, waiting for you to stir them up and grow sure of them. 

What you do is not merely natural and insignificant—it is spiritual and powerful. You are recreated in Christ to be a soul on fire, revealing His wonder to our world.

I do hope that you've benefitted from this series, and look forward to bringing more inspirational messages to you in the future!

May God always be with you,

~Eve

Lift that Listless Faith! (Conclusion)

"If, in the worst times, God’s people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing that all shall work for them to good, they will own it is God that is the lifter up of their head, that gives them both cause to rejoice and hearts to rejoice."  - Matthew Henry

Welcome! This message concludes our discussion on what you can do whenever you find yourself suffering from a sputtering spirit. As was previously mentioned, this is not uncommon, and can occur to any of us at any time.

To recap the topics leading up to this point, we explored: energizing our faith, fortifying our hope, activating our love, and enjoying our peace. You may re-visit these in my previous posts if you wish to freshen your memory. 

 

In addition to these fundamental elements, we will now add one more missing piece of the puzzle to the list. Faith is already mentioned, along with hope, love, and peace. Still, the omitted element serves an important purpose, as well.

The element I am talking about is "joy." Naturally everyone wants to do something that brings them joy! The Cambridge Dictionary defines joy as "great happiness." And who doesn't want that, right!? 

The Greek translation of "joy" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is "chara." Interestingly, this word is related to "charis" or "grace." which is undeserved favor. This consequently provides joy, pleasure, and delight.

Taking all of this into consideration, chara or "joy," then, is our reaction to undeserved favor. Or, we could think of it (joy) as the delightful response or reaction to the grace that is given to us by God.

Unquestionably, joy is a chief ingredient of what makes up the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:27). It also plays a key part in lightening the burden of the trials we encounter in our lives (1 Peter 1:6-9; Hebrews 10:32-34).

As was discussed during the course of this series, we must energize our faith, fortify our hope, activate our love, and enjoy our peace. Last but not least, we should always strive to enhance or raise our "joy."

How? Fortunately for us, both Jesus an His apostles provided words by which our joy might overflow or be complete (John 15:11; 1 John 1:4). And we cannot forget the importance of prayer in relation to joy, as per Jesus Himself (John 16:24). 

Faith, hope, love, peace, and joy seem like "everyday" words, at first glance. Yet, they are incredibly essential to the abundant life that Jesus offers to any who come to Him. Sadly, many Christians lack them in their lives.

There are two big reasons why this is so: the neglect of the Word of God, and the neglect of prayer. These, along with the fundamentals we've discussed, help to re-establish the core elements of the rich life found only in Christ (Philippians 4:19).

In closing, I'd like to thank you for following me through this series. And I wholeheartedly hope you've found it both informative, and beneficial to your walk with Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior (Colossians 2:6-7).

Scripture: Philippians 4:4; John 16:22; 1 Peter 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Psalm 32:11 

Prayer: "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."  - Psalm 19:8

In Christ,

Claire

Lysa TerKeurst - The Power of Forgiveness (Video Lesson)

What do you do when you say “I forgive you,” but the feelings are still there? 

When a trigger comes and the pain of the trauma feels fresh, remind yourself you’re not a “forgiveness failure.” Because the impact is evidence that God is in the business of healing your hurt. 

In this video lesson, American speaker, author, and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries Lysa TerKeurst, breaks down how to move past hurt and choose forgiveness each day out of obedience to God.

©Lysa TerKeurst

Scriptural References: Matthew 6:9-13; Genesis 4:2-7; Ephesians 4:26-27, 29

This is a good lesson about an area in our lives that many of us struggle with. As usual, Lysa lays it all out plain and simple. You just never know when you might need to refer back to this!

Enjoy!

~Eve

Is There Any Doubt..?

“The best way to get your faith strengthened is to have communion with Christ.”    - C. H. Spurgeon

Doubt can wreak havoc on our relationship with God. It creates a stumbling block that hampers how we see and feel about Him. It can make us suspicious, confused, uncertain, hesitant, unsure, indecisive, and more.

The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors notes that, "Doubt is wavering between two minds or lacking confidence, assurance, or complete trust in God. It is a deviation from the truth about God in thought or deed" (Deuteronomy 28:66).

Consider this for a moment. The double-minded person mentioned above is not able to truly focus on God because of their inner conflict. They are basically torn between trying to serve two masters, both God and themselves (Matthew 6:24a).

As you can imagine, this conflicted individual never quite fixes onto God; always swaying back and forth without any clear direction. They are unable to grab hold of His gracious promises because they lack the confidence to do so.

This "doubt" results in other consequences, as the conditions are now just right. For example, it may cause one to question God's words (Genesis 3:1: Jeremiah 17:15), or reveal a breakdown of faith (Matthew 21:21-22; Luke 17:6).

Our doubt may manifest itself as "insecurity" regarding our relationship with God, including: doubting His compassion (Psalm 77:7-9; 90:13), and even casting doubt over God's concern (Job 30:20; Isaiah 49:14)

Because of our doubt we may also call into question God's desire to follow-through (Jeremiah 45:3), his ability to do so (Psalm 78:18-22), and doubting His justice (Jeremiah 12:1).

I sincerely hope that you'd agree, none of what's been discussed is considered part of a healthy, growing relationship with God, Our Father. Wavering between our own unstable carnality and His promises is not what he desires (Mark 12:30).

A strong bond with God begins with reading, studying, and memorizing the Word. This helps generate faith, thus hindering "doubt" from taking root. Lastly, let's not forget to always pray that our faith be increased and fortified (Romans 10:17; Luke 17:5).

Scripture: James 1:6; Luke 24:38; Romans 14:23; Jude 1:22; Mark 9:24 

Prayer: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."  - Acts 4:12

In His name,

Leigh

Weekend Message: Lisa Bevere | The Ultimate Guide to Transformation | Adamant Course | Lesson 5 of 6

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

It's my great pleasure to bring you quality presentations from some of the best Christian teachers in the world! Each video presentation can vary, but whatever the topic, you can be certain that it will be informative and Bible-based.

In this, Lesson 5 of a six-part series, Christian speaker and author Lisa Bevere continues her study based on her book "Adamant: Finding Truth in a Universe of Opinions." 

Lisa opens her lesson with this: "We're acting like it's kind to say that sin isn't sin because we don't want people to feel shame. We need to say, 'You know what? There are things we do that we feel ashamed of, but that doesn't make us shame. That's not who I am. But it's okay to be ashamed of choices that you make. That's why you redeem them.'" 

The church has often been quick to condemn unbelievers for their sin and behavior, yet it should be no surprise that people who don’t know God act like they don’t know God. What we should concern ourselves with, first and foremost, is whether we are living holy and transformed lives. 

© Lisa Bevere

Scriptural References: Matthew 7:1-2, 3-5; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Ephesians 5:1-2, 3-4; Isaiah 2:3; Romans 1:19, 21, 23-25, 27, 29-31, 32; Romans 2:1, 3-4

As we pursue the Lord, we can then ask for the wisdom to reveal His kindness to the world around us in a way that invites them to find their own transformation in Him. In this lesson, adamant holy transformation is discussed.

I hope that you've been following this series along with us. There's only one more installment to go, and you don't want to miss it.  Please join us next time..!

Enjoy!

~Eve

Which Path to Take..?

"If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge."  - Vance Havner

According to Dictionary.com, the word knowledge is defined as the “acquaintance with facts, truths or principles, as from study or investigation." And this being "gained through books, research, and delving into facts."

Using the same source, wisdom is defined as “the state of being wise,” which means “having the power of discernment and judging properly as to what is true or right. Though similarities exist, they do have their differences.

For now, let's focus on "wisdom" and how it applies to us in the Biblical sense. Specifically using Proverbs 4, we will find the acquisition, or pursuit of wisdom is repeatedly emphasized (Proverbs 4:5; Proverbs 4:7).

Proverbs 4 employs two paths to illustrate the importance of wisdom which we will attempt to summarize here. The first is "the path of wisdom," or sometimes referred to as "the way of wisdom" (Proverbs 4:11). 

As we know, there are usually good or bad consequences to our actions. If one chooses to follow "the path of wisdom," one can reasonably expect this path to lead to the body being blessed with sound and robust health (Proverbs 4: 10; cf. Proverbs 3:7-8). 

Furthermore, a person who chooses this path will never walk alone. The Lord will assist and direct his or her paths (Proverbs 4:12a; cf. Proverbs 3:5-6). Also, during hectic and decisive times, a person on this path is less likely to mess up (Proverbs 4:12b).

Bearing these positive things in mind, there are also warnings which must be heeded (Proverbs 4:13). Even so, the path of wisdom is God's preferred course of action! Now, let's have a look at the other path; "the path of the wicked"

Not surprisingly, one must be strongly apprised of "the way of evil." Caution should be taken not to enter this path, nor should one walk in its ways, and, above all, it is to be avoided at all cost (Proverbs 4:14-15).

Serious outcomes await those who shrug off these admonitions. A person can easily become obsessed with doing evil (Proverbs 4:16). Or they can adapt a life of sinfulness and degeneracy (Proverbs 4:17). God would rather that you not choose this path!

Finally, the differences between the two paths become clear when they are held up to the light of day. "The path of wisdom" grows ever brighter; enlightening those who choose this route (Proverbs 4:18).

On the other hand, "the path of the wicked" is as darkness (Proverbs 4:19). Here the poor individual proceeds through life stumbling repeatedly; living clueless in their own ignorance.

As we've seen, one path leads to spiritual illumination, the other guides the unfortunate towards a blindness of the heart and soul. The choice is ultimately yours to make. I hope you choose wisely!

Scripture: Psalm 111:10; James 3:17; Proverbs 16:16; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 1:30

Prayer: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."  - Ephesians 1:17

God bless you!

Mary

Lift that Listless Faith! (Part 3)

"If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble."   - Thomas Watson

Thus far in this series, we've discussed some useful fundamentals or basics one can turn to when finding yourself in a spiritual slump. Energizing our faith, fortifying our hope, and activating our love have been presented.

One of the earmarks of being a Christian is the ability to have harmonious relations with others. What this amounts to is living our lives with a common intention of building up each other in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

The lack of "peace" that is derived from these harmonious relations can and does contribute to an insecure, unbalanced spiritual well-being. The importance of peace is a vital part to the composition of the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17-19).

The enjoyment of peace with others aids in our receiving peace from the God of love and peace (2 Corinthians 13:11). Having peace with God also has a positive effect on our relations with our enemies (Proverbs 16:7).

In order to "enjoy our peace," there are a few things that we need to clarify first. Peace with God starts with the justification that can only be found in Christ (Romans 5:1).

Sincere, passionate prayer may also help us enjoy peace that exceeds our expectations (Philippians 4:6-7). Though it may seem obvious here, prayer is often overlooked as a way to complement spiritual health (1 Chronicles 16:11).

Robert Leighton (1611-1684), a Scottish bishop said, "All the peace and favour of the world cannot calm a troubled heart; but where this peace is which Christ gives, all the trouble and disquiet of the world cannot disturb it."

Spiritual doldrums don't just happen suddenly, they tend to creep up on us. To truly "enjoy our peace" as God intended, we must pursue peaceful relations not only with each other, but with God, and even ourselves (Hebrews 12:14)! 

The next time we meet, we will wrap up this series with yet one more fundamental element that we can put to use to help rejuvenate a slumping spirit. As always, until next time, I pray that all may go well with you!

Scripture: John 14:27; Ephesians 6:23; Titus 2:7; Psalm 29:11;1 Thessalonians 5:17 

Prayer: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."  - Numbers 6:24-26

In Christ,

Claire

Don't Fret About It, Seek God's Help!

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”    - Matthew 6:34

Aulus Persius Flaccus, a Roman poet and satirist (AD 34-62), once quoted: "We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays." There isn't a person alive who hasn't been worried or nervous about something we have no control over.

There are many things in life which can cause us to fret or worry. For example, health issues is a big one. Perhaps there is a pending lay-off at work, or a problem has unexpectedly arisen in your family. 

There are any number of things that can make us fret; things that make us wring our hands together and/or lose sleep over. According to the King James Dictionary, fret means: to be grieved; troubled; displeased.

Additionally, the Hebrew word for fret is charah, which translates to burned or distressed. Again this is usually caused by upsetting events in life which we don't have the ability to change. 

While we cannot totally avoid these types of occurrences from presenting themselves, there are some things we can do to help lessen the impact and comfort us while we go through them. 

First and foremost, we must lean on our faith in God. 1 Peter 5:7 tell us to: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Don't try to carry the burden of worry on your shoulders alone. You don't have to!

When we are going through troublesome times it can also be very easy to lash out and/or retaliate in anger. But keep your cool. Instead, "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil" (Psalm 37:8). 

As was mentioned, the best thing we can do is to turn to God, that is, hand the reins over to him. He knows what to do. "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him..." (Psalm 37:5).

And by all means, do your best to stay positive. Worries cannot be overcome by worrying about them. Even more, "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).

It's not unnatural to fret or become anxious when something is out of our hands. However, we are not beyond help. We must seek out the Lord, and believe that He will see us through in the end (Psalm 34:4). This is definitely within our control!

Scripture: Proverbs 29:25; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 6:27; Psalm 50:15; Psalm 55:22 

Prayer: "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"  - Psalm 118:6

Grace and peace, 

Amanda

Weekend Message: Lisa Bevere | Do You Want to Be Popular? Or Do You Want to Be Influential? | Adamant Course | Lesson 4 of 6

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

It's my great pleasure to bring you quality presentations from some of the best Christian teachers in the world! Each video presentation can vary, but whatever the topic, you can be certain that it will be informative and Bible-based.

In Lesson 4 of a six-part series, Christian speaker and author Lisa Bevere continues her study based on her book "Adamant: Finding Truth in a Universe of Opinions." 

Lisa opens this lesson by sharing the statement: "We have to be a culture that declares the Word of God, because if something is not addressed it's endorsed." With this, she sets the stage for the rest of her presentation.

It is popular to spout opinions, but lasting influence only comes by standing on truth. God’s truth never changes, because He is the truth and He never changes. 

In light of this, we should choose our words carefully and not just give voice to popular opinion. As we begin to live the truth, we’ll be heard when we speak it.

© Lisa Bevere

Scriptural References: John 14:6; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 1: 4-6; 2 Timothy 2:23

Enjoy!

~Eve

Confess and Repent Of Your Sins

"There is mercy for a sinner, but there is no mercy for the man who will not own himself a sinner."    - C. H. Spurgeon

Everyone, including you and I, without exception, has sinned. Fortunately, the moment one rejects sin, and looks to Jesus Christ in total faith, their sin is forgiven (Romans 3:23-24).

Along with the rejection or dismissal of sin, there must be an admission of sin which is the result of the confession of it. Yet, not everyone likes to admit when they've done something wrong, or said something they shouldn't have.

You see, it's not in our to nature to own (confess/admit) our sin. We'd like to think that we're better than that, so we might make excuses, shrug our shoulders in indifference, even blame others for our sin; anything but admit to it (Daniel 9:5).

Okay, now we have sin, plus the confession, and admission of it. There's another important ingredient which we need to include, and that is: repentance, or the eagerness to make a complete change from sinning.

Let's take a look at what we've discussed so far. When we confess our sins, we are admitting that what we did or say was wrong, and not up to par with God's expectations for us. In other words, we did not comply with His law.

The result is that we stand guilty of sin in front of God. We cannot hide or cover-up our sins. Still, some are foolish enough to think that they can get away with sin, or are more clever about it than He is (1 John 3:20). 

In order to be in compliance with God, we must confess/admit our sins; it's imperative that we do so. However, confession by itself, although good, is just lip-service, or empty talk as far as God is concerned. 

Here's where repentance comes in. If we only confess our sins, it leaves the door open for us to run right back into our sinful ways. True, when confronted we would admit to our sins, but there's no real incentive to change (Ephesians 5:6).

The only thing we would would be sorry for is that we got caught, and not because of what we did! Repentance allows us to demonstrate that we truly are serious about changing our lives, and not just going through the motions (Luke 13:3).

John the Baptist even preached about the importance of repentance as he prepared the world for the Messiah. He taught the significance of not just confessing sins, but showing everyone they meant it by their actions (Matthew 3:8).

There are, however, some things that can interfere with our confession of sin. Things such as ignorance and pride are but only a few. No matter, confession is good, especially for believers in Christ. It's a housecleaning for the heart! (Psalm 32:5)

Who doesn't want to live with a clear conscience and heart? Jesus Christ, by his life and teachings, left us with a good model to follow. Yes, it's true, He was sinless. But at least He showed us that a life free of guilt and shame is possible, and regular confession of sin is the key.

Scripture: Acts 3:19; Hebrews 4:14; Psalm 38:18; Matthew 4:17; Proverbs 28:13

Prayer: "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.."  - James 4:8

In His name always,

Emily

Lift that Listless Faith! (Part 2)

“It is a shame for a person to have been a Christian for years but not to have advanced beyond the knowledge of his salvation."   - Theodore Epp

Our Christian journey of faith is life-long, and there will be many ups and downs along the way (James 1:12). As a result of this, our faith can take a beating, so much so, that many just simply give up. But it doesn't have to come to that.

In Part 1, we spoke about the importance of faith and how we can energize it by reading the Bible. We then turned our attention to hope. We found that a fortified hope is essential to our spiritual well-being.

Again, both of these components are energized and fortified by consistent and earnest reading of the Bible. Now we turn our attention to another fundamental element needed to reinvigorate a lagging faith; love (1 John 4:8). 

The Apostle Paul provides an excellent definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. For simplicity's sake we will call this, "active goodwill."  Love is too important to just rush through, so let's take a little time to examine it.

How important is "love" to a Christian's faith? By showing our love toward others we assure ourselves of our salvation (1 John 3:14, 18-19). But we also must also include truth in our actions. 

Next, the expression of love toward others is pleasing to God. Thereby, instilling confidence that He will answer our prayers (1 John 3:22-23). And a floundering faith needs every bit of confidence it can get!

Finally, when we show our love to those around us, it reassures us that we abide in God, and that He dwells within us, too ( 1 John 4:7-8, 12, 16). It's comforting to know that not even our spiritual apathy can drive Him away (Matthew 28:20).

Thus far in the series, we've spoken about the need to "energize" our faith, and "fortify" or reinforce our hope. Love requires that it first be "activated" or initiated before we can properly express it towards others as God meant. For example...

In 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Paul doesn't feel he has to teach this to the Thessalonians as he is confident that they had already learned this lesson from God. And 1 John 3:16 declares that by His sacrificial life, Jesus taught us how to love.

This seems like a good place to stop for now. I suggest that a good review of both, Part 1 and this discussion would be worthwhile. Meanwhile, I do hope that you will  join me for the next installment of this lesson series.

Until next time, I pray that all may go well with you!

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 Peter 4:8; Romans 13:8; 1 Timothy 1:5; Ephesians 4:2

 

Prayer: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  - Galatians 2:20

In Christ,

Claire

God, Please Show Me the Way

“The fundamental mode whereby our rational Creator guides his rational creatures is by rational understanding and application of his written Word.”  - J. I. Packer

Few would argue that there's a lot going on in the world today. One could also make the case that there are many looking for some thing, or some cause to latch on to. And they do so without performing any due diligence.

Humans, for all the wonderful things that we may be, are naturally ignorant and rebellious. As such, these qualities can get us into a lot of trouble if we aren’t vigilant. Thus, we can easily be led astray by amoral ideals, others, or both.

We require guidance to clear life’s pathway ahead of us. It must be tough, but patient; strong, but caring; permissive, but wise; strict, yet loving. Good luck finding anyone unfailingly capable of delivering on these in our temporal world.

Because of our nature, as stated earlier, the righteous way to live is not within us. The only way to correct this is through Him (Jeremiah 10:23). God is the only true source of guidance. He alone checks all of the boxes listed above and more.

Moreover, by ourselves we sorely lack awareness of the right way in life. Like a sailboat without a sail in the middle of the ocean, we are basically dead in the water; totally at the mercy of whatever comes along (Isaiah 59:10).

Living life without God's guidance leaves us susceptible to danger and uncertainty; especially false guidance. There are false prophets and teachers who love nothing more than to lead the naïve astray (Isaiah 9:16; 2 Peter 2:1-3). 

Unfortunately, false shepherds and guides also abound everywhere, ready to take advantage of the foolhardy and imprudent (Jeremiah 50:6; Acts 20:30). Idols and mediums, too, take their toll on the desperate and cynical (Zechariah 10:2).

These are by no means all of the possible perils of not seeking the honest and trustworthy guidance of God. There is, however, a proper order to follow. We must first seek God before seeking his guidance.

Let me explain this. By seeking God first, we are focusing on him and not ourselves. Remembering our natural tendencies, it's too easy for us to become the center of attention, thereby making it all about "me" instead of "Him." 

God is always ready and willing to provide His help and guidance if we seek it. Following the protocol mentioned, the easiest way to open the lines of communication is through prayer and by reading the Scriptures (Revelation 1:3; Jeremiah 33:3).

I know it's not easy living in this chaotic world of ours, but only the ill-advised would do so without help. After all, "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." (Psalm 25:9) So what are you waiting for..!? 

Scripture: James 1:5; Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 30:21; Isaiah 58:11; 1 John 4:1

Prayer: "Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me."  - Psalm 31:3

God bless you!

Mary

Video Lesson: The Caller and The Called | Part 4 of 4 | Beth Moore

In this, the last of a four-part teaching series, Bible teacher Beth Moore asks, "What do we do when Jesus has offended us, hurt our feelings, or made us mad? Is there something He didn't resolve the way we wanted Him to? 

She then encourages us to reflect on the disappointment we've been carrying. Can we come to the Lord with it? Let's ask Him for the humility and endurance to keep pressing on in our calling even when we've faced suffering. 

© Living Proof Ministries with Beth Moore

Key Verses: John 6:60-68; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Ephesians 4:1-7; 2 Timothy 3:1-5

If you are a first-time visitor, I highly recommend you go back and review the first three installments of this series. Beth Moore always makes her presentations informative and entertaining. I can say with all honesty that you will never walk away from her lessons empty handed!

Enjoy!

~Eve