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The Roadmap to the Christian Life and the Warning of Spiritual Amnesia
Last weekend I led a Bible study through the first part of 2 Peter. We spent time digging into Peter’s last words to the church and, as we read, two things that kept being highlighted were Peter’s roadmap to Christian maturity and his warning on spiritual amnesia. Here’s the deal: Peter was about to die and he knew it. Which is why he had to encourage the church, leaving them a solid roadmap to the Christian life, and warn them about spiritual blindness and false teachers/prophets infiltrating the church. Today I want to share both of these vital things with you. Let’s begin with Peter’s roadmap to Christian maturity. Roadmap…
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Stay Hungry: Cultivating Spiritual Hunger in the Christian Life
Hunger is something we avoid at all costs in life, and yet in our Christian life, hunger should be the one quality that defines us. Hungry Christians pursue God with passion, sincerity, and humility. Hungry Christians will not be satisfied with watered-down truths and complacent sermons meant to placate our conscience. Hungry Christians will do whatever it takes to pursue God and obtain full satisfaction in Him. On the other side of hunger is complacency, and a complacent Christian is a dead Christian. Sure, a complacent Christian may live a good life and eventually get to heaven. However, their life will be marked by a lack of fire and passion.…
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The Rabbit Trail Bible Study Method
Rabbit Trail Bible Study Method: How to Study the Bible by Letting Curiosity Lead What if going off on a tangent is a great way to study the Bible? Recently, while leading a church small group, I asked everyone to share how they studied the Bible. One member shared how she embraces the rabbit trails when she reads. She said that, instead of feeling pressured to finish her chapter, or check off a box, she will let her curiosity win and she will follow whatever rabbit trail her Bible reading led her on. As someone who loves structure, this point of view both surprised me but also encouraged me to…
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One Step Forward, Three Steps Back: How Persevering Is Winning
Walking with God can sometimes feel like taking one step forward only to then take three steps back. One day we may achieve a great victory in our spiritual life, only to feel attacked in the same area the very next day. This can leave us wondering whether we are making any progress at all and moving forward. Are the victories we are receiving real and complete? Why is it that sometimes moving forward looks and feels like going backward? The Purpose of Perseverance The Bible has much to say on perseverance, and Paul reminds us that there is a purpose in it. “And not only that, but we also…
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Discovering How God Speaks: A Practical Guide
Have you ever wished God would simply speak to you in an audible voice and tell you exactly what to do? I believe we’ve all been there. We’ve all wished we could hear God speak just like that. In many of our minds, the very concept of hearing God’s voice conjures mental images of a deep, booming voice giving out orders. And yet… it simply isn’t like that. At least, not the vast majority of the time. Which is why learning the different ways God speaks is essential for us as believers. Here’s the thing, we all can hear God’s voice. We were all designed to hear him and know…
