We are all called to be champions for Christ. Paul speaks the word of God and if someone does not agree with him about the scriptures, he says that God will show the person the truth. If we want to know the truth, we should ask God and He will reveal the truth to us. God gives direction to those committed to doing whatever God says. Once God shows us something, we need to obey and do anything that He says. God's word is to be our guide. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The earth is not our mother, God is our Creator and one day we all will stand before Him. Those in Christ Jesus eagerly await His return. God will one day make His children more glorious than we have ever been. God is not against us, instead He is rich in mercy and He chose to save us.
When Paul's assistant, Epaphroditus, became ill, Paul said Epaphroditus' death would have been sorrow upon sorrow. Sometimes, God lets people get sick and stay sick for a long time. Sometimes God miraculously heals people from their sickness. When we go through hardship, it can be a result of Satan, however, God is always in control. God will allow sickness and hardship if it brings us or others into a right relationship with Himself. Our bodies are amazing and one thing we realize is that sin has entered the world and death is upon us. Sometimes God uses our sickness so that other people can be a blessing to us. Though Epaphroditus was not and evangelist, but only serving and evangelist, he almost died serving Christ. Epaphroditus was in the will of God and still got sick. We should be like Timothy and fulfill the needs of others and we should appreciate someone who genuinely cares about us.
Unseen realities are throughout the old and new testaments. There are unseen forces that are very real and powerful. They are at war with the people of God. Even so, their doom is sure, and one day they will be defeated forever. God is greater than any person, and God is still on the throne. There is nothing that God does not know about, He knows our motives, and He knows the future. Sin is insanity. God is the Creator of life. If we are trusting in God, we do not need to be afraid. God may not do what we want, but he always does what is best. We all were by nature enemies of God. He has chosen to love and bless us, His enemies. There is so much going on that we cannot see. We need to love, trust, and obey God.
When we surrender our lives to the Lord, we will still have battles. Whatever we go through we must focus on the Lord. We cannot get the trophy without running the race. The Lord is good and does what is right. God's will for us is perfect. The Lord will lead us to and on the correct path. We have an enemy that is real and powerful. If we are honest we don't have to be afraid. Our only hope is in the Lord.
Our faith is a gift and comes from God. God will see us through. We do not want to be illegitimate children and therefore we need discipline. If we are trusting in Jesus, then God will be sculpting us to be like Jesus. We should learn from the discipline that God gives us.
The Book of Hebrews is written to Jewish believers in Christ who were tempted to not follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Instead, they and we today, are called to follow Jesus through obedience and faith. We are supposed to be aiming for Jesus. Following Him will involve a cross and daily death. Everything we want to do should be pleasing to the Lord. We must persevere or we were never Christ's. We must encourage each other daily because sin deceives and cannot deliver. If we want to do the will of God, He will ensure that we do.
During times of drought, should we do as the Lord commands? What if that means putting ourselves last? The woman to whom Elijah came to visit, does the correct thing.…
The way we treat Christians is the way we treat Christ. What we believe about who we are will make a world of difference in our behavior. Jesus is not a lot like God, Jesus is God.