“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, NIV The problem of how the church should relate to … Continue reading –>
“‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Luke 10:36-37, NIV In the popular media, most problems seem to be solved by some … Continue reading –>
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11 Many of us became Christians for childish reasons. We just wanted to go to heaven. That is okay. Jesus tells us … Continue reading –>
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15, NIV I once had a 1963 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport convertible that I enjoyed restoring. It was a rare automobile that represented a meaningful tie to … Continue reading –>
Does the past ever haunt you? Do you ever wish you could go back and do something differently? Every baseball season I am haunted by something that I did, or actually didn’t do when I was 12. Many springs ago, I was a little league baseball player. It was my first year of organized baseball, … Continue reading –>
Keeping on Track Just as any good motor vehicle will ultimately break down as a result of a lack of regular maintenance, so many good and worthwhile church ministries have fallen by the wayside because of a lack of regular intentional maintenance. To keep your ministry healthy and on track, consider the following maintenance check … Continue reading –>
The Bible makes it clear that we were once slaves to sin, but through Christ we have been released (Rom. 6:6), set free (Gal. 5:1), delivered (1 Thess. 1:10), adopted (Rom. 8:15), and born again (1 Pet. 1:23). The effective worker for God is the one who has given the past to Him and has accepted His power … Continue reading –>
There’s an English expression that says: “There is no such thing as a free lunch”–the idea that if you receive something free, it really isn’t free because somewhere, somehow, sometime, you will have to pay or repay. The theory that nothing is ever really free has subtly infiltrated Christian thinking to the extent that many … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Christ’s loving service to us should awaken a loving response as the basis for our witness as reflected in our loving ministry to others. [Teaching plan for A Love Response June 4, 2012] 1. Have a volunteer read I John 4:18,19. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on … Continue reading –>
What would you think of someone who constantly and loudly declared that they were motivated and yet attempted nothing? What about someone who claimed to be dedicated yet never revealed to what, or to whom, they were dedicated? As we have seen, love is a most powerful motivator; but to only declare our love, even … Continue reading –>
Over the centuries guilt has been used to motivate people to action. Evangelism leaders have often reminded us that God has given us responsibility and that we must use our God-given talents and gifts. We are told that God or the church is depending on us. If God has done so much to save us, … Continue reading –>
Have you ever wondered why often it seems difficult to motivate people to long-term commitments in church projects? Perhaps the answer can be found as we think of some other situations where a very high degree of motivation and commitment are evident. What is it that motivates a parent to donate one of their kidneys … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 John 4:18-19; Rom. 3:19-20; John 15:13; Rom. 5:6–8; John 6:28-29. Memory Text: “ ‘If you love Me, keep My commandments’ ” (John 14:15, NKJV). Key Thought: We should work to win souls to Christ; the question we need to ask ourselves is, What motivates us to do just that? Although our memory text is … Continue reading –>