Students who are loved at home, come to school to learn, and students who aren’t, come to school to be loved. Nicholas A. Ferroni There is no true education, growth or maturity without love. On my first day of Kindergarten, way back in the mid 1900’s, I was given a red badge to wear, which … Continue reading –>
Along with studying the Bible, prayer is indispensable in order for us to abide in Christ and grow spiritually. Even Jesus Himself needed prayer to be united with the Father. He left us an example of a life of prayer. Prayer marked the crucial moments of His life. He prayed when He was baptized. He … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Christian growth is the natural consequence of a healthy relationship with God and church family. [Lesson Plan for Growing in Christ August 4, 2014] 1. Have a volunteer read John 3:1-3. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. b. What does it … Continue reading –>
A flourishing spiritual life is possible only by constantly depending on Christ. Jesus used the illustration of the vine to teach us how to accomplish this. I am the vine, you are the branches, said Jesus (John 15:5, NKJV). In the Old Testament, Israel was depicted as a vine that the Lord had planted (Isa. … Continue reading –>
Being born again is possible only through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus made use of the fact that the Greek word pneuma means both Spirit and wind in order to illustrate the process of conversion (John 3:8). The wind blows; none of us can start it, direct it, nor stop it. Its great … Continue reading –>
A zealous Christian confronted a politician and asked her, Have you been born again? Angry at what she deemed a personal question, the politician replied, It worked the first time, thank you. Maybe it did, but considering our fallen nature, our first birth isn’t enough, at least not for eternal life. For that, we must … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: John 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 5:17; John 15:4-10; Matt. 6:9-13; Luke 9:23-24. Memory Text: Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, NKJV). Nicodemus felt drawn to Christ but dared not visit Him … Continue reading –>
Read Ellen G. White, The Book of Books, p. 136, in Fundamentals of Christian Education; Spiritualism, pp. 394, 395, in The Story of Redemption; Agency of Evil Spirits, pp. 511-517, in The Great Controversy. “A battle unseen by human eyes is being waged. The army of the Lord is on the ground, seeking to save souls. Satan and his host are … Continue reading –>
Christ came into the world for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil (Heb. 2:14). This, He has done at the cross. But if Christ has been victorious over the devil and principalities and powers, why are we still wrestling with principalities and powers? Why is the devil still able to roam about like … Continue reading –>
As we saw, the word translated as principalities could refer to world rulers or supernatural powers that attempt to exercise control over human life. Another Greek word that is used in conjunction with the word principalities (archai) is the word stoicheia, which literally means elements, or elementary substances or principle. The contexts in which stoicheia is used reveal other aspects … Continue reading –>
