Growing In Christ

Paul wrote, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So, what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. But it is more necessary...

Did Jesus tell His followers to get out there and plant churches and win souls? If so, what book, chapter, and verse was that written? I can’t seem to find it. In fact, I read that there is only one Church. Furthermore, as servants of the Most High we cannot win anything on our own. If a soul is...

Since the beginning of time the Father intended for all of His creation to exist in peace and harmony here in this world. However, the spirit of this world relentlessly works day and night to disrupt or counterfeit the peace intended by God. The adversary, Satan and all of his followers...

The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus did not answer them by saying it is the one who reaches a high place in their church or the one who has memorized the bible. He did not say it was those who are out “winning souls for God” or...

Since the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry His followers have proven to lack spiritual understanding concerning the kingdom of heaven. This lack of understanding has produced many misconceptions, poor decisions, and false beliefs over time. Jesus clearly demonstrated His endless power over...

Spiritual growth, and not the practice of simply filling our heads with knowledge, is essential for every true follower of Christ. There are many who spend all of their time trying to figure out what this or that scripture means, or are driven to understand the scriptures from an historical...

The true follower of Christ needs to grow spiritually to walk as Jesus walked. By example, Jesus trusted the leading of the Spirit in everything He did here on earth even to the point of death. He did not do His will while serving the kingdom of heaven, but instead always sought to do the will...

There are many who claim to know Jesus who attend weekly local church services and even donate some time and money to help others less fortunate than themselves, but is this what Jesus meant when He told us to do the will of the Father? Jesus never told us to go to church, read the bible, or...

Each day we awake, we are all, to some degree, aware of many things around us. We typically place most of our own attention on those things highest on our priority list. If it is dark, we turn a light on. If it is cold, we put a on something more to keep us warm. The modern attention grab...

As servants of the kingdom of heaven we are called to surrender our lives in this world to include wealth, fame, etc. to serve the will of the Father. There are far too many who make the claim to know Christ and yet in the end He (Christ) will tell, "Depart from Me, I never knew you!"

In today’s world, just as it has been from the beginning, mankind strives to be first. Even those who you would consider as “non-competitive” compete with others in countless ways. The way of the world teaches and often pushes people to act this way. Think back as far as Cain and Able and you...

For the true Christian, those who are spiritually reborn into the body of Christ, life on this world will be a challenge. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are...

Today's Christian Religion practices are a two-edged sword. For those who live worldly lives throughout the week, the "local church" provides a place of refuge to dutifully outwardly express one's so-called faith. Equally, these manmade institutions with all their traditions and practices...

The Parable of the Sower: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the...

Matthew’s Gospel tells us that John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The prophet Isaiah foretold of John’s coming: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him’”...

Some of you may have heard the term legalism or that someone is being legalistic. There are several definitions to what legalism is and here are just a few. “Legalism: Strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious moral code.” “Legalists are people who add personal...

“This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Each day is just one single brick in the foundation of our lives. In a life without Christ, one’s bricks are made from the clay of this world. These perishable bricks are held together with the temporary...

How easy is it for us to fall into the trap of behaving in a way that drives us to feel the need to be in control? Yet, it is our human nature to live this way. This nature causes us to want to make everything fit within the framework of our own understanding, and when it does not it can effect...

There are countless opinions on how to prepare yourself to share the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ with others. Some believe we must strive to create a strong charismatic persona that will help us to become appealing to those we wish to engage. Others believe we need to pack a whole lot of...

I share this with you in love hoping we can love one another, fear God, and honor our King Jesus as fellow citizens of heaven. The scriptures clearly tell us that it is God’s place to judge, and yet it is our responsibility to seek to correct a brother or sister where needed. The scriptures tell...