The Christian life is not always a life of clear sailing. Every believer is going to have bad days, no matter how holy he may be. Thankfully, most Christians realize Jesus is present not only when things are going well, but also during difficult times. He is faithful and caring through every season and he is touched by every feeling we endure.
Christians today live in a time of great light. The Holy Spirit has revealed to us the powerful meaning of Jesus’ work on the cross, and the incredible blessings this means to our lives. Yet there was a time when Christ’s wonderful work was obscured from the world. That period was known as the Dark Ages because the meaning of the cross was veiled from the eyes of humanity.
I once preached a sermon about our need to show love to those closest to us. I spoke about the sinfulness of being easily provoked — and the Holy Spirit convicted me of that very sin in my own life. I have learned that when the Holy Spirit speaks, it pays to listen. I repented immediately and then, after much prayer and seeking God, I was convinced I had victory over that weakness.
We hear a lot about conspiracies in our society — schemes aimed at destroying both democracy in America and Christianity. The heart of God is not troubled by such conspiracies, but there is one conspiracy that does concern our heavenly Father. It is satanic and is aimed directly at Christians who have set their hearts on entering into the fullness of Christ.
Every believer in the Church of Jesus Christ is called to be holy — pure and blameless in God’s sight. So, if you have been born again, holiness must be the cry of your heart.
Carrying around resentment against God is one of the most dangerous things a Christian can do. Yet I am shocked by the number of believers who are peeved at the Lord. They may not admit it, but deep inside, they hold some kind of grudge against him. Why? Because they believe he is not interested in their lives or problems. Because he has not answered a particular prayer or acted in a certain way on their behalf, they are convinced he does not care.
It doesn’t matter what things look like on the outside, the truth is, God has put all things under Jesus’ feet and he is still king over everything.
God’s door is always open to his children and, make no mistake, he is utterly faithful. Go to your secret closet regularly and seek him with all your heart.
To me, one of the most interesting people in the Old Testament is Jacob, a deceiving, manipulating man. Yet God loved this man dearly.
Three common words heard among Christians in times of crisis are, “Lord, do something!” It is totally against our nature as human beings to stand still and do nothing when we face perplexing situations. In fact, waiting patiently for God to act is probably the most difficult discipline of the Christian walk. Even devoted believers panic when the Lord doesn’t move according to their timetable.