As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.-(Galatians 6:14)
What stance should I, a Christian, take on my own state of being before God? Am I sinful or holy?
Mark Ballenger
Let God Fulfill God’s Promises to You
Imagine a man who loved a woman, but he was going off to war and he didn’t know when he would be back. Before he left he promised her that when he returned, he would marry her. How odd would it be if the woman jumped the gun and went out and bought her own engagement ring? She wanted the promise to be fulfilled, but she did not want to wait, so she took matters into her own hands.
God is a God of promises. He promises good for those who love him. He promises to save those who put their faith in Jesus. He promises to take care of us when we trust him. Throughout nearly every page of Scripture a promise can be found by God.
Life is a journey. The path to God is straight and narrow (Matthew 7:14). But throughout the journey of life there are so many ways to veer away from God. Perhaps one of the most common ways is to seek God’s promises and blessings in your own power.
A Bible Study for Men’s Accountability Partners
A Bible Study for Men’s Accountability Partners
Men who are accountability partners with one another often start their relationship with good intentions. Most often they want to be accountability partners because of the lustful temptations that swirl around them on a daily bases. Having another Christian man who wants to obey God’s lessons in the Bible, who will ask you hard questions, who will pray with you, and who you know is fighting sexual temptation right alongside of you is truly a great advantage in the war against lust.
So why do accountability partners so often fail? Not to oversimplify the answer, but often times men’s accountability partners fail because this relationship is based on talking, emotional transparency, and difficult conversations. In other words, men’s accountability partnerships require men to do what does not come natural to them.
How Much Money Should a Pastor Make?
If you want to make everyone at church uncomfortable, just start asking questions about the pastor’s salary. Money is always a touchy subject, but opinions abound even more so when the church is factored in.
Should a pastor take a vow of poverty? Should a pastor’s salary be more than those he leads as an example of how generous God’s people should be? Does the Bible really say how much money a pastor should make?
Should You Be Baptized More than Once?
There are many questions regarding Christian baptism, but perhaps one of the most asked questions is, “Should you be baptized more than once in life?” To answer this questions, it helps to know what water baptism is truly symbolizing?
Knowing When to Die
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.-John 12:24-26
32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.-John 19:32-33
Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence. – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, December 9th
Looking Up While Letting People Down
Life is full of disappointing people. A swirl of emotions can overcome us when we hear the unspoken words written all over our spouse’s face, our boss’s tone, or the long pause on the phone with a friend. Our feelings of rejection, anger, annoyance, or despair in response to letting people down can completely take over our life. Letting someone down is something we all just want to avoid.
What Does the Bible Say About Busyness?
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” -Psalm 46:10
The Bible says that busyness leads to doubt and a spiritual disconnection from God. In Psalm 46:10 there is a direct link between being still and knowing that God truly is God. If we are too busy for God, our stillness before the Lord will vanish, along with our peace.
The sinful nature, the world, and Satan thrive when we are too busy for God. The Bible says, therefore, that if you want to know God, then you must avoid busyness.