God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. 2 Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah 4 There is a river—its streams delight the […]
We are all involved in the work of influence. Some of us make our living by selling things. Some of us are even selling information. Others influence people by sharing information. That includes good and evil – good news and gossip. Whether we are trying to change someone’s mind or simply inform them so that they can decide for themselves, […]
James advised some people in his letter not to presume what their tomorrows would bring to them (James 4:13-15). If we don’t base our decisions about what we do in our todays on what we hope will be tomorrow’s fruit from today’s labor, how can we make wise choices about what we do? I find that a very different way […]
So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because […]
When Jesus influenced the woman at the Samaritan well, she went to town and influenced her neighbors. Her influence was only information, though. In order to convert people to the Family of God and to the Kingdom of God, we need to be involved in what the Samaritans experienced after they heard the woman’s testimony: Now many Samaritans from that […]
Why did the unclean spirit in the fortune teller Luke mentioned in Acts 16:16-24 keep making so much noise that seemed to endorse the work being done by Paul and Silas? It is interesting to me also that when the Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by satan that one of satan’s talks with Jesus (Luke […]
The two extremes of trying to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to the earth that the Church has proven don’t work are hiding behind stained glass and inviting people to meetings, and attempting to rule the earth from our pulpits. This ranges from rantings against “Washington” by Texas preachers on TV, which no one in “Washington” is listening to, to […]
When lawyers took over the religious aspects of the nation of Israel, the two major parties were the Sadducees and the Pharisees. They argued about orthodoxy (“right opinion”), and made laws about what could be believed. Since they disagreed about what should be believed, the strongest party always shifted the “truth” toward their opinion. In Germany, under the leadership of […]
What it means in practical terms to “inherit the Kingdom of God” is not spelled out in Scripture as clearly as how to miss the inheritance is. A basic layer to God’s grace to us is that we can be born of Him by faith, transforming our spiritual lives into having the strength to access abundance and the power to overcome […]
Jesus warned His disciples to beware of teachings from Pharisees that He called “leaven,” (Matthew 16:5-12). Leaven is yeast, or some similar agent of fermentation, like malt. It creates gas. In Matthew 13:52, He told them that someone who had knowledge of Scripture and gained knowledge of the Kingdom was like a landowner (prestigious and wealthy) who could bring things […]