Hypcritical Prayer

Be sure never to ask God for something that you know in your heart you do not really want. For it is better not to pray at all than to pray hypocritically. Asking God, for example, to help you forgive someone that you really don't want to forgive would just be insincere at best.

Hope

A believer's hope is in the return of Jesus. Our perspective on life is incomplete without this hope.

Be Like Christ

The more we know of Christ and His work, the more we are being changed to be like Him.

Desires

By seeking what Christ desires we have the power to break our obsession with pleasure and leisure. (They are not for our own good.)

Dead in Christ

When the Bible says that we are "dead to sin" or "dead in Christ" --- we should have as little desire for improper things of the world (including an excess of good things) --- as a dead person would have.

Hearts & Minds

Setting our hearts on things above means putting heaven's priorities into daily practice as our own. Setting our minds on things above means focusing our thoughts on the eternal rather than the temporal.

Faith Shines

It is in the climate of darkness and sin that genuine faith shines most brightly.

Solutions

There are many man-made solutions to life's problems --- that totally disregard God. Are you listening to, using or believing in any of them?

Learning

Pray for understanding. God has given us minds for learning. Would he ever give you permission to stop learning then? (No!)

Eternal Salvation

It's not what we know or do that brings about our eternal salvation - and it's everlasting life. rather it is who we know - Jesus Christ - and how we know Him.

Impure Thoughts

Do you have trouble with impure thoughts or day dreams? Examine what you are putting into your mind through books, television, radio, magazines, Internet, music, conversations, movies, etc. Replace anything that you find which isn't God-honoring ... excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

Train Diligently

We must all train diligently for the Christian life. Such training takes time, dedication, energy, continual practice and vision. We must all commit ourselves to the Christian life, but we must first know the rules as prescribed in God's Word. (2 Timothy 2:5)

Write on Hearts

More than once in the Bible, God says He will write His law on our hearts. Our sin is engraved on our hearts so that we desire - above all things - to disobey God. But when we surrender our lives to Him, God - by His Holy Spirit, builds into us the desire to obey Him.

True Prophet

A true prophet's predictions always come true - he or she is never wrong. Moreover, the prophet's words never contradict previous revelation (from anyone, including the Bible).

Faithful Disagreement

If we are going to be faithful to God, there will be times when we must disagree with even our own wishes in order to speak the truth and be obedient to Him.

Spiritual Pride

Spiritual pride blinds us to our own faults - and magnifies the faults of others. It is impossible to accurately judge others if I haven't accurately judged myself first.

God's Workmanship

I am God's workmanship. My salvation is His powerful, creative work in me. It (my salvation in Jesus Christ) is a miracle to be marveled at.

Transformation

God's Word is not just for our information - but rather for our transformation. Believers (in Christ Jesus) have a changed purpose, outlook, direction and understanding. Moreover, their behaviors and attitudes will be changing as well. It is a total transformation (or it isn't of God).

Objects of Wrath?

The Bible (God's Word) refers to people who don't believe that Jesus is who He said He is as "objects of wrath." Why? Because they each will face God's unrestrained wrath on judgment day. Only those found in Christ will escape that wrath.

Satan's Rule

Satan is only the temporary ruler - of the parts of the world that choose to follow him - or that follow him out of ignorance.

Time & Space

God doesn't live in the dimensions of time and space. Because He is infinite, He is timeless. God has no birthday and will never die. Without the dimension of space, God has no physical home - only a spiritual home.

Personal Sin

We all need to be consciously aware of the the realities of personal sin. My sin is real. The consequences of my sin are real. If I don't deal with my sin ... the consequences and impact are eternal.

Church Role

The Christian church should be the full expression of Christ and His love. It should exhibit both His nature and His character in all respects.

Being Deceived

It is possible for even the most mature of Christians to be deceived. Deception can be so convincing that it is difficult not to believe it! So the closer we get to the end times, the easier it will become to be deceived and fall away from God. (We must stand guard!)

Jesus Wept

Jesus grieved over (the sins of) Jerusalem - and wept. You have to ask yourself why. What was it that caused Jesus such pain - and do those same conditions exist in us today?

Human vs. Spiritual

We need to stop seeing ourselves as human beings that are trying to be spiritual. Instead, we need to see the reality that we are spiritual beings who are having a human experience.

Hearing & Obeying

Whenever God's Word (the Bible) is heard and obeyed, lives are changed. And love results.

God's Role

God is not only the Creator of the world and everything in it. He is also the Sustainer of all life. Nothing had life until God breathed life into it. In Him everything is held together, protected and prevented from disintegrating into chaos - or dying altogether. Nothing and no one can live independently of God.

Right Thinking

Sin corrupted man's thinking about God. Wrong thinking leads to more sin, which further perverts and destroys our thoughts about God. When we are not in harmony with God, our natural condition is hostile to His standards. (Romans 1:21-32)

Effective Evangelism

An effective presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes admonishing (warning) and teaching. The warning is that without Christ, people are doomed to eternal separation from God. (This would be hell.)

More Like Him

To become more like Christ, there is a fairly simple formula. We need just five (5) things:

1. The power of the Holy Spirit from within us.
2. Knowledge of God's Word (which reveals His will).
3. Obedience to God's Word.
4. The influence of other faithful Christians.
5. Sacrificial service and giving.

These simple tools will keep us on our journey to Christlikeness.