Guest preacher and director of EMU International encourages you to ask yourself, "Why am I here?" People throughout the centuries have struggled with this question. Yet, even after all this time, people still struggle to find an adequate answer. But why do people look to themselves for the answer? In the shortest chapter in the Bible, we find the answer.
Last week Pastor Tim discussed what joy is. Today, he explores what we can do to actually cultivate joy in our lives. That may seem odd, but we actually have control over how much joy we experience. And we do that not by following certain steps, but by changing our focus and understanding to match that of the Bible.
In this part of the account of the burning bush, God reveals himself to Moses by giving his name: "I AM WHO I AM." But what does he mean by that? Additionally, God reveals His plan to Moses which will lead to Israel's deliverance out of Egypt.
The Bible commands us to rejoice at all times. But isn't that naïve? After all, don't we have justifiable reasons to be stressed, anxious, and sometimes depressed? Don't we have good reason to complain when things that are going wrong? Even though there are many things in life that may legitimately be going wrong, we cannot deny that we are God's Word tells us to rejoice always. So why and how can we have joy when the world around us seems to be falling apart?
Today we come to one of the most known passages in the Bible: Moses and the burning bush. From the beginning of this account, we can't help but wonder why God chose Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. Was there anything special about Moses and Israel? Were they a particularly godly? Or was there some other reason driving the Lord's purposes?
Do you live your life like you're in the middle of a war? That might seem like a strange question, but the Bible makes it clear that we are constantly engaging in spiritual warfare. Your awareness of this fact very well could explain why you're either living a victorious Christian life or falling back into the same sin again and again. In light of this, Paul gives us some strategies to help us daily walk through this life.
Many of us assume that God cannot use us because either our past or current situation. If that were the case, Moses would have certainly been disqualified to be used in God's plan. After killing a man, he flees to a foreign country, assuming that he would live out his life as a nomad and an outlaw. Yet, if we are familiar with the Bible, we know how essential Moses was.
What is the 'day of the Lord' and what will it be like? Many people in our day and age, even Christians, don't think about it often. But is that wise? If the day of the Lord is what the Bible says it is, how then should we live?
Moses is born. If you know the rest of the story, this event is the turning point that changes the course of Israel's time in Egypt. Our familiarity with the story may actually prevent us from seeing God's hand behind it and a correlation to another familiar story from mankind's early history.
Hell is a difficult doctrine, and one that we often avoid talking about. In fact, many Christians have decided to disregard it all together. So why should we believe it? To start, Jesus did. And since he did, how must we think about it and live?
Is it ever permissible to sin? In our passage today, not only does it seem like it's ok, God actually rewards people not only for deception, but blatant lying. How do we make sense of this? What does this teach us about God? And what practical lessons can we take to apply to our own lives?
Why don't we pray? Or, more directly, why don't you pray? The reasons are likely endless, but can be summed up in four primary excuses: We don't have time; We don't feel like it; We don't think it changes anything; Or we don't actually know God as Father. Do any of those describe you? If you don't pray, or fail to pray as you want, but want to change that, examine your heart and take the necessary steps to change. How? There are numerous ways to pray, praying Scripture is one way that has transformed the prayer lives of many. and could change your prayer life too.
For a more elaborate discussion on how to pray Scripture, read "Praying the Bible" by Donald Whitney.
Much of what we know about Exodus, unfortunately, is from movies - not the Bible. While those movies are fun and dramatic, it's essential to understand what the Bible says about the Hebrew nation during this time. This is how we begin our study through this beloved historical book.
Prayer is a complex (and potentially confusing) subject. But at the same time, it's very simple. Perhaps many of our problems with prayer come from our own misunderstanding of what we think it ought to be. So what is prayer? And why should we do it?
We all deserve God's wrath. We may not want to think about that; after all, isn't God merciful, gracious and abounding in love? Yes, but he is also holy and just, and cannot allow sin to go unpunished? How does God balance the two? How does He display mercy while at the same time executing genuine justice? By providing a substitute. But is that fair for God to do?
Without exception, everyone is a disciple and a disciple-maker. As Christians, however, are supposed to be disciples of Christ who are making disciples of Christ. If someone examined your life and how you used your time, would they say you're a disciple of Jesus, or someone else? How can you become a better disciple-making disciple?
Many of us know the story of Jesus healing the woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. However, this is often taken out of the context of Jesus going to Jairus's house to heal his daughter. Seeing it in the greater context helps us see who Jesus actually is.
The view of children over the past half-century has changed. However, how God has viewed children has been consistent since Adam and Eve. As Christians, how should we view children and what are our responsibilities to them?
Why bother spending regular time in the Bible? Isn't going to church a couple of times a week enough for spiritual growth? Well, consider this: Would you only feed your body as often as you feed your soul? Of course not. If you did, you'd suffer from severe malnourishment. So why our we okay with malnourishing our soul? While we may not realize it, there are eternal benefits to studying the Bible. Do you want to feed your soul? If so, what is your plan?
In our last Advent message, Pastor Tim looks at the wise men/s visit to Jesus. They traveled hundreds of miles to find the King of the Jews. But why? What about Jesus caused them to make that trip? What did they know about him before they met him? They found meaning in that baby on that first Christmas. What does Christmas mean to you?