Elijah is the most memorable of the prophets during the early days of the divided kingdom. There were others before him, but they came and went quickly and with little fanfare. However, we have substantial detail about portions of Elijah’s work beginning in 1 Kings 17 and ending in 2 Kings 2. Additionally, he is referenced thirty times in the New Testament, which is more than any other Old Testament prophet (except Moses).
Faithfulness to God is not merely a feeling or a confession—it is a devotion to God which will shape how we think, how we worship, and how we serve. True faithfulness will affect every part of our lives. Below, we’ll discuss the mechanics of faithful living, though I think most of us are already aware of these things. The true struggle is one of consistency – having the day-after-day volition to put God first in all things. We need to take up the cross daily (Luke 9:23), search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11), and exhort one another to faithful service daily (Hebrews 3:13).
Laws that threaten religious freedom rarely begin by banning sermons. They begin with the redefinition of words — especially words like harm, hate, safety, truth, tolerance, and inclusion. Over time, those redefinitions reshape what a society considers acceptable speech, and eventually, what it is willing to tolerate from people of faith.
Is believing in Jesus enough? Or is there more? Hear the words of Jesus:
…if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:47-48)
The Lord came to reveal and call us to the truth. He said:
…if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to savve the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:47-48)
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parables of the Mustard Seed & the Unprofitable Servant (Increase our faith)
Having heard the Lord talk about offenses and the need to forgive, Peter asked Jesus,
…how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? (Matthew 18:21)
– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of the Fig Tree
Some people told Jesus about a group of Galileans whom Pilate killed. Jesus’ reponse indicated those who brought it up believed they got what they deserved. He said to them:
Do you suppose these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you, no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:2-3)
Exactly two months from today, the 2021 Summer Olympic games are set to begin in Tokyo, Japan. I don’t know about you, but I am excited to watch the best athletes from across the world participate in various of sports and athletic disciplines. The agility and ability of the men and women who will compete will be wonderful to see. There are some spiritual lessons we can learn from the Olympics to help us grow in faith.
What a wonderful thought the apostle Paul presents. Those who are raised with Christ are said to have died, and now have a life hidden with Christ in God! In the rest of Colossians 3, the apostle goes on to tell us what that means in the life of the Christian.
Before we look at the life changes which must take place, Paul alludes to our entrance into Christ. His mention of a death and a resurrection is an allusion to the penitent believer’s baptism. Only those who have been baptized into Christ can be raised to life with Him (Romans 6:3-5). Until we are buried in the likeness of His death, we cannot be in the likeness of His resurrection.
It was a regular occurrence at the little denominational group I assembled with as a teenager for folks to get up and give their personal testimony. You’d hear a number of different things, from how the person came to faith to what God had done for them in the past week. As I recall, it was simply called “sharing time.”
Testimony is defined as:
an open acknowledgement; a public profession of religious experience. (M-W.com)
