The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it (Matthew 7:14, NLT). Each of us has a narrow path that’s difficult. This path requires a “narrow path lifestyle” or life choices and developed disciplines that enable you to stay on “your” narrow path. Why do […]
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Jesus said . . . “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37, NLT). I read recently that 80 percent of our intentions never happen. When I read that statistic, I thought, “I need to record this in a file to be
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT) The Greek word for “gentleness” is also translated in other New Testament verses as “meekness” and “humility.” Often, we consider gentle, meek, and
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My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? (Psalm 22:1, NLT) This is a Psalm of deep sorrow and intense persecution. I’ve read Psalm 22 over and over through the years with the thought, “This is a psalm of David, but as I
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But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith? (Luke 18:8, NLT). The miracles of Jesus were a dominant part of His ministry. It is estimated that 40 percent of the Gospel of Mark is about miracles. One scholar writes . . . Just as the kingdom
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith (1 John 5:4, ESV). The message of the Bible is victory! Faith is our victory. The Apostle Paul writes that as followers of Jesus, we must live by faith from first to
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:7, NASB1995). We know the disciplines of prayer and Bible study are important for growth in holiness. But what is the principle of specificity? Specificity undergirds the effectiveness of all scriptural disciplines. Yes, without practicing “specificity” in prayers, Bible application, fellowship, and disciple-making — these disciplines will
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A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NLT). We will all need to work with or lead a team sometime. I consider a team to be at least three people. The group
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV). What is Biblical kindness? Saying, “That’s wrong, that’s politically incorrect, or that’s un-American,” isn’t kindness, even if true, unless the difficult words are accompanied by mercy. Telling someone that you are there for them isn’t
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The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race (v. 13, NLT). I’ve noticed a trend, increasingly, where Christianity is presented as an evil demagogue that has swamped, shut down, and ruined the culture of many peoples and lands. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts,
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