WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 6

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.”  Matt. 7:21 (HCSB) (14)  Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:6-7.  God’s peace is another indicator that I am making the right choice.  His peace is to

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 5

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Eph. 5:17 (NLT) (11)  1 John 2:28; Romans 14:12.  We concluded yesterday with the question, “Would Jesus do it?”  This verse prompts us to ask a similar question when we have decisions to make: “Would I like to be

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 4

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.” Eph. 5:17 (NAB) (8)  Romans 14:23.  Another principle for guiding us through the tough decisions of life has to do with doubts.  Paul was using the illustration of eating certain foods as he wrote

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 3

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:17 (NKJV) (4)  1 Corinthians 6:19.  As I consider God’s principles for making the tough decisions in life, I  must remember that my body is the “temple of the Holy Spirit.”  Will the choice I’m considering

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 2

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Because of this, do not be foolish, but understand what is the Lord’s will,” Eph. 5:17 (BLT) Yesterday we determined that God does want to reveal His will to us for every decision we face.  Today we will begin to look at the principles He has given us for making the

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – Part 1

Ephesians 5:17; Matthew 7:21 “Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  Eph. 5:17 Not long ago, one of my close Christian friends made a couple of remarks that disturbed me.  The first remark went something like this, “I know you believe this is wrong, but can you show

SIN AND THE SANCTIFIED CHRISTIAN

1 John 2:1-2 “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Though we, the holiness people, have often been accused of teaching “sinless perfection,” this has

BEFORE AND AFTER

John 14:15-20 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Eph: 5:8 (ESV) Like me, you’ve seen those “before and after” pictures.  In one advertisement, we see someone who lost 65 pounds in just a few weeks.  In another, we see a man who quickly grew hair

THE DISCIPLINES OF HOLY LIVING

2 Peter 1:3-11 “For this reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affections and brotherly affection with love.” (vs. 5-7 ESV) In A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, John Wesley summarizes the

HOLINESS: A THIRST FOR GOD

Psalm 42:1-2; 143:6 “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2a ESV) It was the find of a lifetime!  My wife and I had been serving as missionaries in Bolivia for a couple of years.  It was