“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” (Philippians 2:14-15) A man who decided to join a monastery and become a monk had to take vow of silence. But at the end of each year, he was allowed to appear before the abbot and say two words. After being silent for an entire year, he finally…
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Some of you have had a tough year. You may have received more than your fair your share of criticism. You may have lost a job. You may be going through a rough patch in a relationship. Now comes Thanksgiving. Can we thank God even when times are tough? Yes, we can. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” This verse does not say to be thankful for…
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Say “Please and thank you.” It’s one of the first lessons we learn as children. But did you know that our parents weren’t just teaching us manners; they were providing us with a tool for lasting happiness? Recent research has revealed that practicing gratitude can help us live longer and better. This weekend, just in time for Thanksgiving, we’re beginning a new teaching series called Thank You: The Power of a Grateful Life where you will discover how two simple (but powerful)…
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Although we may forget it at times, this one thing is true – this world is a battlefield. Every day we’re engaged in a spiritual war with an enemy who is invisible but real. His desire is to defeat us and to accomplish that he will deceive, destroy and accuse. Our enemy doesn’t wait for us to be ready before he attacks. The devil couldn’t care less if we “feel” prepared, or prayed up for our day. In fact, he prefers we’re…
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Ever wonder why so many Christians hang on to the guilt of their sin even though they know about God’s total forgiveness? The reason is that there is someone who does not want us to be free and his name is Satan. He would much rather see Christians walking in a cloud of shame than living in God’s amazing grace. Not only is Satan called the father of lies, he is also called the accuser. His job description is to make us…
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