Spiritual Growth

  • The Flesh

    Galatians 5:16–26

    Christians look forward to the resurrection of the body (Dan. 12:1–2), so we should always prize the physicality with which God has gifted us. We must not, however, prize the evil things that our flesh loves. We are ...Read More

  • The Goal of Reconciliation

    Colossians 1:21-22

    Being declared righteous in Christ, we are accepted into the kingdom of God by faith alone without any consideration of our works. Still, those who are declared righteous begin to act righteous, and we grow in love for our Savior ...Read More

  • The Holiness of Christ

    Mark 4:35-41

    When we trust in Jesus, we are His holy people by God’s decree, and, over time, we become holy in our experience as we put sin to death and grow in likeness to Christ. In Jesus, we have a ...Read More

  • The Kingdom Paradox

    2 Corinthians 4:7–15

    Jesus asked that the cup of suffering pass Him by. We are never to seek suffering. It is God who brings suffering upon us. When it comes, however, could it be that God is allowing us to take someone else ...Read More

  • The Shield of Faith

    Ephesians 6:16

    An essential part of turning to Christ in order to resist temptation and other assaults successfully is understanding and appreciating truly His loveliness. When we have a true grasp of His greatness, we will be more encouraged to look to ...Read More

  • The Sin of Sloth

    Proverbs 21:25–26; 26:13–16

    Make specific changes in your life to fight laziness. This can include your vocation, physical exercise, and spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, attendance at worship, and service. If you have children, establish guidelines for housework, school work, and spiritual ...Read More

  • The Wellspring of Love

    Romans 5:1-11

    Sin, ultimately is a failure to love ordinately. Either we fail to love enough, as when we mistreat others, or we love too much, as when we elevate love of God’s gifts above love of God. Seek always to ...Read More

  • The World

    Romans 12:2

    God calls believers not to escape the world but to live according to His will within the world (John 17) as a witness to fallen cultures and societies, manifesting that He is Lord of all. Consider this day some of ...Read More

  • Transformation into Glory

    1 Corinthians 13

    Each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit—that is, each aspect of you as you are transformed—is nurtured through personal relationships. Because Christian character does not develop in a void, take the initiative to become involved regularly in ...Read More

  • What About Hypocrites?

    Matthew 23:13–36

    Does today’s lesson strike close to home? Are there things you advise other Christians to do that you yourself don’t do? Beyond this mild hypocrisy, is there some awful sin in your life that you are covering up ...Read More

  • Worthless Egypt

    Isaiah 30:1–7

    For Judah, trusting in Egypt was foolhardy as well as sinful. Egypt could provide no real help, for it was a shadow of its former self. Poetically, Isaiah describes Egypt as the normally terrifying sea monster Rahab who has been ...Read More