Christian Living / Spiritual Growth

  • Holy Truth

    1 Peter 2:22

    Of all the lies we might tell, the most dangerous are probably those lies we tell ourselves to make us believe we are not really sinning. Given our susceptibility to falling into sin, we must be extra careful to examine ...Read More

  • The Revelation

    Genesis 45

    We often long for things to be “just as they were before [fill in the blank] happened” in our relationships with other people. If we are the main offending party, however, we cannot realistically expect this to happen if our ...Read More

  • The Timing of Providence

    Genesis 41

    In the midst of trouble and suffering, it can be difficult to believe that the Lord knows exactly what He is doing. So often it is easier to despair, believing that God has abandoned us and that He will not ...Read More

  • Seduction Resisted

    Genesis 39

    Sin can destroy relationships, lead to illness, and make our lives this side of eternity miserable. For many, a deterrent to sin is fear — fear that God will zap them when they sin. Instead of law, however, the gospel provides ...Read More

  • The Dreamer

    Genesis 37

    The jealousy of Joseph’s brothers — exacerbated by Jacob’s favoritism — led to their selling him into slavery and subsequent lies that a wild animal had killed him. Though we cannot blame their sin on Jacob, the story does illustrate ...Read More

  • A Holy and Redeemed People

    Isaiah 62:12

    God intervened two thousand years ago to cleanse His people and make them holy, first in His declaration and then in their Spirit-enabled practice. Of course, we still struggle with sin as we wait for this work to be finished ...Read More

  • True Fasting

    Isaiah 58:1–12

    The Lord does not wait for us to be sinless to answer our prayers, but we should never take that as a license to do what we please. God does not take persistent sin lightly, and we are the most ...Read More

  • The Role of Fasting

    Ezra 8:21–23

    Fasting places no obligation upon the sovereign God to respond in a way we have asked. Yet He does take special delight in us when we show our helplessness in fasting, and He will respond by giving us a greater ...Read More

  • Kingdom-Focused Prayer

    Matthew 6:9–13

    Praying for God’s kingdom to come does not mean we must literally say “God, may your kingdom come.” When we pray for the conversion of others, we are praying for them to bow willingly to His rule; thus we ...Read More

  • Selfless Prayer

    1 Samuel 2:1–11

    As you pray for specific things, do you take into account how the answers may impact the kingdom? Though in some cases it will be easier to do so than in others, all of us should endeavor to pray for ...Read More

  • God-Moving Prayer

    Genesis 18:16–33

    Sometimes we think our prayers are pointless because we know God’s mind cannot be changed. Yet we do not know what the Lord has decreed, and Scripture is clear that our prayers really do have an effect in God ...Read More

  • The Source of Joy

    John 15:1–17

    Are you finding it difficult to rejoice even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Perhaps it is because you are not forming deep relationships with other believers. Let us all resolve to become active in our churches and take advantage ...Read More

  • The Greatest Joy

    Luke 10:1–20

    Desiring outward success and growth is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has caused many churches to water down the gospel in the drive to increase attendance. We too can water down the gospel in our everyday lives so ...Read More

  • Rejoicing with Others

    Romans 12:15

    All of us find it difficult at times to rejoice in the joy of other people. Yet as believers, we should be the first to rejoice with those who rejoice, especially if those who are rejoicing are brothers and sisters ...Read More

  • Counting It All Joy

    Habakkuk 3:17–19

    Dr. R.C. Sproul has often said that while anyone can believe in God, it takes real faith to believe God. Trusting in His goodness during a severe illness, times when others sin heinously against us, the death of a ...Read More