Christian Living / Spiritual Growth

  • The Advance of the Gospel

    Philippians 1:12–13

    Our suffering for the sake of Jesus is actually an occasion for great joy, not for the pain in itself but because it is at our weakest points that God decides to show Himself the strongest. As we consider those ...Read More

  • Abounding Love

    Philippians 1:9–11

    Only by faith do we lay hold of Christ’s righteousness, which alone gets us into heaven. Yet we can also get additional rewards in heaven if we serve God faithfully. These rewards, however, are still grounded in faith because ...Read More

  • Paul’s Love for the Philippians

    Philippians 1:7–8

    In many ways, it is easier to pray or to give to various churches and ministries instead of doing both. How often do we pray for other believers and gospel defenders without responding to their need for financial support? How ...Read More

  • The God Who Finishes What He Starts

    Philippians 1:6

    Perseverance of the saints and the doctrine of unconditional election go hand in hand. The comfort we find in the security we possess in Christ is also an inherent part of the biblical view of God’s sovereign, electing grace ...Read More

  • Paul’s Gratitude for the Philippians

    Philippians 1:3–5

    God does not save us to be lone ranger Christians, but He expects us to partner with other believers in order to send forth the gospel. There are a multitude of ways in which we can support our churches, parachurch ...Read More

  • The Peace and Purity of the Church

    Ephesians 6:23–24

    Take time today to read back through Ephesians and thank God for what we have learned. Ask Him to make you more loving and more willing to stand for the essential truths of the Christian faith. Also, ask Him that ...Read More

  • The Devil

    Zechariah 3:1–5

    Do you struggle to find peace with God after you have sinned? If you are in Christ by faith, which is evident in your desire to repent of all your sin and turn continually to Him, then you can be ...Read More

  • 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 World

    Romans 12:2

    The ways of this fallen world influence us far more than we would ever want to imagine. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that we keep ourselves immersed in Scripture, seeking for God to transform our minds that we might see ...Read More

  • Prayer for Boldness

    Ephesians 6:19–20

    Again we note that, just as in Colossians, Paul does not request in today’s passage to be released from prison but for more ministry opportunities (Col. 4:3–4). This is a model for us. It is, of course ...Read More

  • Consistent, Persevering Prayer

    Ephesians 6:18

    In addition to being specific in prayer, God also wants us to be persistent in intercession (Eph. 6:18). This is a good reminder for us today, as we are likely to give up praying when we feel as if ...Read More

  • Helmet and Sword

    Ephesians 6:17

    John Calvin states that “by faith we repel all the attacks of the devil, and by the word of God the enemy himself is slain. If the word of God shall have its efficacy upon us through faith, we shall ...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

  • Gospel Readiness

    Ephesians 6:15

    Nothing gives us surer footing than the gospel, the good news that our sovereign, holy God has intervened in history to reconcile His people to Himself. Understanding that we are reconciled to Him through no effort of our own reminds ...Read More

  • Our Belt and Breastplate

    Ephesians 6:14

    Today, people want to deny the existence of absolute truth and instead embrace teachings that say personal righteousness is an indifferent matter. Yet without the truth of the gospel and a zeal for holiness, we will be ill-prepared to battle ...Read More