Leaving Laodicea

Sometimes, when we look at how big the evil in the world is and how small we are in comparison, we tend to get defeated and depressed.  “After all,” we reason, “what can one man do?  I’m in this all alone.  The enemy is too big, too well funded, too powerful.  What can one man do?”But we forget we are not alone.  We are part of the church, His church, the unified Body of Christ.  We are children of God. And, “if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17).We can’t look at us and the enemy with our own eyes, we must look at things from the eyes of our Lord.  And when we do, everything changes.Want to find out more?  Then keep listening.The following is a study on Colossians 2:1-3.

When Paul says, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Col. 1:24), we scratch our heads and wonder how that could be?
How could a man, even the over-the-top Apostle Paul, actually rejoice in his sufferings?  Especially when we realize Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter to the church at Colossae.  How is that even possible?  
And what is there to rejoice about?  We, in our culture, rejoice when our suffering is over. Yet Paul rejoices in the midst of his suffering.
What can we learn from this?  Much.  So keep listening to find out more.
The following is a study on Colossians 1:24-29.

When Paul says, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Col. 1:24), we scratch our heads and wonder how that could be?How could a man, even the over-the-top Apostle Paul, actually rejoice in his sufferings?  Especially when we realize Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter to the church at Colossae.  How is that even possible?  And what is there to rejoice about?  We, in our culture, rejoice when our suffering is over. Yet Paul rejoices in the midst of his suffering.What can we learn from this?  Much.  So keep listening to find out more.The following is a study on Colossians 1:24-29.

When Philip uttered the words, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us” (John 14:8), he probably didn't fully understand the implications of what he was asking.  Actually, his words went more like this:
"Lord, show (or, put on a demonstration, to point out, to present in sight) us the Father, and it is sufficient (or, it will satisfy, we will be content) for us" (John 14:8).
This was not Moses begging God to reveal His glory (Exodus 38:18).  No, this was the disciples wanting more than Jesus.  They wanted to trust a visible manifestation of something more than simple faith in Christ.
Have you ever done the same?  Have you longed for the Lord's power or blessing or answered prayer or a miracle more than the Lord Himself?  
If so, keep listening.
The following is a study on John 14:7-9.

When Philip uttered the words, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us” (John 14:8), he probably didn't fully understand the implications of what he was asking.  Actually, his words went more like this:"Lord, show (or, put on a demonstration, to point out, to present in sight) us the Father, and it is sufficient (or, it will satisfy, we will be content) for us" (John 14:8).This was not Moses begging God to reveal His glory (Exodus 38:18).  No, this was the disciples wanting more than Jesus.  They wanted to trust a visible manifestation of something more than simple faith in Christ.Have you ever done the same?  Have you longed for the Lord's power or blessing or answered prayer or a miracle more than the Lord Himself?  If so, keep listening.The following is a study on John 14:7-9.

When Jesus tried to comfort His disciples He went about it in a way that seems foreign to us.  We comfort by trying to take the pain away, by saying some soothing words that aren't always true.
We say, "Hey, don't worry about it, don't cry, everything's going to be alright"— even when we know it won't.
But Jesus comforted His disciples by pointing to the big picture, the grand scheme, to life beyond the here and now.  He had them look beyond their current pain and predicament to the reality of eternity.  And in that light, how bad can a few passing problems in this life really be?
He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1-3).
Jesus is preparing a place for me, and He's coming back for me, so I can be where He is.  Changes everything, doesn't it?
The following is a study on John 14:1-6.

When Jesus tried to comfort His disciples He went about it in a way that seems foreign to us.  We comfort by trying to take the pain away, by saying some soothing words that aren't always true.We say, "Hey, don't worry about it, don't cry, everything's going to be alright"— even when we know it won't.But Jesus comforted His disciples by pointing to the big picture, the grand scheme, to life beyond the here and now.  He had them look beyond their current pain and predicament to the reality of eternity.  And in that light, how bad can a few passing problems in this life really be?He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1-3).Jesus is preparing a place for me, and He's coming back for me, so I can be where He is.  Changes everything, doesn't it?The following is a study on John 14:1-6.

To totally commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ is the first thing we must do to spiritually prepare for the coming persecution in this country.  And, as we said last week, the way to do that is found in the words of John the Baptist.  John said, when comparing his ministry with that of his Lord:
"He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
The first statement, the "I must decrease" part is easy to understand yet difficult to apply.  But what about the second statement, the "He must increase" part?  What does that mean?  How can I, a mere mortal, make Jesus more than He already is?  Or, what can I give Him, who created everything, that He doesn't already possess?
Keep listening as we begin to answer this all-important question that will give us practical steps to total commitment.
The following is a study on Total Commitment.

To totally commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ is the first thing we must do to spiritually prepare for the coming persecution in this country.  And, as we said last week, the way to do that is found in the words of John the Baptist.  John said, when comparing his ministry with that of his Lord:"He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).The first statement, the "I must decrease" part is easy to understand yet difficult to apply.  But what about the second statement, the "He must increase" part?  What does that mean?  How can I, a mere mortal, make Jesus more than He already is?  Or, what can I give Him, who created everything, that He doesn't already possess?Keep listening as we begin to answer this all-important question that will give us practical steps to total commitment.The following is a study on Total Commitment.

As we face coming persecution in this country, one of the most important preparations we can make is to totally commit our lives to the living Lord Jesus.  But that raises a few questions.
What does total commitment look like?And what does total commitment really mean?
How can I be totally committed to Jesus?Where do I start?What do I do?
The answer is two-fold and is crystallized in the words of John the Baptist.  He said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).   Ah, that's it.  First, Jesus must increase and, second, I must decrease.  Or is it the other way around?
These are vital questions that need to be answered, and answered now.  Keep listening to find out more.
The following is a study on Total Commitment.