Leaving Laodicea

One of the most challenging passages in the entire New Testament is found in the book of Romans, chapter 12.  It reads:"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."If you think you've got a pretty good understanding of what Paul was saying, think again... and keep listening.  You're in for a wild ride.The following is a study on Romans 12:1-2.

We live in a society where the idea of taking personal responsibility for our own actions is outdated, rejected and shunned by those even in the church.  We blame everyone and everything else for our failures."Hey, it's not my fault I turned out this way.  I didn't have perfect parents, a perfect home life, perfect teeth, or a perfect education.  I didn't have the opportunities that she did and my friends weren't as cool as his friends were.  I was deprived, misunderstood, unloved."And, the most sinister of them all:  "Hey, it's not my fault.  After all, God made me this way.  He could have changed things if He wanted to... but He didn't.  It's all God's fault!" If you think so, you'd better keep listening.The following is a study on James 1:13-17.

In the Christian life, trials serve as the great equalizer.  Death, disease, the loss of a close relationship, financial failures or any of a thousand different things can test a Christian's faith.  But trials and problems do not show favoritism.  They come to the rich and the poor, the prosperous and the deprived.   They are a part of life to all.That is why James views trials as the great equalizer.  After all, they are a test to determine if our faith is valid, genuine or approved.  And we, rich or poor, are to rejoice when they come our way.Seems impossible, doesn't it?  Then keep listening.The following is a study on James 1:9-12.

Sometimes unexpected things in life become powerful tools in the hands of the Lord to teach us in the darkness what we were too busy to learn in the light.  Such was the death of Carroll Henderson.James 1 tells us that one of the hallmark signs of true salvation is persevering during the time of great trials.  We show our faith genuine and ourselves approved when we falter not at the altar of suffering.  Such again, was the lesson we learned from the death of Carroll Henderson.Would you like to know more about genuine faith?  Then, by all means, keep listening.The following is a study on James 1:1-3.

James tells us there are two kinds of people... those who "do" and those who "hear and refuse to do."  And the difference between them is profound.  One is "blessed in all that he does" and the other is "self-deceived."Which one are you?Where are the men and women of God who hear the Word and strive, with all that is in them, to obey what it says... no matter what? Where are they?  Where have they gone?  What happened to the remnant?The following is a study on James 1:22-27.

James tells us that how we stand up under trials, no matter how severe, are a strong indicator of our salvation.  In other words, if we endure, good sign we are saved.  If we don't, well... that could be a pretty good sign that we're not.Warren Wiersbe puts it this way:"Our values determine our evaluations.  If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us.  If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to ‘count it all joy!’  If we live only for the present and forget the future, the trials will make us bitter, not better."So where are you when it comes to trials?The following is a study on James 1:1-12.

Our personal perceptions of God often, unfortunately, determine how we view Him and how we approach Him.  And sometimes these perceptions are not directly related to Him, but to others who have impacted our lives in a less than positive way.For example, if we have an earthly father who is harsh or unforgiving or can't be trusted to care for his children, it's a small step to then assume that our Heavenly Father is just like our earthly father.  Or, if our earthly father is weak and spineless and wants to be loved by everyone rather than doing what is right... well, we assume that God also has that hurtful character trait.  And these faulty perceptions give us a flawed view of who God is and how He responds to each of us.  The woman who tried to steal a healing from Jesus is a classic example of this.  Keep listening, for there is much we can learn from her story. The following is a study on Seeing God Clearly.

In Mark 8 we have recorded one of the most troubling and misunderstood miracle of Jesus... the one that requires a second touch.  Remember?  First touch, men like trees.  Second touch, everything is 20/20.Why?  What happened?  Did Jesus fail?  Did He not do a good enough job the first time and needed a tune-up or a second opinion?  Was He having a bad day or was He too tired to heal the man the first time? And, with all these questions, why would Mark include this miracle in his book anyway?  Seems like it raised more questions that it answers.  But the truth is compelling and enlightening.  Stick with us to find out.The following is a study on How to Understand Difficult Passages.

How do you "experience" the Word of God?  Well, for openers, you do more than just read it like a John Grisham novel or college textbook on quantum physics.You must not just "read" the text, you must learn to "live" in it.In order to "experience" the Word of God you have to place yourself in the text, you have to become part of the story, you have to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you how to lose yourself in the Scriptures so they become more than simply words on a page.  No, they become living and active and God-breathed.  They become life to you and your source of strength and assurance."But how?" you ask.  "How can I learn to do that?"  Great question.  Keep listening.The following is a study on How to Experience the Word of God.

We live in terribly trying times.  Just check out the evening news.  The prospect of war in the Middle East looms over our heads, the eminent collapse of our financial system and the fear of hyper-inflation keeps many awake at night and the rapid moral decay of our culture paints an incredibly bleak picture for our children and our grandchildren.  What's a believer to do?Strive to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.  Oh, so you've heard that before.  Nevertheless, the reality doesn't change.  You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit."But how?" you ask.  Great question.  Keep listening.The following is a study on Being Filled with the Holy Spirit.