<p>When you find yourself in a discouraging place – a “Ziklag season” if I may – how do you respond? How do you encourage yourself in the Lord? I’d like to offer three things; when they’re done properly, they will lift us back up to the place where the Lord would have us to be.</p>
Have you ever heard of an
unsaved Christian? While it is a misnomer, because such a thing cannot truly be, it nevertheless is a phrase that aptly applies to certain members of every local church that preaches the gospel.
Properly defined, an unsaved Christian is an individual who in their heart of hearts,
believes better, who
knows that they are saved; they attend church, they pray, they read their Bible, and they are involved in ministry. Some preach, some teach, some are in the choir, or play an instrument. Some are ushers, some are even prophets and evangelists. Unsaved Christians can be found in every level of our local churches. Yet there is one thing that is lacking in each individual mentioned here.
4 Steps to Finding a Great Church Home
Michael Jakes 10 May
In the past year, we have witnessed and experienced changes in this world that have been unprecedented in our lifetime. These widespread changes have affected many of us in many different ways.
With many local churches forced to close their doors for a period of time, many of these chose to go virtual in order to keep in touch with their congregants. Doing so has made the gospel’s online presence more visible than ever before. And while many restrictions have slowly been lifted, and churches in some places have begun to return to a more normal seating capacity, many of these churches, which were not streaming online prior to COVID-19, have opted to maintain an online presence. Once again, for the sake of the gospel, this is a good thing if it is the gospel that is being preached.
4 Powerful Reminders from the Early Church
Michael Jakes 8 May
The book of Acts is an epic and fascinating historical record of the early church. Much of the New Testament was written by Paul the apostle during these times; although the book of Acts itself was written by Luke, and other books have different authors. Acts covers a period of approximately thirty years, and is both thrilling and dramatic. Throughout its pages we are witnesses to the raw emotions of this most turbulent time; the anger, the hatred, the joy, and the boldness of those caught up in the events that would shape the world in which we now live.
3 Dangerous Ways to Look at the World
Michael Jakes 5 Apr
From the very beginning, God has had a plan to redeem man. This became necessary once our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden. From that very moment in time, they, and even nature itself, began the process of decay.
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:22-23).