The Law of God
To get right with God we must humbly admit we fall sinfully short of his absolutely perfect standards, knowing that our only hope is to fully trust his power to save and his right to lead our daily lives.
Faith
Biblical Faith
Christ calls us to trust him for salvation with the helplessness and full dependence of a little child, and in the process shows his special regard for children.
Loving God’s Undeserved Mercy
We must identify and thank God for his many acts of mercy toward us, remembering that these are small foretastes of the ultimate mercy of the eradication of our debt of sin by his cross.
Loving God’s Faithful Promises
We will become more ambitious and more optimistic in our prayers and service for Christ as we learn to wholeheartedly trust him to accomplish through us the things that he has commanded.
The Damning Lie of Monetary Success
Our material wealth is not an indicator of our spiritual health, instead our money and how we use it serves as an indicator of where our faith lies and who we serve.
Worldly Ambition & Godly Virtue
Obtaining the grace of Christ and receiving the honor of service and reward in his kingdom all hinge on a humble awareness that we do not in any way deserve his favor, acceptance, or honor.
Trusting An Invincible Savior
Just as we can trust that nothing could ever defeat God’s intentions in Christ to purchase our redemption, we should in turn be fearless in pursuing God’s prescriptive plans and purposes for our lives.
Suffering in a Broken World
Even as regenerate children of God we should not be surprised at the pain and suffering in our lives because we live in a fallen world, which thankfully will one day be made perfect by the exercise of Christ’s power.
Incredulity
Jesus has more than adequately proven his status as Savior and Lord, so we must be careful not to avoid (or allow the avoidance of) the implications of those realities because of sinful pride.
Propriety
We must understand the problem of people who are content to ask and receive God’s gracious and generous gifts without the costs, sacrifices, and devotion associated with following Christ.
Cynicism
We must understand some of the motives of those who react cynically and skeptically to the gospel, responding to them with gentleness and respect but never devoid of urgency.
When to Stop Praying
We must remember that prayer is not an effort to overcome God’s unwillingness, but rather we pray persistently in faith to a good and generous God in hopes of advancing his good plans.
When You’ve Been Rejected
We must be prepared to incur the kind of rejection Christ and the Apostles regularly encountered, knowing that it is not our job to retaliate but to seek peace and entrust ourselves to a just God.
When Our Expectations Aren’t Met
God is sovereign, always working out his good plans, in, through, and around our lives – our call is to trust him even when those plans surprise us with unexpected turns and painful experiences.
When There’s Theological Confusion
We must seek to be confidently assured regarding the truth about Christ regardless of the perennial religious confusion in our world due to its sin and rebellion.
When the Task Seems Impossible
We should learn from Christ’s compassion and selflessness, confident that he will provide what is needed when we sacrificially step up to face the challenges he providentially sets before us.
When Our Preparation Isn’t Enough
Christ will call us to positions and tasks for which we will feel inadequate, our job is to be faithful, trusting that he will supply all that is needed, bearing fruit through us in victories and setbacks.
Confident in His Power to Sustain
Christ possesses all authority and all power over all things, yet for now, before he exercises that authority at the coming kingdom, we must learn to trust him implicitly amid a variety of troubles.
The Chronic Noise of the World
Those with real saving faith will, by God’s grace, be occupied with growing in their relationship with Christ without becoming preoccupied with the futile things this world has to offer.
Deafening Trials
We need a wholehearted reliance on all the promises of Christ, knowing that past experiences won’t be enough when trials come to test our faith.
God’s Presence and Help When You Hurt
When times get tough Christians need to rely on the unchangeable realities that are guaranteed to us because of the grace provided to us in Christ.
The Hallmark of the Spiritually Prepared
To be prepared for the arrival of Christ’s kingdom we must be sure that we have grappled with the gravity of our sin and are trusting exclusively in Christ for our forgiveness.
Enlightened by the Light of the World
Christ is the Giver and Sustainer of all life and truth, and he promises to grant us all we need for eternal life and daily godliness if we genuinely and sincerely follow him.
Making Sure We Don’t Miss the King
Difficulties in life can tempt us to doubt Christ’s power, concern and sovereignty, but we must trust him, remembering the proof of his credentials which reassure us of his coming kingdom.
When the Checkbook is Empty
God has called us to love, trust, and pursue him not earthly wealth; in doing so we will find what real life is intended to be whether we have a little or a lot.
Apostasy & Stumbling Saints
Christ can use us greatly as we learn to trust him, making sure our faith genuine, and exercising it ambitiously whenever fears regarding our past, present, or future tempt us to retreat.
Curiosity & Real Conversions
We cannot afford to miss the eternally significant distinction between being simply being interested in Christ versus being truly converted to follow Christ.
Curbing Your Appetites
We must be vigilant to the ways our legitimate desires are exploited to entice us to disregard God’s promised provision so we’ll pursue unbiblical means of satisfaction.
Transformed
Instead of wasting any more time trying to find meaningful life in our sinful pursuits, we must repent and trust in Christ to reconcile us to the God for whom we were made.