Archive for August 2007
Forfeited Discipleship: The Rich Young Ruler (part 2)
In part one we noted the distinctions of positional, ideal, and special discipleship. Now we turn to the account of the rich young ruler to discern how and why he forfeited this great opportunity to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. A. The rich young ruler forfeited positional discipleship–salvation (Matt. 19:16-22). This story has a sad…
Read MoreForfeited Discipleship: The Rich Young Ruler (Part 1)
The case of the Rich Young Ruler stands as a tragic example of misplaced faith and wrong values. This zealous candidate for new life forfeited a wonderful opportunity for first-hand discipleship with the King of kings. While this passage is usually used to exhort people to complete commitment, it requires careful interpretation to clarify the…
Read MoreVictory Over the Enemy
“And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time…
Read MoreThe Roots of Insecurity (Part 6)
6. Accusations from the Enemy If a believer is unsettled in his/her faith and has given ground to the devil, hostile accusations can jeopardize his/her sense of security. Consider this episode from the Old Testament. After Israel returned from the exile of Babylon, the remnant in Canaan faced spiritual warfare from the enemy. Zechariah chapter…
Read MoreSchizophrenic Christians
Have you ever wondered why the Church today looks so different from her beginnings? Well, I have! And, in my search for truth, I’ve come to see that the difference is many believers today have two heads. Yes, that’s right–the modern Church is full of Schizophrenics! The Bible admonishes us to be single minded, and…
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