In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul speaks of having a “thorn in the flesh.” He says he pleaded with the Lord three times that it would be removed from him, but it was not removed. Instead of taking away the thorn, God gave him these words: “My grace is sufficient for you,...
The Vine and the Branches 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already...
Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart… — Psalm 24:3-4 This is the scoop of this lesson. In past times, a bowl of water was placed at the entrance of the place of worship so that everyone who came to...
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:1-2 Have you ever thought about David and wondered how a shepherd boy could become a man after God’s own heart—a man so strong...
Mark 9:17-21 An evil spirit had robbed the boy of his speech and thrown him to the ground. Sometimes the spirit threw him into fire or water in an attempt to kill him. The son had also gnashed his teeth and foamed at the mouth since childhood. This determined dad...
The Right Purpose in His Presence: None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions (Luke 14:33). Are you living for the right purpose? If you experience an emptiness that never goes away, or an aimless thought pattern that dominates your life, these...
Go with the flow! In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us He has good plans for our lives. It’s not wrong to have our own plans, but we need to recognize God’s authority and let Him lead the way if we truly want to live in peace and joy and to...
1 Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (NLT). You and I must recognize that our enemy seeks to destroy us. We need to stay alert in order to keep him from...
Romans 12:11 (NIV): “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Great words to keep your spiritual batteries charged. Negligence in serving God diminishes spiritual fervor. Romans 12:11 should motivate us to not be caught sleeping our way into God’s Kingdom. “Honor one another above...
The Hope of Surrender Luke writes, “Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”(Luke 2:52) Like us, Jesus had to develop. We can imagine that while He was sinless, He learned how to live through the circumstances of life. There are many people today...
