As we have addressed, patience is crucial to inheriting the promises and being in God’s will. Consequently, I have tried to turn “waiting” into special opportunities to “enter His gates with thanksgiving” (see Psalm 100:4) and get closer to Him. We are told “in everything give thanks” (see I...

As we have addressed, impatience is not a fruit of the Spirit. So, if we are led by impatience, we will not be led by His Spirit, and likely not be in His will. Recently, the Lord showed me how much I had missed Him throughout my life, and how many unnecessary troubles I had experienced because of...

There is a tendency in ministry to measure success by the number of people we attract rather than by God’s criteria. John 6 is one of the most crucial chapters in the Bible. In this chapter, Jesus’ ministry profoundly changed. Up until that point, Jesus worked miracles so the people would believe...

As we have covered, there are four steps to preparation for ministry: 1) teaching, 2) training, 3) equipping, and 4) deployment. Most of the body of Christ seems to be stuck in teaching mode, with little training, less equipping, and even less releasing of the body into their callings. Ephesians 4:...

Last week we looked at the first two steps to equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry: 1) teaching and 2) training. The next step is equipping. In the military, equipping begins when you have satisfactorily completed your instructions and training and are given your own weapon. If you...

As we continue studying how to comply with II Corinthians 13:5, “ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith,” we will continue with the essentials of finding our place in His body and functioning in the gifts and ministries of the Spirit. Most Christians are atrophied because they have not...

As we continue studying how to comply with II Corinthians 13:5, “ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith,” we find this basic evaluation of our faith can help us live the most fruitful and fulfilling life possible. There is no other life as exciting or fulfilling as following the King and...

As we continue studying how to comply with II Corinthians 13:5, “ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith,” and how we come to abide in the Lord and bear fruit as members of His body, we realize just how crucial it is that we find our place in His body and begin to function there. Yet in our...

This week we will continue studying how to comply with II Corinthians 13:5: “ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith…” Another way we do this is to examine how we grow in our place in the body of Christ. In Acts, all who gave their lives to follow the Lord were added to the church...

This week we will continue studying how to comply with II Corinthians 13:5: “ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith…” Last week we saw how we can evaluate where we are in the faith by the fruit we produce. As the Lord said in John 15, if we abide in Him, we will bear fruit. So, what fruit...