The Power of Pentecost
We’ve all anticipated events in our life. Your high school or college graduation. Your wedding. The birth of a child or grandchild. Attending a major sporting event or concert. In the New Testament, the apostles also were anticipating a great event. Jesus told them in Mark 9:1, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” That day arrived on Pentecost in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit c
Spiritual Checkup: The Heart
In an average lifespan, the human heart beats more than 3 billion times and pumps 1 million barrels of blood. Just as the heart in the physical body is the chief organ, the chief organ of our spiritual life is the mind. It governs our decisions, actions and intentions. Everything flows out of the heart (Prov. 4:23). Do you have an anger problem? You have a heart problem. Do you have a greed problem? You have a heart problem. And so on and so on. While man looks at the outward
Overcoming Stress
In today’s world, it’s virtually impossible to avoid stress. Just about everyone is carrying some degree of it in their lives, and Christians are no exception. Stress comes in many different forms and is different for every person. It is an inevitable part of life, but how we deal with it is up to us. Whether our stress is a burden to us, or is manageable, will greatly depend on our focus. Here are 10 ways to deal with stress: Appreciate your purpose (Rom. 12:1-2): Live day-b
When God Says No
Last week, we examined the life of Cornelius in Acts 10. One of the prominent characteristics of Cornelius was that he was a man who “prayed to God always” (v. 2). He was a dependent creature upon God, and we should be as well. Prayer is our link to God; how we communicate with God. We know that God answers prayers in three ways — yes, not now, and no. And the thing about the answer “no” from God is that it is never the wrong answer. It is always the right answer. But does Go
