Bibles for Iran
Iran is one of the most dangerous countries for Christian converts in the world. There, new believers are at risk of persecution if their decision to follow Christ becomes known to the wrong people. Yet these sincere brothers and sisters in Christ want desperately to learn and grow. They want to read the Bible in […]
He Who Raised Christ
Read: Romans 8:9-13 He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. (v. 11) Within the body of Christ, there’s a wide range of convictions about the work of the Holy Spirit. Some church traditions emphasize the most visible signs of the Spirit’s presence, such as speaking in tongues […]
Life and Peace
Read: Romans 8:5-8 To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (v. 6) I once knew a professional pilot. He had keen senses and finely honed skills. But he told me that for pilots, senses can be fatally misleading. He once told me of a flight through dense cloud over mountainous territory. In […]
No Condemnation
Read: Romans 8:1-4 The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus. (v. 2) When I was young, my family and I once visited the lavish lakefront home of a casual acquaintance. It was the height of summer, and I had spent weeks barefoot. I was unaware of my dirty feet […]
The Spirit Came
Read: Acts 2:1-4, 16-21 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (v. 4) Before graduating from university, I confessed to a close friend, “I don’t know how I’m going to make it as a grown-up.” I didn’t believe I had the skills to meet the demands of adult life. Looking back, I can see that […]
The Other Helper
Read: John 14:15-21 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper. (v. 16) When I was a new homeowner, I tried my hand at home repair. I sought help at a home improvement superstore. The older employee to whom I appealed was blunt in his assessment of my mistakes and uncharitable in […]
Unforgivable
Read: Matthew 12:24-32 Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (v. 32) When I was in high school, a friend dropped out of Bible college and fell into a deep depression. He confessed the reason for both: he feared he had committed “the unforgivable sin.” Jesus mentions a sin that will not be […]
Born from Above
Read: John 3:1-8 Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. (v. 3) Nicodemus had arrived. He was highly educated, wealthy, and had social and political influence. Most importantly, he had mastered God’s law. According to his peers, his community, and himself, Nicodemus was as near perfection […]
Baptized with the Spirit
Read: Matthew 3:13-17 Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. (v. 15) I am the kind of student who “learns by doing.” I learn best by following someone else’s example. Some of the most effective teachers model a desired skill or attribute, then demonstrate how to become “like them.” Jesus’ earthly ministry begins […]