DEVOTION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

DEVOTION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Signs of a Vertical Church

BY

JAMES MACDONALD

²⁰Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. —Ephesians 3:20-21

Whether it’s two or three “gathered in My name” (Matthew 18:20), a crowd of thousands in deafening worship, or a persecuted remnant in some apparently forgotten corner of the world, if it’s Vertical—it’s true church. If it isn’t Vertical, if it isn’t obviously God, we should not be allowed to call it church and everyone should leave immediately. Is your church vertical?

The ultimate sign of Vertical Church is the glory of God. Is He receiving glory? Is His glory apparent in the life of that church? In today’s verse, Paul points to Jesus and His church as the sources from which glory that comes from God is reflected back to Him!

I can honestly say I worship with thousands of people every weekend who can’t wait, who storm the lot, line up outside the doors, run down the aisles to sit up front, because they know God is going to meet with them, and they will be wonderfully impacted by His presence. I want church to be like that for you, more profoundly and more often. My desire is that you would begin to count the days until you get to go to church again, and be with a room full of people who feel the same. I want you to wake up on Sundays and leap out of bed because it’s your favorite day of the week. My heart is that your palms would get sweaty and your heart would beat faster because you knew God was waiting to meet with you and those you love most in all the world. I want you to laugh and cry and shout and kneel at church. I long for you to have your soul fed, and your mind exploded and your will convicted and your heart connected to others and be massively encouraged. That’s what happens every week in Vertical church or we die trying and call special prayer meetings to fix the problems so it can happen afresh. I want that for you, so be sure you want it too because this article will obliterate the possibility of ever settling for less again. You don’t have to accept part of what church is supposed to be, you really can have it all, from the hand of God Himself.

DEVOTION - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

DEVOTION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER  2, 2012

VITAL SIGNS: Unity is spread through spiritual maturity | Ephesians 4:11-16 | Devotional

BY

RON MOORE

Ephesians 4:11-16 
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

God gives us spiritual gifts for a purpose. They are not to atrophy from non-use or swell heads from misuse. They are not to be put on hold or hidden away. God gives spiritual gifts for a purpose: to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Spiritual gifts are given in order to help others grow. In the process of helping others grow, we grow ourselves. That’s why I get so frustrated when Christians don’t use their gifts. The church is dependent on mature believers building into the lives of other believers who are not as far along in the maturation process. The health and future of the church depends on you using your gift to serve and develop others.

Now, just to be clear, complaining is not a spiritual gift. It’s not even an edifying pastime. Monday night quarterbacking is not a spiritual gift. Leave that to football fans. Individuality is not a spiritual gift. We “grow up into him who is the Head” when “each part [of the body] does its work.” “I’ve already done that ministry” is not a spiritual gift attitude. When God gifts us, a team of wild horses can’t keep us from using it. But God’s not going to force you into action—putting your spiritual gift into practice is a decision that you have to make. “I’m too busy.” For investing in eternity!? “I don’t know what my gift is.” The body is dependent on each part doing its job. For the sake of the body of Jesus Christ, use your gifts to prepare God’s people for the works of service. If you choose to sit on the sidelines, we all lose.

Father, move your people to use the gifts you have given them. In Christ’s name, Amen

DEVOTION - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

DEVOTION, SUNDAY,  SEPTEMBER  2, 2012

KEEP IT SIMPLE

BY

DR ED YOUNG

There's a move toward simplicity afoot. Have you noticed? Books and articles on paring down your lifestyle and streamlining your schedule abound. It's becoming popular again for mothers of young children to stay at home rather than return to work. But is it possible to simplify your beliefs about God? How simple is a relationship with the living God?

A professor of theology and a professor of astronomy were seated next to each other at a university function. They had little respect for one another's respective fields of study, and were often at odds. The astronomy professor turned to the professor of theology and said loudly enough for everyone at the table to hear, "You know, the whole concept of Christianity can be boiled down to the golden rule, can't it? Isn't that all there is to it?" The professor of theology nodded in agreement, and said, "I guess that's right. Just like the precepts of astronomy can be summed up by saying, ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star.'"

While complete knowledge of God is beyond our human comprehension, the Christian life is actually quite simple. When a man makes up his mind that God is sovereign, that Jesus is his Savior, and that the Bible is his authority, life gets very simple indeed. The closer he draws to God, the less confusing life is, while the farther he moves away from Him, the more complex his situation becomes. When it comes to living the Christian life, less is more. Keep it simple.

DEVOTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012

DEVOTION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2012

Regaining Your Cutting Edge

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

Over the next several devotionals, I want to focus your attention on something that affects every Christian at one time or another:  Losing our spiritual edge.

God wants us to stay spiritually sharp.  Consider Ecclesiastes 10:10,

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.

God is using this analogy to illustrate a very important truth:  If you lose your edge spiritually, you lose your effectiveness as well.

Maybe you feel that way today.  Though you are exerting strenuous effort, you are making little progress in your spiritual life.  God wants you to go forward.  He wants you to progress and not become stagnant in your spiritual life.

I have a friend whose father was a logger many years ago.  It was a time when they cut all the timber by hand with just an ax.

One day his father shared about the way he would operate.  After he chopped down a tree, he would sit on the stump of the tree he had just chopped down, take out a file he kept on his belt, and he would sharpen the edge of the ax.  He would sit there until the ax was very sharp again, then he would go after the next tree.

Each time he chopped down a tree he would do exactly the same thing.  But he said most of the other guys didt do that.  They just wanted to keep going, never stopping to sharpen their axes.

Without fail, he said, he always got more done than they did, and he used a lot less effort.  They had to exercise more strength, yet they got less done.

Over the next several days, we will look at what it takes to regain that spiritual edge.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to view today's Answers with Bayless Conley broadcast at LightSource.com.

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

 DEVOTION, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

“Must knows”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

Jesus, knowing…that He had come from God and was going to God… John 13:3 (NKJV)

As we examine the traits and characteristics of Christ, we come across an interesting mention here in John’s gospel. On His last night on earth, just hours removed from Gethsemane and Golgotha, right before Jesus imparts His last lessons to His disciples, John felt it important to tell us that Jesus knew two things.

He knew that He had come from God and that He was going to God. In other words, Jesus understood where He was from and where He was going. He knew that His Father had sent Him to be the sacrifice for our sin. That was His purpose. He also knew that once He fulfilled His purpose He would return to His Father and reign as our Eternal Redeemer.

When you think it through, knowing those two things—where you’re from and where you’re going—are really the two most important things a person can know in life. If someone is in the dark about where he’s come from, what his origins are, and how he got here, he’s going to lack a sense of purpose, meaning, and value. In addition, if a person doesn’t know where he’s going, he’s going to lack assurance and hope.

That’s why it’s so important for us to follow Christ’s example of knowing these two things. We need to know why and how we got here. We need to know that God is personally responsible for our existence and that we’re not here by random chance. God has an agenda for us, and knowing that infuses us with a sense of purpose, meaning, and value.

We also need to know where we’re going. If we’ve confessed Christ as our Savior, then we are heaven bound. No matter what obstacles we face in life, we know where it all ends. That gives us assurance and hope.

How you got here and where you’re headed…these two things Jesus knew for sure. They’re “must knows” for us, as well.

Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2012

DEVOTION, THURSDAY,  AUGUST 30, 2012

“Two Days that Will Steal Your Joy”

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:13-14

There are two days that can steal your joy and the fulfillment of today. One is tomorrow and the other is yesterday. Both are days in which we as Christians should refuse to live.

So many of us have never learned how to separate ourselves from yesterday. We are still dragging it around with us and it is stealing our joy. Paul could have lived there in the realm of guilt, but he refused.

Maybe you, like Paul and countless others, have committed some horrible sins. But friend, what God has called cleaned, let no man call unclean. If you have confessed that sin and given it to God, it is buried in the depths. Don’t let it contaminate your day. Learn to live in the present.

DEVOTION- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012

DEVOTION, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012

“Rule of restoration”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Matthew 26:34 (NKJV)

Jesus saw it coming. He saw how Peter, His most devoted and dedicated disciple, would openly deny Him three times when the heat was turned up. For Peter, this was unthinkable. “There’s nobody more devoted to You than me! I’d die before doing something like that! No way will that ever happen!”

It did. And Peter was devastated. Sometimes we do things that even surprise ourselves, and this was one of those moments for Peter. He was ashamed and shaken to his core. Even after Christ revealed Himself as being resurrected from the dead, Peter’s guilt must have gnawed away at his heart. Their relationship had been wounded and required restoration.

Now, a few days later, Jesus initiates an interesting exchange with Peter. He takes him aside and asks Peter three times if he loves Him. And each time, Peter affirms his love for the Lord (John 21:15-17).

Why did Jesus do that? We can’t miss the significance of the number three. It’s as though Christ is giving Peter three opportunities to erase his denial. “Peter, we both know you denied me three times, but let’s replace those denials with affirmations of love.” By doing this, Jesus took a strong step in restoring their relationship.

Here’s the lesson we take away from all this: Jesus pursued restoration. He knew His disciple was cut to the heart by what he had done, but He didn’t twist the knife or make him suffer for it. He didn’t cross His arms and glare at Peter. Instead, He did what He could to make things right.

Relational rifts are inevitable in life, but when they take place, we need to take our cue from Jesus. We need to remember what He did with Peter and follow His rule of restoration.

DEVOTION - TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

DEVOTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

“Unsearchable Riches”

BY

ALLISTAIR

Ephesians 3:8

My Master has riches beyond the calculation of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable! You may look and study and ponder, but Jesus is a greater Savior than you think Him to be even when your thoughts are at their best. My Lord is more ready to pardon than you are to sin, more able to forgive than you are to transgress.

My Master is more willing to supply your needs than you are to confess them. Do not tolerate small thoughts of the Lord Jesus. When you put the crown on His head, you will only crown Him with silver when He deserves gold. My Master has riches of happiness to bestow upon you now. He can make you to lie down in green pastures and lead you beside still waters. There is no music like His music that He, the Shepherd, plays for His sheep as they lie down at His feet. There is no love like His; neither earth nor heaven can match it. To know Christ and to be found in Him is real life and true joy. My Master does not treat His servants meanly; He gives to them the way a king gives to a king. He gives them two heavens—a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him forever.

His unsearchable riches will be known best in eternity. On the way to heaven He will give you all you need. He will defend you and provide for you en route, but it will be at the end of your journey when you will hear the songs of triumph, the shouts of salvation, and you will have a face-to-face view of the glorious and beloved One. "The unsearchable riches of Christ"! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth and the song for the musicians of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will declare the good news to others.

DEVOTION - MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

DEVOTION, MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

“Are your good works enough?”

BY

JACK GRAHAM

(F)or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...

Romans 3:23-24

A man and his wife were getting ready to go out for dinner one evening, when the husband called down the stairs and asked, “Honey, is this shirt too dirty to wear?” Immediately, the wife snapped back and said, “Yes!” So he put the shirt away and found another one in his closet.

After he had gotten ready, he came down the stairs and asked his wife, “How did you know the shirt was too dirty? You didn’t even look at it.” She peered up over her reading glasses, smirked, and said, “If you had to ask, it was too dirty!”

The Scriptures tell us that apart from Christ, our very best behavior on the best day of our life is nothing more than filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). And because of that, if we even have to ask if we’ve been good enough to merit eternal life, the answer is a resounding “No.”

There’s no way for your good works to save you. But the work of Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man who died for you and rose again, has the power to save if you’ll trust in Him. In Christ, you’re free from the burden of doing your best to get saved. Rest in that truth today!

REST IN THE TRUTH THAT YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO EARN GOD’S GRACE. YOU CAN ONLY TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST!

DEVOTION - SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012

DEVOTION, SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012

“VITAL SIGNS”

BY

RON MOORE

Unity is driven the ministry of the Spirit | Ephesians 2:18-22 | Devotional

Ephesians 2:18-22 
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Jesus joins the true church together. We are united by the cross’s message. Jesus’ work is central to all we proclaim and practice. In him we are united and in him we are built up. Because of Jesus, the church, individually and corporately, is the dwelling place of God “by his Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit gives us the focus, strength, and ability to live in unity. Without the Spirit we meander alone; with the Spirit we walk arm in arm. He smooths our rough preferences. He melts sharp personal differences. He turns our distracted focus to center our eyes on the “chief cornerstone.” He gives us the desire to lay down our bitterness and pick up his forgiveness. He takes the voices of the young and old, rich and poor, joyful and discouraged, and makes a beautiful harmony of praise to God.

Unity is driven by the Holy Spirit. When we are living in disunity with others, we are not submitting to His leadership in our lives.

Father, by your Spirit help me to live in unity with my spouse, my children, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for the work of the Spirit in my life. In Christ Name, Amen.

Join us on The Journey at www.oneplace.com to listen to today’s broadcast. For more resources from Ron Moore, visit www.thejourneyradioministry.com. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter too!

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2012

DEVOTION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2012

“Have You Lost Your Light?”

BY

GREG LAURIE

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Awhile back I went to Starbucks with my friend, Marty Goetz. And Marty ordered a low-fat, decaf latte.

So I turned to him and said, “Why? Why don’t you just order an empty cup and pretend to be drinking a latte?” Low-fat means all the fun is gone. And decaf means all the buzz is gone.

It can be the same way with Christians. We can be ineffective because of compromise, because of sin, which is a result of leaving our first love. We are no longer the radiant lights that we once were.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:13–14).

What good is unsalty salt? No good at all. What good is an uncarbonated soda? Not good.

I think there are some unsalty, uncarbonated Christians out there. Have you blown your testimony because you have lost your first love and turned to sin? Have you lost your light?

Jesus had these words for the church of Ephesus, which had left its first love: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5).

The principle for returning to your first love can be summed up this way: remember, repent, and repeat. Rememberfrom where you have fallen. Repent, which means to change your direction. And then repeat: go back and do the things you once did when you closer to God.

Summary sentence: Have you lost your light?

Tags: light, compromise

Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012

"Unless They Are Agreed"

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3).

In order to walk with God, one must agree with Him.  In order to experience the fulfillment of His promises in our lives, we must agree with what those promises say—whether we understand how they could ever come to pass or not.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth to a son, she asked, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (Luke 1:34).

A pretty fair question, don't you think?  It seemed impossible to Mary.  She could not get her mind around how Gabriel's announcement could ever come to pass.

I love the angel's response to her question, "The Holy Spirit…" (Luke 1:35). That is the answer to your impossibilities as well.  When you can't understand how a promise from God could ever be fulfilled, the answer is "The Holy Spirit!"

At this point Mary could have said, "No way!  This makes no sense to me.  I don't accept it!"  But she didn't.  She said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

Mary agreed with God's promise and accepted it.  Then the miracle happened.

Whatever you are facing today, make the decision to agree with God and His promises.  The Holy Spirit can bring His Word to pass!

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012

DEVOTION, THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012

“A DEVOTIONAL”

FROM

DR ED YOUNG

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4

Distorted teaching says if you’ve ever wanted health and wealth, if you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give them to you. But if you delight in the Lord, you will want what He wants, the advance of His Kingdom in the world. Accomplishing that mission will become your heart’s desire. If health and wealth will get it done, health and wealth you may have. But if a rugged, bloody cross is His means for you, one will be spiked in the ground just ahead of you. But you will run toward it like Jesus, “who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2)

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DEVOTION - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012

DEVOTION, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012

“Criticizer or Encourager?”

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

Verse 10 in the book of Jude talks about those who "speak evil of whatever they do not know."

Criticism, many times, stems from ignorance.  People tend to criticize things they do not know anything about.

A number of years ago, a man came up to me after a service.  He had never been to our church before, but he was pretty upset.  I had taught that particular night about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and what the Scripture had to say about speaking in other tongues.

He told me, "This church is really off-balance.  You overemphasize speaking in tongues."  I asked, "Really…how many services have you been to at our church?"  His reply was, "Just this one."

So I asked him, "How many of my recorded messages have you listened to?"  His response was, "None."  I told him, "That seems a little imbalanced.  Why don't you stick around for a while and find out what we're about, then see if you feel the same after staying here for a few months."

He said, "Okay, I will."  He ended up staying and loving the church.

Too often we are quick to criticize, even when we don't know the whole story.  Be careful about criticizing others.  Too often what you hear is just rumor.

Do not be a criticizer.  Be an encourager.  Be a person who is known for always seeking to lift and bless, not speaking evil of whatever you do not know.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God

DEVOTION - TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012

DEVOTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012

“A Simple Test”

BY

DR TONY EVANS

In His Presence: Psalm 25:14-15

The writer of Hebrews included a simple test to determine who is a “milk” Christian—a carnal Christian—and who is a “meat” Christian—a mature Christian. “By this time you ought to be teachers” (Hebrews 5:12). We should be able to sit down with our children and explain simple Bible truths. Husbands should be able to sit down with their wives and answer their questions. By this time, if we are meaty, mature Christians, we should be able to sit down with the Bibleand help someone else know the Truth. We should be able to lead an unbeliever to the Lord.

“Everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness . . . But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil”(Hebrews 5:13-14). If we willfully refuse to go deeper into the things of God, we will not use the Word because we won’t know the Word. The old saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” We can’t lose our salvation, but we can forget how to walk in the Word and how to be His representatives.

If we are mature Christians we use God’s Word every day. We practice His Word in our everyday life. The phrase “senses trained” comes from the Greek root word forgymnasium, like a training ground. We are trained in discernment of good and evil.

One Minute Please
Moving from milk to meat is learning God’s Word and practicing it until it becomes a habit, a natural way of thinking, and a normal way of perceiving things.

Watch Online Videos of Dr. Tony Evans and The Urban Alternative at LightSource.com

DEVOTIONAL, MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2012

DEVOTION, MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2012

“An Offering of Continual Praise”

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” - Romans 12:1

In the Old Testament, the priests would offer an animal sacrifice to God. What do believers offer today? Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices.

And just as the altars of old had two flesh hooks to keep the sacrifice from slipping off, we have two hooks that hold our bodies there—discipline and devotion. Are you disciplining yourself and devoting yourself as a living sacrifice to the glory of God?

In the Old Testament, the priests would burn incense as a fragrant offering to the Lord. What do we do today? Hebrews 13:15 says we continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

Our incense of praise should be going up out of our body, as we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 3:16). Are you giving God a continual offering of praise every moment of every day?

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.

You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.

Watch Adrian Rogers and Love Worth Finding Video Online.

DEVOTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012

“A Simple Test”

BY

DR TONY EVANS

In His Presence: Psalm 25:14-15

The writer of Hebrews included a simple test to determine who is a “milk” Christian—a carnal Christian—and who is a “meat” Christian—a mature Christian. “By this time you ought to be teachers” (Hebrews 5:12). We should be able to sit down with our children and explain simple Bible truths. Husbands should be able to sit down with their wives and answer their questions. By this time, if we are meaty, mature Christians, we should be able to sit down with the Bibleand help someone else know the Truth. We should be able to lead an unbeliever to the Lord.

“Everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness . . . But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil”(Hebrews 5:13-14). If we willfully refuse to go deeper into the things of God, we will not use the Word because we won’t know the Word. The old saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” We can’t lose our salvation, but we can forget how to walk in the Word and how to be His representatives.

If we are mature Christians we use God’s Word every day. We practice His Word in our everyday life. The phrase “senses trained” comes from the Greek root word forgymnasium, like a training ground. We are trained in discernment of good and evil.

One Minute Please
Moving from milk to meat is learning God’s Word and practicing it until it becomes a habit, a natural way of thinking, and a normal way of perceiving things.

Watch Online Videos of Dr. Tony Evans and The Urban Alternative at LightSource.com