While we are much more than what we do, a significant portion of our lives will be spent in the 9-5 realm. That’s why how we approach work is so vital to our overall outlook in life. Have you ever considered your work as it relates to your walk? It’s time to go the 2nd mile as a kingdom-minded employee.
These are the notes for the opening at the South Carolina Baptist Convention 2019 Annual Meeting. You can watch the video here (around the 40-minute mark). As ministry leaders committed to engaging the culture, we must never rely upon our limited efforts. God is not dependent upon us to get our jobs done to reach this world with the gospel. …
We all experience moments of transition with decisions we make or situations beyond our control. How do you determine your path when you are unsure of God’s direction? Ephesians 5:15-17 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what …
The people of God wanted God to confront rebellious sinners, and they didn’t realize that effort would include them. It is easy to be disgusted with others’ sins while justifying our own. Malachi 2:17-3:5 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of …
…and we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith (1 Thess. 3:10). Paul traveled to Thessalonica and experienced fruitful ministry very quickly. He saw such success (Acts 17:4) that it caused great hostility from certain locals and forced Paul and his missionary companions to leave the …
Preached at North Greenville University Chapel – Nov. 6, 2019 Entitled Expectations (2 Chronicles 26) – God marvelously helped King Uzziah until he no longer saw himself dependent on God’s assistance. The moment we think we don’t need God is when we need him most of all. It’s dangerous to handle what has been gifted by God as if it has …
You know your marriage needs work, and you accept that your spouse isn’t 100% completely to blame for the condition of your marriage. You are ready and committed to doing the work, but what if your spouse isn’t putting forth the same type of effort? It’s time to go the 2nd mile in working on your marriage all by yourself.
While divorce may seem like a desirable path for some couples, it is never a simple escape from trouble. Before going down this path, there are many things that must be considered. How Bad Is It? How committed are you in order to make things work? How committed is your spouse to that end? What are the 1-3 things that …
As people who have been loved by a covenant-keeping God, we ought to keep our covenants to one another in marriage. God hates divorce because of what it does and what it will continue to do. Consider This To the married, don’t fixate on the catastrophes of others’ divorces so much that you overlook the compromises present in your own marriage. To the divorced, there …
You’ve already been tempted to sin today numerous times. While everyone is tempted, particular people are more prone to certain temptations than others. While you can’t avoid being tempted, you can fight against its pull. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in overcoming temptation. Listen to the podcast below or subscribe to your favorite podcast app here.
Not only does the Bible contain verses on missions, a major theme of the Bible is God’s mission to redeem a lost people. While there are many verses to study, here are some of the most pivotal 10 verses that summarize missions. Matt. 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the …
As I prayed for preaching direction for 2020, I could not escape from the pervading stress that attacks our church family. Financial, emotional, spiritual, and political stress seem to be at an all-time high for so many people. With that directive in mind, I searched the Scriptures to find the needed Word for this pivotal year. Take a look where …
In counseling married couples, I often attempt to help someone see another’s point of view. It doesn’t always work, but it is necessary for reconciliation. “I don’t know why she is upset by what I said. It’s the truth!” As he hammers his point home, she sets up her defenses. Before the discussion gets more heated, I will often remind …
It almost seems necessary for young parents to speak as if their children are a hindrance. As parents bemoan their roles as pure drudgery, the culture and the kids get the message: children are unwanted. If you read Scripture, you realize that children aren’t a burden – they are a blessing. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in affirming …
We all face temptation, but how are you fighting against it? If we want to confront our disobedience, there is no better example to imitate than that of Jesus. Not only did he live his entire live devoid of sin, but he also showed us a powerful strategy in combatting Satan. In Matthew 4:1-11, we watch how Jesus defeated Satan …
After making a bad decision, we are often left with the unfortunate reality of consequences. How should we go forward when we are dealing with effects from previous decisions? Why Am I Going Through This Situation? Is God trying to teach me a lesson? Is Satan trying to take me down? Are enemies trying to frustrate me? Are my consequences …
We tend to give our best to individuals and institutions while unfortunately offering God our leftovers. God is too glorious to present meager offerings before Him. 4 Types of Gifts to the LORD Obligatory Exchange – Some attempt to give a thoughtless gift to God once they feel guilty about something He gave them. Frantic Purchase – Some throw a gift together …
Plenty of things can provide temporal happiness, but only one can bring eternal joy. David had been through so many difficult times in his life; he knew the power of God’s rescuing ability. Whenever he remembered God’s activity in his life, he reoriented his joy was to the proper place. Read Psalm 4:1-8 and notice the progression of David’s delight. …
If you grew up in church, you probably memorized the Lord’s prayer from Matthew 6. In many services, the entire congregation recites it out loud as a part of the worship. While this is a great implementation, did Jesus mean for us simply to quote it? It’s time to go the 2nd mile with the Lord’s prayer. Listen to the …
What is never noticed in the life of a believer yet always observed? It is spiritual disciplines. If done correctly, you never see when someone does them, yet they are always obviously present in their lives. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached a sermon of which the world has yet to recover. In one section, he spoke of …
Sometimes the spiritual apathy among God’s people is so tragic that He desires to close the doors to worship altogether. Offering nothing would be better than offering leftovers. Join us as we study verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi and hear how God responds to those who tragically give Him the bare minimum.
Are you depressed or know someone who is? How can you help someone who struggles with a bleak perspective? Let’s draw strength from God’s Word to help in dark times of the soul. Initial Questions Can you describe how you are feeling? On a scale of 1 to 100 (1 being the most depressed and 100 being the most joyful), …
We can often look at our unfortunate circumstances and question God’s love for us. The sheer fact that God chose to love us in the first place should alleviate any lingering doubts. Context A major theme of Scripture: We cannot remain in the presence of God when we disobey the commandments of God. During the time of Malachi, Israel had …
Are you ready to make progress in your spiritual growth? What if you developed a Distinctive Discipleship guide to get you started? The Distinctive Discipleship plan is a targeted guide to mature you for a set time. This plan is good for an individual, better with a partner, but best with a mentor. You can discover 6 categories from Col. …
Each of us must count the cost to follow Jesus. We need more than motivation to begin; we need preparation to endure. If not careful, we will start with high aspirations yet fail to follow through due to a lack of planning. Listen to the podcast below or subscribe to your favorite podcast app here.
This Sunday, we begin our journey verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi! Sometimes the spiritual apathy among God’s people is so tragic that He desires to close the doors to worship altogether. Offering nothing would be better than offering leftovers. Join us as we study verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi and hear how God responds to those who tragically …
Even though you haven’t implemented the entire Distinctive Discipleship process yet, hopefully, you are already beginning to see some growth. In this last session, you will put all the pieces together and initiate your plan. While you have experienced progress, now it is time to define your distinctive strategy which you will use for the months to come. CONSIDER While we all …
If there is a true profession of faith, there should be a true progression of faith. While you have not arrived at complete spiritual maturity yet, you should be making progress.
The biggest decision of your life is choosing whether or not to follow Jesus. The second biggest decision of your life is choosing who to walk beside as you follow Jesus. If you are single, someone may have told you to come up with a list of non-negotiables that must be present for you to consider a person as a …
For all the progress you have made in your life, have you ever realized how desperately dependent on God you still are? Our cultural mantra wants to espouse independence as if we have it all together, but the longer we walk, the more it seems that we trip up. Do you feel like you don’t have it together? It’s time …
It’s an easy target these days to criticize how pastors and churches in the past never discipled anyone. If we spent half the time that we have spent criticizing how others haven’t discipled people and instead invested that time to actually disciple others, we would start fixing our problem. The desperate need for discipleship seems to be a cyclical point …
Paul described discipleship in a complex way when he wrote, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within us” (Col. 1:29). God’s work and our efforts are both expected for our growth. In the last session, we studied the need for discipline as we toil for progress, but any successful improvement is due to …
In our discipleship efforts, we never reach the point where we can depend upon our own strength. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
You might acknowledge your struggle to stay organized, but has it reached a point of being detrimental in your life? Ignoring reality won’t help you. You only have so much time during this day and during your life. Are you doing what you can to ensure a healthy version of productivity? Organization is a spiritual issue. I used to disagree …
Have you considered the spiritual giants in your life and why they are that way? They just seem to be in a different category than everyone else. We often categorize them as those who must be more spiritual than the rest of us, but what if that’s not it? What if it is because they are more disciplined than the …
What are the most popular books of the Bible? According to the Bible Gateway blog, here are the top 10 books read on their website. Psalms Matthew John Romans Proverbs Genesis Luke 1 Corinthians Isaiah Acts Granted, many of these books are referenced for verses but may not be read as entire works. Any surprises out there for you?
Paul described his work in discipleship as something for which he toiled (Col. 1:29). If that sounds like work to you, it is because spiritual disciplines require consistent, diligent effort on your part. In Session 6 of Distinctive Discipleship, you are going to select the most vital spiritual discipline to strengthen at this time in your life. You will determine which …
God has created us for and called us to unique tasks. As particularly gifted and positioned disciples, we each should pursue the needed maturity to do what God has called us to accomplish.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 When does God appoint? He appointed Jeremiah the prophet within the womb. That means that his calling preceded his résumé. It helps me remember that God’s calling is more secure than my …
You’ve made some adjustments. You’ve seen some improvement, but you also admit that you’re not there yet. Each of us has many areas in our lives that could benefit from some further growth. In discipleship, you don’t have to be there yet, but you should be getting there. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in admitting your needed development. …