lubumba pastors blog

Is God impressed by anything in people? The scriptures are very clear that God is not impressed by any person's ability, since all ability comes from him. What then does God seek in his servants, and how do I know I really possess this quality? Consider this question and more in another episode of transforming our thinking through the power of God's Word.

John 8 is full of remarkable statements made by the Lord Jesus. In V29, he says that he "always did the things that pleased his Father." Sometimes in the Christian life, we get heavily invested into things that seem to make fruitful Christian living obscure both in what we understand as important and what we actually do. Jesus had a way of simplifying things for us. When he was asked abo...

The record of Jonah's prophetic ministry might be the most unique in scripture. He seems to have been the most successful Old Testament prophet, turning a city, estimated by some, of around 600,000 people uniformly to God after 3 days of repeating one simple message. He's also the only prophet who hoped that his audience would ignore his message and go on to suffer God's judgment. When...

The Bible describes false teachers in one place as having their belly as their god. The motivation of all false religion is self-interest. Among the many ways of succeeding in deceiving people and holding power over them is the trap of affirming that sinful indulgence is okay. A person struggling in marriage may wish to hear a pastor say it's okay for him or her to get divorced. A person strug...

People sometimes "trust their gut" to guide them in decision-making. This refers to a person's instinctive response to a situation which is often based on their previous life experience and knowledge related to the topic at hand. But are our perceptions and feelings trustworthy "sensory receptors" to guide us into truth? Are there some other factors, like our sin nature, th...

If you're familiar with Israel's Old Testament history, you know that the Israelites lived in rebellion for the majority of that recorded period. God sent prophets to them warning of impending judgment, and the people experienced droughts, plagues, conquering invaders, and many other forms of correction intended to make them "consider their ways." In spite of all this, even after...

The Bible describes Christians as "exiles" who are "sojourning" here on earth. Both of these terms refer to people who are strangers who belong to a different place. Why does God describe the Christian life this way and what are the implications for how we live from that description? Consider this in another study of transforming our thinking through the power of God's Word...

The Bible commands Christians to "rejoice always." What does that statement make you think of? Most people say Christians it means to express joy and happiness. But is God really telling us to pretend sentiment that has no root of reality in our heart? Or is there a meaning to the word that many of us miss? Consider these things in another episode of transforming our thinking through the...

What is the essential motive of every person? We all wish to be happy, right? But how many genuinely happy people do you know? Most would say genuinely happy people are a rarity. If everyone is trying to be happy, and only a very few are, is happiness really something that can be generated by people and their pursuits? Where does the Bible say is the only source of true happiness? Consider these t...

Historically, it used to be said that the greatest hinderance to prosperity was the lack of shared public information. Now that we live in the "information age," we see there's more to success than simply having access to information. The Bible is full of warnings to believers about caution in who we listen to and information we trust in. What do we need to do then to make sure we ar...

Just as Jesus predicted, the world has faced and continues to face wars, rumors of wars, plagues, natural disasters, and a variety of other challenges. It makes sense that people seek solutions to the problems we face, but does it make sense to continue seeking solutions in known causes of problems? Consider an example from Israel's history and God's solution for them in this study of tran...

An old hymn says - "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." This exhortation does a masterful job of summarizing a successful Christian life. However, what must we realize about our lives and circumstances before we can actually follow the instructions given to us in the song? Find out in another study of transforming our thinking throu...

Hebrews 2 explains that the devil holds power over people through their fear of death. Indeed, there is no more uncomfortable reality for human beings than that we are all dying. But what does the Bible say that death has become for a Christian who is saved by death and resurrection of Jesus? Does a believer have something to fear, or something to look forward to? Consider these questions in anoth...

In this episode, we consider the question of when a Christian should stop seeking to minister to a person who has rejected the gospel message. Is it right to ever stop trying to share the gospel to a hostile person? If so, when do we know it's time? Does all ministry to this person cease? What responsibility does a believer have even towards such a person? Consider these things in another epis...

In this episode, we continue to study 1 Corinthians 14. V23-26 reach the climax of Paul's correction and explanation about the forms and motives of proper and profitable worship. Apparently, the Corinthian believers likes to have individual time in the "spotlight." This suggests their motive in expressing spiritual gifts, and even proclaiming truths of God, wasn't about glorifyin...

In this episode, we continue to study 1 Corinthians 14. One of the common misconceptions about the gift of tongues is that it was meant to have a permanent role in building up the church. What does the Bible say it actually did and who was it primarily condemning? Why do you think this chapter tells us to "grow up" in our thinking about the spiritual gifts of God? Consider these things a...

In this episode, we study 1 Corinthians 14:1-12, a passage that continues Paul's instructions to the church at Corinth on spiritual gifts. Chapter 14 shifts to correct incorrect understanding and application of the gift of tongues. What does the genuine gift of tongues look like in scripture, and how does it differ from what is commonly practiced by churches who claim to have this gift today?...

In this episode, we study the perceptions of human freedom and its consequences in a sinner's life. Most times, we think that greater personal freedom means surety of personal satisfaction and happiness. But does life experience and the Bible agree with this perception? Can people actually be trusted to make decisions that are truly in their personal best interest? Consider these things in a n...

Preached at Lubumba Community Church on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

In this episode, we study the concluding statements of 1 Corinthians 13. God explains that knowledge, prophecy, and tongues will all pass away, but faith, hope, and love will always remain. Oftentimes, people think of "gifts" as those special abilities which feature prominently in the assembly and even catch the public's attention. But what does God say is the greatest gift, without...

In this episode, we study 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This chapter is famously described as "the love chapter," and is respected even among many unbelievers for its explanation of true love. God tells us that love in the characteristic that is supposed to distinguish all of his true followers, but we do understand what genuine love really is? What are the things love does and does not do? We&#...

Preached on Sunday, June 15, 2025 at Lubumba Community Church.

In this episode, we study 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, a passage that describes the futility of gifts and ability that are void of love. In our thinking about spiritual gifts, we most often consider gifted teachers, speakers, and those whose gifts gain them positions of prominence in the assembly, but what does the Bible say are the truly "higher gifts," and why? Consider these things in anothe...

In this episode, we continue to study 1 Corinthians chapter 12. God uses an analogy of the human body to explain our proper relation to Christ (our Head) and other members in Christ's body. What are some things that cause division between us in this area? Do we sometimes think certain gifts or ministries are supremely important while others have no value? Is this consistent with the picture Go...

In this episode, we continue to study 1 Corinthians 12 and God's explanation and correction about spiritual gifts. Many people ask how they can be baptized into the Holy Spirit, seeming to think because their experience is different than some early believers, Christians today don't have the Holy Spirit, or at least not in the same way the early church did. Is this what the Bible tells us?...