Manhattan First

Being born again is the greatest experience that we can have, but it doesn't end with salvation; there should be a continuing relationship with Him. Discipleship is necessary to complete the plan of salvation, but what does it look like?

When we search for God and try to make sense of all the different faiths, Christianity stands alone in that we don't have to earn His approval. He chooses us and makes us His own possession, which is liberating.

Determining to get closer to Jesus is a noble desire. People throughout history have determined to accomplish great things and have done so by purposing in their hearts to do it. Getting closer to Jesus requires the same discipline.

In our instant-gratification world, we don't see struggle or waiting as good. Sometimes, we approach Christianity in the same way. When faced with unanswered prayer or pain, we think God has abandoned us, but it doesn't have to be that way. Sometimes, we need to go through the fire to realize spiritual gain.

The Bible says we are made in God's image, but we sometimes make God in our image. Whatever one applies to you can determine your destiny.

In these turbulent times, we may desire to see a revival that would change those around us and the culture, but where does it start? It's been said that if we want revival, we draw a circle around ourselves and start there. Is that true?

Having a particular set of clothes on may cause people to expect a specific behavior. When we "put on the Lord Jesus," it can and should elicit a particular set of behaviors. How well are you wearing your clothes?

When we accept Christ, we are made righteous through His shed blood. The Bible says to " Put on the Lord Jesus." We are also asked to "put on" many other things, and it takes active participation on our part.

You might have heard it said that "the clothes make the man," and that can also be true when it comes to spiritual matters. The apostle Paul tells us to "Put off the old man and clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." We can choose to do what he suggests, and it will determine how effective we can be for Christ.

When you are in the middle of the storm, finding hope or understanding why God doesn't just make everything right. But there is a way to see through it if we realize the hope we have not just to get through but even during the storm.

There are different schools of thought about our salvation. Some believe that you can live any way you want, and others believe that what you do matters. Which is it?

When we think of a king and what he would be like, we may think of a tyrant or someone to be feared, but that isn't the king we serve. His is a different kind of kingship, one that is easy to give our allegiance to.

In one of the Bible's hard sayings, Jesus separates people into groups ( the sheep and the goats) and determines their ultimate destiny by their actions. How does he differentiate? Can we be sure of which group we will be in?

After giving our hearts to Christ, we sometimes find it difficult to honor him with our behavior. We want to do what pleases him but are unable to or give in to our flesh. Do you struggle to please God with your life? It can be done!

When we come to Christ, our desire to know what He wants us to do is paramount. But how do we know? Is it just do this and don't do that, or is there something else? Jesus asks us to die to this life but why?

Having clear instructions can be a tremendous advantage when we try to do any task. But what about when we've been born again? Where do we find instruction to continue on with Christ?

When we look at ourselves, sometimes it's hard to believe that God could do anything through us, and that is also how many of the people God used in history probably felt as well. How God used the people from the past is the same way He can use you.

On a long road trip, you often hear, " Are we there yet?" But the thing we miss is the journey itself is part of getting to the destination. The journey to peace is no different; you can't get there without the journey.

It can be challenging to understand why we don't receive an answer to our prayers. Is God mad at me? Have I done something wrong, or is He just indifferent? The apostle Paul gives us a clearer understanding of how God responds to our prayers in the letter to the Philippians.

On our journey to peace, there have been many exits, and one of the most vital is "thanksgiving". When we look back and see the works that have been done by God, we can be thankful, and it is a vital aspect of bringing peace into our lives.

When on a road trip, having a map will guide you step by step to your destination. Much like the apostle Paul gives us a sure road map to peace. Are you lacking peace?

When traveling to any destination, you must know the correct exit from the highway. Understanding how to reach the peace that God wants for you, you must also take the exits on that journey.

In our relationship with God, prayer is how we communicate, and when we have pain or sorrow, it can bring us to an even deeper prayer life. That's what supplication is. Have you entered into this aspect of prayer?

Our society puts a great deal of emphasis on what's popular, but Jesus wasn't like that. He will go out of His way just for you, no matter your position or importance.

In our relationship with God, prayer is how we communicate, and when we have pain or sorrow, it can bring us to an even deeper prayer life . That's what supplication is. Have you entered into this aspect of prayer?