Scripture in Action

We tend to expect perfection from people we put on pedestals, which is baffling because if there is one thing we should have learned from Scripture, it is that all its heroes failed. What matters is that they didn't give up. And we shouldn't either.

Jesus tells his apostles that whoever welcomes them actually welcomes him. And there are rewards in store for those who are welcoming.

When it comes to Jesus it is all or nothing proposition. He doesn't want half our hearts; he wants all of it.

“I have not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword,” Jesus said. What could he possibly mean?

When was the last time you spoke about Jesus, or even mentioned his name, in a group of non-believers? 

If Jesus told you that you would go through a lot of suffering if you followed him, would you stick by his side? 

In the world, students may eclipse their teachers in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. However, when it comes to Jesus, we simply cannot overtake him, but we can — and must — live lives in imitation of him.

Does the world love you or hate you? Jesus said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.” 

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will speak for us when we need to preach the faith or defend it. How does this work?

When we start proclaiming the gospel, as Jesus commands us to, some will accept the good news with great joy. Others, however, will reject it. What are we to do?

When Jesus commissions his apostles, he tells them to depend solely on the provision of God for their needs. It is an amazing way of living, which I call “walking in the supernatural”. What does it mean to walk in the supernatural?

We can all exercise the power of deliverance, and *should* exercise it, especially with ourselves.  The method is simple, and the result depends on only one thing: faith. 

You may have heard the saying: “God does not choose the qualified, he qualifies the chosen.” We can see the truth of this in the twelve men that Jesus chose to be his apostles. Has he chosen you?

The essential mission of the church is evangelization. This very brief passage contains five principles that we can follow.

It isn't easy to journey through life when we are physically blind. But it is even worse when we are spiritually blind. How can we see? Try Jesus.

Faith is more than believing that God will heal us if we ask him to. Faith is believing that God knows what he is doing and trusting him with that.

In life’s journey, there will be people who leave our side because of death. This will be met with much weeping, but that’s okay. Tears are the price one pays for love. What is not ok is clinging to the person, continually expressing the wish that he or she was still alive.

When reading the Bible, one thing causes believers a great deal of confusion: reconciling the instructions contained in the Old Testament with the instructions contained in the New.  What should we do?

Fasting is a good practice, and one that Jesus engaged in often. One very good reason to fast is to discipline our bodies. Here are a few ways in which we can fast.

Jesus had the heart of a shepherd, moved with compassion for people because they were lost. And they flocked to him. The church needs shepherds with a heart like Christ's. Do you have a heart like his?

If sin is the cause of sickness and suffering, then the obvious antidote is the cessation of sins and a life of holiness. How do we do this?

Today’s story about deliverance in the Garadenses is bizarre. Not just because Jesus sent pigs flying, but because the townspeople got upset with Jesus. Why? 

We all know how Jesus calmed storms. Based on these stories, we can develop a few important principles about the storms in our lives. 

Have you ever been to a meeting with church leaders where they talk about how they can increase their numbers? The ideas are diverse and plentiful, but do nothing to grow more followers. So what do we do? Learn to recruit followers, Jesus style!

Matthew quotes Isaiah as saying Jesus came not only to take away our iniquities but also our infirmities. Which leads to the question: if this is what Jesus came to do, then why are so many of us sick?