All tagged discerning

Our Heart, and Understanding Scripture

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Understanding Scripture

Today let's contemplate one of the longer sentences in the Bible. It gives us instruction on how to conduct ourselves as Christians and ministers of the gospel, and if we ever have a question regarding good spiritual behavior then we can probably find it listed in this sentence. But, what would it take to live out these attributes to the pleasure of God, and Jesus Christ? How much guidance and understanding from every source available to us, and especially from the Holy Spirit, will be required before we can achieve this level of sanctity?

Testing the Purity of our Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Discerning Faith

How sad that man so often goes his own way and chooses his own direction by his will alone. How tragic that he will rise from his bed, and set out into the morning, without a single word being spoken with God, with his attention being absorbed in the world, and his path being directed solely by his own thought and shortsightedness. This is counter to the life man should follow, and that Jesus taught us to walk; no cross does he pick up, no suffering does he see, and yet his burden is destined to become great, while pain and death await him with certainty. Who are we to know the way, forgive our own transgressions, and receive eternity by our own will and command? We are called to seek God and love Him above all else… where is our heart, our mind, and our soul? Who is it that gives us strength if not God? How pure is our faith?

Losing our Lives during our Precious Journey of Faith

Richard Forbes
Christian , Daily Devotional , Losing our Lives

In following the course of our faith in Jesus Christ have we lost our life? I am not talking about martyrs who lose their physical lives, but every believer who will have lost his sinful nature... those things of the world that entice us away from God, or make us lukewarm in His mouth. Jesus is very specific about our need to do this... and about our speaking, and living out our lives as new creatures. How tight are we holding onto our old, and often pleasurable, life in the world? How do we judge the old from the new?