Waiting on God

Chris Hearty

2 Samuel 23:13-17

In David's psalm he shares his longing to dwell with the Lord forever. David models spiritual confidence in the face of adversity and human opposition. He expresses God's trustworthiness and encourages the assembly to endure in waiting on the Lord.

The Good Shepherd

Dennis McCallum

John 10:11

God provides for those He calls His own. And He demonstrates this in the image of the good shepherd. We all have choices about whether to lean on Gods leadership or to rebel in autonomy. God as our creator: knows our needs, wants to provide for us, and performs needed correction in the lives of people who follow Him even if it goes unnoticed.

Introduction to the Psalms

Dennis McCallum

Numbers 13:25-14:9

This psalm is about the benefits of meditating on the Word of God and applying it in everyday life. Two examples of people having God's viewpoint when others had only a human viewpoint are discussed. David who was immersed in the Word, had a history of faithfulness to God and believed God would empower him to kill Goliath when no one else did. Likewise, Joshua and Caleb believed God that they could enter the Promised Land and defeat the giants when the other ten spies did not.\r\n

Laying the Foundations for Spiritual Renewal

Ryan Lowery

Nehemiah 2:1-18

For many Christians, the balance between using their minds to strategize and depending on God is difficult to find. Nehemiah is a great example of someone who was extremely strategic in reaching his goals, while at the same time remaining diligent in prayer. Ultimately, Christian workers need to learn how to take an honest look at spiritual goals and the barriers to their fulfillment, and be ready to take a step of faith.

Hope through Despair

Gary DeLashmutt

Romans 7:15-8:4

In normal life, hope and despair are antithetical. But the path to true hope in God comes through a process of suffering that causes us to despair in ourselves and to trust in God. This principle of despair leading to hope is operative both in the way we come to Christ and in the way we reach maturity in Him.

The Goal is Love

Jim Leffel

1 Timothy 1:1-7

Throughout his letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts him to make the most of his life. In order to fulfill this, the prime goal of the Christian life is love. This requires a pure heart, should be done in good-conscience, and is a product of a sincere faith.

Remaining in the Center

Conrad Hilario

1 Timothy 1:1-5

On the outside, Timothy appeared to be weak and timid, but God was able to make him into a spiritual leader. In his letter to Timothy, Paul urges him to ensure that the central message of Christ is emphasized. False teachers were trying to emphasize esoteric teachings that have no value. A community that emphasizes the right things is able to be used powerfully by God.

The Ungifted Evangelist

Pat Reeder

Colossians 4:3

Sometimes watching people who are gifted evangelists leaves us feeling defeated and even jealous, wishing we had the opportunities or skill to do similar things. God calls all of His believers, however, to share His message no matter their gifting. So for the ungifted evangelist, we must be earnest to pray for opportunities to share our faith and to be persistent in prayer. We often may need to put ourselves out there and fail, and we may need to search for new contacts, seeking ways to direct conversations toward spiritual topics. We too can make a impact for God.

Restoring Evangelism in your Home Group

Doug Patch

John 15:5-8

There are clear biblical principles leaders can use to help spur their home group on to evangelize. Leader's must give a clear biblical case for what God commands in regards to evangelism. They must also lay out how the group is doing in comparison to God's call. Leaders must also communicate how God's grace overcomes underlying sin and encourage people towards what motivates and empowers them to live out the call of evangelism. It is by God's power and grace that moves people to love the lost and so casting this vision is the key motivator.