In Israel's northern city of Caesarea Philippi, among the ruins of a worship centre dedicated to the Greek god Pan, a cave exists that was long believed by those who worshipped there to be the doorway into the netherworld. It was in the vicinity of this grotto, the alleged gateway to hell, that Jesus promised: "Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18).
From Pentecost in the first century to the present day, Satan has attempted to destroy Christ's Church—yet it endures. From a small group of Jewish outsiders in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, Christ built His Church to reach even the remotest parts of the world. Despite controversies, wars, and denominational splits, the Church continues to be the means through which God announces to a dark and dying world that light and life have come in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
For these reasons, and many more, we learn about and appreciate the body of Christ, the Church.
Erosion is slow, silent, and subtle. That’s why compromise can so quickly lead to erosion—it isn’t always bad, but when we compromise on God’s Word erosion beings to take place. And that leads to destruction.
It’s one thing to be apathetic towards people. We’re often indifferent to politics and social justice—trusting others to take care and do what’s right. As serious as apathy is, apathy towards God is even more critical. When we open our hearts to God He replaces apathy with passion... and that’s when our lives are changed.
Life isn’t black and white—there’s a lot of grey. There are times to compromise, and times to stand firm. Where we go wrong is when we compromise our theology to accommodate our lifestyle.
What works in the game of football works in the church as well. But in the ranks of Christendom, it’s easy to get a little confused. Change that: a lot confused. When you say “church” today, it’s like ordering a malt...you’ve got 31 flavors to choose from.
Our attitude towards one another must be gracious. There’s love when you’re gracious, there’s tenderness when you’re gracious.
Being involved means more than shaking hands with people on your way out of a church service—it’s investing in the lives of others.
Tragically, erosion took a toll on the church at Ephesus causing the Lord to finally announce for all to hear, “You have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4).
Difficult days are ahead; in fact, they are already upon us. What should we do, knowing that the days are evil? Let's answer that question.
The church needs to understand the times in which we live and the culture in which we minister. From the Apostle Paul's pen, we'll glean the straightforward answer to this important question: “What must the church realize?”
In an attempt to come to an understanding of worship, it is helpful to realize there is a difference between the essence of worship and the expression of worship.
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Insight for Living is committed to excellence in communicating the truths of Scripture and the Person of Jesus Christ in an accurate, clear, and practical manner so that people will come to an understanding of God’s plan for their lives, as well as their significant role as authentic Christians in a needy, hostile, and desperate world.
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