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.
Now that we’ve considered the action we must take, let’s turn to Galatians 6:1 for a close look at the proper attitude we need. To qualify for helping restore others to the truth, we must first be filled with the Spirit and not controlled by the flesh.
Worship is more than meditative contemplation, the passive enjoyment of great music, or listening to a well-delivered sermon. Worship requires participation...a response...praise and service, celebration and action.
The power of Jesus' love transformed John's life. When John came to the end of his life, the major theme of his letter to the church was loving one another.
We live in a world where the line between right and wrong, truth and error is blurred. Add to that biblical illiteracy and an embrace of postmodernism and you have a culture based on secular thinking where self is exalted above all else.
Think of each song or hymn as a promise to God, a binding statement of your commitment. Picture the results of this commitment as you sing it with gusto. Then, after the song has ended, apply it with the same gusto. God not only loves a cheerful giver, He honours a sincere singer.
The Bible is not something we worship, but the words are important. They’re to be preserved, guarded, accepted, and—most importantly—obeyed.
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.
These contradicting terms are often humorous—like “pretty ugly” and “lightweight tank.” However, there is nothing funny about a dead church. Is your faith alive and passionate or is it lifeless and dull?
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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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