Date:
July 22-24, 2013Coping with the "Slough of Despond"
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is disillusioned and downcast. How did God deal with His broken servant? Elijah's story helps us understand how we can handle those days when we, too, get discouraged.
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Reinstatement of a Runaway
In this letter, Paul requested that Philemon reinstate his runaway slave and accept him back in a spirit of forgiveness.
A Plea for Integrity
The world needs a return to integrity, not sinless perfection but absolute honesty and an absence of duplicity. Impossible? Let's let Daniel's life answer that for us.
The Refreshment of Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus played a vital role in Paul's life through his rare yet wonderful ability to give breathing room, to provide cooling relief, and to help in the healing process.
The Discernment of Abigail
As a result of Abigail's godly character, a murder was avoided and God was given room to work His will in a most surprising way.
They, Being Dead, Still Speak
By way of introduction, we want to get our foot in the door of this series by looking at the great biographical chapter in the New Testament—Hebrews 11—which has been called “God's Hall of Faith.” These men and women lived lives worthy of being remembered, so let's remember them—for they, being dead, still speak.
A Hope Transplant: The Essential Operation
How would you define hope? In what way would your definition apply to a local church? What if hope were missing from a congregation? Would anybody notice? We’ll think about these and other things as we allow Peter’s words to guide us into the truth about hope. These passages of Scripture suggest several ingredients that must be present if hope is to remain a vital part of a church’s life.
The Necessity of Accountability
Christians are unwise when they remain out of touch and live in secrecy. Being responsible includes being accountable, not just to God but also to one another. If carried out in the power and under the control of the Holy Spirit, accountability can be one of the most secure and reassuring facets of our Christian experience.
Choose for Yourself
Joshua's final speech can be summarized in three words: “choose for yourselves” (Joshua 24:15). These three words apply so perfectly to us today as we consider how to build congregational relationships. In the final analysis, we either will or will not pull together, grow deeper, and become a caring body of believers. It’s really up to each of us to choose whether or not to bond with other believers.
Some Things Have Gotta Go!
Centuries ago, as God led the ancient Hebrews into the Promised Land, He specifically instructed them to clear the territory of the foreign tribes and to rid themselves of the influence of Canaanite civilization. From this example, we can draw an analogy for today. If we truly desire to grow deeper, pull together, and go further than skin-deep superficiality in our relationships, we must remove those things that hinder true community.
