An honorable life is a precarious thing, constructed throughout a lifetime by the bricks of integrity and the mortar of self-control. From the outside, it appears sturdy enough to withstand a tempest. But the weak spots are found within; and it can all come toppling down in one weak moment. An honorable life is not built on the shoulders of any of us, it is built upon the foundation of our Faith in Jesus Christ. We should never be surprised when temptation knocks at the door of the church. That is Satan’s most strategic target. He hammers at the past, the deacons, and the other church leaders, then he hammers at the ordinary Christians who sit in the pews and attempts to seek godly lives. We admire and aspire to be like the first Christians, but they struggled just as we do. For evidence of that we need only open our Bibles to 1 Corinthians. There we find the story of a church plagued by moral failure – a church filled with men and women who didn’t know when to walk away. Here we a pattern for overcoming temptation in chapter 10 verses 12-14. Take time to read and consider … READ MORE

We are told in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us or sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is more than just simply saying what our sin was it involves our entire person. Let me explain:1. It involves a person’s intellect – a person must think differently about sin, self, others, God, etc; It must involve a recognition of sin and who God is. It is an understanding of what I did and my desire to overcome those choices.2. It involves a person’s emotions – Repentance will involve some measure of sorrow or regret for our sinful choice. This does not mean that I am overwhelmed by guilt, but a real sense of what I did as being wrong.3. It involves a person’s will – We are active in turning to God and away from making choices on the basis of what brings us instant gratification, and to choices that are made based on the Word of God.4. It involves a persons’ desires – We will have a desire to please God and obey the Word of God over the desires of our flesh5. It involves a person’s … READ MORE

     One essence of life is growth. This is true in both the physical realm and the spiritual realm. Just as living seeds grow into mature plants and infants grow into mature adults, so new Christians grow into Christlikeness. When growth is hindered in the physical realm, either by malnutrition, disease, or birth defects, the results can be tragic. But it is an even greater tragedy when believers fail to grow and mature spiritually. After all, immature Christians cannot fully appreciate all the blessings and privileges that God has reserved for them, nor serve Him with the usefulness He desires. Like physical growth, spiritual growth ultimately depends on God’s power, but it also requires the element of human responsibility. Scripture calls to the believer to be obedient, James says, “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18). Our works are not a product of our faith, but a proof that we have faith. As we grow and mature, we assume responsibilities, and those responsibilities are an outgrowth of our maturity. Paul challenges the church at Corinth, by saying, “I could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as … READ MORE