If we are going to stand against the schemes of the devil, we need to be aware of what he is like. In any feat of competition, battle, or contest, a contender is wise to be knowledgeable of their opponent. If Christians have an adversary, ...
This section of Scripture shows us our natural state and that we desperately need new life in Christ, or regeneration. Out natural state is this: we are spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves, nor are we able to resist sin, the world, the D...
Ephesians 6:10-20 is the foundation which this series will be built on, and if verses 10-13 tell us anything, it’s this: Scripture is crystal clear that spiritual warfare is real, and we’re commanded to engage in it. This is a vital reminder t...
“Can I ______; can I ______? What’s ok, what isn’t? I can agree sex should be kept for marriage, but I still want to show physical affection while dating.” It is unavoidable that this tension will come up in a dating relationship. In this ...
This message finishes where last week’s left off: Biblical principles for addressing the tension some feel about Christians putting too much pressure on dating for marriage. The two principles proposed here are (1) The believer’s first respons...
It is a common claim in Christian circles that ‘dating should be for the purpose of marriage.’ And yet, what is also a common claim among believers is that there can be ‘too much pressure for marriage’ in dating. Do you feel the tension? W...
Main idea: Thank God for the gifts of Christ’s first coming and hope in God for the gifts of his second coming. Thank God for the gifts of the first coming of ChristHope in God alone for the gifts of the second coming ...
In this message, we pick up where we left off from the previous message. We address yet another tension in the dating conversation. The goal is to evaluate potential causes of these tensions, address them with Biblical principles, and then propose...
A survey of Christian college students and non-Christian Americans revealed some common tensions in the ‘dating’ conversation. For example: ‘It feels weird to date a guy/gal that’s one of my closest friends… and yet I want my future spou...
Trying to ‘date well’ can feel like navigating a hot air balloon through the depths of the Grand Canyon… blindfolded. And sometimes it feels like there are more questions and opinions on the matter than fish in the sea! Wouldn’t it be nice...
Fill up with Christ so that you will be freed from slavery to food and drink. Take the warnings seriously, call it what it is—sin, and consider what it costs. Uncover the heart of your cravings. Glutton defined: ...
God has spoken clearly, we won’t listen clearly, but Christ is our clarity. So how should Christians wrestle through differences of interpretation in the body of Christ? Paul’s model is two-fold: You welcome each other and you be fully convinc...
Though God has spoken clearly, the Bible often seems unclear to us because of our human limitations and our sinful rebellion. Submission to God through his Word gives you clarity, as Moses told the Israelites on the plains of Moab. But sin makes y...
God has spoken clearly, but we won’t listen clearly, so is there any hope? Yes, because Christ is our clarity. Jesus not only gives us eyes to see and hearts to receive the truth of God’s clear Word, but he also teaches us in the gospels a fai...
God has spoken clearly. The reason that we can have confidence as we read the Bible is because God is by nature and in creation a clear communicator. God created the gift of language and gave it to Adam and Eve, but when Satan distorted the Word o...
