Maturing as Christians

I’m asking that the reader approach these teachings with an open mind and an unbiased spirit. When this happens, deeper understandings and glimpses of God's care and concern for you, revealed by the Holy Spirit, will flood over your entire being. Only then will you be brought into a bold, new appreciation of the endless effort put forth by our great God and Savior for His sheep.  Out of this will emerge a growing admiration and affection for God and His extraordinary care and

Matthew tells us, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:30-31). This passage expresses the intimate knowledge that frames God’s care! God’s care is so detailed that “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  This indicates that no personal concern is too small for His attention. That phrase emphasizes God's meticulous, personal attention to every detail (even the numbering of every hair o

Let me begin by saying that God desires to bring Christians into a bold and new appreciation of His care and concern for them. One dictionary definition of appreciation is “sensitive awareness.” Are you as sensitively aware of God’s care and concern as you should be? A bold and new appreciation of God means placing high value and admiration on Him. It means having a “heightened perception and understanding” of His care for us. In a biblical context, God's care and concern fo

Looking at things not seen through faith means focusing on eternal spiritual realities (God, His promises, future glory) rather than temporary worldly things, using faith as your guide to perceive what the physical senses can't, finding a confident expectation in the unseen eternal realities that far outweigh present struggles, and trusting God's unseen work and presence in your life, as described in 2 Corinthians 4:18 and Hebrews 11:1.  Actually, the things which are unseen

When we’re walking by faith, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, we’re not relying on what’s visible or predictable. Instead, we’re choosing to live by what we know of God’s character. Walking by faith means moving forward based on our confidence in God, even when life doesn’t give us immediate answers or easy paths. It means taking the next step in obedience, even if the path ahead is unclear, just as Abraham left his home without knowing his destination (Hebrews 11:8, Genesi

Paul teaches us, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).  The context of this verse is (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1-9). The phrase “walk by faith, not by sight”  is a common saying among believers in Christ, but what does it actually mean? Our faith is not blind, but grounded in evidence, logic, and God's character, but there are aspects of the gospel we accept on faith and are unable to see. Closely related to the quote by Apostle Paul is when Jesus stated, “Ble

In Part Two, we mentioned that there are both subjective and objective aspects of faith. With these two aspects in mind, let’s understand that the subjective nature of one’s faith is dependent on the objective nature of that faith.  The Triune God, speaking to us in the Son, has been utterly faithful to all that He has promised. Trust always has an object but trust is only as good as that in which it is placed.  When we place our trust in sinful humans, in ourselves, in our p

What is faith? We’re told, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  First, let’s realize there are both subjective and objective aspects of faith. Subjectively, faith is convinced that what God promises will most certainly be fulfilled. Objectively, what is hoped for is grounded in (and guaranteed by) the object of one’s faith, namely, a faithful God. Therefore, faith is looking at God and trusting Him for everything

Paul teaches us, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).  The context of this verse is (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1-9). Preaching the truth of Christ to the world has brought Paul and his co-workers much suffering. Yet they refuse to quit—they live with courage—because they are convinced that after they die, they will be resurrected as Christ was. They will receive glorified, eternal bodies where they will finally be free of all burdens and the groaning experienc

I’ve had believers say to me, “I have the anointing, and I don’t need human teachers because the anointing teaches me.” Is this what the passage teaches? Are they correct in their assessment? No, they are not! The problem lies in taking the words, “you have no need for anyone to teach you” (1 John 2:27) from its context. The context is 1 John 2:18-27, which warns against “self-appointed false teachers,” who oppose Christ in their teachings.  In other words, the anointing isn’