Steve's Blog
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT)
Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Acts 15:39 (NLT)
The apostle Paul made a wonderful appeal to the Corinthian church. Their objective is to live in harmony with each other, and that there be no divisions in the church. As Christ-foll...
Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14–15 (NLT)
As I write today, millions eagerly anticipate the upcoming solar eclipse. The bright light of the sun will be momentarily dimmed or obscured. The sun is usually the brightest light in our sky, illuminating the natural world. Specific cultural or entertainment centers...
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:33–34 (NLT)
Every generation faces challenges, but it is hard to imagine that life has ever been as hectic and fast-paced as it is today. For me, the weeks seem to fly by. Someone once said, “Time flies by when you are having fun.” But it passes by fast whether we are ha...
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (CSB)
The venerable song of the church urges us to “Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” The command sounds good until we realize we have more blessings than we could count. What did Paul mean when he told us that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing?
Perhaps instead of mer...
They will be called “The Holy People” and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.” Isaiah 62:12 (NLT)
When I was a boy, “trading stamps” were a big deal. I remember my mom and grandma collecting S&H Green Stamps and pasting them into books. When they accumulated a sufficient quantity, they brought them to the redemption center to exchange for a desired product. It seemed like a big deal at the time, but it is trivial compared to being “The Redeemed of the Lord.”
According to the dictionary, to r...
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV)
“Saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost!” It was not unusual in the churches I grew up in to hear people begin a testimony with that declaration. Is sanctified a word that has, for the most part, disappeared from our vocabulary? How many people know what it means? Is it still necessary?
The dictionary tells us that to be sanctified is to be set apart for a sacred pu...
I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. John 17:23 (NLT)
Perfect unity? What does that even mean? We look around us and see a multitude, or more accurately, myriad assemblies of different churches, groups, and organizations claiming to serve Christ. Some of the disagreements seem minor, while other disputes form “Grand Canyon like” divisions.
If that is not discouraging, i...
“For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.” Psalm 95:3 (NLT)
I have no idea how many people would agree with Psalm 95:3. We know that one day every knee will bow in acknowledgment, but how many people live their lives today with the thought of God’s greatness foremost in their minds? While we can’t speak for others, we can speak for ourselves, shouting and singing about our great God.
The percentage of Christians who would agree with the declaration “The Lord is a great Go...
Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 (NET)
It is time to renew a conversation about holiness. The reactions will vary from “what is holiness?” to “isn’t holiness about not wearing makeup and jewelry, were not going to the theater?” It is a subject fraught with opinions, informed or otherwise. And yet, the Bible emphasizes its importance as critical and essential.
If we take Hebrews 12:14 seriously, ignoring holiness would put us in...
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