How do you like being called "stupid" or "foolish?" While I'm not wild about it, our study this week throws the term "fools" around quite a bit. If you don't like the term, you might have to duck! Seriously, is it dangerous to think we are not foolish? If we are foolish, is there a way to become an "ex-fool?" Our new series of lessons which start this week call on us to rethink every aspect of our life. Instead of trusting our own foolish thinking, our own wisdom, we will examine the benefits of looking to God to resolve the issues in our life. Let's dive in!
Often I ask myself "What should I do first?" It is an important question to consider, because otherwise I find myself working first on whatever has caught my attention, and not what is a priority. Our lesson this week is about spiritual priorities. Do we make spiritual matters a priority, or do we just take care of what currently has our attention? Let's dive into our lesson and see what God has to say on the subject of spiritual priorities!
Have you heard it said, "I don't want to be a Christian because it is all a bunch of 'don't do this and don't do that?'" People who say this kind of thing know almost nothing about God's desires for our life. Christianity, as we will learn this week, is mostly a battle for the heart and not the hands. Let's dive into our study!
Disney has a ride where you pretend that you are in a microscopic "boat" and you go sailing into a person's mouth, then lungs, then deeper and deeper into the circulatory system. That is how I feel about these lessons. Last week we learned that sin begins with the thoughts, not with what we do. We sailed from the hand into the heart. This week we sail even deeper into the mind and study our desires and our nature. Let's jump into our boat and set sail into the topic of desire!
Would you like to discover the "elixir of life?" This week I was at Disneyland and the theme there is being happy. Are you looking for a happy life? Who would not? For just a moment I want you to think back to the most embarrassing, unpleasant times of your life. Were your words (or the words of someone else) involved in creating your embarrassment? Chances are that they were. Our study this week looks at how submitting our speech to God improves the quality of our life. Let's jump in!
When I have an argument before a judge, I want to know something about that judge. What kind of attitude does the judge have towards lawyers? What kind of attitude does the judge have towards my kind of case? What kind of relief is the judge likely to give my client? This week our lesson is about prayer. What kind of God do we approach? What kind of attitude does He have towards us? What kind of relief is He likely to give us? What has He promised? Let's dive in and find out!
How many of the regrets in your life have to do with fractured relationships? How much of the joy in your life comes from good relationships? This week we learn that having good relationships with others comes from spiritual growth. As we grow spiritually, we should make fewer mistakes in our relationships with others. Let's plunge into our study!
When we read a title like "Lord of Our Resources," we think: "Oh no, not another pitch to give more money." Being faithful to God is not simply a matter of money (although that is surely part of it), it involves all of our gifts and talents. Let's dive into our lesson and see what God says about our resources!
How many times have I heard someone say, "Your body is God's temple?" What does that mean? Does it mean that I have to jog? Does it mean potato chips are off my menu because I cannot get too fat? Must I wear a seat belt when I drive? Must I avoid driving small cars or flying in private planes? Generally, people who use this phrase are talking about smoking and drinking, not jogging. Does this phrase convert issues of health, safety, fitness and temperance from practical issues into spiritual issues? Let's dive into our study and see what the Bible really teaches about our bodies being the temple of God!
What kind of employee should a Christian be? Should your religious beliefs affect your secular work? If we are a good worker, does that reflect on our God? Does the Bible give us practical instruction on our daily work? Should we be part of a labor union? Let's get to work on our lesson!
What does it mean to worship God? Is it a state of mind? Is it a physical expression? Can we get too "carried away" with worship? What motivates us to worship? Worship styles have been terribly divisive in some churches. Is it a sin to criticize the worship style of others? Let's leap into our study of the Bible and find the answers to these questions!
Does God call us to serve Him in all that we do? What kind of attitude does God desire for us to have in our work? What is it, specifically, that we are supposed to do? Does every church member have some role in the church? Let's explore what the Bible teaches about service!
This is the last lesson in our series on practical Christianity. What is the final result of our decision to make Jesus Lord over every aspect of our life? To what do we have to look forward? What is our glorious hope? How can we be sure we are right with God? Let's dive into the Bible and find out!
