Christian Living

In the Bible, Abraham is highly respected and esteemed because he became the father of the nation of Israel. Through him, a nation was born and God promised that through him He would make a great nation that would become a blessing to others. In the same way, people throughout history have been honored as founding fathers because of the role they played in establishing their nations or shaping their future. The idea of a father of the nation therefore points to something deeper: a nation is a family. If we speak of a founding father, then we must also think about the people of that nation as members of one family. This brings us to an important question: What does it really mean for a nation to live as a family?   What Happens When a Nation Stops Behaving Like a Family? What happens when those people no longer think, act, and behave like members of one family?  The result is chaos. There is confusion, conflict, division, lovelessness, and sometimes even competing centers of au...

One of the most important things you can do when you become a part of a church is the understanding of what you're connected to. This is so vital. The great thing that you can be a part of is a movement called the Church of Jesus Christ that has existed for 2,000 years.  No matter where you are in the world when you meet someone who is a believer (has a relationship with Jesus Christ), you immediately have a connection that is stronger spiritually than any other connection.  One statement beautifully captures this truth, "Celebrating Christ, Caring for Community." While this certainly refers to reaching people outside the church, it also reminds us of the importance of the community that exists within the church itself. Our influence outside the church should be as strong as our commitment to one another inside the church.   We Were Created for Community The Bible teaches that we were never created to do life alone. When God created the world, He declared everything He ...

Our mission for family should be to see that we build strong, healthy, and happy families. These are families that are united and built on the solid foundation of the Word of God and can withstand any storm in this world. These are also families where individual members have great relationships with one another, are marked by love, peace, and are ready to grow on and go through any situation in life. They're also happy because the joy of the Lord is in their home, can do life together and can celebrate each other. We should desire to see families become stronger and stronger because we cannot see healing in the city or the nation until there is healing at home. And the healing at home begins with the individuals in the home. It's the families that make the cities and then the nations. Healthy individuals will make up a healthy family and they will build a healthy nation. Therefore, we need to stir up our hearts to see that we take up a pro-family attitude and work toward no...

Text: James 5: 13-18 As James concludes his letter to the Christians, he reminds them of a very basic principle that is foundational to our faith.  He reminds believers that if they are going to have the power and ability to go through hard times, they have to live out their faith, tame their tongues and be true followers of Jesus. The source of that power comes through prayer. It is during prayer that we are refreshed, revived, strengthened, encouraged, and empowered to become all that God has called us to be. Through prayer we connect with God. Whatever we need in life, God has already provided for us, and the way we access His provision is through prayer and faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said: "Whatever you shall ask of My Father in My name....." (John 14: 13) That's what prayer is. The Bible also tells us that God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). The way we tap into that provision is by going to Him in faith thr...