If we are going to be true to the text, then we can say that God hates a person who stirs up conflict in the community just as much as the person who sheds innocent blood. There is no difference because God hates all these things equally. We may try to create a disparity or hierarchy between these things, but God doesn’t.

Are there scriptures for financial breakthrough that you can apply to your life and, if so, what is the proper way to apply them?

Over the years, I have had the unique perspective of having close relationships with a few pastors. While we most often hear about the pastors who have committed some kind of moral failure, or made some outrageous statement, that is not the case with most pastors.

The overwhelming majority of pastors don’t lead mega-churches, live in multi-million-dollar mansions, fly in private jets, or drive fancy luxury cars. Most are humble people committed to living out the calling God has given them. They lead small congregations, can be bi-vocational, and honestly severely underpaid for the amount of time and sacrifice the work of the ministry requires. That includes not just the time you see them in church on Sunday morning, but the many hours of tireless work that often goes unnoticed, unacknowledged, and unpaid.

They don’t do this looking for fanfare, fame, or glory, but to complete the work God has called them to. Because pastors are human, when you add up the total amount of sacrifice and toil it takes to do ministry the right way, many are prone to discouragement. So, as you continue reading this, recognize your pastor might be one of those discouraged pastors. Though they may never utter the words publicly, they need a word of encouragement and prayer from you to lift them up and help them along the way.

Here then are eight prayers for the discouraged pastor.

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We must first establish that predestination is a Biblical doctrine. Though many think of it as a New Testament teaching, there is evidence of it in the Old Testament as well. In the Old Testament, God chose people for his specific purpose, even though predestination was not always connected to salvation.

The entire journey of the Christian faith centers on an essential truth. We are weak and God is strong. When you look at Scripture, you see this truth repeated over and over and I would argue the more you understand this, then the greater your journey with Jesus will be. While our salvation initially results from God’s love for us, that love flowed because he recognized the weakness in our sinful condition, and he did something about it.

As you read this, I want to remind you that the goal in your walk with the Lord is never to display how strong you are. The goal should be to recognize your weakness, which enables you to walk in God’s strength.

Here then are 8 lessons in the Bible that highlight our weakness and God’s strength.

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For a few moments, let’s examine the nature of God’s wrath, identify how it differs from human anger, and discover what it means for us as believers in a fallen world.

God asks questions that lead Job to consider the greatness of his creation, and through this, we learn some powerful truths about who God is.

While it is crucial for believers to have the right doctrine, it is not enough because Ephesus had correct theology. Many of those who are standing against some of the wickedness in our society today also have correct doctrine, but shining light for Christ requires more than that.

God’s word is rich and when you approach it like an investigative reporter, you position yourself to unlock all that is within its pages.

Living in a world where the one thing that remains constant is change, it helps to know you serve a God who does not change with the shifting tides of the world. This gives you peace and calm in a world that is often chaotic and unpredictable.

To be clear, I am not advocating for abortion because I believe life begins at conception and we should do everything we can to protect the life in the womb. However, the gray area I want to examine is what would lead a woman to conclude that having an abortion is the best choice for her?

When we talk with other Christians about offerings and tithes, someone will inevitably ask: How much should I give? But what if there is more going on here than we assume?

When people face crises, it’s natural to want to offer some words of comfort. After all, the right word, spoken at the right time, can be just what someone needs to hear to relieve their soul. While that may be the goal, that is not always the reality. Unfortunately, even though we say them with good intentions, sometimes the things we say have the opposite effect. They bring little comfort at all, and instead of healing, the words may hurt more than they help. There are some knee-jerk things Christians say in these situations that we probably need to stop saying. Even though you mean well, chances are they are not making anything better.

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God is not like us. That’s a statement that is not too hard to make, nor it is too difficult to believe. God has even declared his ways are not like ours.

“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,’
declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts”

(Isaiah 55:8-9).

So, what are some things that set God apart from us? What are the aspects of his character that make who he is and what he does vastly different from us?

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