KEY PRINCIPLES FROM THIS MESSAGE:
One of the miraculous things about having a relationship with our God and Savior is that we can experience the Lord’s joy while suffering.
The purpose of pruning is to bear more fruit, so we should be grateful, even when He ordains certain losses in our lives. It’s to lead us towards being “perfect and complete”. Jas 1:2-4
If Truth sets us free, then we ought to pursue said Truth at all costs (think of parable of the pearl in the field). You cannot arrive at Truth if you persist (or insist) in reading Holy Scripture out of context!
It takes discipline and hard work to keep things in context and to avoid making the Bible say what WE want it to say.
You can’t expect to be sluggish and also be set free by the Word of Truth. Act 17:11-12, Heb 6:10-12
You cannot expect to enjoy maximum blessing by doing minimum labor.
What Is Cheerful Giving? – blog 5/17/24
Don’t ever think that just because you may not be properly motivated to give, you shouldn’t (that’s not what the Bible teaches at all). Our primitive duty to God is to obey (e.g., ‘right giving’)! Cheerful giving evolves and improves as we mature spiritually (e.g., ‘right motivation’).
To give your attention to the Word of God is to prepare yourself for giving your life.
You wonder what to do with your life sometimes?? Then how about looking for a “student” in your periphery who’s willing to hear… who wants to know more of Christ and to learn his ways? Mt 28:19-20