People who are living breathe. People who are Christians pray. As soon as a child is born, he breathes the air around him, and as soon as a person is born again in Christ, he wants to pray. But prayer can be a struggle. Why do we struggle so much with prayer? It's because we lose sight of the most important reason we are praying. The purpose of prayer is fellowship with God. When you [...]
Jesus said prayer was important. It’s actually an essential part of our relationship with God. Read what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 26:40. And He came unto the disciples and found them asleep, and said unto Peter, “What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” Jesus actually said it should be possible for us to spend an hour in prayer. Have you ever spent one uninterrupted hour in prayer with God? No [...]
Jesus delivered HIs longest sermon called "The Sermon on the Mount," and He began by identifying eight types of blessed people. Matthew 5:3-11 The Poor In Spirit: Empty of Self; Full of God The first in His list of blessed people are the poor in spirit. Some people are living in spiritual poverty, wholly engrossed in the sins and lusts of the world. He's not talking about that type of spiritual poverty here. The kind [...]
Rise Up! Easter Outreach 2019 Sponsor a teen this Easter and provide a gift bag including a message of the gospel, an explanation of the real meaning of Easter, a Bible, a spiritual journal and a small gift. Why Give? This Easter Sunday, High Impact Teens will be delivering gift bags to juvenile centers in order to lift up struggling youth. The concept is simple; teens will receive a gift [...]
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5 When Life Doesn't Make Sense, Ask God For Wisdom Did you know that God gives wisdom and He will gladly give you all the wisdom you need under one condition? What is that one condition? You have to ask for it. It is that simple. In [...]
Are you ready to quit? Some of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life have come after I reached my limits! When You Are Under Attack God Hears You If you've ever felt that circumstances were against you, that you were under attack, or you were on the verge of losing in life, then you need to read everything David wrote. He wrote Psalm 31 and it is possible he wrote it when he was [...]
Growing Christians aren't advancing in their spiritual walk by accident. Spiritual maturity comes to those who understand the concept of a "Christian walk." Just the word picture itself tells you it takes steps, deliberate steps, to move forward in victory and spiritual growth. Just like a healthy person needs water, food, and air, a healthy spiritual life comes to those who understand what you need to be spiritually healthy. Think about the following "spiritual needs" [...]
Remember these 5 critical decisions and move ahead with clarity and purpose in your life with Christ. If you have been walking with God for a long time, you are not immune to the tempation to give up. What if you are in a crisis of life where your questions seem bigger than the answers. Don't give up! This is not new, you are not the first Christ follower who has felt this way. Remember [...]
1. Life is full of daily choices. Choose to lean into the voice of God and walk away from the temptations of the flesh. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 2. Follow the example of Jesus in choosing to do your Father's will and not live according to your own plans. He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if [...]
Are you in the practice of "gleaning?" Have you ever thought about the meaning of this question? In Leviticus 19:10, the Jewish people were instructed not to glean their vineyards but to leave some for the poor and strangers. To glean was to "take everything" in the vineyard and leave no extra. God wanted them to leave the extras. They were also instructed to leave stalks of corn in the corners of the field for [...]
Spiritual discipline gives us a railway to run on. Having a spiritual growth plan creates intentionality and a sense of purpose. If you are struggling in areas of spiritual growth, I encourage you to take time and study each of the spiritual disciplines and begin to incorporate each one into your walk with God. MEDITATION Psalm 1:2, But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. PRAYER/CONFESSION [...]
