Of the three members of the Divine Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit is often the most overlooked and/or misunderstood. The following characteristics and ministries of the Holy Spirit are listed to encourage your Christ-like development for the glory of God. * I. The Holy Spirit is…
Biblical Change is a Process As a believer, you may often experience internal conflict as you make choices between good and evil. Practically speaking, you will choose to live either by self-centered feelings and satisfy fleshly desires or live by faith and obey God’s Word. Growing in Christ involves prayerfully setting your mind on Jesus…
Biblical Structure for Christ-like Change The most devastating decision that anyone can make is to reject God’s love that was demonstrated and verified through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Conversely, the most eternally significant decision anyone can make is to respond to God’s love and believe in Jesus for forgiveness of one’s…
God Empowers Believers to Grow in the Christ-life The Bible states that the gift of salvation (forgiveness of sins and the granting of eternal life) is accomplished for every believer through the gracious and merciful love of God (Ephesians 2:4-9). Ephesians 2:4-9, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even…
What does Growing in the Christ-life Look Like? All believers who are faithfully growing in the Christ-life consistently bring glory to God. See Do All for the Glory of God, especially points VII and VIII, pages 5-6 Believers faithfully growing in the Christ-life abide in God and are characterized by faithful prayer, consistent study and application…
The Primary Purpose of the Christ-life If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then He now lives in you. Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by…
Biblical Possibility of Christ-like Change Worldwide, many people honor Jesus and respect the Bible, even though they do not consider either to be applicable to their faith or daily life. However, the primary thrust of God’s Word establishes the importance and reality of one’s relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through His life, death, and…
This study will provide highlights of God’s faithfulness and the lowlights of His people’s fickleness. The presentation is different from usual WordTruth articles. This study is intended to get you directly into God’s Word for personal application and provide you with teaching insights to help others grow in Christ. Each major point of the study/teaching…
There is nothing worse than a crushing trial. Since our natural inclination is to avoid discomfort, only authentic faith in Christ equips one to look beyond the valley of personal suffering to the pinnacle of suffering’s purposes. Maintaining this loftier perspective does not negate the reality or pain of walking through life’s valleys. A child…
From Fear and its Self-focus to Faith and its God-Focus Fear has two primary faces in God’s Word. One face of fear is detrimental to spiritual growth, and the other is desired for Christ-like development. In the Bible, words associated with fear are translated in the following ways: “fear,” “awe,” “reverence,” “terror,” “to be afraid,” “to dread,” and…