Lifeway

Following God’s plans is just as important for believers today as it was for the ancient Israelites. Seeking His will and taking steps of obedience will often require believers to remove potential distractions that pull our focus from Him.

NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups. This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies For Life curriculum. […]

Humble servanthood is difficult; it takes sacrifice and an agape love that only God can give. But when we live and lead with such humility, we follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed so much to serve us.

When we face problems or difficulties in our lives, are we asking for solutions or for wisdom? Are we asking for the temporary resources to fix the problem or are we asking for long-term character traits and fruit of the Spirit?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). When Jesus described Himself as the gate of salvation, He communicated this reality with a powerful symbol. Jesus underscored, “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” Clearly, Jesus wanted us to know He is the only way of salvation.

All Christ-followers must share their faith with someone. This is why God saves us and leaves us here! There are far too many people without faith in Jesus to leave all the sharing to a handful of people.

We don’t always know why God allows problems, but we know He intends to use them to heighten our maturity and deepen our faith. Trials and troubles are dumbbells and treadmills for the soul. They develop strength and stamina. Faith has a cumulative quality to it. We amass and garner it. We grow it and lay it in store for future times. Our faith grows stronger through the seasons of life.

While we don’t understand the reasons for the storms, we must learn how to navigate through these storms in our lives, even when the purpose or end is unclear. We certainly don’t want to have to do it without Jesus.

As believers, our worship is a gift to God. In our private and corporate times of worship we offer the gift of our lives. Paul urged us to give up our lives as an act of worship that is holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1).

Many may feel a deep interest in wars, battles and fighting. But there is another warfare of far greater importance than any war that was ever waged by man. It is a warfare which concerns not two or three nations only, but every Christian man and woman in the world. I speak of spiritual warfare, the fight which everyone who would be saved must fight regarding his soul.