Without reading the Old Testament, we cannot see the full plan God has for His people. Don’t just read half of the story. Read the beginning. Discover what God has said and what He is doing in the lives of those who will trust Him.

Main Points:

1. The practice of neglecting to read the Old Testament is not unusual. With the exception of the books of Psalms and Proverbs, many Christians do not read much of the Old Testament.

2. We must come to realize that we cannot fully understand the New Testament without the Old Testament. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.

3. When we read the stories of the men and women of Old who trusted God, who believed in His promise, and who were faithful in times of difficulty, it teaches us perseverance. When we see the faithfulness of people like Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, and Daniel, we are encouraged that we too can remain faithful to God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Matthew 5:17-18 - “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”

Romans 15:4 - “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

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The most important decision any of us will make is the decision to place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. All other decisions pale in comparison. Why? Because this decision has eternal implications. Placing our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection for our sins provides us with forgiveness of our sins and gives us the promise of eternal life.

Main Points:

1. While many have knowledge about Jesus, they have yet to believe. They still haven’t decided to make Him their Savior and Lord. They are living in a place of indecision. I’ve heard people say, “I’m not ready yet. Maybe someday I’ll become a Christian.”

2. We must see that indecision is really a decision. Failing to act is actually an action. We don’t know what the future holds. We have no promise of tomorrow. But we do have this moment and this opportunity to decide to follow Jesus. We cannot postpone life’s most important decision.

3. Listen again to the powerful words from Joshua. “Choose today whom you will serve.” I believe this is a word from the Lord to you and me today. Choose whom you will serve. Make a decision. Place your faith in God. Settle the issue. Move forward as aß Christ-follower whose mind is made up.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Joshua 24:14-15 - “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Matthew 6:24 - “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

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Many attempts have been made to define the grace of God. One definition, using an acronym, says “Grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” Perhaps the most common definition of grace is “unmerited favor.” Another says that grace is “God’s favor toward the unworthy.” All of these definitions are helpful as we consider this incredible attribute of God. I suppose my favorite definition is that grace is “God’s undeserved kindness.”

Main Points:

1. Think about it. God has been so kind to us. Consider all God has given you and all He has done in your life. Why? Why would God be so kind? What have you done to earn the kindness of our Almighty God? What have you done to deserve such affection and goodwill? Nothing. Not a thing. Nada.

2. You and I have received God’s kindness because of His grace. Prompted by the love we can’t fully understand, God demonstrates His kindness in our lives by giving us His Son, Jesus, to be our savior. It’s because of His grace that we have been forgiven. It’s through His grace we have a relationship with Him.

3. Maybe today, you are in need of God’s grace. Perhaps you need forgiveness of sins. Reach out to God. Ask Him for His grace. He is generous to those who call on him.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Psalm 103:10 - “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

Romans 5:20 - “… But where sin increased, grace increased all the more”

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Loving the world will result in losing our first love. When this happens, we begin to buy into the world’s value systems, and eventually our lives do not reflect Christ. They will reflect the world.

Main Points:

1. When we meet Christ, one thing that fundamentally changes is what we love. Before we met Jesus, our primary love was ourselves, but we also loved the things of this present world. But when we met Jesus, things began to change. We discovered a better love.

2. Loving the world means being devoted to the world’s treasures, philosophies, and priorities. God tells His children to set their priorities according to His eternal value system. We are to “seek first” God’s kingdom and righteousness.

3. The problem with loving the world is that it conflicts with what is to be our first love. Jesus is to be our first love. Why? He alone is worthy of such love and devotion. In Revelation chapter two, we learn the Ephesian church was commended for their hard work and perseverance, yet they were warned because they had lost their first love.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 John 2:15 - “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”

Romans 12:2 - “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

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If Jesus makes no difference in our lives, then why would anyone serve Him? If Christ-followers live just like those who are unsaved, why would anyone follow? We would all readily acknowledge that we are not perfect; only Jesus is perfect, but wouldn’t you agree that Jesus changes those who believe in Him?

Main Points:

1. I believe one of the questions people around us are silently asking is, “Does Jesus make a difference in your life?” Unbelievers are watching, often without us noticing, and they are wondering, “Is she different? Is he different, now that He is a follower of Jesus?”

2. When we place our faith in Jesus and confess Him as our Lord and Savior, His Spirit comes to reside within us. God’s work of sanctification begins. To “sanctify” means to set apart. God is at work in our lives to set us apart from the unbelieving world by helping us to be like Jesus in our character.

3. By the Holy Spirit, and with our cooperation, God will change us. He will change our attitude, our conversation, our choices, decisions, reactions, and our lifestyle. He will change our desire, our dreams, and our ambitions. Before our relationship with Christ, we lived only for ourselves; now we live for God and His glory.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 2:13 - “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Philippians 1:6 - “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

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The term “soul-winning” is a metaphor for witnessing about Jesus or evangelism. The task of sharing the good news about Jesus is given to every Christian. We must see this as a responsibility given to us by our Lord.

Main Points:

1. The word “gospel” means “good news.” But it’s only good news if it is shared with someone. Imagine never hearing the good news that Jesus wants to save us and forgive us of our sins. It’s easy, especially in the Western World, to assume everyone has heard the gospel, but the truth is, they haven’t. There are people in our own communities who have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel.

2. You might be a beginner soul-winner, even though you have been a Christian for years. Here’s how to get started. Begin by praying that God would place someone on your heart. Pray and ask God to open their heart to the gospel and that he would give you openings to share your faith. The process of soul-winning usually occurs over many conversations, so don’t feel pressured to do it all in one meeting.

3. Ask your friend if you can share with them what God has done in your life. Tell your story. Be a witness of what your life was like before you met Jesus, tell of what led you to believe, and share what has happened since becoming a Christian.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Proverbs 11:30 - “…he who wins souls is wise.”

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Of all the things we can listen to, we must listen to God’s voice and what He is saying. We can’t afford to miss out on the voice of God. I want to live in such a way that God’s voice is the loudest voice in my life.

Main Points:

1. With so many voices calling out for our attention, we may find ourselves easily distracted and without focus. After all, which voice will you give your attention to? You can’t listen to them all.

2. Every day, you can hear the voice of God. We don’t just serve a silent deity. We have a relationship with a living God who is involved in the lives of his children. I believe daily we can hear God’s voice in our spirit. Every time we open our Bibles, we should expect to hear the voice of God. It is God’s Word to us. Are we listening? Are we paying attention?

3. Is God’s voice the loudest voice in your life? Let’s silence the noise around us to hear what God wants to say.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Mark 4:32 - “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Hebrews 2:1 - “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”

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That sense of powerlessness is something we all experience. The truth is, apart from Christ, we are powerless. In and of ourselves, we cannot be who God wants us to be. Apart from Christ, we are weak, without strength, and unable to move forward.

Main Points:

1. Have you ever felt powerless? Like your batteries were on empty? Like you couldn’t go on? Did you feel as if you didn’t have the strength you needed or the ability to face a challenge? Maybe you felt you had reached your limit and that you simply couldn’t take the stress anymore. Perhaps you felt powerless to change, to stop, to grow, to adapt, or to become what God desires for your life.

2. Oh, how we need the Lord in our lives. Oh, how you and I need Jesus. It’s in Him we find our strength. It’s in Him we become strong. It’s only through His power that you and I can be overcomers.

3. Every relationship we have exists because we intentionally invested in the other person. The same is true with Christ. Commit to daily investing time with Jesus. It’s through our knowledge of Him that we gain the power we need.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Peter 1:3 - “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

Romans 8:11 - “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

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