How would you assess your spiritual health? Is it related to how busy you are for the Lord? How good your intentions are toward your wife? How much outward fruit is evident in your ministry? Although there are outward evidences of a rooted Christian, I don’t believe any of these are the best measuring sticks for spiritual growth.

In 10 Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, author Donald Whitney suggests convicting and probing questions to help you gauge where you are spiritually.

Every one of these ten questions gripped my heart: (more…)

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Perhaps the subject most near the heart of Christ is that of the local church. He gave His life for the church (Ephesians 5:25) and purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

So what should be our response when people suggest that religion is void of grace and may be discarded?

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I was saved in 1972, and since then, I’ve been to more revival services than I can remember. Over the years, I have found there to be a common delineator between the revivals when I sense God’s mighty work in my heart and the revivals when I haven’t. The key? Preparation.

I suggest three ways to prepare before revival services.

Pray

Before the first sermon is preached, earnestly seek God’s face. Sometimes we forget how desperately we need revival. Without even realizing we’re doing it, we excuse away our own carnality and the distance that has grown between us and the Lord. (more…)

One of the side effects of growth is discomfort.

I’m challenging our church this year to be “Rooted in Christ” to experience growth in Him. But I’m also challenging myself. I want 2012 to be a year of growth in every area of my life.

Unfortunately, growth often involves the discomfort of change and the sacrifice of comfort.

It’s always more comfortable to maintain than to build or expand. This is true in any area.

It’s more comfortable to relax in your walk with God than to ask Him to search your heart and uncover your pride.

It’s more comfortable to keep the Rolos in your drawer than to change your diet and take care of your health. (more…)

As Baptists, we know that we stand for separation. But why? And to what extent?

There is the obvious separation from paganism commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:17: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

But what instruction does Scripture provide concerning other Christian ministries that are not like us? Are we to separate from them?

Here are some thoughts regarding separation and stewarding the influence God has given us: