There's a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think about and handle money. We may try to divorce our faith from our finances, but God sees them as inseparable.
Nehemiah’s building project was a huge success. The enemies of God had to stand back in awe of what was done. By leading, delegating, worshiping and dedicating themselves to God, the Jews put first things first and the fruit of their labor was: synergy.
When a church creates synergy with the will of God, we’re saying that we have absolutely no agenda except for that which God calls us to. Our job is to align our mission and vision with what God is doing in our community and in the world… then sit back and watch God take care of the results.
What is something we all long for but rarely experience? Contentment. Paul achieved this satisfaction with life and uncovered his “out of the box” secret.
What makes a person ready to follow God’s will? What obstacles will we face? How does God get people who aren’t ready to change the world to go and do it anyway?
The Bible is full of stories about men and women who took risks, pushed through the pain and found victory on the other side. These out-of-the-box heroes of the faith give today’s follower of Jesus both inspiration and motivation.
Jesus’ letter to Ancient Philadelphia is filled with metaphors: the key of David, the open door, the hour of trial and the pillars of strength to name a few.
Jesus’ letter to the Christians in Thyatira is filled with vivid symbolism, interesting references to heresy & idolatry, and many examples of rampant immorality.
There are things we are doing well that are definitely worth continuing and at the same time some practices to be avoided so we can truly be the light of Christ.