Articles – Page 10 – ThrivingBranch

Article previews are sorted by date (most recent first).
Click on a title to read the full version.

Why Perspectives Matter (part 2)

February 14, 2021December 20, 2020Leave a Comment

Welcome back to part 2 of our study on perspectives and why having the right perspective matters – especially concerning Jesus and His gospel. We began last week by looking at some of the dangers and consequences of having a weak perspective of Jesus, and how that can actually hinder our receiving from Him because of our own unbelief.

Now today we will continue by examining how the scriptures describe Jesus and what a strong perspective of Him truly looks like. As we see this, we will open our eyes to His marvelous glory and be ready to receive everything that He has paid for us to have.

Why Perspectives Matter (part 1)

February 7, 2021February 7, 2021Leave a Comment

Perspectives are important. The way that we look at things and the angle in which we see them shapes our view, our thoughts, and our feelings. The most important perspective that anyone could ever have, is their perspective of God, and His gospel. The way that we see things can influence the position that we take or the steps that we make.

We touched on this a little bit about a month ago as part of another subject, but this topic is crucial enough that it warrants its own study. Our perspectives specifically of God, His Gospel, and our position in Christ Jesus can literally make or break us.

So today we are going to explore our perspectives regarding Jesus and His gospel, because the scriptures are not silent on this subject; in-fact, proper perspectives are quite important – let’s find out why.

What it Means to be a Doer of the Word

January 31, 2021December 20, 2020Leave a Comment

Spend some time in a traditional church building or setting, and you will inevitably come across James 1:22. This famous scripture verse encourages us to be doers of the word and not merely hearers.

When I was younger, I was told that this scripture meant that I should be working hard to please God and to honor Him, and it created a form of bondage in my mind. Whenever I wasn’t working for God, I felt like I was letting Him down or that He was displeased. At deeper levels, such ideas could even cause a person to question their salvation.

So today we are going to have a discussion regarding what it means to be a doer of the word, and the answers we find may not be what you expect.

The Foundation of Salvation (Works or Grace?)

January 24, 2021December 20, 2020Leave a Comment

Works versus grace has been a long-held debate among people inside the walls of church buildings. Such a discussion is supremely important, because it strikes at the heart of our union and relationship with God. Are we saved by works which we perform, or is salvation purely an act of God’s grace? Or is salvation some kind of synergy between our God’s grace mixed with our works?

Your response to this question will change absolutely everything about your relationship with God, how you interact with Him, and what you can expect from Him.

Today we will be exploring the most important aspect of our relationship with God, salvation, to answer the question of whether salvation is earned by our works, or is received as a gift from God.

Blessings in the Kingdom of God (part 2)

December 20, 2020October 21, 2020Leave a Comment

Welcome back to part 2 of our series on blessings in the Kingdom of God. Last week we saw how much God cares for us, which can be a sticking-point for people who see God as more of a judge than a loving Father.

We also saw how the Kingdom of God is not something that we strive toward or reach for, but in-fact the Kingdom comes to us, through Jesus Christ. If you haven’t yet watched the previous study, I would encourage you to see that study first as we will be continuing upon that foundation today.

In this study, we will be looking at blessings and how they come to us, and also in what measure they come to us – the reality is greater than what we often think.

Blessings in the Kingdom of God (part 1)

December 13, 2020October 10, 2020Leave a Comment

The definition of blessing is God’s favor and protection; a beneficial thing which God gives to His people. God’s favor and protection is what many of us want, and quite honestly, we need it. But how exactly do blessings come into our lives? By what channel do they flow?

This is an aspect of the works versus grace debate that often confuses people, because even among some grace circles you will hear people make the claim that we are saved by grace but blessed by our works. And this has the effect of shifting our focus off of Jesus and back onto ourselves and our own performance.

Want to be blessed? Well, you got to work for it! Maybe if you do well enough God will toss some scraps your way.

Of course they don’t say it like that, but that’s the idea that comes out of it.

So today we are going to discuss blessings in the New Covenant; do they come by works, or by grace? Let’s find out together!

How You Prosper in Christ (part 2)

December 6, 2020October 5, 2020Leave a Comment

Welcome back to our study on prosperity. We saw last week that prosperity is not a dirty word. In that study, we examined how scripture lists prosperity as a covenant blessing based on our relationship with God in Christ, and also that His prosperity has a purpose: to share His generosity and blessing with those around us.

Now today, we are going to discuss how this happens, and how to receive the blessing of prosperity into your life, because just as with every other aspect of grace, people tend to inject a layer of works over what God gives as a gift in Christ

Join me today, as we discover how to prosper in Christ.

How You Prosper in Christ (part 1)

November 29, 2020September 30, 2020Leave a Comment

Prosperity is quite a word in Christianity. There are Christians on both sides of the isle who will either embrace prosperity wholeheartedly, or denounce it completely. This kind of dichotomy is interesting since prosperity is mentioned and explained in the scriptures. However there is a certain caution that is latent regarding prosperity that the scriptures don’t demonstrate.

Prosperity is not evil. God is truly the most prosperous entity in all of existence! And furthermore, He is the giver of all good gifts, according to James 1:17.; which also includes prosperity.

And Jesus specifically stated that our Father in heaven will never give us dangerous or evil gifts, in Matthew 7:9-11.

Knowing this, we can therefore conclude that prosperity, as a gift and blessing from our divinely perfect and good Father God, cannot be wrong, evil, or bad.

How then does prosperity come to us? By what avenue does it travel? Many people need prosperity today, and because they haven’t been receiving, they erroneously conclude that God isn’t prospering anymore, or that His prosperity is only ethereal.

So we are going to explore this today, and get a better idea of how we prosper in Christ today.

God’s Mercy and Grace (part 2)

November 22, 2020August 30, 2020Leave a Comment

Last week, we began a discussion about the mercy and grace of God. We learned about what the terms mean, and we started to look at how realization of God’s mercy and grace can impact every area of life.

As we see ourselves on the other side of the cross, we start to comprehend the reality that we are not still trying to get to the finish line; we have arrived.

Today I’d like to continue this discussion, and explicate these ideas further. As we continue examining God’s mercy and grace, we will see more of what He has accomplished, and more of who we are in Him.

God’s Mercy and Grace (part 1)

November 15, 2020August 25, 2020Leave a Comment

Mercy and grace, two wonderful gifts that Jesus has given to us. His mercy and grace are always available to us, and they are always active; never dormant or stale. Yet oftentimes we find ourselves feeling as though God’s mercy has somehow left us. Sometimes we think that His grace has abandoned us in the midst of a crisis. I understand those thoughts and feelings, and I’ve felt them myself many times before. I know that it can be very disconcerting, frightening and even depressing; again I have experienced all of that.

But is it actually true that God’s mercy has left us? Is it true that God’s grace has abandoned us? It can be difficult to even confront that thought, because on the one hand, we are uncomfortable even contemplating it. Yet even so, no problem of any significance is ever solved by ignoring it. We can and should approach the problem directly, and we shouldn’t be fearful about it. For if we do indeed believe as we proclaim that “God is good all the time”, then whatever answer we find, we can be certain that it will be good and beneficial for us.

So today I’d like to have a discussion about the mercy and grace of God, and perhaps tackle some of the more palpable aspects of it, both negative and positive.

Article previews are sorted by date (most recent first). Click on a title to read the full version.

Article previews are sorted by date (most recent first).
Click on a title to read the full version.