Walking In Sunlight

Being A Christian ... What It Means

Deciding what we are to do with our lives can be difficult at times, especially with all the possibilities before us.

Holiness is at the top of that list, and He has revealed what this being holy means and its necessity to live right in His eyes.  We learn very quickly that pleasing God is not about find purpose and happiness in the things of this world.  His emphasis is on the importance of giving our hearts completely to Him, and when we allow His truths to become our guide, genuine joy, happiness, and peace are the fruits that will come from understanding His expectations.

In this series of studies, we will look more closely at the attitudes of the heart and the demonstration of our faith by doing what He tells us about What It Means To Be A Christian.

Building The House of Your Life

The parable of the two builders, recorded in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49, is a familiar story to all age groups.  It is not some sort of a feel-good story taken from some Architectural Magazine or some How-To-Build-A-House manual.  As a matter of fact, this parable is not a guide to building a physical structure at all.  This parable is a guide from the Lord Himself on how our lives should be built on the right foundation, the foundation of Jesus Christ and His will for us!

Each of us has the privilege and opportunity to decide how we are going to live, but with that privilege comes responsibility!  We must choose whose standard we are going to base our lives upon, the Lord's, or the world's.  This series of studies will give you the proper perspective on what we should be doing with our lives and help us to answer the question: "What kind of builder am I?"

Character...The Most Important Thing About You

Life can be challenging ... temptation enticing ...hardship overwhelming!  And when these situations begin to squeeze us ... to offer to us the opportunity to compromise ... it is our own character ...that which is really inside our hearts ... that must enable us to stand up for what is right ... and to stand up against what is wrong!  In this series of studies, learning what character is all about will be established!  There are several pillars of strength that are mixed and poured into our hearts based on the foundational truths of God's Word!  The acquisition of these pillars will give us the strenght of character we need to live right before God!

Drawing The Line

God has blessed us with the opportunity to think for ourselves, reason about and make choices and decisions, many of which will go a long way in determining our happiness and success in the future.  In contrast, other choices and decisions can prove over time to be the wrong ones to make and end up bringing disappointment and even heartache.

Because God created the world we live in along with every one of us, He has given us some guidelines and direction to help us live in a way that pleases Him.  He has already decided that certain things are right for all people in every aspect of life.  his statutes and commandments are clear.

This series of studies will help each of us become better people at any age and time, principles of honesty, truthfulness, purity, and other virtues which belong to Christianity.  Living differently from the world is a privilege that, when accepted, can lead to not only pleasing God, but also having an influence on others to live right by our lives. 

Yes, it is time for those of us who are God's people to Draw The Line!  To stand up, even if everyone else is sitting down.

Finding The Courage To Be Holy

God wants His children to be courageous and to live lives that are holy and acceptable in His sight!  This series of studies will lead to a better understanding of courage and of the very real need to show courage every day of one's life!

Courage will enable us to do the right thing when doing something wrong would seem to bring about more pleasure!  Courage on the battlefield is one thing, but courage to live each day for the Lord is even more demanding.  The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity!  Choosing right over wrong ... ethics over convenience ... and truth over popularity ... these are the choices that will measure your life and mine!

God's Word: The Only Book God Wrote

Trusting in God ... believing that He is ... accepting His Word as one's standard for living and dying ... these truths are fundamental!  In this series of studies ... the faith of every person will find strength as they come to a better understanding of the inspiration and revelation of the Holy Scriptures!  In a world where there is so much uncertainty ... it is refreshing and encouraging to know that God's Word does not change!  It will be the purpose of this study to help one appreciate more fully the value of God's Book ... and to realize that we can find within its pages as the apostle Paul writes, "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." 2 Peter 1:3

Letting The Beauty Of Jesus Be Seen In Me

What Jesus Christ had to say about His purpose for coming to this earth was simple and direct.  In His own words, He said He came "to serve and to give" (Mark 10:45).  Jesus came to serve others, regardless of the cost.  He didn't come to be the center ring of attention or to capture all the headlines.  He came to serve and to give!  It is this same kind of lifestyle that Jesus wants for each one of us.

You will find in this series of studies the truths that characterized the life and beauty of Jesus.  You will be challenged and encouraged to adopt the beautiful qualities of His character and then live them out in your own life.

Obtaining these wonderful attributes will then reflect the wonderful Savior of mankind as they are seen in you.

Real Happiness Comes To Those Who:  A Study Of The Beatitudes

When Jesus sat down on the hillside with a group of His followers and talked about those things that really mattered in life, truths about discipleship and character, He distilled an enormous amount of truth in an incredibly brief period of time!  And the people were simply astonished at what they heard (Matthew 7:28,29)!  With the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), Jesus sets the tone for a significant message of change that both He and the Father are expecting of would-be disciples!  Each of His statements is prefaced with the term "blessed" or "happy".  It is in these Beatitudes that Jesus identifies what bring about divine recognition regardless of one's background, social standing, or educational accomplishments!

Jesus offers assurance that their service to God and man would not go unnoticed by Heaven.  Each of these statements if believed, accepted, and practiced will help to shape both the behavior and the life of each person regardless of age!  This is why the apostle Paul could say with such confidence in Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  

Remembering God When You Are Young

God has always wanted for us what is in our best interest!  In this series of studies a better understanding of the opportunity ... the privilege and the benefits of choosing to consider God's view of things first ... of allowing His will to be the standard by which we will make the choices in life ... will be emphasized!  consideration will be given to some of those young people in the Bible who made the right choice and of how they were rewarded for their decision to put God first!  Additional consideration will be given to some of those young people in the Bible who made the wrong choice and the consequences for disobeying God!

Show Me Your Glory

How well do you know the God of Heaven?  Do you have a real sense of reverence for God and His awesomeness when you see a rainbow appear following a rain shower or a lightening storm in the dark of night, followed by the rumbling of thunder that rattles the windows of the house?  Just as Moses came face to face with God's glory on the mountain, Just as Moses was stopped by the unimaginable sight of a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire, we can catch a glimpse of the various attributes of God's character and Person.  You see, how we view God profoundly affects every aspect of our lives.

Maybe you had that sense of awe and respect for God's greatness at one time and have seen it fade for one reason or another.  This series of studies is for you!  You will be encouraged to find the right view of God and resolve to serve Him with all of your "heart, soul, and mind."

We Are The Army Of The Lord

This series of studies will be based on the familiar text of Ephesians 6:10-18 where the apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians at Ephesus to remember they were in the Lord's army ... to remember they were in a war with evil ... and to remember the enemy was real and extremely effective!  A better understanding of the need for protective armor and the provisions that God has made for His spiritual army will lead to more effective service and ultimately lead to spiritual victory in Christ!

You Should Know

Knowledge is necessary in every aspect of our lives, whether it involves subjects at school, extra-curricular activities such as sports, band, theatre, just to name a few.  These principles and truths must be learned and applied, or the pursuit can become a disappointing experience and even a dead-end street.

What a wonderful and caring God we have who has chosen to reveal His mind, will, love, and ways for our benefit!  And He has made known these things in words and ways that we can understand and make the appropriate applications (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:3)

This series of studies looks at some things each of us needs to know, truths that are fascinating, challenging, informative, and faith-building.  When these truths are studied and applied, they will encourage each of us and help us live in a way that God desires for us.