Retro

1 Peter 4:12-13 NASB95  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; [13] but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory […]

Only the resting rule. Ephesians 2 tells us that we are seated in the heavenly places “in Christ.” It doesn’t say that we are seated next to Christ; instead, we are actually seated “in Christ.” When I think about what kind of seat Jesus sits on, obviously, I’m reminded that He sits on a throne,

Anything is possible once you believe you are worthy in Christ of achieving it. God loves us with all of His heart, soul, mind, and strength. That never changes, and it has nothing to do with what we do or don’t do. It only depends on Who He is, and in Him there is no

In my 45-year+ journey with the Lord, I have found that Christians often pray for things that God has already done. Take, for example, how often we pray that God would set us free in certain areas of our lives, or we pray that God would set other Christians that we know free in certain

Let me say it again: the simple phrase “in Christ” is the DNA of God’s redemptive plan, and it unlocks the understanding of every other biblical doctrine. Everything about the Christian life and how to live the Christian life is wrapped up in those two words “in Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul, referring to

I write this devotional in honor of a distant mentor, A. J. Gordon. In 1799, the Rosetta Stone was discovered, and it helped scholars at long last crack the code of hieroglyphics, the ancient Egyptian writing system. Like the famous Rosetta Stone, the simple words “in Christ” unlock all the mysteries of the Christian life.

I’ve often heard or read Christians talking about the desire to put self, or the self-life, to death. It always comes from a sincere desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, and I honor that longing. It brings pleasure to the Lord whenever a believer wants to go “further up, and further in.” The

Philippians 3:12-14 I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. [13] I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however

The temptation to settle is our greatest enemy. Colossians 3:11 says that “… Christ is all and in all.” All the fullness of deity dwells in Jesus, and because we are in union with Him, His fullness is now ours. (Colossians 2:9-10). I love the way the New American Standard Bible puts it: “and in

The word repent comes from two words: “think” and “with/after.” People often translate the word “repent” to mean “to change your mind,” or “to turn,” and in a sense, it does mean that because once you come to think with someone else’s thinking about a situation, you change your mind, and turn from the direction