Heaven4Sure Bible Bites

Are placards or peaceful protests targeting lifestyles, locations or events the best way to win souls for Christ? Look closely at the approach Jesus used to win souls to Himself. Consider what the Bible says about soul-winning.

Often, children are afraid of adult strangers. Many are even scared of Santa Claus in a shopping mall. What was it about Jesus that drew children and their parents to Him? What lessons can we learn to improve our interactions with them as we seek to win them to Christ?

Have you ever wondered if you and your Lord share the same priorities for your life? The alarm bells should go off when I discover a divergence in priorities and a disconnect with His will.

Restless nights could be caused by a storm that is raging in a Christian's life. Heavy burdens can cause insomnia. How can the God of Peace calm your troubled heart?

You won't immediately get the connection between the Bible character Abraham and the dog show analogy, but there are lessons to be learned when God said to Abram "Walk before Me."

Often, Christians are faithful and press forward in the face of hard and tough opposition but falter and even stumble when faced with soft opposition. Consider the lessons to be learned from Jesus when He faced the hard opposition of the religious elites and how he dealt with the soft opposition from His earthly family.

The last public address of King David contained a most intriguing challenge to his people. How many of us read our Bibles praying for the privilege of finding additional teachings that we might obey to show our love and affection for the Lord?

There is a verse that specifically mentions "panting" for God's Word. Allow this Bible Bite to challenge your true appetite for the Bible. Are you delighted when you get extra time to read it? How eager am I on a daily basis to get nourishment from the Scriptures?

Lies and lying come in many different forms. What does the Bible say about all forms of deceit and lies? What are examples of lies Christians could tell and sometimes not even be aware of the serious nature of the offence against God?

Have you ever struggled with not being recognized for all you do for the Lord and that your name is never mentioned? While you labour in obscurity and without notice, others get their fair share of recognition in the Christian community.

Sin in my life will cloud and obstruct my communion with the Lord as a Christian. How can I find out if there are sins I may be overlooking?

Be careful when reading the Bible not to twist the Scriptures to justify what you want to do. Intentionally, truthfully and prayerfully subject your decision-making process to the scrutiny of the spiritual microscope of the Word of God.

Grace is a disposition, that springs from knowing and growing in Christ and blossoms into behaviour that reflects the actual behaviour of Christ as He mixed and mingled with people unlike Himself.

Naturally speaking, we gravitate towards doing the wrong thing – not the right thing. The right thing is invariably more difficult than the wrong thing. But you will never be the loser for doing the right thing. The Lord is able to give you much more.

More important than whether one is tone-deaf is whether one has a song to sing. Not all do. This Bible Bite looks forward to a day when tone deafness will not exist and Christians will sing on-key the universal anthem of praise.

Christ's love for us and my love for Him is the secret to how we expend our energies, deploy our abilities, spend our time and yes, live our lives. Good works and faithful service flow from a heart that throbs with love for Christ.

Hebrews 13:5 is one of many verses that speak to covetousness and a love for money. How does loving money compare to other sins? How can I distinguish covetousness from legitimate and prudent money management goals?

We enjoy safe roads and drivers who operate their vehicles with due care and attention. Standard Field Sobriety Tests are used by police to determine the likelihood of impairment or driving under the influence. Spiritually, there is a very reliable road test to determine deviations and influences along the Christian pathway of walking in the truth.

When the burdens are heavy, and the sky of Christian experience is dark and bleak, where is the Lord? Does He know? Does He care? The Lord not only knows, but He knows how. He will carry you.

What did Paul Simon mean when he penned his classic lyrics: "Slip slidin' away..." Some Christians wonder if they are secure in Christ. This Bible Bite provides a Biblical short answer.

Now is the perfect time to ensure your essential daily routines include a dedicated time and plan for reading the Word of God. The daily intake of Scripture nurtures our spiritual growth, equips us for life's challenges, and strengthens our relationship with the Lord.

There is nothing more important in our lives than enjoying Christ. A doctrinally sound appreciation for the Person of Christ is essential to our Christian lives. May this Christmas be a Christ-centered season for all of us.

The Bible teaches that we must remember our Creator while we are young. What are the advantages of being God-conscious and spiritually-minded in the days of our youth? Consider five things that make youthfulness ideal for developing a relationship with Christ.

Could you tell a friend exactly why you love the Lord? Do you tell the Lord Himself why you love Him? Peter wrote to Christians who had never yet seen Christ, but they loved Him. Psalm 116 starts with: "I love the Lord because ..."

There have been no confirmed sitings of the Loch Ness Monster. Similarly, there have been no visual sitings of the eternity-factor in every person. The former is probably a legend, whereas the latter has been reliably documented with mountains of corroborating evidence.

If you are a Christian, your approach to business and management should be refreshingly different. If anyone should respect and promote fairness, equity, and access it should be the Christian manager. If anyone should practice honesty, respect and compassion, it should be you. Consider what the Bible says.

If Christ truly reigns in my heart now, others should see that I value people, relationships and community in a way that points forward to the beautiful character of Christ's reign on earth in a future day.

Could a genuine Christian fall prey to idol worship? When social media influencers begin to shape my perspective on life what is happening to me as a Christian? What does the Apostle John say?

Old stumps can be eyesores. There is nothing hopeful about a tree stump. But in the Bible, there is good news from the old stump. A shoot of life springs forth from the stump of Jesse.

The Apostle Paul wrote Titus to make the reason for his presence on the Island of Crete crystal clear. Have you discovered the reason why God has left you here?

A combination of circumstances and remarkable developments are insufficient reasons for me to forge ahead with my plans. The will of God is not proven by circumstances alone.

A vital part of the Christian armour is the Belt of Truth. Truthfulness, integrity and authenticity are critical factors in our ability to stand for the Lord and to honour Him in our lives.

Why is the human heart never satisfied? Why does lust never say: "That's enough?" Why does the craving persist? Consider the only true source of satisfaction and contentment.

Christians literally leave a fellowship of believers over the issue of tongues and the use of tongues in local gatherings. Are you receiving Biblical teaching on tongues and the practice of tongues when you meet with other believers? The wrong practice of tongues causes damage of significant proportions. Never underestimate the havoc, harm and hurt that the unregulated use of tongues has had in the past and continues to have this very year.

Christian conduct in business must always be characterized by integrity, sensitivity, compassion and care. Does it make sense to the corporate mindset?

A malignancy that metastasizes is a medical phrase, but metaphorically, it is a spiritual condition that requires immediate attention. Examples of how the cancer of sin metastasizes.

It says: “They shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn…” So, His expanding community of worshippers passes along the good news concerning Christ from generation to generation. And what is that good news?

It takes more than a week or a month to build credibility. A reputation is something that is earned and evolves day by day. Losing your reputation can happen in a flash – tragically and swiftly. But earning a positive reputation is a long-haul deal – a progressive, day-by-day process. Your reputation is earned over time but can be lost over night.

The greatest tragedy in life is to miss Christ and die in your sins. The next greatest tragedy is for a Christian to miss their life’s purpose and die not fulfilling the Lord’s will for their life

What ‘ology’ captures your heart and mind? What holds a magnetic pull over your life? Have you considered Christology—the study of the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ?

When you woke up this morning, did it occur to you that you have a role to play in delivering an important message?

Have you ever wondered what it was about our Saviour that caused sinners to be drawn to Him? People who usually made themselves scarce from mainstream society were drawn to Him like metal to a magnet.

Have you been drinking bitter water lately? Has the spring of water that once refreshed you and soothed your thirst turned bitter? Remember when your eyes were once moistened, and your heart warmed as you engaged in your private daily devotions and lingered in His Presence? But how is it today? When you try to feed your soul on Christ, are the sweet thoughts you once enjoyed shoved out of your mind by those pushy, aggressive, bitter thoughts? Are the bitter waters in your life depriving you of a refreshing drink?

How do you get your highs? Do you need a lot of excitement to keep you going? Or, are you quietly feeding on God’s Word, worshipfully adoring Christ, and making yourself vulnerable to Him and then serving Him by serving others — are those the activities that give you the deepest and most enduring joy?

Have you ever wondered about the work of Christ on the Cross and its scope? Did He die for all or just some? Was His precious blood shed for only those who would believe, or did He give Himself a substitutionary ransom for all?

If others were as consistent as I am and put as much into fulfilling their spiritual responsibilities as I do – would the gathering of believers thrive or shrivel? Am I consistently dependable?

As a Christian, is it my deeply-rooted desire and daily prayer that obedience will mark my life? Do I pray that God will give me help to quickly discern and judge and immediately confess any and all signs of rebellion in my thoughts and deep within my heart? As we ponder these things – really, what kind of a child am I in the family of God?

Here’s a question for you to consider: would you say you are living a well-ordered and purposeful life? Do you have goals for the future? As you connect the dots in your life, are you confident they are leading you closer to Christ and His desire for you?

Are you wrestling with a choice even as you read this? Our lives reflect the choices we make. We are what we become because of the choices we make each day. Even little choices, such as how we use a spare hour here and there through the week — yes, even little choices like that, which seem so mundane in the grand scheme of things, are individually important decisions. When the dots of all those small individual decisions are connected, they represent who we become. The good news is that since God saved you, you no longer have to fend for yourself when making choices. In fact, you shouldn’t make them on your own anymore. We should always involve the Lord, even in small decisions.

The Apostle Peter wrote a letter to these suffering saints, which you can read in your Bible today. Suffering believers back then probably wrestled with the same questions heavy-hearted and burdened Christians struggle with today...