Yielding to God

Like Joseph, we need to realize that God—not ourselves—is the Creator, engineering events that form us into what He wants us to become.

Repentance is something we must do with our God-given free moral agency. Reconciliation is an ongoing process that enables us to draw closer to what God is.

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that Deuteronomy (the Old Covenant in its fullest form) constitutes instruction for the Israel of God, serving as a compass and guide, preparing God's people to enter the Promised Land. None of Deuteronomy is done away. The singu. . .

Martin Collins, reflecting on the martyrdom of Stephen, affirms that his martyrdom indicated that this wholesale persecution on Christianity, from the leaders to the rank and file, indicated that Christianity was a revolutionary idea whose time had come. T. . .

God's sovereignty and free moral agency set up a seeming paradox. Just how much choice and freedom do we have under God's sovereign rule?

John Ritenbaugh, reiterating that God works in mysterious ways, assures us that, because of God's calling, we have a far clearer understanding of His purposes than those yet uncalled. Powered by the spirit in man, no individual is able to understand God, a. . .

Grace implies empowerment for growth. It is the single most important aspect of our salvation, and His giving of it is completely unmerited on our part.

Richard Ritenbaugh, citing a recent article in the Barna Report on research conducted by David Kinnaman, reveals that great confusion exists in defining spiritual maturity. In contrast to some definitions, spiritual maturity cannot be measured with numeric. . .

John Ritenbaugh warns that the narrow "pay and pray" mentality experienced by many in our previous fellowship took our attention away from the more important overcoming and growing aspect, preparing for the Kingdom of God. We desperately need to . . .

Liberty without guidelines will turn into chaos. We will be free only if we submit to the truth. All authority, even incompetent authority, derives from God.

Have you ever wondered what 'all in all' means in relation to God and Christ? This term has great significance to us today.

Both food and information are readily available in the West. What is our approach to them? Our attitude toward and application of them makes all the difference.

Martin Collins, focusing on a survey of college educators and their self-appraisal of their 'lack of bias,' coupled with the lesson in Matthew 7:21-23, warns that everybody is in grave danger of becoming self-deceived. All of us are subject to self-decepti. . .

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on Jesus Christ's prayer for unity in John 17, insists that unity with our brethren is impossible without unity with God first. Adam and Eve severed this unity by yielding to Satan's influence, stimulating their minds with a nov. . .

John Ritenbaugh somewhat modifies his amazement at individuals who made gigantic sacrifices in the fledgling days of the Radio Church of God, concluding that it is in fact God who expends the lion's share of the energy, putting us all through flip flops in. . .

Ted Bowling, focusing upon the figure of a deer panting for water in Psalm 42, explores the various connotations of the verb pant as it applies to thirsting after water in an arid environment as well as to the exhaustion experienced by an animal escaping f. . .

We each have an eternal responsibility to do the will of God, continually seeking Him. Those who do not choose God's way of life will be mercifully put to death.

John Ritenbaugh explains the significance of the eye, clear vision, and light metaphors in Matthew 6:22-23, stating that the eye represents understanding (as the metaphorical eye of the heart) while the light represents truth. It is not enough to have know. . .

John Ritenbaugh emphasizes that the ordinary cares of life- making a living and being concerned with our security- have the tendency to deflect us from our real purpose- seeking God's Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) Becoming overburdened with devotion to wealth or . . .

Martin Collins warns that we limit the Holy One of Israel by failing to faithfully follow His instructions. We limit God through our willful sin and disobedience, pride and self confidence, ignorance and blindness, and our fear of following God. Fear and l. . .

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the imagery in Revelation 12:16 of the torrent or flood spewed out from Satan's mouth, depicts the torrent of misinformation and lies, causing anxiety and confusion. Like the scattering of the church, the greater nation of Is. . .

Seeking our will at the expense of the group makes conflict inevitable. Society work only when everyone submits to one another in the fear of Christ.

Joy is more than just happiness. There is a joy that God gives, through the action of His Spirit in us, that far exceeds mere human cheerfulness.

Numerous scriptures show the bad effects of impatience committed by ancient Israel, while the patriarchs, Jesus Christ, and the Father set examples of true patience.

Richard Ritenbaugh focuses on the battle of Thermopylae, involving, according to Herodotus, a force of over 2.5 million Persian soldiers under Xerxes against a meager force of 7,000 soldiers from several Greek city states, including 300 Spartans under King. . .

John Ritenbaugh explains the significance of "the fellowship of His sufferings" and "being conformed to His death" (Philippians 3:10). Christ's death had both a substitutionary and a representative aspect. The former pays for our sins, . . .

John Ritenbaugh teaches that we must have both perseverance and humility in prayer in order to keep our vision sharp and clear. Pride leads people to justify sins such as lying, fornication, adultery, and stealing. Without humility, the doorway to acceptan. . .

The receiving of God's Spirit is for God's creative effort in our lives. God's Spirit transforms us from a state of destruction into a state of purity.

Forgiveness is only the beginning of the grace process, enabling us to grow to the stature of Christ. Paradoxically, grace puts us under obligation to obey.

John Ritenbaugh, reminding us that God has chosen the weak and base things to confound the wise (I Corinthians 1:26), suggests that many of those currently holding governmental power are exponentially wiser than God's called-out ones in terms of technologi. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, cuing in on Hebrews 3:7-17, a passage referring to the stiff-neckedness and evil hearts of our forebears, admonishes us not to imitate them in their hard-heatedness. The whole generation rebelled and went astray, never believing God; th. . .

Austin Del Castillo, recalling a dream in which monk-like apparitions asked him, "Are you are free as you think?" reminds us that the only way to achieve true freedom is through affiliation with our great Father in heaven. The Pharisees who confr. . .

Martin Collins, focusing on John the Baptist's proclivity to pray, as well as Jesus Christ's continuous practice of praying, cautions us that prayer should be a major practice in our life. Our petitions should center upon God's purpose for His creation and. . .

In this message prepared for the Last Great Day, Richard Ritenbaugh acknowledges that it is a perfectly natural human reaction to fear death. We don't have God's mind on this subject as Christ had and the Apostle Paul had to grow into. Looking at death as . . .

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting upon Philip's request to "show us the Father," suggests that Jesus has provided the way of knowing how God would lead His life in the flesh. Jesus is the way, the embodiment of the truth, and the mirror image of the Fa. . .