Spiritual Growth

110 of 83 items

Why Are My Prayers Unanswered?

by

Have you ever prayed for healing and felt like your prayers weren’t answered? It’s a common experience, one that can leave us feeling discouraged and wondering if our faith is lacking. But in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul reminds us that sometimes God’s answer to our prayers is not the one we were hoping for. He tells us that he pleaded with God three times to remove a thorn in his flesh, but God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

This scripture is a powerful reminder that God’s ways are not our ways, and that sometimes our struggles are the very things that allow us to experience God’s grace and power in a deeper way.

The Church Has Left the Building: Titles or Testimonies

by

Three times the Disciples of Jesus argue about who is the greatest. Can you imagine that? These disciples watch Jesus minister to the least, the last and the lost but they still are concerned with their pecking order in the followers of Jesus. Jesus overhears their arguments and gives them some advice.

Following in the Steps of Christ: Breaking Down Barriers

by

Often differences among people can lead to division. Our nation in embroiled in racial tension and division in part due to the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor among others. Unity does not just happen; we have to work at it. Rev. Julius Keller asks: what role can we who dare to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ do to bring about healing and reconciliation? What role can our church play in this process?

Come Alive: Taming Temptation

by

We have watched many people succumb to temptation. There are several court cases that are being tried right now of people who are unable to resist temptation. It is easy to compromise our ethics and morals. Jesus faced temptation and triumphed over it and in doing so he taught us something important about why we should resist it.

Any Limits… to God’s Kingdom

by

What is the Kingdom of God? It’s harder for us to understand the Kingdom of God today because we don’t have kings and kingdoms in the United States. Yet Jesus frequently talked about the Kingdom of God in three different ways.

Muzzling Monsters: Fearing Our Neighbor

by

Sometimes we fear other people. We are worried they might harm us in some way so we are ready to take action to stay safe. Our list of people we fear might include people of different ethnicity, religion or social standing. When we act toward others out of fear our actions are rarely commendable. Horrible acts throughout history have been committed when one person fears another or a whole society fears another society. How do we move from fear to love?

Two Parts to Life

by

There are two parts to life. The first helps us prepare for the second half. Psalm 92 says, “in old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap.” So how do we use our first half to infuse the second half of our life with significance?

Leaving the Lazy Boy

by

We might seek relaxation, comfort and safety. We might even buy a Lazy Boy Chair. But Jesus calls us away from all that. God’s Kingdom is filled with adventure but will we leave the comfort behind and follow Jesus?

Gold Canyon United Methodist Church