Kind Awakening

"Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4 (KJV) Every human heart is driven by desire. We pursue what we love, sacrifice for what we treasure, and devote ourselves to what we believe will satisfy us. The question is not whether we will have desires, but what, or whom, we desire most. Peter warns that the corruption of this fallen world comes "through lust." To understand his warning, we must understand what the Bible means by this word. The Nature of Lust Today, the word lust is often limited to sexual sin. While Scripture certainly uses the word in that context, its meaning is broader. In 2 Peter 1:4, the Greek word refers to strong, disordered desires,  cravings that seek satisfaction apart from God's will. These desires may be sinful in themselves, or they may be desires for good things that have become ultimate things. James explains how sinful desire grows: "Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away o...

"By faith Abraham, when he was called... obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8 (KJV) Faith is one of the most talked-about subjects in the Christian life, yet it is often one of the most misunderstood. Many think faith is simply agreeing that God exists or believing He can do great things. While true faith certainly includes belief, biblical faith always moves beyond agreement to obedient action . The question is not merely, "Do you believe God?" The question is, "What is your faith producing?" Faith Obeys Before It Understands Hebrews 11 describes Abraham as the great example of faith. God called him to leave everything familiar: His homeland. His family. His security. His future as he knew it. Yet Scripture says: "By faith Abraham... obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8 (KJV) Notice what Hebrews emphasizes. Abraham did not know the destination. He knew the O...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1 (KJV) The opening words of John's Gospel are among the most profound in all of Scripture. Rather than beginning with Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, John reaches back before creation itself. Before there was a world to inhabit, before there was time to measure, before the sun, moon, and stars were formed, Jesus already existed. John wants us to understand that Jesus is not merely a great teacher or prophet. He is the eternal Son of God, the One through whom all things were made and in whom all things hold together. The Eternal Word John intentionally echoes the opening words of Genesis: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1 (KJV) Then he writes: "In the beginning was the Word." John 1:1 (KJV) Genesis introduces the first creation. John introduces the One who brings the new creation . Jesus did not come into existen...

"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6 (KJV) Humility is one of the foundational principles of God's Kingdom. Yet it is often misunderstood. The world associates humility with weakness, insecurity, or low self-esteem. Scripture presents something entirely different. Biblical humility is seeing ourselves rightly before God. It is recognizing that everything we have, everything we are, and every good gift in our lives comes from Him. God Gives Grace to the Humble James writes: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6 (KJV) This is both a warning and a promise. God opposes pride because pride seeks independence from Him. But He gladly pours out grace upon those who acknowledge their need for Him. Humility positions us to receive God's help. Pride Hinders Spiritual Growth Pride often appears in subtle ways. It says: "I already know." "I don't need correction....

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35 (KJV) Romans 8 stands as one of the greatest declarations of assurance in all of Scripture. Paul does not ask this question because he doubts the answer. He asks it because he knows the answer with absolute certainty. Nothing and no one can separate God's children from the love that is theirs in Christ Jesus. Paul Speaks from Experience When Paul wrote these words, he was not living a comfortable life. He had endured: Imprisonment Beatings Shipwrecks Hunger Persecution Rejection Constant danger His confidence was not built on an easy life. It was built on the faithfulness of Christ. Paul lists the very hardships he experienced: "Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Romans 8:35 (KJV) These were not hypothetical situations. They were Paul's reality. Yet none of them had the power to separate him from God's l...

"The trying of your faith worketh patience." James 1:3 (KJV) There are seasons in every believer's life when it feels like God is allowing pressure, difficulty, or uncertainty. These moments can be painful, but they are never purposeless. Throughout Scripture, God uses testing not to destroy His people, but to refine them. Why Does God Test Our Hearts? God does not test us because He needs information. He already knows our hearts perfectly. "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins." Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV) God's testing is for our benefit. It reveals what is truly within us so that we may see what needs to be surrendered and transformed. Pressure Reveals What Is Inside Just as fire reveals the quality of precious metals, trials reveal the condition of our hearts. When pressure comes, what surfaces? Faith or fear? Peace or anxiety? Humility or pride? Trust or self-reliance? Jesus taught: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mout...