Posts by Micah Colbert
What the Holy Spirit Does When We Believe the Gospel
Having the Spirit’s ministry within us is even greater than having Jesus’ physical presence among us (see John 16:7). That might sound hard to believe, but once you’ve understood the manifold ministries of the Spirit, you will see why Christ’s words are true. In today’s post, we will discover the Spirit’s primary purpose in all…
Read MoreCounsel for Those Struggling with Assurance
God intends for His people to enjoy the assurance and joy of their salvation. The ministry of the Spirit (cf. Rom 8:15-17) and promises of the gospel were provided so that believers can know beyond any doubt that they are fully and forever “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6). Assurance of salvation is “the birthright…
Read MoreHe’s Not an It: Understanding the Person of the Holy Spirit
A Misunderstood Person There’s quite a bit of confusion in the church today about the person of the Holy Spirit. People may know a lot about God the Father and Jesus Christ, but few seem to have a Biblical understanding of who the Spirit is or what He does. Some think that the Spirit is…
Read MoreThe Kind of People that God Uses
The Ideal What kind of men and women does the Lord use mightily in ministry? In answer to this question, we tend to think of individuals who seem very different from us. We might envision a strong, gifted evangelist who boldly preaches Christ to the masses. Perhaps we think of a rugged, pioneer missionary who…
Read MoreAs a Dying Man to Dying Men
“A life still near to death, did me possess, With a deep sense of time’s great preciousness. Still thinking I had little time to live, My fervent heart to win men’s souls did strive. I preach’d, as never sure to preach again, And as a dying man to dying men!” ~ Richard Baxter Richard Baxter…
Read MoreClarifying the Message of Evangelism
Introduction In our previous article, we sought to clarify the nature and goal of biblical evangelism. We noted that evangelism is proclaiming the good news of Jesus with the goal of persuading people to repent and believe in Christ. In today’s article, we want to clarify the message of evangelism so that we can faithfully…
Read MoreClarifying the Nature and Goal of Evangelism
What comes to mind when you hear the word “evangelism?” Those who grew up in fundamentalist churches might recall experiences they’ve had passing out tracts or going out on door-to-door visitation. Others might think of street preaching or evangelistic church services. Some might think of a “Romans Road” gospel presentation with a tack on “sinner’s…
Read MoreWhy Study Doctrine?
Why should you study Bible doctrine? Maybe you’re a student, stay-at-home mom, or professional in the business world. Why take time out of your busy schedule to learn the major teachings of the Christian faith? Some dismiss doctrine as uninteresting, irrelevant, or just plain boring. “Don’t give me doctrine. Just give me Jesus! Doctrine may…
Read MoreMore than Doing: Categories for Applying God’s Word
What am I Supposed to Do with This? “Why is our time in God’s Word not as life-transformative as it should be?” After a few moments of silence, a couple of folks in my Bible study class replied. “I’m too easily distracted… My mind wanders… I’m not consistent… My kids wake up early and they…
Read MoreThe Forgotten Way We Glorify God in Our Work
“How do I glorify God when my work is mundane and meaningless?” A Renewed Focus Over the past few years, there has been a renewed focus in many churches on the importance of developing and teaching a theology of work. This emphasis on vocation has been long overdue. According to one study, the average person…
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