Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/21/2009
by Mike Ratliff “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/12/2009
By Mike Ratliff 1After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: c “Fear not, Abram, I am d your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue [1] childless, and the heir of my house is [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/08/2009
by Mike Ratliff And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/06/2009
by Mike Ratliff That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life– the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
by Mike Ratliff But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1 ESV) Some friends sent me an email they had received from Frank Viola pertaining to The ReChurch Library in which he discussed his new book Finding the Organic Church. He then talked about how well it was selling and then [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | yesterday
by Mike Ratliff This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
by Mike Ratliff Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21 ESV) My bags are packed. We have finished the first leg of our trip and tomorrow we fly to Washington, DC. This morning I received an email from a friend imploring me to go to his site and follow a link he had setup [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009
by Mike Ratliff The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful– for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV) God’s ways [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/23/2009
by Mike Ratliff “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 ESV) The Church in our time appears huge, but this is only in appearance. It is thousands of miles wide, but only a fraction of an inch deep. Much of what claims to be Christian [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/22/2009
by Mike Ratliff But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this'” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? (Romans 9:20-21 [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/19/2009
by Mike Ratliff Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/13/2009
by Mike Ratliff He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/13/2009
by Mike Ratliff 10 p You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me q at Antioch, r at Iconium, and s at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet t from them all u the Lord rescued me. [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/11/2009
by Mike Ratliff Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV) I had a very wonderful experience last night. My wife and I attended the meeting of our [...]
Possessing the Treasure (Free subscription) | 10/09/2009
by Mike Ratliff And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4 ESV) The builder and sustainer of the Church, the Body of Christ, is the Lord Jesus not any man (Matthew 16:18). The building of the true Church is [...]
