Walking By Faith A church of Christ in Woburn

Why did the early church pray so much? How were their prayers so effective? Could it be that they simply prayed as Jesus taught and showed them?  May we experience this type of prayer! This lesson is built on a short devotional taught by Chuck Pike in 2020, adapted from Tertullian's work "On Prayer".

The Israelites must pass through the lands of five other nations in succession on their way to Canaan. We find valuable lessons for us in each encounter. However, there are troubling passages to wrestle with as well. How could a good and loving God “harden” the spirit of Sihon, and then tell his people to kill all the Amorites (including women and children)? We draw from other passages in Scripture and insights from early Christians to find good answers to classic questions.

One of the great challenges to Biblical unity is unresolved conflict between Christians. Fortunately, in Matthew 18, Jesus not only gives us a process to revolve conflict with one another, but also the heart we are to bring to conflict resolution. In this second of a two-part series on unity, we cover Jesus' simple, challenging, and extremely effective teachings on reconciling with our brother and sister.   

Many consider this to be the single most important book in the Old Testament. Why is that? We begin by considering ten reasons why this book is so important for Christians to study today. After establishing the context for Deuteronomy, we explore the first chapter, where Moses recounts the journey from Mt. Sinai to the time at Kadesh Barnea when the 12 spies were sent out.

Before going to His death, Jesus prays for the unity of His followers.  He promises that by this unity the love and glory of God will be revealed, and the world would believe that God sent Him.  In this first of a two-part lesson, we examine why this unity is so difficult and how to pursue it.  We address the power of our tongues to destroy unity in the church, including through slander and gossip. We then turn to how the tongue can be used to build unity by courageously speaking the truth to one another with a heart of love and concern.  In the second lesson, we address Jesus' teachings on resolving conflict in His church. 

As Paul concludes his letter, his love for the brothers and sisters in Corinth is palpable despite the many problems he has addressed. We also see his deep love for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, as he instructs the church in Corinth to set aside money for their brothers and sisters across the Mediterranean Sea. We explore (and are convicted by) God's definition of righteousness, lives devoted to providing for the physical needs of others.