Just For a Closer Walk Joel Oslund

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Or better yet, can anything useful be learned from the way Jesus called his first disciples? And what's the point of changing water into wine?

How did Jesus start His ministry? What can we learn from His temptations in the wilderness? Surely there is great significance that applied not only to Jesus' original audience, but also applies to us today.

John the Baptist! We know the name, but often forget that there was more to his ministry than just eating locusts and wild honey. John was the forerunner - the "new Elijah" promised to prepare the way for Messiah.

How do we address and solve the modern dilemma of Bible poverty in the Church? Just as the problem is multi-faceted, so also the answer. It was once said that "Opportunity is often missed because it is dressed in overalls and looks like hard work." So also, Henry Ford observed, "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few people engage in it."



May we embrace the challenge to live into our God-given potential and our role as co-laborers of the Gospel - that is, to serve as ministers of reconciliation wherever and whenever we go.

We take a brief pause from our chronological study of the New Testament to talk about Bible poverty and how to gain proficiency with the Word of God.

What can we learn from the early life of Jesus to apply to our own lives? Submission. A humble heart honors God and others, seeking to avoid/minimize creating a stumbling block for others and then providing instruction (or sometimes correction) with love.