There’s no question that, as believers and followers of Jesus, we live in the age of grace today. We know that God is love and that He is not out to punish us because Jesus bore all the punishment we deserve for our own sinful behavior on the cross.

At the end of His suffering on the cross, Jesus said, “it is finished.” Even so, is there any more required of us? Or is the cross enough?

Everything Already Provided

From what I see in the Bible, the answer to this question is both yes and no. 

According to the Bible, everything we need for life and godliness has already been provided for us by God’s grace.

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and excellence, by which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these things you might become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

— 2 Peter 1:3-4 (MEV)

We access all that stuff we need which God has provided for us through the knowledge of God. Perhaps the biggest single piece of knowledge about God is the cross. It involves everything Jesus accomplished for us through His sacrificial death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection.

This passage from Peter also reveals that we experience God’s divine nature through His promises. Those promises empower us to escape the very corruption of this world. Again, the Bible tells us that it is in Jesus Christ that every promise of God is yes and amen for us (2 Corinthians 1:20).

This is why Paul told the church at Corinth that he focused purely on making the crucifixion of Christ known to them.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

— 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV)

So yes, the cross is indeed enough for us to experience everything we need in life. The cross represents (and is key to) the perfect grace provision God makes for our every need.

More Than Grace

At the same time we are not saved by grace alone. We are instead saved by grace through faith.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

— Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

We need both grace and faith to receive salvation. Likewise, we need both to receive any other promise from God too. God’s grace already reaches down with perfect provision for our every need. Yet until our faith rises up to grab hold of what God’s grace provides, we do not get to experience the benefits of God’s grace.

Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Verses 14-21 contain an amazing teaching on the gospel. (This includes our favorite verse 17 about being new creations in Christ!)

¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁶ Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

— 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (NKJV)

In this passage, Paul tells us that God has already done His part. He, “has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (verse 18). Our job is to share “the word of reconciliation.” We are to let everyone know that God has already reconciled the world to Himself through the cross. This means we tell them God is not imputing their trespasses to them (verse 19).

Yet that’s not all there is. In verse 20, Paul tells the believers in the church at Corinth that God is pleading through him for them to, “be reconciled to God.” This is the faith part. And God’s grace requires faith to become effective in our lives.

Receiving God’s Grace in Vain

Paul then shares the Great Exchange in verse 21, Jesus became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

It’s important to note that Paul said, “might become.” It’s not an automatic thing. He reinforces that it’s not an automatic thing in the very next verse at the start of Chapter 6. There Paul pleads with the believers of the church in Corinth, “not to receive the grace of God in vain.”

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

— 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NKJV)

This verse means it is possible to receive the grace of God in vain. And that means it cannot be automatic. We must release our faith to receive what God’s grace has already provided. If we don’t release our faith by coming into agreement with God to the point where we take action in accordance with that agreement, then we’ve only just received God’s grace in vain.

Therefore, from this passage of scripture we can see that that, no, the cross by itself is not really enough for us until it is coupled with our agreement released through faith.

Repentance Required

Paul wrote this entire multi-chapter passage to lay out the gospel, explain the vital need for repentance, and then encourage the church in Corinth that they are indeed on the right path with their own repentance.

Our repentance is a vital part of this whole thing. In fact, from the very beginning Jesus emphasized and called for repentance. Even before Jesus starts His ministry we see John the Baptist calling for repentance.

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

— Matthew 3:1-2 (NKJV)

Then Jesus echos this exhortation at the start of His ministry after He is tempted by looser-fer.

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

— Matthew 4:17 (NKJV)

As you can see, Jesus required a positive response on our behalf in the form of repentance from the very beginning of the gospel.

You’ve probably heard it said that repentance involves changing one’s mind and/or reversing direction. And this is true. Where it can get challenging for some is that true Biblical repentance is so much more than even tears and sorrow about the sin we participated in.

Biblical Repentance

Fortunately, Paul also gives us a very clear picture of what true repentance looks like as he goes on to address this issue in the next chapter of 2 Corinthians:

Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

— 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 (NKJV)

Here we see what genuine Biblical repentance looks like. It consists of 7 very clear signs:

1. Diligence — godly repentance happens quickly. 
2. Clearing of Yourselves — godly repentance is quick to apologize to those who were wronged. 
3. Indignation — godly repentance includes righteous anger towards the sin which led to the repentance. 
4. Fear — godly repentance flows from a reverence for God.
5. Vehement Desire — godly repentance includes strong desire to please God.
6. Zeal — godly repentance inspires passionate actions which line up with the desire to please God.
7. Vindication — godly repentance compels those who did wrong in their sin to attempt to make things right.

Until we see these indicators in someone’s life, we do well to consider that they are likely just going through worldly sorrow instead of true repentance. This discernment is especially important whenever we deal with the issue of restoring leaders in the Body of Christ who have fallen because of sin issues in their lives.

This passage also provides a roadmap for repentance in our own lives. As we press into each of these areas to the best of our ability we might find some external factors which may prevent us from fully achieving these steps.

For example, in some instances there might not be any way possible to truly make things right after we’ve wronged others in a significant way. Yet the desire for vindication will still be present in the heart of the truly repentant person, even if it cannot be realized.

Is the Cross Enough?

This brings us back to the original question. Is the cross enough?

I think the Biblical evidence is clear. Mostly the answer to that question is no. It’s not enough on its own for us to experience the Kingdom of God in this life.

It is true the cross is enough for God’s grace to provide everything we need, or could ever want in this life, and even on throughout eternity. Yet the cross is not enough for us to take possession of what all God provides for us.

We must still release our faith by coming into agreement with what God has done through repentance in order to take possession of it. That’s when we begin to experience the benefits of God’s grace.

And until we release our faith through repentance we’ve still only received the grace of God in vain.

The original version of this article can be found here: Is the Cross Truly Enough? Unpacking the Power of Grace and Faith

As we examine this question, we must first acknowledge that saying, “God allows suffering…” is really just a polite way of saying it’s God’s fault that suffering happens. Implied in this question is that He is the cause of the bad stuff.

This is deception, plain and simple. But why?

An Apparent Conflict

Some claim that we have no agency whatsoever when it comes to our salvation. They claim that God has full responsibility and saves only those whom He wills. They say we have no choice in the matter at all.

If we truly had no part to play in our salvation, then that would mean God arbitrarily picks winners and losers by deciding who will go to heaven and who will spend eternity in hell. Plus, if God controls everything that happens in our world, including even who can be saved, then it means God is also responsible for the bad stuff that happens in our world.

There’s a huge problem with that view.

If God really was arbitrarily doing bad things to good people, then He would not be good. Yet the Bible clearly says over and over again that God is indeed good.

To unwind this conflicting conundrum, let’s examine what the Bible has to say about this. Doing so is the only way we can arrive at the truth and see whether or not God really is responsible for the suffering in our world by “allowing” it.

Defining Terms

Before we get to the scripture, we need to establish a definition. One of the challenges with some of these conversations is that people tend to define words differently. The danger there is that folks talk past one another because they mean different things even though they might be using some of the same words.

For example the word “allow” has multiple definitions. Here is how Dictionary.com defines it as of this writing:

Allow

Verb (used with object)

1. to give permission to or for; permit:
2. to let have; give as one’s share; grant as one’s right:
3. to permit by neglect, oversight, or the like:
4. to admit; acknowledge; concede:
5. to take into consideration, as by adding or subtracting; set apart:

When it comes to the idea that God allows suffering in our world, we’re talking about the first definition specifically. This is because the idea flows out of the larger idea that “God is in control” meaning He is actively manipulating everything that happens in our world for His own higher purposes.

The challenge for those who hold to this view is that the theology which claims “God is in control” makes Him ultimately responsible for the evil which happens in our world. This creates an obvious contradiction because the Bible clearly says God is good.

One way some theologians attempt to circumvent that obvious contradiction is to claim that, while God is still in control, He doesn’t actively cause the bad stuff in the world, He instead just allows it. it’s an artful dodge, attempting to absolve God from being directly responsible for the evil that happens, while still saying He is “in control” by being only indirectly responsible for the evil.

The question, though, is this. What does the Bible reveal to us?

Let’s start with God’s grace.

Grace Available to All

The Bible tells us that God’s grace is available to everyone.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

— Titus 2:11 (NKJV)

Because God has already made His saving grace available to everyone, we cannot say that God is responsible for bringing some to salvation and not others. God’s salvation-bringing grace has appeared to all and is therefore available to all.

This is because there is a second component required for one to receive from God. In addition to God’s grace, our faith must be applied. That faith brings us into agreement with what God promises regarding our salvation.

It’s true that our faith is also a gift from God. His grace supplied us with His word. And faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Even so, many hear the truth of God’s word and still refuse to come into agreement with it. Therefore the word of God produces no harvest in their lives when it’s planted in their hearts.

Jesus shared this lesson in the parable of the sower. (See Mark chapter 4.) The condition, or attitude, of our heart greatly impacts how much of God’s grace is released becomes effective in our lives.

Receiving God’s Grace in Vain

This is why the Apostle Paul gave us this exhortation in his letter to the church at Corinth:

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

— 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NKJV)

Apparently it must be possible to receive the grace of God in vain. Otherwise, it makes no sense for Paul to exhort us not to do so. That being the case, then it’s not God who is withholding His grace from folks.

This is where our faith comes in.

Faith Required

You see faith is not an abstract concept. It is tangible because it moves us to do something, or take some kind of action. In fact, James tells us that unless we do take some sort of action, that faith is dead and not really faith at all.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

— James 2:17 (NIV)

We see this combination of God’s grace and our faith in His promise of salvation. First, the Bible explicitly states that both God’s grace and our faith are required for salvation.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

— Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

We’re not saved, “by grace alone,” as some would say. Instead, we are saved, “by grace through faith.”

As an aside, some theologians will say, “we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone.” Yet since both grace and faith are required for salvation, then the adjective “alone” becomes nonsensical because neither one alone does it. But I digress.

“By grace through faith” is how we are saved. But what does that look like in a practical sense?

Fortunately, the Bible shows us.

The How-to of Salvation

Let’s start with this promise:

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

— Romans 10:13 (NKJV)

This is the grace-provision of God’s promise for salvation, which is available to everyone. Even so, salvation is not automatic. It requires something of us. Specifically we must call on the name of the Lord.

Just a few verses earlier in that same chapter, the Bible also explains exactly what “calling on the name of the Lord” entails,

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

— Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

We must take some action in order to be saved by God’s grace, specifically,

1. saying out loud with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and,
2. believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead.

It is our agreement with God’s grace-provision promise by speaking and believing that is the faith-action which takes possession of this promise and makes it effective in our lives. This is true of salvation. And the same combination of grace and faith working together as a requisite requirement is also true when it comes to receiving every one of the 7,000+ additional promises God makes to us in the Bible.

Provision for Every Need

God is not causing our suffering. Nor is He “allowing” it. He has already provided His grace-promises to meet our every need. The Bible reveals this truth too.

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

— 2 Peter 1:3-4 (HCSB)

God has already given, past tense, everything we need for life and for godliness. This is His grace, and according to this passage, that part is already a done deal. The passage tells us it all comes through our knowledge of God, His character, and His ways. And we experience it through His promises, as we receive them by faith.

In truth, God’s grace reaches down to us with perfect provision for our every need. However, until our faith rises up to take possession of that which God’ promises provide, we have only received God’s grace in vain.

An Analogy

Here’s an analogy to help illustrate this truth.

Imagine you are a multibillionaire and you decide you loved me and want to make me a millionaire. Therefore you decide to give me a gift of ten million dollars. You write a check for the amount and give it to me.

When I’m holding the check, do I have ten million dollars yet? Nope. All I have is a piece of paper with a promise from you to pay that amount to me. There is something I need to yet do before I come into possession of the actual money. I need to go to the bank, endorse the check, and deposit it in my account in order to take possession of the actual money you promised to give me in the check.

Say I never do that. In this example, let’s say for whatever reason I just throw the check you gave me in my desk drawer without ever signing it and taking it to the bank. If I responded to your gift that way, would you be to blame for “allowing” my continued suffering?

Of course not!

You went out of your way with an incredibly gracious gift specifically to relieve my suffering. Yet, if I refused to release faith in your gift by endorsing and depositing the check you gave me, my suffering would continue.

In this case It’s easy to see how the cause of my continued financial suffering is on my end. Maybe I don’t know how checks work and believe you’re supposed to go to the store for me, purchase what I need, bring it back to me, and drop it in my lap. Maybe I don’t really believe the check is good, or that it really belongs to me.

Regardless of my specific reason for not taking possession of your gift, the issue is on my end, not on yours.

Likewise God is not to blame for “allowing” our suffering. Instead, it’s up to us whether or not we will “deposit the check” of God’s promises in our heart and come into agreement with those promises to receive them by faith.

All God and None of Us

God gets all the credit and all the glory because His grace supplied His word, and faith comes by hearing that word. So the starting place for our faith is God’s word, which He has already provided for us in the form of the Bible.

But to say it is all God and none of us is simply not true. That is still saying that God is arbitrarily picking who will go to heaven and who will spend eternity in hell. That is just another way of saying “God is control.” Jesus didn’t go to the cross so that God could have mindless robots who have no choice in what they do. 

Instead, Jesus made a way for God to adopt countless sons and daughters.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

— Galatians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

He did so to give us the same exact inheritance Jesus has.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

— Romans 8:14-17 (NKJV)

Think about that. We are joint heirs with Jesus. We share in the same exact inheritance He has from the Father.

Even so, unless we come into agreement with God and believe what He says in the Bible, nothing changes in our lives. There are serious repercussions for not believing God’s promises and acting on them in faith.

The Bible calls that unbelief and tells us it is flat out evil:

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.

— Hebrews 3:12 (NKJV)

Saying it’s all God and none of us, and meaning that He is wholly responsible for whether or not we are blessed simply does not line up with scripture.

Limiting God

Did you know that you and I can actually limit how much God is able to work in our lives? That might sound crazy, but it’s very true. Look at this verse,

Yes, again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.

— Psalms 78:41 (NKJV)

That verse comes in the midst of a passage relating the unbelief of the ancient Israelites and listing many of the ways they failed to stay in agreement with what God told them through their own forgetfulness and whatnot.

That verse clearly states that God was limited in His ability to work on their behalf because of their unbelief, which led them to sin and rebellion.

We also see an example of this in the New Testament. We see in Matthew 13:58 that Jesus did not to any mighty works in His home town of Nazareth because of the unbelief of the people there.

Mark adds some additional insight to this situation.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.

— Mark 6:4-6 (NKJV)

In that passage we see that it wasn’t just that Jesus chose not to do any big miracles in His hometown. He was actually unable to do big miracles there like He did in other places. And the reason Jesus was unable to preform miracles there was because of the unbelief of the people there.

Therefore we can see in both the Old and New Testaments that our unbelief limits God’s ability to work on our behalf.

Neglecting God’s Promises

This is another reason why God is not really allowing bad stuff to happen in our world. God’s already done His part. He provided His word as the source of our faith. And He gave us thousands of promises in that word so we have everything we need to address whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Yet far too often we’re like the example above. Only instead of throwing the check in the desk drawer, we leave the Bible full of the very promises we need to experience life and godliness on our bookshelf, mostly unread.

We would do far better to keep our heads in the book, find the promises which speak to whatever our current situation is, and meditate on those promises day and night. It’s like what God told Joshua,

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

— Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

Of course Joshua was under the Old Covenant. That meant he needed to keep the Law in order to be blessed. But we are under the New Covenant, which comes with better promises.

Now, in Christ, the only requirement for us to see our way made prosperous and have good success like God promised Joshua, is to believe God’s promises and receive them by faith. yet the process to get there is the same. As we meditate on God’s promises day and night, faith rises up in us and we begin to experience the very things He promises to us.

This is the way God makes for us to escape the corruption of this world and experience God’s divine nature first hand. The more we grow accustomed to doing this, the less needless suffering we will experience personally, and the more we will be able to help alleviate the suffering of others too.

A Most Powerful Promise

This ties into one of my favorite promises in all of scripture.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

— 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)

If we only received that one promise alone after coming to faith in Jesus, it would be enough to overcome most any personal suffering we might encounter in our lives. In doing so we would experience the truth that God is not responsible for allowing our suffering.

The original version of this article can be found here: Why Does God Allow Suffering? Biblical Truth You Need Now

In times of transition, navigating change can be daunting and confusing. In this week’s Two for Tuesday broadcast, Chris and Lisa Cree explore the essence of handling transitions in life with the guidance of faith. They delve into understanding how to maintain peace and trust in God amid these uncertain times.

Lisa highlights that transition is a constant in our lives. She acknowledges that this change isn’t something we naturally accept as humans, but it is a fundamental part of God’s plan for us. She emphasizes the importance of having a relationship with God during such times, understanding that while we may not always see the bigger picture, God is always faithful.

Chris connects this conversation to the 4th of July celebrations, noting that even the nation’s history has seen transitions and challenges. He parallels this with our personal transitions, hinting at the ever-present shift in our lives and the need to rely on God’s guidance.

One of the profound insights presented is how God strategically places us where we can have the most impact. Lisa recalls their time in Scotland, expressing gratitude and recognizing that God’s mission for us is significant wherever we are planted. Chris builds on this by reflecting the concept that our largest influence comes within the place where God has put us, even if transitions make the future unknown.

Moreover, they discuss practical ways to handle transitions, like prayer, perception shifts, and trusting God’s timing. For the anxious, Chris reads from Philippians, encouraging reliance on prayer and focusing on positive, God-honoring thoughts to combat fear and anxiety.

As they head into transition themselves with the ministry, they are pausing their Two for Tuesday broadcasts for the summer. Both Chris and Lisa express their faith in the new direction God is leading them, reassuring viewers that such pauses are part of greater plans.

Stay tuned by subscribing to our Daily Reflections email devotionals for continued encouragement and updates.

The original version of this article can be found here: Navigating Transition: Thriving in Times of Change

In this engaging episode of the ‘Two for Tuesday’ broadcast, host Chris Cree welcomes Byron Mills for a deep discussion on an astonishing and powerful tool within us all: the mind. Chris begins the episode by expressing his excitement about the conversation and quickly brings Byron on to share his insights.

Byron dives into the transformational power of the mind, emphasizing that this concept is often neglected in many circles. He sheds light on how our thoughts can fundamentally change us from within, beyond mere behavioral adjustments, even down to our physical health. Through the dialogue, it’s evident that both men speak from their hearts and personal experiences, making their discussion both enlightening and relatable.

They explore how the mind can influence our entire being by referencing scientific research on the amygdala, neurons in the heart, and the gut-brain connection, correlating these findings with biblical teachings. Byron shares anecdotes and studies, including the concept of ‘Automatic Negative Thoughts’ and how to eradicate them, illustrating the real-world impact of mastering one’s mind.

Chris and Byron also discuss historical and scriptural precedents of mind transformation and the significance of practices like meditation. They touch on the placebo effect’s powerful implications, suggesting that belief and mindset significantly impact our physical reality. Citing various scientific and scriptural examples, they argue for a balanced approach to faith, awareness, and mental health.

The episode concludes with Byron praying for the audience, asking for wisdom and understanding to harness this incredible power of the mind. The foundational message is clear: by renewing our minds, we can transform our lives on every level. Don’t miss out on this transformative conversation that merges faith, science, and holistic well-being.

You can connect with Byron and learn more at his Byron Mills Ministries website.

The original version of this article can be found here: Rewiring Your Mind for Success: Understanding the Power Within

In this episode of Two for Tuesday, host Chris Cree engages in a heartfelt conversation with Pastor Rhea Mills from Victory Christian Center in Maysville, Kentucky. The focus is on dealing with recurring spiritual and emotional struggles. Rhea shares her personal journey of battling physical ailments since October 2021, which led to a diagnosis of autoimmune disease. Despite her firm belief in divine healing, she found herself emotionally overwhelmed.

Chris and Rhea discuss the interplay between spiritual beliefs, emotional health, and physical well-being. Rhea emphasizes the importance of being honest with oneself and acknowledging emotions rather than suppressing them. She narrates how she had to practice self-care and redefine her approach to health and spirituality. She discovered the concept of “forest bathing,” which significantly helped her physical and emotional healing.

They dive deep into the scriptural perspective on emotions, emphasizing that emotions are a natural part of being and should be treated with care, not as enemies. They discuss the importance of self-love as outlined in the “love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Rhea and Chris agree that emotions need to be integrated into spiritual practices to avoid the pitfalls of condemnation and emotional turmoil.

Rhea concludes by sharing how acknowledging herself as “beloved” of God (3 John 2) transformed her approach to spirituality and health. She encourages others to focus on God’s love for them, which in turn fosters true emotional and physical well-being. Chris and Rhea underscore that such self-care does not negate serving others but enhances the capacity to do so authentically and healthily.

The session ends with Rhea praying for the audience, asking for wisdom, revelation, and freedom in emotional and physical realms, underscoring the holistic nature of true spiritual well-being.

You can connect with Rhea and her husband Byron through their Byron Mills Ministries website.

The original version of this article can be found here: Love and Healing: Nurturing Your Spirit, Soul, and Body

In this Two for Tuesday broadcast, Chris Cree hosted an enlightening discussion with Shawn McKay on the critical journey of maturing in Christ. This conversation touched on various elements surrounding spiritual growth and the often-overlooked aspects of Christian maturity.

Shawn shared his personal walk with Christ, emphasizing that while we all start our journey as immature believers, God’s intention is for us to grow and develop. The conversation began with casual banter about the weather, but quickly transitioned into deeper spiritual matters. Shawn described how his teachings from the Book of Ephesians, specifically chapters 4, verses 14-15, highlight the need for Christians to grow out of spiritual infancy.

Drawing from his personal experience, Shawn stressed that maturity in faith requires an honest self-reflection. He recounted a transformative period in his life where he had nothing, which allowed him to truly hear the Holy Spirit and deepen his relationship with God. This period marked the beginning of his true spiritual growth and an understanding of the importance of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.

Chris and Shawn discussed the pitfalls of focusing on what we lack in our spiritual journey, advocating instead for a focus on the fullness we possess in Christ. They highlighted how many believers get stuck at different stages of spiritual infancy and the importance of renewing our minds to align with our true identity in Christ.

Shawn also underscored the role of church leadership and the five-fold ministry in helping believers mature and develop. They talked about the need for discernment and humility in our walk with Christ, reminding us that longevity in faith does not necessarily equate to spiritual maturity.

The broadcast concluded with Shawn praying for listeners, asking God to reveal areas in need of growth and to foster a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit.

This conversation serves as a powerful reminder for all Christians to actively pursue growth and maturity in their walk with Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and transform them.

The original version of this article can be found here: From Fragile Faith to Firm Foundation

In this episode of ‘Two for Tuesday,’ host Chris Cree and guest Lisa Mahan delve deeper into ‘kingdom fuel’ and its vital role in fostering spiritual growth. Building upon their previous discussion, they offer practical tips to move from foundational teachings (‘milk’) to deeper spiritual insights (‘meat’). Lisa shares her personal insights, emphasizing the importance of knowing God, inviting the Holy Spirit’s guidance, renewing your mind, and mastering spiritual fundamentals.

Lisa highlights four key ‘fuel tips’ to aid personal spiritual growth: spending time knowing God, inviting the Holy Spirit to teach, renewing the mind, and not leaving the foundational teachings. Personal stories and anecdotes underline the importance of having a personal relationship with God and seeking direct revelations for spiritual maturity. Tune in to discover how these essential steps can radically transform your walk with Christ.

You can connect with Lisa and her husband Tim via their Spirit Life Ministries website.

The original version of this article can be found here: Unlocking Kingdom Fuel: Spiritual Growth Essentials

In this episode of ‘Two for Tuesday,’ host Chris Cree and guest Abi Elshaw discuss the common Christian mindset of ‘one day’ thinking, which delays experiencing the Kingdom of God until Jesus’ return. They emphasize that the Bible and Jesus’ own words show that believers can experience God’s Kingdom today.

The conversation explores scriptural references to living in the fullness of God’s promises now, rather than waiting for some distant future. Abi shares insights from a conference and personal reflections on scriptures that affirm believers already possess everything needed for life and godliness. The discussion also touches upon the importance of acknowledging the spiritual blessings and authority Christians have in Christ, encouraging listeners to live out their faith actively in the present.

You can connect with Abi and her husband John through their John and Abi Elshaw Ministries website

The original version of this article can be found here: Stop Waiting for ‘One Day’ – Embrace God’s Promises Now

In this episode of the Two for Tuesday broadcast, host Chris Cree and guest Lisa Mahan explore the concept of ‘kingdom fuel’ to invigorate personal faith growth. Lisa shares a personal anecdote about participating in a Bible study that felt redundant due to her advanced understanding, prompting a reflection on spiritual maturity and the importance of moving from ‘milk’ to ‘meat’ in one’s faith journey.

The discussion delves into Hebrews 5 and 6, emphasizing the need for believers to graduate from foundational teachings to deeper, personal revelations from God. The episode encourages active engagement with scripture, the Holy Spirit, and personal revelation to foster growth, rather than relying solely on teachings from others. The conversation concludes with a prayer for listeners to find a deeper, personal connection with God and an encouragement for believers to nurture their spiritual hunger for more substantive theological ‘food.’

You can connect with Lisa and her husband Tim via their Spirit Life Ministries website.

The original version of this article can be found here: Kingdom Fuel for Growth: How to Receive Revelation and Grow Spiritually

In this episode of Two for Tuesday, host Chris Cree is joined by first-time guest Pastor Rhea Mills from Maysville, Kentucky. They discuss the concept of Jesus as the master story changer and how believers can rewrite their own life stories through faith and the word of God.

The discussion delves into the importance of renewing the mind with God’s Word to overcome distractions and the ‘way of the world’. Using Apostle Paul’s transformation and teachings as a focal point, Rhea emphasizes the power of speaking life and aligning one’s words with God’s truth to manifest a rewritten story. The conversation also explores the significance of self-identity in Christ and the impact of our words on our reality, with a closing prayer for guidance and revelation for the listeners.

Connect with Rhea and her husband Byron through their Byron Mills Ministries website.

The original version of this article can be found here: Rewrite Your Story – Make the Edits!