The Word Unleashed

The book of Acts not only describes the birth of the church but also it lays out a series of priorities that every Christian should faithfully pursue. There are many good things that Christians can and should be involved in but it is imperative that those good things don’t override the clear priorities we find in Acts chapter 2. But what makes these priorities so vital to the Christian life?

The Essentials are the core biblical priorities laid out in the New Testament that define every Christian's life. There are six of them: Worship, Bible Study, Prayer, Fellowship, Service, and Evangelism. These biblical actions encourage and strengthen our devotion to our Savior Jesus Christ, deepen our love for God and for other people, and cause us to grow in personal holiness.

Through David's confrontation with Goliath, we see that what made this shepherd boy willing to risk everything wasn't courage, strength, or skill, but a consuming passion for God's glory—he couldn't bear to see the living God insulted and dishonored.

First Samuel 17 doesn’t primarily focus on David’s courage—although he was courageous. It doesn’t primarily focus on David’s strength or skill. Instead, this scene puts the glory of God on display. It is crucial that we as believers understand this: there is no one more passionate about God’s glory than God Himself.

In Matthew 4, we have considered the three temptations of Jesus by Satan Himself, informing us as Christians on how Jesus responded—and how we must also respond to temptation. On today’s program, Tom concludes his exposition of Matthew 4 by giving us three crucial reminders to recall when tempted, followed by three powerful implications of Christ’s victory over temptation.