Steven Miller

  Built Upon the Rock Matthew 7:24–29 (ESV) Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with one of His most familiar illustrations: two men, two houses, two foundations, and one storm. The picture is simple, but the warning is serious. After teaching about the character and conduct of those who belong to the kingdom of God, Jesus brings His listeners to a point of decision. It is not enough to hear what He has said. The decisive question is whether we will build our lives upon His words by putting them into practice. The Wise Man Hears and Obeys Jesus says that the person who hears His words and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The man's wisdom was not demonstrated merely by knowing that a strong foundation was important. His wisdom was revealed by what he actually did. He dug down, chose the right foundation, and built upon something that could withstand what was coming. That principle is just as true spiritually. Biblical wisdom is more than knowing Scriptu...

  When You Feel Like You Hate the Ones God Said to Love There are some commands in Scripture that sound much easier when we are reading them than when we are living them. “Love your neighbor.” “Love one another.” “Love your enemies.” “Pray for those who persecute you.” We know the verses. We believe them. We may have preached them, taught them, quoted them, and encouraged other people to live by them. Then someone hurts us deeply enough, betrays us badly enough, mistreats us long enough, or wounds someone we love, and suddenly those commands are no longer theological ideas. They have become personal. There are moments when a Christian may not simply feel irritated with someone. You may not merely dislike what they have done. Somewhere inside, you may discover something much uglier: you think you hate this person. That realization can be disturbing, particularly when you know that Jesus has told you to love them. When Your Feelings and Your Faith Collide One of the mistakes Christia...

  How to Know You Are Under Spiritual Attack—and What to Do About It There are times in the Christian life when difficulties seem to come from every direction. Your thoughts become unusually troubled, discouragement settles in without an obvious reason, temptations you thought you had overcome return with unusual force, relationships become strained, prayer becomes difficult, and your desire to spend time with God begins to fade. When these things happen, it is natural to wonder whether you are under spiritual attack. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 The Bible makes it clear that spiritual warfare is real. Satan is not merely a symbol of evil; he is an adversary who actively seeks to oppose God’s people. At the same time, Christians need discernment. Not every problem is caused by the devil. Sometimes we experience the natural consequences of our own decisions, sometimes we are simply ...

  The Message to Laodicea The Danger of a Lukewarm Faith Revelation 3:14–22 The final letter to the seven churches of Revelation is addressed to the church in Laodicea, and it contains some of the strongest words Christ speaks to any of them. The Laodiceans were not accused of persecution, poverty, or open heresy. Their problem was subtler and, in many ways, more dangerous. They had become comfortable, self-satisfied, and spiritually lukewarm. They believed they were doing well, yet Christ saw their true condition very differently. Their story remains deeply relevant because spiritual lukewarmness rarely announces itself. A person may still attend church, still speak Christian language, still participate in ministry, and still consider himself spiritually healthy while his relationship with Christ has gradually grown distant. The message to Laodicea forces us to ask an uncomfortable but necessary question: Do we see our spiritual condition as Christ sees it? The One Who Knows Us as...