Few things are as fixed as mountains. But, on the day after Jesus cursed the fig tree, He declared that they can be moved.

"Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him." (Mark 11:23)

Did Jesus mean this?

One way believers demonstrate their faithfulness to God is by remaining consistent in personal spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study. These practices not only edify the believer, they also say to God, "I enjoy You and I want to spend time with You."

I am a firm believer in the principle that self-discipline and sacrifice are necessary components of the faithful Christian life. I have frequently said that if one is unwilling to "create" time for personal Bible study and prayer, time will not volunteer itself. I also realize, however, that certain people's lives are so filled with unavoidable activity that personal time for Bible study and prayer can be extremely difficult to find.

I like resources that help me understand the Bible. My collection of commentaries grows yearly. The amount of books I own addressing various areas of theology numbers in the hundreds. There are a couple of websites that I visit regularly where numerous Bible study tools are offered. I also own four "Study Bibles," which include not only the biblical text, but introductions and outlines for each book of the Bible, notes that explain verses, maps, articles about major concepts, and a large concordance at the back. I have been strengthened by all of these resources, and I'm confident others could testify likewise.

However, every good gift from God can be abused.

An insert for children

Do you see lots of wild animals where you live? Even though I live in a big city, just across the street from my house there is a wooded area where many animals live. Early in the morning I might see a doe and fawn in my front yard. During the day, I've seen squirrels and bunnies, all kinds of birds, turtles and toads and a big furry groundhog. Once, I saw a momma fox and her little cubs walking up the sidewalk, all lined up in a row with their bushy tails curled over their backs. A raccoon visits my yard late at night. He has learned to take the lid off the garbage can to look for food.

Usually when I see these animals I think about how beautiful and clever they are and how wonderful God is for creating them. But when I see one kind of animal, I don't think at all. I scream "Ahhhhhhh!" and run into the house, slamming the door behind me. Can you guess what that animal might be?

Suggested for Reformation Day (Oct. 31st)

• What was "Reformed" in the Reformation?
  
• October 31, 1517
  
• The 95 Theses of Martin Luther
  
• The Morning Star of Wittenberg: Katharina von Bora Luther

These inserts are available to download in tract format
for Reformation day celebrations or for evangelistic
use with Halloween trick-or-treaters. Click the links below to download in .pdf format:

Also consider...........

• Real-life Child Converts
• The Importance of Fearing the God You Love
• Dying with Debt
• When Was Your Yom Kippur?
  
• What Not to Pretend About
• Ezekiel and the Dry Bones
  
• The Very Scary Hand
  
• The Value of Hanging Out
  
• God Knows What He's About
  
• What Do You Do With Immorality?
  
• A Helper Suitable for Francis Schaeffer
  
• Do Hurricanes Just Happen?
  
• Running With Lemmings
  
• Preparing for the Funeral
  
• ENJOYING THE AUTUMN DAYS OF LIFE
  
• Understanding Creation
  Third insert in the Basic Truth series
  
• Putting the Testers to the Test
  
• The Way to God