Posts by Steve Harling
What’s that in Your Hand?
And the LORD God said: “What’s that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2) God has entrusted each of us with valuable things that he intends for us to use for the good of his kingdom and the fulfillment of his purpose. What kinds of things? God has put these things in your hands so that you…
Read MoreFrom Saul to Paul
“Saul, also known as Paul…” (Acts 13:9) This verse marks the point in which the apostles name change becomes permanent. Formerly, he was ‘Saul.’ But for the rest of his life (and ever since), he would be known as… ‘Paul.’ ‘Saul’ means ‘sought after.’ ‘Paul’ means ‘little.’ The change of name matters. It’s descriptive of…
Read MoreCompletely Filled
“We are completely filled with GOD as Christ’s fullness overflows within us.” Colossians 2:10 I am in Christ and Christ is in me. We are tethered together. Bonded. Fused. Inseparably intertwined. I am a novice when it comes to appreciating the magnitude of this truth. This I get: Because I am in Christ and Christ…
Read MoreLoved. Loosed. Appointed.
“Now to the one who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins by his own blood, and to the one who has appointed us as a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and domination throughout the eternity of eternities! Amen!” – Revelation 1:6TPT In Christ… I…
Read MoreOvercoming Evil with GOOD
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV) Good is all about adding VALUE. Evil is all about de-VALUING. There’s a ton of evil out there. The world is full of people who excel at demeaning, dehumanizing, and destroying. It’s tempting to lower ourselves to that same level. Our…
Read More10 Things to Know about Pastors
Being a pastor is a high calling and an awesome privilege. It’s a tremendous blessing to spend hours studying and preaching the Word. It’s fulfilling to share in life’s most cherished moments with the families and individuals entrusted to our care. It’s rewarding to see broken lives and relationships restored, and it’s fun building teams…
Read MoreThe Top 10 Rules for a Fair Church Fight
Seems like church hurt is at an all-time high. As representatives of Jesus, we’ve got to get a better grip on what we say and how we say it. Our words to one another should “always be full of grace and seasoned with salt.” – Colossians 4:6 So here are The Top 10 Rules for…
Read MoreYou Need a Guide
The black-clad Bedouin, standing in front of her trailside tea shop, was annoyingly insistent: “You need a guide! You need a guide! You need a guide!” She must have repeated herself at least a dozen times. The three of us kept on replying, “La shukran! (no thank-you) We don’t need a guide!” The trail up…
Read MoreMessaging the Kingdom
Jesus’ first sermon (Mark 1:15) had three points: The time is fulfilled The Kingdom is near Repent and believe Jesus was obsessed with the Kingdom. He talked about it more than anything else. He told his followers, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for that is why I was…
Read MoreNot a Likable Guy
He was not a very likable guy. He’d been lame for 38 years, but when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, the lame man didn’t say “Yes, please!” or even “Can you help me?” Instead, he griped about not having any friends to put him in the pool when the angel stirred…
Read More