I have been reading 1 Samuel lately and meditating on the story of David. His life was certainly one filled with “ups and downs.” And, frankly, many of them were brought on by his own sin and mistakes.

For years the Israelites had observed fasts for special days in their history that God had not commanded them to observe. Though commendable, they were to be willing to adjust their disciplines to make sure they were doing what God had commanded with the right heart attitude.

One of the side effects of growth is discomfort. I’m challenging our church this year to be “Rooted in Christ” to experience growth in Him. But I’m also challenging myself. I want 2012 to be a year of growth in every area of my life.

Have you ever read letters written back and forth between great Christian leaders who disagree? In those letters you’ll find well-articulated arguments, interesting theological positions and fascinating insights. You will also almost invariably find something else—you will find the flesh.

The scene is a sad one. Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, comes near the city of Jerusalem, and weeps over it. Jerusalem, the holy city, was built on Abraham’s Mount Moriah and David’s Mount Zion.

There is a book that has divided families, devastated philosophies, and destroyed the following of some of the world’s best-known religions. It proclaims itself to be superior to science, more honest than historians, and the only firm foundation on which to build our lives. People have been derided for believing it, attacked for possessing it, jailed for disseminating it, and martyred for refusing to deny it. Liberals loathe it, courts outlaw it, politicians run from it, the media scorns and fears it simultaneously.

Esau “despised” his birthright! The word means to disdain or hold in contempt. He held in contempt what his fathers held dear. He saw his birthright as just a worthless piece of parchment that could be used for bartering. He was willing to trade it away for mere morsels to feed his own desires.

Is there a preacher anywhere who has not struggled to keep his heart warm and right with God? Don’t all of us have to deal with discouragement, irritation, disappointment, and just plain cold-heartedness from time to time? Here are some suggestions that have helped me warm my own heart.

Many Christians know little about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and particularly about His ministry in their own lives. The Spirit of God is an important theme in Scripture, all the way from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, but the ignorance of even Bible-readers concerning Him is stunning.