Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell

27 - Marching Orders

Some people are not looking for God. Others are people who are ready to hear, and the Lord knows their name and is determined to reach them so they may be saved. In Luke 9:1-6, Jesus is sending out the 12 apostles which He has selected for a trial run. Their assignment is to preach the kingdom of God, pray for the sick, cast out demons. They are to do what they have seen Him doing. Jesus is training His 12 because He wants to reach everyone who is looking for Him. We have marching orders today just like they had: to reach those who are seeking, to fulfill the calling God has on each of our lives.  

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

 

 

26 - The Source of Love

Where does love come from? We all know we need more of it, but wanting to love and actually being able to love are two different things. In this account of Jesus in the home of Simon the Pharisee, the Lord reveals a powerful truth about the source of real love. He says that a person's love for God begins as a response to His mercy. And though this passage does not go on to explain how our love for God affects our love for other people, the Bible certainly teaches that truth elsewhere (see: 1 Jn. 4:7-21). When my relationship with God becomes healthy, my relationship with people also begins to heal.

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

 

 

25 - Stilling the Storm

We are joining Jesus and the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a storm comes up. The disciples are full of fear and full of accusation. We have a tendency to do the same thing when things get difficult. But following the Lord doesn't mean we won't encounter hardship. Listen to find out what we can learn from Jesus stilling the storm in Luke chapter 8.

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

24 The Parable of the Sower

A parable is a story from practical life that has a spiritual application. So when we understand the story, we see a principle about the spiritual realm. That is true here as Jesus teaches the parable of the sower from Luke chapter 8. 

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

23 - Dealing with Doubt

Over the years I have talked with a steady stream of people who sheepishly admit that they are wrestling with doubts about God. Even as they are telling me this, they frequently drop their voice to the level of a whisper, afraid that others might hear their confession. Do good Christians ever have doubts about their faith? Is it wrong for people to ask hard questions or even be skeptical of some of the claims people make about spiritual experiences?

One truth we discover from this event in the life of John the Baptist is that even the strongest of believers can be shaken in their faith, and that God is neither surprised nor angry with us when these shadowy seasons come. In fact, He wants us to bring our doubts to Him because He alone can give the insight and comfort we need. So the issue is not so much whether or not we will have doubts assail our faith in God, but how we handle those doubts when they come. John the Baptist was a great prophet and highly regarded by God, yet he grew disappointed in God and Jesus. Let's let him show us how to handle doubt.

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

 

22 - The Centurion's Faith

In Luke 7:1-10 the centurion exhibited faith that released the healing power of God to another person. That it is possible to believe God for another's healing is a very important truth. Many of us have friends and family who are ill or suffering in other ways, and we would love to be able to assist them in receiving God's miracle power. Let's gather some insights concerning the centurion's faith. 

To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

 

 

21 Preparing a Disciplemaker

A disciple is someone who believes in the Lord and intends to serve Him. That doesn't mean you don't have another job. But we are talking about the orientation of the heart. For every disciple, the call on our lives is to preach the gospel and make other disciples. A disciple is constantly in the process of bringing people to Christ and teaching people to obey all that Jesus has commanded (Mt 28:18-20). In disciple making, our heart is what is finally reproduced in others, so we need to be sure our own heart is in order before trying to influence other people.

To purchase Pastor Steve's new book Understanding Acts: Life-Changing Lessons from the Early Church, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

20 Loving Your Enemies

What kinds of responses are we to have when we meet hostility? Jesus has just appointed 12 apostles from among his disciples. He is planning on his own disciples making other disciples. In Luke 6:27-38 Jesus talks about a disciples' attitude toward hostile unbelievers. Jesus says, "When you make disciples, you are going to hit persecution. And these are the attitudes I want you to have when you do."

To purchase Pastor Steve's new book Understanding Acts: Life-Changing Lessons from the Early Church, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

19 A Disciple's Money

Disciples will test each of these areas: money, appetites & physical comfort, emotional peace and popularity. Each of these will tend to hold us back from obedient service. Jesus is not talking about personal disciplines or scolding those who enjoy humor or condemning anyone with a good income to hell (the poor aren't going to heaven because they're poor anymore than the rich are going to hell because they're rich). Jesus is warning us of forces that stifle fruitfulness in a disciple.

Today we're going to focus on the first area Jesus points to, and that is our money. All of the Lord's disciples are not poor, but all must have certain attitudes toward money.

 

To purchase Pastor Steve's new book Understanding Acts: Life-Changing Lessons from the Early Church, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!

 

18 Ordaining Disciples

Jesus didn't trick people into becoming disciples, neglecting to mention the hardships until people were too far in to back out. He didn't try to sell them by focusing only on the benefits. He didn't suggest people try discipleship for a little while and then if they didn't like it, they could always quit. No, He came right out and explained, in detail, the persecutions they would face and the personal transformation that would be required. He wanted people to make an informed choice and to count the cost so that those who said "yes" to His invitation to ministry would persevere.

You would think that this blunt approach would prevent anyone from serving Christ, and there certainly are a majority of people who refuse His call, but Jesus is convinced there is no other way to produce people whose faith will last.

After selecting twelve men who are to be sent out as church planting missionaries, Jesus gives them, along with all the rest of His disciples, this sobering charge. Those of us who wish to be His disciples today would do well to listen to what He says. 

 

To purchase Pastor Steve's new book Understanding Acts: Life-Changing Lessons from the Early Church, visit Amazon. 

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have free recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. 

And check us out on Instagram as well!