From the Blog
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Surrendering Our Control
Jesus says that gentleness is the path to greatness and that meekness is the path to blessing. Yet meekness is probably one of the least admired qualities in America. We admire strength, not humility. We admire those who take charge, not those who surrender control to God. This might partly be because we don’t understand what meekness is.
In David’s Psalm 37, he instructed the people of God that living meekly, surrendering control to God, leads to a life of blessing. We can surrender our control to God to experience His blessing. -
Growing Up Together
Do you feel like you are stuck in your own personal growth? Stuck in a dead end job, battling the same arguments with your spouse for the last decade with no sign of progress? When is the last time you read something new, learned something, developed a skill, or more importantly heard from God? There is an old saying, “healthy things grow,” which implies that dead or dying things don’t grow. As we will see today, Christ has called us and equipped us to grow up together.
In Ephesians chapter 4, the apostle Paul instructed the church of Ephesus that Christ Jesus had equipped them to grow up together in every way into His fullness. We can grow up together in every way into the fullness of Christ. -
Life Together
How are you doing in the area of connection? Are you lonely? We are more digitally connected today than ever, but lack true togetherness. When faced with this rampant problem, the Holy Spirit has a solution: coming together! We are social beings, created by God to live life together.
In the book of Acts, the apostle Luke described how God blessed first-century believers as they devoted themselves to life together. We can experience God’s blessing by doing life together. -
The Reliable Gospel
Perhaps you have doubts about the Gospel. Is it credible? Is it reliable? Maybe you have a friend or family member that looks at this Jesus as just another myth in the world of myths like Zeus, Thor, leprechauns, and the easter bunny. Perhaps you are struggling with doubts about your own faith or your own salvation.
Today, we will see that the Gospel is not only reliable historically but also reliable for your salvation. In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he reminded them of the reliability of the Gospel so that their faith would be firm. We can have a faith that stands firm as we hold fast to the reliable Gospel. -
Renovating Our Souls
Are you mindful of your soul? How are you doing in the deepest places of your life? Are you wasting away from within? Is your soul withering due to lack of care? How much attention do you give to your own soul?
We often think if only we could change our circumstances, then we would be happier, more at peace. But the truth is, there is a place deep within us that only the Lord can touch, that only He can heal and restore. In the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus invited his hearers to come to him for rest and renovation of their souls. We can answer Christ’s call to come to him for rest and renovation of our souls. -
A New Thing
Our God is constantly doing a new thing. I don’t know what kind of year you had last year. Perhaps it was a great year, you experienced financial freedom or growth in a relationship or a new and exciting career path. Perhaps it was an extremely difficult year, you lost a loved one, lost a job, your health has deteriorated, your bank account has gone dry. Or perhaps just another year, another number gone by, just another dull date in your past. Regardless, the encouragement to you remains the same … Our God is doing a new thing!
In the book of Isaiah, God spoke to His people and encouraged them that He was doing a new thing. This new thing would be a way through the wilderness and provision in their greatest need. We too can be encouraged by God who brings newness of life. -
Faith Life
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul taught that God brought them from spiritual death to spiritual life, to be set free from the influences that used to enslave them and to live the kind of life he has designed us for. We can live the kind of life he made us for when we…
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On Parenting
Parents today are worried. They’re worried about their child’s health: obesity, drug abuse, bullying, internet safety, teen pregnancy, gender dysphoria, depression, teen suicide… They’re worried about their education: public, private or home school? College? So, a lot of parenting today is worry-driven, or fear driven. Parents today feel overwhelmed and underprepared. Either because they came from a dysfunctional family themselves or because they have no foundational biblical understanding, they feel lost in their role. So, many are just winging it.
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he told them how to parent their children in the Lord. We can follow God’s Word for parenting our children in the Lord. -
It Is Well
"It Is Well with My Soul" is a hymn written by hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss. Spafford was a lawyer and a senior partner in a large law firm. The Spaffords were supporters and friends of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. First published in 1876, it is possibly the most influential and enduring in the Bliss repertoire and is often taken as a choral model, appearing in hymnals of a wide variety of Christian fellowships.
When you look at your life, is there a need for wellness? Do you struggle with physical or mental health issues? Perhaps you are like Horatio Spafford, struggling with the loss of a loved one and desire peaceful mental wellness. Perhaps you are struggling through physical or financial infirmities. Maybe you can’t even put it into words, but feel as the hymnist did, that “sorrows like sea billows roll”. When David looked at the troubles in his life, he saw that he was beset by enemies, but more importantly, he saw that he was troubled by his own sinfulness. David realized that the one solution to his pain was to abide in the Lord. Verse 13 says that the believer’s soul shall abide in well-being. He said, as the hymnist did, “It is Well with My Soul.” In Psalms chapter 25, David wrote how abiding in the Lord brings well-being for the soul. -
A Simple Faith
There are a lot of things in this life that are very confusing or very difficult to figure out. Life is filled with these types of things. Things like “What will I do in life … Is what I am doing now the thing I should be doing for years to come … Who should I marry … Is this person I am with now the right person … Where should I live? Even deciding on what to eat for dinner can be difficult sometimes.
But, faith really isn’t one of those kinds of decisions. Although many have tried to overcomplicate God and faith since the beginning of time, faith really is quite simple. In fact, in today’s Scripture we will see that faith simply hinges on one thing … Jesus.