Doubt is the presence of uncertainty. This uncertainty can present itself at anytime, for both believers and skeptics alike. The aim for both is to consider their own positions of doubt and consider these beliefs in view of a risen Jesus. Whether a believer or a...
Receiving forgiveness and experiencing restoration can become pivotal moments that shape our character. Peter received a course correction for life as Jesus gently but powerfully restored their relationship and Peter’s role. Together, we can grow deeper into Jesus’...
Failing is a common but disappointing life experience that always seems to catch us by surprise. When our failures are placed into the hand of Jesus, he can use even our shortcomings to fuel our growth. Let’s discover the part failure played in Peter’s life and how we...
As God has forgiven us, we are to forgive each other. In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus is teaching His disciples, and us by extension, that forgiveness should be in like proportion to the amount forgiven. The first servant had been forgiven all, and he...
Jesus accomplishes his mission through his Church, but our part in a local church can be challenging as well as rewarding. In Matthew 16, we discover part of the foundation for God’s work through his Church and our part in it. How might God be calling you to be part...
Fear can creep into our lives at any time, especially when our happiness, comfort, or success is threatened. As we’ll see from Peter’s example, following Jesus doesn’t automatically eliminate our fears. However, we can also see how our fears fade into the background...
Getting started is often the hardest part of any effort. Fortunately for Peter, when he started to follow Jesus, he found help from his brother. Influencing others to find and follow Jesus is the heart of our mission. Let's explore the value of introducing other...
At Easter, God’s new creation work bursts out onto an unsuspecting world with new life and new possibilities for hope. We join that never-ending celebration of God’s faithfulness, compassion, and power by responding and living with confident hope. How does life change...
Isn’t it ironic. Through what appears to be a dramatic failure, Jesus achieved victory over every power raised against him. Through experiencing death, Jesus provides life for all who trust in him. As we explore Jesus’ crucifixion from Mark 15, let’s remember the...
What does faithfulness look like in the face of our temptations and weakness? Along with Jesus’ disciples, we can learn and grow in faithfulness as we follow Jesus to the last supper and into prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Read Mark 14:32-42, and if you can make...
As Jesus prepared for the cross, an unnamed woman responded to Jesus with faith in a unique way. She understood truth about Jesus that eluded other disciples and gave Jesus an extravagant gift. Let’s remember how her example teaches us to follow the Lord with faith...
Throughout His time on earth, Jesus' disciples asked Him many of the same questions that we find ourselves wrestling with today. Instead of giving a direct and clear response to their questions, Jesus focused more on the heart and attitude of His followers. We have...
Death and taxes are two of life’s certainties, and Jesus responded to questions about those topics to redirect our attention to timeless truth. Remembering the source and owner of all the parts of our life, as well as life itself, radically changes our perspectives....
While Jesus entered conflict with religious leaders over his authority, he also revealed significant truth about his mission, God’s good gifts, and our responsibilities. What can Jesus’ teaching, storytelling, and confrontation with religious authorities teach us...
Jesus approaches Jerusalem with a loud celebration, but when he enters the Temple courts no one seems to notice. His strong actions both privately and publicly demand attention and response. Jesus’ triumphal parade into Jerusalem, a withered fig tree, and Jesus’...
Even in the darker passages of our life, God is always present, he is always good, his love is always faithful. Ruth's story ends on a different note than the beginning of her story and foreshadows great things to come. As Ruth's story concludes, how could you reflect...
Life happens. Naomi anticipated a better life for her family in Moab but returned home with what she labeled as a bitter life following the deaths of her husband and two sons. Ruth married into a loving family but later finds herself trying to make ends meet as a...
Because of Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness to God throughout the Old Testament, we might expect to find a revenge story revealing God’s anger and punishment. Instead, in the book of Ruth, we find a story of God’s unfailing love. As we’ll discover, understanding why...
Loving God completely influences us to love other people. Loving other people sounds like a good idea but can become difficult and complicated. What does it look like when we love other people extravagantly? Read Matthew 22:37-40. How would loving God completely...
When we love each other, life certainly changes for the better. But, loving people and receiving love from others can be complicated and risky. This essential quality is what Jesus identified as a distinguishing marker of our identity in him. What would LifePoint...
Jesus calls us to be a unique people in his church. When our character is shaped by God’s love for us, our lives will become shaped by our love for God and for others. We take our first step to discovering how “We” is greater than “Me” by loving God. What does it look...