Jesus is distinct from any other political leader. He is God in the flesh. He is a coming King. He will bring earthly powers into account. He will win the final victory. It’s not unusual these days to hear people ask, “Is this the end times.” Maybe. God tells us what...
More than almost anything else, Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God and that it was now available to everyone. He explained that those who trust Him become citizens of that Kingdom. Jesus also compared the Kingdom to a great treasure that someone would sell all they...
The kingdoms and empires of this world are small compared to God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom is active now. It sometimes operates in obscurity and ordinariness. It is unseen but real nonetheless. And God invites us to participate in this kingdom—to make seeking His...
Salvation is often viewed as a singular “event” or moment in our lives. By God’s grace, we receive salvation by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus to save us. There is a sense in which this is absolutely true, from the moment of belief we are saved...
"... I saw the Lord high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one with six wings: with two they covered their face, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And they cried to one another and said:...
When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...
Living without purpose is not really living at all. When you find new life in Christ, you can then find a new purpose—an investment of your life that makes sense and brings glory to God. If someone asked, “What is your purpose in life?” how would you respond? Those of...
We all had a beginning. You entered the world in a moment of time. And just like a physical birth, so too, you need a spiritual birth. You may be a child who is only a few years old or an adult well into your later years. But you need to experience new life through a...
God hasrevealedHimself. All throughout history and throughout the Bible, God has revealed Himself to people and helped them understand what He’s like. That was especially true when He sent Jesus. While Jesus was here, He SHOWED people what God is like. He showed us...
We can trust God. This week we hear how Stephen was DETERMINED. But we will see that he trusted God. He decided to stand strong in what he believed. We don’t always know how things will turn out. Sometimes we feel stuck because we feel like life just isn’t going our...
Last words are important words. Books have been written and lists compiled about the last things that famous and influential people have said. This week in our study of 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul will write his last and most important words to Timothy, his protégé....
Strength is found in the grace of God. The things we learn from God are worth passing along to others—those who are showing themselves faithful already. Living for God and investing in others is always related to faithful endurance. Life is difficult and so is life...
Peace. We sing songs about it. We march for it. Demonstrate for it. Hold conferences about it and create think tanks to create it. We long for it. But it remains elusive. We live in a world broken by war, poverty, hatred, and illness, making peace seem impossible. Yet...
If our life with God is described as a race, it’s natural to assume we’ll one day cross the finish line. Life begins when you believe in Jesus as your Savior. Although heaven is then guaranteed, it really does matter how you live. Living for God means you’re pleasing...
Too often, reality for us is represented by what we experience with our five senses. But God works through an invisible kingdom often in invisible ways. He works differently than we might expect. In God’s kingdom, the way up is the way down. When we “Fall Up” we might...
God reminds us in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that it all begins with Him. Yet people seem prone to mistrust God. God is always on a mission to find people who will trust Him—people He can bless to be a blessing to others. God found such a man in Abraham....
If you are a believer in Christ, then you have most likely faced a scenario where you wanted to follow Christ, but instead you did not. In short, you had a moment of unbelief. Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of what you believe? Everyone has a...
Some people imagine God as someone He is not—a stodgy and vindictive overseer who wants nothing to do with them. If God is like that you might want to hide or withdraw or pretend He is not even there. You might even feel passed over by God, insignificant or ashamed....