The urgency of God’s work is easily lost on us. But to the early church, Jesus’ return seemed imminent. We get a sense of this urgency in Peter’s second letter, where he writes that every moment between now and when Jesus returns is a moment of grace; therefore, believers must work harder than ever to […]
When we avoid community, we may develop an inflated opinion of our own character. It’s easy to think we’re kind people when we’re not held accountable to others. It’s easy to think we’re always right when no one disagrees with us. Conversely, it’s in our relationships that our true selves are often revealed. When we’re […]
We often wonder whether God hears our prayers. Even when we acknowledge that God deals with each petition we send His way, we experience doubt because we don’t understand how He has handled our plea. Yet instead of asking “Is God hearing me?” we should be asking God to help us grow closer to Him […]
In our day-to-day life, we acknowledge God’s power and encourage others to believe in it. Yet sometimes it takes a trial for us to realize the extent and reality of our confession. The disciples misunderstand Jesus’ reference to death and resurrection (John 11:11–12), so he displays his power through a trial and a miracle—the death […]
If we were to make encouragement one of our main strategies, we’d see positive results in most situations. If we made providing for others one of our goals, the world would be a kinder place. King Josiah epitomizes both of these attributes in 2 Chr 35:1–19. Josiah’s actions mark not only a remarkable transition from […]
Like a car with bad alignment, we are prone to drift off course when we’re not focused on steering our faith. Often, we use intellectual pursuits to disguise our drifting. It’s easier to argue an opinion than to respond faithfully. It’s stimulating to have a theoretical conversation about a complex issue because there is no […]
What would you do if you won the lottery? This question always seems to generate the same responses: There’s the person who devises an investment strategy, the dreamer who envisions ending global poverty, the individual who would travel the world, and the person who would buy the house, boat, or car they’ve always wanted. These […]
Sometimes we go through dark periods in our lives where the misery feels never-ending. Trial hits, pain hits, and just when we think life might get “back to normal,” we are hit by yet another difficulty. At times like these, we may feel forgotten by God. In Psalm 88, we find one of the most […]
It’s easy to get self-absorbed when we’er criticized — or when we think others are criticizing us. Because of our real or imagined defects, we start to believe other people don’t take us seriously. It’s easy to get off course in an attempt to defend ourselves. As a young leader, Timothy may have dealt with […]
Humanity’s greatest problem is sin. It renders us spiritually dead, alienates us from God and each other, plagues us with guilt and fear, an can eventually damn us to eternal hell. The only solutions is forgiveness, and the only source of forgiveness is Jesus Christ. Paul teaches us that all sin is is punishable by […]