Every family has one…the one relative who’s just a bit off. Jesus had it too; the bug-eating, leather-wearing, lives-in-the-desert cousin. Before we simply dismiss John as the crazy cousin, John’s story is deeply connected to God’s plan for humanity. And to fully understand Jesus’ coming to earth, we must first
Continue readingAdvent is not only a time to prepare for Christmas, it is the message that God’s dealings in our lives are often most effective when they come at our darkest times. The prophet Isaiah drew a vision of a beautiful future for God’s people, but it was in their worst
Continue readingFor many of us, the end goal is being happy! Parents who say, “I just want my kids to be happy.” have bought into a cultural lie. Holiness is the end goal, not happiness. And God uses others in the body of Christ to encourage holiness. In fact, they are
Continue readingPeople are often shocked when bad things happen, like mass shootings, violent crime….but should we be? If we’re shocked by it, it’s because we bought into a fallacy that people are inherently good. The Scriptures teach the exact opposite – that people are inherently bad. What does that mean for
Continue readingThe culture continues to suggest that we make ourselves the center of our worlds. That everything is about suiting my own personal desires and wants. This is nothing short of rebellion and idolatry. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, He is both the Savior and the LORD.
Continue readingContentment is often a goal which is never realized. Is contentment possible? Yes, but it will require a shift in thinking from things to people. At the end of the day, our finances serve relationships. This is critical if we want to find contentment. Read Hebrews 13:5-8 & Matthew 6:25-34.
Continue readingIt is not possible to serve both God and money well. You will neglect one while serving the other. This is such challenge in today’s culture – since money seems to have all the power. Jesus instructs us to look at power and influence differently…and how it relates to our
Continue readingIf we are going to join Jesus in His one mission, in two places, as we invest in 3 relationships, it’s going to require that we give it our all. Our life of following Christ is going to require that we embrace giving. Jesus asks, “What good is it if
Continue readingThe writer to the Hebrews wants to encourage the church to not neglect the three relationship’s Jesus lived – encouraging them to hold unswervingly to faith, to meet together and to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (To a world in need of love). Read Hebrews 10:19-25
Continue readingJesus would see lost people and His insides would literally be moved – He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. We too are to have a heart that hurts for the lost and spurs us into action. Read Deuteronomy 10:12-19 & Mark 6:30-44.
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