John’s vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, descending like a bride, is the word of God that changes the ways of our lives in the world. The voice of the apostle John invites us to reconsider our priorities, our understanding of the church, and change from a life of self-service to
Continue readingToday we trace the Church Year season by season. This allows us to pause and rejoice in every phase of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus. Notice how God powers the ongoing mission of the church in every season until Jesus returns in glory and ushers in our new life
Continue readingPaul of Tarsus wraps up his life story of gratitude, radical trust and contentment with a bold expression of praise that describes the purpose and focus of his life story—to glorify God. This is the adventure of faith and life that God has for us as well—to be conformed to
Continue readingAt the heart of the message for today is one key question: “To imitate St. Paul’s radical trust and contentment—will you need the support & companionship of others? Paul did. He rejoiced in those partnerships. Who is teamed up with you? (What about making a list?) To live out a
Continue readingPaul of Tarsus is not a trickster or hustler pushing some fake remedy for the troubles of life. He grew up with the finest education and pedigree for his times and then called it all rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. Following Jesus was costly for Paul — he experienced being
Continue readingWhere does this “peace that passes all human understanding” (Philippians 4:7) come from? It comes from God’s vital relationship with you through faith in Christ Jesus. Paul of Tarsus invites us to dwell on God and all that is good so that He can form in us a growing trust
Continue readingWelcome to week 2 of the 50 Days of Gratitude. The challenge…the dare…was leveled last week: “try recording 3 things you’re thankful for each day.” It’s an attractive challenge because we heard what positive life changes could result from regularly thinking about what we might give thanks for. However, this
Continue readingPaul of Tarsus writes “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Do you know where he was living when he wrote this? In a Roman prison. In the same ancient text he adds that he has learned the secret of being content. Ann Voskamp started a
Continue readingThe Lord’s Prayer is far more than a worthy topic for teaching children and new Christians. This model provides a wellspring for prayer that will never run dry. Do you know how to use this model to quench your desire for what God can give? Read Ephesians 6:10-18 and Matthew
Continue readingBecause, as a church, we understand how incredibly we have been blessed in Christ, we are determined to share the Healing Christ with an increasingly broken people. We understand our life backwards so we can live it forward. Read Ephesians 3:14-21 and Matthew 21:18-22.
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