In Genesis 3, we see that Adam and Eve’s sin leads to God’s curse on humanity and a broken relationship with God. This curse affects both men and women as it brings frustration to where God had meant for them to be most fruitful....
Creation began with work. Therefore, it only makes sense that God would call His creation to work in many different ways to bring glory to His name. When most of us think of “work” we think of a job that we go to and...
The disciples encountered first hand the resurrected Jesus. Our experience as Christians today is different than the experience the disciples had but just as powerful....
All of us, at one point, have found ourselves in the position of Philemon, the offended. We have been betrayed, left feeling vulnerable, abused, and taken advantage of. And yet, we have all also found ourselves in the shoes of the offender, Onesimus. ...
Influence is the culminating result of building character in the first part of life and subsequently gaining credibility. Barnabas,an example of this progression, spent his life influencing in the background. As a testament to the character growth he had experienced in Christ early in his...
For many of us, Martha has been given a bad rap. She is infamously known as the tattle-taling, busy-body of the two sisters. But, in the midst of grieving over the death of her brother Lazarus, Martha exemplifies the life of one who does not...
Peter was a man who experienced a life of continual failure; a life that many of us are all too familiar with. Facing his most crucial of many defeats, he turned not toward self-loathing or dismission. But, rather, he jumped in and waded through his...
As one of the twelve disciples, Judas was a chosen ambassador of hope. Yet, it was his own despair that led to his ultimate destruction. He had been given the authority to heal and cast out demons. He was trusted as the treasurer. He had...
Paul’s life embodied one simple statement, to suffer for Christ is gain. At the hands of a fallen world, and for the sake of Christ, Paul suffered unfathomable losses. Yet, he called this suffering a privilege, marrying the idea that if you are going to...
We are all Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was wealthy, well-known, and hated by society. Yet, he climbed a tree in hopes of catching a glimpse of Jesus. He saw the chasm that existed, one he had tried to fill with money;...
Jairus’ story tells not only of faith that counteracts fear, but of a Savior, who commands it. When Jairus, a respected leader of the synagogue, falls at the Rabbi’s feet in a desperate plea to save his feverous daughter, Jesus turns to address another concern...
Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee leader, sought Jesus in the darkness of the night. There the rules and knowledge that Nicodemus had built his life upon were shattered. From his story we learn that nothing is more blinding than knowledge and that Jesus is not an...
We are at war with the spiritual powers in the unseen world, and we have to tap into something much greater in order to avoid the destruction of sin. This spiritual battle is one we can’t defeat on our own. ...
We are called to work and obey with a whole heart towards those in authority over us. When we obey and serve those in charge of us, we are serving the Lord, and the quality of our obedience and enthusiasm with which we work reveal...
In Ephesians chapter six, verses one through four, Paul directly commands children to obey their parents. Not only are Paul’s instructions valuable for us in parent/child relationships, but they serve as a discipleship model for us as believers....
Paul’s teachings in Ephesians 5:21-33 are often presented as a recipe for a good marriage, however, several parts of this passage can be easily misunderstood and/or misapplied. When this happens, many couples can find themselves disappointed and disillusioned with each other. ...
Children inherently look to their fathers as an example of how to live life. Similarly, as Christians we must look to our heavenly Father and imitate the example He provides through Jesus....
As Christians, we are part of one body: the Church. We are all gifted in unique ways and have something to contribute. As we learn and grow together there is going to be conflict because of our sinful nature. ...
In Christ a new humanity is formed. Those who live in the new humanity do not live disoriented, futile lives but instead have hope in Christ. God has the power to bring us from darkness into the light; however,...
We all identify with something, and often it is something that is insignificant. We have been given the unique opportunity to build the body of Christ, to be a part of something truly meaningful. ...
The book of Ephesians can be divided into two parts, chapters one through three—the cause—followed by chapters four through six—the calling. The first part details all of the things that God has done for us and creates the basis of the Christian cause....
As limited and finite beings, we are helpless and in desperate need of God’s love. Like oxygen provides life to the blood, so also experiencing the love of God provides vitality to the soul....
The basis of Christianity centers on the Resurrection. The fact that Jesus was raised from the dead tells us about who God is and how powerful He is. If we have faith in Him and believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, it means...
Whether you are the athlete, professor, artist, or engineer, if you are identified with Christ, you are now united as a family—brother and sister—in one body, the Church....
Belonging is rooting for something, while at the same time, excluding something else. This plays out in society today with an “us and them” attitude that even carries into our Christian lives; we believe we have the ability to decide who and what is included...