Ephesians- Unity in Christ
Ephesians 1:10, 2:13, 3:6 The letter is written by Paul while in prison and is addressed to the church in the city of Ephesus. The first 3 chapters explores the story of the Gospel and how Jesus created a multi-ethnic community of followers united through Him. The second half explores how the gospel story effects the way we live every part of our lives. The hope for today…
Captivated by Christ
Col 1:15–20, Eph 2:14–16, Php 2:6–11 No one places a lamp in a sunlit meadow. Lamps are made to be captives in dark rooms so that those who dwell therein might become captivated by the light and long for the Sun on their face.
The One vs the Many
Psalm 27 Anxiety is an inescapable reality in our lives. It keeps us from where we should be and takes us where we shouldn’t be. We are anxious about many things, and there are many things we can do to battle anxiety’s symptoms; however, until we address the question at the heart of our anxiety, we will be unable to accept the answer to it.
Redeeming Fear
The Bible says fear not 365 times. Proverbs 9:10 says “The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom.” It seems that we are being told two different things. How do we redeem fear in order to understand it the way the Bible commands us to and dispel the misconception that we are to be fearless at all times? We must remember that fear is a God given emotion and it can be…
From Shame to Joy
Psalm 51 (Context: 2 Samuel 11-12) If your shame is misplaced and pushing you away from God, it’s not God-given. Healthy shame should draw you toward repentance. The Psalms teach us how to think and feel from a biblical perspective. Psalm 51 teaches us that Christian, God-given shame produces Christian, God-given joy.
Good Grief
Psalm 42 The experiences that shape us throughout our life story will heavily influence the perspective we take into seasons of suffering. If we hope to suffer well, it is necessary to purify and guard our hearts as life goes on.
Anger: Casualties of War
James 4:1-12 We are emotional beings created in the image of an emotional God. There are no bad emotions, but because of the fall there are emotions gone bad.
How to Deal With How You Feel
Psalm 55 God has created us as emotional people and we have times to weep and laugh, to mourn and dance, to hate and love (Eccl. 3:1–8). Sometimes emotions can be confusing in our walk. But as Brian Borgman points out, “They are always a significant piece of our lives because they are an inbuilt part of what it means to be a human being. They express the values and…
Life in God’s Presence
Exodus 40 The book of Exodus begins in slavery and ends in worship. The point of Exodus is that everyone lives for something. Anything you look to for your ultimate hope in life other than God will control your life and eventually break your heart. Not until God is the most important and central thing in your life and you are ravished by the beauty, glory, and presence of…
Relationship With God
Exodus 37-39 Redemption by God-> Relationship with God. Religion says, if I obey, God will love and accept me. But the Gospel says, if I know in my heart that God loves me and accepts me freely by grace, then I will begin to obey, out of inner joy and gratitude. In Exodus 25-27 you have the detailed instruction on building out of the tabernacle and in Exodus 37-39 you…