For those of us in the West, suffering, and persecution for our faith are minimal. It might be easy to forget that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are suffering greatly as a result of the gospel. May we “remember their chains.” May we not forget them and may we pray for God’s strength, comfort, and help in their time of need. Main Points: 1. There are thousands of suffering believers around the world who could say what Paul said, “Remember my chains.” Don’t forget about us. Remember us in prayer. Lift us up before the Lord. 2. We can pray that persecuted Christian ..read more

When we recognize how great God’s love is for us, the only response is to love him in return. No one has done for us what God has done. No one has given to us what God has given. Jesus laid down his life as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have forgiveness and eternal life. It is the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen. Main Points: 1. Loving God is our great motivation to serve. It is not a drudgery to serve God. It is not a burden or an obligation. It is not a problem to serve Him. If Jesus would go to the cross for us, we should willingly and lovingly serve Him ..read more

Sometimes we find ourselves impatient with God, especially about His return. We wonder, What can He be waiting on? The tragedies around us, the suffering of people we love, and even the stresses of daily life all seem bigger as time goes on. When will Jesus come back? Main Points: 1. As believers, we are to wait. We don’t like waiting, but as we wait we trust God’s timing. God alone knows when the right time is for the return of Jesus. So, we ask God for the patience to wait. 2. It’s important to see that this “waiting” God asks us to do is not passive. Our waiting on the return of Christ is ..read more

In a world of mistrust, God can be trusted. He can be counted upon. He keeps his promises, he fulfills his word, and he does what he says he will do. God is worthy of your trust, your faith, and your confidence. Main Points: 1. The Bible teaches us that God is faithful. This means God is always reliable, all of the time.  He does not fail or forget.  He always keeps his word.  His character is consistent and He never changes. 2. Think about the implications of this wonderful truth. If God never changes, his love never changes. His grace never changes. His forgiveness never cha ..read more

The children of God are peacemakers.  A peacemaker is someone who intentionally works to help people reconcile with God and others.  Anyone who does the hard work of peacemaking will be blessed by God. Main Points: 1. The word “peace” in Matthew 5:9 combines two Greek words.  Together they mean to bring about wholeness, to bring all the essential parts together in wholeness. 2. Peace-making requires God’s power.  Real and lasting peace is impossible to create without God’s help.  You can’t make what you don’t have.  The only way to have inner peace is to make pe ..read more

Anyone can rejoice when life is good, but to rejoice when life is hard is a deliberate act of faith. You are deciding that your trust and confidence in God are not circumstantial. Your faith is rooted in the character of God. Main Points: 1. The word "rejoice" means to feel or show great joy or delight. In fact, the word “rejoice” is found in the Bible 154 times. That is a lot of rejoicing. 2. The Bible says we are to rejoice in God’s goodness. We rejoice over God’s strength. We rejoice in his deliverance. We rejoice in his salvation. As for when we are to rejoice, Psalm 89 says we rejoice i ..read more

You and I are going to struggle with our humanity.  Surrender doesn’t seem like a good idea to any of us. It feels like we are giving up and losing control, but when we surrender to God we lose things we don’t need to gain the things we really do. Main Points: 1. Everything you need is on the other side of surrendering your life to God. 2. Everything you need God can provide. Yet, often the provision doesn’t come until we surrender to God.  3. God’s plan is not about depriving us of good things. He delights to give His children good gifts. He also desires, above all else, for us t ..read more

In the biblical sense inspiration is unique.  God was the primary author of the Bible; He was the One who inspired the writers to speak truths.  He was the initiator.  God was the source, the writers were the recipients. Main Points: 1. The Bible is the product of God himself.  The ideas are not human thoughts but come from God’s will.  We also need to understand though, that the writers of the Bible were not just writing machines.  God did not punch them like keys on a keyboard.  His Holy Spirit prompted their hearts and minds, but it is clear that each wri ..read more

Your story is one of your greatest ministry tools. I meet people who feel they have nothing to offer the Lord. In their minds, they feel incapable of serving in some ministry. Yet, every one of us has a story. It’s a God story. It’s a story of how we met Jesus, the circumstances of your salvation, and how Jesus has changed your life. Main Points: 1. When I think of the explosive growth of the New Testament church in the Book of Acts, we see two things at work. People were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and second, they shared their testimony with others.  Sadly, it seems as if ..read more

Let this truth fill your soul today. You are loved by God. No matter who you are, where you have been, or what you have done, God loves you. And his love is as high as the heavens. Main Points: 1. Have you ever questioned the love of God? Have you ever thought, “How could God love someone like me?” May you wonder if there was a limit to God’s love. 2. When we understand the depth of his love for us it creates security. We will believe His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. We are confident in his grace and mercy. We will trust that His Word is true and that He can be counted ..read more