"Don't judge me!" is not just a common saying, it is a philosophy of life for those controlled by the sinful nature. "Let me do whatever makes me feel good as long as it doesn't hurt other people, and don't criticize me for it." Even unbelievers pull out Matthew 7:1 to show Christians how lacking their Bible knowledge is and say, "See, Jesus tells you not to judge!" But is that what Jesus is saying? There is no question that Jesus calls us to judge, but the question is how should we judge? That's where Christians sometimes fall into temptation, by looking down on others whose lives are not as ..read more

Philippians 4:13 might easily be called the Christian version of, "Just do it." There's nothing you can't do if you set your mind to it...and trust in Jesus. Jesus will make it possible to achieve what you thought was impossible: beat cancer, found a Fortune 500 corporation, or win an Olympic medal. With Jesus at your side, there are no limits. But life is not one victory after another, even for the founder of a billion dollar corporation. What happens when we don't achieve what we want? We don't need Jesus as a mantra or a life coach but as a Savior sufficient to deliver us from sin, death an ..read more

In this episode, we dive into the story of Elisha’s servant, who felt hopeless when surrounded by an enemy army. Just as the servant’s eyes were opened to see God’s powerful protection, we found solace in God’s Word, transforming our fear and pain into strength and hope. Join us as we explore how, in our darkest moments, Jesus is our ever-present help, turning our tunnel vision into a Savior-vision. Through this powerful narrative, we’ll discover the transformative power of trusting in Jesus, who never leaves us alone in our battles. Tune in to be inspired and reminded that no matter how overw ..read more

Dying seems so normal because it happens to everyone and so it is tempting to think that it is just a part of the life that God designed for us...but it isn't. Death is not our friend, nor is it something we should just "get used to" simply because it seems inevitable. Death is the consequence of sin and our enemy...an enemy that has been defeated by Christ, who took away the sin of the world. As believers in him we have sure and certain hope in the face of death, the hope of a real, eternal, physical, life in a world as God originally intended it to be. Support the Show ..read more

This past week at VBS, we focused on how God alone gives us truth, and there is nothing more important than the truth of his love. "God is love" is one of the most beautiful and comforting truths of the Bible, but it is also one of the most abused. Some understand God's love as if it were like human love, mostly based in feelings that change according to the behavior of those around us. Others feel a God of love is like a strict parent who is tough on you in order to push you toward great accomplishments. Still others think of God as a permissive grandfather in whose eyes you can do no wrong ..read more

God’s Word will show us what really matters. It’s easy to think that we deserve God’s goodness, but in reality, everything we have is given by his grace. He sees our hearts. He exposes our sin. By grace, he leads us to his side. That's the kind of Father he has always been. Support the Show ..read more

It's almost like a mathematical formula: Teach your children the Word of God when they are young and without question you will see them in heaven. If your children lose their faith at some point, they will come back without a doubt. Unfortunately, that is not what Solomon is saying. By all means, baptize your children and teach them the Word of God starting when they are young! But recognize that although it is not an absolute promise from God that our children will persevere in the faith until the end, it is his wisdom that all Christian parents will want to follow. Support the Show ..read more

As sheep, we are prone to wander. We need a Shepherd over us and we need to shepherd one another. Let’s follow our shepherds, pray for them, and encourage them. We are all serving The Shepherd who gave his life for us. So we humble ourselves, but God will exalt us! There is no safer place in the universe than in God’s hands – so let’s cast all our cares on Him. We need his protection – the enemy is real! But we are safe with God. Forever. The world can take away everything… but it cannot take our identity or our future. So stand firm in that living hope! And look forward to what Jesus is comin ..read more

Where is God? This is one of human beings' most frequently-asked and incorrectly-answered questions. We are tempted to believe that evidence of God's presence is found in outward circumstances. We equate good fortune with God's favor and bad fortune with his judgment. So, as long as nothing terrible is happening, God must not be too angry with us, right? We are free to go on sinning. Such foolish assumptions must be crushed. Therefore, God must constantly remind us where he intends to be found—in the gospel. He makes himself present in Word and sacraments. Because he is always present, we real ..read more

It’s not easy being a Christian today. It never has been. Jesus said that would be the case. We need a deeper joy, a deeper hope to live for to make it through. Easter gives us that living hope. But don’t be surprised by the suffering. Jesus experienced it too. Rejoice in it! It’s proof you belong to Him! Don’t be ashamed – be honored! We have nothing to fear about the future – but everything to look forward to! We are in the hands of the God who loved us so much He suffered for us and gave his life for us! Support the Show ..read more