“For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received - that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the...

“It is finished.” These are some of the most chilling and simultaneously hope-filled words in the Bible. At this point in the story, it is hard not to burst into tears. How could Jesus die? What does He mean “it is finished”? In John 13:1 (ESV), it says, “When Jesus...

Marco! Polo! If you’ve ever played the children’s game of Marco Polo, you know the excitement or anticipation of trying not to be caught while yelling “Polo.” For the person who is “it,” who is Marco, it can be a wearisome task. You have to rely on your senses apart...

Not even death can withstand the great power of our God. Praise God! Sin steeped us into great darkness and a grave where only darkness and the devil ruled. It is a grave filled with all manner of evil and depravity, where we did not have the ability, strength, or...

It is good to remember God. He dwells in heaven, almighty and all-powerful. He created the world by His voice. He created mankind as a special and set-apart creation in His image for a relationship with Himself. Even though we have all sinned and rebelled against the...

Have you ever made a dumb financial decision? You know, one that you wish you could so badly take back? I have many times. I vividly remember saving up my birthday and Christmas money to buy the newest and coolest jeans with bedazzled pockets. There was something so...

It seems as if one of the first words a child says is “mine.” Most of the time, it’s not taught, but they seem to internalize it very quickly. Why? All of us are plagued with sin, and it is apparent from our earliest days on earth. We are selfish creatures. We want to...

There is an old saying,”‘money can’t buy happiness,” and a famous pop song that said, “money can’t buy me love.” Often society places a great weight on having all our needs met through financial wealth and material...

Stories rarely end in expected ways. This was a lesson I learned as a high school English teacher. One of the most surprising tragedies for me was a classic American novel where a preacher named Arthur withered away physically because he lived overwhelmed by a secret....

Before I sat to write this post, I had just come from a time of prayer. One of the ways the Holy Spirit was helping me pray was teaching me to thank God for His thoughtfulness and faithfulness to me. My mind went back to what my life was before I came into the...

What does it mean to repent? This is a question I ask myself on a regular basis. What does it mean, and what does it actually look like in my day-to-day life? Every month in the children’s department of our church, they have a foundational question that they ask and...

Do you remember a time that you needed to be brave? Esther woke up one day and found herself in a lose/lose situation. The queen before her had been removed because of her disobedience of her husband. Queen Vashti had refused to come when her husband called her to...

Something I have been pondering recently is the idea of “becoming.” A beautiful paradox is found in the fact that God came to give us rest, yet also to motivate us towards betterment, maturation, and completion. His unconditional love is found in both acts. He loves...

The desire for praise from other people is a hard one to surrender. Social media constantly grabs at our hearts to post every part of our lives, the good, the bad, and the ugly if we want to be deemed “authentic.” Culture praises those who prioritize productivity and...

“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” Our SOAP verse today is taking place in the midst of Jesus spending time at Levi’s house. Levi was a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow Him. At this time,...

On our fireplace there sits a stone that has been carved with these words, “Soli Deo Gloria.” These old Latin words are a constant reminder to us that everything we do, including how we live, should be “for the glory of God alone.”  At the beginning of this season of...

From the Nations Trials into Blessings — Every Love God Greatly study highlights one of the languages we serve – our new study, Lent: A Season of Drawing Closer to God, includes a highlight of our Afrikaans branch. Join us in prayer for Tersia, her team, and the women...

In a culture that is all about making sure your needs are met, choosing to fast and deny yourself seems contrary to how we're told to live. Yet, it also reminds us that this world is not our home. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him, which was just as...