Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae is filled with warnings against dangerous teaching that was taking place, which included underplaying Christ’s role and undermining a believer’s new status as being “in Christ.” He spends the entire book encouraging them to seek Christian maturity through their faith and identity. As
There are passages in Scripture that feel less like distant history and more like a mirror, and Genesis 3 is one of them. The serpent’s question is subtle but seismic: “Is it really true that God said…?” (Genesis 3:1). Before Eve reaches for the fruit, trust begins to thin. The
I recently asked a group of teenagers whether they thought the life of a Christian was easier and more trouble-free. Without hesitation, one of them answered, “Yes!” Unfortunately, this is not the case. I took the opportunity to share the truth that we all face difficult days, giving examples from
When I was growing up, I loved playing the game hide-and-seek. I am naturally an introvert, so a game that required being quiet and typically by yourself was right up my alley. I can remember the anticipation of being hidden and then seeing the person who was “it” come into
I am not a fan of conflict. I would much rather take the blame or endure harsh words or put my feelings aside in order to avoid facing conflict with someone. I recognize that this is not a healthy response. Scripture calls us to engage in biblical conflict resolution (Romans
Have you ever had a “prove it” moment with God? Maybe you were asking Him for confirmation that you were making the right decision. Maybe you were begging to see His miraculous power. Maybe you were doubting His character and needed Him to reveal Himself to you. I’ll be the
Have you ever had a big trip to look forward to? Last year, the director of my work team planned a surprise one-day trip for our team of thirty people. We knew very few details about the trip beforehand. What we did know is that we’d be flying on a
One of my favorite worship songs is titled “The Blood.” The chorus says, “Hallelujah. I know it was the blood, could have only been the blood.” As I read these verses in Ephesians, this song began to repeat in my mind. I am in awe of the sacrifice and abuse
The God who works in us is not absent. He is present with us in the fire. One of my teachers shared a dream she had once. In it, God showed her a silversmith’s workshop where the silversmith was purifying the silver. The silversmith was not outside the furnace or
Chapter 1 of the book of Esther is a cautionary tale of the consequences of foolish decision-making. There are many lessons that we can glean from the foolish choices made by King Ahasuerus in Esther 1:13-18. King Ahasuerus, insulted and humiliated by Queen Vashti, allows his advisors to determine his