Live With the End in Mind

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

The way we view and live our lives as Christians is based on the biblical hope we have from eternal life. Having eternal life as an assurance despite the troubles of this life provides Christians with courage to stand up for what God cares about. We can experience a deep satisfaction in our relationship with God as we learn to please Him in this life, knowing that we will give an account to Him in the next. Setting our minds on eternity gives us wisdom on how to live our present lives as foreigners in Christ.

Living in Light of Jesus' Return

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 2:28-3:3

Before Jesus returns, we can rest assured of God's great love for us. Not only that, God has promised that we will be like him when he comes back. In light of this promise, we should prioritize spiritual progress towards righteousness. As this occurs, our confidence in God can grow and we can be sure of living our lives purposefully.

Afterlife?

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 12:1-2

Paul explained that our earthly bodies are temporary, but we will soon have eternal bodies. Christians will spend eternity in the new Heaven and the new Earth and it will be far better than our current lives. We should keep these truths in mind when we think about our lives here on Earth; everything here is so temporary. The afterlife is where our best life lies.

Life, Death and Joy

Jim Leffel

Philippians 1:21-30

You can't truly live until you've resolved the question of death. You can try to ignore or distract yourself from thinking about death. When you have resolved the question of death, it produces hope, joy, freedom, and a deep longing for the promised afterlife.

The Epistle of Joy

Jim Leffel

Philippians 1:1-8

What is joy and what causes it? Paul speaks to the Philippians while in jail about lasting joy amidst suffering. This joy is different than fleeting happiness. Joy is the handprint of God on your heart. Three main causes of joy he points to are: 1) partnership with other Christians, 2) confidence in the future, and 3) a deep, present connection with God.

Walking in Glory

Jim Leffel

Romans 8:29-39

Our identity in Christ guarantees a future glory that allows for us to endure the suffering we encounter. Our future glory allows us to be oriented by our faith in God rather than the fears that we face. We can endure moral failures and triumph in the security of God's love which allows for radical trust in this life.

What is the Human Race?

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 2:15-20

The human race is made up of characteristics that became distorted after the Fall: 1) benevolent ruler-ship, 2) creative accomplishment, 3) free moral agency, 4) relational, and 5) intellectual creativity. These have applications in our relationship with God, with each other, and in the afterlife.

God's Eternal Kingdom

Gary DeLashmutt

Revelation 21-22

Heaven should be every Christ follower's focus and aim, but unfortunately there are many misconceptions about it. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible describes heaven as a physical place which we will enjoy in unique physical bodies. We will have endless time to enjoy one another and accomplish meaningful work in God's perfect, restored creation! There will no longer be any evil, sadness, sin or damage. Amazingly, all of this is available to you for free if you personally receive God's forgiveness through Jesus's death for your sins!

Death: The Final Foe

Dennis McCallum

John 11

Death is heart breaking and unavoidable. But God has given us the solution to death through His son's payment of our sins on the cross. Jesus conquered death through his resurrection. We now have the option to live forever with Him.