Growth, Persecution, and Judgment

Dennis McCallum

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

God has given us the ability to take steps to grow in faith and love. Believers face persecution, which leads to growth. Without belief, people face the prospect of Hell, which is the absence of God.

Overcoming Obstacles to Love Relationship: Personal Flaws and Scars

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Physical, psychological, and relational flaws or baggage can hinder our relationships and lower our self esteem. God has adopted us as his sons and daughters and He has given us a new identity. We can fight the aspects of these issues that we have control over by acting on the truth of our new identities in Christ.

Compassion and Controversy

Jim Leffel

John 5:1-24

John recounts two events in Jesus' life that highlight who he is. In the first event, Jesus interacts with a lame man calling him to believe and then healing him. The second event involves Jesus' public dialogue with the religious leaders about his interaction with the lame man who he healed on the Sabbath. These two events reveal who God really is through the person of Jesus. He is personal and relational. He is with people and has the power to deliver from sin and suffering. To have this in life only requires belief in Jesus and his work on the cross to pay for sin.\r\n

Overcoming Obstacles to Love Relationship: An Ungrateful Spirit

Gary DeLashmutt

Philippians 4:8

Paul practiced and taught gratitude as a key ingredient in finding true joy in our relationship with God. Humans naturally are often entitled and we need to fight to count our blessings. Expressing gratitude to God and other people can be a very satisfying and life changing practice.

A Profile of a Model Church

Scott Risley

Acts 17:1-10

The Thessalonian church is the picture of a model church. Three aspects are highlighted: 1) their work of faith, 2) their labor of love, and 3) their steadfast hope.

The Logic of Grace

Dennis McCallum

Deuteronomy 30:3-5

God's grace has three components: faith, hope, and love. This faith is dependent upon God's self-authentication through fulfilled prophecies like the regathering of Israel, and it is also personal in the sense that people choose individually to start a relationship with God. God also extends hope to people through the promise of eternal life in heaven, and this hope provides Christians with joy in this life. Finally, love is the motivation for sharing God's grace with people who do not know Him and serving others in the church. These three components provide a firm foundation for the Christian life and reasons to learn more about Christ for those who are investigating the Christian faith.

A Conversation Under the Cloak of Darkness

Jim Leffel

John 3:1-21

Jesus urges the Pharisee Nicodemus to receive eternal life by being born again. Jesus' message was challenging as Nicodemus was a good man who followed his religious beliefs and was confused about how someone could be born again. Jesus explains that the only solution to the human condition of separation with God is to believe and make the personal decision to receive Jesus' life. No one can be good enough to earn eternal life. Jesus teaches we receive eternal life by believing and receiving God's love and forgiveness. This Good News is for everyone who believes.

What Do You Want?

Ruth W

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Where will we set our hearts and minds - on God, or on our flesh? Paul uses the 40 year journey of the Israelites in the desert to demonstrate what it looks like when we lack faith and lose focus. Paul then uses the image of an athlete to show what it looks like for a Christian to have discipline and endurance with their sights on the prize. Choosing the right focus affects every area of our lives.

Wisdom and Prayer (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

James 5:13-15

James provides three situations that call for prayer: suffering, cheerfulness, and sickness. Prayer reveals what a person really believes and expresses their understanding of God's interest and involvement in all of life. Prayer is based on: 1) relationship with God as Father; 2) the expectation of the supernatural; and 3) God's undeserved favor in human lives.\r\n