Life with the Good Shepherd

Conrad Hilario
Luke 15:4-7

This Psalm unpacks a life under the intimate leadership of God. The Christian is welcomed into God's divine love, security, and purpose when they begin a relationship with Him. This psalm elaborates on what a walk with the Lord looks like in times of both rest and failure.

The Good Shepherd

Dennis McCallum
John 10:11

God provides for those He calls His own. And He demonstrates this in the image of the good shepherd. We all have choices about whether to lean on Gods leadership or to rebel in autonomy. God as our creator: knows our needs, wants to provide for us, and performs needed correction in the lives of people who follow Him even if it goes unnoticed.

Suffering in Perspective

Ryan Lowery
1 Peter 1:3-12

Christians are given an eternal hope that is in stark contrast to the cynicism of modern-day culture. Perseverance through pain, suffering, and trials requires confidence in this living hope. The result of suffering victoriously through trials is a purified and strengthened faith.

Introduction to the Psalms

Dennis McCallum
Numbers 13:25-14:9

This psalm is about the benefits of meditating on the Word of God and applying it in everyday life. Two examples of people having God's viewpoint when others had only a human viewpoint are discussed. David who was immersed in the Word, had a history of faithfulness to God and believed God would empower him to kill Goliath when no one else did. Likewise, Joshua and Caleb believed God that they could enter the Promised Land and defeat the giants when the other ten spies did not.\r\n

Seeing Yourself as a Steward

Conrad Hilario
1 Timothy 5:3-25

According to the Bible, we should view ourselves as stewards of what God has given us. The Bible exhorts us to provide for our families, the poor, and full-time Christian workers. The concept of stewardship can be lived out in a corporate sense through churches wisely deciding where to spend money. On an individual level, Christians should view their entire life as a gift from God and specifically take a stewardship view towards money and generosity.

Fight the Good Fight

Jim Leffel
1 Timothy 1:18-2:7

The Bible describes a "good fight" for followers of Christ to advance God's purposes in a broken world. The goal of this fight is to battle using truth and love. In order to be successful, the church needs to be committed to praying for others.

Leading Against Opposition

Ryan Lowery
Nehemiah 2:19-4:23

Any effort toward a worthwhile endeavor will draw opposition, which is why anyone who wants to be used by God needs to learn to handle opposition in a way that is in line with God's values. Being a spiritual leader requires personal sacrifices and also draws naysayers who try to demotivate, mockers that level personal attacks, and even those who will make threats. Nehemiah deals with all of this opposition by turning to God and refusing to become discouraged.\r\n\r\n

Hope through Despair

Gary DeLashmutt
Romans 7:15-8:4

In normal life, hope and despair are antithetical. But the path to true hope in God comes through a process of suffering that causes us to despair in ourselves and to trust in God. This principle of despair leading to hope is operative both in the way we come to Christ and in the way we reach maturity in Him.

How To See Your Life Transformed

Dennis McCallum
Colossians 3:1-12

The Bible states that what we do arises out of who we are. Pursuing spiritual growth means choosing to put off our old selves, and learning to see ourselves as the new people that God has made us to be.