When Jesus was born, “a multitude of the heavenly host” announced the Good News to shepherds, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” This announcement changed the world. Nothing could ever be the same again. Heaven and earth had come together in a whole […]

During the Christmas season it is not uncommon to walk into a store or turn on a movie and hear the Good News about Jesus being proclaimed in song. Everywhere we turn, we hear “tidings of comfort and joy.” What an amazing blessing that is to hear our Savior’s story being sung in the public […]

One of the major themes of the Bible is “peace” (shalom). We love the idea of peace and we want peace. However, left to our own devices, we all have a tendency to destroy peace and create chaos and conflict. Thankfully, the work of Jesus brings true peace into the world, a peace that passes […]

Every generation of God’s people has handed the baton of praise to the next. We have picked up the baton from our parents’ and grandparents’ generation. There is an unbroken song of worship and adoration that goes back to the beginning of time. Now, it is our turn to praise God and teach our children […]

To “glorify God” or do something “to his glory,” means spreading God’s fame and good reputation in the world. Praise should be evangelistic. Praise should wake people up to the fact that God is better than their idols. We sing and speak about God’s goodness and faithfulness, because the world needs to hear how good […]

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

We praise God in anticipation of his protection and salvation. Because we can look back and see all the great things God has done, we can learn his character and trust his steadfast love. Praise helps bring us peace, because we are exercising our trust and reminding ourselves of what God has done for his […]

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24

When we think of what it means to be “saved,” we often think about “forgiveness.” However, we have tried to emphasize this year that salvation is about so much more than forgiveness. When God saves us, he rescues us from danger and humiliation, restoring our dignity and honor. What God did for David, he more […]

We will examine Jesus’ guidance to the disciples regarding the gift of The Spirit. For the disciple, a purposeful life is a Spirit-filled life. We will consider the role of The Spirit in our lives and ways this passage can serve as a guide for reflection on our discipleship. (Scripture: John 14:15-17)

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11

Religious people with wealth and power have often fallen into the trap of believing they could exploit the poor and vulnerable for their own profit, while keeping God happy through religious rituals. This was the situation during the days of Micah. The people of Israel were warned to repent and told that God was coming […]

Scripture: Titus 1:5-16

In the book of Ruth, we get to see justice and righteousness in the flesh. This is not a book of dry teachings about caring for widows, immigrants, and the poor in the abstract. This is the story of actual righteous people who leveraged their own wealth and well-being to do justice. Ruth acted with […]

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

The word “Deuteronomy” literally means, “Second Law.” The second generation after the Exodus from Egypt was about to enter into the Promised Land, but they needed to be reminded of the Law. They needed to be reminded who they were supposed to be and how they were supposed to live. They were reminded several times, […]

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Leading up to the destruction of Sodom, God reflected on his promises to, and partnership with, Abraham. God chose Abraham to, “Command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice.” God went on to allow Abraham not only to know his plans for Sodom, […]

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14