Posts from 2025

Martin Luther, who was a key figure in the Reformation movement of the 1500s, once had a dream where he was being attacked by Satan. The devil unrolled a long scroll containing a list of sins that Luther had committed and held it before him. When the scroll was completely unrolled and every sin had been read, Luther asked the devil, “Is that all?” “No,” came the reply, and a second scroll was put in front of him. Then, after…

For just a moment, let’s consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We all know what mourning feels like. You may be walking through it right now. Perhaps a loved one has passed away. Maybe your relationships with family or friends are strained. Maybe the bills keep piling up and you don’t know how you’ll make ends meet. Perhaps you’re facing struggles at work or recently lost your job.…

Considering the current state of our country can be a worrisome and troubling undertaking. That might even be true in our own lives. As Christians, in the midst of conflict, chaos, and confusion, we should be pursuing peace. This pursuit is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the character of our God. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” When we live as peacemakers and actively pursue peaceful lives,…

In Colossians 3:4, we are given a beautiful promise from the apostle Paul: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” One of the most beautiful promises that God has made to us is the promise of heaven. Right now, our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). But one day, we will appear with Jesus in glory. Can we pause and dream about that for a moment? There will…

The Bible speaks often about the idea of blessing. Every good thing we enjoy ultimately comes from the hand of God. Scripture reminds us again and again of this truth: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,…

We live in a world today where disagreements are so prevalent. Name any topic or issue. We do not have to look very hard or far in order to find people who will vehemently disagree over any issue. Disagreement even happens in the church. Because of an apparent disagreement, Paul entreated Euodia and Syntyche “to agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). Even though the Bible teaches us to be compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, and thankful (Colossians…

If you had the opportunity to read the bulletin article from last week, we thought about the prophet Elijah. Even though Elijah had witnessed God demonstrate His power in amazing ways (1 Kings 17:1ff, 17:17-24, 18:20-46), when Jezebel threatened to take his life within twenty-four hours (1 Kings 19:1-2), he totally fell apart. He ran, left the country of Israel to flee to the nation of Judah, went by himself a day’s journey into the wilderness, sat under a tree,…

The prophet Elijah was used to seeing God act in big ways. He witnessed God withhold rain from the earth for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:1ff, 18:1ff; cf. James 5:17). He saw God raise a widow’s son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24). At the end of his time on earth, a chariot and horses of fire appeared, and Elijah was taken by a whirlwind directly into heaven (2 Kings 2:1, 11). A great example of this…

What kind of trials are you struggling with right now? What causes you pain throughout the day? What keeps you up at night? In order to triumph over the trials in your life, you must understand and trust this idea: You are never alone. If you have chosen Christ and are living faithfully to Him, the God of the universe promises to be with you always. As a Christian, you are never alone. Do you feel like trials are overtaking…

When we watch movies, we usually expect them to have positive endings. Even though there are many conflicts, difficulties, and twists throughout the movie, a lot of movies end in the “perfect, fairy tale ending.” The main characters often live “happily ever after.” All of us understand that these perfect endings do not reflect what real life is like at all. In life, we go through situations that are so hard, painful, and challenging. We look for perfect resolutions to…

People cannot progress in life until they are challenged. Consider how that is true in the world around us. Athletes will never progress in their respective sports if they do not challenge themselves. As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.” Young children will not progress in knowledge if they are not challenged by their teachers and parents to learn. Relationships can deepen significantly under the pressure of challenges; pain is something that can quickly draw people very close together.…

As the Israelites were in slavery in the land of Egypt and Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh for the very first time, they announced the message, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness’” (Exodus 5:1). Pharaoh not only refused their request (Exodus 5:2) but also made the Israelites’ labor far more intense (Exodus 5:4-15). When Moses and Aaron first came to the Israelites, they…