Back when the Old Testament stories were still being lived out, God designated sacred spaces for His people to meet with Him. First, God planted a garden in Eden-a beautiful space in paradise for His prized creations. Next, the tabernacle was a portable space in the wilderness for the Israelites

After Jesus healed a man who had been paralyzed for almost four decades, the religious Jews were angry with Him. This may seem strange, because healing is a good thing, but Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath—the day of rest. In the Old Testament, God gave believers a long list of rules to

There are some things that shouldn't surprise us: Winter blooming to life each spring. The sun rising every morning. Our ongoing need for food, water, air, and rest. Change being an essential part of life. Likewise, there's no escaping the fact that life is messy and full of troubl

Our Shield and Warrior 个 One of the primary images of God in the Old Testament is that of God as Warrior. All throughout Scripture, God is frequently going to battle for His people or standing with them in the midst of difficulty-protecting them from harm. Scripture tells us that God does not

Justified by Faith The letter to the Romans is packed with deep theological truths that are meant to shape the way Christians live. Paul, the writer of the letter to the church in Rome, covers the details of what is known as "the Gospel message"—a message that was handed down to them.

There is More There are plenty of things we can see: trees, stars, mountains, oceans, people, penguins, our best friend's smile, elephants, skyscrapers, coffee beans, sunsets, and tulips, to name a few. God created all those things. He made the natural world, as well as the laws that gove

A Life of Generosity As Jesus was teaching people, there was a group of leaders who were not always the best role models. When these people helped others, they would boast about it and tell everybody the good deeds they did. They made sure to flaunt their good works publicly for everyone to noti

Morning Mercies Each morning, when the sun pours over the horizon, you have an opportunity. David—who held many titles throughout his lifetime: shepherd, warrior, giant-slayer, King of Israel, and a man after God's own heart—said it like this when he was talking to God: "Let me hea

God's Heart For All People For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 NASB The verse above is the essence of the Gospel. The Gospel means good news, and it's God's plan to save us

God is With You Throughout the Bible, there are various moments when God tells someone to not be afraid. Each one comes at a time when the hearer has every reason to be very afraid. In one instance, Joshua, the leader of Israel after the death of Moses, was taking the Israelites to their prom

True Friendship Would you rather have hundreds of "friends" who know you, but don't really know you—who call you a friend, but only when it's convenient? Or, would you rather have one true friend who always sticks by your side? The writer of Proverbs, typically attributed to

Be Imitators Children learn to function in real life by imitating those around them. They learn to speak by listening to their family's words and copying what they hear. They learn to interact with others by observing how their loved ones interact with others. They learn what's cultu

The Greatest Treasure Matthew 13:44 contains some of the most impactful imagery in all of Scripture... Just imagine for a moment: You are walking across a field and stumble upon an ancient treasure, forgotten by the whole world. You realize the plot of land is for sale. What would you do? How

I Am The Way. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV Jesus Christ is the Way. He is the only Way. Your heart is yearning for something that carnal things cannot satisfy. Jesus Christ is the only Way to G

The Mission of God All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building a career, or amassing possessions. While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life. In the book of Acts

Perseverance Brings a Harvest Have you ever started something new, but gave up after a few tries? Maybe you tried to create a new morning routine or a Bible reading habit, only to give up after a few weeks. It can be hard to build enough discipline to start something new—or to change. It can

Godly and Wise If you're a parent or a parent-figure, you know that raising children can be one of the greatest joys you ever experience, and one of the biggest challenges you face. And if you're a follower of Christ, you likely feel an added burden to make sure your kids grow up to know

Let's Love People Well You were created for community. When God designed humans, He made us with the intention of placing us within a loving family. Today, we call that family the Church. God's original intention was that we would exist within a family of other believers. He didn'

The Strength of God in Us Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 12:10 are a paradox. We don't often think of hardship and difficulties in life as a sign of strength or joy. Our culture often celebrates the physically and mentally strong, and it's easy to elevate those who are successful and

The Living Word of God One of the biggest misconceptions about the Bible is that it's just another book. In fact, many Christians treat Scripture as if it's just a collection of ancient letters and books that inform us about God and religious matters. While the Bible is certainly a c