“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32 The subject of forgiveness is mentioned more than a hundred times in the Bible for good reason. Although it is the cornerstone of our relationship with Christ, through His sacrifice, death, and resurrection, we often struggle with the concept …

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus’ command to love in such a dramatic way exposes something we’re …

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2 These verses mark a major turning point in Jesus’ life. He had just been baptized, …

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Matthew 3:13-15 In Matthew 3, …

“And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. But they were prevented from recognizing him.” Luke 24:15-16 We live in tumultuous times. Everyone is on edge, and it appears that it would take one wrong move for our nation to come to a brutal end. The culture has shifted so …

  It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:44-46 Though fully God, Jesus was also …

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 Is prayer necessary? We serve a sovereign, all-powerful God, so does He really need our involvement to accomplish His will on earth? E.M. Bounds, author of eleven books on prayer, including Power Through Prayer (1912) and The Weapon of Prayer (1931), said, “God …

“…the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, “our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things…” Revelation 4:10 Our church is doing an expository study of …

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Romans 12:1 Holy and righteous living is woven throughout the pages of the Bible, and while Jesus is our perfect example, there are others we can look to …

                     “For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 As we enter the New Testament and the Gospel of Luke, we meet the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. “Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless …