Many people reject God being angry. “God is love,” they insist. Isaiah shows us that yes, God is love, but he is more than just that. In fact, because God loves so well, he must and will judge this world.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Contrary to popular opinion, God is a happy, joyful God. And by his gospel and through Jesus Christ God is spreading his joy to the world.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Guilt and shame are powerful messages that shape how we live our lives whether we’re conscious of it or not. These messages can often be crushing and can prevent us from living a life of joy and freedom. But where can we find the true cure for all our...Από τον David Lee

In a world where many often feel alone and left to our own devices, the gospel promises us that we have a loving Father who is ever present, completely committed, and always guiding us through the hardships in life.Από τον Peter Rhee

God’s revival includes the complete renewal and renovation of the entire universe. In this passage, Isaiah presents the before picture of the world as it is now, and the after picture of the world as God will remake it. God desires that his people...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

God’s plan for this world is nothing short of world-wide revival and eternal perfection. In this passage in Isaiah, we see that the church is to be like a model home which displays what God’s future world will be like. And so, we must repent of any...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

God is passionate about bringing revival to this earth and to his people. And his people are in great need of revival. In this section of Isaiah, the LORD reveals how are hearts are to be prepared for revival. Revival comes to those with contrite...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

In this passage Paul captures the imagination of his readers by showing them what it means to have the mind of Christ—the sovereign God who took on flesh as the humble servant. The suffering God who plunged to the depths of sorrow and death to seek...Από τον Abhishikth Babu

God has made everything to be wonderful for his people, so that our proper response is to live a life of joyous wonder and praise. And yet, our hearts and minds can become numb to the gospel. Thankfully, God know this and encourages us through the...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Spiritual blindness keeps you from seeing the reality of Jesus making a difference in your life. Spending time with scripture is the cure to spiritual blindness. Sundays spent in corporate worship accelerates spiritual growth.Από τον John Rantal

It’s amazing! Roughly 700 years before Christ, Isaiah writes of him. In this famous passage Isaiah foretells of Easter. He shows us the life and death and resurrection of God’s servant, our savior.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The question "Who is Jesus?" elicits a spectrum of responses, from teacher to miracle worker, from Son of God to sacrificial Savior. Yet, amidst these diverse responses, His kingship is often overlooked or misunderstood. In this passage, we...Από τον Twaambo Moyo

Christians often live on a treadmill of good works. It causes us to believe that if we had a quiet time in the morning, that God would be more willing to answer our prayer. Thankfully, Paul shows us a different life – the Therefore Life in God’s...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The allure of amassing wealth is connected deeply with what money promises each of us. And yet, it doesn't always deliver. Alternatively, when we delight in the generosity of God, we can use money properly instead of money using us.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Often the people of God complain that God seems to be asleep on his throne. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is the people of God who need to be awakened, not God. We must awaken to the fact that our God reigns.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Isaiah reminds what we already know - the world is dark. He wants us to listen for the voice of the Lord in the darkness and obey him. But we are prone to “light our own torches” instead of sitting in the dark, listening for the voice of the Lord.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The spiritual condition of the people of God in Isaiah’s day was that of despondency: low spirits with a sense of hopelessness and despair. And they thought God was nowhere to be found. But nothing could be further from the truth. With great love and...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

How can we know God will not abandon his people, even if they struggle with sin and lack a zeal for God? How can we know God won’t kick us to the curb? Because our salvation is not rooted in our faithfulness, but it is rooted in the glory of God. God...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Christians have a beautiful and glorious calling from God to herald the good news. We live out this grand calling smack dab in the middle of the confluence of God’s sovereignty and mankind’s responsibility.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Christians have a distinguished and difficult calling from God – Ambassadors for Christ. God is reconciling the world to himself, and he has entrusted this message of reconciliation to his ambassador people.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

To most people on earth, the gospel is both foolish and offensive. And yet, Paul declares that he is not ashamed of the gospel, for the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to all who believe.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The word ‘gospel’ literally means ‘good news’. In Christ Jesus we have received the greatest of news – salvation and new life in Christ. Here Jesus, the Light of the World, tells his followers that they too are the salt of the earth and light of the...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Laying hold of an unseen God requires faith. And even when you do believe, you can find yourself questioning what you believe and doubting God’s goodness towards you. In Genesis chapter 15, Abram’s experience demonstrates that there is no greater good...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Just as our bodies need nutritious, physical food every day, so too we need spiritual food from God. This passage from 2 Timothy helps us understand how God’s living scripture feeds God’s people.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Christmas is seen by many as a short escape from the brokenness of this world, but God intends the promise of Christmas to be his remedy for all that is wrong with the world. And this promise comes to mankind in the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

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The world promises we find peace I the big things like our work, marriage, bank accounts, etc. But Micah shows us that the peace of God is different. It comes forth in the little places, little people and little things.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Our own personal thought lives are often filled with cycles of self-absorption and negative self-critiques. Yet, in this passage, Paul reveals the content of the mature Christain mind by examining the joyfully others-focused mind of Christ.Από τον Micah Bragg

Only when we place our trust in the substance of Christmas can we truly enjoy the true spirit of Christmas.Από τον John Rantal

When we take the good things of God and enjoy them apart from God, they end up hurting us and harming us, in this life and the age to come. Thankfully, God saves us from all our idols so that our happiness is found in him.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

In a world desperately in need of both truth and love, the church has a unique opportunity to manifest the truth of God in love. John commends a church which takes tangible steps to support the missionary work of sharing the gospel that flows from a...Από τον Frank Frank

Perhaps the greatest truth one could press into their soul is that God is the potter, and we are but his clay. That he is sovereign over all the good and all the evil that has ever befallen this world. And God is working out all things for an eternal...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

There may be a season for everything but how do we know our lives have any purpose? It is easy to enjoy life when things are good but what about the times everything really does feel meaningless? How do we make sense of tragedy in our lives? The...Από τον Graham Girard

What is your life about? Or another way to ask this same thing: what reality does your life bear witness to? How would you answer that question- Working hard? Helping others? Glorifying God? Something else? Now, imagine an independent, objective...Από τον Eric Lipscomb

It is not enough that the people of God experience a reformation from God, they need revival as well. It is not enough to have a renewed will but the old sin nature, the flesh, as the power to pursue it. Thank God that he pours out his Spirit in his...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

In this passage, Isaiah shows us that God is 100 percent committed to restoring his people. In love, his reformation remakes us and reshapes us to be more and more like our savior, Jesus Christ. And so, we must embrace this good work of God in or lives.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

This world isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. There is discord and corruption withing the very fabric of the universe, and in us. And mankind will never succeed in making this world all we long for it to be. But all is not lost. God has a Servant, his...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The world we live in is unrelenting in that life is seemingly one dreadful even after another. And especially for the Christian, as our lives are to be lived as strangers and exiles in this unrelenting world. But God is committed to his people, for he...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Waiting is hard. And it can be especially hard for the people of God to wait upon the Lord. We get antsy. We fall into despair. But God teaches us something of critical importance in this passage. Isaiah wants us to see that when we wait of the Lord...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

The Hebrew word for ‘glory’ conveys heaviness. God is heavy. For many though, God is small, and he is relegated to the margins of life. And so, Isaiah challenges the people of God to see God from God’s perspective. Isaiah helps us to come under the...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Every day of our lives there are countless voices vying for supremacy in our lives. But Isaiah wants us to hear is God’s voice. God speaks to his wayward people, and it is not harsh words of rebuke. God say, comfort, comfort my people. And this means...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

We tend to be surprised as Christians when trials come our way, but this is not to be our proper response. Peter helps us to see that the Christian life is a surprising life because the same God who wills our trials calls to us to entrust our souls to...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

When Jesus is born, the ones who "should be" worshipping him, aren't, and the ones who "shouldn't be" worshipping him, are. The birth of the Messiah challenges our understanding of the kingdom of God. We'll be...Από τον Jeffrey Jou

No matter how much we achieve, earn, enjoy in this life, it never seems to be enough. We can have all we need and still be in want, or we can want but still never seem to have it. Is it possible to be content in this life? The Apostle Paul says yes...Από τον Wei Ho

It is often said that God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness, but this is a false dichotomy. God is deeply concerned about your joy. But even with a head full of truths about God, joy can be elusive. Thankfully, Scripture offers us...Από τον Trevor Nauta

What does it mean to be free? What is the scope and purpose of freedom? To be free in a post-modern culture is to supersede all authority, and to indulge without inhibition. Therefore, in an individualistic culture, the scope and purpose of freedom is...Από τον Abhishikth Babu

“Just as a meal is all the sweeter when you’re with someone whom you love, so much of the quality of an experience depends on in whose presence you are. And when you’re at God’s right hand, there are pleasures forevermore!”Από τον David Schuman

By now, the reader of Peter’s letter is likely puzzled. God’s call to be a blessing to those who curse, and to live like a merciful priest in a hurtful and hostile world, and to pursue righteousness and suffer persecution AND rejoice, this call is...Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Peter helps us to understand that even when we live with righteousness we can be persecuted for the sake of Christ, and that suffering and blessing are not mutually exclusive. So we must expect God’s blessing when persecution comes.Από τον Mark Middlekauff

Peter writes that we have a calling to follow in Jesus’s footsteps and live in gentle submission to those in authority, be it at work or in the home. Though this is a hard teaching, we are also rewarded when we follow in his steps.Από τον Mark Middlekauff