As Christians, one of the most common questions we ask is “What is God’s will for my life?” But discerning God’s will isn’t always obvious. So how do we know God’s plan for our lives? It starts with the understanding that God’s will is more about the kind of person we’re becoming — not what activity we’re doing.
Read MoreIn the first Christian sermon ever recorded, Peter explained Jesus’ resurrection with an intriguing phrase: “Death could not hold Him.” On Sunday, Todd explained what Peter meant by this and how Jesus’ triumph over death has opened the door for all of us to eternal life.
Read MoreWe tend to gravitate towards certain aspects of Jesus’ personality — His compassion, His wisdom, or His power — but we tend to avoid Jesus’ suffering. Isaiah 53 brings the suffering of Jesus into sharp focus and explains how he entered into our suffering on every level in order to redeem us from our sins and reconcile us to God.
Read MoreWhy did Jesus die? Out of the thousands upon thousands of people crucified by the Romans, what makes His death so unique? Isaiah 53 foretold how God would come as the Suffering Servant to receive the punishment we deserve — making it possible for God’s justice to be fulfilled while still showing mercy to a broken and sinful world.
Read MoreThe world looks for certain things to identify successful or significant people: money, looks, connections, credentials, and talents. But Jesus didn’t have any of those things. To the world’s eyes, He was completely ordinary. But God doesn’t see as the world sees. God looks at the heart — and under Jesus’ ordinary exterior beat the greatest heart that ever lived. Jesus shows us that God uses the ordinary of our lives to bring about the extraordinary.
Read MoreSuffering is often messy, disruptive, and painful to witness. So when we hear about someone else’s suffering, our natural response is to look the other way. But when we make the choice to enter into someone else’s suffering, we become vessels through which God pours out His comfort to the people who need it most.
Read MoreHow should we respond when we’re in pain? Job’s response to suffering was affirmed by God, which is surprising since his prayers were more rants against God than proclamations of faith. So why did God affirm them? Because they were prayers. Job teaches us that we can’t go wrong if we’re going to God with our pain.
Read MoreModern secular culture sees suffering as the ultimate evil — something to be avoided at all costs. But the early Christians took a different view: suffering was something to be embraced, not merely endured. How could they say that? Was this just macho chest-thumping? Or are the pointing us to something deeper — something essential that could transform our experience of suffering?
Read MoreIt can be deeply troubling when bad things happen to good people. Not only does it serve as an uncomfortable reminder that life is uncertain, it also exposes the false idea that “If I’m a good person, then God will reward me.” But while the Bible never promises a life without suffering, it does present a God who suffered on our behalf so that suffering wouldn’t have the last word.
Read MoreMost of us are extremely uncomfortable with uncertainty. It’s the source of so much debilitating worry and anxiety. But does it have to be that way? On Sunday, Todd looked at how Jesus taught us to respond when we encounter life’s inevitable uncertainties.
Read MoreIt’s easy to be apprehensive as we enter 2024 — with divisive elections looming and two wars which could escalate at any moment. But as followers of Jesus, we don’t just look at the news, we look to God and seek Him for guidance in navigating these uncertain days. On Sunday, Todd shared three ways we can walk with God into the new year.
Read MoreThe start of a new year often triggers our longing to make changes to our lives. We often use New Year’s Resolutions to help us make those changes, but they rarely work. Instead, God invites us to walk with Him into the new year by seeking Him and receiving His counsel for our lives. On Sunday, Todd explained one approach to seeking God for your year called the VIM method.
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