Resources

Haggai 2:4). The greatest encouragement is God with us. Read Haggai 2:4-9. God has something to say to His people in trying times. He wants to give us a word of encouragement; He wants us to stay strong. This was the message He brought to His people through the prophet Haggai. The year was 520 BC, and many Jewish people had just returned to Judea from exile. The people were busy rebuilding their homes and the temple of God. And then, suddenly, their world changed. Opposition from outside the community threatened their progress, and the people became discouraged. The temple construction stopped. God’s people were filled with uncertainty and apprehension. It was then that God gave a message to the prophet Haggai: “‘But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord […]

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13). Are you ready to meet the Lord? Read Matthew 25:1-13. If you’re not sure you’re prepared for the Lord’s return, Jesus has something to say to you today. In Matthew 25, we find a parable about a wedding feast and ten virgins who fell asleep waiting for the bridegroom to arrive with his procession. Five of the virgins were wise, and five were foolish. Five had oil in their lamps, and five did not. In the same way, some Christians will be ready for the Lord’s return, and some who profess the name of Christ will not be. When we read this parable carefully, we ought to notice several things the wise and foolish virgins have in common. Both groups were invited. Both groups responded positively to the invitation. Both groups had affection toward the bridegroom. Both groups believed in His coming. Both groups fell […]

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27). Worry is incompatible with the Christian life. Read Matthew 6:25-34 At the root of all anxiety is the fear that we’ll lose something valuable. But no matter how many material possessions we collect or how much money we have in the bank, these things can never bring us peace or contentment. However, when we know that God gave us everything and that it’s all for His glory anyway, we will be at peace. You will be at peace. Why? Because just as God gave it to you, He will multiply it to you. He will multiply it to you so that you can keep on doing the work of God. God is looking for conduits—people through whom His gifts and blessings can flow to others. You see, fear and faith do not mix. If we’re paying attention to all that the Lord is doing […]

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8). To delight in the presence of God, you must first taste and see that He is good.   Over and over again in the Bible, God draws near to the people He loves so much. He walks with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:8). He speaks to Moses from a burning bush (see Exodus 3). And, ultimately, He puts on flesh, becoming one of us (see John 1:14). Over and over again, God draws near to us and invites us to taste and see—to experience Him for ourselves.   God calls each one of us to come to Him and develop a firsthand understanding of His love and kindness. No one else—no pastor, spouse, or parent—can do this for you. You must personally experience His presence and learn what it means to delight in Him.   […]

“[Y]our kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).   Read Matthew 6:9-13.   Though we walk in the hope of heaven as a future reality, heaven is within us here and now. Jesus Himself said, “The coming of the kingdom is not something that can be observed, . . . because the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:20-21). In order to comprehend how the Kingdom of heaven can be our future home and yet also be within us, we need the Holy Spirit to give us an eternal vision. If we’re not spending time learning from and listening to our heavenly Father through His Word and His Spirit, our spiritual eyes will not see clearly (see Ephesians 1:18-19). Furthermore, we won’t be able to live a life of obedience because we won’t see clearly who Christ is and what He’s done for us.   You see, Paul says because […]

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41).   Read Luke 16:19-31.   During His earthly ministry, Jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven. Hell is serious business, and He wanted people to understand that apart from Him, that’s where they are headed. Out of love, He warned people about hell in the most caring, heartbroken, and compassionate way. Today, however, hell is not a popular subject. Many pastors avoid it altogether, not wanting to be labeled a “fire-and-brimstone preacher.” But if Jesus thought it was important to talk about hell, shouldn’t we?   Some people wonder, If God is so good, how could He send people to hell? But the Truth is the everlasting fire was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). While Satan and his demons have no choice about their […]

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them’” (Revelation 21:3).   Read Revelation 21:2-7.   In heaven, we will see Jesus face to face. There will be no barriers, no limitations to seeing the reality of our Lord. Of course, without Jesus, heaven wouldn’t be heaven. But praise God, Jesus is in heaven, and He is preparing a place for us there. One day, He will come back and take us to our eternal home.   When we close our eyes one final time on this earth, we’ll also experience uninterrupted fellowship with our loved ones who have gone before us in faith. Now, you might have heard that your departed loved ones are “asleep” until Jesus returns—maybe it’s been called “a state of unconsciousness” or “soul sleep.” That is not in Scripture. The Bible does speak about those who have “fallen asleep” […]

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).   Is fear standing in your way of accomplishing great things for God? Do you pray for opportunities to share Christ but find that, when the time comes, you are too timid to speak up? Everyone experiences fears and doubts.   In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we see that even this young apprentice of Paul fought his own personal insecurities. Paul encourages Timothy: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:7-8).   During Paul’s time, Christians faced hardships and persecution. Today is no different. Around […]

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).   Have you ever heard someone describe a terrible situation and say, “There was nothing left to do but pray”? Talking like that, prayer seems like a weapon of last resort. But prayer is far more powerful than that.   Read 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5. As Paul peered into the future, he told the Thessalonians how the spirit of lawlessness will be unleashed globally (see 2:3-10). He foretold how the Antichrist will finally reveal himself after a period of deception. Then, he went on to instruct those of us who are living between the two comings of Christ about how we should live: We are to be men and women of prayer.   Paul beseeched the Thessalonians, “[P]ray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and […]

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16a). As Christians, we must remember God chose us not because we are lovable but in spite of our unlovable condition. His love is unconditional. His choice was a function of His sovereign will. Why He chooses one and not another is a mystery known only to God. And because His sovereign election of you and me is an act of His sovereign grace, we have no reason to be arrogant. His election of us drives us to our knees in humility and brokenness before Him. We can only cry out to God and say, “Lord, I don’t know why You love me, why You called me, why You chose me, why You predestined me—but in utter amazement and humility, I say thank You, I believe in You, and I want to spend all of eternity […]

“The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).   In spite of the hostility and persecution all around them, the Thessalonians welcomed the Good News with the joy of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit gives power to our witness. He is at work in us as we witness, and He is at work in those we witness to. He gives power—dynamite—to our words, and He opens the eyes and ears of those who see and hear us.   Some of those who hear our witness will receive it with joy, and others will not. Some will even be angry. Don’t be intimidated; don’t be fearful. Share your faith boldly in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t think you can be a witness for Christ in your own strength—let the Spirit of God speak through you.   One thing is clear about these […]

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). In the opening verses of 1 Thessalonians, Paul describes ten distinctive traits of the Thessalonian believers: (1) They had a working faith, (2) they had a laboring love, (3) they exhibited an enduring hope, (4) they displayed humility before God for His election and power, (5) they were genuine imitators of Christ, (6) they had joy in the midst of trouble, (7) they lived exemplary lives, (8) they had zeal in their witnessing, (9) they demonstrated transformed lives, and (10) they expectantly awaited the return of the Lord Jesus. To summarize, Paul said that the Thessalonian believers were characterized by faith, love, and hope—the three indispensable traits of a genuine Christian. Each of these traits is outgoing, not inward; active, not passive; visible, not hidden; public, not private. Faith […]