Three Stages of the Soul

Ryan Weingartner

Psalms 63

The soul is unique to humans. Animals do not have souls that rebelled against God and need His forgiveness. Humans do. David, the writer of Psalm 63, recognizes the dire need of his soul. He describes the three stages of his soul: His thirsty soul, satisfied soul and clinging soul. His thirsty soul longs to be filled with refreshing waters of the Lord. His satisfied soul is full of praise for the Lord's lovingkindness. His clinging soul meditates on all the help and protection the Lord has faithfully provided him.

The Second Coming of Christ

Mike Sullivan

Revelation 19:1-21

The Bible is clear, Jesus first came to earth as a suffering servant and he will return to earth as a conquering king. When he returns, he will defeat his enemies and will put an end to rebellion forever. Satan and his antichrist will be thrown into the lake of fire forever. There will be a wedding celebration for all those who have put their trust in Jesus to save them. If you are a believer, the question is are you ready for his return? As a non-believer, will you put your faith in Jesus and join the celebration?

Why This Waste?

Chris Hearty

Mark 14:1-11

There is a stark contrast between how Mary and Judas expressed their devotion. Through their examples in this passage Jesus challenges us to examine our commitment to him.

Dimensions of True Spirituality

Jim Leffel

Romans 12:1-8

What does it look like to live the Christian life in the framework of Christian community? Because of the crazy times we are living in today, we want to be deliberate in bridging the gap between where the lost and hurting people are and where there is real hope in Christ. Instead of being defeated by all the dismaying obstacles in our way, we can ask, "Where do I see opportunities to build up God's Church? Where can I share the gifts God has given me?" True spirituality recognizes what God has done and what it means to be His children.

Jesus Takes on Tradition

Dennis McCallum

Mark 2:18-3:6

Although traditions can be fun (like Christmas traditions) in historic Judaism and Christianity, tradition has too often replaced God's word. This is the "problem of wineskins" that Jesus takes on in Mark 2 and 3.

Praise the Lord

Chris Hearty

Psalms 103:1-22

In Psalm 103 the psalmist reflects on the futility of worshipping or putting our trust in anything except God, as anything else is fleeting and unreliable. In God the psalmist finds forgiveness and eternal life, as well as meaning as he puts his trust in God. When this dynamic is in our lives we will enjoy our relationship with God and appreciate His great gifts more.

Showing Love to God

Ryan Lowery

Hebrews 13:15-21

The author of Hebrews concludes by urging believers to continually offer thanks and praise to God. We can show love to God by saying thank you and giving glory to God, living our life with God, singing and praising Him, being generous to others in need, and shepherding His sheep.

Where Can I Flee God's Presence?

Conrad Hilario

Psalms 139:1-24

David describes God's inescapable presence, that no part of our life or heart is outside of his purview. On the one hand this is amazing, but on the other it threatens the autonomy our sin nature clings to. When we turn to God, however, we find that while He knows everything about us, He loves us anyway and that while there is no refuge from God's presence, there is refuge in His presence.

The Mission of the Church

Conrad Hilario

Romans 15:15-21

Paul explains that worshipping God is not just something Christians do on Sunday, but rather should encompass our entire lives. It should involve offering God praise, thanksgiving, and material resources, but the crucial part is sharing the message of Jesus with the world. This is controversial in today's culture, but is the only reasonable response if the Bible is true--and it is the central mission of the church.