April 12, 2021
Where Is Our Hope?
Where is our hope? Do we fear life's ugly circumstances will become our grave? We need to build our hope on what God promised through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross
April 12, 2021
Where is our hope? Do we fear life's ugly circumstances will become our grave? We need to build our hope on what God promised through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross
October 29, 2019
By Stuart Powell After Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had long anticipated (Matthew 16:16), Jesus began explaining God’s plans for this long-promised deliverer: From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” (Matthew 16:21, 22, New English Translation). Matthew didn’t record all of
October 15, 2019
By Stuart Powell I sinned again. The week had barely begun when I embraced the temptation and compromised my witness . . . again. It seems I’m continually choosing rebellion against God. No single temptation is entirely new; these are the same temptations I’ve fought for years. The Holy Spirit warns me. He corrects and confronts me about each temptation. But I keep stepping into the same trap over and over again. Don’t tell me it’s OK that I keep sinning against the creator. I’m willingly choosing my broken desire over the good plan of the sinless God. As the
August 13, 2019
By Stuart Powell In the second-last chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses blessed the tribes of Israel. As the old prophet prepared to ascend the mountain to view the Promised Land and then to die, he poured out his heart in prayer. He asked God to continue showing favor to his chosen people. In his prayer, Moses referred to Yahweh God as “him who resided in the burning bush.” Even at the end of his life, Moses was still awed by the memory of his first encounter with the creator God. How often did Moses’ thoughts drift back to that day in
October 23, 2015
By Greg Swinney Advertisers for software applications constantly remind us “There”s an app for that!” A simple Internet search will find more than 200 million websites with apps for everything we need””computer games, grocery shopping lists, gasoline prices, travel maps, and more. Floating messages across a crowded computer screen try to convince us there”s an app for every need of our lives. Still, can a multicolored icon on an iPad or smart phone really meet our deepest need? Our struggles with past failures and shortcomings seem to haunt us. Sometimes doubt threatens our certainty of God”s unconditional love for us.