Questions About Faith

Mike Sullivan

Galatians 3:6-25

The passage explores two main questions about faith: 1) Is salvation by faith alone enough in the Old Testament? and 2) Why were we given the Law in the first place? Paul contends that salvation has always been through faith in God and explains the Law's proper role as a testament against self-righteousness.\r\n\r\n

Experiencing God's Rest

Conrad Hilario

Genesis 2:2

The author of Hebrews details the promise of God's rest, which is not a physical rest in this life or eternal rest in heaven but rather the act of trusting Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. While the Israelites were promised God's rest in the Promised Land in the books of Exodus, Joshua, and Deuteronomy, New Testament Christians can experience God's rest in this life through actively placing their faith in the finished work of Christ.

The Danger of Saying "No" to God

Chris Hearty

Exodus 17:1-7

Jesus is superior to Moses because of His deity and position as God's son, and the author of Hebrews exhorts his audience to hold firmly to the grace that Jesus offers instead of Old Testament rituals. He also warns believers of the dangers of a hardened heart through the example of the Israelites' refusal to enter the Promised Land. It is never too late to return to God and experience His grace.

Two Birth Announcements

Jim Leffel

Psalms 110:1

God uses a barren woman to bring forth John the Baptist and a young virgin to give birth to Jesus Christ. Both of these births fulfill Old Testament prophecy and God's promise to send the Messiah. Mary responds in faith to God's plan and His goodness. She is a picture of courage, faith, and humility.

Purpose of Luke

Jim Leffel

Luke 15:11-32

Luke lays out his purpose, approach, and method for recording the life of Jesus. The book of Luke was written to persuade Theophilus about who Christ is. He presents evidence for Christ from the Old Testament and gives first-hand accounts with historical accuracy. This book means to present evidence for Jesus Christ as the Savior and show lost people their need for him.

Two Ways

Mike Sullivan

John 3:16-19

Each person has a choice between what Jesus calls the ?narrow way? and the ?broad way,? and each route has its own ramifications for how people will live now and where they will spend eternity. Jesus says that most people will choose the broad way because of the influence of false teachers, but he also gives criteria for our evaluation of such teachers and encourages his hearers to act on his truthful teachings instead.

Freedom from (Material) Anxiety

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 6:25-34

Jesus invites us to live a worry-free life through exercising faith in his promises about our material possessions.This kind of faith has three roles in the lives of believers: 1) it argues with our anxious thoughts in light of what God says; 2) it actively seeks God's kingdom and righteousness; and 3) it focuses on the present instead of the future. Developing this faith is the key to a more anxiety-free life, and it's clear from the Bible that God is our Father who promises to take care of us in this life and the next.\r\n

Key Elements of Daily Private Prayer

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 6:6-13

It is important for all Christians to develop a personal, private spirituality with God, and Jesus models that kind of spirituality through the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's Prayer provides a valuable framework for private prayer while also emphasizing three important truths: 1) God is our loving Father and we are his children; 2) God is our rightful King and we are His servants; and 3) God is our Provider and we are dependent on Him daily. We as Christians can pray along these lines daily and as a result develop a deep personal relationship with God.

Meeting Up With God

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 86:1-17

Any relationship has two persons involved and involves interaction to some extent. Our relationship with God is one that we may be neglecting because we don't see him face to face, but it is by far the most intimate and complex one because He is our creator and we are made in His image. Some questions we can ask during our time spent talking and learning with God are: who are you talking to?; what is He like?; what has He done for you currently or in the past?; and what the answers mean for your life.