Leading up to Christmas, we will examine human history in the light of three trees: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Tree of Life, and the cross of Christ. Today, we’re in the garden of Eden. Next week, we’ll be in the garden environment of the New Jerusalem. On Christmas Eve, we’ll consider the cross of Christ—where, after His betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” (1 Peter 2:24)—and why the Christmas tree has tried to usurp it.

I. Perfection

II. Plunge

III. Penalty

IV. Prediction

Talk with God: In the midst of this season’s busyness, be intentional to make time to “[walk] in the garden” (Genesis 3:8) with the Lord each day through prayer and the Word.

Talk with others: Ask a friend who may be hurting this season how you can lock shields with them in prayer and acts of service.

Talk with kids: What are some ways we can worship Jesus?

Driven by a divine calling and guided by God’s hand, Vitaliy and Natalia Smolin have dedicated their lives to full-time missionary work in Ukraine since 2009. Their mission is to share Christ’s love and His Word with everyone. They remain steadfast in the face of challenges—including the Russian invasion in February 2022—providing humanitarian aid to civilians and military personnel alike as they spread the good news of Jesus Christ and embody hope and resilience for the people of Ukraine.

Levi is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and everywhere online. He is a best-selling author, podcast host, husband, and father of five, and travels the world speaking about Jesus. Levi is the author of several books, children’s books, and devotionals, including Through the Eyes of a Lion, I Declare War, The Marriage Devotional, and his latest, The Last Supper on the Moon. He and his wife, Jennie, co-host their podcast, Hey It’s the Luskos. Levi and Jennie have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.

I. The Wonders of Heaven

II. The Weight of Glory

III. The Word of God

IV. The Wounds and Worth of Jesus

Talk with God: If you’re in a season of suffering or overwhelmed by a trial in your life, focus your heart on the One who will carry you through to the coming glory (see v. 18).

Talk with others: Sit with a fellow believer who’s suffering this week and encourage them to seek the Lord and find rest in Him.

Talk with kids: How did Paul’s faithfulness in preaching the gospel—even in prison—give us an example to follow?

This sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? After all, to make such a statement seems to help out with the problem of evil that is so prevalent in our fallen world. If there is a God who is good and loving, can’t He throttle back on the pain and suffering, especially in the lives of His children? As we examine this statement today, we need to make four critical adjustments to our thinking.

I. A Misunderstood Verse (1 Corinthians 10:13)

II. A Misguided Statement

III. A Missing Perspective (2 Corinthians 1:9; 4:17)

IV. A Meaningful Example (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Talk with God: Meditate on 2 Corinthians 12:9 and thank the Lord that His grace and strength allow us to “boast in [our] infirmities.”

Talk with others: As a family or Connect Group, pray for the families and members of our community who visited our campus for the Thanksgiving Pickup Party.

Talk with kids: How does it make you feel to know God is always in control and He cares for you?

Money matters! But how much? And how much does it matter to you? To God? For generations, people have said, “Money is the root of all evil.” Is that statement true? Does it come from the Bible? Today, we will ask and answer a few questions in order to get at the truth of all this. I think we will discover that money is a lot like fire—it’s an excellent servant, but a terrible master.

I. Where Does it Come From?

II. What Does it Mean?

III. How Should We Live?

Talk with God: Meditate on Matthew 22:37 and ask the Spirit to reveal areas of your life where you’ve allowed the love of money to take root.

Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if they’ve noticed any idols in your life recently.

Talk with kids: What should we do if others make fun of us or are mean to us for sharing the gospel?

Is God concerned with our own personal happiness? I’m going to say “Yes!” and “No!” Though the Bible does indeed talk about being happy, it’s not as straightforward as you may think. Allow me to unpack this idea through the lens of one of King David’s psalms, written while he was at war. Here, David explicitly wrote that God’s people are happy people. Let’s find out why.

I. Because of Life's Conflict

II. Because of our Commitment

III. Because of God's Care

IV. Because of God's Character

Talk with God: Meditate on Psalm 144:2 and thank the Lord for His faithfulness as you “take refuge” in Him.

Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to intentionally spend time in the Word and in prayer this week.

Talk with kids: How can we be reminded that God loves us and cares for us?

I have spent my entire ministry telling people what the Bible does say. In this series I have been telling you what it doesn’t say—that is, commonly used sayings that many have assumed were from Scripture but are not. Today we look at one that many a parent has quoted to a child, and teachers have quoted to their students. Our story in Mark 7 reveals three categories of cleanliness.

I. Cleanliness Had Become External

II. Cleanliness Was Seen as Eternal

III. Cleanliness is Really Internal

Talk with God: Prayerfully consider your relationship with the Lord. Have religious habits taken the place of an active, intimate connection?

Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how they stay focused on the Lord when life distracts them.

Talk with kids: How does knowing that God has a plan help you face hard situations?