No one looks for difficulties in life; they just come. And storms come in many forms—some are physical, others are emotional, many are spiritual. This well-known story of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee holds several helpful guidelines for those of us navigating problems.

I. Accept the Regularity (v. 35a)

II. Look for the Promises (v. 35b)

III. Invite Jesus Into Your Boat (vv. 36-37)

IV. Take Your Cues From Him (v. 38)

V. Swap Fear for Faith (vv. 39-40)

VI. Find the Purpose (v. 41)

Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Isaiah 41:9-10 this week and rest in the knowledge that, no matter what storms you’re walking through, Jesus is walking with you.

Love Your Neighbor: Ask a friend or loved one who’s going through a storm of their own how you can help strengthen and encourage them.

Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to reveal areas of your life in which you’re allowing fear to overshadow your faith and obstruct your obedience to Him.

Job affirmed God's absolute sovereignty and intricate design of human life yet honestly shared his confusion and pain. In this message, Pastor Skip Heitzig reminds us that, though Job had questions about death and the afterlife, we now have the answers in Jesus. If you don't know Christ, your best days are behind you; if you do, your best days are ahead, no matter the suffering this life may bring.

Jesus had been speaking about different ways to hear truth by comparing them to different soils on a farm. Some reject it immediately; others respond only temporarily, while others fade gradually. A few are faithful and fruitful hearers. They grow deep roots and harvest rich fruit. Let’s see how.

I. Fruit Bearing Is Noticeable (vv. 21-23)

II. Fruit Bearing Is Consequential (vv. 24-25)

III. Fruit Bearing Is Eventual (vv. 26-29)

IV. Fruit Bearing Is Exponential (vv. 30-34)

Learn Your Bible: Using today’s passage, reflect on your own walk—how have you grown recently? Are you actively seeking ways to grow?

Love Your Neighbor: Ask a friend to pray over a specific area in which you want to see growth, and ask them how you can do the same for them.

Live in Freedom: As you intentionally reflect on your growth, ask the Lord to reveal the pruning He wants to do in your heart in this season, and surrender those areas to Him.

Job’s friends held the simplistic belief that good people are always blessed, and suffering is always a result of sin. In this message from Pastor Skip, we see the contrast between human attempts to achieve righteousness and the biblical truth that no one is righteous apart from God's grace.

Selective listening is a communication barrier where a person chooses to hear only parts of a message that fit their interests, biases, or expectations. People who hear the gospel will have various responses. Some will hear and respond favorably. For others, a favorable response will only be temporary. And some will flat out reject it. Let’s unpack the parable that describes this process.

I. The Sower (vv. 13-14)

II. The Seed (v. 14b)

III. The Soils (vv. 15-20)

Learn Your Bible: As you spend time in the Word this week, ask the Lord to soften any hardness in your heart and deepen your roots so you’re ready to “stand fast in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Love Your Neighbor: Some receive the Word with joy but fall away when challenges arise. How can you help a new believer in your life develop deeper roots before hardship causes their faith to wither?

Live in Freedom: Which thorn is most likely to choke spiritual fruitfulness in your life right now: the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, or desires for other things?

Satan accused Job of serving God only because of the Lord’s blessing, and God permitted Satan to test him. Job went from great wealth and blessing to losing everything—his livestock, children, and health—but chose to continue in faith. In this message from Skip Heitzig, we’re encouraged to live by faith, seeking God’s presence rather than seeking explanations for suffering.

The Bible is God’s powerful, living Word which transforms lives, families, and cultures. In this teaching from 2 Timothy, Pastor Skip Heitzig focuses on how to study the Bible effectively. Using Paul’s encouragement for Timothy, Pastor Skip calls us to diligence and hunger for God's Word, providing a template for our daily study: observation, interpretation, and application. 

I. The Right Attitude

II. The Right Action

III. The Right Approach

Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Psalm 1:1-3 before your quiet time this week and ask the Lord to prepare your heart to hear what He wants to share with you.

Love Your Neighbor: Share an encouraging Scripture with a friend or family member who’s facing a challenge.

Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to use His living Word to reveal areas of your life which you haven’t surrendered to His will and purpose for you.

Pastor Skip Heitzig opens the book of Job and begins our study of the story of a real man whose unwavering faith is tested through unimaginable loss and suffering. Through Job’s example, we’re reminded to trust His purposes, pray faithfully through hardship, and compassionately minister to those who suffer.

Carlos Wallace quipped, “The funny thing about truth, everyone seems to have their own version.” Jesus said He was the truth (John 14:6), and that He always told the truth (John 8:45). But many who listened to Him had their own version of truth, so Jesus now begins a new way of teaching: the parable. As we read these parables, consider four characteristics of interacting with truth.

I. Truth Is a Priority (vv. 1-2)

II. Stories Bring Clarity (vv. 3-8)

III. Listening Is a Necessity (v. 9)

IV. Understanding Shows Sincerity (vv. 10-12)

Learn Your Bible: Read Isaiah 6:9-10 and compare it to today’s passage. What does Jesus’ use of parables teach us about how God responds to the posture of our hearts?

Love Your Neighbor: We’re instructed in 1 John 3:18 to love in “deed and truth.” How can you show love in action and truth to those in your circle this week?

Live in Freedom: Is there something holding you back from listening to and applying the truth of God’s Word? What practical step can you take this week to make truth a priority, listen more carefully, and respond with sincerity?

We concluded the Required Reading series in 3 John where Pastor Taylor Bronisz taught that a healthy church is built when believers live out the truth—serving others, investing in gospel work, and cultivating authentic Christian community. He showed that our choices can either strengthen or divide the body of Christ.

I. Choice #1: Integrity or Inconsistency (vv. 1-4)

II. Choice #2: Open hands or Closed fists (vv. 5-8)

III. Choice #3: Deferential or Domineering (vv. 9-10) 

IV. Choice #4: Connection or Exclusion (vv. 11-14)