The aim of Paul?s ministry was to see deeper faith in the power of God apart from any substitute. If we share his goal, that means our message must focus always and only on Jesus and his cross. And it means our methods must clarify the power of the cross, not distract from it.

Paul calls the message of the cross foolishness, and there?s no question that?s how it?s always seemed to the powers that be. But what did Paul mean by this description? And why would God choose this foolishness?

In this passage Paul confronts one of the major problems in the church at Corinth and in so many churches since then: the people were divided against each other. Paul points us to where division comes from, why it?s so dangerous, and how the cross helps us overcome it.

Paul writes this letter to a dysfunctional church plant to clarify what defines a healthy church community: Holiness, grace, and love.

Psalm 23 is a dramatic portrayal of trusting God completely. When we read its 6 verses, we are drawn to ask ourselves if we trust God enough to proclaim, ?The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.?

When we place God at the center of our lives, we will experience a deep happiness that is not dependent on our circumstances. By understanding the psalmist?s metaphor?a tree planted by streams of water?we hope to gain a deeper knowledge of who God is and what it looks like to love him most.

This final chapter in Isaiah captures the only suitable response to the message of the book: Worship. And worship that pleases God hinges on the heart posture of the worshiper. God wants worshipers who come desperate and empty handed, who tremble at his word.

Isaiah is full of sweeping promises from God about his plans to redeem his people and remake the world. Many of these promises haven?t been fulfilled yet, so we wait. This text shows us how to wait in faith: we testify to what?s coming and we pray until it gets here.

Genuine trust in God and his promises produces a different way of life. But God isn?t interested in any good works we might offer as a kind of bargaining chip to get what we want from him. God is pleased by good works done for others as an overflow of our joyful security in him.

Isaiah?s beautiful descriptions of God?s plan to redeem sinners are only good news for us if we know that they?re promises to us, and if we know how we?re supposed to respond to his word. This story of King Hezekiah in crisis?one of Isaiah?s only stories?is meant to show us what it looks like to claim God?s promises. It looks like a trust that?s rooted in despair, centered on God and his character, and motivated by God?s glory.