The greatest challenge for parents is found at the greatest point of rebellion in the lives of our children.  The root of sin is an idolatrous heart that loves and yields to self rather than to Christ.

The task of parenting is a God-given responsibility, and it is an incredible privilege to be used by God for the formation of a soul.  However, moms and dads are completely incapable of accomplishing this task on their own.

The task of parenting is harder today than ever before because our children are faced with greater challenges and temptations than ever before.  To make matters worse, there is a degradation of the responsibility of parents that flows out of our contemporary culture.

As we conclude our series on Gemstones, we find the glimmering beauty of each  bound up the Paul's description of the Gospel.  In a world where we face temptations and trials, the love God as expressed in the cross of Jesus Christ stands alone as a beacon of hope, an anchor for our souls, and a call to recreation in Christ.

The beauty of mercy is found in the patience and loving kindness of our God.  While Grace is the extension of His righteousness to us in Christ, Mercy is rooted in His compassion to NOT treat us as we deserve.  While death is our just deserves for our sins, God is patient with us to draw men and women into a new relationship whose foundation is built on mercy and by that mercy will keep us into eternity with Him.

We use the word "hope" to refer to that which we look forward to; with wishful thinking we imagine our dreams might come true.  The Biblical understanding of "hope" however is not grounded in optimism or thinking positively, rather it is grounded in certainty.

In a world fraught with anxiety and turmoil, where we are medicated and disabled by stress, the Christian ought to have the upper hand in battle against worry for we know the One who holds our future.

One of the most precious Gemstones of our faith is given to us in the word "love."  However, the practice of living out the love we've been shown in Christ is often in conflict with our natural tendency to seek that which will give comfort or pleasure rather than give love.

One of the most underemphasized truths within Christianity is concept of our "old self." What should be center stage, this truth is founded on our identification with Christ in His death through faith as communicated by the Apostle Paul as "having been buried with him in baptism" (Colossians 2:12).

The word "joy" has such significant meaning for today's Christian, especially in a world that defines it through circumstances or standing.  Our access to "JOY" is rooted in the competed work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the hope of our salvation as purchased by Christ.