The Bible is clear that Christians should expect suffering in their life. It's equally clear that suffering leads to something that will make it all worth it. In today's message from 1 Peter 1:6-12, we're reminded about what trials lead to and why we can be encouraged during difficult times.

The Ten Commandments are foundational not only to the Christian faith, but in many ways to Western society. But how many of them can you name? And how do they begin? Today we start a series in which we walk through these Ten Commandments. We begin by asking why we should care about them and why they're important even to those who are not "under the law."

The phrase “born again" is one that can get thrown around and have many different meanings, depending on who’s using it. But what does the Bible mean when it says that God “has caused [His children] to be born again”? What is the origin of that new life, and what is its goal? Just as important, how can we figure out if we have, in fact, been born again? We explore those questions in today’s text, 1 Peter 1:3-5. God’s children should praise Him because He has given to them new life.

What should Christians think about suffering and pain in this world? Is it to be expected or does it indicate something wrong with our faith? And what if our troubles are so severe they make us doubt God's goodness toward us? In this episode, we look at Psalm 77 and find what to do when that happens and how to turn our heart and mind back to God.

God is not a hostile party whose arm we have to twist. At the same time, He is not obligated to do everything we ask. On the contrary, He helps us know the right things to ask Him for. It's all part of His infinite wisdom, love, and goodness as our Father in heaven and as the King whose kingdom has come and is coming. In this episode, we look at the rest of the Lord's Prayer and see how it can give shape to our praying.

God’s people have always been scattered in the world. This is not accidental; it’s part of His design for the church and for the world. And even when they are scattered, God’s people are always secure in His love. In this sermon, we kick off a new series called “Letters to a Scattered Flock” in which we make our journey through the books of 1st and 2nd Peter.

Do you ever feel like your prayer life is stuck? Like you don't pray enough? And when you do, you're not really sure what to say? Thankfully, God knows how much help we need. The Bible is filled with helps for prayer because God loves us and wants us to bring our cares to Him. Today's episode is the first in a two-part series on what we often call "the Lord's Prayer." Whether you feel like a prayer expert or not, Jesus gives us a helpful pattern to follow when speaking to our Father in heaven.

Years before it actually happened, Jesus declared that He would die and be raised from the dead. And the way He predicted it helps us to understand even better the significance of His death and resurrection for us. Today we look at John 2:13-22 and Jesus' promise, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

What happened in Jerusalem during Holy Week was not a surprise to Jesus. It did not catch Him off guard, and that makes His willingness to go there all the more compelling. Today we look at Luke 9:51 and how it opens our eyes to Jesus' clear-eyed determination to go to Jerusalem.

What do we do when our work is difficult, yet obscure? When we feel like no one else sees or notices? We explore those questions and find answers from Psalm 134 in this episode of Plain Truth.