Perseverance is part of authentic faith. God will give you the wisdom, the direction, the insight and whatever other resources your soul needs. But, there is one condition.

In the first century, people in the church were persecuted. But James reminded them of the joy in perseverance. God uses trials to refine us, so He can see his own reflection in us.

Your attitude plays a role in the outcome of situations. Persevering through trials is important, and the book of James explores how the early church persevered. 

In times of struggle, we can look to God. This week, we’ll look at James and how the early church persevered through trials and tests.

In Acts 16, Paul is on his second missionary journey, and it didn’t go as expected. 

Sometimes God leads through the moving of the Holy Spirit. How do you test those leadings? We review three quick tests.

As we explore what pursuing God looks like when you are faced with big decisions, we can take cues from Paul, Silas and Timothy in Acts 16 as they take advantage of the open doors God placed in front of them. But, with no warning, doors suddenly closed for Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

Following God’s will doesn’t mean there won’t be work involved or everything will come easily. Closed doors are not a sign to stop working.

In Acts 16, Paul, Silas, and Timothy began their missionary journey by taking advantage of tremendous open doors. God has provided us with three resources to help recognize open doors. 

In Acts 16, Paul is in the early stages of his second trip as a missionary, and today we’ll see an example of Paul adjusting certain practices to remove barriers for others. 

How do you know what God’s will is in specific circumstances in your life? God has provided us with excellent resources to help recognize open doors. 

We all struggle to discover God's will for our lives. When we don’t have clarity, we can do some curious things to try and get it. Jesus is not only in the business of opening doors, but He's also in the business of closing some as well. And no matter how hard you try, you can't open a door that God closes.

This week we’ll look at how Paul handled closed doors in Acts 16 to teach us how God uses circumstances and the Holy Spirit to guide us today.

Today we cover the dramatic conclusion of a story in Acts 4, the first time there was opposition to the Christian movement. After refusing an offer to stop talking about Jesus in exchange for their freedom, the ruling council’s response was remarkable. 

The ruling council of the Jews had religion, but they didn't have Jesus Christ. Because you have one doesn't mean you have the other.