In Mark 3, Jesus mentions that there is a sin, so severe that once a person has committed it, they can never be forgiven. Never be forgiven?! Doesn't Jesus forgive all sin? What is this unforgivable sin? And what do we do if we're guilty of it?

Our culture is filled with things that try to divide us. Everything from politics, to social issues, to stances on masks and vaccinations in the midst of a pandemic. In "Facing The Fire," Bishop Doug Adams from JOY Church of God, teaches us how to face these fires of division to refocus our attention on what truly matters and seek the unity found in Christ.

We've all heard the saying..."Finders, keepers. Losers, weepers." In "Finders, Keepers" Otis Buckley, lead pastor of Highpoint Bible Church in the Bronx, NY shares how we can find rest in knowing our God is faithfully at work in our lives. Because the God who finds, is the God who keeps.

In Matthew 7, Jesus refers to people who have convinced themselves and others that they will one day see the kingdom of God. They appear in church wreathed in smiles and part of the celebration, but there is no personal life that leads up to it, or out from it. Is it possible that these people are not actually Christians? How can we identify this in someone, or more importantly...ourselves?

Successful people are often relentless people. But success at anything, always comes at a cost. In the same way, Jesus calls us to be His disciples, and it's not without cost. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26) Being a follower of Jesus will cost us something. But do we really need to hate our families?!

In trying to get a point across as to who measures up to God's standard of righteousness, Jesus once said: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)

To his listeners, this statement would have been particularly shocking because as far as they were concerned, if ever there was a group of people who could measure up...it was the Pharisees. So what did he mean? And why did he say it?

Any builder worth his salt knows that the most important part of any building is the foundation. The strength, stability, and endurance of the building is completely dependent on the foundation. The same is true for our lives. When the storms of life come, the foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether or not we will endure or, one day, collapse.

Toward the end of his Sermon On The Mount, Jesus mentions two paths or approaches we can take in life: one that leads to a full, vibrant life and one that leads to destruction. The path we choose to take during our short time here on earth will have eternal consequences. Which will you choose?

As we become parents, we're not always prepared for all that parenthood entails. We do our best to prepare ourselves by reading books, or seeking advice from friends and family about how to raise our children. But the mark of a good father, or parent, stems from the heart. Thankfully we have the model of our perfect, loving Father to show us the way.

As life goes on, we tend to accumulate more, and more, and more things. Not only that, but our things begin to become increasingly important to us. They can begin to exert a kind of power over us. Left unchecked, that power can mess with our perspective and our priorities. How do we avoid being consumed by our stuff and stay focused on what is actually important?