The New Norm

What would you do if God told you the end of your life is near? That’s precisely what happens to Paul in Acts 21. His response and Hebrews 11 offer perspective and encouragement when we consider our mortality and the hope we have in Christ.

Sometimes we lose sight of who God is and who God says we are. There’s a line in Hebrews 9 that describes the contents of the ark of the covenant. A closer look reminds us that God promises to provide for us, show favor to us, and invite us into relationship with both God and others.

Jesus tells his followers to pray for their enemies and bless those who curse them. It seems like, and is, a challenging command. Even so, the book of Exodus gives a case study (Moses and Pharaoh) for what prayer, forgiveness, and blessing can look like in our lives.

In Jonah 4, God asks the prophet a pointed question: “Is it right for you to be angry?” There are seasons where our anger might feel justified, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Steve takes this episode to explore the differences between righteous and unhealthy anger.

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lays out a baseline standard for spiritual leadership. Steve takes this episode to explore what that means for us today.

Every person who is a Christ-follower is wired for one of five roles to help the people of God grow in unity and maturity. In this episode, Steve identifies and explains these “five-fold” gifts.

When you’re leaving for a trip and someone is going to watch your house or pet, you typically leave a list of detail instructions. When Paul wraps up his letter to his friends in Thessalonica, he has some final instructions for them as well. Here are some reflections on key details I need to remember as I navigate the chaos of life.

We all know we’re supposed to pray for others. If you’re like me, you might not always be sure how to go about it. In this episode, we look at Eph. 6 and Col. 1 to learn how to best pray for people in our lives.

Seems like more churches are selling branded gear these days. It reminds me of the division in the early church at Corinth over which “version” of the faith was the best. Join me as I look at 1 Cor. 1 and Phil. 1 for perspective on branding, motives, and unity.

Do you ever wonder if there’s any grace for the most critical mistakes you’ve made? Moses’s refusal to trust God resulted in a life-altering consequence. Even then, God breaks through with incredible grace. If that grace was available to him, it’s certainly available to you.