When we’re confronted with the weight of our sin, we are tempted to grieve in two ways. We can either grieve with a sense of helplessness or with the hope that comes from the gospel. As Nehemiah laments the sin of his people and the punishment they’re now facing, he demonstrates good, godly grief that is bathed in the hope of God’s promises.

For generations, the people of Israel have been in a period of exile after centuries of rebellion against God. No longer in the Promised Land, the people now find themselves scattered across an unknown empire with unknown neighbors. In this place of darkness, they’re stuck wondering if God is still there, if he is still for them, and if he will still redeem them. In the midst of these difficult questions, God raises up Nehemiah, a political leader with incredible influence who believes their story is not over.

Why is God worth trusting? Thomas Maurer explores two critical aspects of God's character that give us comfort as we place our faith in him.

We all know what it’s like to feel small or insignificant. Others question the depth of God’s love for them. As Jesus writes to the church in Philadelphia, he addresses a congregation that is small, weak, but incredibly faithful. To this faithful church, he gives them important reminders and powerful encouragements about his love for them.

Jesus’ letter to the church in Laodicea is his most infamous one. In this passage, he calls the church out for their lukewarm spiritual living. But what does it really mean to be a lukewarm Christian? How does someone get to that place? And what does Jesus mean when he says he is going to spit them out of his mouth?

The city of Sardis had once been an incredible place to live, full of industry and resources. But by the first century, it had become a shadow of its former self. Unfortunately, so had its church. In Jesus’ harshest letter yet, he describes them as a dead congregation on the brink of extinction. But not all hope is lost and, as always, Jesus gives them a promise to the one who conquers.

As humans, we tend to wander easily. We quickly give our hearts to things that do not deserve them. The church in Thyatira understood this temptation well as they struggled with internal influences trying to distract them from Christ. But his response to their unfaithfulness is a powerful reminder of his love, patience, and strength.

Forgiveness is incredibly tough. Some hurts are so intense that it almost seems offensive to forgive them. But as followers of Christ, forgiveness is both modeled for us and commanded of us. This week, Grant Hoover unpacks what it means that we are both forgiven and commanded to forgive.

Imagine living for Jesus in a place that he literally calls the throne of Satan. Consider the temptation, the pressure, and the threat to compromise your faith in favor of the prevailing culture that’s all around you. This was reality for the Christians in Pergamum who stood for Jesus, yet still compromised their worship of him.

Jesus never promises that following him will be easy. Few churches in the first century knew that better than the Christians in Smyrna. What does it look like to suffer well for the gospel? What is Jesus’ promise to the one who conquers amidst the pressures to forsake Christ?