The Psalms are an amazing portion of Scripture, helping us understand the wonder of God. And Psalm 145 is an incredibly rich passage that reflects God in his: greatness, grace, goodness, glory, and generosity!

Jesus was called the "author of life." What exactly does that mean, and how might it offer the key to understanding the Easter story? We're taking a look at the resurrection of Jesus through the window of an event that took place shortly after the first Easter, and discover why you can't eliminate the author from their own story!

When our hearts are right, our lives are right. But what a journey to ensure our hearts are right (and stay right) with God! And at the center of this issue is our love. What does it look like to have a heart that's being transformed by Jesus' love — then activating that love in our world? To love in the way of Jesus isn't just a warm embrace; it's a gritty, tenacious love that requires heavy lifting — strong enough to confront, and strong enough to forgive.

Our lives matter to God — but not because of what he can get from us. He doesn't value us because of what we produce. In fact, he invites us to come to him and find rest. How is this possible in our busy lives that are often marked by striving and weariness? While there are no shortcuts, there are ways we can cultivate a greater trust in Jesus so that ultimately we can truly find rest in him.

"I am looking for the fellowship of the burning heart — for men and women of all generations everywhere who love the Savior until adoration becomes the music of their soul." Those words were penned years ago by pastor and author, A.W. Tozer. They poetically describe people whose hearts are passionately pursuing Jesus. But what does that passion look like, and how can we keep those fires stoked in our lives? Let's sit by the fire together and have that conversation.

What is the downside of living with a polluted heart? What's so bad with letting in a little greed, hate, gossip, lust, pride, etc? We're looking at three negative results of heart pollution — and gaining insight into why Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart."

Our hearts have always symbolized the center of life. Not only do they keep our bodies running, but they represent the center of our passions, our will, and our most deeply held beliefs. It's our hearts that drive our decisions. So it's critical to ask: do I have a heart for God, or has some other lesser thing occupied the very center of who I am?

From the life of Paul the Apostle, Pastor Israel shares three characteristics of ministry life that are important for ALL of us: expect criticism, walk in courage, care for others.

When we experience loss in our lives, many things are restored by God — even things we thought were hopelessly gone. But there’s other kinds of loss that is permanent and painful. Where is God in that? Today we look for answers in Scriptures and in the hope-filled story of Dennis and Debbie Jordan who lost their young son to leukemia.

When Jesus told stories about things that were lost and found, he was talking to two groups of people: those who knew they were lost (the "sinners"), and others who didn't think they were lost at all (the "religious" folk). And what both groups learned through his stories was revolutionary. God isn't angry — he's filled with love and absolute readiness to bring restoration to lives! Which group do you think was happier with that message? 😎