The Mind Set on the Spirit

Ben Foust
Romans 8:4-11

The apostle Paul is stuck in his sin, and realizes that Christ is the only one who can rescue him from his ?body of death.? A mindset on the Spirit and grace brings life, peace, and freedom from sin. A mindset on the law and flesh only serves to promote sin and failure.

The Cross

Jim Leffel
Colossians 2:13-15

Jesus went to the cross as a willing sacrifice for the sins of humanity. He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah. The certificate of debt nailed above his head to the cross did not record his sin, but ours. His sacrifice was the embodiment of God's judgment of sin and His love for humanity.

Two Kinds of Failure

Jim Leffel
John 21:15-19

Both Judas and Peter fail in following Christ. Judas betrays Jesus for financial gain. He regrets his decision and takes his own life. Peter denies he knows Jesus but then acknowledges his failure and repents. After receiving forgiveness, Peter is commanded by Christ to lead His church. Peter understood that Christ's forgiveness extended to his failure and knew God could heal him. God's forgiveness and healing are also available to us when we experience failure.

The Great and the Small

Dennis McCallum
Luke 7:36-50

The Bible says God is our rock; He is a firm and unshakable foundation on which to build our lives. The life God wants us to lead is one driven by faith in Him. It is based on His grace and not on our good works. Biblical faith is also action-oriented. We hear what God says and then act accordingly. This faith is illustrated through three stories of healing in the book of Luke.\r\n

Is It Time to Dwell in Paneled Houses when My House Lies Desolate?

Gary DeLashmutt
Haggai 1:1-14

The prophet Haggai admonishes Zerubbabel, the governor of Israel, and Joshua, the high priest, for prioritizing the construction of their own homes over the construction of the Lord's temple. The Israelite's response to discouragement is not unlike our own; when obstacles come into our path, giving in to those obstacles instead of resisting them creates a God-sized hole that we will try to fill with a multitude of things, such as materialism. God's dealing with the Israelite's in this passage is the same as His dealing with us: when we truly want to, God, in His grace, will help us get back on the right path to glorifying Him.

More Confusion on Entering the Kingdom: The Rich Young Ruler

Jim Leffel
Luke 18:18-34

Continuing to shock his audience, Jesus continues to declare that our own works are not enough to earn our way into a relationship with God. We cannot follow God's law perfectly, but God has already taken that into account.

Peace with God

Ben Foust
1 John 4:10

What does it mean (and look like) to have peace with God? Paul describes us as utterly helpless because of our moral guilt before God, and we deserve God's condemnation. But God moved towards us and showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. The peace with God we have available to us starts with the foundation of Christ's redemption and is cultivated in our hearts as we move closer to God.

How To Enter The Kingdom

Jim Leffel
Luke 18:9-17

We like to rely on ourselves and our own righteousness, but in this parable Jesus makes it clear that we fall short of God's standard of perfection. Comparing the self-righteous religious man with the humble "sinner", Jesus shocks his audience by declaring it is the latter who God accepts. Will we have this same humility, and place our faith in God's grace alone?

We Are All in the Same Boat

Ryan Lowery
Romans 1:24-2:1

Paul writes concerning the depravity of man. Topics include homosexuality, greed, murder, envy, deceit, gossip, slander, etc. Christians today may be uncomfortable with passages like these and choose to ignore them. We are called to decide if we will recognize God's authority or claim our own authority above God's when faced with a difficult truth. All people need God's grace. We should not point the finger in judgment of others.