Philippians 1 shares how we can be joyful in our partnership with the church and Christ. We see that the mark of the disciple is one who conducts themselves in a way worthy of the Gospel regardless of their situation. Paul’s faith was prison-proof. Is your faith pandemic proof?
We cannot avoid the storms of life, so where is your safe place in the midst of it? In Matt. 14 (22-33), Peter learned that the safest place was not in the boat with the other disciples but rather on the water in the middle of the storm in the presence and connection of Jesus. He understood that, the moment of trial is the moment we NEED to connect with God and that hard times won’t last forever; the storm will end eventually.
How can we be safe in the COVID world? The Israelites wandering in the desert also worried about where the safest place would be. They were so worried that they took their eyes off God and wanted to return to slavery while rebelling against God. But God often uses the thing that is hurting us to actually bring about our salvation. Therefore, the safest place is when we are gazing upon God (no matter what is going on around us).
A new year doesn’t necessarily mean that everything magically gets fresh, new, or better. Change can’t come from a date in the calendar and a promise (resolution) is only a good as the person who makes it. God has the power to fulfill ALL his promises. Trust him!
Christmas can be a time of anxiety over gift giving and receiving, but God is not concerned about us giving what we do not have. Christmas is about honouring Christ and sharing in the good news and great joy about his birth.
As our Redeemer, God paints a picture of hope by reminding us that our story is not over. Like the Israelites, God‘s work in our lives is a consistent and continual process of renewal. Why? Because of the covenant of redemption that promises us as his people, and He as our God.
In order to imitate the ministry of Jesus, we need to be in the right place to do so; both personally and as a church. However, like any good recipe, we need to make sure that we are working intentionally and that the timing is right in order for things to turn out best.
Jesus’ ministry was defined by a roller coaster of feelings. While most people loved what he said, many were also threatened by him to the point that they wanted to silence him in any way they could. However, there were some who took up Jesus’ challenge to change their lives in ways that mattered. How do you respond to the ministry of Jesus?
Olivet Discourse is actually the end of Jesus public ministry. It is a look into the future return of Christ. Satan leads the whole world astray by his deception. None of God’s plans can be thwarted. Jesus calls us to not be deceived to keep watch and be ready. If Christ was to return are you ready?
In Luke 11:29-36 Jesus rebukes the inclination of our hearts to seek and value signs. Just as Jonah became a sign, Jesus Himself is the sign We are to believe in Him. At Jonah’s preaching, the people of Nineveh repented and were saved. In the same way, the Queen of the south praised the God of Israel after she heard Solomon.
