We have to come to the reality that when you share the gospel, people are not always going to like you. I wish I could tell you differently, but if they didn’t always like and accept Jesus, they are not always going to like and accept you.The Dividing GospelThere are many family situations where the message of the gospel doesn’t bring peace into th

Explicit References to the Old TestamentThe table below provides a list of the explicit references Matthew makes. In each one of these, Matthew expressly says that something Jesus did, or that was done to him, was to fulfill what was written.One of these (Matt. 3:1-3) is really about John the Baptist. But by establishing him as the forerunner of th

David responded with great anger. “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity” (2 Samuel 12:5-6).Nathan replied, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). David had everything, but still took another man’s wife.David repented of this wrongdoing (which

Who Was Korah? Readers immediately run into an issue with this question right off the bat. Not because we have no Korah in the Bible, but because we see three different Korahs mentioned, explains Got Questions. The article mentions four, but the first and second Korah mentioned appear to be one and the same person. The first Korah was the son of a

1. Begin with a few minutes of praise and prayer. Recite verses about God’s goodness and sing songs that lift your heart toward heaven and orient your mind on God.“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!” Psalm 31:19.“The

What is the Meaning of “Abba Father”? To begin our exploration into God as Abba Father, let’s begin by understanding what “Abba” means in definition. As stated from Dictionary.com, “Abba” is the defining term for father in the Aramaic language, spoken by Jesus and Paul as an intimate term to characterize their personal relationships with God. It is

When Is Ash Wednesday and What Does it Signify? Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent, a 40-day time of remembrance, fasting, and prayer, leads into the Holy Saturday or Maundy Thursday before Easter Sunday, depending on the tradition you ascribe to. Although Ash Wednesday is enriched with Christian symbolism, we don’t actua

-Contemporary English Version: He died-Webster’s Bible Translation: He expiredFor some believers, whether or not the translation is more active, like “gave up the ghost” or “breathed his last,” in which Jesus appears to be making a decision is very important. Because He was fully God and fully man, Jesus could have taken himself off the cross, rema

2. We’re Not AloneThe second main point of your sermon is that “we” are not alone. The people that make up the body of Christ are not alone.God is with us, and that fact is echoed throughout Scripture. You can spend some time walking your audience through those passages. God told Joshua that He would be with him wherever he went (Joshua 1:9), and J

This one seems like it’s about the presents but it’s really not. What it does is takes the focus off of the present, and places it on each individual person. It’s making everyone in the family be intentional about their attention and relationships. It teaches your children to focus on others and their joy. It certainly teaches patience. It shows th

3. The Prayer of Jabez“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:10).To pray like Jabez is to submit our lives to God as a blank canvas.Amidst a string of genealogy in the

What Does Sovereignty Mean? In my mind, God was like the ocean: vast, awe-inspiring, and powerful, but also unpredictable and capable of allowing bad things to happen to accomplish His purposes. What did my prayers and longings matter in light of God’s authority?If you look in the dictionary, you’ll find the definition of sovereignty to be somethin

Ephesians 2:6 – And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.Imagine that you who were once far from Christ are now seated with him. This truly is amazing.What You Will BeThe beauty of your story is that it doesn’t end there. Romans reminds us that the gift of God, which is salvation through Jesus C

1. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." (John 1:1)The first words I ever read from the Bible, at age 17, impacted me then and they impact me now. John 1:1 is beautifully complex and even life-changing. This Easter, let’s remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is unchanging and s

1. "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'" (Psalm 46:10) Stillness. Don’t be afraid of it. I know when you are quiet your mind will fill up with all thoughts about the one you miss. But when you’re quiet, that’s when you can also unlock some of your memories as well. Being

Sarah Coleman is an Australian author and communicator. Her books include Single Christian Female and Make Yourself Amazing. She is passionate about the Kingdom of God. She also loves being a wife and mother to two boys. To read more of Sarah's thoughts go to sarahcoleman.com.au.How Does the Cross Show Love?Isaiah 49:16 says [God] loves you so much

By faith Sarah considered him faithful who had promised even though she was barren and too old to conceive. And he was faithful and she did give birth to a son. By faith Abraham when he was tested offered up Isaac as a sacrifice. He didn’t cling to the promise he received but considered God faithful enough to raise him from the dead. By faith Isaac

1. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” (Proverbs 3:5)Have you ever been in a situation where you believe God is asking too much of you? Something difficult like forgiving a person who has hurt you and isn’t even sorry, or honoring your parents who weren’t there for you, or loving your spouse who isn’t mee

Once I shared that God was teaching me that I didn’t honor my husband. This was difficult to share because I was showing them something less than desirable. But being vulnerable is what makes others feel safe enough to admit they also have weaknesses.Another time, while speaking to a large group of women, I felt God nudge me to share about the time

“Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me:Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.”[1]Orthodox Christians and Coptic Christians also use the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit to explain the coming of the Spirit at baptism and confirmation. See Fr Dn Charles Joiner, “Or