To listen to the full song, click here. WaterIt’s hard to read the lyrics to almost any Christian song and not see connections to the Psalms, some of our first recorded worship songs. But “Water” includes lyrics that almost feel like they were pulled out of David’s notes.West writes: “The storm may come / But we'll get through it because of Your lo

What Does It Mean to Be of One Accord?When I think of being in one accord, I think of being on the same page, or being in alignment with the present will of the Lord. As the church gathers together, there should a oneness; a spiritual unity and binding that Satan cannot tear apart. Each time the church doors open, we should be ready to hear from th

To save the world from sin and death God chose to make His Son the Savior, and His Son gladly complied with His Father’s will. Now the world needed to know that salvation through the Son was possible. So the truth of Christ’s sacrifice had to be made visible in the world. In making visible the plan of salvation, God voluntarily placed His Son in th

Horizontally-Challenged Perspective Having a horizontally-challenged perspective is a big part of what makes us human. Too often, the limited perspective makes us believe this moment is all that is and the scene in front of us is all that will ever be.Of course we know better than that, but at times that’s how it feels. A thousand feet up, we see t

What Does Fasting Do for Our Spiritual Life? Fasting and prayer open our hearts to hear God’s voice more clearly. They reveal hidden areas of sin, strengthen our connection with Him, and help us pray with pure intentions. Together, they deepen our faith, allowing us to focus fully on God and draw nearer to Him, transforming our hearts in the proces

Where Does the Bible Address Jealousy? Whether it is seen in the life of a person in the Bible or mentioned in a book of wisdom, there are many verses which show the dangers of jealousy. Job 5:2 “Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.”These words come from Eliphaz, a friend of Job who came to try and comfort the titular indi

Despite what season or situation you may be facing, I invite you to continue to follow God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Following God will take you to unknown places, situations, and will encourage you to surrender to God. Being courageous doesn’t mean that you won’t make mistakes, but it does mean that you have made the decision to trust in

The helmet of salvation protects us from that. Some commentators have said the helmet has a purpose in assuring us of salvation. It helps us when we enter the battlefield of the mind, where the devil can deal harsh, sometimes fatal blows. If the devil plagues us with doubts about our eternal standing, of course we’re going to be susceptible on the

1. Messiah/Christ (Matthew 1:18, 25, 2:4; Luke 2:11, 26)The names “Messiah” and “Christ” are interchangeable, with the former derived from Hebrew and the latter adapted from Greek. Other than the generic term, “the child,” this is the title most often assigned to Jesus in the gospel records of his birth. The literal definition means “Anointed One”

1. Be Strong in the LordBefore we put on the armor, we need to be clear why we’re doing it. No matter the crisis, we need to be strong. Paul says, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). The apostle reminds us our human strength may fail us, but when we rely on and rest in God’s strength, we can face anything. Scripture co

3. Use Your God-Given Gifts for a PurposeGod has given us all gifts to use to fulfill our God-given purposes. A way to keep the hope of the resurrection alive is by using our God-given gifts to bless others (1 Peter 4:10-11). Many people will benefit from the unique gifts that we willingly give and share. Today, I invite you to continue to use your

Self-control is important. Self-discipline is a mark of a believer. Your body works for you, you don’t work for your body. If you find that order reversed, then get serious about self-control and tell your body no. Do that now. Don’t wait until March 1.Fasting is a spiritual discipline, because it reminds your body who works for whom. But to tie it

Lots worked the same way. What Can We Learn from Matthias?We can learn a number of things from this disciple. First, we can learn that our timetable doesn’t always fit God’s. Maybe Matthias was disappointed when Jesus hadn’t chosen him as one of the original twelve. After all, he followed him as soon as Jesus’ public ministry began. Matthias was pa

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8 NKJV)See how I love your commandments, LORD. Give back my life because of your unfailing lo

What Is Easter & Why Do Christians Celebrate It? “Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in th

Does the Bible Address Equality? When examining the Bible, there are many stories where one can spot moments of inequity. Some of the most obvious are examples of conquest, when a stronger people group takes over another and brings its hierarchy with it. Much of this is the by-product of earthly divisions, and a human tendency to want to focus on a

Humankind has Strayed from God's ImageSometimes we find ourselves distracted by aberrations. Our eyes are drawn to the mess when trash is spilled out in the middle of an otherwise lovely path. Similarly, we are distracted from the true image of God when broken humanity spills out impurity and selfishness.A parent who neglects a child is derided bec

What Is Crucifixion?Crucifixion was one of the most agonizing ways a person could be executed. It was designed to inflict on its victims a slow, painful death, potentially lasting over days. In fact, the word excruciating means “out of crucifying.” It would be bad enough if it stopped there but this form of punishment was also humiliating. Think ab

So how do we take up the shield of faith? We pray that God will arm us with it in all circumstances, and we choose to take it up, even when the devil keeps firing arrows of doubt and deceit. How Is Faith like a 'Shield?'The shield does a lot more than take blows from arrows. The typical Roman shield could push back against the enemy and, when soldi

Does the Bible Say Mary Magdalene Was Jesus' Wife?Many “Jesus’ wife” theories revolve around Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene. Let’s take a closer look at what we know about her.Mary Magdalene isn’t mentioned very often in the Gospels and seems to disappear from the narrative entirely in Acts. Luke 8:1-3 lists her with several other women:Af