Mar 4
We just finished a sermon series at our church called “The Resilient Life,” where we saw the Apostle Paul’s remarkable ability to bounce back from trial, persecution, and set back (find the sermon series here). One of my hopes over the last few weeks has been that we will not only see that Paul bounced back but also see how he did it. Read more
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3.13).
Every so often you come across a line in Scripture that’s difficult to take in. This is one of them. After the New Testament Challenge last fall, a few friends of mine and I started reading Paul’s letter to the Galatians. We wanted to take it at a slower pace.
When we read this line together we sort of looked at each other wondering. What does Paul mean that the law is a curse and that Jesus became a curse? That’s a strange way to talk about the Savior of the world. Sounds like something from Harry Potter. Read more
Tonight, I will be going to a memorial service for one of my professors and mentors, Dr. James Murray Grier. Dr. Grier passed away last week and leaves behind a massive legacy of teaching and spiritual wisdom—especially to budding pastors (like yours truly).
He is one of those teachers who impacted my thinking so much I often find myself quoting him without even realizing it.
But Dr. Grier also impacted me personally. Read more
This weekend, Brady Nemmers, pastor of student ministries at Ada Bible Church, is explaining the Feast of Trumpets and its meaning for our lives as followers of Christ. In the Jewish tradition, ten days before the Day of Atonement, a trumpet would blast announcing the beginning of “Ten Days of Awe”—ten days of soul searching before atonement was made for the people’s sins.
These were days set aside for examining one’s walk with God, confession of sin, and repentance back to God.
It is only fitting, as we begin a New Year, that we as followers of Christ take up “Five Days of Awe” and examine our hearts before heading into 2013. It’s time to take a hard, honest look in the mirror. Read more
Immediately after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary I heard people ask what I think many of us have felt: Can we really celebrate Christmas after that kind of tragedy? How can we gather with family, close the door behind us, and indulge ourselves after so many innocent lives are lost?
And yet, that’s exactly what most of us will do this week. Read more
God has not called us to become converts, believers, Christians, or any other term we might use. He has called us to become disciples.
When we realize what that means, it changes everything about how we go about the spiritual journey.
When I was in high school, my family chartered a small deep-sea fishing boat off the coast of Hawaii. It was quite an experience. We caught mahi mahi, tuna, and almost landed a swordfish. One of my clearest memories, though, was the waves.
The captain told us the water was “a little choppy,” which quickly made me realize how rough the ocean can really get. This “choppy” water treated our boat like a cork—up, down, side to side. At one point, I was looking almost straight down at my brother on the other side of the boat. Read more
This past weekend, Jeff Manion, our Senior Teaching Pastor, used three images to describe God’s Word: honey, a path, and a lamp. (If you missed the sermon, you can watch it here.)
I’m familiar with these images, but the one that had fresh impact on me was the lamp. Read more
We did it! The entire New Testament Challenge in eight weeks. How does it feel? We’ve heard from many who met God in powerful ways. Some read the Bible for the first time. Others noticed things in Scripture they overlooked in the past, and it’s helping them grow immensely.
If that’s you, today is your day to celebrate. Enjoy your day off!
What if you didn’t finish though? If you got behind or stopped reading along the way, how should you feel today? Read more
Today’s reading opens with one of my favorite passages (Revelation 4, pp. 431-432). A description of Jesus receiving the worship he deserves—a scene of reverence and passion, exalting the One who created us and died for us.
I love the thought of my Lord receiving worship, and I long one day to worship him in ways I cannot now.
One worship leader turned this scene into a powerful worship song. Take a moment to listen to it here. Read more
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Darrell Yoder 
Tim Nelson 
Darrell Yoder