What Time Are We Living In? 

time, era, bible, time we're living in, Jesus' return, Revelation

The Bible, from beginning to end, tells us of different eras in which people lived, and events pertaining to God’s history occurred. We have the eras of Adam, Noah, and Abraham in Genesis.

Then there’s era of Moses and the Israelites – their freedom from slavery, years in the desert, and conquest of Canaan. Afterwards, we see the eras of the judges, the kings, and the prophets.

The four gospels record the era of Jesus’ first coming. The book of Acts examines the era of the early church, and the Epistles record instructions and advice on how to be Christ-like for Christians, new and old. Finally, the last book of the Bible, Revelation, prophesies the second coming of Jesus. With all these eras, or times, in the Bible, which era do you think we’re living in now?

Continue reading “What Time Are We Living In? “

Why Do We Pray in the Name of Jesus?

pray in the name of Jesus, pray in Jesus' name, pray, prayer, Jesus, God, Bible

Prayer – it’s something all religions have and many people do, even when they don’t believe in God or a higher power. Some people recite lengthy prayers, while others might lift up a quick few words. Prayer is how believers of any faith communicate with the deity they believe in. People pray for blessings and for physical needs or desires. They pray to share their feelings and thoughts with their deity or the universe. 

For Christians, we pray to God, the Creator and Father of our spirits.  When it comes to the end of the prayer though, how should we end it? Do we just say “Amen” and be done with it? 

Continue reading “Why Do We Pray in the Name of Jesus?”

God’s Love Can Be Tough Love Too

God's love, tough love, love, God, correcting

“God is love” is a phrase we often hear in our churches, from our pastors or our Christian family members or friends. It’s true; God is love, but what does that truly mean? We often think that God’s love is always kind, always accepting, always soft. Like no matter what we do (as believers) God will always forgive everything we do. Yet, when we look in the Bible, is that truly the case? God’s love can also be seen as tough love in many cases.

Continue reading “God’s Love Can Be Tough Love Too”

What is God’s Big Picture?

God's big picture, God's plan, God's purpose

The big picture. It’s important to know, but easy to forget about. It’s easy for our thoughts and minds to be completely consumed with what’s right in front of us. Maybe it’s unexpected bad news. Perhaps it was something someone said to you, or a huge event or presentation looming before you. No matter how hard you try, it’s all you can think about, captivating your attention at all times. 

We often lose sight of the big picture when hard times hit or when we focus too much on the little details. As believers, it’s often our lives of faith that end up getting pushed to the sidelines when something in life hits us hard and consumes our thoughts. God and His plans are forgotten while we worry about the other issues right in front of us. What happens when we forget about the big picture? And before we even answer that, another question: what is God’s big picture? 

Continue reading “What is God’s Big Picture?”

You Are My Hiding Place – The Psalms Series

hiding, hiding place, God is my hiding place, psalms, forgiveness

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long...

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”–and you forgave the guilt of my sin… 

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalms 32

Continue reading “You Are My Hiding Place – The Psalms Series”

Get Wisdom, No Matter the Cost – The Proverbs Series

get wisdom, Bible, God, wisdom, seek

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 

Proverbs 4:7

Why does it cost everything we have to get wisdom and understanding of God? Are we supposed to go into debt enrolling in a theology school? Sell everything we have in order to understand God better?

Actually, the word of God should be given without cost (Isaiah 55:1-3, Revelation 22:17). Rich or poor, anyone who is thirsty for the word of God is able to receive it. So why does the Bible say it costs everything we have? In fact, there is a cost to receiving God’s word–we have to let go of something in order to receive and keep it. 

Continue reading “Get Wisdom, No Matter the Cost – The Proverbs Series”

A Closer Look: Ruth, the Gentile Blessed By God

Ruth, Gentile, God, blessing, faith

In the Bible, the book of Ruth is one that’s often overlooked by many people. If you have read it, you know it’s not very long – having only four chapters and less than 90 verses. Yet it’s a story that is very significant for us today. Ruth was a woman of love, faithfulness, and obedience. Let’s take a closer look at her story and how we can still learn from it today.

Continue reading “A Closer Look: Ruth, the Gentile Blessed By God”

Are You Prudent or Simple in Your Faith? – The Proverbs Series

prudent, simple, faith, God's Word

“The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” 

Proverbs 14:15

What does it mean to be “prudent”? Being prudent is to be thoughtful and discerning…to not be hasty. Prudent people think about the possible consequences of their decisions before making them. We often show this quality when deciding which university to attend, or who we want to marry, or even the type of job we want. There are plenty of important decisions we give thought to before making them. But what does it mean to be prudent in the Bible? 

Continue reading “Are You Prudent or Simple in Your Faith? – The Proverbs Series”

Going to Heaven Might Not Be As Easy As You Think

going to heaven, go to heaven, how to go to heaven, jesus, salvation

Ask any Christian, “Why do you carry out a life of faith?” To go to heaven will probably be at the top of most people’s list. But take those same people and ask, “How do you get to heaven?” and then you might start to get different answers. 

Some people say you just need to believe in Jesus, while others say you need to be a good person and do good things for others, or countless different other answers. Well, which is it? How can I know 100% that I’m going to heaven? And what do God and Jesus have to say about this in the Bible? We’ll learn that it’s not as easy as some may think. 

Continue reading “Going to Heaven Might Not Be As Easy As You Think”