Exploring the Bible Archives - Page 4 of 12

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021

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.

October 11, 2021October 12, 2021

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?

September 30, 2021September 30, 2021

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

September 27, 2021September 30, 2021

Get Wisdom, No Matter the Cost – The Proverbs Series

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.

September 23, 2021October 10, 2021

A Closer Look: Ruth, the Gentile Blessed By God

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.

September 20, 2021October 5, 2021

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

“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?

September 16, 2021September 19, 2021

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.

September 13, 2021September 13, 2021

How to Praise God According to the Bible

Praise and worship is a large, central part of any church service. From traditional hymns to more contemporary worship songs, many Christians love to sing songs to worship God. Whether they are traditional songs or newer ones, they all contain some beautiful melodies and lyrics. Have you ever been moved emotionally by a praise song? Maybe you’ve cried, raised your hands, or lifted up a desperate prayer.

September 9, 2021September 12, 2021

The Cost of Following God’s Truth

cost of following the truth, cost of following God's truth, price, God, Jesus, persecution

Have you ever considered, or has it ever felt like there was a cost for following God’s truth? That you would have to suffer something difficult or pay a price for your faith? What would that cost look like in our daily lives? And more importantly, would we be willing to pay it?

It’s easy to say yes. But when we examine those who followed the truth throughout the Bible, we can see that the price they paid was high. And what is this Truth we are referring to? John 17:17 tells us that God’s Word is truth. God’s Word, the Bible, the way we get to know God and the way we can learn about salvation. Those who followed God’s Words throughout history faced unnaturally harsh persecution and hardships. Why? Because in a world full of lies, they pursued God’s truth.

September 6, 2021September 27, 2021

A Closer Look: The Lesser-Known Truth of John the Baptist

The famous John the Baptist. Many of us have heard of or learned about him before. On the surface, it looks like he was one of the first to believe in and follow Jesus. But there is more to his story that many often miss.