"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." — Psalm 56:3 (ESV)The dictionary lists about 700 kinds of phobias:Acrophobia: fear of high places.Claustrophobia: fear of closed places.Agoraphobia: fear of open places.Pathophobia: fear of disease.Ergophobia: fear of work.Photophobia: fear of light.Phobophobia: fear of fear. You don’t have to be a weak person to be a fearful person. Strong people are, so...  Read More

In 1 Peter 3, we see God’s guidance for how this relationship works. Someone once described marriage as being like a dance. In a dance, there is a leader and a follower. The leader guides and sets the direction, and the follower complements that leadership, creating beauty and harmony in motion. There was a story about a championship dance team—a man and a woman—who were asked about their roles du...  Read More

Christians today are living in a culture that is moving in a completely different direction than the one God calls us to. The culture says to go one way, but we, as God’s people, live under the lordship of Jesus Christ, following the truths found in His Word. If Jesus Christ is truly Lord, that truth should be demonstrated in how we treat His Word and how we live our lives. As Christians, we are g...  Read More

We know the nativity story—Jesus, the babe born in Bethlehem; the manger; the wise men; the shepherds. But it’s vital to move beyond the imagery and recognize the truth: God came in human form. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” These verses are clearly proclaiming that Jesus...  Read More

1 Peter 2:21–25 (NKJV) 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own bo...  Read More

1 Peter 2:21-25 immediately follows what Peter has already been writing about. He’s discussing how to respond when facing a government opposed to Christian convictions, as long as it does not require disobedience to God. Peter says, “Respect them, obey them, and honor the king.” This was written when Nero, one of the most godless men in history, was Caesar, or king. Yet, Peter still says, “honor t...  Read More

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is… joyRichard Dawkins, a well-known atheist, has decried the fact that the cultural Christian influence that once existed in England has been disintegrating over the years, and in its place is a militant Islam that continues to spread throughout Europe and especially England. But he really is saddened by the cultural Christian influences that seem to b...  Read More

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love…In our journey through the series "Empowered Living," we delve into what it means to live a Spirit-filled life. This week, we focus on the love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter, often referred to as the "love chapter," provides a picture of the kind of love that God wants for us to express. God’s love in us should be more than just...  Read More

Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…As Christians, we often grapple with expectations—both from others and ourselves. But what does God want us to look like? Romans 8:29 tells us that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son - Jesus. Philippians 1:6 assures us that He w...  Read More

Isaiah 40:27-31 offers timeless wisdom on how to access God’s strength in our daily lives. Isaiah 40 paints a somber picture of Israel's history. After the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC and the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC, the people of God found themselves in exile, questioning if God had forgotten them. They were promised a land flowing with milk and honey, yet they were now displace...  Read More

For contextual background, read the previous blogpost: “Does the Bible Endorse Slavery?” 1 Peter 2:18–20 (NKJV) 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you...  Read More

1 Peter 2:18–20 (NKJV)18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is comme...  Read More