Sermon in the Pocket: Recent Episodes
sermoninthepocket
From 5-Minute sermons that value your time to Q&A segments talking about the things you care about, Sermon in the Pocket (hosted by Pastor Zachary Samuelson) is about bringing the discussion into your home, car, or anywhere you go!
Prepare for a Christmas message that is less about the manger and more about the person in it!
References: John 1:1-14, John 14:16-20, & Proverbs 18:24
What have I been up to the last three months? I'm happy you asked....
openforumministries.com
What does it mean to be truly thankful?
References: 2 Kings 5:9-14, Matthew 20:1-15, & 1 Samuel 1
I've never done a full sermon on my favorite verse of the Bible. Let's go through it to talk about how we can look at other people and situations in the way that God looks at them.
References: 1 Samuel 16:1-7 & Matthew 8:5-13
There's a big change taking place in my life right now, and it's going to affect Sermon in the Pocket.
After dealing with internal conflict, Moses now needs to lead the Israelites in defense against an opposing army!
Reference: Exodus 17:8-16
After demanding food from God, the Israelites now began demanding water. Moses used this time to teach them a valuable lesson that can be helpful and encouraging to us as well.
Reference: Exodus 17:1-7
After God led the Israelites out of Egypt, they had a difficult time adjusting to their new life.
Reference: Exodus 16
It's no secret that there is often division in the church, but how do we even begin to address it?
References: 1 Corinthians 1:10-25 & Joshua 5:13-14
Faith is arguably the most important factor in following Christ, but how exactly does it work? Like an airplane!
References: Romans 10:10-13, Hebrews 11:1, Daniel 3:16-18, & Mark 10:14-15
How can we make sure that all the work we do is actually moving us closer to our goals and that the work itself is good and helpful?
References: Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23-27, Luke 6:1-11, & 1 John 1:5-7
The way wisdom is described by people is often very different from the way the Bible describes it. You may not be as wise as you think...
Reference: James 3:13-18
How can we ensure that the things we say are actually making a positive impact in someone's life?
Reference: Ephesians 4:29-32
Today's message includes something for Father's Day, the Mother's Day message I missed, and all still on theme with my series about The Power of Words. I hope you enjoy it!
Reference: Titus 2:1-8
It's important to talk through things, but maybe after the 84th time it's doing more harm than good.
Reference: Proverbs 26:20-22
Have you ever known someone who could talk for a long time while saying very little? How can we avoid being like that?
Reference: Matthew 15:1-20
This weekend we remember those who have been lost in war. Loss is difficult to deal with no matter the shape it takes, but understanding what the Bible teaches us can help us get through any grief.
References: Psalm 24:1-2, Job 1:20-22, James 1:17, Genesis 22:1-19, & Luke 15
Aren't negative people the worst? They're whiny and rude and... sometimes they're us.
Reference: Philippians 2:12-18
Isn't it frustrating when people say one thing and then a different thing later? Consistency is both important and difficult. Let's talk about it.
References: Proverbs 18:20-21, James 3:9-12, & Philippians 2:1-4
If God wants to do a work in our heart, then do our words even matter that much?
References: Matthew 12:33-37 & James 1:22-25
Jesus' death and resurrection was foretold long before it happened. Let's look at some of these examples.
References: Isaiah 53, Matthew 2:13-15, Matthew 1:18, John 8:58-59, Mark 15:34, Mark 15:16-20, 1 Peter 2:24-25, Matthew 27:11-23, Luke 23:32-43, Mark 15:43-46, Mark 14:36, Matthew 18:20, John 14:6, Matthew 28:18-20, & Romans 8:34
Jesus' resurrection showed that He had all power and all authority, but He didn't do it to show off. He did it for you.
References: John 3:16-17, Romans 6:20-23, Mark 15:16-20, Mark 15:33-39, Matthew 28:1-8, Acts 1:6-11, & Romans 8:31-39
Out of all the things Jesus could have rode into Jerusalem on, why did He choose a donkey?
References: Matthew 21:1-11, Judges 5:9-10, & Judges 12:13-14
What happens when we allow truth to be determined by the majority?
References: Matthew 7:13-23 & Galatians 5:22-23
Why do people have unanswered prayers when Jesus said "Ask and it will be given to you"?
References: Matthew 7:7-12, Isaiah 43:22-26, & Exodus 32
When Jesus gave the instruction to not judge other people, was He really saying that everyone should mind their own business?
References: Matthew 7:1-6 & 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
What advice did Jesus give for people who wrestle with fear and anxiety?
References: Matthew 6:25-34
When Jesus talks about storing up treasure in Heaven, he is talking about a lot more than just money.
References: Matthew 6:19-24, Ecclesiastes 2:18-22, & Matthew 16:24-27
Many of us are familiar with The Lord's Prayer, but what is the significance behind those words we pray?
References: Matthew 6:5-15, Hebrews 4:16, Romans 8:14-17, Luke 22:42, James 4:2-3, Matthew 7:7-12, Luke 23:34, & Luke 18:1-8
During this time of year when we celebrate love, let's talk about what is necessary for us to love others and what truly makes acts of love meaningful to others.
Reference: John 13:1-17
Many of us know that God wants us to love our enemies, but why is it important for us to do so?
References: Matthew 5:43-48 & Matthew 18:12-14
If we "turn the other cheek" like Jesus instructs us to do, does that mean we just let people walk over us?
References: Matthew 5:38-42, Leviticus 24:19-20, Genesis 34, & Matthew 6:25
What exactly was Jesus asking his followers to do when He told them to be like salt and light?
References: Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 6:1, Hebrews 11:1, & 1 John 4:4
I was going to preach a sermon on a small portion of this passage, but I felt like I needed to share the whole thing.
Reference: Matthew 5-7
In this time of year when people set new goals and resolutions for their lives, what does the Bible say about what our renewal process should look like?
References: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 & John 3:27-30
What does the birth of Christ show us about the relationship between the Divine and humanity?
References: Luke 2:1-21, Genesis 1:27, & Romans 3:22-24
Did Jesus actually come to bring peace on Earth?
References: Matthew 10:34-36, John 14:27, John 16:32-33, Luke 2:13-14, Romans 8:38-39, & Jeremiah 17:7-8
Why would Jesus have a problem with his disciples rejoicing a successful ministry done in His name, and what does it teach us about joy?
References: Luke 10:17-24, Ezekiel 18:23, & Isaiah 64:6
How does God's love and law both reach out to help broken people?
References: 1 John 4:16 & John 8:2-11
How was a depressed man given hope of a brighter future?
References: Luke 5:1-15 & Joshua 6
Is thankfulness required to live a righteous life?
References: Luke 12:13-21, John 14:6, Matthew 6:24, Mark 8:36-37, 1 John 4:20, James 2:14-17, & Luke 21:1-4
Samson was very dedicated and loyal to everything in his life, but it wasn't always a good thing.
References: Judges 13-16 & Numbers 6
Jephthah's greatest victory takes place at the same time as his greatest failure. What lessons should we learn from his great mistake?
References: Judges 11:29-40, Genesis 22:1-19, 2 Kings 16:2-3, & 1 Corinthians 3:1-2
Jephthah was a mighty warrior who was treated as an outcast. What lessons can we learn from his interactions with others?
References: Judges 11:1-28 & Deuteronomy 2:9, 19
A special episode this week! Enjoy listening to me read through the research paper I wrote as my senior project in college. It's surprising how much more accurate it has become in our world today!
Not all of the leaders mentioned in Judges did God's will.
References: Judges 9, Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:45, Jeremiah 17:10, & Matthew 23:27-28
I was surprised what I discovered as I took a closer look into the judgements that Gideon made as God's judge.
References: Judges 8:4-27 & Leviticus 24:17-22
How is the preparation of Gideon's army filled with parallels for how God raises up people in the church?
References: Judges 7:1-8 & 1 Peter 3:15-16
What was it about Gideon that made him a mighty warrior?
References: Judges 6, Acts 4:13, & Proverbs 18:24
During this anniversary of loss for so many people, let's talk about the importance of remembering the impactful things that happen in our lives and the need to pass those memories down to future generations.
References: 911memorial.org, Joshua 4:1-7, Judges 2:10, & James 1:22-25
What did Israel's only female judge in Scripture do to help her people win their freedom?
References: Judges 4:1-9, Colossians 3:23-24, & 1 Samuel 15
Sometimes God's work is found in the weirdest (and sometimes even gross) details. Let's talk about one such event.
Reference: Judges 3:12-30
Who were the judges in the Bible, and what does the example of the first judge show us about the themes in the whole book?
Refences: Judges 2:8-10, 3:7-11
How do you approach sharing truth with someone who is delusional?
References: Titus 3:3-5, Romans 10:14-15, Ephesians 5:8-17, 1 Peter 3:15, & 2 Timothy 4:1-5
What can we do when even "good" things are done for selfish reasons?
References: Romans 12:9-21 & Mark 10:17-18
If God exists, then why do innocent children lose the chance the live?
References: Ephesians 2:3, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, & Revelation 20-21
Is everything in the Bible meant to be taken at face value, or is it just a conduit that God uses to speak to us? Is it literal or not?
References: Luke 15:11-32, Matthew 27:5, Luke 10:37, John 13:27, Daniel 3, Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, & 2 Timothy 3:16-17
What does the example of a tree have to do with repentance?
References: Luke 13:1-9, Mark 15:7, & Isaiah 59:1-2
What is the connection between our spiritual freedom and the act of showing mercy?
References: Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 6:23, 2 Peter 3:9, & Matthew 7:2
How did Jesus describe the process of people coming to an understanding and acceptance of God, and what can we learn about evangelism from it?
Reference: Mark 4:26-34
What are the traits that make up a good father as seen through Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son?
Reference: Luke 15:11-32
What are the responsibilities that God has given to us, and what should our attitude look like as we accomplish them?
References: Luke 17:1-10, James 3:1-2, Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 13:44-46 & Ephesians 1:4-6
What are a couple of extremes that believers can fall into about what it means to be a follower of Christ, and how do we avoid them?
References: Matthew 22:1-14 & Philippians 2:1-8
What was Jesus' advice for addressing division and conflict? It might be different than you expect!
Reference: Matthew 12:22-30
What vineyard has God given us, and what are we supposed to do with it?
References: Mark 12:1-12 & Judges 13-16
What exactly is it that makes a good mom, and how can it make anyone a better person?
Reference: 1 Kings 3:16-28
How can you honor your parents if you hate them?
References: Exodus 20:12; 21:15, 17; Matthew 7:1-5, 12; Ephesians 4:29; Deuteronomy 4:2; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 22:6
What is it that makes you who you are?
References: Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 139:13-14, Genesis 1:27-31, & Isaiah 64:6
What would the world be like if Jesus never rose from the dead?
Reference: Matthew 18:16-20
As we celebrate Palm Sunday, let's look by what authority it was that Jesus entered Jerusalem.
References: Matthew 21:1-11 & Matthew 16:13-17
What are all of the benefits waiting for us on the other side of repentance?
References: 2 Corinthians 7:11 & Luke 19:1-10
We often talk about the joy of the Lord, but what does it mean to have Godly sorrow?
Reference: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
This final chapter of the Exodus leaves us with a lot to consider about the Israelites, the Egyptians, and the people who led them.
References: Exodus 14:19-31 & Luke 14:26
Things got a little tense before the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.
Reference: Exodus 14:1-18
God continues to lead people today the same way He led the Israelites out of Egypt.
References: Exodus 12-13, Romans 12:2
What can the Passover event teach us about how our faith works today?
References: Exodus 12:1-14, 24-28
We've talked about what the plagues in Egypt had in common. Now let's look at how each one was unique.
References: Exodus 7-11
How could we go through a Valentine's Day weekend without talking about the love of God?
References: Romans 8:38-39, John 15:9-10, Proverbs 3:5-6, & 1 John 4:8-11
There are a lot of plagues that happen in Egypt, but what do they have in common?
References: Exodus 7-11, 1 Kings 17:1-2, Genesis 6:13, Genesis 41:25-32, Genesis 3:1-5, 1 Samuel 15:17-23, Galatians 3:1-5, 2 Samuel 11:1-4, Exodus 32:1, & Galatians 2:11-12
Moses faced a lot of obstacles trying to free the Israelites including the time God almost killed him!
References: Exodus 4-7
What kind of person was Moses before he was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?
References: Exodus 2-4 & Luke 14:7-11
How do we develop a servant's heart among churchgoers? It has to start in our view of church itself.
References: Acts 17:10-12, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, & Philippians 2:12-13
Were churches always the way they are now? What was the original like?
Reference: Acts 2:41-47
A lot of people talk about what to DO to be closer to God, but let's talk about how to BE like Christ in our interactions with others.
References: Luke 7:36-50
What does the term "Christ" mean, and why is it important?
References: Luke 4:14-21, Ephesians 1:19-21, & Matthew 16:13-17
What does it mean to have a peaceful life? Let's clear up some of the misunderstandings about peace.
References: Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 26:20-25, Matthew 26:36-39, & Philippians 4:6-7
Do you find yourself feeling worn out and frustrated? Where can you go to fill your life with joy again?
References: John 15:9-12, Luke 15:3-7, Romans 15:30-32, & Nehemiah 8:10
Lots of people have been hurt by unloving Christians. Where do we go wrong?
References: 1 john 4:7-21, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, & John 13:34-35
How can you be hopeful when your life is filled with problems and suffering?
Reference: Romans 5:1-5
How do you deal with a future you want to avoid?
References: Luke 14:28-32, Proverbs 6:6-8, James 4:13-17, Matthew 6:25-34, Hebrews 11:1, Romans 8:24-25, & Isaiah 40:28-31
What things do we need to consider with the many decisions we make on a daily basis?
References: Luke 9:57-62 & Proverbs 6:10-11
How should we view the past? Are we responsible for it? Should we forget about it?
References: Ezekiel 18:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Exodus 16-14, & Joshua 4:1-7
What exactly are angels, demons, and other Biblical spirits?
References: Philippians 3:20-21, Luke 24:36-43, 2 Peter 2:11, 1 Corinthians 6:3, Colossians 1:15-17, Revelation 19:9-10, Psalm 91:11, Ezekiel 28:16, Daniel 10:12-14, Revelation 20:7-10, 1 John 4:4
Do you struggle with feelings of loneliness? Learn how to be comforted by God.
Reference: Psalm 23
Are we focused more on spiritual things or physical things?
References: Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 23:26, & John 6
How do you discover what God has for you personally?
References: James 4:2-3, psalm 139:23-24, Matthew 6:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 10:27, Jeremiah 1:7, Matthew 18:19-20, Deuteronomy 19:15, Colossians 3:23-24, Ecclesiastes 9:10, & Deuteronomy 18:19-22
Did you know there is a type of self-focus that the Bible actually encourages?
References: Matthew 20:1-16; Philippians 2:3-4, 12; Matthew 7:3-5
What was it about David that gave him the strength to overcome a giant warrior?
Reference: 1 Samuel 17:32-58
Most people are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, but what is it really about?
Reference: 1 Samuel 17:1-32
How have believers made an idol out of a lack of responsibility? How do we correct this?
References: James 2:14-26, Matthew 4:1-11
I was given a list of questions about the Bible and Christian living. Let's answer them!
Questions:
Why are the Gospels the Gospels?
Why is the Bible in the order it's in?
Why is there a 400 year gap between the Old Testament and New Testament?
Why is King David so important?
Where in the Bible are the seven deadly sins?
Why do we have free will?
Why do we have curiosity?
What does the Bible say about daily activities?
When a man becomes a man, he puts away childish things. What does a woman do?
How do we stay thankful to God during difficult times?
What should our relationship with nature be like?
How does God remove our shortcomings?
What if we are unable to be fruitful and multiply (have children)?
References:
Luke 2:36-38, 1 Samuel 13:14, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Romans 6:23, Job 1:21, Romans 1:20, Exodus 20:3-6, John 17:15, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Romans 6:18, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Revelation 21:4, Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, John 15:5, Galatians 5:22-23, & Matthew 28:19-20
What is the connection between faith and trust? How is being gentle different from being weak? Does self-control deny who I am? How does the Holy Spirit give us these things?
References: Galatians 5:22-23, Luke 16:1-12, Luke 8:17, 2 Timothy 2:23-26, Acts 16:16-34, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 & Proverbs 25:28
What does forbearance mean? How is kindness different from love? Isn't goodness a little too vague? Most importantly, how can we tell if our lives are filled with these characteristics?
References: Galatians 5:22-23, 1 John 3:6-9, James 4:4-8, Romans 11:22, Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32, Mark 10:17-18, & 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
How can we tell if we are living a life led by the Holy Spirit? Let's begin by looking for the traits of love joy and peace in our life!
References: Galatians 5:22-23, John 15:12-13, Philippians 2:3-4, Nehemiah 8:7-12, Psalm 126:1-3, & Philippians 4:6-9
What does it mean to live a life of righteousness? How is it done?
References: Galatians 6:1-10, Matthew 7:12, Philippians 2:12
Is being a Christian something that's easy or incredibly difficult?
References: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 23:4, Romans 8:16-17, John 15:18-20, 2 Timothy 3:12, Matthew 7:13, Matthew 16:24, John 16:33, & Galatians 6:2
What does the Holy Spirit actually do for us? How is he different from the presence of the Father?
References: 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, Galatians 5:16-26, 2 Peter 1:21, Mark 13:11, Acts 4:31, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:20, & 2 Corinthians 13:14
If God knew before he created us that we would be imperfect, why did He give us free will?
References: James 1:2-18, Matthew 25:14-20
What is the role of God the Son other than the life and death of Jesus?
References: John 1:1-18. 1 Peter 2:24-25, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 4:14-16, & John 14:6
The Trinity of God is complicated and difficult for many people to understand. Let's break down the roles that each part plays starting with the Father.
References: Genesis 1, Exodus 20:1-17, Revelation 20:11-15
We've covered Job's defense and the arguments of the three friends, but what are the actual truths about God that we can learn from the events in Job?
Job's friends had a lot of ideas for why he was suffering, but their arguments don't hold up very well.
With churches slowly losing people, we need to reevaluate how we do ministry.
References: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, 15:33
Everyone talks about how the role of the pastor is like the role of a shepherd, but is that really how it's meant to be?
Sometimes we can become so focused on the teachings of God that we neglect our personal relationship with Him. How do we fix that?
References: John 15:1-17, Luke 18:18-25, & Matthew 25:31-46
To celebrate Mother's Day, let's talk about a woman who struggled to be a mother at all.
Reference: 1 Samuel 1
Rahab is one of the only women mentioned in the line of Jesus. What makes her story so special?
If you only listen to one of my sermons, listen to this one!
I believe one of the greatest problems we face is that we've stopped caring about anything beyond ourselves, and the most dangerous part is we don't even realize we've stopped.
References: Matthew 25:24-28, Luke 10:38-42, James 3:9-12, & Ezekiel 36:26
It seems that God speaks to people in the middle of the night because their spirit is quiet enough to hear Him. Is there a way to have that same quietness of spirit throughout our day?
References: Daniel 6:10, Luke 5:16, Nehemiah 1:1-4, & Matthew 25:1-13
"In my day we had fantastical feasts when I lived in the palace, and now look at me...I'll give 'em something to celebrate soon enough!"
How should believers handle conflict between one another? Should it always be avoided, and are there multiple ways to resolve it?
References: Genesis 13:1-11, Galatians 2:11-14, & Acts 15:36-41
The resurrection is the greatest event in all of history, but what impact can it have on an individual's life today?
References: Luke 23:44-24:8, Romans 6:23, John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:10-12, John 8:1-11, Romans 6:5-7, 1 Corinthians 10:13
Let's talk about the infamous 7 deadly sins with a fun Disney spin!
References: James 2:10
What are the traits of a godly leader and how can they be applied in the lives of every believer?
References: 1 Peter 5:1-3, Titus 1:5-9, Matthew 20:25-28, 1 Thessalonians 2:6-8, Nehemiah 2:17-18
We've finished talking about the different pieces of the armor of God, but we still have yet to talk about the mightiest weapon available to us.
References: Ephesians 6:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
The armor of God isn't just for defending against a future threat. There are some pieces that are specifically for engaging in spiritual warfare.
References: Ephesians 6:16-17, Philippians 1:20-21
The first 3 pieces in the Armor of God help us to prepare for the situations we face. Let's discuss how we apply them to our lives.
References: Ephesians 6:14-15, Matthew 7:24-27, James 1:19, Matthew 5:23-24
Today I begin a new series on the armor of God beginning with why it's important in the first place!
References: Ephesians 6:10-13, Luke 16:19-31
Often called the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 is often quoted when giving people relationship advice or encouraging them to participate in outreach ministry, but was it originally intended for an entirely different context?
References: 1 Corinthians 13, Luke 21:1-4
What is the difference between salvation and righteousness and how are they connected?
References: James 2:24, Romans 10:9, John 5:24, Matthew 19:25-26, Titus 3:4-5, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:18, 1 Peter 2:24, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Isaiah 64:6, 2 Timothy 3:16, Philippians 1:9-11, 1 John 2:29, Ephesians 3:8-9, Galatians 2:20, James 2:18, Psalm 37:39, Romans 1:16-17
Nobody likes being around someone who has a bad attitude, but what benefits are there in having a good attitude?
References: Philippians 2:14-16, Luke 12:16-20
It's easy to say that we're followers of God, but how many of us actually submit to him in these ways?
References: Daniel 1:5-15, John 21:20-22, and 2 Kings 5:9-14
What is it that God actually wants us to do with our life? How can we be sure that we're walking in His will?
References: Micah 6:8, Matthew 7:3-5, Luke 6:27-28, Philippians 2:3-4
There are many things we can learn about the mercy and forgiveness of God, but there are also aspects of God's justice that we should also imitate that are sometimes overlooked.
References: Psalm 5:4, Isaiah 59:1-2, 1 John 3:9, Genesis 6:11-13, Genesis 19:24-25, Exodus 11:4-5, Romans 6:23, James 1:14-15, Matthew 5:38-45, John 18:7-9, Luke 23:33-34, Matthew 28:18, Exodus 3:7-8, Isaiah 1:17, Psalm 82:2-3, Matthew 23:23, John 2:13-16,
Wanting to set some new goals for your faith this year? Let's look at what a healthy faith looks like and the steps that move us in that direction.
References: Daniel 3:16-18
This year has left a lot of people weak and isolated. As we begin to set goals, let's be aware of how we can strengthen our faith to defend from enemy attack.
References: Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 18:1-8, Matthew 16:24-26
Are you tired of the stress and anxiety from this year? Learn how you can have peace through the Christmas story.
References: Luke 2:15-21, John 15:18-20
How can the pursuit of a righteous life potentially lead us to an abandonment of God's commands?
References: James 2:14-18, Isaiah 29:13, & Matthew 7:1-5
Happiness comes and goes, but how does the Christmas story show us a way to be filled with everlasting joy?
References: Luke 2:8-14, Philippians 2:14-16
This passage is probably one of the greatest examples of the power and justice of God. It encourages me to be bold in following the guidance of Christ.
Jesus was born because of God's love for us, but how do we show God's love to others?
References: Luke 2:1-7, 2 Samuel 7:16, Jeremiah 23:5-6, John 3:16
How can we tell if we're obsessed with something, and how do we break free from it?
References: Exodus 20:3, Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:16, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Isaiah 40:29, Isaiah 41:10, Exodus 15:2
Not only did the birth of Jesus give hope to the people at the time, but the way it happened also shows us how God can give us hope in our world today!
References: Luke 1:26-38, Joel 2:28
Listen in as I ask my brother questions about his spiritual journey to provide a slightly different opinion from my own that is still grounded in the fundamental aspect of Christian faith.
How can we make our Thanksgiving celebration reflect the Kingdom of God?
References: Matthew 22:1-14
This stand made against King Nebuchadnezzar has many lessons for us about recognizing God's authority, the consequences of anger, and more topics!
How did Jesus introduce truth to others, and how do his methods give us a template to follow?
References: Matthew 5:14-16, John 4:1-26
During this Thanksgiving month, I thought it would be fitting to read through this Scripture about the benefits of showing appreciation and the role faith plays in the blessings we receive from God.
Once we understand how truth works, how do we accept it in our own life? What are the practical steps to lead us through that process?
References: Galatians 2:11-16, Isaiah 55:10-11
What happens after death?
References: Genesis 3, Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:11-12, John 11:26, Matthew 10:28, Romans 14:8, Revelation 21:4, John 3:16, Romans 10:9, Ezekiel 18:32, Matthew 5:13-14, Matthew 28:16-20
How can we gain a deeper understanding of the truths in our world? Does truth change over time?
References: John 8:44, 1 Corinthians 8
How does Jesus counsel us, and how can we use his example to help us support others?
References: Isaiah 9:6, John 21:15-19
If Jesus is loving and merciful, then why are some Christians so mean?
(For a more in-depth look at this topic, check out my series "Why Do Christians Suck?")
References: 2 Timothy 1:6-9, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 9:23-26, John 15:18-25, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 23:27-28
This story has a lot to teach us about the importance of faith and walking in the will of God.
I've seen a lot of marriages fall apart since my wife and I were married. I'd like to offer my support and some advice to any couples out there who need a little bit (or a lot) of help.
References: Ephesians 4:16, Colossians 3:13, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16
How long has it been since you stopped to truly consider how wonderful God is? Let's take some time to do that together.
References: Exodus 3:1-14, John 3:16, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9
What does it mean to grow up? What's wrong with staying a kid forever?
References: 1 Corinthians 13:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Today we read through the time Jesus healed a paralyzed man who was lowered in from the roof and talk about the importance of meeting the greatest needs first.
Not every verse in the Bible is as standalone as John 3:16. In fact, some of them even make me chuckle when taken out of context, and other ones (although historically accurate and valuable in the overall narrative of Scripture) are not great examples of how you should want your life to look.
References: Jeremiah 46:10, 48:6, 51:20-23; Lamentations 4:10; Ezekiel 7:17, 10:13; Hosea 4:5; Amos 3:12, 5:19; & Zechariah 5:7-8, 6:7
What was up with Jesus throwing a temper tantrum in the temple? How was it not a sin for him to do that?
This has been on my heart for a while, and I'd love to get some feedback from all of you about it!
This psalm has a lot to say about receiving peace from God that is not dependent on our circumstances.
Read with me through the parable of the Prodigal Son as I discover something I never noticed at the beginning of the story before, point out similarities between the older and younger son, and much more!
What does it mean to continually persist God? How do we do it?
References: Luke 18:1-8, Matthew 2:1-2, Exodus 7-12, Daniel 6
Do Christians today have to follow the laws of the Old Testament?
References: Genesis 6:5, Matthew 5:17-20, John 3:16-17, Ephesians 3:6, John 14:6
There is truly nothing greater than the love of God, but how do we show others that same kind of love?
References: Romans 12:9-21
Read the last letter of John with me as we talk about being having good spiritual and physical health, popularity contests in the body of Christ, and being the family of God.
Forgiveness is part of the foundation for Christian faith, but how much do we really understand it?
References (in order): 1 John 1:9, Matthew 18:21-22, 2 Samuel 12:13-14, Numbers 14:20-23, Proverbs 28:13, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 103:11-12, Acts 3:19, Jeremiah 31:34, Isaiah 43:25, Luke 17:3-4, Matthew 18:15-17, Luke 6:27, Romans 12:17-21, Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 6:14-15, & Matthew 5:23-24
What does spite do to us, and how can we recognize the signs of it in our life?
References: 1 Peter 2:1; 5:7
How can we use the teachings of Scriptures to help others face the fears and darkness of this world?
References: Matthew 5:14-16, Proverbs 18:24, John 8:31-32, 2 Chronicles 2:6, John 3:16-17
For such a short book of the Bible, these 13 verses have a powerful message. Let's read through it together.