Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig Video Podcast: Recent Episodes
Skip Heitzig
The Live Service VIDEO Podcast is a twice-weekly bible study with Pastor Skip Heitzig from Calvary Church Albuquerque. Skip teaches expositionally through the entire Bible, verse by verse. We are a fellowship of believers who pursue the God who passionately pursues a lost world; we do this by connecting with one another, through worship, by the Word, to the world.
I. The Right Attitude
II. The Right Action
III. The Right Approach
Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Psalm 1:1-3 before your quiet time this week and ask the Lord to prepare your heart to hear what He wants to share with you.
Love Your Neighbor: Share an encouraging Scripture with a friend or family member who’s facing a challenge.
Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to use His living Word to reveal areas of your life which you haven’t surrendered to His will and purpose for you.
Pastor Skip Heitzig opens the book of Job and begins our study of the story of a real man whose unwavering faith is tested through unimaginable loss and suffering. Through Job’s example, we’re reminded to trust His purposes, pray faithfully through hardship, and compassionately minister to those who suffer.
Carlos Wallace quipped, “The funny thing about truth, everyone seems to have their own version.” Jesus said He was the truth (John 14:6), and that He always told the truth (John 8:45). But many who listened to Him had their own version of truth, so Jesus now begins a new way of teaching: the parable. As we read these parables, consider four characteristics of interacting with truth.
I. Truth Is a Priority (vv. 1-2)
II. Stories Bring Clarity (vv. 3-8)
III. Listening Is a Necessity (v. 9)
IV. Understanding Shows Sincerity (vv. 10-12)
Learn Your Bible: Read Isaiah 6:9-10 and compare it to today’s passage. What does Jesus’ use of parables teach us about how God responds to the posture of our hearts?
Love Your Neighbor: We’re instructed in 1 John 3:18 to love in “deed and truth.” How can you show love in action and truth to those in your circle this week?
Live in Freedom: Is there something holding you back from listening to and applying the truth of God’s Word? What practical step can you take this week to make truth a priority, listen more carefully, and respond with sincerity?
We concluded the Required Reading series in 3 John where Pastor Taylor Bronisz taught that a healthy church is built when believers live out the truth—serving others, investing in gospel work, and cultivating authentic Christian community. He showed that our choices can either strengthen or divide the body of Christ.
I. Choice #1: Integrity or Inconsistency (vv. 1-4)
II. Choice #2: Open hands or Closed fists (vv. 5-8)
III. Choice #3: Deferential or Domineering (vv. 9-10)
IV. Choice #4: Connection or Exclusion (vv. 11-14)
In Mark 3, Pastor Nate Heitzig examined the often-misunderstood topic of the unforgivable sin, showing that everyone must choose how they will respond to Jesus. Believers are encouraged to embrace the true Jesus revealed in Scripture and follow Him with wholehearted commitment.
I. Those Who Misunderstood Jesus
II. Those Who Opposed Jesus
III. Those Who Rejected Jesus
IV. Those Who Followed Jesus
Learn Your Bible: Read Matthew 7:21-23 and compare it to today’s text. How do these two passages challenge us to examine whether we’re merely near Jesus or genuinely following Him?
Love Your Neighbor: When people misunderstand or oppose Jesus, how can we respond with grace and truth in a way that keeps the focus on Him?
Live in Freedom: Is something keeping you from fully following Jesus—confusion, opposition, or rejection? What steps can you take this week to follow Him more closely?
Pastor Taylor Bronisz focused on 2 Peter and its warnings against spiritual scammers—false teachers who subtly undermine accountability, normalize sin, and exploit believers. Peter left his readers with hope: Rather than chasing the latest spiritual fad, believers simply need to keep growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
I. Red Flag #1: A Denial of Accountability
II. Red Flag #2: A Deterioration of Morality
III. Red Flag #3: A Deconstruction of Belief
IV. Green Flag: A Determination to Finish Well
In this message, Pastor Nate examined four of the twelve disciples to show how Jesus sees people differently than the world does. While the world evaluates people by talent and appearance, Jesus looks past flaws and outward performance to what a person can become through following Him.
I. Jesus Sees Your Potential
II. Jesus Sees Your Faithfulness
III. Jesus Sees Your Growth
IV. Jesus Sees Your Heart
Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, dig deeper into God’s Word and discover how He sees us—then let that truth change how you view others.
Love Your Neighbor: Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement? This week, take time to remind them of their God-given value and potential.
Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to show you any fears, doubts, or past hurts that may be keeping you from fully stepping into His plans for you.
Exploring Habakkuk, Pastor Taylor Bronisz explored the book of Habakkuk and addressed the question of why a good God allows evil and suffering. He pointed to the cross as God’s ultimate answer and challenged believers to reject transactional faith, choosing instead to praise God regardless of their circumstances.
In Mark 3:7-12, Pastor Nate Heitzig contrasted being a fan of Jesus with being His follower. While the crowds pursued His miracles, the disciples surrendered to His authority. Believers are challenged to examine whether their lives are marked by convenience or wholehearted obedience.
I. Swayed by His Presence
II. Starving for His Power
III. Surrendered to His Authority
Learn Your Bible: Read Luke 6:46-49 and John 14:15. How do these passages define true surrender to Jesus? What do they reveal about the difference between hearing His words, admiring Him, and surrendering to His authority?
Love Your Neighbor: How can you reflect the compassion of Jesus this week to someone who is seeking help but not yet surrendered to Him?
Live in Freedom: What would it look like for you to seek Jesus, not only for what He can do for you, but for who He is?
Teaching through Philemon, Pastor Taylor Bronisz explained that forgiveness isn’t something we do after we heal but something that leads to healing. He reminded believers that forgiveness is a necessary response to God’s grace, enabling them to reflect Christ’s love to others.
Pastor Kaiden Ritchie encourages Christians to cultivate a holy hunger by making the pursuit of Christ their highest priority. We do this by being presence-minded, walking in a holy fear of the Lord, and living with joy. A Christ-centered life is essential to our walk of faith.
I. Presence Minded
II. Fear Formed
III. Joy Filled
Pastor Taylor Bronisz explores the book of Haggai to address spiritual recidivism—the cycle of drawing near to God, drifting into apathy, and falling away. We observe three steps for breaking cycles and are reminded God is never finished with His people, and our faith is predicated on the hope of Christ.
I. I Can Drift Away Without Trying To. (1:1-14)
II. My Past is a Poor Motivator. (2:3-7)
III. I’m Alive Today to See the Blessing Tomorrow. (2:18-19)
The contention over Sabbath observance continued, but this time the conflict took place during a worship service! This shows us what happens when love for tradition and procedure exceeds love for people who have great needs. There are five ingredients to this tense scene.
I. A Worship Service (v. 1)
II. A Withered Hand (vv. 1, 3)
III. A Watching Crowd (v. 2)
IV. A Weighty Command (v. 5)
V. A Wicked Plot (v. 6)
Learn Your Bible: How does this passage help us better understand the purpose of God’s commands?
Love Your Neighbor: Ask the Lord to reveal any beliefs you hold that may hinder how He desires to use you in the lives of others.
Live in Freedom: Surrender your desire to hide your weaknesses and flaws, and rest in Jesus’ unfailing compassion.
Was Jesus a lawbreaker? Did He violate the Sabbath? What exactly was the Sabbath designed for, and how should we observe it? This will be our focus this weekend and next. The conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders is heating up. Today we make four observations about the Sabbath.
I. The Sabbath Was a Benchmark (v. 23)
II. The Sabbath Became a Burden (vv. 23-24)
III. The Sabbath Needs a Balance (vv. 25-26)
IV. The Sabbath Should Be a Blessing (v. 27)
Learn Your Bible: Read Psalm 37 and meditate on verse 7 as you intentionally choose to “rest in the Lord” this week.
Love Your Neighbor: Ask God to soften the hearts of your unbelieving friends and family members, and invite them to join you at Freedom Celebration next Saturday.
Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to reveal areas of your life in which you’re anxious and striving rather than resting in His plan and purpose for you.
Pastor Skip Heitzig closed 2 Thessalonians by reminding us that while it’s natural to grow weary in the work, believers must never grow weary of the work God has called them to do. He also warned that rejecting God can lead to pursuing lesser things, urging us instead to remain steadfast in our devotion to Him.
Jesus was not a religious leader. He was a righteous Leader and a relational Leader. But He was often confronted by the religious leaders of His day because of the obvious differences in both substance and style. It seems that religious people are the hardest to reach with the gospel. Let’s discover why.
I. The Religious Question (v. 18)
II. The Reasonable Explanation (vv. 19-20)
III. The Real Consideration (vv. 21-22)
Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, dive deeper into the parable of the wineskins and “the new covenant in [His] blood” (Luke 22:20).
Love Your Neighbor: Do you know someone who views Christianity as rules, rituals, or religious performance? How can you demonstrate Jesus’ loving heart to them this week?
Live in Freedom: Meditate on Galatians 5:1-6 and ask the Lord to reveal areas of your walk that have become a religious practice rather than a reflection of your relationship with Him.
We enjoyed a special outdoor service while Pastor Skip Heitzig spoke on baptism, highlighting it as a command from Jesus rather than an optional practice for believers. We celebrated as a church with those who demonstrated inward transformation through this outward proclamation.
Jesus loves outcasts. That’s why the first three gospel accounts record the call of Matthew. Jesus wants us to know that no one is beyond His saving grace. By inviting Matthew into His circle of friends, Jesus showed that He can take and transform anyone. Today we will discover four features in the interaction of Jesus and this tax collector.
I. His Profession (vv. 13-14a)
II. His Invitation (v. 14)
III. His Decision (v. 14b)
IV. His Celebration (vv. 15-17)
Learn Your Bible: Reflect on Romans 6:14 and Ephesians 2:8-9 as you walk in the Lord’s grace.
Love Your Neighbor: Find one practical way to love someone in your circle this week—or sign up to serve our community through Love Month at lovenm.org/serve.
Live in Freedom: Spend time in worship and thank the Lord for His calling and purpose in your life.
As Pastor Skip Heitzig continued through 2 Thessalonians, he focused on end-times prophecy and the second coming of Christ. Paul wrote to correct the Thessalonian church who thought they had missed the second coming and were in the tribulation. He encourages them to keep their eyes on Christ’s return.
In Acts 8:26-40, Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch reveals that effective evangelism begins with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, is rooted in God’s Word, and points people to Jesus. Pastor Nate Heitzig challenged Jesus People to follow Philip’s example by actively sharing their faith.
I. Adapt to the Situation
II. Apprehend the Scripture
III. Apply Your Story
Learn Your Bible: Spend time studying the big picture of Scripture—how the Bible points to Jesus from beginning to end—so you can be ready to share it with others.
Love Your Neighbor: Is there someone God’s placed in your life who may be spiritually curious or searching for truth?
Live in Freedom: This week, what step can you take to be available, obedient, and ready to share Jesus when God opens the door?
Pastor Nick Macedo examines King Saul's downfall in 1 Samuel 13, revealing how the lies of self-reliance, image management, and public opinion lead us away from God. True freedom comes from surrendering fully to Christ and aligning our lives with God's truth.
Guest speaker Eric Metaxas gives a stirring account of the American Revolution and shares how loving the kingdom of God means loving your country. He encourages believers to share and show the love of Jesus by loving our nation.
As Pastor Skip Heitzig opens this study of 2 Thessalonians, we see Paul encouraging believers who were facing persecution. The church in Thessalonica mistakenly thought they were living in the great tribulation, but Paul corrected them, reminding them that suffering can strengthen their faith and produce perseverance.
One of the singular notable qualities of Jesus Christ was His ability to know what was most important at any given moment. He always seemed to move His life carefully around a fixed set of spiritual priorities. Today we compare what others wanted with what Jesus knew they needed.
I. They Pursued Wonder; Jesus Preached the Word (vv. 1-2)
II. They Felt Suffering; Jesus Forgave Sin (vv. 3-5)
III. They Displayed Pessimism; Jesus Demonstrated Power (vv. 6-12)
Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Matthew 6:25-34 and ask the Lord for wisdom in reordering the priorities of your daily life.
Love Your Neighbor: Take time to be the friend who brings those you care about to Jesus this week—through prayer, presence, or by pointing them back to His calling for their lives.
Live in Freedom: Where have you been prioritizing what feels urgent over what Jesus showed us is most important, and what would it look like to surrender that concern to Him?
The book of Esther reveals God’s providence at work through ordinary events to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Pastor Skip Heitzig closes the book of Esther with a reminder that God faithfully works all things together according to His purpose and plan.
The need for human touch is one of our most basic, fundamental needs. We often find Jesus doing exactly that in the gospel of Mark. And just as you have five fingers with which you can touch the world around you, there are five stages to the healing touch of Jesus in this story. Let’s explore them.
I. The Condition (v. 40a)
II. The Cry (v. 40b)
III. The Compassion (v. 41)
IV. The Cure (v. 42)
V. The Command (vv. 43-45)
Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Jeremiah 17:14 and remind yourself that we serve Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals.
Love Your Neighbor: How can you reflect the healing love of Jesus in a friend or loved one’s life this week?
Live in Freedom: Surrender the broken and hurting places of your heart to the Lord and invite Him to bring healing and restore your joy and hope.
Our identity and salvation do not need to be achieved or discovered—it’s a gift we can receive through faith. But without Jesus Christ, life ultimately has no lasting meaning or purpose. In this teaching, Dr. Frank Turek presents evidence for the reliability of the New Testament, reminding us that the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our salvation, faith, and identity.
If we want the life of Jesus, we must adopt the lifestyle of Jesus. If we desire His public power, we must first embrace His private practices. That means stepping away while others rush in, listening when others are speaking, and moving forward when others settle for comfort. In Mark 1:35–39, Jesus revealed the rhythms that lead to a life of faithfulness and fruitfulness: solitude, resistance, and purpose.
I. The Rhythm of Solitude
II. The Rhythm of Resistance
III. The Rhythm of Purpose
Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, study the idea of solitude. If you’re able, access our new Guided Meditations at cabq.us/gm to start practicing the rhythm of solitude in your life.
Love Your Neighbor: Create the opportunity to sit and listen to a friend or family member you haven’t connected with recently.
Live in Freedom: Which of these rhythms do you need to practice this week?
As Pastor Skip Heitzig continues in the study of Esther, we see again how God’s providential hand moved as the new queen stepped out and put action to her faith. In contrast to Haman’s prideful and arrogant behavior, Esther was used by God because of her humility.
In this message, guest Speaker Reverend Will Graham explores the shortcomings of Cain and the offering he brought before the Lord. He cautions against approaching God on our own terms and emphasizes the importance of wholehearted obedience and the importance of diligently guarding our hearts against sin.
After a decree went out to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai publicly mourned and urged Esther to advocate for her people. Pastor Skip Heitzig opens the text to reveal Esther’s call to stand firm in faith and allow God to use her in a mighty way.
Mark introduced Jesus as the Son of God and Israel’s Messiah (see v. 1), who proclaimed His purpose to establish the kingdom of God (see v. 15). But such claims must be substantiated by divine authority. So, the author provides three credentials of this Messianic King to prove His office.
I. Authority Over Dispassion (vv. 21-22)
II. Authority Over Demons (vv. 23-28)
III. Authority Over Disease (vv. 29-34)
Learn Your Bible: Use your favorite study resources to find cross-reference passages that point to Jesus’ authority in each of the areas we studied today.
Love Your Neighbor: Ask God to show you someone in your life who needs to be reminded of His grace, then take one practical step to love them well.
Live in Freedom: Is there something in your life—a doubt, struggle, or secret shame—that you haven’t surrendered to the authority of Christ? Take the first step this week to fully place that in His hands.
The book of Esther reads like a blend of fairy tale and mystery, following a young Jewish woman thrust into a crucial role in saving her people. In chapters 1–2, Pastor Skip Heitzig highlights God’s providential hand as He positioned every detail—from a royal beauty contest to a foiled assassination attempt.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Those words were spoken by Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing before her second birthday. Jesus promises abundant life (an adventure) to those who follow Him. Today we notice three aspects of Jesus’ call to His first followers.
I. Their Character (vv. 16, 19)
II. Their Calling (vv. 17, 20)
III. Their Commitment (vv. 18, 20b)
Learn Your Bible: Meditate on John 10:10 and spend time intentionally and specifically thanking the Lord for the riches He’s poured into your life.
Love Your Neighbor: How can you be the hands and feet of Jesus to a brother or sister in Christ this week?
Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to reveal how He wants you to live more abundantly in your daily walk.
Talk with Kids: What does it mean that God is faithful?
In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul closed his letter to the church by calling attention to the future—Christ’s return. He reminded those who were living in sin of the day of judgment. In this message from Pastor Skip Heitzig, we’re reassured God has not called those who believe to wrath and are encouraged to live in anticipation of His return.
As we reflect on how spiritual rebirth leads to everlasting life, we can take comfort in knowing Jesus Christ Himself keeps and guards us, and we will one day arrive safely in heaven. Pastor Skip Heitzig urges us to keep our eyes on the resurrected Jesus, who is our Living Hope, because through Him, we have been rescued from hopeless living.
I. Hope Now (v. 3)
II. Heaven Later (v. 4)
III. Help In Between (v. 5)
Learn Your Bible: Thank the Lord that He keeps you “through faith for salvation” and meditate on Psalm 37:23-24 as you recognize His keeping power in your own life.
Love Your Neighbor: Invite a new believer to visit your Connect Group this week.
Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to reveal areas of your life—hurt, bitterness, or hidden sin—that you haven’t yet surrendered to Him.
Talk with kids: What do you think the torn veil in the temple demonstrated?
Jesus’ final words revealed that He bore God’s wrath and provided the way to direct relationship with God for us by willingly giving up His life. In this Good Friday message, Pastor Skip Heitzig studies the crucifixion, the supernatural darkness that followed, and the tearing of the temple veil and urges us to reflect on the ultimate demonstration of love which Jesus poured out on the cross.
I. What's Happening in the Sky
II. What's Happening in the Temple
III. What's Happening on the Cross
Mark shows us “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (v. 1). After introducing John the Baptist, he includes three (really four) foundational scenes that mark the beginning movement of the gospel—from the lips of Jesus to those who followed Him and then took it around the world.
I. Identification (v. 9)
II. Confirmation (vv. 10-11)
III. Confrontation (vv. 12-13)
IV. Proclamation (vv. 14-15)
Learn Your Bible: What does this passage teach you about how God works before great things begin?
Love Your Neighbor: Share the gospel with a friend or family member this week—or simply invite them to our Good Friday and Easter services.
Live in Freedom: What step of obedience is God calling you to take so you can walk in freedom and purpose as you follow Jesus?
Talk with kids: Why do we have to turn from our sin to trust Jesus as Savior?
In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul urged believers to continue in a life that pleased God—growing in holiness and love while waiting for the second coming. The chapter concludes with a reminder of the hope believers have in Christ’s return and offering comfort and assurance that both the dead and living in Christ will be raised and united with Him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be great is to be misunderstood.” John the Baptist was certainly that! This unusual figure dominates the first part of Mark’s gospel account. Let’s discover what made him so great and why his role was so important to the ministry of Jesus.
I. John Was Anticipated by Scripture (vv. 2-3)
II. John Was an Unusual Character (v. 6)
III. John Was Preparing the Future (vv. 4-5, 7)
IV. John Was Introducing the Savior (vv. 7-8)
Talk with God: As you prepare for Easter, ask the Lord to soften your heart, deepen your faith, and draw you closer to Jesus.
Talk with others: Invite an unbelieving friend or family member to join you for one of our Good Friday services.
Talk with kids: How did Elisha display God’s power?
As Pastor Skip Heitzig continues in his study of 1 Thessalonians, we learn that Paul was eager to check on the spiritual growth of the young church. Paul encouraged them to strengthen their ongoing expression of faith as they inched toward spiritual maturity in spite of the persecution they faced.
Today we begin an extended series on the gospel of Mark, a document that reveals the story of Jesus Christ and His first followers. Jesus stands at the very center of history’s stage. He has no equals; He has no peers. Let’s examine four aspects of this unique book.
I. The Presentation of Jesus (“The beginning”)
II. The Proclamation of Jesus (“The gospel”)
III. The Person of Jesus (“Jesus Christ the Son of God”)
IV. The Prediction of Jesus (“As it is written in the Prophets”)
Talk with God: Meditate on Ephesians 1:7 and spend time in worship thanking the Lord for His faithfulness to redeem.
Talk with others: Invite your friends and family to join you for Easter Sunrise service.
Talk with kids: How was Ahab disobedient, stubborn, and greedy?
In chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul assured the church that his suffering was worth the cost to deliver the saving message of hope. He reminded believers not to seek human approval or dilute the gospel, but to serve as faithful stewards of the truth. Pastor Skip Heitzig challenges us to live out our calling and boldly proclaim Christ, even in the face of conflict.
I. Jesus People Grow
II. Jesus People Gather
III. Jesus People Give
IV. Jesus People Go
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you the areas of your life in which you can be a better reflection of Jesus.
Talk with others: Intentionally lift up the Jesus People around you and look for one practical way to come alongside someone walking through a difficult season this week.
Talk with kids: How do we know God hears us when we pray?
Some Christians settle for a faith that feels transformative on Sunday but fades during the week. In 2 Peter 1:3-11, Pastor Taylor Bronisz reminded believers that God has already provided everything needed for spiritual growth and challenged them to intentionally cultivate Christlike character.
For our final study together in this Overlooked series, we examine five courageous women who faced a crisis with grace. As we unpack their bold response, we will see how it correlates to believers today as we relate to God, to others, and to our future.
I. The Crisis (v. 1)
II. The Courage (vv. 2-4)
III. The Confirmation (vv. 5-11)
IV. The Correlation
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to fill you with the courage to boldly face crises and dilemmas with faith and grace.
Talk with others: If you’re walking through a difficult season, reach out to your Connect Group and invite them to stand with you in prayer, encouragement, and support.
Talk with kids: Why were the kings of Israel considered evil?
Though Paul’s journey to the Thessalonian church was not easy, God faithfully directed both his steps and his stops, along with Silvanus and Timothy. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, Pastor Skip Heitzig explores how the Lord orders the path of the faithful, encouraging us to persevere in the “work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope” (v. 3), even in the midst of affliction.
Most of us have a hard time saying this man’s name, but Paul knew it well. He was a loyal friend to the apostle, especially in his darkest hour. In just three verses we find six characteristics of this wonderful man who’s been overlooked for far too long. If you have a friend like this, you’re blessed.
I. Refreshing
II. Repetitious
III. Risk-Taking
IV. Resolute
V. Renowned
VI. Rewarded
Talk with God: This week, take time to thank the Lord for the true friends He’s blessed you with, as you pray over their lives.
Talk with others: Ask your friends how you can come alongside them as “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17) in their walk through this season of life.
Talk with kids: What is the wise way to live?
After the people recommitted their lives and city to the Lord, Nehemiah returned to serve King Artaxerxes. In his absence, the people of Jerusalem elevated the secular over the sacred and quickly fell back into old patterns, including intermarriage with surrounding nations. In this message, Pastor Skip Heitzig examines the cleansing power of God’s Word as Nehemiah returned once more to call the people to repentance and right living.
I. He Was a Genuine Disciple
II. He Was a Gentle Disciple
III. He Was a Generous Disciple
Talk with God: Ask the Lord how He’s inviting you to greater generosity with your time, resources, attention, and compassion.
Talk with others: In your Connect Group, discuss practical ways you can be known for your love for others (see John 13:35).
Talk with kids: Why was the queen amazed by Solomon’s kingdom?
The children of Israel moved from remorse to repentance and, in Nehemiah chapters 10–11, to reformation. The people rededicated their lives to God, publicly affirming their commitment to a renewed covenant. As Pastor Skip Heitzig explains, this passage calls us to be a Bible‑reading, Bible‑believing, and Bible‑applying church as we study Israel’s proclamation and restoration.
Anna is one of the Bible’s most unusual women. She, along with a man named Simeon, had spent a lifetime in loyal service to God and was finally able to meet her Messiah. Though only three verses give us all the information we have about her, it’s sufficient to get a profile of her.
I. Spiritual
II. Venerable
III. Single
IV. Faithful
V. Vocal
Talk with God: Meditate on Lamentations 3:25–26 this week, and surrender the things you’ve been holding too tightly, trusting the Lord and His perfect timing.
Talk with others: Encourage your Connect Group to remain deeply rooted in God’s Word as they walk through their present season.
Talk with kids: Why is knowing God and following Him most important?
After the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt, the people gathered to hear God’s Word and were cut to the core by how far they had strayed. They were first called to rejoice—because the joy of the Lord is their strength—then returned in fasting and confession, remembering God’s faithfulness and recommitting their lives to Him. This was true revival: more than rebuilding walls, it was rebuilding hearts—because you become what you worship.
Many a transformative event can be traced to the influence of one person. Mordecai was one such person in the lives of the Jews living in Persia. By inspiring Queen Esther, Mordecai turned a blasting into a blessing; he changed a national catastrophe into national continuity for the Jews.
I. A National Tragedy (3:13-15)
II. An Expected Anxiety (4:1-3)
III. A Strategic Opportunity (4:10-14)
IV. An Inspired Bravery (4:15-16)
Talk with God: Reflect on God’s work in your life (recently or across several years) and thank Him for His providence in guiding your steps (see Proverbs 16:9).
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer or your Connect Group by reminding them the Lord has a plan in every difficult situation they face this week.
Talk with kids: What was special about the temple?
In these two chapters of Nehemiah, we see Nehemiah's focus shift from building a structure to building people. In chapter six, we follow along as Nehemiah faces distraction, slander, and attempted sabotage. Yet in spite of every external opposition, Jerusalem's wall was still completed in 52 days. Chapter seven is three key principles of preparation for restoration: leadership, citizenship, and stewardship. In this message from Pastor Skip Heitzig, we see that God not only cares about completion, but faithfulness, dependability, and unfailing trust in Him, even after the victory.
Many people today struggle with loneliness. In fact, according to one study, by the year 2020, the second largest health issue facing Americans was depression. We’re living through an epidemic of invisibility and insignificance. In this teaching, Pastor Nate Heitzig opens up Acts 2:44-46 to rediscover that Jesus people belong to each other—that we are called to live life together and to carry each other. Community is what we do because it’s who we are.
I. Jesus People Belong Together
II. Jesus People Carry One Another
III. Jesus People Live Life Together
Talk with God: Meditate on Ecclesiastes 4:12 and thank the Lord for the people He’s placed in your life.
Talk with others: Ask your friends and family how you can pray for them this week.
Talk with kids: Why did Solomon ask for wisdom?
Jethro was the father-in-law of Moses. But he was also the one responsible for Moses’s success as a leader over the people of God. Jethro provides five ways for leaders to thrive. Whether you lead a family, a small group, a large organization, or a fast-paced business, these five practices are imperative.
I. Change Your Approach (vv. 13-18)
II. Instruct the People (vv. 19-20)
III. Build a Team (v. 21)
IV. Trust the Team (vv. 22-23)
V. Take Good Advice (v. 24)
Talk with God: Meditate on Matthew 19:30 as you ask the Lord to strengthen you in each of these five areas.
Talk with others: As a Connect Group, discuss how you can apply these practices to your daily life.
Talk with kids: How did David respond to God’s forgiveness?
As the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall progressed, opposition intensified. Ridicule, discouragement, and fear are three tactics Israel's enemies used then, and our enemy—Satan—continues to use. Fear is the trap; it's the worst way to live—to live fearfully instead of confidently. In this message, Pastor Skip Heitzig points to Nehemiah's example of integrity and selflessness, which was motivated by reverence for God rather than the pursuit of personal gain.
Although Solomon composed 1,005 songs (see 1 Kings 4:32), this one is in a class by itself. It was his magnum opus. Solomon called it his song of songs (see Song of Solomon 1:1)! This poetic song was directed to his young bride. Though she often gets overlooked by many who read the Bible, she caught Solomon’s eye. Let’s notice some of her qualities. I’ve put them in the form of four juxtapositions.
I. She’s Unnamed but Not Unnoticed (1:8-10, 15)
II. Passionate but Not Promiscuous (2:4-7)
III. Desirous but Not Dominating (3:6-11)
IV. Irritated but Not Inflexible (5:2-3, 6-10)
Talk with God: Read Genesis 16:13 and Matthew 6:25-34 and spend time in prayer to thank the Lord for His faithfulness in seeing you and providing for you.
Talk with others: Ask your friends and family if they’re feeling overlooked and how you can help support them in this season.
Talk with kids: What special promise did God make to David?
After Nehemiah is struck with the desire to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, we see how God's people from all walks of life came together to aid the cause. Diversity of activities, but the same God; many gifts, but the same spirit. His people were able to work toward a shared vision despite ridicule and discouragement. In this teaching, Pastor Skip Heitzig shows us how opposition can't stop the Lord's work when His people work together for His purpose.
In Exodus 3:7-8, Pastor Kaiden Ritchie explored how God rescues people from captivity. Using Israel’s bondage in Egypt, he warns believers against being shaped by what they cling to and challenges them to surrender whatever holds them captive so their hands can be freed and their hearts filled by Jesus.
I. This Place Had a History (vv. 1-5)
II. This Place Was in Prophecy
III. This Place Was at Capacity (v. 7)
IV. This Place Showcased Humility (v. 7)
We’ve heard this story so many times that it doesn’t surprise us like it ought to. And what boy hasn’t dressed like a shepherd for a Christmas play? But what was an ordinary workplace for these blue-collar sheep farmers became holy ground on this particular night. They were in for five surprises that would stay with them forever. Let’s try to put ourselves in their sandals.
I. The Audience (v. 8)
II. The Angels (v. 9)
III. The Announcement (vv. 10-12)
IV. The Anthem (vv. 13-14)
V. The Accuracy (vv. 15-20)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord for opportunities to turn your workplace into holy ground this week.
Talk with others: Invite a friend or family member to join you for a Christmas Eve service.
Talk with kids: What does it mean to worship Jesus as King?
In this second message of our Holy Ground series, we come to an unnamed city in the hill country of Judah, where Mary’s cousin lived. But I hope you realize that the real emphasis shouldn’t be on holy places where God once moved, but holy people in whom God now dwells. Mary was one of them. She is our sister in Christ and a great example to us. Let’s notice five attributes.
I. She Was Hopeful (vv. 39-45)
II. She Was Worshipful (vv. 46-55)
III. She Was Scriptural (vv. 46-49)
IV. She Was Needful (v. 47)
V. She Was Helpful (v. 56)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you His heart for those around you this Christmas and throughout the coming year.
Talk with others: Encourage your friends or Connect Group to stay grounded in the Word through the holiday season.
Talk with kids: Why is it important to understand that Jesus is not just a baby born two thousand years ago?
During this Advent season, we want to look at the familiar Christmas story through a different lens: the actual places these events happened. They were common—even unremarkable—places. Yet, because of what happened there, they became Holy Ground. Through our short journey together, perhaps we’ll become more appreciative of the places and circumstances God has placed us in.
I. An Ordinary Place (v. 26)
II. An Unordinary Person (vv. 26-29)
III. An Extraordinary Prediction (vv. 30-34)
Talk with God: Reflect on your walk with the Lord over the past year and thank Him for the mundane places in your life that He chose to make holy ground.
Talk with others: Reach out to friends or family who may be struggling with loss or grief this holiday season and pray with them.
Talk with kids: Why do you think God chose ordinary people to be Jesus’ parents?
Upon hearing of Jerusalem's destruction, Nehemiah humbled himself before God in fasting and prayer before boldly appealing to King Artaxerxes for permission to return and rebuild the city walls. Though the king could have ended his life, Nehemiah found favor and received both permission and generous provisions to complete the work. In this message from Nehemiah 1-2, we see the power of faithfulness and prayer.
The last two years have seen a massive chasm in every country of the world over the Israel/Palestine issue. Since October 7, 2023 and the subsequent invasion of Gaza by Israel, people are divided. But this is not a recent debate. Anyone who knows the history of the region understands this dispute is ancient. But today I want to go back “behind the curtain” to get the real story.
I. The Incessant Competition (Philistine History)
II. The Invisible Conflict (Spiritual Hostility)
III. The Irrevocable Covenant (Divine Treaty)
Talk with God: Pray for the people of Israel and Palestine as they continue to deal with the conflict in their everyday lives.
Talk with others: Share what you’re thankful for this season with your Connect Group.
Talk with kids: Why is it important that these prophecies came true?
Some people insist that in our post-modern (or even meta-modern) age, we only believe in science, not metaphysics. That’s not quite true. At the heart of the transgender movement, people believe they are what they claim to be regardless of biological evidence. None of this is new. Something similar happened in the ancient worship of Asherah. Let’s examine it more carefully.
I. The Practice of Debased Idolatry (Jeremiah 7)
(Three Notable Characteristics)
II. The Proclamation of Divine Wrath (Romans 1)
(Three Notable Reasons)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you His heart for the lost, confused, and hurting people in your family, community, and city.
Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group or believing family and friends how you can support them in boldly and lovingly sharing the hope of Jesus with someone this week.
Talk with kids: Pick up some poster board from Calvary Kids and create a banner to share what you’re thankful for as a family at our Thanksgiving Banner Service this Wednesday.
Calvary Church met for a night of worship, prayer, and a parade of thankfulness to prepare our hearts for our annual Thanksgiving Pickup Party. Pastor Skip shared a message from Hebrews 13:1-3, encouraging the church to demonstrate our faith through acts of love to believers and unbelievers, friends and strangers.
If you think the Sexual Revolution began in 1960s America, think again. It’s been going on since ancient times. Today we look at three texts which outline God’s standard for human sexuality and how a competing system, the worship of Asherah, blurred the lines of gender and sex. The worship of this ancient demon tampered with three distinct areas.
I. Identity (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25)
II. Clarity (Deuteronomy 22:5)
III. Intimacy (Leviticus 18:19-23)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord for clarity as you root your identity in Him and walk in the path He’s prepared for you (see Ephesians 2:10).
Talk with others: Talk about what it looks like to honor your God-given sex in today’s world with your Connect Group or believing friends.
Talk with kids: How does God see people differently than we see them?
In the final section of Colossians, Paul outlined a pattern for Christian living which transcends social and cultural trends and speaks to the heart of human behavior. As believers, we're called to do all things—including the way we conduct our daily lives—"as to the Lord and not to men" (3:23). In this teaching, Skip Heitzig concludes this series in Colossians with guidance for our spiritual posture and Paul's grace-filled encouragement to press on in prayer, thanksgiving, and wisdom so we might reach a lost world.
We did it! Together, we raised more than $215,000 to show the love of Jesus to our city: providing 10,000 meals, free haircuts, dental and medical services, family portraits, and shoes for kids. That’s what it means to look like Jesus, to see needs around us and meet them with love. As we celebrate Thanksgiving Pickup Party this weekend, we’re preparing our hearts as we turn to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to learn how to do the things Jesus would do and act the way Jesus would act. Because in order to look like Jesus, we have to love like Jesus—with patience, kindness, and compassion for a world that desperately needs Him.
I. Do the Things Jesus Would Do
A. Be Patient in Gratitude for His Patience with You
B. Be Kind, Remembering His Kindness Toward You
II. Act the Way Jesus Would Act
A. Don’t Be Rude: Treat People the Way Jesus Treats You
B. Don’t Be a Cynic: See People How Jesus Sees Them (Sheep Without a Shepherd)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you His heart for those around you this week.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or a believing friend if they’ve noticed an area of your life where you aren’t reflecting Jesus.
Talk with kids: What was Saul’s excuse for disobeying the Lord?
When God calls His people to repent, He isn't looking for mere outward expressions of sorrow, He desires hearts truly broken over sin. Like a parent calling a wandering child home, God invites us to return to the safety of His mercy. In this message from Joel, Brian Nixon underscores the repentance which results in revival and the grace of God which is always greater than His people’s failure.
Without a doubt, the biggest threat to ancient Israel’s worship of Yahweh was the rival demon-god Baal, regarded as the chief of all Canaanite deities. The allure of Baal worship was the promise of profit and prosperity. I’ve chosen four words that tell the story of the showdown between the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and frame our role in modern culture.
I. Courage (vv. 16-17)
II. Contest (vv. 20-40)
III. Confrontation (v. 21)
IV. Cause (v. 36)
Talk with God: Meditate on Matthew 6:24 and ask the Lord to reveal the areas of your life in which you’re trying to “serve two masters.”
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to keep their eyes on Jesus, no matter what they’re walking through this week.
Talk with kids: Why was it wrong for Saul to make the burnt offering?
D.L. Moody once said, “Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather,” reminding us that faith is meant to be lived out daily. In Colossians 3:1-19, Paul encouraged the Colossian church to set their hearts on things above, not on earthly distractions. In this message, Skip Heitzig shares why letting God’s Word dwell richly in us will transform our thoughts and actions and encourages us to reflect Christ’s love and peace in everyday life.
Today we celebrate how God has used our generosity to take back what the Enemy has stolen. Broken lives that were once shattered have been restored. Hope reigns where despair once did. The generous gifts of your time, treasure, and talent have made the difference. Let’s learn a few key lessons from how Joshua celebrated the ground taken in crossing the Jordan River.
I. God’s Commands Aren’t Always Practical (vv. 1-3)
II. Our Obedience Is Always Vital (vv. 4-5, 8)
III. Remembering the Past Is Inspirational (vv. 6-7)
IV. God’s Power Is Irresistible (v. 24)
Talk with God: Meditate on 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 and thank the Lord for His faithfulness to “multiply the seed” of your obedience and generosity (v. 10).
Talk with others: Ask a friend how you can pray for them this week and encourage them to look back at a time when God’s hand in their life was evident.
Talk with kids: Why did the Israelites want a king?
Jesus canceled our debt at the cross and freed us from rule-keeping and spiritual add-ons. We've been handed a bill stamped "Paid in Full"—we don't have to work for our salvation. We simply need to accept the receipt and live in the true freedom only Jesus provides. In this message from Colossians 2, we'll learn from the apostle how to anchor ourselves in Christ.
One of the most emotional debates raging in our day centers on the subject of abortion. Some see it as simply the choice of a woman over what happens to her body; some see it as far more sinister. Today, we look at the ancient practice of child sacrifice to see if there is any parallel to the modern practice. This conversation is vital because it involves the doctrines of both God and man.
I. The Ancient Practice (Leviticus 20:1-5)
II. The Modern Parallel (Psalm 106)
III. The Divine Prescription (John 3:16; Romans 12:1-2)
Talk with God: Meditate on Lamentations 3:22-24, thanking the Lord that His mercies “are new every morning,” and ask Him to renew your hope in Him this week.
Talk with others: Encourage your Connect Group in refusing to conform to the world and focus on “being transformed” through the Word.
Talk with kids: What does it mean to repent?
Paul showed Jesus as the Maker and Maintainer of all things, the Head of the church who reconciles us by His cross and continues His work in us until completion. Like a building, your life needs both a cornerstone and a blueprint—Christ is both. He will align every room of your life to His design. This teaching from Colossians 1 will help you build on what lasts.
John Calvin noted, “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.” Idolatry was a constant issue in the Old Testament, and Paul saw that Athens was filled with idols. But have you ever considered how false worship systems of the past have made their way into the present, but under other names? Today we’ll see how, over time, societies move away from God, His authority, and His truth.
I. Corruption in the Nation (vv. 1-6)
II. Confusion in the Home (vv. 2-5)
III. Chaos in the Heart (v. 6)
Talk with God: Take time to prayerfully assess your priorities this week and ask the Lord to reveal anything—or anyone—that’s pulling your focus away from Him.
Talk with others: Encourage your Connect Group or believing friends and family members to keep Jesus at the center of their lives.
Talk with kids: Why is it right and good for God to punish sin?
In Colossians 1, Paul reminded the church that Jesus holds all things together—He’s the center of creation and the anchor of our faith. When Christ is at the center, everything else in life will fall into place. As believers, we find true direction only when our focus is on Christ, who reconciles us to God and gives purpose to all we do.
Jesus turned the world’s idea of blessing upside down when He shared the Beatitudes. When life feels like it’s spiraling—when we’re poor in spirit, grieving, or desperate for righteousness—He reminds us that we're positioned closest to God’s grace in these very moments. True blessing isn’t found in comfort or control but in surrender, dependence, and the promise that God will meet us at our lowest.
I. Stick to the Plan
II. Peel Away the Extra
III. Interpret Your Struggle Accurately
IV. Retool for the Current/Coming Season
V. Attack the Problem from All Angles
VI. Look for Beauty
Are you ready for revival—and what comes next? When Jesus came to the country of the Gadarenes, He encountered a man who was tormented by a legion of demons and had been given up as lost by his community. With just a word, Jesus delivered him and restored him to peace, dignity, and purpose. This passage reminds us that when Jesus comes to town, no life is too broken, no situation too dark, and no one too far gone for His transforming power.
The Bible often speaks about courage, reminding us again and again to be strong and not give in to fear. True courage is not the absence of fear—it's facing it and choosing to do what is right, no matter the cost. In this message from Pastor Robert Furrow, we examine five biblical examples that show us what real courage looks like.
In John 12:20–26, Jesus explains that revival begins not with hype, but with surrender. Like a seed that must fall into the ground and die before it can multiply, we must lay down our own desires so God can bring forth lasting fruit in our lives and new life that spreads beyond us. Revival begins not with what we keep, but with what we’re willing to give up to follow Christ.
We have spent seventeen weeks covering the book of Nehemiah and have considered the many life-application lessons that these chapters provide. But today, for our eighteenth and final study, we’ll zoom out to get the bigger picture. There are five “mega-themes” from this book that we can benefit from. These great themes provide both encouragement and warning to us today.
I. Great Cities Can Fall
II. Ordinary People Can Help
III. Real Prayer Can Work
IV. Spiritual Revival Can Happen
V. Good Movements Can Falter
Talk with God: Meditate on Isaiah 6:8 this week and ask the Lord to give you His heart for your city and the people He’s placed in your life.
Talk with others: Ask a believing friend or mentor to pray for and support you as you seek revival in your walk with the Lord.
Talk with kids: How did God rescue His people through Samson?
When a crack appears in the foundation, you can’t just paint over it, you have to repair it, or the whole structure is at risk. In Ezra 9–10, God’s people realized they had compromised their foundation by drifting into sin. Through confession, repentance, and renewal, they were reminded that lasting strength comes only from building on God’s truth. No matter how far we’ve wandered, God is always ready to restore us when we return to Him.
No Christian ever plans on backsliding, that is, moving away from Christ. Yet it happens. The prophet Jeremiah even admitted, “Our backslidings are many” (Jeremiah 14:7). Sometimes, a city can be in shambles because the lives of its people are in shambles. Nehemiah left Jerusalem for a short time and returned to find the people had gone back to practicing their old ways. Let’s consider four mistakes they made and how to prevent them from happening to us.
I. Misplace Your Bible (vv. 1-3)
II. Misalign Your Companions (vv. 4-9)
III. Misarrange Your Priorities (vv. 10-22)
IV. Mismanage Your Family (vv. 23-24)
Talk with God: Prayerfully consider the people you turn to for encouragement and advice. Are you surrounding yourself with strong, healthy believers who will sharpen you (see Proverbs 27:17) and urge you to grow in your faith?
Talk with others: Ask a believing friend or mentor to hold you accountable to pray and spend time in the Word daily as you recommit to a habit or create a new one.
Talk with kids: How did Gideon test God’s words?
Ezra’s story reminds us that one life surrendered to God can influence an entire nation. After years in Babylon, Ezra returned to Jerusalem—not with an army but armed with the Word of God. Ezra led his people faithfully, trusting God to protect them on the dangerous journey. When you set your heart on His Word and rely on His hand for guidance and protection, He can use you to bring revival, no matter how dark or evil the culture seems.
Last week we eavesdropped on the worship service of ancient Israel as they gathered to dedicate their city and their future to God. We noticed four characteristics of their worship: It was biblical, it was vocal, it was musical, and it was joyful. Today we continue with four more.
V. Their Worship Was Thankful (vv. 27, 31, 38, 46)
VI. Their Worship Was Communal (v. 43)
VII. Their Worship Was Powerful (vv. 42b, 43b)
VIII. Their Worship Was Physical (v. 43)
Talk with God: Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and thank the Lord for His provision and direction in your life.
Talk with others: Encourage a friend or family member who’s recently been struggling to continue faithfully in their walk through a difficult season.
Talk with kids: Who received the praise and glory for Israel’s victory over their enemies? Why?
When opposition arose once again, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage His people to continue rebuilding the temple. Despite threats and challenges, they pressed on in obedience, and God even moved pagan kings to support the work. This is a vivid illustration of the way He refines us through the furnace and brings us forth as pure gold.
“The whole you needs worship—and the part of you that will live forever needs it most,” wrote Robert McIntyre. Nehemiah chapter 12 describes the worship of God’s people who had gathered to dedicate the newly rebuilt walls of Jerusalem. This week and next week we will eavesdrop on their worship service and discover how we should worship when we assemble together.
I. Their Worship Was Biblical (v. 24)
II. Their Worship Was Vocal (vv. 27-30, 43)
III. Their Worship Was Musical (vv. 27b, 35-36, 41)
IV. Their Worship Was Joyful (vv. 27, 43)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal anything in your heart that’s holding you back from authentic worship and a deeper relationship with Him.
Talk with others: Share your favorite worship album or playlist with your Connect Group or a believing friend or family member this week.
Talk with kids: How is Jesus better than the judges in the story?
Ezra 3–4 reminds us that whenever God is rebuilding, His people will experience both great joy and fierce opposition. The exiles restored worship and laid the temple’s foundation, celebrating God’s faithfulness, but opposition rose quickly. Together, these chapters show us that true faith rejoices in God’s work, perseveres through resistance, and trusts that His purposes cannot be stopped.
Jerusalem was not the most popular place to live. Most people preferred to live elsewhere—in outlying towns and villages. It was more expensive to be in the city, and safety was a big concern. In this section there are some vital but often-forgotten principles about God’s city, God’s people, and God’s work. Let’s glean some of these important lessons from the city planners.
I. All Places Are Significant; This Place Is Sacred (v. 1)
II. Projects Are Important; People Are More Important (vv. 3-36)
III. Ability Is Good; Availability Is Better (v. 2)
IV. Work Is Practical; Worship Is Vital (vv. 22-24)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to provide opportunities for you to pour into His people this week.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if they’ve noticed anything in your life that might hinder the Lord’s desire to work through you.
Talk with kids: How has Jesus defeated our enemies: sin and death?
In Ezra 1, we see God’s faithfulness on display as He orchestrated the Israelites' return to Jerusalem by stirring the heart of King Cyrus. What looked like the end of God’s promises in Babylonian captivity was actually just a pause—because His Word never fails. God moved kings and common people to fulfill His plan, reminding us of His sovereignty and faithfulness.
When your values are clear, making decisions becomes easy. After generations of failure, God’s people finally realized what was most important in life, so they made a list of things they were committed to changing. Their heartfelt prayer in chapter nine led to heartfelt priorities in chapter ten. Let’s explore how they committed to change in these four areas of life.
I. Scriptural Authority (vv. 28-29)
II. Relational Purity (v. 30)
III. Spiritual Regularity (v. 31)
IV. Financial Responsibility (vv. 32-39)
Talk with God: Spend time in prayer as you consider each of these areas in your own life and ask the Lord to reveal areas you need to re-prioritize.
Talk with others: Ask your mentor or a trusted fellow believer to provide accountability as you refresh your priorities.
Talk with kids: How does Jesus save us from the punishment our sin deserves?
Paul closed his letter to the church in Philippi with a call to live joyfully, think rightly, and trust fully in God’s provision. True peace comes when we rejoice in the Lord, pray instead of worry, and fix our minds on what’s good. Contentment isn’t about circumstances—it’s about Christ being enough in every situation and trusting God to supply all our needs.
The purpose of prayer is not to inform God of our needs but to invite Him to rule our lives. After a national revival broke out in Jerusalem during a Bible study, the people gathered again for prayer. Let’s notice a few key elements that make for an effective experience of communicating with God.
I. They Looked Up: Adoration (vv. 5-6)
II. They Looked Back: Reflection (vv. 7-35)
III. They Looked Within: Confession (v. 37)
IV. They Looked Around: Petition (vv. 32-37)
V. They Looked Ahead: Submission (v. 38)
In Philippians 3, Paul reminded believers that real joy isn't found in religious performance, but in knowing Jesus personally. He warned against those who put their confidence in the flesh. True righteousness doesn't come from what we do for God, but from what God has done for us through Jesus.
The nation of Israel was back in its homeland once again after the Babylonian captivity. The walls of the city of Jerusalem had been repaired and rebuilt. But something was missing. The spiritual hunger of the nation now demanded a clear word from the Lord. As they gathered together, we see five clear signs of how this nation was transformed, experiencing a real revival.
I. Realization: They Knew They Needed More (vv. 1-2)
II. Reading: They Heard the Word of God (vv. 3-8)
III. Remorse: They Mourned Over Their Failure (vv. 9-10)
IV. Rejoicing: They Felt the Joy of the Lord (vv. 11-12)
V. Results: They Obeyed God’s Commands (vv. 13-18)
Talk with God: Take an honest look at your daily walk this week and ask the Lord to refresh your heart and revive your passion for His Word.
Talk with others: Ask a believing friend or mentor to encourage you to spend time in the Word each day and keep you accountable.
Talk with kids: Why did God tell Joshua to be strong and courageous?
The Christian life isn't about starting strong—it's about staying faithful to the end. In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul reflected on his life with confident clarity: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Finishing well means staying in the fight, running with endurance, and holding tightly to our faith no matter the cost. It’s not perfection that matters, but perseverance. In this message, Pastor Nelson Walker encourages us to live with eternity in mind, so we can one day say, “I finished well.”
In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Paul reminded the church that the Christian life is not a casual jog—it’s a purposeful race of salvation through grace. Just as athletes discipline themselves to train for a purpose, we’re called to run with determination, focus, and self-control. The goal? A crown that lasts forever. This passage challenges us to examine how we’re running. Are we chasing what matters? Are we living like we want to win the race God has set before us? It’s time to run with passion, not passivity—because in Christ, we’re not just in the race, we’re running to win.
I. The Right Attitude (v. 24)
II. The Right Motivation (v. 25)
III. The Right Commitment (vv. 26-27)
Jesus didn’t come to manage your life—He came to transform it. In Matthew 11, Jesus doesn’t offer tips for a better life; He offers rest for weary souls. He invites us to lay down the burden of self-reliance and religion and take up His yoke—not to work harder, but to walk with Him. If your version of Jesus only exists to motivate, optimize, or advise, you might be following a counterfeit. The real Jesus leads with gentleness, gives rest, and calls us to surrender, not self-help.
What if the most overlooked chapter in Nehemiah is actually the loudest proof that God keeps His promises? Nehemiah 7 isn’t just a list of names—it’s a receipt of God’s faithfulness and a record that He finishes what He starts. In a world full of broken promises, this chapter invites us to trust the One who never forgets, never fails, and never leaves His people behind.
I. God Finishes What He Starts
II. God Remembers Every Name
III. God Moves Hearts to Respond
Talk with God: Meditate on Philippians 1:6 this week as you praise the God who will complete the work He’s doing in you.
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to rest in the knowledge that the Lord “will sustain [them] to the end” (1 Corinthians 1:8).
Talk with kids: Why is complaining a sin?
Jesus doesn't need to campaign for His throne—His kingdom isn’t of this world, and His authority isn’t up for debate. Jesus already has all the power; it's our job as His followers to make disciples in His name. The question has never been whether He’s King, but whether you’ll follow Him.
The wall was finished, but the battle wasn’t over. Even after the work was done, Nehemiah faced ongoing opposition. This message from Pastor Nate Heitzig reminds us that completing a task or completing the rebuilding process doesn’t mean the fight is over—spiritual resistance often continues. Stay watchful, stay faithful.
I. The Wall Was Finished, but the Work Wasn’t Over
II. The Enemy Was Intimidated, but Not Repentant
III. The Victory Was Visible, but the Attacks Became Subtle
Talk with God: Meditate on Romans 8:31-39 and spend time in worship as you are reminded that “God is for [you].”
Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group or believing friends and family members how you can support them in their walk this week.
Talk with kids: Why can we always trust God?
People often treat Jesus like an insurance policy—someone to call when life falls apart. But Romans 5:1–5 shows us that faith in Christ gives us more than a rescue plan—it gives us peace with God, daily access to His grace, and real hope. Trials aren’t detours in the Christian life; they’re part of the journey. And God uses each trial to build perseverance, character, and a hope that won’t disappoint. In this message, Pastor Taylor Bronisz unpacks a powerful truth: Jesus doesn’t just get us out of trouble—He transforms us through it.
Nehemiah faced relentless attempts to distract, discredit, and derail him from completing God’s work. His enemies used deceit, false accusations, and even spiritual manipulation to try to lure him off the wall, but Nehemiah responded with bold focus, unwavering conviction, and consistent prayer. Refusing to come down, he modeled what it means to stand firm in the face of pressure and stay faithful to God’s mission. This passage challenges us to silence the noise, resist fear that’s been dressed as faith, and declare with confidence: “I’m doing a great work—I cannot come down.”
I. The Distraction of Deceit
II. The Distraction of False Accusations
III. The Distraction of Spiritual Manipulation
Talk with God: Meditate on Isaiah 41:10 this week and ask the Lord to give you the strength to continue faithfully in your calling.
Talk with others: If you’re facing a struggle or battling distraction, ask a pastor, mentor, or trusted believer to lock shields with you in prayer and practical ways.
Talk with kids: How can we show thankfulness in all circumstances?
In a world drawn to self-help philosophies and spiritual influencers, it’s tempting to reduce Jesus Christ to just another life coach or guru—someone who simply offers advice without providing true life change. But in Mark 8 and 10, Jesus calls for far more than personal improvement; He calls for death to self. Jesus doesn’t invite us to self-discovery—He invites us to the cross. In this message, Pastor Taylor Bronisz asks: Will you choose to follow Him on His terms?
During the last two days, we have practiced and proclaimed the gospel to our community. Both Love Day and Freedom Celebration were outward expressions of the good news about Jesus Christ loving the world. But why not make it a lifestyle that continues year-round? Today we will explore four reasons Paul the apostle was not ashamed of the gospel.
I. Because It’s Good News
II. Because It’s God’s Power
III. Because It’s Given Freely
IV. Because It Gets Us Right
Talk with God: Meditate on “the righteousness of God” (v. 17) and spend time in worship as you thank Him for the salvation and freedom He’s given you through His
Son’s sacrifice.
Talk with others: Come alongside a believing friend or family member facing sorrow or difficulty this week and encourage them to rest in God’s grace and continue to “live by faith” (v. 17).
Talk with kids: Why is Jesus the perfect and final sacrifice for sin?
“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17, NIV).
Evidence for the Supernatural
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Documented Miracles
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Deathbed Visions
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Near-Death Experiences
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Angelic Encounters
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Mystical Dreams
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Divine Experiences
Receive salvation through Christ so you can be confident that you’ll spend eternity with Him (see 1 John 5:13).
Put on the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-18).
Today we celebrate our fathers. We honor them for their sacrifice, valor, and commitment. But I’d like to explore the Fatherhood of God today as we look at the most famous prayer in the world—actually, the first line of that prayer. As we do, we discover that this prayer implies four great truths.
I. Relationship
II. Lordship
III. Fellowship
IV. Guardianship
Talk with God: Pray for the fathers you know—that the Lord would strengthen and guide them as they lead their families and build a legacy of faith in their communities.
Talk with others: Ask a brother in Christ how you can come alongside them and support them in their walk with the Lord this week.
Talk with kids: Why do we not need a tabernacle today?
Complaining is draining! It only takes away energy from today and never solves problems for tomorrow. And what’s more, a complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart. Here in Nehemiah 5, we see that tension was growing among God’s people as complainers voiced their grievances. Some of these complaints were legitimate, but Nehemiah set out to fix the issues and stop the protests.
I. The Local Condition (vv. 1-5)
II. The Leader’s Reaction (vv. 6-7)
III. The Loving Solution (vv. 7-19)
Talk with God: Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the situations in your life that you are more prone to complain about than to pray about.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to hold you accountable to pray and give thanks in everything as you “follow the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) this week.
Talk with kids: How does Jesus save us from God’s judgment of sin?
In life, you don’t get to choose between building and battling—you’re called to do both. In Nehemiah 4, we discover how to keep building the future while fighting off the fear, distraction, and opposition that threaten to stop us. Whether it’s clearing the rubble of your past, guarding the vulnerable places in your life, or learning to trust God as your ultimate defender, we are called to stay strong in the fight and faithful in the work. Don’t drop your shovel. Don’t sheathe your sword. The wall goes up when you show up.
I. Buried in the Rubble (v. 10)
II. Threats in the Shadows (vv. 11-12)
III. Guard the Gaps (vv. 13-18)
IV. Backup on the Battlefield (vv. 19-23)
Talk with God: Meditate on Hebrews 4:12 and ask the Lord for the discipline and courage to take up your sword—the Word—as you step onto the battlefield each day.
Talk with others: Go to battle in prayer for your Connect Group or circle of believers and ask them how you can guard the gaps and provide backup for them this week.
Talk with kids: How do the Commandments teach us to love God and people?
Being a Christian can be hard in the current climate of hostility—where believers worldwide face physical oppression and persecution. In our own culture, the church is labeled archaic and irrelevant in its stance on modern issues. Today we will consider a few reasons for the opposition we face as Christians and how we can face it victoriously.
I. Opposition is Normal
II. Opposition is Verbal
III. Opposition is Continual
IV. Opposition is Conquerable
Talk with God: Ask the Lord for the courage to stand firm in Christ, despite opposition.
Talk with others: Encourage a believer or family member who’s been struggling this week and remind them that their “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Talk with kids: Why did Moses need help leading the people?
One of the greatest coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi, said, “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Nehemiah 3 records the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls by individuals committed to this group effort. Here we can learn several practical and spiritual principles.
I. God's Work Should Be Orderly
II. There's a Place for Everyone
III. Your Service Should Fit You
IV. Some Work Harder Than Others
V. Work Should Be Tied to Purpose
Talk with God: Meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6 this week and ask the Lord to “show you which path to take” (NLT) as you seek His will in every area of your life.
Talk with others: If you’re struggling with brokenness in your life—spiritually, mentally, or physically—ask a mentor or trusted fellow believer to stand with you as you start rebuilding.
Talk with kids: Why can we trust God to provide for our needs?
Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem to fix a problem. The city’s ancient, protective walls were in ruins, the entrances still had scorch marks from almost 200 years before, and the people had gotten used to the deplorable conditions. Let’s consider five ingredients we can apply to fix any problem.
I. Go the Distance
II. Assess the Need
III. Get a Group
IV. Expect a Fight
V. Take a Stand
Talk with God: Meditate on Psalm 147:1-6 this week and rest in the knowledge that the God who calls the stars by name also “heals the brokenhearted” (v. 3).
Talk with others: Encourage your believing friends and family to “not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9) and go to battle for them in prayer this week.
Talk with kids: Why is faith in Jesus the only way to be saved?
As Pastor Skip Heitzig wraps up this Expound study of 2 Chronicles, we see that God always responds to humble hearts—even in the midst of national rebellion and looming judgment. Through Josiah's repentance and renewal, we see that God's Word still transforms and calls His people back. Though exile came, so did the promise of return. Our God never forgets His covenants, and He always makes a way home.
Your life is not an accident. You were made on purpose and for a purpose. Finding that purpose is the most important discovery you could ever make. There were four distinct elements that confirmed Nehemiah’s calling and purpose in life. These four essentials will help you find your purpose.
I. Timing
II. Trusting
III. Testing
IV. Tension
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal the relationships and areas of your life that need to be rebuilt or strengthened.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to hold you accountable to spend time in prayer and the Word each day throughout this series.
Talk with kids: What were the ten plagues God sent to Egypt?
Hezekiah struggled with pride and his son Manasseh led Judah into deep rebellion, but they both experienced God's grace and mercy through repentance. By the time young Josiah came to power, the nation was spiritually broken—but his tender heart and bold reforms sparked a return to God’s Word. In this message, Skip Heitzig shares how genuine humility and a responsive heart can lead to powerful personal—and sometimes even national—revival.
Author Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaid’s Tale includes a character who says, “The fact is that I hate this city. I’ve hated it so long I can hardly remember feeling any other way about it.” For some people, this is a daily reality. But Nehemiah loved his city—Jerusalem—though it was a city in shambles. How can we, by God’s grace, learn to love our city for God’s glory?
I. Loving Your City Begins by Asking the Right Questions
II. Loving Your City Includes Feeling the Right Emotion
III. Loving Your City Means Having the Right Reaction
IV. Loving Your City Involves Doing the Right Actions
Talk with God: Meditate on verses 10-11 and ask the Lord to give you His heart for the people of our city.
Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group or believing friends how you can lock shields with them in their daily walk with the Lord and as they serve Him in their community.
Talk with kids: How did God save Moses when he was a baby?
Hezekiah led a spiritual revival, calling his people back to worship and God honored their humble response through healing and unity. In this message, Skip Heitzig explores how revival begins with repentance, and how faith—not fear—brings victory when the pressure’s mounting.
Does your family have any Easter traditions? Allow me to give you a few more. These are the instructions that a heavenly messenger gave to the women who came to the tomb early that first Easter morning: Come, See, Go, Tell! Today we’ll discover what these instructions mean.
Talk with God: Meditate on today’s passage and ask the Lord to fill you with a joyful desire to fulfill the Great Commission (vv. 18-20).
Talk with others: Practice sharing the gospel message with your Connect Group or a believing friend or family member so you will “always be ready” (1 Peter 3:15).
Talk with kids: How did the resurrection impact our lives as followers of Jesus?
Who is the man of the shroud? In this message, Dr. Jeremiah Johnston explores the mystery of the Shroud of Turin and its possible connection to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah highlights eyewitness testimony, physical reality, the eternal glory of the risen Lord, and explains how the Shroud invites deeper reflection on the suffering, death, and victorious resurrection of Jesus.
I. Serious Scholars and Experts Believe the Shroud is Authentic
II. Science Today Still Cannot Explain How the Image is in the Cloth
III. The Evidence Most Powerfully Points to One Conclusion: Jesus is the Man of the Shroud
Ahaz led Judah into deep spiritual decline, but his son Hezekiah reversed course with bold reforms and a heart for worship. In this message, Skip Heitzig shares that it’s never too late to turn back to God—and it only takes one act of obedience at a time.
When life feels overwhelming, 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 reminds us to look beyond our present troubles and fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal. We may not understand everything in this life, but we can trust the One who does. Though evil and suffering raise hard questions, guest speaker Frank Turek shows how some of the strongest arguments used to doubt God actually point to His existence.
I. Does Evil Disprove God?
II. What's the Purpose of Evil?
III. What's God's Solution to Evil?
Talk with God: Meditate on Ephesians 3:16 this week and ask the Lord to renew and strengthen you as you walk with Him.
The great preacher of Victorian England Charles Spurgeon once remarked, “I do not believe there ever existed a Christian yet, who did not now and then doubt his interest in Jesus. I think, when a man says, ‘I never doubt,’ it is quite time for us to doubt him.” It’s reassuring that even a spiritual heavyweight like John the Baptist experienced doubts. Let’s see how Jesus helped him.
I. The Ambivalence of John
A. Experiential Doubts
B. Intellectual Doubts
C. Societal Doubts
D. Moral Doubts
II. The Answer of Jesus
A. He Answered Directly
B. He Answered Verbally
C. He Answered Practically
D. He Answered Patiently
Talk with God: Meditate on Mark 9:23-24 and ask the Lord to give you wisdom and peace as you seek to address your own doubts and unbelief.
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer who’s wrestling with doubt or questioning their faith by reminding them that God can handle their questions (see James 1:5).
Talk with kids: What did Job learn about God?
Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jotham prospered when they sought the Lord, but Amaziah turned to false gods, Uzziah’s arrogance brought judgment, and Jotham failed to lead the people spiritually. In this message on 2 Chronicles 25-27, Skip Heitzig explores why true success comes from consistent obedience, not personal strength.
The tragic events that unfolded in Jerusalem on October 7, 2024, have left the region in turmoil. How should we respond in these uncertain times as followers of Christ? Joel Rosenberg unpacks these challenges through the lens of Scripture, exploring prophecy and God’s plan for the days ahead.
Joel Rosenberg is a New York Times bestselling author with more than five million copies of his books in print. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of All Israel News and All Arab News and the host of the Rosenberg Report, a primetime weekly news and analysis program on TBN, the most watched Christian TV network in the US. In 2006, Rosenberg and his wife founded the Joshua Fund, a nonprofit organization that has invested more than $100 million towards strengthening the church in Israel and the Arab/Muslim world to preach the Word, shepherd the flock, care for the poor and needy, teach the global church about God’s love and prophetic plan for the people of the Middle East, and fulfill the Great Commission.
In 2 Chronicles 23-24, Jehoiada restored Joash to the throne, leading Judah back to God. Joash repaired the temple, but after Jehoiada’s death, he turned from the Lord, which ultimately led to his downfall. In this message, Skip Heitzig shares why lasting faith requires ongoing commitment and accountability.
Doubt is often a stepping stone on the road to a secure faith. We’ve all had our doubts; it’s what we do with those doubts that matters. Do we give up, take our ball, and go home? Or do we find unshakable reasons that faith in God is the best worldview possible? Today let’s look at the rocky journey of Thomas’s struggle between faith and doubt. Perhaps we’ll see ourselves in it.
I. Confidence
II. Turbulence
III. Distance
IV. Evidence
V. Penitence
VI. Permanence
Talk with God: Meditate on 1 Peter 1:8-9 and thank the Lord for the peace and confidence we have in our salvation, so we can “rejoice with joy inexpressible” (v. 8).
Talk with others: If you’re wrestling with a doubt or difficult question, ask a mentor or pastor for help in navigating that struggle.
Talk with kids: How does God show He keeps His promises in this Bible story?
King Jehoshaphat faced a vast enemy, but turned to God in prayer and witnessed a miraculous victory through divine intervention. However, he eventually suffered the consequences of his alliances with wicked rulers. In this message, Pastor Skip Heitzig explores God’s faithfulness, the dangers of compromise, and the tragic downfall of Judah’s leadership.
I. Stand Strong
II. Stay Grounded
III. Step Forward
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you strength and courage as you commit to plant your flag and reclaim what the enemy has stolen in your life.
Talk with others: How can your Connect Group, family, or friends take ground in your community this year?
Talk with kids: How did God’s promise to Abraham continue through Jacob?
As believers, we’re part of God’s kingdom, but there’s a learning curve when it comes to speaking the language. In this message from Colossians 4, we discover how to navigate the new of way of life we're called to in Christ as Pastor Mat Pirolo explores three key aspects of Christian speech.
Sharing your faith with unbelievers can be the scariest experience for many of us. Just the term evangelism can make us sweat. So we make excuses like, “I’m not an evangelist,” or, “I’ll mess it up,” or, “They’ll reject me,” or, “I’m not good enough at it.” Today we get a lesson on sharing our faith from the Master Himself—Jesus Christ—as we see how He spoke to a woman who thought she’d heard it all.
I. Have the Right Attitude
II. Have the Right Approach
III. Have the Right Appeal
Talk with God: Ask the Lord for boldness and opportunities to share the gospel this week.
Talk with others: Invite an unbelieving friend or family member to come to church with you next weekend.
Talk with kids: How did finding Isaac a wife show that God was keeping His promise to Abraham?
King Asa's son Jehoshaphat unwisely allied himself with King Ahab and ignored the admonishment of the only prophet willing to speak what God revealed to him. In this message, Skip Heitzig unpacks God's sovereignty and the importance of seeking and obeying His will.
“Cancel culture” is a newer cultural phenomenon whereby a group of people attempts to remove an individual’s or organization’s power, platform, financial resources, or livelihood. It takes place when people perceive that the target has transgressed against moral or social norms. But it’s not really new. It’s been around since the beginning. How should we live in such an environment?
I. React Calmly
II. Resist Firmly
III. Reply Clearly
IV. Respond Humbly
V. Rest Inwardly
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you a heart of compassion for those who may attack you for your beliefs, so you won’t return “evil for evil or reviling for reviling” (v. 9).
Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how you can pray for them and support their walk this week.
Talk with kids: How does Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac point us to Jesus?
King Asa's faithfulness led to a period of peace as he removed idols and renewed Israel's covenant with God. After Asa's death, his son Jehoshaphat honored God's teachings, strengthening Judah by seeking divine guidance. In this teaching, Pastor Skip Heitzig examines the destructive consequences of losing faith—and the blessings of trusting God.
Love Bomb 2025 - Matthew 5:13-16 - from the series of Topical Teachings with Skip Heitzig from Calvary Church.
I. Our World is Dark
II. Our Walk is Different
III. Our Work is Demonstrated
When we trust God with our battles, we find peace and prosperity. As successive kings from the tribe of Judah stumbled into sin and then repented, God showed His mercy—healing and restoring His people. In this teaching, Skip Heitzig explores the consequences of living in the flesh and turning away from God.
Legalism was a serious problem in Paul’s day, and it’s a serious problem today. Vibrant truth is exchanged for a narrow-minded list of do’s and don’ts. The glorious name of Jesus becomes a synonym for a gloomy killjoy. A legalistic Christian is a dangerous substitute for the real thing. Anyone living under this tyranny never feels like they are doing enough. Let’s get some help!
I. Legalism Contradicts the Gospel
II. Legalism Contradicts Experience
III. Legalism Contradicts Logic
Talk with God: Ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where legalism is taking over your walk and for peace to rest confidently in your salvation—through your faith in Jesus alone.
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer by reminding them of Jesus’ work in their lives.
Talk with kids: What promises has God made to us?
Solomon's reign reached incredible heights but rapidly declined when he turned away from God and began practicing idolatry. Solomon's son Rehoboam brought further division to the kingdom when he rejected wise counsel. In this message, Skip Heitzig unpacks this powerful reminder to seek God's guidance for every decision.
An alarming report from one research group noted, “Our nation is facing a new public health threat…feelings of anxiety and depression have grown to levels where virtually no one can ignore what is happening.” Today, we consider the help available for our mental health. In this letter to the Philippian church, Paul gives us five steps that will improve our mental health.
I. Rejoice in the Presence of God
II. Rely on the Power of God
III. Recall the Provision of God
IV. Rest in the Peace of God
V. Reflect on the Purpose of God
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to guide your steps and provide wisdom and clarity as you seek to improve your mental health in accordance with Scripture.
Talk with others: If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue, ask a pastor, ministry leader, or mentor for prayer and practical support.
Talk with kids: How were the people disobeying God’s commands?
God appeared to Solomon again, to reassure him of His commitment to the temple and the people of Israel and warn of the dangers in turning away from Him. In this teaching, Skip Heitzig examines God's faithfulness and Solomon's dedication to obeying God's plans.
If someone takes a substance or engages in an activity that provides temporary pleasure, but it becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, he or she is said to be an addict. Addictive behavior is widespread and is one of the reasons people turn to Christ. But even those who follow Christ can tend toward addictive behavior. We were born with a sinful nature. When we’re born again and have a new nature, sometimes the battle is fiercer than ever. How can we find help?
I. We Have a Standard
II. We Face a Struggle
III. We Use a Strategy
A. Reason
B. Reckon
C. Resist
D. Replace
Talk with God: Identify a sin you’re struggling with and ask the Spirit to intercede for you “with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
Talk with others: If you’re struggling with addiction or addictive behavior, ask a pastor or trusted believer for ongoing prayer and spiritual encouragement as you go to battle with that addiction.
Talk with kids: How has God rescued us from sin?
Jonah ran from God’s call, but God ran after Jonah—with a storm, a fish, and relentless grace. Jonah's isn’t just a story about a prophet and a great fish—it’s about a great God who showed mercy to both rebellious prophets and wicked cities. In this message, Pastor Kaiden Ritchie examines how Jonah reminds us that God’s compassion reaches farther than we ever expect—even to our enemies.
A Turkish soldier beat a Christian prisoner until he was barely conscious. He kicked him and shouted, “What can your Christ do for you now?” The bloodied soldier responded, “He can give me strength to forgive you.” One of the hardest areas in the Christian life is forgiving people (even other Christians) who have hurt us in the past. In this passage, let’s see what help Jesus can give.
I. Forgiveness is Difficult
II. Forgiveness is Divine
III. Forgiveness is Demanded
IV. Forgiveness is Doable
A. Start Upward
B. Move Inward
C. Reach Outward
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you where you’ve chosen to hold on to hurt, anger, or bitterness, and ask Him for the strength to choose forgiveness.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to pray for you as you work through any anger or bitterness you’ve been harboring.
Talk with kids: Why did God have to punish Cain for his sin? How was God merciful, even in punishment?
Solomon dedicated the newly-built temple with a powerful prayer, and God's glory filled the temple in a breathtaking display of His presence, reaffirming His covenant with Israel. In this message, Skip Heitzig delves into God’s enduring relationship with His people.
Ours is not a reading culture anymore. Reading has been replaced by visual sound bites. And reading the Bible is a difficult endeavor, since it was written so long ago with cultures and practices that are now outdated. So, what are we to do? Isn’t it just easier to listen to sermons and pick up Bible truths from social media posts? It is easier, but not better. Let me give you some helpful tips.
I. It Will Transform Your Life
II. It Will Challenge Your Mind
III. It Will Delight Your Heart
IV. It Will Clarify Your Vision
V. It Will Stabilize Your Future
VI. It Will Guard Your Steps
Talk with God: Ask the Holy Spirit to give you clear understanding and “ears to hear,” (Mark 4:9), as you begin your quiet times this week.
Talk with others: Ask a friend or mentor to hold you accountable to read and study the Word consistently.
Talk with kids: How did God show mercy to Adam and Eve?
When Solomon's temple was completed, God's presence filled it in a glorious way. In this teaching from 2 Chronicles, Skip Heitzig explores how the tabernacle and the temple point us to Jesus' first and second comings—and the eternal glory we will witness in God's kingdom.
Loving other people is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Even the closest followers of Jesus had a hard time doing it. Peter found it hard to forgive more than a few times (see Matthew 18:21). James and John wanted to nuke the Samaritans (see Luke 9:52-56), and all the disciples argued about their positions in the kingdom (see Luke 22:24-30). Here are some practical ways we can love both God and our neighbor.
I. Learn to Hear Personally
II. Learn to Judge Accurately
III. Learn to See Differently
IV. Learn to Act Immediately
Talk with God: Ask the Lord for wisdom in finding practical ways to be merciful toward a challenging neighbor this week (v. 36-37).
Talk with others: Invite a neighbor or coworker to church and ask how you can support them.
Talk with kids: Which of God’s characteristics do we see in creation?
God’s greatest gift wasn’t wrapped in paper and placed under a Christmas tree. He was nailed to a tree—the cross. In this Christmas message, Pastor Skip Heitzig reminds us that God's Christmas tree had two branches, where Jesus stretched out His arms to receive all who come to Him. Stained with His blood, not adorned with tinsel, the cross is where Christ bore our sins and offered salvation to the world.
The Bible opens with the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. After the first humans disobeyed and chose death, God graciously kept them away from the Tree of Life, lest they live forever in their fallen state. But now, at the end of the Bible, the Tree of Life reemerges in the garden environment of the capital city of heaven. Today, let’s consider our future home.
I. Anterior Design
II. Exterior Design
III. Interior Design
IV. Superior Design
Talk with God: Thank the Lord for His faithful love and gracious plan of redemption as we prepare to celebrate the birth of His Son.
Talk with others: Reach out to a believer who may be hurting this Christmas season and encourage them to seek comfort from the “God [who] will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (21:4).
Talk with kids: Why is Jesus’ return good news for Christians?
Leading up to Christmas, we will examine human history in the light of three trees: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Tree of Life, and the cross of Christ. Today, we’re in the garden of Eden. Next week, we’ll be in the garden environment of the New Jerusalem. On Christmas Eve, we’ll consider the cross of Christ—where, after His betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” (1 Peter 2:24)—and why the Christmas tree has tried to usurp it.
I. Perfection
II. Plunge
III. Penalty
IV. Prediction
Talk with God: In the midst of this season’s busyness, be intentional to make time to “[walk] in the garden” (Genesis 3:8) with the Lord each day through prayer and the Word.
Talk with others: Ask a friend who may be hurting this season how you can lock shields with them in prayer and acts of service.
Talk with kids: What are some ways we can worship Jesus?
Driven by a divine calling and guided by God’s hand, Vitaliy and Natalia Smolin have dedicated their lives to full-time missionary work in Ukraine since 2009. Their mission is to share Christ’s love and His Word with everyone. They remain steadfast in the face of challenges—including the Russian invasion in February 2022—providing humanitarian aid to civilians and military personnel alike as they spread the good news of Jesus Christ and embody hope and resilience for the people of Ukraine.
Levi is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and everywhere online. He is a best-selling author, podcast host, husband, and father of five, and travels the world speaking about Jesus. Levi is the author of several books, children’s books, and devotionals, including Through the Eyes of a Lion, I Declare War, The Marriage Devotional, and his latest, The Last Supper on the Moon. He and his wife, Jennie, co-host their podcast, Hey It’s the Luskos. Levi and Jennie have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
I. The Wonders of Heaven
II. The Weight of Glory
III. The Word of God
IV. The Wounds and Worth of Jesus
Talk with God: If you’re in a season of suffering or overwhelmed by a trial in your life, focus your heart on the One who will carry you through to the coming glory (see v. 18).
Talk with others: Sit with a fellow believer who’s suffering this week and encourage them to seek the Lord and find rest in Him.
Talk with kids: How did Paul’s faithfulness in preaching the gospel—even in prison—give us an example to follow?
This sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? After all, to make such a statement seems to help out with the problem of evil that is so prevalent in our fallen world. If there is a God who is good and loving, can’t He throttle back on the pain and suffering, especially in the lives of His children? As we examine this statement today, we need to make four critical adjustments to our thinking.
I. A Misunderstood Verse (1 Corinthians 10:13)
II. A Misguided Statement
III. A Missing Perspective (2 Corinthians 1:9; 4:17)
IV. A Meaningful Example (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Talk with God: Meditate on 2 Corinthians 12:9 and thank the Lord that His grace and strength allow us to “boast in [our] infirmities.”
Talk with others: As a family or Connect Group, pray for the families and members of our community who visited our campus for the Thanksgiving Pickup Party.
Talk with kids: How does it make you feel to know God is always in control and He cares for you?
Money matters! But how much? And how much does it matter to you? To God? For generations, people have said, “Money is the root of all evil.” Is that statement true? Does it come from the Bible? Today, we will ask and answer a few questions in order to get at the truth of all this. I think we will discover that money is a lot like fire—it’s an excellent servant, but a terrible master.
I. Where Does it Come From?
II. What Does it Mean?
III. How Should We Live?
Talk with God: Meditate on Matthew 22:37 and ask the Spirit to reveal areas of your life where you’ve allowed the love of money to take root.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if they’ve noticed any idols in your life recently.
Talk with kids: What should we do if others make fun of us or are mean to us for sharing the gospel?
Is God concerned with our own personal happiness? I’m going to say “Yes!” and “No!” Though the Bible does indeed talk about being happy, it’s not as straightforward as you may think. Allow me to unpack this idea through the lens of one of King David’s psalms, written while he was at war. Here, David explicitly wrote that God’s people are happy people. Let’s find out why.
I. Because of Life's Conflict
II. Because of our Commitment
III. Because of God's Care
IV. Because of God's Character
Talk with God: Meditate on Psalm 144:2 and thank the Lord for His faithfulness as you “take refuge” in Him.
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to intentionally spend time in the Word and in prayer this week.
Talk with kids: How can we be reminded that God loves us and cares for us?
I have spent my entire ministry telling people what the Bible does say. In this series I have been telling you what it doesn’t say—that is, commonly used sayings that many have assumed were from Scripture but are not. Today we look at one that many a parent has quoted to a child, and teachers have quoted to their students. Our story in Mark 7 reveals three categories of cleanliness.
I. Cleanliness Had Become External
II. Cleanliness Was Seen as Eternal
III. Cleanliness is Really Internal
Talk with God: Prayerfully consider your relationship with the Lord. Have religious habits taken the place of an active, intimate connection?
Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how they stay focused on the Lord when life distracts them.
Talk with kids: How does knowing that God has a plan help you face hard situations?
How many times have you heard about the separation of church and state? I’m guessing a lot! But usually, it’s from Christians who think that it is in the Bible (it is not). It comes from secularists who think that it comes from the US Constitution (it does not). Every election cycle brings with it the dilemma: Should Christians be involved in politics? If so, to what degree?
I. Complexity
II. Policy
III. Responsibility
Talk with God: Pray for our elected leaders and candidates and ask the Lord for wisdom and clarity as you get ready to vote.
Talk with others: Encourage a believer who is anxious about the upcoming election and remind them that “no purpose of [God’s] can be thwarted” (Job 42:2, ESV).
Talk with kids: How does learning about God help us receive courage?
This noble-sounding little statement has been around for a couple of decades but was popularized by Oprah Winfrey at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards. She stated, “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have.” In all fairness, she was talking about those women who dared to speak up about being sexually harassed; however, the quip rapidly became a modern mantra for those who say absolute truth doesn’t exist, but that all truth is individual and comes from within.
I. We Should Know the Truth
II. We Should Guard the Truth
III. We Should Speak the Truth
Talk with God: Meditate on John 17:14-19 and ask the Lord to sanctify your life by the truth of His Word.
Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group how they stay “ready in season and out of season” (v. 2).
Talk with kids: Who can you share the gospel with?
Some of the worst advice we have ever received has come from the best friends we’ve ever had. A popular slogan of our modern culture tells us each to, “Follow your heart,” and we’ve all had close friends tell us as much. But is that a good plan? Is your heart reliable? Let’s discover three valuable components of decision-making from a familiar story where things almost went really wrong.
I. A Good Intention
II. Some Bad Advice
III. A Better Plan
Talk with God: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life where you choose to follow your heart instead of seeking His direction.
Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer or mentor to be your sounding board and keep you accountable to follow the Word rather than your heart.
Talk with kids: Why is faith in Jesus the only way to be saved?
Welcome to our new weekend series, which we are simply calling The Bible Doesn’t Say That. Over the next few weeks, we will look at some sayings and concepts people think are found in Scripture but aren’t. Perhaps you heard your grandma say them, or they were given as a piece of advice that just sounded right, so you assumed they must be in the Bible. Today, we’ll look at one of the first I heard.
I. Where Did it Originate?
II. Is There Any Truth to It?
III. What Does the Bible Say?
Talk with God: Meditate on vv. 8-10 and thank the Lord that “we shall be saved by His life” (v. 10).
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer who may be struggling right now, reminding them that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
Talk with kids: What are some ways you can tell others about Jesus?
Saving anyone from death would, of course, be a noble goal. If physical death threatens someone and we can help them avert it, we should by all means try to do so. But especially if there is a risk of spiritual, eternal death, we should step in and try to stop it. Today I will share the four musts of saving a soul from death. These four ingredients are needed for every Christian life.
I. Restoration Must Be Our Plan
II. Admonition Must Be Our Call
III. Conversion Must Be Our Goal
IV. Salvation Must Be The Result
Talk with God: Pray for an unbelieving or backslidden friend or family member and take comfort in knowing God’s Word “shall not return…void” (Isaiah 55:11).
Talk with others: Sharpen another believer (see Proverbs 27:17) this week through gentle, Spirit-led correction, encouraging words, or time spent praying together.
Talk with kids: What difficulties did Paul and Barnabas have to endure while sharing the gospel?
As the war on Christianity intensifies, it is tempting to feel overwhelmed and underprepared, but believers have a powerful weapon that is always available—prayer. In this message, Nate Heitzig examines James 5:16-18 to discover who prayer is for, how we should pray, and the impact it makes.
I. What Is It?
II. Who Can Use It?
III. What’s the Impact?
Talk with God: Is there someone or something that you’ve given up praying about?
Talk with others: “Confess your faults” (v. 17, KJV) to a mentor or trusted fellow believer and ask them to pray for you and hold you accountable as you tackle these areas in your life.
Talk with kids: What’s the difference between knowing Jesus and knowing about Jesus?
The son of great missionary Hudson Taylor noted of his father, “For forty years the sun never rose on China that God didn’t find him on his knees.” Someone called prayer the gymnasium of the soul. When was the last time you had a good “workout”? Today, James jumps into the mysterious cooperation of the divine with the human through prayer. When and why should we do it?
I. Pray When You're Suffering
II. Pray When You're Smiling
III. Pray When You're Sick
IV. Pray When You Sin
V. Pray For the Saints
Talk with God: Consider your prayer life—what things consistently keep you from praying (e.g. anxiety, distractions)? Surrender them to the Lord this week.
Talk with others: Invite a few friends to gather regularly to spend time in prayer together.
Talk with kids: How do you use the gifts God has given you to serve your church?
Sometimes parents will tell their children not to do certain things. But such prohibitions are motivated by love. These negative commands are to ensure a positive outcome. A good biblical example of this is the list of thou shalt nots in the Ten Commandments. In this section, James gives his audience a few negative instructions so they can have a positive life.
I. Do Not Grumble
II. Do Not Back Down
III. Do Not Give Up
IV. Do Not Speak Hastily
Talk with God: Meditate on 1 John 2:5-6 and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life that don’t reflect your love for the Lord.
Talk with others: Ask a friend or member of your Connect Group how you can pray for them as they seek to align their lives to God’s Word.
Talk with kids: What were the believers doing while Peter was in prison?
Ever since Jesus came to Earth over 2,000 years ago to die and rise again, He promised to return. And believers have been looking for Him since. Every generation has its doomsday preachers and prophecy “experts,” predicting when He will return. But today we examine not when He will come back, but rather how we should live until He does. James tells us three ways we are to wait for it.
I. Be Ready
II. Be Patient
III. Be Strong
Talk with God: Meditate on verse 8 and ask the Lord to give you the wisdom to “strengthen your [heart]” (NASB), so you can continue to live for Him in the last days.
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to seek the Lord diligently and continue in the faith as we wait for His coming.
Talk with kids: Why should we celebrate when others repent and turn to Jesus?
This is undeniably one of the most difficult passages in the Bible. It is seldom preached on because the language is accusatory and blunt. But I’ve learned that everyone is concerned about money to some extent, and this passage gives us several reasons as to why we should be careful with money.
I. It Can Be Obtained Wrongly
II. It Can Be Used Poorly
III. It Will Vanish Eventually
IV. It Involves Judgment Ultimately
V. It Presents An Opportunity
Talk with God: Read Matthew 25:14-30 and prayerfully consider your attitude toward money. Ask the Lord for wisdom to intentionally steward the resources He’s given you.
Talk with others: Ask someone in your family or Connect Group how you can pray for them this week.
Talk with kids: How do our differences show God’s creativity?
I. You Can’t Control the Future (vv. 13-14, 16)
II. You Must Control Yourself (v. 17)
III. Let God Control It All (v. 15)
Talk with God: Meditate on Philippians 4:6-7. Ask the Lord to fill you with His peace, "which surpasses all understanding” (v. 7).
Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer by reminding them that God is in control, no matter what struggle they’re facing.
Talk with kids: How does knowing Jesus give us hope that He will make things all right one day?
When life is easy, it can be tempting to put our faith in our own effort and ability. But when we face difficult circumstances, we have an opportunity to respond with praise as we rely on God and deepen our faith in Him. In this message in Acts, Nick Macedo unpacks an example from the apostle Paul's life that shows us how to embrace holy hardship for our sanctification and God's glory.
I. Stop Condemning
II. Start Considering
A. Consider Others
B. Consider God
C. Consider Yourself
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to fill your heart with grace and forgiveness so that you “do not speak evil of one another” (v. 11).
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to point out areas of bitterness, judgment, or unforgiveness in your life.
Talk with kids: What does it look like to have the same attitude as Jesus?
If we are not on guard against "philosophy and empty deceit" (Colossians 2:8), we can fall prey to false beliefs about Jesus and Christianity. Paul wrote a letter to the church at Colossae to address the heresy taking root among them. In this message from Colossians, Kaiden Ritchie examines the clear and powerful Who, what, and how of the gospel.
Conflict resolution is an entire field of practice—used from the counselor’s couch to the United Nations. Evidently, conflicts were a problem in early congregations. James, in forceful language, addressed this and told his audience how to fix it. Today we see several steps to resolve conflict. And today, instead of me writing the outline for you, I will let you do the honors.
I. Recognize the Source
II. Realize the Consequence
III. Repent of Your Attitude
IV. Resist the Devil
V. Rest in God
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that you haven’t submitted to His control. Surrender them to Him this week as you “draw near to God” (v. 8).
Talk with others: Do you need to seek resolution or reconciliation with someone in order to “live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NLT)?
Talk with kids: What are reasons others might not know about Jesus? How can we help them learn about Jesus?
In the ancient world, few virtues were more revered than wisdom. In the biblical Hebrew culture, wisdom was considered the skill to live well, or more precisely, a wise person was an expert in godly living. According to James, wisdom has little to do with IQ, SAT scores, or education. Wisdom is different from knowledge. Rather, true wisdom is the right application of knowledge. In this passage, James showed the difference between true and false wisdom with four notable traits.
I. Wisdom Is Practical (v. 13a)
II. Wisdom Is Humble (v. 13b)
III. Wisdom Is Spiritual (vv. 14-16)
IV. Wisdom Is Fruitful (vv. 17-18)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to fill your heart with “the wisdom that is from above” so your life will be “full of mercy and good fruits” (v. 17).
Talk with others: Ask a mentor to hold you accountable in not acting through “envy and self-seeking” (v. 14).
Talk with kids: How can Stephen’s faith encourage us in our own faith?
Bookstores are full of helpful leadership advice, but as believers we have access to the ultimate source of wisdom: the Bible. God's Word includes important examples and principles for leaders. In this message from 2 Chronicles, Robert Furrow looks at the story of King Asa and identifies seven principles of biblical leadership that can be applied to any industry or leadership role.
Do the words that come out of your mouth bless others and honor God, or do they bring bitterness and destruction? In this message, Nate Heitzig examines what James 3:2-12 says about the power of the tongue and reminds us that God is the only one capable of changing our heart—and the words that flow from it.
I. What You Say Is a Reflection
II. What You Say Causes Destruction
III. What You Say Is a Decision
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to help you break any habits of complaining, gossiping, or tearing others down—and to help you use your words to bless and encourage.
Talk with others: Be intentional in encouraging a fellow believer this week.
Talk with kids: What problem did the early church face? How did the apostles solve the problem?
Since the days of the early church, false teachers have claimed that a believer's faith is incomplete without the addition of worldly elements like philosophy, mysticism, or legalism. Paul's letter to the Colossians counters this message by pointing to the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. In this message, John Miller examines what believers truly need to live the abundant life that is found through faith in Christ alone.
When our lives don't match our testimony, it gives unbelievers an excuse to blaspheme the name of God and diminishes our witness to a lost world. It's critical that believers continually develop their spiritual character and stay accountable for their conduct. In this message, Nate Heitzig applies James 3:1 to Bible teachers—and every believer who faces the scrutiny of a skeptical world.
Just as young children ask their parents what is going to happen each day, we can find ourselves wondering how and when God is going to work in and through our lives. Hebrews 11:1-12 provides powerful examples of how God calls us to have faith in Him before He calls us to act. In this message, Cody Byrne unpacks the faith we need to step into our God-given calling.
You probably couldn’t find two people more different than the two examples chosen by James to show the difference between dead faith and dynamic faith. Abraham was the first patriarch and designated figurehead of the Jewish nation. Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho during Israel’s assault of that city. But both demonstrate how true faith will produce action and change.
I. Question (v. 20)
II. Illustration (vv. 21-24)
III. Amplification (v. 25)
IV. Conclusion (v. 26)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you ways to put your faith into action.
Talk with others: Brainstorm some practical ways to regularly serve your community with your family or Connect Group.
Talk with kids: How does sharing the gospel show we love God and people?
According to a recent Netflix documentary, there are more forgeries of famous paintings hanging in museums than most people suspect. From time to time, these cases come to light. But what about faith in God? The easiest thing to do is to simply say that one is a believer. But where’s the proof? James addressed this, giving four telltale signs to help us spot the genuine from the fake.
I. Words without Works (v. 14)
II. Sight without Sympathy (vv. 15-16)
III. Profession without Proof (vv. 17-18)
IV. Commotion without Conversion (vv. 19-20)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you a servant’s heart, then seek opportunities to serve or encourage someone this week.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if your faith is obvious in your daily habits, attitudes, and relationships.
Talk with kids: How can people see the power of God in our lives?
Faith and favoritism are incompatible. We have been saved by a loving Redeemer and we must be willing to accept all different kinds of people. That’s not to say that people don’t need to repent of known sin. Of course they do! But one of the glaring sins of the Christian church is discriminating on the basis of outward appearance—actually, this is a flaw endemic to the whole human race.
I. People Are Prejudiced Naturally (vv. 1-13)
II. Favoritism Is Foolish Logically (vv. 5-7)
III. Christians Are Corrected Biblically (vv. 8-9)
IV. Life Should Be Lived Consistently (vv. 10-13)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal an area where you haven’t been living as one “who will be judged by the law of liberty” (v. 12).
Talk with others: Say hello and introduce yourself to someone sitting alone at service.
Talk with kids: How are we changed by the Holy Spirit?
Mirrors are honest! Under well-lit conditions, mirrors reveal the truthful condition of the observer. The Bible is the Word of God. Like a mirror, it reveals the truth about our world, our character, and our God. But then we must act accordingly; doing must follow reading and hearing. James mentions five areas in our lives—five categories—the Word of God should govern.
I. Submission (vv. 22-24)
II. Study (v. 25)
III. Speech (v. 26)
IV. Service (v. 27a)
V. Separation (v. 27b)
Talk with God: Assess your spiritual growth in the mirror of God’s Word and pray for wisdom and clarity in confronting your blind spots.
Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if they’ve observed areas of your life where you have not continued in “the perfect law of liberty” (v. 25).
Talk with kids: How has God shown us generosity through Jesus?
The Word of God is “full of living power,” wrote the author of Hebrews (4:12, TLB). It has the power to change a life completely and for eternity. James has been telling us that God gives good gifts and the first is the gift of salvation! But that is just the beginning. After birth comes growth, and the theme of this book is spiritual maturity. The primary agent for spiritual maturity is God’s Word. But unless we listen to it and allow it to work in us, it will never have its intended impact.
It’s one thing to be tested on the outside (trials); it’s another thing to be tested on the inside (temptation). God may allow temptations in order to strengthen our faith. But Satan desires to tempt us to weaken our faith. In C. S. Lewis’s classic book The Screwtape Letters, a senior demon wrote to a trainee, saying, “All the habits of the [Christian], both mental and bodily, are still in our favor.” Today, we consider how temptation works and find workable solutions to overcome it.
I. The Source of Temptation (vv. 13-14)
II. The Course of Temptation (vv. 14-15)
III. Our Resource in Temptation (vv. 16-18)
Talk with God: Ask the Holy Spirit which areas of your faith need to be shored up and strengthened.
Talk with others: With your Connect Group, discuss some practical things you can implement in your daily life to avoid common temptations.
Talk with kids: Who is the Holy Spirit?
An old English children’s game followed the poem “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief.” In the game, kids would try to determine what they would become later in life. Whether we become rich or poor, one thing is common to all—hardship. Trials are the great equalizer, bringing all of God’s children to depend on Him. James, with barefaced practicality, looked at the advantages of suffering for both the poor man and the rich man.
I. Our World Is Divided (vv. 9-12)
II. Our Outlook Is Delightful (vv. 9-10)
III. Our Materialism Is Doomed (vv. 10-11)
IV. Our Future Is Dependent (v. 12)
Talk with God: Reflect on your typical reaction to trials. Ask the Lord to change your perspective so depending on Him becomes your instinctual reaction.
Talk with others: Ask an unbelieving friend or family member how you can help them through a tough situation in their life.
Talk with kids: How do we make disciples? Why is it important to make disciples?
Growing up has its advantages. Adults face life’s struggles differently than children do. Both children and adults feel strong emotions about the trials they face, but they display their emotions differently. A mature Christian can even dare to experience joy during such times. Whatever you may be facing in life, there are four realities about hardship you should know.
I. Trials Are Normal (v. 2)
II. Trials Can Be Joyful (v. 2)
III. Trials Could Be Transformational (vv. 3-4)
IV. Trials Should Be Educational (vv. 5-8)
Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you how you can prepare your heart for the struggles ahead.
Talk with others: Ask someone close to you how you can help them walk through a current struggle.
Talk with kids: How does God forgive our sins?
You’ve probably been in a situation where there was confusion, even pandemonium, and most people were acting like immature children. What was needed was just one person to act like an adult and bring decorum and civility back. In such situations, one might say, “Where is the adult in the room?” It refers to someone who will behave responsibly in a mature manner. The book of James is about spiritual maturity. It is a call to grow up and not just grow old. James was the adult in the room.
I. The Author “James”
II. The Autobiography “a bondservant of God and of…Jesus Christ”
III. The Audience “To the twelve tribes…scattered abroad”
IV. The Address “Greetings”
Talk with God: Reflect on your spiritual growth journey and ask the Lord to show you where He wants to grow you.
Talk with others: Ask a trusted believer or mentor to hold you accountable in working toward growth in a specific area of your walk.
Talk with kids: What do you believe to be true about God, even though you haven’t seen Him?
An old hymn reads, “There’s room at the cross for you; there’s room at the cross for you; though millions have come, there’s still room for one; yes, there’s room at the cross for you.” Our weekend series, In the Room, has highlighted the unparalleled benefits of gathering together as believers. But what happens when we need more room? How do we make more room? How are we to “compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23)?
I. It’s a Divine Work: “the Lord added”
II. It’s a Disciple’s Work: “he testified” (v. 40)
III. It’s a Double Work: “to the church…those…being saved”
IV. It’s a Daily Work: “added…daily”
Talk with God: Pray for an unbelieving friend or family member and ask the Lord to show you how to make room for them.
Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how you can intentionally be in the room with them this week.
Talk with kids: What is the only way to have true salvation and forgiveness?
People either misunderstand the cross or they don't know its purpose and significance. Some think it's a tragic mistake or just a trivial symbol. When it came to the Messiah, the Jews anticipated a conqueror—instead, they got a sin bearer. Through the cross, Jesus glorified the Father and paid the price for our sins. Instead of shying away from it, we choose to celebrate the cross.
Today we are entering into Passion Week—commemorating Jesus’ final days leading up to the cross, His burial, and His resurrection. We are all familiar with these events. As Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem, the crowd placed palm branches on the ground. In a few days, Jesus would be crucified, and they would place His body in the ground. But three days later, He would rise from the ground. Let’s note three comparisons of things that may be good versus something that’s best.
I. The Identity of Your Purpose
II. The Impairment to Your Purpose
III. The Importance of Your Purpose
Talk with God: Evaluate your daily habits and ask the Lord how you can take practical steps “not [to] be conformed to this world” (v. 2).
Talk with others: How can you use your gifts to serve your family, friends, or community?
Talk with kids: In what ways was Jesus’ trial unfair?
In order to discover what Jesus intended for the church He came to establish (remember He said, “I will build My church”), we need to examine carefully the prototype—the first church in the book of Acts. In combing through this text the last few weeks, we have been able to get a sense of the style, structure, and service of the early church. Today we notice their generous hearts toward one another and in the cause of Christ. Because they were openhearted, they were also openhanded.
When God works in a person’s life, there is profound change. When God’s people see that change, it produces a sense of awe and wonder. It also provides encouragement that God will do it again and again. When we gather together and hear one another’s stories and witness one another’s victories, we are inspired. Today we consider the power of God working not just through a sermon or through a worship service, but through the individual lives of all God’s people.
The term worship comes from an older English word, worth-ship, which means to give something worth or to attribute value to something or someone. In its purest form, worship acknowledges who God is, gives Him the glory that He alone deserves, and honors Him with our lips and lives. In the Old and New Testaments, worship was both personal and a community activity. Let’s peek at the very first church to gain insights on what worshiping together in the room looks like.
There is an epidemic of loneliness in our society as people long for a place to feel safe and belong. The truth is, we were not built for isolation—and that's why God created the church and community. In this message, Nate Heitzig shares what happens when you get in the room with God's people.
There are several activities that take place when we gather together in the room. Conversations take place, prayers are uttered, songs are vocalized, hugs are exchanged, children are attended to, cars are parked, coffee is brewed, and volunteers joyfully serve. But one activity is at the epicenter of it all—the teaching of (and listening to) God’s Word. We make this the bulk of our weekly gatherings. Why is that so? Moreover, why can’t we just stay home and watch it all online?
Today we begin a new series we are calling In the Room. We will consider why it is so vital to gather as God’s people, and the benefits we receive when we do. We each have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but personal does not mean private. Our lives are meant to be lived in community with others. Today we will take on the role of a reporter, examining a weekend event in the life of the early church to understand the significance of this experience.
As we ring in the New Year, we also want to ring in a fresh start. We want to be different, better. But lasting change doesn’t happen through New Year’s resolutions. Instead of trying to fix our bad habits, our flesh, we must begin submitting to the Spirit—only then will everything else fall into place. In this message, Nate Heitzig reflects on some truths we’ve learned in our Kingdom City series, sharing how we can change 2024 by becoming resilient disciples of Jesus.
Today we bring the series Kingdom City to an end. We have explored what it means to live as kingdom people, to be representatives of the King until He returns. We have examined the lives of people who influenced others with their kingdom-minded lifestyles. But today we consider the culmination of kingdom living, which is the future kingdom itself. There are four distinct experiences that sum up the announcement and inauguration of the coming future kingdom.
Last year, we studied the biblical prophecies on the end times and considered the promises of Jesus’ return and establishment of His kingdom. But until that awesome event occurs, how ought we to invest our time and resources? Did you know that our future position in the kingdom of heaven is largely determined by our faithfulness on earth? This section shows us four different responses to kingdom responsibility—four ways people live their lives in the light of Jesus’ coming kingdom.
Pastor Taylor Bronisz and Calvary Youth started the new year with a youth takeover service. Several musically talented teens joined with Calvary Worship, then Taylor gave an inspiring message about how we can all do our part to help the next generation meet Jesus.
From the Guest Speaker series at Calvary Church.
A dominating hallmark of the Christian faith is compassion. That’s because it is a prominent feature of the personality of Jesus Himself. In this passage, we observe that Jesus cared about His closest associates as well as the throngs of people who came to hear Him teach. Today in Kingdom City, we consider four levels of the King’s compassion and how to reflect it.
Christians often have questions about their role and responsibility to secular governments. These questions are even more pronounced when there is a government or political administration that appears to be at odds with their Christian convictions. As redeemed people whose “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), how should we discharge our responsibility to the state? Can we honor both God and Caesar? How do kingdom city residents properly balance these two realms?
As Christians get older, they sometimes tend toward compromise. The influence of their culture wears on them and they begin to shift in order to satisfy society. They are victims of the long haul! Their spiritual pace slows; their spiritual appetite weakens; their spiritual vigor abates. Today we examine a man who was faithful over his entire lifetime. His spiritual pace was steady; his spiritual appetite was strong; his spiritual vigor deepened. Daniel displayed four characteristics.
In our last message, we discovered how Daniel became a kingdom influence in Egypt. Today we will see how a woman named Esther influenced the kingdom of Persia—specifically how she rescued the Jewish people from a murderously antisemitic plot. Her courage has become an iconic reminder that one person can bravely change the future for an entire nation. Esther’s story reminded me of the woman in Proverbs 31:25: Strength and honor are her clothing….
After laying the groundwork for our calling to be kingdom influencers in our secular culture, we now consider the first of three examples of people who did just that. Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob. He came from a rural ranching family with humble beginnings, but he ascended to become the second most powerful man in the vast kingdom of Egypt. What caused this to happen?
Lee Strobel is the bestselling author of over twenty books, including Is God Real? As a former atheist, Lee is acutely aware of the arguments and internal struggle faced by those who don’t yet know the Lord. His compelling research and deft presentation of the facts surrounding the existence of Jesus have brought many to a saving knowledge of Christ.
A refugee is a displaced person, someone forced to leave his or her country and live elsewhere. The people of Judea were refugees living in Babylon. They’d been kidnapped and taken hundreds of miles away. So Jeremiah sent them a letter giving instructions on how to live as God’s people on foreign soil. We should take his words to heart since we too are displaced from our eternal home.
In this interview, Skip Heitzig talks with Samuel Smadja, the director of TBN in Israel. They consider the history of the Israeli people and discuss who has claim to the disputed land, shedding light on the truth of this conflict. Samuel Smadja also makes a plea for the church to speak out on what is happening to the Jewish people.
It can be hard to keep track of what is true during a crisis. TV pundits throw facts around till our heads spin, but truth can be found when we know where to look. In this message, Skip Heitzig separates fact from fiction to get a clear understanding of this conflict between the Jews and Palestinians.
What will you be remembered for? What one thing will people think of when your name is mentioned after you die? Everyone wants to “leave his mark” on the world—to be acknowledged for some contribution made to society. Jesus wants us to do this as well—to leave a footprint on the path of life so others will say, “Hey, look! God’s kids walked here!” The analogy Jesus used for this influence was salt and light. These are the essence of transformation into a kingdom city.
Life is full of distractions. We can easily be sidetracked from our main objective as Christians. Rather than engaging in endless speculation over future events, we have a task to focus on. Yes, we believe in a coming kingdom. Yes, we are to be ready for the Lord’s return. Yes, the kingdom of heaven will be an awesome experience. But until then we have a message to proclaim and have work to do. In a nutshell, we are to have our eye on the sky but our hand to the plow!
Donate to provide critical aid to families impacted by the attacks on Israel. https://cabq.us/aid
What do the Hamas attacks on Israel mean for end times prophecy? With Skip Heitzig, Joel Rosenberg, and former IDF soldier, Steve the Tour Guide.
Donate to provide critical aid to families impacted by the attacks on Israel. https://cabq.us/aid
Levi and Jennie Lusko pioneered Fresh Life Church in 2007. The ministry includes locations in Montana, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, and reaches around the world online. Levi and Jennie have one son, Lennox, and four daughters, Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
What does it mean to be kingdom people? What is the nature of this kingdom? What is our responsibility to the world we find ourselves a part of? If Jesus is coming to bring His kingdom and to rule over the earth, can’t we just sit and wait for that to happen? As we consider this model prayer, especially the petition “Your kingdom come. Your will be done…,” we will seek to discover our responsibility as local representatives of the kingdom of God.
As believers living in an ungodly world, it's easy to wonder if we can actually make a difference. It can be tempting to complain when we see the darkness and division around us, but God calls us to be His hands—to do the work because our city is worth saving. In this message, Nate Heitzig looks to the life of Nehemiah as we discover how to act as agents of change in our city.
Today we will conduct a walk-through of every believer’s ultimate destination—the capital city of the eternal state, called New Jerusalem. Unlike New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, or New Mexico, this future place will have the most unique environment ever. I will touch on seven highlights of this future cityscape that make heaven the world’s most interesting destination.
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by circumstances that seem too difficult to face, but as believers, we should approach a situation in light of God's ability to bring us through it. In this message, Skip Heitzig looks at miracles God performed when hope seemed lost as He faithfully provided for the needs of His people.
Our ideas about what heaven will be like may not necessarily be how Scripture describes our eternal home. After officiating hundreds of funerals, I’ve heard some pretty bizarre remarks about loved ones turning into angels or greeting St. Peter at heaven’s gates or engaging in their favorite hobbies. As we look at the final phase of heaven, what is called the eternal state, we read things that may be shocking to some, including that it will come complete with a capital city.
Contemplate the phrase the wrath of God. Most people who hear it think of God as some sort of annoyed deity—one who has a short temper and lashes out in uncontrolled rage. Actually, God’s wrath, including His judgment of unbelievers, is part of His moral integrity. God cannot just withhold judgment; that would go against His moral integrity. The final judgment of God will be His great complement to human freedom and choice. For those who choose to live without God, they will!
The phrase perfect government sounds like an oxymoron. Our world has never known such perfection, and Utopia seems to be the stuff of fairytales. But the Bible promises a coming kingdom on earth, ruled by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. These predictions are widely scattered through the Old Testament and reaffirmed in the New. But only in Revelation 20 are we given the duration of one thousand years. Today I want to share four marks of the governmental structure during the millennium.
Can you envision, or even imagine, a world without conflict or war—a peace-filled, fair, and just environment? This has been the stuff of dreams, fairytales, and fiction. Bumper stickers tell us to “Visualize World Peace,” yet we find it impossible to do so because of our own history. But it is actually scheduled to happen for an entire millennium! For the next two weeks, we will explore this theme of the kingdom age—an era dominated by righteousness, justice, and goodness.
The second coming will be the most important event in the world accomplished by the most important person in the world. It has no parallel. The second coming of Christ will be utterly unlike His first coming. The first time He came born in obscurity—unnoticed and unhonored. He shall come the second time in splendor and be seen by all. Billy Graham once said, “The second coming of Christ will be so revolutionary that it will change every aspect of life on this planet.” It will effectively end history as we know it and ready the world for a glorious kingdom age.
Dr. Frank Turek is a dynamic speaker, TV show host, podcaster, and award-winning author. As president of crossexamined.org, he presents powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity. He is a widely featured apologetics expert and cultural commentator and has appeared on hundreds of radio programs and top TV networks including Fox News, ABC, and CBS.
Alisa Childers is a lifelong churchgoer, follower of Jesus, former CCM recording artist with the Dove Award-winning band ZOEgirl, as well as an apologist and author.
Johnnie Moore is a businessman and itinerant pastor who is best known for his religious freedom advocacy all around the world. He is the author of seven books, including The New Book of Christian Martyrs. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, including the prestigious Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. He has been twice appointed to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom by the president of the United States.
The second coming of Jesus Christ is the moment we have all been waiting for—from the very beginning of human history until now. It is the capstone of God’s redemptive plan, and it is the only hope for the future. After history runs its course of rebellion, after Satan’s age-old retaliation, after God’s closing judgments on the earth, the end of the world as we know it will come. There are eight noticeable features of Christ’s second coming. Today we will cover the first four.
The very word Armageddon sends shivers through the soul! Most everyone has heard the term (or seen the movie). The word even gets mentioned from time to time by world leaders. Most everyone understands it to be a reference to some final battle. But today let’s drill down deeper than just a fictional Hollywood film about an asteroid destroyed by a warhead. Today we will examine five facets of this culminating military campaign, including what will bring it to an end.
The infamous number 666 has been the cause of fear and superstition for generations. If people spot it on a license plate or a grocery store receipt, they consider it a bad omen. It’s right up there with the number 13. Many good expositors differ widely when it comes to interpreting its meaning. Will it be an implanted chip? An ID card? A barcode tattooed into the skin or simply a mark identifying allegiance to Antichrist’s kingdom? Today we will consider three additional details of Antichrist’s coming influence and try to drill down on the meaning of the mark of the beast.
The subject of the Antichrist is one of the most speculated, debated, and ridiculed subjects in all of Scripture. Who he will be, where he’ll be from, and what he will do is the theme of countless books, movies, and dissertations, as well as jokes and memes. But this is a serious subject. There are over 100 passages in the Bible that describe this person. Revelation 13 is one of the more famous. Let’s consider six characteristics of this leader who will live up to his terrible name.
Since God has equipped us with resources and removed our excuses, our job is to keep our gifts active and growing as we live out God's will.
Everyone has a next step toward taking ownership of their family, church, and city. None of us can do everything, but everyone can do something. And if everyone does something, we believe we’re going to find that anything is possible. Write down your next step in each of the three areas of focus for our 2023 vision so you can join us in saying, “This place. These people. My privilege.”
I. Family
II. Church
III. City
Eric Metaxas is a New York Times best-selling author whose books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. He is the host of the Eric Metaxas Show, a nationally syndicated radio program heard on 300 outlets. His eclectic career includes featured appearances as a cultural commentator on CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC.
Just how bad will the coming day of the Lord be for the people of planet Earth? Is the tribulation period simply a scare tactic of doomsday fanatics who love to sensationalize everything? Today we consider an overview of this time period in the book of Revelation. We’ll see both the lowlights and the highlights of this coming seven-year time frame. Hint: some things might surprise you!
I admit that the book of Revelation can appear mysterious, full of curious symbols and imagery. But it’s actually more straightforward than you may think. If you hold to a grammatical/historical view, this book provides a chronological flow of future history. It presents Jesus evaluating His church, judging His world, proclaiming His gospel, saving His nation, and establishing His kingdom. For this week and next, we will consider the flow of the future.
Today we pay a special tribute to those unique individuals we call mothers. They have given us life on this earth, and their influence has transformed our lives. Here in this passage, Paul the apostle pays special tribute to two women who changed the world by seeing their duty as a divine mission. They raised a future leader who helped shape the early years of Christianity through tenderness, godliness, and boldness. These attributes are vital for all of us to have.
The subject of the end times is fascinating and should also be motivating. One thing it should not be is aggravating; it shouldn’t produce fear but rather hope. Some of the young believers in the church at Thessalonica were perturbed and afraid thinking they were facing the tribulation and that loved ones who had died had missed the rapture Paul told them about. Paul’s concern wasn’t just doctrinal but pastoral—he wanted to comfort the Thessalonians. Let’s dig deeper into this doctrine.
The phrase rapture of the church was a foreign one to me. I never heard it growing up and didn’t believe it was real until I read the Bible. Not only do I now believe in the rapture of the church, I believe it could happen at any moment! This passage of Scripture is what E. Schuyler English called “the first New Testament intimation of the Rapture.” Today we will be encouraged by Jesus’ own promise of it. Next week we’ll look more deeply at the timing of it.
These two chapters describe an event that will occur after Israel is restored to its land but before the millennial kingdom is established. There are so many remarkable aspects to this future battle. The list of nations (which today are forming alliances) is one. Another is how they will be overthrown. Other nations will watch but will not come to Israel’s aid. Only God will intervene. Let’s get some further details of this future invasion and how God will use it to bring glory to Himself.
I realize that my sermon title today seems like it could have been a headline from a Ukrainian newspaper in early February 2022. But it actually will be a headline in the Jerusalem Post at some future date. The role of Russia in biblical prophecy, along with a group of nations in strategic alliance with its leader, is noteworthy. Who will they attack? When will it happen? And what is their motivation for this major military incursion of such a tiny country like Israel? Let’s find out.
The land of Israel has been described as “the most important piece of real estate on earth,” “the geographical platform on which the story of the Bible is staged,” “the center of divine dealing with nations,” “the spiritual navel of the world,” and “ground zero for the end times.” Jerusalem has been called “the only city on earth not up for negotiations with anyone at any time for any reason.” Over and over again, God promised Israel “a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Let’s again consider how and why Israel stands at center stage for the fulfillment of end-time prophecy.
One of the great questions that has persisted throughout church history has to do with the future of the nation of Israel. Is God finished with Israel as a nation? Will there be a literal regathering and spiritual restoration? Or is all that figurative and allegorical, meaning that the promises to Israel are now subsumed by the church? Today and for the next few weeks we will consider these questions. We begin with the Abrahamic covenant—God’s unconditional promises made to the nation’s founder.
Last week, we considered how God tells time as we explored the detailed timetable of Israel’s future, including the prediction of the Messiah’s coming and death. Today we will consider the final period of that time clock, the seventieth week. We typically refer to it as the tribulation, a period that is given the greatest explanation in Revelation 6-19. God achieved redemption for the world by the end of the sixty-ninth week through the death of the Messiah, but the overall goal will require the seventieth.
God inhabits eternity but reveals Himself throughout time. Moreover, He wants us to understand what He is up to and what His plans are for the future. Amos declared, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). God gave to Daniel the prophet the most remarkable timetable for Israel’s future that would lead up to the coming of the Messiah, the tribulation period, and even the kingdom age. Daniel 9 has been called the Backbone of Prophecy. For the next two weeks, we will seek to unravel and understand it.
The Old and New Testaments include numerous references to the kingdom of the Messiah. It is one of the most frequently mentioned subjects in the Bible. Jesus Himself even taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, KJV). But this subject has become a point of division throughout church history. Three major viewpoints have emerged. Today we examine them and consider the millennium’s chronology, theology, and necessity.
How could the return of Jesus Christ ever be a problem? It certainly won’t be a problem for anyone who trusts in Him. The problem lies in understanding its timing and manner. When and how will Jesus return? How can we say that Jesus can come back at any time and that we should always be ready for Him knowing He said certain signs must happen first? How do we reconcile all the prophetic signs the Bible predicts must happen (including the great tribulation and worldwide devastation) and yet say Jesus is coming soon? Hint: you already know the answer!
Welcome to a study of eschatology, or end times. In the next several weeks, we will be looking into one of the most discussed topics in all of Scripture—the last days and the end of the world. While this is not necessarily a lightweight or feel-good subject matter, it will actually make you feel good if you’re on the right side of it! Four words can be used to sum up the experience of this theme of the last days. These four words will form the basis of our studies in coming weeks.
It seems that everyone is an armchair theologian these days, expressing their opinion of what churches should (and shouldn’t) do! From declaring that churches should stay away from contemporary, especially political, topics to saying the church should just be concerned about social issues. But as Paul closed out his letter to the church at Colosse, he informed them—and us—of what churches should be focused on. These final verses give five directives for any church.
I admit I stole the sermon title from the 1967 Beatles song of this same name. That aside, the truth is we were never designed to do life alone! Isolation is the death knell of a productive and satisfying life. Someone once said that a friend is “one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” In this brief pericope, we gain understanding as to how Christian friendships should work.
God’s leaders have always leaned on others to support them in their work. Paul was no different. He didn’t operate a one-man show. Rather, he was a team builder who spread the load of ministry among others, many of whom were suspect and questionable. But Paul himself was once suspect and questionable. In these closing remarks, we get insight into what attributes make for strong, healthy, and effective relationships. Today let’s consider two guys who displayed four qualities.
Joseph and Mary were pushed into the night by the innkeeper, local shepherds went into the night to find the Infant who was announced by angels, and now the Magi were traveling westward into the night following a star. Who were these mysterious men and why had they come? How did they know to show up in Jerusalem and then Bethlehem? What prompted them to bow and worship this Child? Today we probe the familiar story to learn from their background and journey to Christ the King.
Experts tell us that breaking up your routine can be healthy and can help you to eliminate burnout. Predictability and monotonous activity can stifle creativity and even lead to depression. For a group of shepherds whose work was uneventful and often boring, everything was about to change from a nighttime encounter that shattered their routine and gave them a new sense of purpose. Their story is one of the best parts of the Christmas narrative. Let’s take a fresh look at their experience.
Robert Browning quipped, “Night conceals a world but reveals a universe.” Kids are often afraid of the dark, preferring a brightly lit room to the pitch black of night. But the Christmas story is shrouded in the darkness of the nighttime sky. Its events took place in a barely lit stable after the innkeeper had pushed Joseph and his very pregnant wife away from shelter and into the night. But God’s universal plan would be revealed through this humble birth. Today we begin this short series by looking at Christmas through the experience of this couple from Nazareth.
This teaching is from the series 10 2 Samuel - 2022 with Skip Heitzig from Calvary Church.
Communication is a basic human trait, and one of the most obvious differences between people and animals is our ability to form articulate speech. We can inform, persuade, instruct, motivate, and encourage. The Christian, in particular, is called upon to speak to God about people and speak to people about God. The “new man” (Colossians 3:10) has a new mouth and a new message. Let’s consider four ways that we as believers can communicate to God and others.
This teaching is from the series of Topical Teachings with Nate Heitzig from Calvary Church.
Our faith in Jesus Christ not only changes us, but it also changes families and it changes communities. Or at least it should! Every corner of our culture should feel the “salt and light” that is created from the transformed Christian lives within it. Just as Paul had instructed wives, husbands, children, and parents within the home, he now instructs the servants and masters who make up the social world. We can glean much about what our actions and attitudes in the workplace should be like.
A four-legged stool can meet the contours of an uneven floor much better than a three-legged one, and it can handle the displacement of weight more efficiently. Life is much the same way. A bumpy world requires the stability provided by a family. If each family member is aligned with God’s will, the weight of life’s trials will be much easier to bear. The strength and solidity of a good and godly home is society’s greatest asset. Let’s consider four basic roles for a successful family unit.
Today I am grateful to Mr. Dean Sicking, an American inventor who invented the first energy-absorbing guardrail for US roadways to keep our cars on the highway. But did you know there are also guardrails to keep our lives in the lane of God’s will? After describing the character of the new man (the saved and transformed person), Paul turns to our conduct. He gives to us four guardrails that will keep our lives “between the white lines” of the will of God.
The global fashion market is a $1.55 trillion industry. It’s because everyone wears clothes! From birth to death, people cover themselves with apparel both for warmth and for style. The Christian believer should also have a spiritual closet filled with the right (and righteous) garments. Paul has been speaking about the “old man” versus the “new man,” and he does so using a fashion metaphor. In these three verses, he explains how every Christian can dress for success!
Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church. He is the best-selling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, I Declare War, Take Back Your Life, Roar Like a Lion, and The Last Supper on the Moon. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church. He is the best-selling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, I Declare War, Take Back Your Life, Roar Like a Lion, and The Last Supper on the Moon. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church. He is the best-selling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, I Declare War, Take Back Your Life, Roar Like a Lion, and The Last Supper on the Moon. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.
Today’s message title may sound suspiciously similar to last week’s message title. That’s because we are dealing with two different sides of the same coin. Paul began this chapter by focusing our attention on heaven in the first four verses. Now he brings us back down to earth where we are slugging it out in the trenches of sensuality and hatred. While on our way to heaven, we are still doing battle on earth. Paul tells us that heavenly citizens should take three firm steps while living on earth.
“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal,” said Thomas Moore. But if that is true, why don’t we think more about heaven? Why do we only think and talk about heaven at funerals? How can the reality of our future home motivate our activities right now? If you were to think about your life in terms of chronology, how much time do you have left on earth? Let’s look at three categories of truth that will help us aim at heaven while we are living on earth.
Karl Marx insisted that “religion is the opium of the people,” while Napoleon Bonaparte suggested that “religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” But within the broad category of religious belief are ideologies and practices that are dangerous and silly because they distract people from the essence of truth. God made it simple by having His Son do for us what we could never do on our own—reach God! Religion takes what is simple and merely complicates it.
Sitting in the choir loft one Sunday morning, Elvina Hall, inspired by a sermon, wrote in the flyleaf of her songbook the words to a now-famous hymn: “Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe.” Paul expressed much the same thing in this paragraph. After telling his readers they were complete in Christ, he then showed them how that was so. Against the backdrop of false teachers, some of whom insisted on performing rituals, Paul showed exactly what Jesus had done.
Jesus Christ is the most controversial person who has ever lived! There are as many opinions about Him as there are religions, cults, philosophies, and church denominations. Though Paul had never met the young Christians in the church of Colosse, he was deeply concerned for them since attractive, man-made philosophies were making inroads. He wanted them to know the truth, to grow in their faith, and to be careful of any human ideas that diminish the place of Jesus Christ. I have summed up Paul’s concerns with three simple directives: Believe! Behave! Beware!
Serving Christ is the result of being saved by Christ. But the Christian life should carry a warning label: “Warning: Those who enter here won’t find it easy. In fact, at times it will be very difficult, but it will be the greatest adventure ever!” In this paragraph, Paul opened the curtain on his own personal life as a servant of Christ and shared five characteristics of his own ministry. Are they yours?
Today we come to one of the most important truths of the New Testament—that we have been reconciled to God. The gap that separates humans from their Creator has been closed by one person and one action. The results of that act are what brings God and His rebel creatures into a restored relationship. Let’s take a deeper dive into these magnificent realities and what they mean to us.
A popular college class in most philosophy departments compares the beliefs of major world religions, including Christianity. Jesus is presented as one among many options to believe in. He is typically explained as a poor Jewish itinerant preacher who resisted the religious system and got into trouble because of it. But the Bible doesn’t present Him that way. Scripture presents Jesus as the supreme One—the unmatched, superlative, preeminent progenitor of everything in existence.
Before theology must come knee-ology! Praying is one of the most basic activities of anyone’s spiritual life. Before Paul got into the nitty-gritty of the great theological heart of this letter (the supremacy of Christ), he prayed for the believers in Colosse. What he prayed for is a good template for us in praying for other Christians. It’s eye-opening to discover the items that are on his list. (Spoiler alert: He didn’t pray for their health, finances, or relationships—though there’s nothing wrong with that.) Paul’s prayer requests were more basic, more to the heart of core issues.
One of the best compliments you could ever receive is, “You are a great Christian.” Of course, there are no perfect people and thus no perfect Christians. But every true Christian is a great Christian because of five traits observed by the apostle Paul in this paragraph of Colossians. He was thankful for the work of Christ in their lives, which rendered them valuable (great) in the sight of God and for the purpose of His cause. Let’s explore them.
Father’s Day can carry mixed emotions for many of us, but our faulty view of a fallen world must not discolor our view of our heavenly Father. The parable of the prodigal son highlights a father’s love for his children. The lost son received his father’s love just as we receive God’s unconditional love and acceptance—not because of anything we’ve ever done or ever could do, but because of who He is. In this message, Pastor Nate Heitzig reminds us that no one loves like our heavenly Father because no one is like Him.
Some of the biggest questions people ask have to do with purpose: Why am I here? What is the meaning of my life? What is my purpose? The Bible of course answers all the big questions about life, these included. Today we consider the journey we take from pointlessness to purpose, especially as we engage in the work God has for us in His church. Since the church has always been central in God’s plan (see Matthew 16:18), our greatest sense of purpose comes by fulfilling our part in it.
Faithfulness can overcome the most difficult circumstances, resulting in a legacy of faith that ripples through multiple generations.
“People, like trees, must grow or die. There’s no standing still” (Joseph Shore). Spiritual growth is part of spiritual life, and the church is to be primarily about that. We are committed to life change—spiritual growth—and the catalyst for that growth is the Word of God. Scripture provides the primary means by which Christians develop and flourish in their relationship to God and to others. Let me share three basic principles for being spiritually fed and how you can grow.
To belong is to be accepted. To belong is to feel secure. Without belonging, we are isolated and alone. Our greatest desire as humans is to know and be known, to love and be loved, and to feel confident that those who know and love us will be there for us through thick and thin. Mother Teresa, the tireless servant in Calcutta’s slums, said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” That is never truer than in the church. This new society that Jesus calls His church is where we find connection to God and a sense of belonging.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most attested-to facts in history, and it is a fact that sets Christianity apart from every other world religion. For those who knew Jesus while He walked this earth, the road to discovering and believing that Jesus was resurrected started in disheartening confusion, but it ended in decisive confirmation. In this Easter message, Skip Heitzig shares five principles to help us relate to the risen Christ from the conversation Jesus had with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most attested-to facts in history, and it is a fact that sets Christianity apart from every other world religion. For those who knew Jesus while He walked this earth, the road to discovering and believing that Jesus was resurrected started in disheartening confusion, but it ended in decisive confirmation. In this Easter message, Skip Heitzig shares five principles to help us relate to the risen Christ from the conversation Jesus had with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Although the final steps of Jesus' earthly life took Him from the courtyard where He was sentenced to death to Golgotha where He was crucified, Jesus' journey to the cross began with His birth and lasted thirty-three years. In this Good Friday message, Skip Heitzig takes note of the variety of people Scripture highlights throughout Jesus' final steps on the road to the cross. Pontius Pilate set Him on the road, Simon the Cyrene helped Him on the road, women mourned Him on the road, and criminals accompanied Him on the road. And in an incredible final moment of mercy, God heard Jesus on the road when He asked his Father to forgive them all.
Today, on Good Friday, and on Easter Sunday, we consider events that occurred while on the road. As Jesus approached the city of Jerusalem for His atoning death and glorious resurrection, He was met on the road by a crowd of worshiping supporters who laid their garments on that road as Jesus entered their city. This singular event, traditionally called the triumphal entry, displays four attributes of God’s personality reflected in Christ’s life and ministry.
The world is a cruel place because the effects of sin are virtually everywhere. The consequence is that people become broken, addicted, hardened, depressed, and unstable. Everywhere people go, they experience the coldness of rejection. Social, educational, and political institutions don’t help, but rather make things worse. The church of Jesus Christ could be and should be a place of healing—not by excusing wrongdoing, but by lifting people to a place of forgiveness and help.
The church—the gathering of people that Jesus Christ promises to establish, head, and protect—sometimes does not reflect to the world what He wants it to reflect. As a result, many people view church as a place of condemnation and rejection rather than a place of love and acceptance. In this message, Nate Heitzig teaches from James 4 about how our love for others, not our condemnation, can lead them to repentance.
Most people would say that church is a place for events, such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, baby dedications, or prayer meetings. But first and foremost, church (the occasion of God’s people meeting together) should be a place for change. In fact, did you know that the word repent carries the meaning of changing one’s mind? The last paragraph of Acts chapter 2 could be titled How the Church Changed Their City. Let’s examine how this change was a five-fold work.