In the ultimate act of love, God made Himself vulnerable in Christ. With this in mind, Paul described for the church in Corinth the seven dos and seven don’ts of this active, self-sacrificial, fulfilling grace each one of us desires: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it […]
The Ultimate Act of Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13)
Dating, Marriage, and Sex (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Dating, marriage, and sex challenge our deepest vulnerabilities. However, God desires that we experience intimacy, fulfillment, and wisdom in His design for our lives. Everyone wants to know and be fully known. That’s intimacy, the connection of our innermost being with another. Nestled in his teaching about how we are called to steward our spiritual […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People: Physical Death is the Mercy of God (Genesis 3:21)
The single greatest challenge to endure on this side is the death of someone close to us. The finality of the loss, combined with no longer being able to speak with that person, weighs heavily on our hearts. We might have lost our grandparent, our mom or dad, our brother or sister, an extended family […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | God Brings Believers with Him in Eternity (Matthew 25:46)
Do you ever think about where your soul goes when you die? The Bible is unmistakably clear that we have two options: eternal life with Christ or eternal separation from Him (see Matthew 25:46). If you took your last breath on this side today, where would you be? It’s the most important question you will […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | No One-for-One Punishment (Psalm 103:10)
Do you see God as a taskmaster who slaps you around after every evil thought? Would you like to know the truth about the heart of a loving Heavenly Father? Perspective Number Eight of how we make sense of bad things happening to good people is: God does not offer us a one-for-one punishment of […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | The Cross (Hebrews 10:10)
Are you carrying around the burden and weight of your most heinous acts? Maybe you took something that wasn’t yours, leading to a life of deceit. Perhaps you made a string of foolish choices that destroyed your closest relationships. Possibly, addiction has captured your soul. How do we make sense of bad things happening to […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | Temptation (James 1:13-15)
Is something shiny capturing your attention to draw you away from God? Each of us risks abandoning our desires to physical pleasure, power, or pride (see 1 John 2:16), and the results of doing so are devastating. In order to help us make sense of why bad things happen to good people, Perspective Number Six […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | God is Close, and He Saves (Psalm 34:18)
Has a difficult turn of events caused you to doubt God? Perhaps, pain and suffering have paralyzed you with fear. In order to make sense of bad things happening to good people, Perspective Number Five is: God is close, and He saves. Even though trying moments come our way, God remains near to protect us. […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Are you walking in life’s valley, desperately wondering if there is any hope in sight? How do you make sense of bad things happening to seemingly good people? Perspective Number Four is: Grace. Due to our sin against a Holy God, we deserve death, but instead He gives us life. In essence, He brings good […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | Suffering Produces Perseverance (Romans 5:3-5)
Have sorrow, affliction, and misery flooded your soul? Perhaps, you are in the thick of your greatest trial. How do we make sense of bad things happening to good people? Perspective Number Three is: Suffering produces perseverance. The strongest steel is made in the hottest fire. God designed the earth and created life in His […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | God is Good (Psalm 145:9)
Do you see God as weighing your heart against others on His scales of justice, providing rewards and penalties depending on who is more righteous? How do we make sense of bad things happening to good people? Perspective Number Two is: God is good to all He has made. While that might seem contradictory to […]
Making Sense of Why Bad Things Happen to Good People | We Deserve Separation from God (Romans 3:23)
Why do bad things happen to good people? Perspective Number One is: We deserve separation from God. Due to our sin, each of us has forged a gap in our connection with God (see Isaiah 59:2). The Apostle Paul taught: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). From that […]
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard | The Motive is Revealed (Matthew 20:13-16)
If you were totally honest, how would you define your motive for following Christ? Jesus addressed this question in the conclusion of His Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, where he likened the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who went out early to hire men to work his vineyard, agreeing to pay the […]
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard | The Reward is Generous (Matthew 20:8-12)
Do you seek God to bless others with the same fervor you ask Him to bless you? Peter inquired of the Messiah: “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27). Jesus responded with His Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard to paint a portrait of the […]
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard | The Service is Varied (Matthew 20:1-7)
Have you ever asked someone, “What’s in it for me?” Oftentimes, we approach God with this same question. That’s what Peter asked Jesus who answered with His parable, The Workers in the Vineyard (see Matthew 20:1-16). Flanked by Peter and the rest of the disciples, Jesus had just encountered the rich, young ruler who was […]
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants | The Landowner is Patient (Matthew 21:35-39)
Since the moment you surrendered your life to Christ, how has He shaped your heart to become more like His? Is there any area of your life where you have resisted His fingerprints? After describing the landowner as generous in His Parable of the Wicked Tenants, Jesus transitioned to the second scene and its subsequent […]
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants | The Landowner is Generous (Matthew 21:33-34)
How is God advancing His kingdom in you and through you? As believers we have a tendency to selfishly take the kingdom of God for granted while we remain in control of our own lives. The result is that His will is not advanced in or through us. We avoid heart transformation and the shaping […]
The Parable of the Weeds | The Weeds Are Burned (Matthew 13:28b-30, 39b-42)
Do you avoid interacting with those who are far from God? Jesus addressed this as He concluded His Parable of the Weeds, revealing the inevitable fate of weeds and wheat, our intended focus, and His ultimate desire. At the harvest, the weeds are burned and the wheat is barned (see Matthew 13:28b-30, 39b-42). The weeds represent […]
The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Do you ever wonder why God allows evil to exist? Do you find yourself telling God that your life would work out a lot better if He would just remove the evil barriers in your way? Whether it is a competitor, a criminal, a nemesis, a cheating spouse, or an enemy who was a former friend, […]
The Parable of the Ten Virgins | Five Foolish Virgins Are Unprepared (Matthew 25:11-13)
In His Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus taught that it was foolish to be unprepared for His return. Foolish in Greek is moros, meaning, “dull, stupid, or blockheaded.” All ten virgins knew the wedding drill. They had been given the capacity to bring the extra oil in the jars because it was customary to […]