Peace with God Romans 5:1-2 One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: “If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?” Her answer was immediate. “I want to feel at peace.” She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoilRead More …

Our Heavenly Father Matthew 6:8-13 When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as “Our Father.” They had previously heard Jesus say, “My Father,” but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household ofRead More …

Jesus the Source of Peace Colossians 1:15-20 Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness—we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed. When weRead More …

Resisting Fleshly Appetites Ephesians 2:1-7 The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead. After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of theRead More …

Gratitude in Affliction Psalms 119:65-72 At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God’s blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn’t seem like a blessing—such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanlyRead More …

Grace to Keep Going Acts 15:7-11 As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God’s grace, but what does “this grace in which we stand” mean to us now (Rom. 5:2)? How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we’re going through periods of trial or suffering? TheRead More …

The Ultimate Father-Son Relationship John 5:19-20 God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus’ favorite title for Him was Father. Surprisingly, this name for God is used only 15 times in the Old Testament, but inRead More …

Sufficient Grace 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 I thought the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. However, thatRead More …

The Power of a Discerning Spirit Hebrews 5:11-14 In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influencedRead More …

Victory Over Guilt John 3:16-17 At times, people are bound by guilt long after the feeling should have been resolved. Some rightly live with it because they refuse to give up the sin that brought it on. Meanwhile, others suffer the weight of false guilt because they harbor shame thatRead More …