1-3 John - Life in Fellowship

The letters of John are a comfort and an encouragement to every believer in Jesus Christ.  In these loving and challenging letters the Apostle John encourages believers to grow in their fellowship with Christ as well as their fellowship with other believers.  This study breaks the letters of John into understandable sections and gives valuable insights from the Greek text as well as the history and the culture into which they were given.  We hope you enjoy this newly available resource:

A Minute for the Bible - Slave of Christ

Pursuing the Best

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding will find good.

Proverbs 19:8

“You deserve a treat…a break…a special moment…” These are frequent messages from those who are selling the treats, breaks and “special moments.”  They promise that their product will somehow provide you with something you want or desire…something that is better for you.  While these promises vary in their truthfulness there is one promise that is always good.  When we invest in God’s perfect wisdom, contained in His word, we are not only doing what is best for glorifying HIM but we are also putting ourselves in the best position to be what we were meant to be.  Submitting to the wisdom of God is exactly what all people need, and it is the best for us in every way.  Being guided each day by the wonderful word of God is also what brings the “best results” in life, which is not a coincidence at all!  This is by no means some promise of unconditional prosperity – but a simple reality: if you take care of your care according to the manufacturer’s recommendations you will give your car the best chance at a long and productive service.  So, with us – living under the Lord’s wisdom – grace, righteousness, holiness, forgiveness and love – gives is not just the right thing to do, it is the very best thing to do.  

Esther and God's Faithfulness

This is a tool for anyone hoping to understand the message behind the book of Esther.  This resource will guide you through the amazing story of God's amazing faithfulness - even when His people had largely abandoned Him and His promises for them.  This is a great study for anyone who wants to know God more as He reveals Himself through the Bible.

Insurance vs. Real Protection

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

Insurance is a booming industry in America.  Anything that you buy, and anything that you do, can likely be insured in some way shape or form.  The idea is that if something goes wrong there is someone to call who will make things better, to whatever degree that is possible.  However, there are other places we might run when things have gone wrong.  We may choose to look to the government to try and fix our problems.  We may look to a medical professional or even a dear friend.  There are many plans and back-ups for the back-ups, and this can be a great thing.  We are meant to plan ahead and take proper precautions in accords to the wisdom and resources which the Lord has provided.  At the end of the day, however, we must cling to the reality that the Name of the Lord is our strong tower.  A tower was a great defense if a person or a group of people were attacked.  The tower, if properly built and equipped, would provide a protection against a much greater force.  The question is not whether or not we will have plans and arrangements set aside for when things go wrong, the question is where we will go first.  All our best plans and arrangements are nothing next to the guiding and guarding Hand of He who knows every hair on your head and when a single sparrow falls to the ground.

Getting Healthy - a Resource

This small resource is designed to point us towards faith in Christ in regards to our physical bodies.  There is a great deal of information, both good and bad, about diets, exercise and body image.  This booklet is designed to direct our thoughts about our physical existence through the wisdom of God's word - the Bible.

Problems with Self-Expression

A fool has no delight in understanding,

But in expressing his own heart.

Proverbs 18:2

James would later write: “So then, my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak slow to wrath…”  It is always easier to put our own viewpoint out there than to listen to the viewpoint of another.  There have been remarkable studies done on the brain to show how much energy it takes to change one’s mind and understand a contrary viewpoint.  It is a mere function of conservation of energy that often keeps us from doing so.  Yet, the Proverbs tell us that this tidy conservation of energy is, in fact, foolishness!  Wisdom takes energy, growing in wisdom is an actual investment.  This is true in our conversations and it is true in our Bible reading.  How often does a verse come up that challenges our current idea and we simply re-work it in our mind to fit with our existing belief rather than allowing the word of God to change our current understanding.   It is costly, and it requires humility, but it is worth it.

Finding the Faith

Romans is the central Biblical book explaining the Christian faith.  It is an introduction and an advanced course in Christian faith, belief and practice all rolled into one.  This resource is designed to break down the book of Romans and evaluate the meat of Scripture verse-by-verse and concept by concept.  We hope you enjoy this resource which is now available on Amazon Kindle!

The Joy of Friendship

A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

Provers 17:17

Technology often changes the way that we use words.  One such affected word is the word “friend”.   A person who is connected to another person on Facebook is called a “friend”.  Yet, true friendship is a deeper thing by far.  A true friend is defined here as one who loves (desires and acts in the best interests of another regardless of the cost) constantly.  Many of us find in our worst trials and difficulties of life who our real friends are and who was merely hanging around for their own benefit.  Each time I read these words I am inspired to express gratitude to my true friends and inspired to be such a friend.  Yet, the most powerful thing about this verse is what was recorded later in John 15:15: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you.”  How well Mr. Scriven has put it: “What a friend we have in Jesus!”