By Joanna Holden - Fostering Hope

Opportunities to love people are inconveniently everywhere. Don’t miss out those opportunities. Get in the ditches with people. I believe you just might find Jesus ther . . .

If we are faithful with a little, we don’t usually need a lot. Ultimately, everything we have is His, and our purpose is to use what the Father gives us to glorify Him. . . .

The length of your absence will not affect His excitement. When you arrive, He will rejoice that his lost sheep is finally home. Working with kids I tend to find myself . . .

If you really look at what your “self” offers in terms of goodness, asking us to die to ourselves is actually a rescue mission. It’s a prison break. If I’m being . . .

The fact that the servant was sent to persuade everyone to come indicated that the offer of salvation would be extended to all! The Sabbath day has come and Jesus is one . . .

By Penny Cox - Maranatha Bible Camp

Christ the good shepherd, without doubt, chose to get close to His sheep. He took on flesh and became Emmanuel – God with us. One of my favorite camp memories is from . . .

What matters is true faith and love for Jesus. He is the narrow door and putting our full trust in Him is the “effort” he is speaking of. Jesus was always pressing o . . .

Jesus works in His own time and He is doing pretty good so far, so trust Him. Don’t you hate that feeling of waiting for big news when you know its coming? The anticip . . .

Don’t get so caught up in the details that you miss the relationship. Whether that be with the important people in our lives, or with Jesus Himself. My favorite season . . .

By Antonio Escobedo - Con Mis Manos

The architect and builder of the church is God and His design is revealed throughout all of Scripture. In Scripture, we can see God seeking man, and not man s . . .

The life-altering thing is that Jesus, the man who taught us how to come before the Father in this way, would sacrifice his blood in order that the door would be . . .

By Jami Perona

Just like the disciples, Jesus is calling us to go out into the world and preach His message of Hope and Good News! You have been equipped! Now go! “Your son has a ble . . .

This week I’m choosing to spend a little less time focused on my to-do list and a little more time practicing gratitude. Please take a moment to read Luke 17:11-19 fro . . .

By Sarah Curry - Cookson Hills

Listen for that God-breathed whisper as you recall the final words of the One who came and changed everything, "Therefore go and make disciples..." Have you ever felt in . . .

We all need to open our eyes and see who Jesus is and the life he offers. Only he can restore and reveal our vision. Blind. This word has one main definition that we are . . .

Understanding Jesus is not always easy but it is essential as we strive to be more like him. Being misunderstood is one of the most frustrating events in the life of my . . .

By Barbara Jemison

The words that Jesus spoke are hard truths, bringing fear to many people that day, as they should still for us today if we do not know Him as Lord and Savior. Parents of . . .

It is only through that light of Jesus that our lives can truly be made free. For my eighth-grade graduation party, I had a dozen or so friends come over to party like o . . .

By Scott Pagel

Angie and I moved to Taiwan nearly 20 years ago in July 1999 and can confirm the accuracy of this information from Operation World: “A decline in numbers of missionarie . . .

Where are your questions about Jesus leading you? Have you ever been in a position you didn’t want to talk so you avoided eye contact? Maybe it was in a classroom? You . . .

By Yvonne Wickenkamp

As we live in this temporary tent of a body, let’s choose to remember that his methods and his message are what bring true freedom. My husband and I lived in a little . . .

May we be known as people who forgive, no matter what the offense. The parable in Matthew 18 shows us how God’s love and mercy change us. In this passage, Jesus is tel . . .

By Central India Christian Mission

“How did you go up the mountain and survive?” It was during a youth conference in 2005 that Amit Agarwal gave his life to Christ. After answering the call to ministr . . .

How am I humbling myself as an obedient child of God and welcoming everyone as if I am welcoming Jesus Himself? Do I want to be the greatest? The passages that we are lo . . .

By Chad Ragsdale

For those of us who are following Jesus in this world, we don’t need to fight every single battle. Sadly, there have been too many stories of late about prominent figu . . .

What if the key is not the amount of faith we have in Jesus but rather the direction our faith points us—either towards Jesus or towards ourselves? Powerlessness might . . .

By Elizabeth Maddux

So whatever our occupation, if we want to be fruitful, we must be on board with Him. Connections are vital. Missing the connection can leave you blank-faced after . . .

Our trust for the Father must be more than our preconceived notions or expectations about what we believe should happen. First and foremost I would like to encourage you . . .

So why do we continue to ask for signs? How many more can we look at before truth is realized? How good are you with directions? Me? I’m terrible. I have used everythi . . .

By Isaac Schade

What Jesus wants from us first and foremost is our trust; is our faith. April 4, 1993. Although it was 25 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. I was nine year . . .

We have all been damaged and broken by sin. Will you place yourself at his feet and ask him to heal you? In Matthew 15 we find Jesus near the Sea of Galilee. It’s at t . . .

By Mike Schrage

Each month we will be featuring a blog post from our Mission of the Month. The month of April we are focused on Good News Production International and the work they do to . . .

They saw him as a means to their satisfaction, instead of the source of it. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry is living with his Aunt’s family. He lame . . .

My guess is that if we took a moment and looked back on our lives we would see something bigger than ourselves. We would see the Healer. We would see the Protector. We wo . . .

God has given us an opportunity to be the good news solution to this bad news story in our community. We have a bad news story in our community: foster care. This system . . .

In Peter’s moment of weakness, he cried out to Jesus. In Peter’s moment of weakness, Jesus “reached out his hand and caught him.” May 22, 2011- An EF5 multiple-v . . .

Stories help overcome discouragement and will provide a lot of opportunities for encouragement too. My son really enjoys his coffee. He can go on for hours talking about . . .

Not one gift is better than the other, but all are made to work together for the good of the Lord. Every single one of us has been gifted with something special. Some of . . .

God continues to remind me that what I predict should happen is always subject to His will. Have you noticed how difficult it is to predict the weather for southwest Mis . . .

Have you ever, like me, prayed this prayer: “Jesus, I know you CAN heal, but I’m not convinced that you even WANT to.” Every Monday we hold our weekly staff meetin . . .

Jesus is calling us to get a little dirty – not just physically dirty but to engage in the mess of life through each individual story. I don’t know about you but I g . . .

After I share my story of how God has changed me, I’m reminded that God’s way is better. Take a moment to read Mark 5:1-20. When I read the gospels about Jesus’ . . .

Having a Savior that the wind and waves obey should always trump fear and worry. I don’t know how many times in my life I have told Jesus that He is in control and tha . . .

I can’t imagine ever regretting being in full, focused pursuit of Him. From experience, I know that putting my hand to the plow and not looking back is hard. We look b . . .

Light, no matter how small, has a natural ability to focus our attention. As I read through John 1, my eyes and my mind are constantly drawn to the symbolism of Jesus b . . .

Christmas may not always look like the perfect day we imagine in our minds, but ... we can have hope and joy in the midst of crazy. In Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-28 t . . .

Continue to ask that God do a work in your heart (soil); that you may have a heart of good soil that produces a harvest that brings glory to God the Father. Who does not . . .

What does it really matter if we “do” or “don’t” if we have forgotten our why? “But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sab . . .

The only thing that can change that is repentance, not good works. Jesus is teaching the crowds with new challenging ideas when some present told him about Galileans who . . .

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks the . . .

I’m praying for God to focus my treasure and my heart on Kingdom things so that He may be more glorified in me and I may be more satisfied in Him. In Luke 12, Jesus te . . .

Tell your story of how Jesus changed you and is still changing you, and then tell them how that can be their reality too. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . .

We deserved punishment and yet we have instead received the title of Sons and Daughters of the living God. This is news worth sharing.   Recently, my family wa . . .

We have to fill our heart and mind with something other than ourselves if we want to be able to bring God glory.   Right on the heels of Luke 11, where Jesus is . . .

He really does love us that much...way too much to leave us the way we are. “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Inst . . .

…For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. – Jesus of Nazareth    Imagine one of your best buddies told you that your . . .

These leaders had not only actively worked against Jesus by engaging him in public debate, but they had also actively worked against the Holy Spirit by silencing him in t . . .

The anointing of Jesus by the sinful woman is a real, uncomfortable, beautiful, messy, meaningful, awkward, and heartfelt exchange of love in a much grander love story. . . .

The hope of the gospel is trust in the promises of God. On Sunday, Mark taught from Luke 7:18-35, asking what do we do when we are “Faithfully Disappointed?”  What . . .

God has torn down the veil that separates us from Him. It was a sacrifice beyond measure. Luke 7: 11-16 "Now it happened, as He went into a city called Nain; and many of . . .

Jesus isn’t watching from afar waiting for us to mess up so he can say “I told you so.” He freely showers his love and mercy onto us because he knows it’s exactly . . .

May we meet people where they are and invite them into a journey of the Gospel with us. My daughter is turning three in October and it has been such a privilege to be he . . .

Judging is something to be avoided so that we might love each other well. I have a question for you: What do people watching So You Think You Can Dance? (or any other pu . . .

If my treasure is found in things of this world, then my treasure isn’t Jesus. Take a moment to read Matthew 6:19-24. As I read the passage, one word kept coming to . . .

God as our Father desires a relationship with us where we want to communicate with Him. Most people, no matter what background or belief system, have heard the Lord’s . . .

Identity is important to us as people. We want to know who we are and what our priorities are. But we also want other people to know that too. We seek labels to help othe . . .

True righteousness is doing good things because of God’s glory, not for our own. Matthew 6:1-18 teaches us a lot. It is packed with theology and practical tips for liv . . .

People had thought it was only about the rules and law and using your head to make a good decision, but Jesus flips it and says that it is what’s in our hearts that ma . . .

Scripture speaks of the power of the tongue and the damage or the healing that it can do. In a time when we can’t turn around without hearing about people in authority . . .

Temporary pleasure comes at a price and is never as fulfilling as it leads us to believe. God’s rewards are worth waiting for. For over a decade Christ’s Church has . . .

We learn forgiveness and reconciliation through the God that gave us that himself – Jesus. Stephen Covey tells a story of a time he was on a subway in New York. He sta . . .

The salt is a symbol of the covenant with God and how God penetrates, preserves, and aids in our life. Do you worship and meditate with a song? I do! I do not play well . . .

Life with Jesus is hard, but it is simple. So, here we are in the Gospel according to Luke chapter six verses seventeen through twenty-six. Jesus has just invited twelve . . .

God will meet us in our brokenness. Have you ever been called a loser? Perhaps it was a jeer from the schoolyard bully. Maybe it was just the thing you feared being labe . . .

Imagine. A king decided to leave his place of authority, his glorious and regal castle, to walk with those who live in the dirt and the filth. Thumbing through his wardr . . .

God wants us to do good every day, not just on certain days. I remember being a kid and having rules that my parents made my siblings and I obey. We had to eat all our v . . .

Discipleship is not about our excellence as followers. It’s about the excellence of the one we follow. November 18, 1978. Cult leader Jim Warren Jones led 909 of his f . . .

Live your life in a way that shines Christ so brightly that it cannot be ignored! One of my absolute favorite things to do is watch a good ole’ crime TV show. I could . . .

Don't miss out on the real activity of God amongst his people. In John 5:1-9, Jesus is in Jerusalem for the holiday. John doesn't specifically tell us which holiday it i . . .

I think Jesus sees us when we are in a stale state of living, and he knows there’s a way to rejuvenate us to a more productive state, but we tend to think we deserve to . . .

Are we willing to do the unconventional in our pursuit of Jesus? In Mark 2:1-12, Mark records a fantastic story of a paralyzed man being lowered through the roof of a ho . . .

When the encouraging cards cease to come, I still have a gift that will never be taken away. Many of us have experienced it. The loss of someone we loved dearly. Sometim . . .

While the authority of Jesus carries with it the threat of losing your life, it simultaneously carries with it the promise to save it. In Mark 1:21-38, Jesus and his dis . . .

It just didn’t make sense that things weren’t working out exactly how we had anticipated. Four years ago this week, my husband and I realized that God was leading us . . .

Look at what God has done over the last week, month, lifetime. You know how it goes. You see someone every day of your life. Maybe it’s your child, your spouse, your c . . .

Dear friend, your story is not being written in vain. "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." These words to the old hym . . .

He has an incredible way of redeeming our stories. This is an amazing historical story of Jesus at a well in Samaria, approaching and loving an outcast Samaritan woman w . . .

Jesus pursues you with His grace and sits with you in your struggle. “I’m good…no, really…I’m good.” How many times have you uttered that phrase and deep wit . . .

When Jesus talks about heaven, he speaks of the place from which he has come. I believe with growing confidence that Jesus speaks. I think he talks to people. I think he . . .

Even though the light will expose my sin, the truth gives me hope! The first Bible verse that I remember being able to quote was John 3:16, "For God so loved the world t . . .

He is jealous for us, and won't let anyone stand in His way. I remember as a kid hearing the story of John 2, when Jesus came into the temple and used a whip to drive ou . . .

Jesus turning water into wine doesn’t just reveal His identity, it also reveals mine. I have always wondered why Jesus turned water into wine as his first miracle. In . . .

Something began yesterday that is altering reality forever. The word ‘find' has its meaning in discovering something that was previously absent. Our minds typically go . . .

Be so immersed in God's Word so that we cannot help but to use the truth to resist those temptations. Temptation looks differently for each of us. A New York cartoonist . . .

They are compelled to care for others because they have changed the way they think about things. Christ’s Church has had the honor for the last couple decades to partn . . .

Some days I have more faith in my doctor, in the factory workers at Honda and the engineers at Apple than I do in Jesus. There are plenty of things in my life that I tru . . .

Not only is Joseph a man who holds on to truth and what is right, he also is a man of grace. It is so easy for us to look at the shortcomings of those we read about in t . . .

In every relationship there is responsibility. Think about, for one moment, if you will, your closest relationship. Maybe that is your relationship with your mom or dad. . . .

She knew that her future in the eyes of man only held rejection...but Mary also knew her future in the will of God held freedom. I think that Christmas music shouldn't b . . .

The path definitely wasn't what I expected, yet God was still faithful. As far back as I can remember, God placed the calling of Children's Ministry on my heart. I love . . .

There is room for all of us under Jesus. There is no story, sin or past so great that the blood of Christ can't redeem it. Above my desk in my office sits a 66-year-old . . .

We are going to add a new layer of color every time we study his life until we have pure white light. Who is Jesus? The Gospels tell the official story of Jesus, and our . . .

The plans are His. I must simply surrender to His leading and be open to how He can use  me. I’m writing this blog from Osaka, Japan. A small group of supporters from . . .

I think this is why God decided the Bible should be full of stories. The problem with pain is that we can't see the end of the story from the middle. If we could, then n . . .

When I don't want to forgive someone else, the last thing I look at is my own sin. Forgiveness is hard. It's one of the hardest things to do in life. I'd like to think i . . .

My way was everyone else's normal, His way was our new normal. I have grown up in the church. My parents signed me up for EVERY church event. Though I am so grateful for . . .

Surely he would oblige us and complete this process in our timing. Shouldn't our faith be rewarded? Three and a half years ago, my husband and I began the process to ado . . .

What would happen if we rearranged our lives for the sake of the Gospel? When it comes to discovering completeness in Jesus, where are the holes in my game? Maybe you wa . . .

The early church did a few things very well and it worked. Acts is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I enjoy reading and learning from the disciples as they were be . . .

It is my goal for this process to lead me to live a Real Life of Justice, as reflected in my spending. I intentionally waited until after hearing the sermon on Real Life . . .

We can start enjoying the reality of what God has given us today. The purpose of James writing this letter is to unravel what an authentic life of faith looks like. If . . .

Could it be that God is asking us to draw nearer to Him and let Him change our hearts? Words matter. We are told that over and over again. Scripture addresses this in Ja . . .

The Spirit works through people who actively want to be apart of the kingdom. It is so much easier to talk about something than to actually do it. And I think we spend m . . .

Jesus further reveals himself to Thomas, lovingly inviting him into faith. I loved Mark's sermon on James 1. I am constantly in need of God's wisdom and I don't know abo . . .

We are all actors in the story of bringing the Gospel to hurting people. In Acts 8 Paul was persecuting the church, and the church of Jerusalem was scattered throughout . . .

He has not left you alone, and through him you can overcome this world. It’s the 12th century BC. For 10 years the Greeks have laid siege to the great city of Troy. It . . .

Grace is an essential ingredient in our lives, but unfortunately, one that our society does not give readily. Have you ever made a mistake that you tremendously regret b . . .

It doesn't matter how you encourage others; it only matters that you do encourage others. I recently took the 5 Love Languages test and discovered that my primary love l . . .

God not only used Paul, but choose him and groomed him. I took an accounting class in high school, and it just made sense.  So in college I majored in accounting and be . . .

No life is too bad to be redeemed or too boring to make a difference. Never underestimate the power of words. After class one day in my sophomore year of college, my . . .

Luke’s account of Stephen is absolutely the most amazing and wondrous way to be remembered. When someone dies we often remember them as being a bit more wonderful than . . .

When you are a talker like me, learning to listen becomes the struggle. I am an external processor. I need to be able to talk through decisions, even if it means talking . . .

By Addie Houser

We are a bunch of broken people who have the opportunity to have a relationship with the one and only holy God. Throughout my high school years, my family hosted foreign . . .

We point our fingers and shake our fists at God in an effort to bring some kind of closure and peace to our broken hearts. I'm not a very patient or forgiving person. In . . .

By Isaac Schade

In order to avoid distorting this beautiful aspect of God’s creation, we must talk about it. We live in an increasingly sexualized world. Whereas sexual content once h . . .

My actions may be personal, but they are never private. There are times in my life where the busyness of the day just slips away and I don’t “have time” to read th . . .

By Lyndsey Deyoe

Play looks different to every person, but it is a time to have joy in what God has given us. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. . . .

Those moments of rest with God give me peace and contentment. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the d . . .

Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. Solomon said, “Go watch the ant…” (Proverbs 6:6). King Solomon never saw the . . .

The ‘single' life, then, is fulfilled by knowing, engaging, and enjoying God. Singleness, in regards to romantic relationships, is a word that carries with it a lot of . . .

Whether it seems like a big or small "mess up," remind yourself that God is the Great Redeemer and all this is really His yoke to carry, not yours. The Theology of Paren . . .

In the same way that sin puts a strain on our relationship with God, sin can fill marriage with struggle and challenge. I had the opportunity of writing about what a cov . . .

In the midst of unbearable suffering we can say "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit", knowing that the father's hands are the safest place we can be. "I'm sorry, . . .

We see the early churches putting righteousness before worldly things. It might be easy to skip over the long list of names that Paul lists in Romans 16 and wonder why P . . .

While we may have differences of opinion...the final goal is always the same - build the Kingdom. I grew up Baptist - the son of a music minster, turned youth minister, . . .

Jesus tells His disciples to have faith, which is really telling them to remember who He is, so they remember who they are. My friend and I were talking the other day ab . . .

As long as there is still air in our lungs, we still have the opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus. Still Hope for Anyone - The Plan and the People (Romans 9 . . .

The daily grind is still here. But when viewed through an eternal filter, the perspective changes. "Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is no . . .

By Sara Hill

In the midst of this earthly battle with my flesh, I will never be alone. "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I . . .

By Addie Houser

He is rebuilding us so that He can make Himself at home within us. In the 1700's, Augustus M. Toplady wrote the hymn Rock of Ages. Even though these lyrics are over 300 . . .

By Isaac Schade

Intimacy and relationship with God are not to be taken lightly. Why do I keep trying to save myself? Why do I continue to attempt to blaze my own trail? Why do I insist . . .

Do I want to be this way because the love of Jesus compels me to then love others, or because it makes me feel like a hero? I'd like to think that I don't ever look upon . . .

I can't start any New Year without reflecting on the transforming power of God's faithfulness. Sadly, I know from my own experience, that by now almost all of our New Ye . . .

We've all chosen to replace God. I am so thankful to be studying the book of Romans as a church. This book has spoken deeply to my heart over the years – teaching me a . . .

Our job is simply to live each day encouraging other believers in their faith and preaching the gospel to everyone around us. This Advent season at Christ’s Church we . . .

If we want to know what God looks like, we must  look at the Son. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. In Him all things were cre . . .

When God says that he will move, you can believe  that it will become reality. My family enjoys the Christmas season, when we remember the incredible birth story of Jes . . .

The experience of joy is more profound having  known sorrow. The 20th-century German scholar Claus Westermann once wrote, "God created the world in such a way that ligh . . .

I want to surround myself with God, which is  what happens when I read the Psalms. They force  me to look again at the things I believe in but don't  always see. For . . .

I have become a little homesick. Not homesick to  go back to my childhood but homesick for Heaven. Psalm 84: 1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! M . . .

Contentment in every situation comes from a  relationship with Christ that comes from daily  communing with God in and through His word,  prayer and worship so that yo . . .

He has made himself available to be known. We  need to draw ourselves to him. The heart is a precious thing. As much as I hate to admit it, I am someone driven by the h . . .

When we read David's prayer of confession, we  don't just see his story, we see our own. Psalm 51 is a prayer of confession. What makes this Psalm so interesting is tha . . .

My story is one of acknowledgment that my God  was always there in the darkness. We all come from many different places, situations and circumstances. Many may be able . . .

By Christ's Church

The God that created you has also ordained moments of service and ministry for you. This past Sunday we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Ajai Lall about the work of . . .

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. My vision is bad. I have to wear glasses to drive, to watch TV, to go to a concert or a movie, or even to enjoy a nice sunset. But . . .

We shouldn’t be surprised by the fact that God  wants to work through us. As I write this morning I’m sitting in my new office looking out the window at the thick f . . .

The greatest teachers any of us have are teachers  who not only tell us the truth, but who live out that  truth, casting a vision of God’s goodness. As we read the w . . .

By Lyndsey Deyoe

He wants all of us and we need only Him. I am so thankful for God’s clarity. For some issues in today’s world, we are still navigating what God's word says. There ar . . .

Covenant is a hinge word, a binding word, a word  that will change your life forever. Going to church has always been a part of my life. It is just what my family d . . .

Simplicity isn’t about not having much or getting  rid of things. Simplicity is about living with  singular focus. Throughout the book of Hebrews the author makes a . . .