Corrie Ten Boom said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.” One key indication of a believer’s strength is an overwhelming sense of peace that transcends understanding. Main Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

Sharing was an intentional part of the early church movement. The apostles also shared the Good News, but the simple ways of generosity that each member of ‘The Way’ shared everything they had was a key factor in the early church’s growth. Sharing remains an essential part of both worship and growth today, nearly 2,000 years later. Main Text: Acts …

God wants to heal our wounds with His perfect love. He intends to take what the enemy intended for harm and turn it into something beautiful and everlasting. Main Text: Psalm 36:5 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

Today, we emphasize the importance of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and trusting in His provision as His adopted children. The pathway to blessing is through a humble and dependent attitude devoted to God. Main Text: Matthew 6:33 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

It is not always apparent that our plans are not God’s purposes. Some things we are involved in can prevent us from fully surrendering to God’s priorities. The outcome, however, will be amazing when our plan aligns with God’s purpose. Main Text: Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

You were never meant to go through this life alone. Solomon reminds believers to rely entirely on God and acknowledge God in all our ways, and God will direct our paths. God doesn’t intend to direct us like horses or mules, leading a purposeless or uninformed life. Instead, He prefers to guide us like a loving shepherd guides sheep to a safe pastur…

Labor Day is a holiday in the US, celebrated on the first Monday of September. Resting from labor is, and has been from the beginning, God’s design. Hopefully, today will be a day of rest for you. Do not feel guilty in resting. Please understand that rest from labor is a gift from our Creator. Happy Labor Day. Main Text: Genesis 2:2-3 (NLT)…

Sharing was an intentional part of the early church movement. The apostles also shared the Good News, but the simple ways of generosity that each member of ‘The Way’ shared everything they had was a key factor in the early church’s growth. Sharing remains an essential part of both worship and growth today, nearly 2,000 years later. Main Text: Acts …

A ‘futurist’ is a person who works as part of a team that researches and makes forecasts. Still, the job title ‘futurist’ is a legitimate title. Christ-followers can be accurate ‘futurists’ when we correctly handle the Word of Truth. The believer does not get their forecast from data; rather, from the voice of God through Scripture. Main Text: Reve…

A ‘futurist’ is a person who works as part of a team that researches and makes forecasts. Still, the job title ‘futurist’ is a legitimate title. Christ-followers can be accurate ‘futurists’ when we correctly handle the Word of Truth. The believer does not get their forecast from data; rather, from the voice of God through Scripture. Main Text: Reve…

A ‘futurist’ is a person who works as part of a team that researches and makes forecasts. Still, the job title ‘futurist’ is a legitimate title. Christ-followers can be accurate ‘futurists’ when we correctly handle the Word of Truth. The believer does not get their forecast from data; rather, from the voice of God through Scripture. Main Text: Reve…

A ‘futurist’ is a person who works as part of a team that researches and makes forecasts. Still, the job title ‘futurist’ is a legitimate title. Christ-followers can be accurate ‘futurists’ when we correctly handle the Word of Truth. The believer does not get their forecast from data; rather, from the voice of God through Scripture. Main Text: Reve…

A ‘futurist’ is a person who works as part of a team that researches and makes forecasts. Still, the job title ‘futurist’ is a legitimate title. Christ-followers can be accurate ‘futurists’ when we correctly handle the Word of Truth. The believer does not get their forecast from data; rather, from the voice of God through Scripture. Main Text: Reve…

Luke 11:13 Confirms that the Holy Spirit is one of our greatest gifts. When we ask for strength, Jesus doesn’t just give us strength. He gives us the Holy Spirit, Who is omnipotent. When we ask for peace, He gives us the spirit of peace. When we ask for—fill in the blank, every good gift that we desire, He doesn’t just give us our needs and desires…

How many of us have refrained from forgiving because the person who hurt us never said, “I’m sorry?” Remember, forgiveness is a choice. It’s a way to serve God and an essential part of our healing. Main Text: Ephesians 4:25-32 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

God wants us to depend on His power to kindle the fire into what He desires it to be. Often, superficial passion is cooled so it can be fanned into genuine love. Main Text: 2 Timothy 1:4-7 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

Just like a fire needs care and attention to keep burning brightly, a believer’s passion requires sustained effort to stay strong. Main Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-10 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

In the late summer and early fall, there is a captivating allure to the presence of a warm fire. Be it a crackling fireplace, a flickering firepit, or a mesmerizing campfire, the comfort and radiance of the fire draw the human heart near. Main Text: 1 Timothy 4:13-16 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

When adversity hits, God’s purpose in the hardship is to stimulate your spiritual growth and transform you into the image of His Dear Son. Every adversity in life has been sifted through God’s permissive will. He may allow trials to achieve His good purposes for you, even if we can’t always understand His plans. Main Text: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 & 16…

Jewish people used appropriate forms of address for God in the Old Testament. Hebrew children were trained to address God in proper phrases of respect. All these titles were memorized, and the term “Father” was not among them. There is no reference to a Jewish person addressing God as Father until Jesus. Main Text: Luke 11:1-13 (NLT)…

The Hebrew people believed a person’s name reflected their character. When Moses asked God for His Name, God responded, “I AM WHO I AM.” Later, Moses received God’s law, including one of the ten major laws about not misusing God’s Name. It was important for God’s people to respect His Name, as it reflected who God is and how He works. Main Text: Ph…

The doctrine of providence in the Christian faith deals with how God’s authority interacts with human choices, the relationship between God’s rule and human free will, the existence of evil and suffering, and the influence of prayer on God’s decisions. Main Text: Genesis 16:13 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Our prayers are powerful—more powerful than we sometimes realize. In the Book of Acts, we find the early church praying for Peter. Peter was being held in prison, and it looked like his release from prison would only come by execution. Main Text: Matthew 6:5-6 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

I read an article by Lara Joseph where she narrated an amusing yet guilt-inducing episode. Lara’s story reminds me of a more dramatic guilt-inducing episode—the Biblical narrative of Joseph. Main Text: Psalm 32:1-5 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

The murderer calmly responded, “I knew they wouldn’t do anything. People never do” (Seedman & Hellman, 1974, p. 100). The displayed comment illustrates the concept of “guilty knowledge” - the decision to overlook a crime despite being aware that it is occurring. The apostle James discussed a comparable type of “guilty knowledge” when he said that i…

There is a narrative in the New Testament where, to Jesus’ disciples, it probably sounded like one woman was giving a frugal gift; however, Jesus goes on to assure His followers that this gift is not meager. It was the most sacrificial gift given that day. Main Text: Luke 21:1-4 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

God’s grace embodies the idea of blessing and must include discipleship, the cross, and Jesus. The term “cheap grace” was first used by German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as grace without discipleship, the cross, and Jesus. As believers, we are the recipients of grace poured out on us by our heavenly Father. Let…

Just as a human relationship can lose its warmth if we do not actively maintain it, our hearts can gradually toughen if we do not seek closeness with God. Main Text: Psalm 103:1–18 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Jesus tells us that those who put His words into practice are like a wise person who built their house on a rock. When storms came, the house stood firm. Main Text: Matthew 7:24–27 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

If you primarily think of God as your Father and Him as such, you have Jesus to thank. Jesus has given you this right as an adopted child of God. God delights in His children, so make good use of this grace. Main Text: Romans 8:15 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

It is crucial to be fully present and attentive when God communicates with us so that the Holy Spirit can work within us. Active listeners attend church with the intent of eagerly listening to the sermon and internalizing its teachings. They actively seek insight from the message by asking themselves, “What is God trying to tell me through this ser…

As discussed last time, 1 Samuel 16:1-13 is genuinely a narrative of faithfulness: God’s faithfulness, David’s faithfulness, Samuel’s faithfulness, and Saul’s lack of faithfulness. We left off with the idea that David had an excellent foundation to build his life because he recognized God above everything else. David was found faithful, even in the…

Nearly 3,500 years ago, God carried His people out of bondage in Egypt. What should have been a ten-to-eleven-day journey on foot turned into a forty-year journey by foot. While there are many lessons to learn from the Children of Israel’s wandering, one that we often overlook: Forward motion is not always progress. Main Text: Exodus 15:22-18:27 (E…

Nearly 3,500 years ago, God carried His people out of bondage in Egypt. What should have been a ten-to-eleven-day journey on foot turned into a forty-year journey by foot. While there are many lessons to learn from the Children of Israel’s wandering, one that we often overlook: Forward motion is not always progress. Main Text: Exodus 15:22-18:27 (E…

Today, there are many rich lessons we can learn from the Old Testament’s half-shekel’ Atonement Money.’ Main Text: Exodus 30:11-16 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Today, we can learn many rich lessons from the Old Testament’s half-shekel’ Atonement Money.’ Main Text: Exodus 30:11-16 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Imagine traveling on foot for three days without finding water to drink. How desperate would you be by the third day? What if, on the third day, you found water, but upon tasting it, you found it unfit to drink? What would be your reaction? Would you panic? Would you trust God to provide? Truthfully, we would probably panic. Main Text: Exodus 15:23…

1 Samuel 16:1-13 is genuinely a narrative of faithfulness: God’s faithfulness, David’s faithfulness, Samuel’s faithfulness, and Saul’s lack of faithfulness. In chapters nine through sixteen of 1 Samuel, we see Saul repeatedly fail in his faithfulness to God until finally, God takes the kingdom from Saul and gives it to David. Main Text: 1 Samuel 16…

Jesus tells us that if you want to be My faithful follower, you must give up your way, take up your cross, and follow Me. Hanging on to your life will cause you to lose it, but if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. When I think of Jesus’ words, several things strike me. Main Text: Matthew 16:24-27 (ESV)…

As Christians, we are called to support missions and missionaries. There are many ways we can provide support. We can give financially, we can give physical resources, we can pray, and we can send cards of encouragement and support. Regardless of how we provide, the important thing is that we give. So why are supporting missions so vital? Main Text…

Last time, we discussed Herbert J. Taylor, a business executive who set out to save the Club Aluminum Products Distribution Company. His recovery plan started with changing the ethical climate of the company. The prophet Micah was also in need of an ethical yardstick when prophesying against the leaders of Jerusalem and Samaria. Micah denounced the…

Herbert J. Taylor was a business executive who, in the early 1930s, set out to save the Club Aluminum Products Distribution Company from bankruptcy. The first job, Mr. Taylor thought, was to set policies for the company that would reflect the high ethics and morals God would want in any business. Mr. Taylor prayed and reflected on Jesus’ Sermon on …

The writer of Hebrews reminds the Christian to consider how to spur one another on toward love and good deeds encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:24-25). We must consider how to spur others on—the Scriptures command us to do this. Think about the term ‘consider.’ When one considers, they think carefully about a thing before deciding. In other words…

Psalm 42 is a beautiful portrait of learning to always have peace with God. This psalm helps assure the believer that even in the most dire situations, we can confidently say, “It is well with my soul.” Main Text: Psalm 42:1-11 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman

Worry robs our attention from God. Worry zaps our Kingdom benefits: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Do you need more peace and joy? Then turn away from worrying and start setting your focus on God first and foremost. Main Text: Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Do you find yourself worrying? In Matthew chapter six, Jesus puts a prohibition on worrying. Jesus reminds us not to worry. Worrying is a sin. We lose valuable time in worry, and Jesus knows this. Think about all the time wasted worrying about things that never happened. Imagine if we had spent that time seeking God’s Kingdom; how might life be dif…

Do you find yourself worrying? In Matthew chapter six, Jesus prohibits worrying and reminds us not to worry. Jesus uses the word, or a derivative of the word, ‘worry,’ four times as He speaks. Jesus warns us not to worry about everyday life needs. Jesus assures us that God will meet our daily needs, but He also conditions God’s meeting our needs. M…

One of the precious promises to the believer is God’s promise of protection. Over and again in Scripture, one finds records of how God has provided for His children. Main Text: 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV)Von Chuck Hartman

Briton Rivière was a British artist who lived and worked in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He exhibited various paintings at the Royal Academy but committed much of his life to animal paintings. One of Rivière’s animal paintings is the 1892 oil on canvas titled “Daniel’s Answer to the King.” In the image, one finds the posture for success.…

Psalm 42 is a beautiful portrait of learning to always have peace with God. This psalm helps assure the believer that even in the most dire situations, we can confidently say, “It is well with my soul.” Main Text: Psalm 42:1-11 (NLT)Von Chuck Hartman