Simply Scriptural: No Nonsense Christianity

1 Chronicles 16: 10-12How happy are you? If you are not as happy as you want to be or maybe you feel something is missing, I've got an uplifting passage for you this morning. One of the more encouraging passages in my opinion is centered around what we discuss this morning: how to be happier in the Lord. In other words, having a happy heart.

John 5: 2-9Sometimes, sickness can consume a person. And when this happens, a person can link their identity to the disease rather than to God. Our identity always needs to be linked to God, so today let's discuss who can heal us from out ailments.

Psalm 9: 9-10Where do we retreat to when life gets difficult? Do we have a stronghold to fall back to? Everyone has access to the best defensive structure we could ask for, but we have to know how to access it. We have to know to turn to the Lord in times of trouble. 

Matthew 7: 9-12If you're anything like me you love giving gifts to other people... and even if you don't like that part, chances are you like getting gifts! Getting and giving gifts can be a challenge for humans. But our Father in Heaven knows exactly what to give us; even when we ask for something silly He will give us what we need. 

1 Peter 2: 17Have you ever noticed people or things leave a legacy by being last? There's a good chance you could leave a lasting legacy too; but what will it be about? What will you be remembered for?

Proverbs 12: 25Here it is, a topic that no one likes to talk about. We have all probably struggled with this at some time or another, but today I want to discuss some practical steps we can take to lessen the load this brings so our lives. These steps discussed today can help ANY anxiety level be reduced and for us to live happier, worry free lives.

Psalms 138: 1-4Surely we all give thanks to the Lord right? What do we thank Him for? David brings out an interesting concept when he is discussing why he personally thanks the Lord, and it's a concept that is widely applied and sometimes overlooked. So, I thought I would discuss it with you guys this morning! 

Matthew 28: 11-15We've all been there: maybe we made a bad call or judgement and now we have been presented with evidence pointing to the truth. What do we do? Do we listen to the truth or double down on a previous bad decision? How late is too late to save face and seek redemption? 

Numbers 1: 17-19When was the last time you had a major transition in your life? Transitions and turning points are crucial junctures in our lives and we need to make sure we handle them for the glory of our Lord. I want to discuss a story this morning about a group that hit a turning point and took stock of their resources. 

Acts 22: 12-16A recent trend has concerned me in modern churches: the delay between recognizing the need for baptism and the baptism itself. I'm not sure what started this delay, but it certainly isn't scriptural. Today, we will look at just one example of someone who acted without delay, and that should be enough for everybody to hustle up! 

Matthew 21: 18-19Many times in the Bible we are given the image of a Christian bearing fruit. We are instructed to bear fruit in our journeys and we are even warned what can happen if we don't bear fruit... but this story is often overlooked in the book of Matthew. So let's break it down this morning! 

1 Timothy 1: 12-14Some of us have certainly asked this question before: how much sin is too much sin? How far gone is too far gone for redemption? The Bible is clear about the life of Paul and yet this passage tells us what the Lord used Paul for. 

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7Today is Valentine's Day in the USA and naturally most of us will be thinking about love. But today I ask we all evaluate ourselves and make sure we are loving as we should be. This passage provides a second check we can use to make sure we are following the Biblical example of love. 

Exodus 32: 21-24Who's fault is it when we sin? Who do we typically blame? Do we accept it is our fault and try to improve or do we blame it on some outside source and then play the victim? Is this passage we see an example of someone trying to dodge responsibility, so let's break it down and see what we can learn. 

Romans 8:28It'll all work out... has anyone ever told you that when you're upset or stressing about something? Well there is some truth to the statement. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans things do in fact work out for people who put their trust and faith in God and submit to His will. Let's go see what the verse says. 

Luke 12: 6-7Does life have intrinsic value? In this day and age, some would say yes and some would say not really. But what does Jesus say? How does our Savior view life and how intimately does He know us as individuals? 

Matthew 7: 1-5Most of us have heard not to judge others, lest we be judged. But I have news for you: we will all be judged regardless of how much we judge others. Today we dive into the often misquoted passage to discuss one way we can use holding others accountable to ensure our walk with Christ is what it needs to be.  

Philippians 1: 12-14In this passage we see Paul describing how he used the circumstances he was in to further the gospel of Christ. That got me thinking; do we use the circumstances we are presented with to further the gospel? Whether good or bad, we can use any circumstance we are presented with to show the world our Christianity. 

2 Corinthians 5: 14-15Who or what do we live for? Most of us would answer Christ or God, but do we know why we should be devoting our lives to them? Do we truly understands what motivates us to live good Christian lives? Today we discuss what Christ has done for us and how we should live for Him, not just love Him.

Luke 2: 48-52Sometimes we don't understand a passage right off the bat, and that's OK. But what do we do when this happens? Today we look at a passage where Jesus says something and the meaning is lost on those He speaks to. We can find the truth of salvation and His doctrine if we dig deep enough, and we will use this passage to set the scene for us.

Luke 5: 8-11We know the story of when Jesus started gathering his disciples. He preformed some miracles after He had been teaching out on the water and when they came back to land His first apostles left EVERYthing and followed Him. What do we leave behind to follow Jesus? 

Matthew 25: 31-33Today I ask a simple question: Are you ready to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? 

2 Peter 2: 19Honest question: can we control emotions? I've had major disagreements with people in the past about the answer to this question, but my opinion doesn't matter really. What does matter is what the Bible says, so let's go take a look at the source. 

Deuteronomy 7: 9-11If we look at a big success like winning the Super Bowl we can be assured there were some covenants made, some agreements set forth and maybe some goals and guidelines the victorious team laid out. Holding fast to those agreements is a key factor in reaching our goal, and there is no better goal than reaching heaven one day. Luckily we have a covenant set forth to follow, but unlike an earthly covenant we don't have to worry about the other party keeping their side of the bargain. 

1 Thessalonians 5: 18Today we conclude our little mini series. We've talked about rejoicing and praying; today we will round out our discussion with giving thanks. We should be able to give thanks for every situation God presents us with, even if we have to work to find the growth offered. 

1 Thessalonians 5: 17How healthy is our prayer life? I certainly hope we can take the advice offered here and pray about everything that comes our way. Let's focus today and make sure we are praying at every opportunity we get and see what kind of impact it has. 

1 Thessalonians 5: 16 Rejoice always; one of the shortest verses in the Bible. But are we truly rejoicing always? Do we rejoice in every aspect of life? 

Luke 9: 23-24Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.... daily. this passage is one of the simplest ways to understand what we must do to live a righteous life. Today we break down this famous passage and see just what Jesus meant when he was preaching this lesson in His ministry.

Luke 16: 10-11Every day we are presented with tiny little battles of righteousness and faithfulness. Sometimes those battles are bigger and more influential. Can we be trusted to be the victor in those battles, be they great or small? Jesus has some great wisdom He imparts in the above passage about being faithful in little things and being faithful in much. 

Philippians 2: 12-13Odds are we are not around the original person who introduced us to God. Yet most of us would consider ourselves obedient right? What is that authoritative source we cling to if it isn't the original person who introduced us to God? Let's see what Paul says about being obedient when he wasn't with the church at Philippi.

1 Thessalonians 5: 2-4Kobe Bryant passed away this weekend in a tragic helicopter crash with his daughter. Kobe was 41 years old and living a very successful life; do you think anyone expected this untimely death? I highly doubt anyone did, but we must be ready at a moment's notice to meet Jesus. We must ensure our lives are righteous and our hearts are right to meet our Lord and Savior. 

Luke 17: 1-2Most of us probably don't remember learning to walk, but I'm confident we have all seen a child learning the valuable skill. We would never do something to hinder that young person from walking would we?? I'd wager we would go above and beyond to be helpful... and I wonder if we apply the same precautions to people learning to walk spiritually.

Galatians 6: 2-3I'm sure all of us have at some time or another helped out with someone else's burden; but was it a matter of convenience or did we look for such an opportunity? We as Christians should be looking for chances to bear the burdens of others, and we also have to humble ourselves and ask for help when we need it. 

Acts 14: 22-23Are you thankful for the Elders where you worship? I sure am, and I'm also thankful for the process of the leadership of elders that was set forth by Jesus for His church. But some people don't follow this idea of leadership from a group of elders; today we will talk about some struggles faced by a friend of mine who's church is run in a way that goes against the system set forth by Jesus. 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10Do you have someone to back you up as you walk through life? Having a battle buddy or companion is oh so vital in maintaining a healthy walk with Jesus. Today we go over these two verses and examine the benefits that come from having a travel companion on this earthly journey. 

John 15: 1-2Don't let the title fool you; this isn't something everyone needs to be a master gardener to understand. Jesus draws the picture of a vine in relation to Christianity and His church. Let's discuss what He means when He warns about pruning back branches and ensure we are a descendant of the true vine. 

James 2: 1-4I saw a local news story and after reading it I felt the topic should be discussed in depth. So, that's what we are going to talk about today! We have to be oh so careful when we turn people away from our assembly and worship services, and we have to make sure we are not making distinctions among ourselves when we do so. 

Genesis 1: 27-28Today we touch on a hotly debated topic; Men being created men and women being created women. We may have formed our own scientific opinion on things, but as Christians we have to have a Biblical standard to back up our opinions. So let's go see what the Bible says! 

2 Corinthians 7: 9-10We have all felt the burden of sorrow, but did you know we can use our sorrow for God? I came across this concept while studying this morning and I thought I would pass it along to you guys. Let's discuss how we can recognize Godly sorrow and utilize it to become stronger Christians. 

Proverbs 21:2Today I want to impart a tip for having Bible studies with people we may not agree with on doctrinal matters. It's something I picked up several years ago and actually led to great success when studying with my wife. It's based loosely on the above passage and avoiding a less than ideal approach. 

Colossians 2: 4-5The title says it all: how do we handle difficult or challenging circumstances? We as Christians don't get a free pass on emotions or reactions just because the situation is a poor one, we must react as Christ expects us to. Let's look at a Biblical example together. 

2 Timothy 3: 16-17Today we discuss a very popular passage, one that centers around how we treat scripture. Do we really acknowledge that every verse is profitable and valuable? Many people disagree with certain verses or passages for a variety of reasons, but it is our job as Christians to make sure we are utilizing all passages preserved for our education. 

Matthew 12: 33-34How can we tell what kind of character someone has? By listening to what comes out of their mouth. See, Jesus is very clear about the source of our words and thoughts; we speak what is in our hearts. Let's dive a little deeper into that concept today! 

James 2: 8-9We all play favorites; but as Christians we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. I suggest to you when can change how we think to ensure we show ALL our neighbors personal favoritism. Let's see if we can change the world a little bit today, shall we? 

Romans 15: 14-16Two parts to today's episode, but they both comes from Paul guidance to the Roman Christians on how they can serve God in their society. As modern Christians we can still gather some valuable information and apply it to our walks today! 

Psalms 140: 4-5Wee can all admit there is evil in this world right? But do we recognize sometimes that evil targets us as victims? Today I want to discuss the Psalmist's view in the above passage about evil people and praying for our protection from them.  

Mark 4: 36-39Let me start out by saying if you're in the Southeast United States, please be weather aware today. It is supposed to get quite nasty in my part of the world. But, what do we do as Christians when the world gets nasty around us? Do we ask for help or for an explanation? Let's see what the apostles did when the weather got stormy. 

Luke 4: 1-4How are we fairing against temptation? If you're like me you, want a higher win rate. How can we increase our defense against temptation while walking this Earth? I submit to you the best answer is to look at the actions of Jesus. Jesus walked the same Earth we walk and managed to do so without ever losing the battle against temptation; so let's take a look at His methods. 

Hebrews 4: 14-16You ever considered just what Jesus had to go through while walking this earth? When we consider His life and example, we can clearly see He was tempted just as we are; and yet, He managed to have a clean run on this planet. What better person to have as our intermediary than Jesus Christ. 

Romans 8: 37-39What can separate us from the love of God? Can you think of anything at all you might be worried could separate you from God's love? Good thing the Bible has preserved a complete and concrete list of the things strong enough to separate us from that love. Let's take a look, shall we? 

1 Peter 5: 6-9Today's topic is one most Christians will struggle with at some point in time: anxiety. And that's OK! Don't let anyone ever tell you the struggle is not normal, because it is. But it CAN be beaten and we as Christians are expected to overcome those feelings. So, let's go see what the Bible has for us in the way of answers to the issue.