The Assembly Line

We conclude our study on Romans as we consider the importance of unity within the church.

After 11 chapters of diving deep into the depths theology, Paul shifts his focus in Romans 12. Here, Paul transitions into putting theology into practice. What does this look like for us? 

Romans 9-11 are arguably some of the most confusing passages of the New Testament. But we should not ignore the tough questions or topics the Bible gives us. We dive deeper today into the richness of God's Word. 

Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Over the text of Romans 3-5, Paul shifts from the problem of sin to the solution of Christ's atonement. We consider the good news of the gospel after learning the depths of the bad news. 

We begin a new study for the summer titled "TL;DR." The aim of this study is to provide the major themes and verses of Romans and Paul's Prison Epistles amidst the busy schedule of summer. Today, we turn to Romans 1-3 and consider Paul's theology regarding man's sinfulness. 

Resistance comes our way in many shapes and sizes. At times, we will face opposition because of our faith. How will we respond? 

Following Easter, we may find ourselves surprisingly weighed down by life. Today, we consider five trustworthy sayings that point us to truth over our feelings. 

Today, we reflect on the fact that, on this Good Friday, there are two paths available to man. One path is broad and leads to destruction. The other leads to life. Which path are you on today?

In Psalm 25, the author writes, "For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great." We consider this verse as we approach Easter. 

For many of us, we will shed tears in the midst of sowing. But that doesn't mean we stop sowing seeds. 

Believers are called to make disciples of all nations. Too often, however, we fail to make disciples in our homes. Where do we even begin? 

As we Spring Forward into a new season, let us consider a time for change in our spiritual lives. The bitterness of unforgiveness will keep us from living in the warmth of God's love. Today, we're reminded of our command to forgive others. 

Paul invites us to a lifestyle where we rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. But is this possible? 

In Genesis 26, Isaac builds an altar. But why? How does this translate to our modern lives?

In Genesis 22, Abraham's faith reaches its ultimate test. But what if this story is really about the son? More specifically, what if this story is about the Son who would serve as our substitute for salvation? 

Alone and on the run, Hagar feels that no one sees nor hears her. But one encounter changes everything.  Realizing that she had been seen and heard by the One who created her gave her the strength needed to press on. The same is true for us today. 

Genesis 11 contains one of the more interesting stories of antiquity and introduces how language began to change. How are we to make sense of the story of these ancient babblers? 

In Genesis 3, mankind rebelled against God. Following their sin, the first couple sewed fig leaves and hid from their Creator. But God would not allow them to remain hidden and in such poor attire. Instead, God provided. 

There was a period of time that man, without sin, enjoyed the presence of God. That period did not last long, however, when sin entered the scene and mankind was banished from the garden. But this isn't the end of the story. 

We begin 2022 by diving into Genesis. Today, we consider the fact that mankind is made "in His image." 

We close out 2021 by remembering the wonder of Jesus' first coming! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! 

We find ourselves celebrating Christmas in the second year of the pandemic. Over the course of the two years, we've likely experienced bleak seasons. What can this Christmas hymn teach us about the bleak midwinter? 

Ever struggle to find peace in the midst of the constant barrage of noise in our lives today? How can we block out the noise? 

As Thanksgiving approaches, we consider how we can begin practicing thankfulness in our daily lives. 

Americans are constantly tired, and many Christians feel the weight of living a life without rest as a result of the external pressures many face. But aren't we commanded to rest? Why do we fail to set aside time to rest? Today, we analyze four benefits of rest that will help us adopt rest as part of our routine. 

In America, especially the South, college football unites us and divides us. We can become deeply attached to our favorite teams to the extent that they truly get all up in our feels, win or lose! But is this healthy? Or are we dangerously drifting into idolatry?

Life is full of pressure, externally and internally. At times, we become overwhelmed. We often respond irrationally, but is there a better way? 

Melancholy:  pensive sadness, the gloomiest of spirits. As a Christian, we sometimes feel guilty or ashamed for such seasons of melancholy, but we don't have to. We look to Elijah's story and how God spoke softly, in a gentle whisper, in the midst of Elijah's despair. 

Feeling "not enough" is a heavy, wearisome emotion that many of us deal with more than we'd like to admit. How should we address such emotions like this? 

In Haggai, we see the people of God living their lives with mixed priorities. As we go through the ebb and flow of life, we can easily become distracted and tempted to pursue the world's standards rather than His. What if God asked you to do the following meditation: "Give careful thought to your ways." How would you respond? 

"[T]he righteous shall live by his faith." The most memorable verse in all of Habakkuk. How does it apply to us today as we endure some of our greatest hardships? 

Nahum preached to Ninevah, the same city that Jonah preached to. The only difference is that this time, there was no repentance and judgment came. What can we consider from Nahum today?

The prophetic books of the Bible can be the most daunting and confusing if we're honest. Which part applies to my life now? Which part applies to the future or the past? As a result, we sometimes breeze through the major prophets while ignoring the minor prophets, but is there something that we can learn from the "minor leagues" as well? Today, we look at the message of Obadiah and discover two considerations for our lives.

Psalm 100 gives us a short, succinct description of what worship looks like in our lives. It commands us, invites us, and reminds us of the things of worship. If you need a reminder of why corporate worship matters, tune in to this episode. 

Today we pause and pray for Afghanistan. Sometimes our hearts can be so heavy laden that our hearts struggle to find the right words. How do we pray in silence? 

We live in the present, but often, our focus rests upon the past or the future. The past often robs us of joy by instilling guilt or pain. The future burdens us with anxiety and false hope. What does the present offer us? 

As we conclude our study on the model prayer, we ask that God would deliver us from evil, especially in the midst of our trials. Thankfully, our God is a deliverer! 

Forgiveness--much easier to seek from God than to offer to others. But, we are called to do both. This episode focuses on our daily need to come to the Father seeking forgiveness of our shortcomings so that we may live in victory over sin daily. With such victory we may live in freedom and freedom to forgive. 

"Give us this day, our daily bread." How often do we pause and reflect upon the miraculous reality in which God provides for us daily all that we need? Not only is this prayer a request for God to meet our physical needs but our spiritual. Providentially, He has done just that when Jesus came as the "bread from heaven" to give us life and grant us our deepest sustenance imaginable for all of eternity. 

One of the most humbling lines in the model prayer occurs when we pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done..." These two prayers are related and yet not exactly synonymous. What does each line mean? We find out on today's episode. 

For many believers, prayer can be the weakest area of our faith. We find it easier to serve and do rather than sit and listen. In a world full of demands and busy schedules, how can we rearrange our prayer lives in a way that opens up our hearts to the wonder of communion with God? Thankfully, Jesus provided the model prayer for us in Matthew 6, and it all begins with humble prayers. 

As we conclude our study in James, we consider what active faith looks like even in seasons of suffering. No matter the seasons we face we can remain confident that God is compassionate and merciful, and He is with us. 

In the First Century, there was division within the Church caused by serious quarrels and tension. Why? People were clinging to "friendship with the world." Sadly, these issues persist today. Many congregations have conflicts within as well as without. What must we do to avoid such "wars within?"

On this Father's Day weekend, we reflect upon 2 Corinthians 1:3 where Paul reminds us that our God is the Father of mercies. 

Two types of wisdom are often in conflict in our lives:  wisdom from the earth and wisdom from above. James yet again teaches us that wisdom, like our faith, will be evidenced by our actions. In other words, we can judge wisdom based upon the words and deeds on display in our lives. Which wisdom is on display in your life today? 

James 3 clearly reveals the danger that the tongue possesses. We all stumble in many ways, but the one who doesn't stumble over what he says is perfect. Who can truly say this about themselves? Instead, we often see the realities of the "deadly poison" that is the tongue. How can we overcome such poison?

Water leaks are common issues that can cause major problems. What can they teach us about sin? Perhaps more than we would like to admit. 

What does James really mean when he asks, "Can that faith save him?" in James 2? Perhaps there's more than meets the eye in what James is really saying. Rather than living our lives with passive faith, we should be living our lives with active faith. But how? 

Favoritism is "the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another." How often do we struggle by showing favoritism within our society, our homes, and our churches? Today we consider how we may overcome the sin of favoritism by clinging to our faith in Jesus.

Often we hear James's command to be quick to listen and slow to speak and quickly rush past that part. That's kind of the point! We often bring our thoughts and preferences into the Bible, especially in conversations with others. So, maybe we should be quick to listen to the Word to best guide our speech to others.