Have you ever considered that the God who fills the universe has an eternal desire to have a home? This is not just a poetic idea; it is the deep longing in the heart of God that motivated creation itself. He wanted a family to dwell with. The terms habitation, dwelling place, and resting place all point to this one profound truth: God is looking for a home.

What is the first thing on your agenda when you achieve a lifelong dream? For King David, the answer reveals a powerful truth about a heart devoted to God.

We’re wrapped up in scrolling. We’re more focused on the highlight reels of our favorite influencers than we are coming under the influence of the One who has all history in His reels. We're not spending enough time in His Presence. We don't have enough focus or priority on His Presence.

Recent events in Israel have provoked many Christians to question whether we are on the brink of the Ezekiel 38 War of Gog and Magog. “Is this the beginning of the end?” they wonder.

Not too long ago, someone asked me if I had ever been to England. I had to pause and think about it for a moment. Technically, I have been to England, meaning I have stood on English soil. If you were to track me with a GPS, there would be a record of my physical presence on the island nation, but have I been to England? I ended up answering the question this way: “Well, I’ve been in the Heathrow Airport on a layover, but I’ve never seen or experienced England for real.”

I love the Church, and I love church. What I mean by that is I have great affection for both the people known as the Body of Christ as well as the local places where these people meet each week.

One of the most compelling texts that speaks to the heart of the Church’s mission is the book of Acts. Each time I delve into its pages, I feel a rekindled passion ignited within me—a fire that is essential for every believer. I have discovered that reading the book of Acts monthly is not merely beneficial but imperative for maintaining alignment with my divine calling.

Jesus entrusted His Church with a singular, paramount mission: the Great Commission. This is not merely a suggestion or an optional task; it is our core calling as followers of Christ. If you identify as a disciple of Jesus, know that this Great Commission is your duty. It isn’t just one among many—it’s the only commission that matters. 

Christmas is still recognized in our culture. Many households throughout America will have some form of celebration this month. But what’s ironic is, even though we Christians are celebrating the birth of our Savior, we may not be seeing Him accurately or may not be seeing Him at all during this season. With all the shopping, merrymaking, and hubbub around Christmastime, we can miss what the holiday is all about. You see, Christmas is God’s invitation to us to come and behold Him. Undistracted by all the trappings that come at this time of year, He wants us to see Him. Uncluttered by all the things we, our culture, and our society have put on Jesus, He wants us to see Him as He truly is.

Last time, we addressed three effects of generosity in our lives and the lives of others. We discovered (1) generosity is contagious, (2), generosity destroys covetousness, and (3) generosity sets into motion the law of sowing and reaping. Picking up we’re we left off, let’s look at the final three supernatural things that the mystery of generosity does.

Generosity is contagious. When we live generous lives, it becomes contagious to those who are around us. It stirs, it inspires, and it imparts zeal for things that are important, things that are Kingdom oriented. Such zeal provokes others to give, and it even continues to inspire and provoke us. Generosity becomes contagious because we all want to be a part of something that’s making a difference. 

To the most casual reader, it’s obvious that the Old Testament is a telescopic story that begins with God choosing Abraham and then expanding His unilateral covenant promises to Abraham’s descendants along the line of Isaac and Jacob (later renamed Israel). Israel, God’s chosen people by sovereign election, is the subject of God’s dealings in the Old Testament. God’s ultimate desire is that, through this covenant relationship, all the nations of the world would be blessed.

Even though by and large the Jewish people did not receive their Messiah due to their false expectations of how He would come and reestablish the Kingdom, God’s purposes and promises to Abraham remain intact. In fact, God will fulfill all His covenant promises to Israel proclaimed in Scripture.

Abraham’s faith in God was tested time and time again. But the BIG test of his faith happened after he and Sarah had received their son of promise, Isaac. In this next test, the test of all tests, God asked for Abraham to place that long-awaited promise on the altar. He was testing Abraham’s heart. For Abraham, this was a test of radical obedience as well as a test of trust. Would Abraham obey God and offer up his son of promise? Would Abraham trust God to make provision once again?

Tests are not necessarily bad. Though we often have bad responses to them, tests are actually good for us because tests reveal to us two things: (1) They reveal what we know, and (2) they reveal what we don’t know.

The Bible is full of heroic men and women who are examples of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. Heroes like Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Deborah, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and John provide inspiration for us today. They show what’s possible when we live lives surrendered to God and empowered by His strength, mercy, and Spirit. But their example as well as that of many others is not the only example we see in Scripture. I’m thinking of those whose names are never mentioned. More specifically, I’m thinking of three guys who are simply referred to in Holy Writ as “someone,” “another,” and “yet another.”

You are a carrier of a dream. I may not know what your dream is. Maybe you don’t even know what your dream is. But I know God has given you one. It’s actually His dream for you. He has a dream for each one of His children. As one of God’s children you are highly favored by Him; in fact, there is a grace upon your life to bring His dream for to reality.

The Christian life is not like a battle. It is a battle. In fact, it is a war zone with a very real, present, and active enemy. He prowls around, looking for those he can take down, take hostage, or take out.