For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace ( Isaiah 9:6). As we enter the first week of Advent, we remember the hope we have in Jesus. For centuries, the Israelites heard prophecies of a coming Messiah—one who would deliver them. Hope Then The Old Testament is filled with a deep sense of expectancy and waiting. Through slavery in Egypt

The YouVersion Bible App is celebrating over one billion installs across its Family of Apps this November. As we’ve prepared as an organization for this milestone, we constantly say, “This is more than a milestone. This is a moment to celebrate God’s Word.” Because that’s exactly what it is!  Over centuries, God’s Word has taken many different forms—from ancient scrolls to bound pages to an app on a screen. This milestone is evidence that God’s Word is alive and active and it

There is something wrong in our world. Some people might seem more caught up in that wrong than others. So, as we try to get our lives right, we want to know—what is our relationship to what’s going on out there? Do we protect ourselves by keeping it all at a safe distance? Do we engage it? Do we affirm it? What’s the right relationship to have with the mess in the world? That’s the question that leads to the series of parables in Luke 15. At the beginning of the chapter, Jes

This particular story takes place at a dinner—the same dinner we were talking about last time . In Luke 14, Jesus is invited to the house...

In his classic text, The Contemplative Pastor , Eugene Peterson wrote: As a pastor, I don’t like being viewed as nice but insignificant....

Have you ever wondered if your story really matters? Maybe you’ve thought that your story isn’t anything special, or maybe it’s too messy...

In the first article in this series , we explored God’s hesed toward us in the context of grief and despair. Though life is hard and...

Check out the So We Speak podcast on  Apple Podcasts  or  Spotify . Herod is one of the most well-known villains in the Bible. Without...

Life can be challenging at times. Jesus made it clear that following him doesn’t exempt us from suffering. In fact, following Jesus...

Check out the So We Speak podcast on  Apple Podcasts  or  Spotify . Sennacherib’s story takes place in the eight century BC. He makes the...

Whether you're reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, there's a key theme you can't miss: the story is about Christ bringing about his...

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! The resurrection of Jesus is the pillar of our faith and the foundation of our hope. The...

Have you ever wondered where the Old Testament feasts fit into the New Testament? So much attention is given to them under the Law, yet...

Before the crown of thorns and before the cross, there was a table, a towel, and a garden.  Maundy Thursday marked Jesus’ last night with...

When compared to the other days of Holy Week, Holy Wednesday is relatively quiet. It doesn’t contain any climactic events like Jesus’...

On the Monday of Holy Week, Jesus entered the Temple and cleansed it of corruption and commerce. I have studied and preached on the...

Even the Rocks Will Cry Out Finally, Jesus was treated like a king. It was Palm Sunday, or the Triumphal Entry as we sometimes call it,...

Check out the So We Speak podcast on  Apple Podcasts  or  Spotify . Historical Background Haman is a character in the Book of Esther...

In my last post, we focused on the significance of Jesus going into the wilderness—a time of fasting and prayer, a period of deep...

“‘ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  ...