In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV) There is a question that curious minds sometimes ask, the kind of question a child might ask at bedtime or a philosopher might wrestle with for a lifetime: What was happening before God created the world? What filled God’s time and His heart before He created everything? It turns out, this is not a question to avoid. It is a question that, when pursued honestly through Scripture, leads to some of th

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” … And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to t

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. (Hebrews 6:4-6 NIV) There is a question that quietly haunts many sincere believers, one that surfaces in

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits… (1 Peter 3:18-19 NIV) There is a question that has stirred the curiosity of Christians for centuries, one that sits quietly in the middle of the Apostles' Creed, tucked between the crucifixion and the resurrection. It is a question that ma

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39 NIV) There are things we want to come back, and things we hope never do. I hope Covid never retur

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Je

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV) Have you ever stood at a crossroads, uncertain which direction to take? Life presents us with countless choices, but according to Scripture, there's one choice that matters more than all others: the decision about which gate we'll enter and

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV) Time has a peculiar quality. When we're young, summer vacation stretches endlessly before us. As adults, entire years seem to vanish in the blink of an eye

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4 NIV) Have you ever wonde

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) Have you ever felt completely alone in the middle of a storm? Not just a physical storm, but those crushing moments when everything seems to be falling apart, when the weight of circumstances presses down so heavily that you can barely breathe? In those moments, our human tendency is to look around d

Consecrated to the Work Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to

Unless the Lord Builds the House Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. (Psalm 127:1-2 NIV) Building What Matters: The Real Foundation of Faith There's an ancient wisdom that echoes through the centuries, as relevant today as when it was first penned: "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain." These words from Psalm 127 carry a profound truth that challenge

The Children Are Watching: Living a Faith Worth Imitating We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NIV) There's something profound about the way children observe the world around them. They notice everything—our habits, our reactions, our priorities, and es

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven sta

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.(2 Timothy 1:11-12 NIV) Fighting, Finishing, and Keeping: The Legacy of an Unlikely Hero In the bustling streets of first-century Rome, two men lived whose names would echo through history—but not in the way any

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Chris

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4 NIV) Three Phases of God's Redemption Story Understanding where we stand

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it y

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:45-46 NIV) The Hour of Darkness: Where Holiness and Love Collide There's something profoundly unsettling about darkness at midday. When the sun should be blazing overhead, casting shadows that reveal the contours of our world, imagine inste