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Newsletters

  • Waiting for the Power of God

    If you need the power of God in your life, Jesus has special words for you. Just before he ascended to heaven, Christ knew his disciples needed power to do the works of his kingdom on earth. So he instructed them, “Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49-50).

    The instruction was simple: “Stay in the city.” But note this qualifier: “…until…” Jesus was saying, “Your lives will remain the same until the Holy Spirit comes upon you with power.”

  • It's Time to Believe, Part 2

    Trusting the Helper Jesus Sends Us

    “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7, ESV).

    Imagine what it was like for the disciples to hear this from Jesus. They were nearby when he performed miracles. They saw the wind and waves obey his commands. Nobody in history ever spoke with the authority that Jesus had. In his presence, the disciples felt special, valued and loved. They were encouraged and filled with hope that, no matter what obstacles were thrown at them, Jesus was there to deliver them.

  • New Covenant Christmas

    Isaiah was speaking of Jesus when he prophesied these words: “Thus says the Lord: In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8, emphasis mine).

  • Exhausted Yet Pursuing

    "Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing” (Judges 8:4, my emphasis).

    Gideon’s life is a perfect example of how God creates impossible circumstances for his servants in order to demonstrate his glory. The Lord called this shy man to lead Israel into battle against an overwhelming enemy: 100,000 Midianites, compared to Israel’s army of 22,000.

  • The Present Greatness of Christ

    I want you to consider a prayer that Paul expressed for the church of Jesus Christ. He prayed, “May God reveal to you not just the past greatness of Christ but his present greatness.”

    Here is Paul’s specific prayer: “That ye may know… what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us–ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power” (Ephesians 1:18–19).

  • Without Fault Before the Throne of God

    “These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:4–5).

    My wife and I were having dinner with a family friend, a woman we’ve known a long time. Suddenly, in the middle of our meal, our friend began to voice the kinds of thoughts I’ve been hearing from Christians all over the country. She said to us:

  • The Great and Final Apostasy

    The apostle Paul speaks of a great apostasy to come upon the earth in the last days. What is apostasy? It is a “rejection of truth once believed and proclaimed.” Simply put, it is a falling away from God’s truth. Paul writes of the apostasy to come:

    “We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word …as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2:1–3).

  • The Ultimate Test of Faith

    “The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea … The waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea” (Exodus 14:29, 15:8).

    What an awesome testimony Israel had. God delivered his chosen people by walling up the waters of the Red Sea on both sides. The Israelites walked through safely, but the mighty Egyptian army was destroyed as the waves came crashing back down.