Moments For You

As the United States of America celebrates Independence Day on July 4, it’s worth noting the nation was founded upon the idea that God created human beings to be free. The Declaration of Independence states that people “are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are... Read more →

In Old Testament days, the Jewish people had constant and blatant reminders that their sin separated them from God. God manifested His holy presence above the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 25:22). But if anyone casually attempted to approach Him there, they would die! In... Read more →

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Some try to set aside the fear of death by concluding that after death there is neither a Heaven to seek nor a Hell to shun. Others simply try to avoid thinking about death and... Read more →

Before Jesus died on a cross, God’s people lived under a detailed system of laws that served as a moral compass to guide their lives. The Law (found in the Old Testament of the Bible), while powerless to grant salvation or produce true freedom, nevertheless pointed the way to Jesus... Read more →

Have you been hurt so deeply that you feel trapped by the pain? Living with the memories of the offense feels like you’re locked in a stone fortress. Roaming the dark hallways, you search for an escape from the looming images of betrayal that line the walls. No way out... Read more →

“For freedom Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). What exactly is this Christian freedom that Paul talks so much about in Galatians? Power to Do What We Ought Christian freedom is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin. As Martin Luther put it, freedom is not the right to... Read more →

The Apostle Paul describes “the fruit of the Spirit” as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These qualities reflect God’s character and the behavior of those living according to God’s Spirit. When we become connected to God through Jesus Christ, we’re like new branches that... Read more →

Within the greatest commandment are two imperatives: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:28-31). Love is the core of the instruction. But what does it mean to love? We use that word rather loosely in our... Read more →

When it comes to joy, we are all about it. And this is not problematic; God has created us to be joy seekers. The problem is when we seek joy in the wrong places. We are looking at the fruit of the Spirit—fruit that grows and flourishes not because of... Read more →

Peace is “the way things ought to be.” Peace with God begins with a right relationship with Him. It is evidence of the Holy Spirit working in us. Peace comes as we live life with God, loving and knowing Him. God’s peace comes because we trust who He is. “My... Read more →

To be longsuffering is to have patience and self-restraint while one is in a challenge. Romans 5:3-4 adds, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Rejoicing in our sufferings is not usually our first response.... Read more →

“Be kind” campaigns have been popular in recent years. The phrase often pops up on yard signs, event banners, and social media hashtags. The idea is simple enough, communicating the desire for a more peaceful society in which we choose to be nice to others, rather than mean, vengeful, or... Read more →

Being faithful to God means that there will be some evidence of our faith in God. A faithful Christian will produce fruit. Faithfulness does not mean that we will be perfect. It does not mean that we won’t struggle or that we won’t make poor decisions. It does mean that we... Read more →

The shift in American culture from character to image has turned vanity and pride into virtues. The strong, the beautiful, the powerful, the intelligent, and the privileged take every opportunity to put themselves forward. Probably the least admired character quality in America is meekness. And yet the greatest Person who... Read more →

It’s not a flashy concept or an especially attractive idea. It doesn’t turn heads or grab headlines. It can be as seemingly small as saying no to another Oreo, French fry, or milkshake—or another half hour on Netflix or Facebook—or it can feel as significant as living out a resounding... Read more →