The Liturgical Calendar: Orienting Yourself to Life in the Kingdom
“In the early centuries of the Church, the discipline of observing the liturgical year was developed to teach God’s people how to locate themselves in proximity to Christ and his Kingdom. Each year, observing the liturgical calendar allows us to enter the beautiful narrative of God’s work in and through his people, Jesus’s earthly life, and the Holy Spirit’s past and current work through the Church. This annual excursion through God’s big story is designed to teach us how to make Christ the central figure in our own stories.” The Liturgical Calendar: Orienting Yourself to Life in the Kingdom by Danielle Hitchen
Look Forward, Because He Promised
“If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to have your gaze focused on today—on what needs to be done, on what isn’t going to get done. And when we lift our eyes to look to tomorrow, or next year, or next decade, our sight can be filled with the worries prompted by future uncertainties. Our looking forward can so easily be filled with anxiety rather than anticipation. But by faith in Christ we are God’s people. And God’s people have always been, and still are, a people who can look forward to what has been promised.” Look Forward, Because He Promised by Carl Laferton
Small Moments Might Just be the Big Ones, by Ashley Anthony
“We might daily read Scripture, pray, serve, and worship, but we might find they don’t always produce fruit as quickly as we’d like them to. Growth seems slow and sometimes tedious. These small moments—do they really make a difference at all? The life of the prophetess Anna declares that these small moments do make a difference—and not only do they make a difference, but these small moments are more significant than we might think.” Small Moments Might Just be the Big Ones by Ashley Anthony
What Has God Actually Promised? 20 Truths from the Psalms
“Over and over again, the psalmists reveal that their hope and faith in God rests not in prophetic promises of how God will remove the current struggle, but in the promise of who he is. Even in moments where the writer uses words like ‘deliverance’ and ‘salvation’, we have no idea of the timeframe, severity, or nature of the promised divine action. Like the writers of old, we too rarely receive specific promises stating that the cancer will go into remission, the work conflict will subside, or the support money will come in on time. In these trying moments of waiting and wanting, it is our knowledge of the character of our Heavenly Father that shapes our hope in the promises of who God is for his people.” What Has God Actually Promised? 20 Truths from the Psalms by William R. Osborne
Why Should We Memorize God’s Word?
“How often do we scroll through Instagram, Facebook, or Google for help on a situation we’re walking through? How quick are we to shoot a text to a friend for advice or help? It’s so easy for us to look to tangible helps to soothe our souls (and there is good to be found in these things!). But how often do we neglect first going to the Word as our primary help? While our lives are ever-changing, God’s Word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven (Psalm 119:89). The Word of the Lord is perfect, flawless, (Psalm 18:30), and will stand forever (Isa. 40:8). The Bible is living and active, it has the power to speak to our hearts (Heb. 4:12), and it will not return empty (Isa. 55:11). In all things, the Bible speaks a more relevant word and offers timeless truths that will never pass away (Luke 21:33).” Why Should We Memorize God’s Word? by Hunter Beless
Do Our Prayers Change God’s Mind?
“What good is praying to a God whose will is sovereign? Does prayer change God’s mind? Most answers on offer seem to result either in a diminishment of God’s sovereignty, or a gutting of the power and relational meaning of prayer. We need not rest satisfied with such answers. Indeed, we need not accept without critique the questions in the first place, for they reflect a few common and critical missteps in approaching the relation between God’s sovereignty and our prayer.” Do Our Prayers Change God’s Mind? by Daniel J. Brendsel
Discover the Beauty of Slow Scripture Meditation
“As we begin to study and make discoveries in Scripture, we often want to know everything—immediately. The idea of pondering just one verse at a time seems frustratingly slow. But spiritual maturity and scriptural understanding most often come not through giant leaps and marathon study sessions but by steady faithfulness, day after day. Scriptural meditation helps us to slow down, to zoom in, and to hear the Lord’s gentle voice whispering through his Word.” - Discover the Beauty of Slow Scripture Meditation, by Katherine Pittman
The High Priestly Prayer: How Jesus’ Words Help Us Pray
“We can only imagine how heavy our Savior’s heart must have been as he washed his beloved disciples’ feet, knowing within a few hours he would be dying on a cross for them . . . and for us. He knew they would desert him at his darkest hour, and yet, he chose to pray for them . . . and for us. That powerful prayer—called the High Priestly prayer of Jesus—is found in John 17. As believers, we can apply that same prayer to our own lives today.” - The High Priestly Prayer: How Jesus’ Words Help Us Pray by Judy Dunagan
A Foolish Love by Katy Morgan
“It is one of the most moving—and terrifying—moments in the story of David. In 2 Samuel 6, the ark of God is brought to Jerusalem. As this symbol of God’s presence is brought through the city, David strips down to what is apparently very little and dances before it “with all his might” (v. 14). Later, David finds his wife Michal waiting at home. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today,” she spits sarcastically (v. 20). The narrator tells us she despises him for what he has done (v. 16). The story is moving because it reveals the depths of David’s unashamed devotion to God. But it’s terrifying because it forces us to realize that we’re a lot less like David than we think. Too often, we’re rather like Michal instead.” - A Foolish Love, by Katy Morgan
Praying the Psalms: An Invitation to Intimacy
“The Psalms show us that it is right and good to bring all our authentic emotions to God in prayer. They invite us to come to him, raw and unfiltered, in every circumstance we face. The Psalms demonstrate how an honest, angry prayer can also be humble and God-oriented, or how the act of prayer itself can reshape our fear and worry into praise. Moreover, we remember that the Psalms were intended for corporate use, bidding us to bring our unmasked selves to church and to our Christian community. Our only mistake would be to refuse the Psalms’ invitation, bottling up our emotions or attempting to handle what we are facing in our own strength.” - Praying the Psalms: An Invitation to Intimacy, by Caroline Cobb
True Belief Leads to Obedience
“What does it mean to believe in God? Maybe it’s like this: while we exercise our muscle to believe—while we abide in the vine, walk with the Good Shepherd, rest in our Father’s arms, and turn in the direction of our Heavenly Father, day after day—we remember the context in which we do our believing and choosing. For the only reason you and I can choose God is because, given the choice between us and everything else, he chooses us—every time.” - True Belief Leads to Obedience by Laura Booz
Genesis: From Slavery to Freedom
“Genesis was a gift to God's people. It was a guide to assist Israel in re-narrating their experience of life post-slavery. Even though the stories in Genesis are now nearly 2,500 years old, they feel familiar. I feel a strange connection to Israel's hopelessness in Egypt. I don't wake up to brick-making, but I do wake up to the slavery of shame.” - Genesis: From Slavery to Freedom by Chris Ammen
Yearly Bible Reading: Reading God’s Word for Our Joy
“One of God’s sweetest gifts, besides Himself, is his Word. Scripture is God-breathed. Both the Old and New Testaments are his words that reveal him to us (2 Peter 1:21). The Scriptures are useful, binding, relevant, and true (2 Tim. 3:16–17). The law is perfect and revives the soul (Ps. 19:7). The Lord uses His Word to bring people to Himself (Rom. 10:17). God has been gracious to give you and me access to know many things about Him: His creation, His desires for us, and, most important, His Son. Are we reading and treasuring this precious gift?” - Yearly Bible Reading: Reading God’s Word for Our Joy by Trillia Newbell
The Giver is the Best Gift
“The truth is, we cannot have joy, peace, love, or hope apart from their perfect embodiment in Jesus Christ. Christmas is not about warm fuzzies; it is about the One who finally delivers on the promise of everything we acknowledge as good and true. The Bible will not let us have ethereal virtues. Do you want peace? Christ himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14). Do you want love? Christ himself is love (1 John 4:8). Do you want hope? Christ himself is our hope (Titus 2:13).” - The Giver is the Best Gift by Jared C. Wilson
Predicting Jesus: Finding Hope in the Old Testament Prophecies
“It wasn’t until I studied Isaiah and all the prophecies that came true that I finally let go of my doubts. When I studied the virgin birth, the root of Jesse, the costly cornerstone, and the one who would cry out in the wilderness, I began to see Jesus all through the words of Isaiah. Isaiah spoke of a Messiah who would heal the deaf, the lame, and the blind. Isaiah 53 has so many details about the suffering and atonement of Christ on the cross, only God himself could have “written” it. Studying Isaiah created in me a steadfast assurance that the Bible is from God and about God.” - Predicting Jesus: Finding Hope in the Old Testament Prophecies by Kim Erickson
Salvation Basics: How to Share the Gospel
“Imagine you’re sitting in a coffee shop with your Bible open when someone walks up to your table. “Excuse me,” she stammers, “I noticed you’re reading a Bible, and I was wondering if you can explain to me what the gospel is.” How do you think you’d react in that moment? Would you be excited for a surprising opportunity to share your faith so openly? Or, if you’re honest, would your palms start sweating just thinking about it? If fear or hesitation is one of your first responses, you’re not alone. But sisters, we must be ready to give a reason for the hope we have in Jesus (1 Peter 3:15). We must be ready to share the gospel. To that end, here are three salvation basics to share with anyone who will listen.” - Salvation Basics: How to Share the Gospel by Joanna Kimbrel
Don't Miss the Gospel in Your Bible Study
“‘What would you miss from the gospel story if the passage you're studying right now wasn't in the Bible?’ This insightful question was posed to me by a mentor. Her hope was to convince me of this truth: the individual sections we study in Scripture are part of one big story. The entire Bible works together to tell one overarching narrative. In other words, the Bible is one book. Its forty different authors are inspired by one divine Author to tell one central story: God’s redemption of sinners through his Son.” - Don't Miss the Gospel in Your Bible Study by Nana Dolce
Expect God's Word to Change You
“Do you ever wonder if God’s Word is making a difference in you? Maybe you read, memorize, and study it, but you’re not sure it’s doing much good. Take heart! Even when you don’t feel it, God is continually using his Word to transform you from the inside-out.” - Expect God's Word to Change You by Laura Booz
How Do I Take the Next Right Step?
“God’s Word is the ‘lamp’ of our lives. When we don’t know which way to go, are struggling to make a decision, or are paralyzed in the darkness of depression, Scripture is the ‘lamp’ that points us in the right direction. Through his Word, the Spirit illuminates the very next step. We may not have enough light to see the full outcome of our circumstance, but he is faithful to provide enough of what we need to step forward, trusting that his ‘lamp’ will then shine for the next step, and the next, and so on.” - How Do I Take the Next Right Step? by Ashley Setterlind
Quiet Time for Sinners
“In the sacred moments of Bible reading and prayer, we allow the Holy Spirit to deepen our connection with Christ. Scripture becomes a way for us to listen to God’s heart and prayer becomes an intimate conversation where we pour our heart out to him. On this holy ground, Jesus becomes nearer, dearer, and sweeter to us than he was the day before, and every day we will reflect Christ a little more clearly to the surrounding world.” - Quiet Time for Sinners by Naomi Vacaro