The Divine Justice of the Plagues

Conrad Hilario

Exodus 7-10

The ten plagues of Egypt were not just God's judgment against Pharaoh but also against Egypt's many gods. Each plague revealed the impotence of each of their gods and the power of the one true God. God was very patient with Pharaoh and gave him many chances to humble himself but Pharaoh remained prideful even to the very end when he lost his firstborn son. Although he allowed the Jews to leave, he then pursued them to the Red Seas and perished there with his whole army.

Three Practical Guidelines for Prayer

Gary DeLashmutt

James 5:13-20

James has three practical guidelines for prayer. He encourages the cultivation of the habit of ongoing individual prayer. Involve other Christians in your prayer life. And pray for straying Christians.

Living In Light of Jesus' Return

Gary DeLashmutt

James 5:1-11

James' audience is poor Christians who are being mistreated by rich non-Christians. James stresses how Jesus' future return should affect the way we live. God often allows mistreatment in this life but will ultimately intervene and condemn those who refuse to repent. So, Christians should not take personal revenge, but leave that to the Lord. They should not quit serving the Lord when it seems fruitless, but wait upon His reward when He returns. Don't pass judgment on fellow-Christians because Jesus will evaluate all of us when He returns.

True Repentance

Mike Sullivan

2 Corinthians 7:5-16

The Greek word for repentance means to change your mind. True biblical repentance means changing your mind about what you did. First, go to God and acknowledge your sin. Focus on His kindness. You need God's resources to change. You will receive healing, and release from regret.

Insights into Church Discipline

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 2:4-11

Paul addresses the aftermath of a painful situation in the Corinthian church, in which a man was disciplined by the church for refusing to abandon a destructive sin. It's an example of church discipline, a concept that the Bible teaches is a key part of a loving Christian community, but is unfamiliar and unpopular in our morally relativistic culture. Paul gives some insight into its use, saying it is most effective in a caring community, it should be reserved for people engaged in serious sin, and if the person repents, they should be welcomed back into community.

Judas and Peter: Remorse vs. Repentance

Ryan Lowery

John 21:15-17

Near the end of Jesus' time on earth, we see 2 disciples--Peter and Judas--experience major failure denying Jesus and betraying him. While their failure was similar, each responded differently. Judas responded with regret, leading to him trying to fix his mistake and ultimately the guilt leading him to suicide. Instead, Peter repented, agreeing that he was wrong, and looking to Jesus to restore him and strengthen him to live in victory. We should also be careful to respond to failure in repentance and allow God to restore us, rather than just feeling regret and defeat.

An Imprecatory Psalm

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 58

Some people are uncomfortable with the imprecatory psalms in the Bible. They feel it makes God out to be a vengeful, blood-thirsty god. But it is God's love that requires Him to judge evil. God is amazingly patient with sinful people and willing to forgive all kinds of sin, but He will judge people who refuse to repent. Jesus' substitutionary death is the ultimate demonstration of God's love and the ultimate satisfaction of His righteousness.

I Want to be Different

James Rochford

1 Peter 1:13-22

Change begins in the mind but does not end there. Many people desire to be different but allow mental lethargy and fleeting thoughts to derail them. Peter says to prepare your minds for action, be holy or unique, like God is holy. To be holy is to love one another fervently from the heart.

Jesus and Saul

Ben Foust

Acts 9:1-27

The story of Saul's radical transformation from an enemy of God who persecuted the early church with vengeance to his becoming the foremost evangelist who died proclaiming the Good News is a showcase for how God's grace and mercy can change anyone, even the one who is least likely in our eyes. Sometimes our spiritual passions are misplaced and don't align with God's plans for us. God's mercy and grace is nothing short of scandalous. No one is too much an enemy of God to be accepted by God. His invitation stand today for each and every person.