The Summing Up of All Things in Christ

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 3:1-18

Paul explains the mystery God kept hidden from the beginning that He had a plan to reconcile Jews and Gentiles into one body. He kept secret that the Suffering Servant and the Conquering King were one and the same person but separated by time. He revealed all this in Jesus. God kept these things secret so Satan would go along with His plan to crucify Jesus at the right time, not realizing it would result in his own defeat.

What's Wrong with Humans?

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 2:1-10

Our sin is a big barrier between us and God. Our fall from grace has led to alienation from God. But God in His mercy offers us forgiveness through the death of His son Jesus. When we believe and accept this offer of forgiveness, God gives us a new identity which we then gradually grow into it. Religion is the performance of religious laws, but Jesus offers instead a relationship based on personal love.

Standing Firm

Mike Sullivan

1 Peter 5:8-14

Peter describes Satan as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. He attempts to devour us by means of distraction, deception and other schemes. As Christians, we resist him by standing solid in the faith. Stand fast in the true grace of God.

Is the Devil Real?

James Rochford

1 Peter 5:8-9

Some say Satan's greatest achievement is convincing us he doesn't exist. He prefers to work in the dark and let us think our evil thoughts come from our own mind. He uses his intellect rather than "power encounters" to manipulate us. He thrives on misinformation. As super intelligent as he is, he uses the same methods to deceive us over and over again. He manipulates expertly, embellishes fears and negativity, nurtures hurt feelings, and fuels temptation.

Know Your Enemy

Chris Hearty

1 Peter 5:8-11

Satan's greatest deception is making people believe he does not exist. Peter calls believers to know our enemy, the devil. Being sober and alert, we resist through faith and endure through fellowship. Jesus defeated him and the fear of death at the cross. We know we, who are in Christ Jesus, already have victory over the evil one.

Spiritual Warfare

Conrad Hilario

1 Peter 5:8-9

\r\n\r\nSatan seeks to prevent anyone from hearing the message of Christ. He attacks non-believers by questioning God's goodness, by inciting believers to do things offensive to non-believers and he uses distraction to keep them from ever thinking about their need for salvation. Against believers, he uses temptation, accusation, isolation, discouragement, opposition and deception among other things to keep believers from fulfilling their mission to share the gospel with the lost. Learn to use the truth of God's Word and the power of prayer to resist the devil's efforts to neutralize your effectiveness for God.

Lion Survival

Scott Risley

1 Peter 5:8-11

Although many people, including some professing Christians don't believe Satan exists, the Bible teaches that we have a very real adversary, the devil or Satan, who seeks to destroy us and our witness to a lost world. Peter writes that the devil is always on the prowl, seeking to attack us with lies, distortions, and accusations. Like a real lion, he tries to separate us from the pack so he can prey on the isolated. Peter calls us to be alert, know the Word, and resist the devil and he will flee from us. Don't forget you are not alone, and beware his strategy to separate you from God and the Body. Remember, it will all be over soon and God has dominion over Satan.

Lion Awareness

Ben Foust

1 Peter 5:8-11

One of the essential attitudes for enduring what Peter calls the "fiery ordeal"--suffering in the name of Christ--is an awareness of God's enemy, Satan. Peter describes him as a lion, prowling around, looking for someone to devour. Peter says the keys to defeating him are knowing your enemy, being on the alert, and resisting him.

Jesus and Simon Peter

Ben Foust

John 21:1-17

Peter's three-fold denial of Jesus was a failure of faith. As fallen humans, we over-estimate the strength of our intentions and faithfulness. Jesus anticipates our failures but has a vision for us beyond our failures. He forgives our failures and restores us relationally. He refines our character through our failures and redeems our failures.