Solomon became famous for his wealth and his wisdom, but throughout his reign, Solomon ignored God and took shortcuts. In the end, God pronounced judgement upon him. Today we too are tempted to take shortcuts and ignore God as we try to build our own kingdoms. In contrast to that, Jesus calls his followers to give up their lives for his sake, and i…

2 Samuel gives us two opposing views of the life of David. On one hand he can chase after God’s own heart, especially in the story of Mephibosheth. On the other hand, he can forget everything about God and be selfish, which leads to actions that don’t bring glory to God. We can have a heart for God or a heart for ourselves. Our actions show where o…

David was given the opportunity to easily eliminate Saul twice: once in a cave and once at night in Saul’s camp. In both instances, David chose to honor God’s anointed, and to wait on God’s timing. He knew what we need to learn today: that God is the ultimate check on human power.Walter Neuenschwander による

Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. God was literally making him king; all he had to do was obey. Unfortunately for Saul, that wasn’t enough for him, and he wanted to make himself king in his own way. We struggle with the same temptation today – to make ourselves king in God’s place. Christians should ask themselves every day, “W…

Hannah’s prayer at the beginning of I Samuel reminds us that no matter who our rulers are, God alone has sovereignty. This was a message the Israelites would be reminded of over and over again during their monarchy period, and it’s a message we need reminding of today as well. Humans are fallible. God is not.…

Ruth was the ultimate outsider – a Moabite, an enemy of God’s people, excluded from their assembly by Torah. Yet, she chose to follow Naomi and to look for belonging among God’s people. Her example shows us that outsiders are given a chance to belong among the people of God, but it takes work – on our part, on their part, and on God’s part.…

We all want a place to belong. But, to truly find community, it’s going to cost us. Deep community in God’s church means that we’re more than just attenders – we’re members of a rich and vibrant local body of believers. That status comes with great privileges, and great responsibility.Walter Neuenschwander による

We all want a place to belong. But, to truly find community, it’s going to cost us. Deep community in God’s church means that we’re more than just attenders – we’re members of a rich and vibrant local body of believers. That status comes with great privileges, and great responsibility.Walter Neuenschwander による

It only takes one person to mess things up for everyone. In any community, one person’s misdeeds can have serious repercussions for the whole group. On the other hand, it only takes one person to improve a relationship, and one person’s actions can help our church become a more welcoming place where people can belong.…

We sometimes think that God shows his approval to Christians, churches, or Christian organizations by increasing their wealth or power. The New Testament is pretty clear though – instead of wealth and power being signs of approval, they are a liability and a responsibility. They should be handled with care.…

We assume that faith will make life easier and more comfortable. When the opposite happens, our faith can be challenged. Hebrews 11 shows us that our heroes of the faith did not live comfortable lives. Instead, their eyes were fixed on a prize that they never fully realized during their earthly live.…

All too often, we become attached to things of this world including our patriotism. When we lose sight of who we are, we become prideful, judgmental, and fearful. 1 Peter will be our guide to help us know we are called out of darkness and made into a spiritual temple. WE are a people who “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believer…

At one time or another, each of us has firmly believed a lie. When it comes to faith, we also can be confused about the truth. Sometimes we even intentionally seek out falsehoods. In response to this tendency, Paul tells Timothy to keep a clear mind, to not avoid suffering, to proclaim the gospel, and to carry out his ministry.…

At one time or another, each of us has firmly believed a lie. When it comes to faith, we also can be confused about the truth. Sometimes we even intentionally seek out falsehoods. In response to this tendency, Paul tells Timothy to keep a clear mind, to not avoid suffering, to proclaim the gospel, and to carry out his ministry.…

As we finish our journey with Paul, there are many things Paul that have come to the surface. This week we look at all things Paul and how we put them into our lives. We need to live like Paul did where the gospel was everything!Wally Lowman による

The Thessalonian church was worried about their saints who had passed away before Christ’s return. Paul encouraged them with words from Jesus himself. When we face loss and grief today, our response should be the same: encourage one another with Scripture.Walter Neuenschwander による

Brian Baldwin, Dean of Students at Great Lakes Christian College, shares with us today.Brian Baldwin による

Patience, Kindness, Forgiveness.Habacuc Diaz による

Freedom makes us assume there are no limits, but true freedom in Christ is much different. It requires us to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It demands that we look out for the well-being of others.Walter Neuenschwander による

Pride and ranking of spiritual gifts was dividing the Corinthian church. To that pride, Paul reminded those Christians that they were all part of the same body. Instead of being prideful, Paul directed the Corinthians to “care for one another.”Walter Neuenschwander による

The Roman church was facing a severe division over dietary and calendar customs. Paul wrote that instead of judging one another, the church should build each other up. The same goes for us today. No matter which side we’re on in a particular dispute, we must always aim for harmony and to build each other up.…

'Who you are as a follower if Jesus is not for you to define. Instead, God is transforming you into a member of his family. And In the family of God, we are devoted to, honor, and live in harmony with one another.'Walter Neuenschwander による

While the rich people came to ostentatiously give large sums to the temple treasury, the poor widow quietly threw in her last two coins. Jesus pointed out that her gift was the greater. When it comes to giving today, how much should we give? Whatever amount God has placed upon our hearts, rather than what we think will impress others.…

In the Torah, God’s people are to either sacrifice their first born (animals), or to redeem them with a sacrifice (humans). They are called to give the first fruits of their crops and vineyards. Today, followers of Jesus are expected to give the first parts of their time, attention, and money to God, not the leftovers.…

In the Torah, God’s people are to either sacrifice their first born (animals), or to redeem them with a sacrifice (humans). They are called to give the first fruits of their crops and vineyards. Today, followers of Jesus are expected to give the first parts of their time, attention, and money to God, not the leftovers.…

We live our lives like we own everything. We work hard so we can have our stuff, so we can do what we want. We allow what we have to drive jealousy, desire, and status. We see the effects of it in the story of Cain and Abel. God, wants our best. God wants us to be Stewards of his creation. We are Stewards of the good news. To be good stewards, we h…

Why serve? (To make disciples in Jesus name) Let’s not let the cart get ahead of the horse – serving is good, but anyone/any organization can serve. We are the church and we have something unique – the words of eternal life. “Silver and gold I have none, but what I do have, I do have, I give…”Habacuc Diaz による

Sometimes, we making the idea of serving too complicated. The Parable of the Good Samaritan gives us a picture of serving in simplicity. When it comes to finding ways to serve, we can start by asking, “what would I want done for me if I were in that situation?”Walter Neuenschwander による

Ambition drives almost everyone. Much of what we do is an effort to be seen, recognized, and elevated. Jesus tells his disciples that it should not be like that among them. Instead, they should choose the path of quietly serving others. The same goes for us today. When we serve, we should do so with others in mind, instead of our own reputation.…

THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT THAT EVER HAPPENED. The story is not over. Mark’s gospel ends in an unsettling way, with a seeming cliff-hanger. Why? Because the story continues on. Be encouraged: God’s story is not finished. Be challenged: There’s work to do.Walter Neuenschwander による

Mark 14 records the last moments of Jesus’ time with the disciples. As they celebrate the Passover, Jesus is drawing God’s original covenant with Israel forward to establish something new—something that the disciples and his followers will be able to return to understand their place in the Kingdom.Wally Lowman による

In Mark 13, Jesus gives a much-debated teaching that touches on both the destruction of the temple and his second coming. While we get lost in the details of what he said, Jesus’ main point here is to encourage his disciples to be alert. Today, we too must be alert to guard against false teaching and to actively live out our faith.…

Jesus continues to spar with the religious and legal authorities of Jerusalem in Mark 12. He ultimately silences their questions with a restatement of the basics of faith: love God and love people. For us today, while we often chase the novel or exciting in faith, what we need most is to live out those basics.…

In Mark 11 Jesus behaves in a seemingly erratic manner, cursing a fig tree and chasing people out of the temple. When we slow down and read carefully though, we see Jesus teaching his disciples that the Temple was corrupt and needed to be closed down. Although it looked healthy from the outside, it was bearing bad fruit. God expects his followers t…

In Mark 10, Jesus is headed up toward Jerusalem to begin his final week. On his way there, he takes multiple opportunities to teach his disciples about what God truly values. In every instance, the assumptions of this world are countered and opposed. The values of God’s Kingdom remain the same, and Christians today must examine our own assumptions …

Throughout Acts 15 to 21 we see Paul completely sold out to chasing God and proclaiming the Gospel. There is nothing else that distracts him. His believers seem to do the same. What’s our problem? Why not us? How do we die to ourselves to live for Christ? We need to live Gospel Focused lives.Wally Lowman による

Paul’s speech before Festus is carefully worded and clearly structured. Paul was well-prepared for his moment to share the gospel, and he is an example for us. Followers of Jesus today should take conscious steps to be prepared to tell others about him!Walter Neuenschwander による

In Acts 8-14, Philip, Peter, and Paul model how to introduce people to Christ. We can draw 3 principles from them: start where people are, work as a team, and pray when trouble happens. Listening to the Spirit, they built on what people knew of God’s story to point them to Jesus. Ganongs and their team are doing the same things to reach Baga people…

The account in Acts 2 tells us that the earliest Christians experienced deep fellowship – and their faith was stronger for it. One of the reasons our faith can feel shallow today is because we don’t experience that same level of fellowship. The believers in Acts modeled a way for us to deepen our fellowship: to share.…

We often struggle to pray because we’re distracted, out of time, or are entirely self-focused. Jesus’ prayer life was much different, and when we read Luke we see how highly Jesus valued prayer – often slipping away from everyone else to focus on God. We can learn a great deal today from Jesus’ example.…

We nearly never approach human relationships like we do our relationship with God. People who are close want to spend time together. When we want to get close to God, we often turn to spiritual disciplines and checklists. Psalm 84 teaches us that instead of a flurry of activity, faith is a relationship that requires presence.…

This year at SLCC is all about what’s NEXT. A new year gives us a chance to make a clean break with the past, overcome things that have been holding us back, and set a new course with purpose.Walter Neuenschwander による

When you love something, you want to be close to it. You want to interact with it. It draws you in. God loves his creation. God loves people who were made in his image. This week, we talk about the Advent of Jesus and how God’s love draws near. The question for us is how will we respond? Will we step in or will we run away…

At the center of the religious and cultural practices that make up our understanding of Christmas, we find the idea that buying the perfect gift will bring us JOY. Paul gives the Philippians 3 life changing gifts that we could perfectly find on the bottom shelf.Habacuc Diaz による

When Isaiah prophesied of the coming of the Emmanuel to King Ahaz, he called the coming child “Prince of Peace.” In the announcement to the shepherds, the angels pronounced “peace”. Peace, by its very nature is optimistic. It looks beyond present conflict into what can be. This Christmas, we encourage you to look forward, and to seek peace.…

Due to the way that our society views Christmas, we have lost what it means to have a biblical version of Hope. Jesus’ birth inaugurates a hope that goes beyond just our comfort but promises renewal for all of creation.Eric Sheldon による

We all have moments of instant regret in our lives. Some of those instant regret moments only last for a moment like the mouth full of cocoa powder. Sometimes they last a little longer and have a lasting effect. For the Israelites, it happened a lot—and their mistakes lead to years of wandering and snakebites! Yet, God, in the bronze serpent story,…

The punishment for Moses’ seemingly small infraction at Meribah seems extremely harsh. Yet, Hebrews tells us that God disciplines those he loves. In contrast to the people of our world who avoid as much responsibility as possible, the people of God should seek his discipline in our failures and triumphs.…

The people God brought out of Egypt made mistake after mistake, culminating in their rebellion and refusal to follow God into the Promised Land. Their mistakes had consequences, even as God offered grace. Similarly for us today, our mistakes have very real consequences. Yet through it all, we are covered by the grace of Jesus.…

Chapters 18-25 contain the “Book of Holiness.” These are specific instructions about how a Holy God is to be served. What’s morally wrong about mixing cloths, seeds in a field, or animals? Nothing. But, God’s people are to be separate. The Israelites were needed reminders to be separate. We also need those reminders, as we’re tempted to “mix cloths…