God Centered Life

Typical of this time of year, we often look back at the 12 months just wrapping up. Lots of metrics to consider, but what would you tell yourself if the metric was “taking advantage of opportunities to glorify God? Maybe the question that pops to mind is “What does that even mean?” Looking both backward and forward in this study. John 21:15-19

Let’s go right to the heart of the matter. For a good number of people, the joyful holiday celebrations aren’t that joyful! So how do we fix that? Our study today aims to do just that. John 14:6

Granted, Christmas messages typically don’t focus on the resurrection. But we’re going to do just that in this study with the intent of raising the “merry” even further on your Christmas celebration. John 11:25-26

Perhaps your default perception of God lives in the “Ruler” category. And rightly so. But do we sometimes miss out on the compassionate care that our God has for us? We’ll look at that attribute in our study today. John 10:11

You’ve likely heard the talk about “the good old days” when no one worried about locking their doors. Such a sense of security feels further away on a daily basis. But our passage today introduces a solution to the need for a sense of safety. John 10:9

Hindsight is 20/20. From our modern perspective, some of the ideas about Jesus during his day are hard to fathom. How could they miss it? But is it possible that parallels to this blindness are all around us today? Our study looks directly at this question. John 8:12

The assignment, watch 30 minutes of news and find a single example of unity. Mission impossible? Feels like it at times, right? And yet, all things are possible with God. Do we subconsciously exclude unity from “all things?” We’ll explore unity in our study today. Phil 2:2

There are a lot of reasons folks find to celebrate during the Christmas season. Believers know that the incarnation is at the heart of the celebration. But is there even more that we can lean into to fuel this celebration? We’ll go for further understanding of the roots of the season in this study. John 6:35

The Bible is the textbook of theology. Yes. But… the Bible also speaks to the single person who has desires, or the married person who has desires. Very practical discussions included in this study from the book of Hosea. Hosea 1

If you grew up with the “flannel-graph in Sunday School” generation, it’s likely that the story of Hosea didn’t make the rotation. Nevertheless, there are lessons to be learned, and we’ll go in pursuit in this study. Hosea 1

Maybe you’ve heard the challenge to “preach the gospel, and use words only as a last resort?” What is the gospel impact of our personal finances? What do we tell the world around us with our wallet? This topic in the focus today. 2 Cor. 9:6-15

Stereotypic impressions of the church from the outside? “They want money.” What’s the flipside of this negative take? What is a cheerful giver? We’ll explore this topic today. 2 Cor. 9:6-15

Perhaps you’ve heard of fleeting joy, a temporary breeze of positivity that is cherished for the brief moment that it lands on you. Our study today tackles the idea of complete joy. Complete sounds better than fleeting. Let’s explore these types of joy in this study. Phil 2:2

If there’s a grizzly bear in your house, you’ll know it. But we have to install detectors to tell us about invisible things like radon gas. So, what are the lurking but invisible threats that are around us and possibly in us every day? We’ll explore that question in this study. Acts 8:26-40

Here’s a paradigm shift—when you’re being persecuted, what would it take to love the one persecuting you? We have a powerful example of this in our study today, as we continue to look at the book of Daniel. Daniel 1

Daniel of the Old Testament has some dramatic challenges that he faces as he lives in a pagan culture. And while it can be intriguing to look into that story, we must ask about parallels between his world and ours. How are we being influenced by a pagan culture in our daily existence? We’ll look at that question in this study. Daniel 1

Staying in the fight…. This is a lauded characteristic today. Perseverance is honored and rightly so in many cases. But is there a danger in losing track of whose fight we’re involved in? Our study today will visit this perspective in the exploration of why Bible reading is vital. Joshua 1:1-9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“You should read the Bible.” “Well, yes, I know that!” But when was the last time you wrestled with the “why?” We’ll dive into that quest in this study. Joshua 1:1-9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heading into December, we’ll soon be hearing the music tones of “Joy to the World.” We sing it, we enjoy it, but have we ever really wrestled with that phrase? Is joy something that can be found anywhere in our world today? And if so, what is its source? All these questions are explored in this study. Phil 2:2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve been looking at the external influences of buildings, traditions, worship styles, and other elements. Can we miss the internal priorities while sorting out the externals? This study moves to the heart of the matter, literally. Mark 7:14-23 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may have heard the rhyme, “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple….” Have you ever thought about the role of a building as a part of a dynamic gospel church? We’ll look into the influence a building can have in this study. Mark 7:1-13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How important is tradition in authentic Christianity? “That’s how we’ve always done it.” Does that statement carry weight? We’ll explore the value of tradition in this study. Mark 7:1-13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do church attendance numbers matter? Is the success of a church related to how many people show up? Or is showing up important for other reasons? We’ll look at the essence of worship in this study. Mark 7:5-7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the core of your worship? Given that core, is someone else’s preference of worship better or worse? Does it matter? We’ll explore the foundation of worship in this study. Mark 7:5-7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What image does the word “hero” bring to mind for you? Perhaps you’ve heard the meme that “not all heroes wear capes.” In this study we’ll be looking at a quiet hero, one who presents a challenge for all of us. Ruth 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices