In Jesus' final moments with His disciples before going to the cross, He shares with them his promise of the coming Holy Spirit. There is much the Bible says concerning the Spirit, but Jesus identifies Him here as the Helper. Today we consider the Helper's ministry to us.

In one of Jesus' most well-known stories, he illustrates the depth of God's love for us. We know it as the story of the prodigal son, but it's actually a story of two sons: a tale of two sinners. But even more than that, it's a story of a father who runs towards those far from Him.

In His longest and greatest sermon, Jesus talked about the spiritual implications of His rule in our lives. But in these few brief verses in Matthew 5:13-16, He speaks directly to our identity and our activity as kingdom citizens. We are salt and light.

After 400 years of silence, Jesus Christ came into the world! He is the Word of God, the light of the world, the Son of God come in the flesh. And the reason He came was to make us children of God! Today we look to the Son.

The Old Testament comes to a close with the book of Malachi, where God confronts his people with their unworthy worship. The reason it is not worthy of Him is because it is heartless. What is heartless worship? And are we guilty of the very same thing? These are the questions we ponder as we wrap up this series and head into the New Testament.

As we spend another week in Nehemiah, we see the people in the land with walls rebuilt. In chapter 8, they do another sort of building: they build their lives upon the foundation of God's word. It's a simple, yet tried and true, formula! When we orient our lives around what God has said, we experience joy.

Nehemiah leads a third group of exiles back to Jerusalem with a burden to rebuild the city's walls. God's hand is upon this work, and through Nehemiah's leadership and the people's partnership, the task is completed. But one thing is certain: whenever God's people rise up to do God's work, opposition always rises up to counter it. Nehemiah's story helps us prepare for the opposition that will come...

The story of Esther is the story of a normal, everyday woman who is thrust into a position of influence. When a moment of crisis strikes her people, she is faced with a daunting decision: remain silent or risk it all. Her story teaches us much about facing fear, growing in our faith, and using every opportunity for God's glory.

One of the greatest examples of faith we see in the Scriptures is Daniel. Over the course of his life, he developed consistent habits that shaped his strong character, which in turn prepared him for the greatest trial of his life. As we live in our own modern-day Babylon, we can learn much from his faith in Daniel 6.

Following the Lord faithfully requires conviction: a fixed and firm belief in the goodness and power of God. One of the greatest examples of living with conviction is the account of the three young Hebrew men in Daniel chapter 3. Their story can not only help us live with greater conviction, but encourage us with the presence of Christ in the fiery trials of life.

Over and over, Israel strayed from their God. They wandered and attempted to make their own way and find satisfaction in other things. But the Lord is always reminding His people that He is the only One who can truly satisfy.

The prophet Isaiah was a beautiful example of a God-follower living a surrendered and sent life. In Isaiah chapter six, he uttered the famous words, "Here am I! Send me." This ought to be the heartbeat of every follower of Christ! But something powerful preceded this statement of availability. What was it? It was a divine encounter.

Through the example of Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings 18-19, we see that God not only reveals himself in loud, dramatic ways, but also in quiet, tender ways. Today we look at the immediate aftermath of Elijah's epic showdown with the 450 prophets of Baal.

In the era of the kings, many corrupt kings ruled both the northern and southern kingdoms. God raised up prophets to hold these kings accountable and to call people to follow the Lord. Today we recount a dramatic confrontation between one of Israel's worst kings (Ahab) and one of God's most prominent prophets (Elijah).

Solomon, the author of most of the book of Proverbs, shares wisdom for life in Proverbs 3. He shows us how to find favor and good success. Yet if we live in a way contrary to what he instructs, as we often tend to do, we will find the opposite of favor and success: we will find failure.

The successor to David as king of Israel was his son, Solomon. Solomon was well known for being the wisest man to ever live. What made him so wise? Where did this wisdom come from? And how can we find wisdom to navigate our own lives today?

The Psalms are often referred to as Israel's songbook. Many of these songs are penned by King David. Psalm 1 reveals two choices and two consequences for every person, and the deciding factor at the heart of it all is the Word of God.

Not only is God powerful, but He is kind. We see his grace on display through King David to a young man who expected a much different type of treatment. This is a simple story of extravagant grace and kindness.

The ultimate underdog story, David & Goliath, is not as it appears. It's actually not about the underdog at all. It's about the true hero of the story: the Lord of hosts! This Easter, we celebrate the power of God that shows up in David's story, in the Easter story, and even in our own story.

Samuel was an important figure in Israel's history. He had a massive impact on God's people as their last, greatest judge and first prophet. But there was an early experience that shaped his life and the impact he had - it was the way he responded to the voice of God in his life.

Moving into the book of Judges, we see a repeated pattern of God's people sinning against God, then crying out to him for help, followed by God's deliverance, only to be repeated time and again. God's means of deliverance in this era was through individuals called judges. One of these judges in particular was Samson, who was famously strong yet morally weak. This week we learn much about ourselves...

The first challenge for Joshua and the people of God as they entered the land of Canaan was the fortified city of Jericho. It was an obstacle that seemed insurmountable, but God promised and provided victory for His people then, just as He still does today.

God delivers the people of Israel into the Promised Land through the Jordan River, much like God delivered them out of Egypt through the Red Sea. What unfolds is an important episode in the history of Israel, and for the people of God today, as the Lord instructs them to build pillars of stone.

One of the most significant texts for the nation of Israel throughout their history is found in Deuteronomy 6. These words served as a daily prayer expressing the people's devotion to God. These words also instruct us in how to leave a legacy that lasts.

In the book of Numbers, the Lord sent spies into the land of Canaan to check out the land. For most of them, their report was dictated by fear. But for two, the response was one of faith. Will we walk in faith or in fear when our present circumstances seem impossible?