Bible study: God wants me in heaven
David Scharf There are many versions of the phrase “God wants me to be happy.” “God wants me to be rich.” “God wouldn’t want me to rush into marriage, so…
Bible Study: The incarnation of our Lord
Paul E. Zell For many congregations, the Gospel of the Day is the keynote for each worship service. The Gospel for Christmas Day is John 1:1-4. Based on that reading,…
A gospel-filled life: Part 10
Putting it all together Jeffrey D. Enderle Getting there. That’s the tricky part. Sitting in your aunt’s cozy home with delicious smells wafting past the expanded table, that’s the good…
The Book of Revelation: Part 12
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 21 and 22 Timothy J. Westendorf It’s been 1,900 years since John recorded the words of Jesus in Revelation 22: “I am coming soon!” (vv. 7,12,20). Soon? Really?…
A gospel-filled life: Part 9
Devotional development Jeffrey D. Enderle A slight sadness seeps into my psyche every autumn. For some reason, I can’t help looking ahead and grieving the loss of the magnificent scenery and pleasant…
The Book of Revelation: Part 11
Comfort in the midst of conflict:Revelation 21 to 22:5 Timothy J. Westendorf Blessed with milk and honey. A sight that refreshes. Full of unknown joy. Radiant in glory. Bliss beyond compare. Jubilant with song.…
A gospel-filled life: Part 8
Cross-centered life and thought Jeffrey D. Enderle Her first restaurant job was nothing like cooking at home. Personal safety videos. Rigorous sanitation rules. Strict food handling standards. Weeks into the job, she had no chance…
The Book of Revelation: Part 10
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 20 Timothy J. Westendorf Chapter 20 introduces the seventh and final vision. Many Christians have been taught to expect a coming millennial (thousand-year) reign of Jesus on earth based,…
A gospel-filled life: Part 7
Heart transformation Jeffrey D. Enderle Fall sports seasons are preparing to reboot. The starting quarterback reports to camp in excellent shape. Over the summer he has been training vigorously. Intense workouts got his body ready…
The Book of Revelation: Part 9
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 17 to 19 Timothy J. Westendorf The vision of the seven bowls (worsening spiritual plagues from the proliferation of false teaching) leads to another vision. The connection between the two, reminding us that…
A gospel-filled life: Part 6
Meditating on God’s Word Jeffrey D. Enderle I’m a list person. I have to write things down or else I’ll completely forget about them. So I make check lists. Whatever…
The Book of Revelation: Part 8
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 15 and 16 Timothy J. Westendorf Often in Revelation the seventh in a series serves as a springboard into a new series. After the seven seals, we…
A gospel-filled life: Part 5
Pray to know God better Jeffrey D. Enderle Someone was bound to invent an easy button. One office supply company has already used an “easy button” to advertise solutions to office headaches. But we…
The Book of Revelation: Part 7
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 14 Timothy J. Westendorf We’ve seen the first three of the seven “visions”—the dragon and his two beastly allies. Chapter 14 reveals the next three. The…
A gospel-filled life: Part 4
Prayer comes from the heart Jeffrey D. Enderle Once preschoolers have acquired the ability to talk, their words just pour out. What tumbles out of their mouths can be a source of great…
The Book of Revelation: Part 6
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 12 to 15 Timothy J. Westendorf Seven churches. Seven seals. Seven trumpets. The next grouping is comprised of seven mini-visions. They are recorded in Revelation chapters 12–15. We’ll cover the first three this…
A gospel-filled life: Part 3
Revelation vs. speculation Jeffrey D. Enderle Getting and staying healthy is a major concern for millions of people. In recent years you may have heard a confusing array of advice on how to…
The Book of Revelation: Part 5
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 8 to 11 Timothy J. Westendorf Most are aware that this world is fraught with peril. People strive to protect themselves and their loved ones from physical harm. But how many live…
The Book of Revelation: Part 4
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 6 and 7 Timothy J. Westendorf Jesus, who was slain to purchase us for God, stood at the center of the throne. He…
A gospel-filled life: Part 2
Prayer in Jesus’ name Jeffrey D. Enderle Slumps affect all the greats. Last year’s baseball batting title winner might go through the first week of spring training without a hit. A sure-bet first-round NBA draft…
A gospel-filled life: Part 1
A simple way to pray Jeffrey D. Enderle Learning to swim can be traumatic enough. But in the captivating memoir The Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls tells of her father’s no-nonsense…
The Book of Revelation: Part 3
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 4 and 5 Timothy J. Westendorf Jesus’ letters to the seven churches remind us of an important truth: The Christian Church in this world is always the…
Majoring on the minors – Part 12
Malachi: “The Son-Rise” Thomas D. Kock It was about a 20-hour trip to reach our summer vacation destination. Since the kids were young, it made more sense to drive through…
The Book of Revelation: Part 2
Comfort in the midst of conflict: Revelation 2 and 3 Timothy J. Westendorf Introduction Revelation is symbolic. That’s important to remember, and symbolic numbers play a big role. The number…