Paul knew God had destined him to go to Rome.  In Acts 19, verse 21, he resolved in the spirit, he was to go to Rome to preach the gospel.  We don’t always know how we will get where God wants us to go, but He will make a way.  For this trip, Paul ended up in chains on a ship that was wrecked on the island of Malta.  What a journey.   Picking up in Acts 28, verse 2 we see it was cold and raining. ...  Read More

Think of an experience you have had that has shaken you to the core. The death of a loved one, a devastating divorce, a terrible illness, these things change our lives. For Christians, the changing of our lives to look more like Christ. There comes a moment in these times when we just need a word of comfort. I believe this is what Paul must have felt in Acts 23:11. “The following night the Lord st...  Read More

In Acts 20, Paul says goodbye to the Ephesian elders, he reminds them of his service with humility, tears, and trials, holding nothing back from them.  He declared, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”In Acts 21, Paul goes off to Jerusalem and believers continue to warn him of dangers ahead…but Paul being Paul, h...  Read More

Romans 16 is often overlooked because it’s filled with greetings and names. Yet it reveals something profound: Paul honors ordinary believers—men and women, Jews and Gentiles, leaders and servants—who together form the living church. The gospel is not just about doctrine; it’s about people faithfully living out their calling in community. Every name represents a story of service, sacrifice, and pa...  Read More

Romans 12 answers the question: "Since God has done all this for me (the mercy described in Romans 1–11), how then should I live?"It begins by urging believers to dedicate their entire existence to God as living sacrifices (v. 1). This is directly contrasted with conforming to the world and achieved through the renewing of the mind (v. 2). This mental transformation is the gateway to discerning an...  Read More

Romans chapter 8 is often called the "Magna Carta of the Christian Faith" because it encapsulates the life, freedom, and assurance believers have in Christ and through the Holy Spirit.It transitions from the struggle with sin described in Chapter 7 to the triumphant life available through the Holy Spirit. The chapter is a powerful journey that moves from no condemnation (v. 1) to no separation (v....  Read More

Romans 5 shows us that God’s love is proven in Christ’s sacrifice, giving us peace with Him and hope that endures even through suffering. The chapter reminds us that grace is stronger than sin, and through Jesus we are part of a new humanity that lives in freedom and life instead of condemnation and death.Real PrincipleJustification by faith in Christ brings peace with God, hope in trials, and vic...  Read More

The Unveiling of God's Power and Wrath: Romans 1:16-18 presents a powerful contrast: the Gospel reveals God's righteousness and brings salvation to the faithful, while simultaneously, God's wrath is being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people. The chapter demonstrates that humanity is without excuse because God's eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen throu...  Read More

The passage invites reflection on the contrast between worldly strength and divine power. Paul's critics judged him by outward appearances, calling him "timid" in person but "bold" in letters (v. 1, 10). Paul counters by asserting that although he lives "in the flesh" (human body), he does not wage war "according to the flesh" (v. 3).The battlefield is primarily the mind and thought-life (v. 5). T...  Read More

The chapter transitions beautifully from the temporary nature of our current, earthly life to the certainty and glory of our eternal dwelling with God. Paul uses the metaphor of a tent (our mortal body) that will be exchanged for a building from God (our resurrection body). This profound hope leads to an intense desire: to be pleasing to the Lord, whether we are present with Him or still here on e...  Read More

I always love having a chance to dive into Paul’s letters, but goodness do you have to have your A-game for reading on while diving in.  I lovingly refer to Paul as, “The master of run-on sentences!”  I found this review of 2 Corinthians 1 – 4 however, to be a read that really does produce real fruit for the reader, especially the believer. The fruit that I refer to is summarized below…God IS the ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 15 is Paul’s great chapter on the resurrection of Christ and the hope of believers. He reminds us that the gospel is centered on Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and that without the resurrection, our faith would be empty. But because Christ is risen, death has lost its sting, and we have the assurance of eternal life. This truth is not just theological—it is deeply practical,...  Read More

Paul’s central argument in these three chapters is that spiritual gifts are not badges of honor or signs of spiritual maturity; they are tools for service.REAL LIFE PRINCIPLES1. The Principle of Mutual Benefit (The "Common Good")  In Chapter 12, Paul emphasizes that while gifts vary, the Source (the Spirit) is the same. The purpose is never self-aggrandizement."Now to each one the manifestation of...  Read More

Real-Life Principle (from 1 Corinthians 9:19–23)Servant-hearted flexibility for the gospel: Paul says, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” The principle is that we willingly adjust our preferences, comfort, and even rights to reach others with Christ. Relevant ApplicationsFor Teens: Be willing to step into someone else’s world—listen to their ...  Read More

In today’s chapters we learn how Paul confronts the church on many situations regarding sexual immorality, church discipline, solving legal problems among believers, and exhortation on how married, single and/ or widow Christians should live. Paul is doing a strong call to the Corinthians (and us today) to live in a way that honors God. He explains the dangers of sin and how as believers, we can’t...  Read More

Paul, author of this letter, writes to the church in Corinth. A city that, at that time, was a multicultural place, with people from different places coming for commercial purposes. It was a place of many religions and cultures just mingled together. During this time, Paul sends this letter addressing different issues within the church, and the first one we find is in these first chapters. There w...  Read More

Paul's encounter in Corinth, a city known for its moral depravity and challenging environment (Acts 18:1-11). Paul was clearly struggling with fear and discouragement, but God intervenes with a powerful, personalized message:"Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city." (Acts 1...  Read More

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul praises the believers by highlighting three outstanding qualities that defined their life and work:Work produced by faith: Their belief wasn't passive; it led to tangible effort and action.Labor prompted by love: Their hard work was motivated not by obligation or glory, but by sacrificial love for one another and for God.Endurance inspired by hope: Their perseverance t...  Read More

The Bereans are described as "more noble than those in Thessalonica" (Acts 17:11). This nobility was demonstrated in two key actions:They received the word with all readiness (openness, eagerness).They examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul and Silas preached was true (verification, diligence).Their nobility wasn't a matter of social class but of spiritual character. They didn't accept ...  Read More

Galatians 4:1-7 compares our former state to a minor heir who, though owning everything, is under the control of guardians and managers—essentially like a slave—until the time set by the father. Paul says we were similarly enslaved to the "elementary principles of the world" (Galatians 4:3), which can be interpreted as a life governed by the law, rules, or even worldly systems and false gods.Real ...  Read More

Paul opens this letter to the Galatians, immediately asserting his authority as an apostle of Christ and reinforcing that the authority comes directly from God and not human appointment. The Galatians at the time were pulling away from the gospel and beginning to accept a corrupted version being spread by false teachers. He is urgently conveying to the people to treat the false teachers as accurse...  Read More

Here in Chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas are up against it once again. The council at Jerusalem, which was comprised of delegates from the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch, were meeting because of an “urgent” question for the early church. It concerned the conversion of Gentiles. This real problem for the Jewish Christians was not whether Gentiles could be saved, but whether Gentile believers also h...  Read More

You may get a sense of Déjà vu when reading the book of James, especially since we just finished up our James Series – Real Faith, Real Life, which I strongly suggest you go back and listen to because it was so good!  James 1-5 teaches us the utmost importance of living out one’s faith through actions, not just with words.  Finding joy in trials, seeking wisdom from God, favoritism, and the untama...  Read More

Chapter 13 in the book of Acts concerns the transformation of Saul to Paul.  It gives an account in verses 9-10 when God refers to Saul as Paul, since his conversion, which happened on his journey on the road to Damascus.  The Holy Spirit led Paul to confront Bar-Jesus with his sin.  There is a time to be nice and a time to confront.  Ask God to show you the difference and to give you the courage ...  Read More