Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, is often misunderstood as suggesting that life has no meaning or value. It portrays a world filled with unpredictability and chaos—where, despite our best efforts to control outcomes, things often don’t go as planned. To make matters more sobering, Ecclesiastes highlights that for most, death is an unavoidable reality. Depressing? If that were the book’s …
A Dialogue With God
For more years than I care to admit, my prayers consisted solely of me talking to God at length. I would go on and on, asking Him for this or that, thanking Him for past blessings, and praising Him for His love and goodness. But I never listened to what God had to say! “But when ye pray, use not …
Worship: Actions of Surrender and Submission
In this teaching, Gary Lee Corns delves into the essence of worship, focusing on John 4:24, where Jesus calls believers to worship in spirit and truth. He emphasizes that biblical worship is not merely an intellectual or emotional experience but also involves physical expressions such as bowing the head, lifting hands, and kneeling. These outward acts, he explains, symbolize a …
King David: A Journey to God’s Heart
In this months Connected in Christ, we take a deeper look into the life of King David. What qualified him to be king, and why didn’t he immediately assume the throne after being anointed by Samuel? What temptations led him away from God’s heart and toward his own selfish desires? At what point in his life did he earn the …
Exhausted but Not Alone
Life often feels overwhelming. The weight of responsibilities, disappointments, work pressures, relationships, and uncertainty can drain us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. At times, it seems as if there is nothing left to give. The exhaustion of simply being exhausted can leave us feeling depleted and burdened beyond measure. When life becomes too heavy, we may seek various forms of relief. …
The Marriage Covenant
I believe that the foundational relationship of humanity is marriage. Every other human relationship — friendship, partnership, parenting, or neighborliness — can be observed and mastered within the marriage covenant. It is the first human relationship established in God’s Word in the Garden of Eden. It is also the model covenant God used to invite Israel to become His chosen …
Understanding Agency and Authority in Christ
In this teaching, we explored the concept of agency and authority within ancient Near Eastern culture and its application to Christian prayer. Using the example of the Centurion in Luke 7, Marc Dickie illustrates how agency allows representatives to act on behalf of their principals, demonstrating trust and humility in a higher authority. Marc emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the …
Jacob Humbled Himself
As a historical biblical figure, Jacob, the son of Isaac, is not someone we would typically associate with humility. Perhaps terms like craftiness or selfishness come to mind when we think of this patriarch of Israel. Yet, when we examine his life more closely, I believe we can learn a great deal about humility. Like many of us, Jacob may …
Stepping into 2025
As we step into 2025, it’s natural to contemplate the path ahead, particularly concerning our relationship with God and Christ. How disheartening it must be for those who lack a burning passion, who see no grander purpose in their existence, and who settle for a life of distractions. Surely, life offers more than simply avoiding disaster while filling our time …
Measuring Growth in Faith, Not Numbers
As a Christian ministry in the modern world, it’s easy to get caught up in metrics like bank balances, social media engagement, and online participation. While these figures can offer some insight, they risk diverting us from our core mission: guiding individuals to become disciples of Christ. Focusing solely on numerical data is like counting social media connections instead of …