by Jeff Kephart | Apr 23, 2020 | COVID-19, Encouragement
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” —Esther 4:14 Esther is unique among the books of the Bible in that God is never mentioned directly in the entire book. Further, the namesake character endures a difficult arranged...
by Jeff Kephart | Apr 6, 2020 | COVID-19, Encouragement
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is...
by Jeff Kephart | Mar 19, 2020 | Encouragement
As all of us deal with the life-disrupting challenges brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, I am reminded of Psalm 46. 1-3,7: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains...
by Jeff Gerig | Mar 9, 2020 | Encouragement
The first parable Jesus shares in Luke 15 presents a formidable challenge to churches. There, Jesus tells of one sheep that has wandered from a fold of one hundred. Compare that with those presently not in church on any given Sunday, which David Olsen suggested in his...
by Jeff Gerig | Feb 11, 2020 | Encouragement
“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” —Steven Covey Mark’s Gospel packs a powerful punch in “getting to the point.” For instance, note Jesus’ first recorded words as He begins his ministry in Mark 1.15: “’The time has come,’ he said. ‘The Kingdom...
by Jeff Gerig | Jan 6, 2020 | Encouragement
“Integrity” can be defined as “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards.” It is an essential characteristic of anyone who would claim to be a disciple of Jesus. The necessity of integrity also extends to our...
