Solomon started his reign amazingly well. He truly loved God and the Lord was pleased with him. Sadly, it didn’t stay this way. Things took a turn for the worse when Solomon allowed his heart to be captivated by something other than the Lord. As we study the downfall of this man, we'll find that his life provides this warning for every Christian: Believer, You must guard your heart.

Christian Clement-Schlimm. Christians are called to thank and praise God in all things and circumstances. On the face of it, this might sound like an exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, command. Thankfully, God does not leave Christians guessing on how to do this. Through David's example in Psalm 138, believers are reminded why God is always worthy of thanks and how they can thank Him, even in the midst of suffering and hardship.

It should be no surprise that a book that is all about the Gospel would include a section that speaks to the responsibilities of the local church in selecting, sending and supporting those who would take that Gospel to places where it has never been heard. Paul makes it clear every church needs to be a missionary-sending church. And in the process he helps each one of us understand our specific role in the grand scheme of worldwide Gospel proclamation.

Death is an inescapable reality all humans face. While some people live in fear of it, others choose to ignore it, and still others work to fight against it. Yet, no matter who we are or what we do, death will come for us all. Yet, for the Christian, death is not something to be feared. Through two stories from the life of Jesus, Luke shows his readers that for those who humble themselves and hope in Jesus, death is not the end. In Jesus' healing of the centurion's servant and his raising of the widow's son, we receive the teaching that Jesus is, without a doubt, the Lord of Life. Those who humbly trust in him can enjoy spiritual life in the present and look forward to eternal resurrected life in the future.

Christians, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, have a King: Jesus Christ. But what does it mean and what does it look like to follow this King? Through Luke's account of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, we are given clear instructions from Jesus himself that following him means seeking ultimate satisfaction in God, loving radically, and rejecting hypocrisy. He also explains how and why following him, despite the cost, is entirely worth it.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, sin is a fatal sickness we all have to deal with. What Jesus' debates with the self-righteous Pharisees helpfully make clear is that God will not be impressed by pious reputations, tricked by disciplines, or satisfied by rule-keeping. Our only hope to be free from sin and saved from God's just judgment is to look to, trust in, and rest upon Jesus, the great physician of souls.

Due to our sin and its stain, we must grapple with the reality of being unholy creatures facing the justice of holy God. Thankfully, in Jesus, we have a source of hope. Through two amazing stories of Jesus healing the physically sick, Luke teaches us that Jesus has the power and desire to heal and cleanse us of the much greater problem of sin. Therefore, we can confidently go to Jesus in faith and expect and trust that he will forgive us our sins.

Many aspects of the Kingdom of God seem counterintuitive, and that's true from the very beginning, starting with Jesus' call to join His kingdom. Yet, in this passage, we see that the seemingly counterintuitive nature of Jesus' call is wonderfully intentional. As His inconvenient calls to Simon and the first disciples demonstrate, Jesus helpfully directs his followers to embrace Him as the Lord of Creation who offers new life.

Is it possible to be confident that God will deliver you? Is your future secure or up in the air? Is there any hope at all as you suffer today? In Psalm 18 the righteous king leads every believer in a song of praise to God for his great faithfulness. And what it makes clear to believers is this: you can be confident in God, and God has secured your future in Christ. So yes, you can be confident of future deliverance, and by God’s grace, you can love and praise him even now.