Jesus is so much more than what people think of him this season as a baby. The gospel of Mark shows us that Jesus is from God, heaven breaking through to earth. He has entered into our fallen world and broken humanity, and has called us to go his way.

In the incarnation, we must remember that Jesus became part of a real human family, with a heritage filled with real victories and real baggage. He was born not only into a world of suffering and sin, but into a family legacy of suffering and sin. In his genealogy we see God’s grace from the beginning.

Thanksgiving is one of the qualities of the truly Spirit-filled life, but to have to give thanks always and for everything is indeed a lofty standard. How are we to grow in thankfulness as evidence of our faith?

God us the source of all comfort, and only his comfort is true and eternal. We can trust his promises to come alongside us in our time of distress, to give us courage in the face of suffering, and to provide comfort in such abundance that it will overflow as we share his comfort with others.

Where do you turn in times of difficulty? How can we find peace in the midst of chaos? This chapter describes a stressful time in the lives of David and his friends, and it teaches us to trust not in our own wisdom and plans, but in the God who is in control.

Personal relationships can be the source of our most difficult trials. Although David experiences evils at the hands and the plans of others, he continually entrusts himself to the hand and the plan of God, who is for us and is stronger than anyone who could be against us.

What makes a church a church? Everything we believe, profess, and practice together is founded on the unity that God has called us to as his people.

When we experience the fire of pain and trials, though it may burn and hurt us, it also refines us. Pain is a God-given opportunity to draw closer to Him in trust and in faith.

In this world, deceivers abound who desire to draw away the hearts of the Lord's followers. In studying Absalom's character, we learn how to recognize such people and how to avoid the snare of following after the wrong king.

Walking worthy means balancing the reality of who we are in Christ with the way we live our lives. Namely, our spiritual maturity is evident in how we pursue unity with one another, holding each other up to greater faith.