Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” From other biblical references, we know it to be a time after Christ returns and establishes a literal kingdom on earth. Yet, 2000 years later, he seemed to be saying it was about to begin. Is there an explanation for it?

A strange thing happens almost immediately after Christ returns. An angel appears with a key and a big chain. What he does next changes the world forever. Who is this nnamed mysterious angel? How did his action changed the world forever?

Every year, Jesus traveled to observe God’s festivals. The Bible shows us that even the trip to the festival has meaning for Christians, a meaning associated with our resurrection.

Before we can communicate effectively in any conversation, there is something we must do first. Do you know what it is? Learn more about it in Communicating Effectively.By Bill Jacobs

Jesus marveled when a Roman Centurion demonstrated greater faith than the Jews, including His disciples. How is it that the children of the Abrahamic Covenant had less faith than a gentile soldier? What understanding does that hold for us today?

The disciples asked Jesus to “Increase our faith.” When he answers them, what He said didn’t seem to connect to the request. This presentation, Increasing Faith, not only explains the issue but shows how God increases our faith.

Have you ever gone to bed on an icy cold night and been thankful for that warm quilt, or thick wool blanket, or down comforter? God has a blanket for us. It’s not a blanket of wool or down, but a spiritual blanket that covers us when we need it most. Learn more about this remarkable blanket in Under God’s Blanket.…

Jesus tells us to “carry your cross.” He also said, in the same verse, we should carry it daily. What did he mean by that? Something we do every day must be important. Do you know what “carrying your cross” means? Do you do it every day? This Presentation, Carrying Our Cross, can help with that.

Traditionally, people wash each other’s feet at the Passover Service. Most Christians consider this to be following Jesus example of humility as he washed His disciples feet. There is another account of a woman who was washing Jesus’ feet and what Jesus said about it. Let’s think more about what that meant to Jesus as we study the account of Washin…

The real topic of this presentation is hidden in the title. Discussing the Devil’s nature leads to understanding about our own. “Come and see” what hidden gem lies within Can the Devil be Grateful?

God tells us to trust in him, and lean not on your understanding. But how do we do that? It’s “natural” to form opinions and proceed. Occasionally when we ask God for help deciding what to do, it seems like he doesn’t answer us. What do we do with that? Consider the process in Lean not in Your Own Understanding.…

Jordan Peterson recently delivered the keynote address at the ARC conference he sponsored. It was about our Identity as Christians—what we believe about ourselves. The phrase, Welcoming the Possibilities, jumped out at us, helping us in our Christian process of “Living Up.”

Thirty years after Christ died, we see in the Bible the Apostle Paul telling the Church to live “unleavened." It’s clearly a reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread. He explains that leavening, in the Bible, is a symbol for sin. The only way to live sin free is by the Grace of Jesus Christ, which is the subject of the Festival of Unleavened B…

Checkpoint Charlie was a famous checkpoint of the Cold War. Did you know that God has a checkpoint for Christians too? Are your ID and other papers in order? Can you pass the checkpoint successfully? Learn more in Checkpoint Charlie - Passover Examination.

Small is good because God always starts small when he uses us to accomplish his will. Why is that? What else do we need to know about “small” being “good”?

Mind over Matter. It's a common expression. And it applies to Christian life in a most important way. Do you know how to put Mind over Matter the way God tells us? Consider the issue in this presentation.

Modern day Christianity teaches that we were born with the bad part of our nature. How can that be, as God made the creation, including Adam and Eve, and said, "This is good?" If we are not born with it, how did we come by it? Consider the topic in Human Nature - How We Got It.

Jesus said all Christians need to have the attitude of a child. Why did he say that? In our world, when we tell an adult they are acting like a child, it’s not meant to be a good thing. So this dichotomy runs us smack into one of the great spiritual paradoxes. Understand more about it in Acting Like a Child.…

There is a term used throughout the Bible, "The Day of Visitation." Most Christians generally think of it related to the return of Christ to the Earth. While Christ's return is an aspect of God's visitation, there is much more to it. Join us in this presentation to expand your understanding of *The Day of Visitation*…

Jesus presented his disciples with an enigmatic parable about putting new wine into old wineskins. What was he talking about? What’s the lesson for us?

Jesus said trees that don't bear fruit get cut down. A congregation that lasts over time knows it's purpose and bears fruit. What is the purpose of a Christian congregation? Are there more than one purpose?

In this second installment of our series, Elements of a Biblically-Based Congregation, we take a look at some of the characteristics of that kind of congregation.

How does the Bible say a congregation of God's Church should be organized? How would you know one if you saw one? What does a spirit-led congregation do to last over time? Learn more in Elements of a Biblically-Based Church of God Congregation - Part 1

In the Bible, we are told that the Church is to follow the original faith presented to it by Jesus Christ. It never needs updating. The original doctrines are eternal. But does that mean that the Church is never to adapt to societal shifts? Explore this topic with us in Up with the Times. Think ahead rather than behind.…

God tells us over 360 times in the Bible, "Fear not." This command is usually related to fearing what others might do to us. God, however, tells us there is never any reason for this kind of fear. Explore the issue further in Fear or Fear Not.

As everyone knows, people are busier than ever, on a whole. This puts pressure on us to do the bare minimum on tasks, trying to get more things done. There is one area of life where we can’t afford to do that.

This presentation, A New Christian Holiday - Atonement, explains the meaning, not only of the Day of Atonement in God’s salvation plan, but also the 10 day gap between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These days have traditionally been called by the Jews, “The Days of Awe.”

The Bible mentions on numerous occasions the catastrophic build up to and the return of Jesus Christ. Is there a way to prepare for it? Consider the implications in Measuring the Urgency of Christ’s Return - Festival of Trumpets.

Love Your Neighhbor Today is the third and final part of a three part series. In this part we explore the realities of wanting to do the impossible, while being able to do them with God’s help.

Loving our Neighbor isn’t just a cliché. It is a part of God’s nature. He loves all his “neighbors” in His eternal Realm and on Earth. That’s why we have to practice loving our neighbors in this life.

Our presentation, The Good Samaritan, is the first in a series titled Love Your Neighbor. We are going behind the words to understand what God means when He tells us to do this, and why.

God tells us that Satan is a deceiver. How does he do that? Can we spot his deceptions if we know what to look for in history and prophecy? How would that knowledge transfer to understanding his deceptions now? Learn more in Resisting Deception.

Christians have always known they were to be pilgrims, a community of believers moving through life, headed in a definite direction, with a specific destination the focus. But the picture of pilgrims also has another meaning—one that becomes increasingly vital as the United States has become post-Christian.…

When Philip told Nathaniel about Jesus, Nathaniel expressed doubt, Philip’s response was, “Come and see.” What a potent invitation. It changed Nathaniel’s life forever. Do you know anyone who could use a life change? Learn more about it in this presentation. Come and see.

Most Christians know that another name for the Church is “The Body of Christ.” What does it mean to be Christ’s body? How do we fit into that Body? This Holy Day, Pentecost, helps us understand the answer.

Paul uses the term, Freedom in Christ. When I finally left a corporate version of my church, I understood that term in a way that was new to me. That was quite a few years ago. Lately ,that term has taken on a new and deeper meaning. I am offering it to you in this presentation.

Jesus didn’t use programs to teach his disciples how to love. Instead, he loved them one-at-a-time. The congregation is our extended spiritual environment. Will we make it a loving place? This presentation offers some thoughts on how to accomplish that goal.

If asked, “What is the basis of Christianity” nearly every Christian would answer, “the Bible.” Unfortunately, over the last 2000 years, Christianity has changed so much from the religion Jesus brought, most Christians today no longer follow His original faith and practice. So…are you a biblical Christian? And, does it matter?…

Esau sold his birthright, something that displeased God. What was that all about? And what meaning might it have for us today? Learn more about it in Don’t Sell your Birthright, part of the Bible Stores for Adults series.

The Apostle Paul tells we need to “discern the Body of Christ” when we take the Passover symbols, bread and wine. What does that mean? Learn more in The Body of Christ - Holy Day Series 2023 - Part 1

In the story of the Exodus, God has left us a remarkable, encouraging eyewitness account of a tremendous miracle that saved God’s people from death. All we have to do is believe it. Do you? Can you defend it to skeptics? In this series, Bible Stories for Adults, we provide information about the Exodus and other Bible stories that can bolster our fa…

Pride and humility. Most Christians function on the world's definitions of these words. This presentation defines them out of the Bible. Check it out in our latest presentation, Pride and Humility

How would you like to be able to look at the notes you have taken on a sermon and see the direction God is moving in your life? How would you like to be able to find and recall what you heard for more than a few days. Listen to or read Taking Meaningful Sermon Notes and learn how to do all these things.…

“Forgive and forget” is an old saying that makes no sense because it is impossible. We can’t forget. So, what do we do with all the wrongs done to us and that we have done to others? Consider the bigger picture in this presentation, and be at peace.

The old, familiar saying about the consequences of our actions might seem somewhat trivializing when we compare it with what the Bible says about our choices and their consequences. How have your choices affected your life, so far?

This presentation is an explanation showing how to derive the biblical intent of the Bible story about Jonah. Many people today, including some who profess Christianity, don’t believe it happened. The debate is like noise that distracts us from what God is telling us in the biblical record.

This final presentation in our series, Making Life Easier, is about a paradoxical statement Jesus made. He said his yoke was easy and his burden light. Yokes limit freedom and are for hard work. Burdens are heavy. That’s what the words mean. What did Jesus mean? How do we understand the paradox?

It probably wouldn’t come as a surprise that life is harder on us if we believe that we are better or worse than others. Is there a view of self that would make life easier? This part of our series, Making Life Easier, Self-View, digs into this vital issue.

It is so easy to misunderstand someone. And that is why we are adding Communication to our series, Making Life Easier. When we are misunderstood or misunderstand, things can get tangled and relationships damaged. Learn some vital tools to communicate and understand others so that life is easier.

In this series, Making Life Easier, we have covered topics that are strategies for making life easier, such as problem-solving and personal organization. For the remainder, we will cover more character based topics, the first of which is Mildness. What do you know about being mild?