Look at the Book

1 Peter 5:8–10: How to Fight the Devil

28 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As Christians, we have often been trained to fight pride, lust, anxiety, laziness, and other sins. But do we know how to war with Satan?

1 Peter 5:8–9: Can Satan Devour Christians?

23 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Satan is a fierce predator. He has devoured souls of men and women, children and the elderly. He hates none more than Christians. Can he destroy them?

1 Peter 5:8–9: Kept by God Day by Day

21 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The grace of God saves us. The grace of God frees us. The grace of God enslaves us. The grace of God keeps us.

1 Peter 5:8: Stay Alert Against Satan

16 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

While the world sings sweet lullabies to try and destroy us, God calls us to joyful wakefulness. Our eternity hangs on how we respond.

1 Timothy 2:15: How Are Women Saved Through Childbearing?

14 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Women are saved by faith in Christ. In what sense then, according to 1 Timothy 2:15, are they saved through childbirth?

1 Peter 5:7–9: Are You a Passive Christian?

09 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Bible is serious about two realities: God cares for, saves, and protects his people, and his people need to be alert, active, and aggressive again...

1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety

07 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does?

Romans 5:20–6:2: Do I Have Any Righteousness of My Own?

02 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Righteousness is a big deal for every single person on the planet. In this lab, John Piper shows why Jesus being perfect on our behalf does not free u...

1 Peter 5:6–7: Four Reasons God Hates Pride

31 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Pride not only multiplies the weight of our anxieties, but makes our loving Creator, our honorable King, our gracious God into our omnipotent enemy.

1 Peter 5:5: Clothe Yourself in Humility Daily

26 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The world scratches and fights each other in order to be exalted. The church joyfully submits to each other in order to exalt their King.

1 Peter 5:4: Does God Reward Pastors?

24 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Does God reward pastors for their service? And if so, doesn’t that contaminate the pure aims of loving others?

1 Peter 5:2–3: How Not to Lead a Church

19 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s CEOs often are ambitious, stern, and overworked. The church’s leaders need to be happy, holy, and humble.

1 Peter 5:1: Practice What You Preach

17 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Pastors cannot be men who preach what others should practice, but do not practice what they preach.

Acts 16:19–31: What to Do When God Is Silent

12 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Silence from family and friends is one thing, silence from God is another. But no matter how hard it is, we must trust that he is working all things f...

Acts 13:48: The Chosen Choose God

10 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If God has not redeemed you, nothing will make you choose God over your sin. If God has chosen you, no scheme of Satan can keep you from choosing him.

Acts 13:48: Unconditional Election

05 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Unconditional election means that God chose his people without them first meeting any conditions. God’s choice does not depend on our works, faith, ...

Lamentations 5:21: God, Bring Me Back to You

03 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

When our thoughts have been unruly, our hearts hard, our deeds despicable, when we teeter from the devastation of sin and straddle the precipice of he...

1 Peter 4:12–19: Six Parts of a Christian Worldview

29 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

All thoughts are not created equal, all opinions are not valid, and no worldview matters but God’s.

1 Peter 4:19: Christians Never Need Revenge

27 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

While the world threatens, the Christian serves. As the world imprisons, the Christian prays. When the world does evil, the Christian does good. ...

Luke 1:26–38: Seven Reasons to Worship on Christmas

24 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The baby lay in the manger and the man hung on the cross, that by his life and death we would be free to enjoy God forever.

Matthew 1:18–25: What Makes Christmas Merry?

22 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When a Christian Hedonist says, “Merry Christmas,” he means much more than a warm holiday with friends and family.

God’s Miraculous Conception: Matthew 1:18–21

20 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How Jesus Christ came to lay in the cradle, has massive implications for what he did on the cross.

Saved Through the Fire of Suffering: 1 Peter 4:17–18

15 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Although the world may send us into its furnace for not bowing our knees, we know that the Son of God is with us in the flames.

Christian, Your Suffering Is Not Eternal: 1 Peter 4:17

13 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

No matter how bad your sufferings are in this life, rejoice that they can only cut so deep and last for so long.

1 Peter 4:17: God Is Working in Your Suffering

08 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

It’s hard to hear in the moment that God is sovereign over our suffering, but in the long run it makes all the difference.

1 Peter 4:17: How Will Christians Be Judged?

06 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If the Father judged Jesus on our behalf, doesn’t that mean that we won’t be?

Unashamed: 1 Peter 4:16

01 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We know we should never be ashamed of Jesus. But when that coworker asks, or that relative puts us on the spot, we can be slow to own the name Christi...

1 Peter 4:15: Mind Your Own Business

29 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Non-believers often tell Christians to mind their own business. They may be more right than we might think.

1 Peter 4:15: Do You Suffer Because of Your Sin?

24 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The cross defangs the fatal bite of sin — but it can still have devastating consequences. Don't consider yourself to be a martyr when you suffer bec...

1 Peter 4:14: Would I Be Able to Endure Persecution?

22 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We read stories about Christians being horrifically persecuted for their love of Christ. We marvel at their endurance and secretly wonder: if I were i...

1 Peter 4:13: Suffer for the Joy Set Before You

17 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

For the joy set before him, Jesus endured suffering. For the joy set before us, we must also.

1 Peter 4:12: Is Persecution Coming for Christians?

15 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus was persecuted. Many in the early church were persecuted. Many Christians today are persecuted. You also will be persecuted.

Jeremiah 12:1: Can a Christian Complain to God?

10 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

God invites us to cast our cares upon him because he cares for us. How can we do that honestly and yet not complain in a way that dishonors him?

Galatians 1:3–5 : Do You Feel God’s Grace and Peace?

08 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Those who know the horrors of war are thankful for peace. Those who understand justice get excited about grace. Christian, grace and peace are yours.

1 Peter 4:11: Do Your Gifts Glorify You or God?

03 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

God gives gifts to his people to bless others. If you want to glorify God: steward your gifts, speak God’s words, and serve with God’s strength.

1 Peter 4:10–11 : Serve In God’s Strength, Not Yours

01 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When we speak, we speak in God’s power and with God’s words. When we serve, we serve in his power and point to his glory.

2 Corinthians 3:15–18: How Can I Change?

27 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Sin is a sticky, entangling web that traps and blinds those who live in it. But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

1 Peter 4:10: What Is a Spiritual Gift?

25 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Spiritual gifts do not lift us above others, they empower us to lower ourselves in the service of others.

1 Peter 4:10: Your Gifts Are Meant for Others

20 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Birthday gifts have your name on them because they are meant for you. God’s new-birth gift has your name on it but is meant for others.

Seeing Is Believing: 2 Corinthians 4:6–7

18 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The God who spoke light into the world speaks light into our souls, opening our blind eyes and dawning new affections for him.

1 Peter 4:9: What Grumbling Says About God

13 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Few can endure being around grumblers. Heaven forbid that Christians, inheritors of the world, would be called complainers.

1 Peter 4:9: How to Be More Hospitable

11 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

People can annoy us with their needs. Our selfishness transforms loved ones into inconveniences. But God calls us to more than begrudging hospitality....

1 Peter 4:8: Only Love Can Cover Sin

06 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Others’ sin confronts us daily, and daily we must choose how to respond to it. Denial dismisses their sin, indifference ignores it, anger attacks it...

Romans 11:33–36 : From Him, Through Him, To Him

04 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologists cannot counsel him. Philosophers cannot instruct him. Billionaires cannot add to his treasures. He owns all, funds all, receives all. To...

1 Peter 4:7: A Lifeline for the Weak and Weary

29 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The world as we know it passes away, we must then be people who watch and pray.

1 Peter 4:7: Think Hard on Your Way to Heaven

27 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Sexuality, worldliness, Netflix, and all kinds of distractions compete daily for our thoughts. We cannot give our minds over to the enemy — we must ...

1 Peter 4:7: Are We Living in the Last Days?

22 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a peculiar age: battles rage but the war is won, spring dawns and summer looms, Christ came and is coming back.

Psalm 19:12–13 : Lord, Keep Me from Sin

20 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Even as Christians, sin still lingers in our shadow. How do we pray for the light of God’s grace to expel our darkness?

1 Peter 4:6: Is There Any Hope for the Dead?

15 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Bible says that the gospel was “preached to the dead” (1 Peter 4:6). Does this mean that someone can hear the gospel and repent after death?

1 Peter 4:5: God Will Deal with Your Enemies

13 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus tells us to love our enemies, but how can we when real injustice is committed against us?

1 Thessalonians 3:11–13: What Does It Mean to Be Holy?

08 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Without holiness you will not see the Lord. Without knowing what holiness means you may never attain it. So what does it really mean to be holy?

1 Corinthians 15:58: Labor for the Lord Is Never Lost

06 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

With calloused hands and sweaty brow, the Christian rests knowing that his labor in Christ is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 3:21–23 : A Proven Recipe for Humility

01 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Pride is a recipe for disaster. But God's luscious logic cooks the cuisine of humility.

1 Peter 3:21–22: Does Baptism Save You?

30 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Baptism now saves you?” What in the world does 1 Peter 3:21 mean?

1 Peter 4:3–4 : Show the World a Life Worth Living

25 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Christian life is truly worth living. Following Jesus gives us the opportunity to show a dying world what real life looks like.

1 Peter 4:3–4: You Have Sinned Enough Already

23 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve given your sins room and board for long enough. Evict them and follow Jesus into the light.

1 Peter 4:2: Do You Want What God Wants?

18 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We can live for our will or God’s will, or we could have our passions so transformed that we need not choose between the two.

1 John 2:18–19 : Who Are the Antichrists?

16 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The apostle John tells us that many antichrists are in the world. What value is there in learning about them?

Arm Yourself to Battle Satan: 1 Peter 4:1

11 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The enemy’s flaming darts and God’s Great Commission make spiritual warfare unavoidable, and spiritual pacifism suicidal. So, how do we arm oursel...

Christ Died to Make Us Dead to Sin: 1 Peter 4:1

09 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Christ did not die to domesticate your sin and make it your pet. His death took the monster out back and killed it.

1 John 2:19: Can a True Christian Fall Away from God?

04 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Once saved, always saved? If so, how do we explain friends, family, and even church leaders who walk away from the faith?

1 Peter 3:19–20: How Do You Decrypt Confusing Bible Verses?

02 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Finding spiritual gems in the Bible is hard work. How do we dig into a verse when we don’t know what it means?

Micah 7:7–9: How to Rise After We Fall into Sin

28 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Our hearts break when we repay God’s faithfulness, kindness, and love with sin. What should we do after our spiritual adultery has left us broken, g...

Romans 15:8–9 : Why Did Jesus Come Into the World?

26 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus is the only human who ever chose to be born, so why did he come? The Bible’s answer may not be the same as yours.

Philippians 4:6–7: The Heart of Fearless Contentment

21 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In this lab, Pastor John teaches us how to cultivate fearless faith.

Philippians 4:6–7 : Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

19 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Anxiety hangs over many of our heads like a dark cloud. How do we break free from the fears and worries that follow us everywhere we go?

Deuteronomy 33:26–27 : Mine God’s Poetry for God’s Beauty

14 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Some of the most beautiful aspects of who God is and what he does are buried in poetry in the Bible. Do we skip over it?

Isaiah 41:10: Are the Old Testament Promises Made to Us?

12 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Did God bury promises to you in the Old Testament? Many of us apply Israel’s promises to ourselves today — but should we?

A.P.T.A.T.: Practical Steps to Walk by Faith

07 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to walk by faith? Here are five steps for whatever temptation, challenge, or heartache you are facing.

1 Peter 3:18: Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

05 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Certain verses in the Bible seem to contradict others. What should we do when come to one of those verses?

1 Thessalonians 5:9–11: Prepare Your Heart for Cancer

28 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

More than a third of you will have cancer at some point in life. Do you have a few verses to cling to when the diagnosis comes?

Do You Want God More Than Anything? 1 Peter 3:18

23 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If you only believe in Jesus to get out of hell, you are not a Christian. True Christians want to be forgiven because the forgiven get to be with God.

Psalm 100: How Can We Obey from the Heart?

21 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The hardest commands in the Bible are not the commands to serve, to abstain, or to forgive. They’re the commands to feel. How do we rejoice when we ...

Psalm 100: The Keys to Knowing How to Live

16 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Some Christians who know the most, love and do the least. So how exactly does right thinking move through our hearts to right feeling and doing?

1 Peter 3:17: Does God Will Sin Done Against Us?

14 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We all carry wounds inflicted by others — the father who abandoned us, the friend who betrayed us, or the co-worker who lied about us. What part doe...

1 Peter 3:15–16: Should We Want to Shame Unbelievers?

09 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When the world mocks and despises us for our faith, we often want to lash back. God has a better way of shaming those who abuse his followers.

1 Peter 3:15–16: Cleanse Your Conscience of Guilt

07 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Guilt over sin makes quiet Christians who are full of shame. How can we cleanse our conscience so that we share more boldly?

1 Peter 3:15: Can You Defend Your Hope in Christ?

02 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

All Christians know non-Christians. Whether with co-workers, spouses, parents, or acquaintances, a critical question faces us daily: How do I give a d...

1 Peter 3:14–15: Treasure Jesus More Than Safety

31 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

With terrorism, political instability, and social unrest, much of our culture is given to fear and anxiety. In the face of such realities, should Chri...

James 3:17–18: What Does It Mean to Meditate?

26 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever stop to meditate on the Bible? Do you even know what it means to meditate? Here’s a model to help you slow down and really think while y...

1 Peter 3:14–15: Does Anyone Ever Ask About Your Hope?

24 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you were asked about your hope in Christ? The world will only ask us when they see something in us dramatically different from ...

1 Peter 3:14: How Does God Bless the Hurting?

19 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

God promises to bless Christians who suffer while living faithfully for his glory, whatever that suffering may be. But what is the blessing, and how d...

1 Peter 3:13: Would a Sovereign God Ever Harm Us?

17 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If you are Christ’s, no one in this world can ultimately harm you. They can only serve God’s good purposes for you and bring you greater blessing.

1 Peter 3:10–12: The Key to Enjoying Your Life

12 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus did not die only to ransom you from hell. He died to ransom you from wasting your life here on earth.

1 Peter 3:9–12: Love Your Enemies for Your Own Sake

10 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Should Christians be motivated by blessing when we love our enemies? And if we should be, how is that not works-based righteousness?

Colossians 2:13–14: The Heart of the Christian Faith

05 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How would you describe the core of the Christian faith? Do you have a place you would turn in the Bible? Here are two verses that give us the good new...

1 Peter 3:8–9, Part 3: Those Who Suffer Receive a Blessing

26 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How does our future inheritance in heaven help us suffer well? The answer is one key to loving those who wrong and mistreat us.

1 Peter 3:8–9, Part 2: How Do We Obey Commands to Feel?

26 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We do not have immediate control over our feelings, so how do we obey commands to feel? Here are five places to start in pursuing changes in your pers...

1 Peter 3:8–9, Part 1: Bless Those Who Revile You

26 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We know we are supposed to love our enemies, to bless those who curse or revile us, but how do we do that? Where does that kind of heart and response ...

Psalm 67: God Blesses You to Bless the World

21 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why does God love and bless his undeserving children like he does? These seven verses unlock several reasons, including one that should shape the dire...

1 Peter 3:7, Part 4: Your Prayers Hang on Your Marriage

29 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Bible says that the way a man treats his wife might interfere with his prayer life. Is God not listening to you because you’re not listening to ...

1 Peter 3:7, Part 3: Your Wife Is an Heir of the Universe

24 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If your wife loves Jesus, you are living with a queen of the universe, an heir of infinite glory. You should be amazed that you get to live with her.

1 Peter 3:7, Part 2: Honor Your Wife as the Weaker Vessel

22 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Peter calls wives the weaker vessel. Is that out-dated analysis, offensive sexisim, or just generally true? The right answer will help men honor women...

1 Peter 3:7, Part 1: Love Your Wife for the Lord’s Sake

17 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Husbands are called to love their wives differently than wives love their husbands, but not completely differently. For instance, husbands submit in m...

John 11:1–6, Part 3: God’s Love Allows Pain and Loss

15 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If Jesus loved Lazarus enough to let him die, what can we learn from this about love? Here are three important principles for how we should love one a...

John 11:1–6, Part 2: Why Did Jesus Let Lazarus Die?

10 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus loved Lazarus, and Jesus let Lazarus die. Is that possible? Love does not always look like what we expect.

John 11:1–6, Part 1: How Do We Read the Bible’s Stories?

08 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The New Testament letters are some of most straightforward books in the Bible to interpret and apply. Should we read the other parts of the Bible, lik...

1 Peter 3:1–6, Part 5: Husbands Should Be Heads, Not Idols

03 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Submission is a controversial and sensitive subject in our society. As we define what it is, it is just as important for us to clarify what it is not.

1 Peter 3:1–6, Part 4: Holy Women Are Fueled by Hope

01 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Underneath a wife’s submission to her husband must be the anchor of fearless hope in God. Where does that come from and where do we see it?

1 Peter 3:1–6, Part 3: Beauty Is Not in Makeup or Clothing

25 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Women have often been deceived into thinking that beauty is about how they look or what they wear. But God defines beauty very differently.