Category: bible stories

• What Does It Mean to Receive Christ?

  Christians often talk about “believing in” Jesus or “receiving” Jesus. What does this mean? How does “believing in” or “receiving” Jesus impact ad change our life?

  Ryan Stratton

  12/15/2022

  believe, Bible, bible stories, bible study, children, Christian Life, Christianity, confession, disciples, eternal life, faith, good news, gospel, Gospel of John, holy life, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus’birth, leadership, Life, light, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, passion, pastor, preaching, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Christian life, God is with us, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, how Jesus transforms our life, how to receive Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 1, John 1:1-18, John 1:9-13, new life, Trust God, Trust Jesus, what does it mean to believe in Jesus

• God Leads

  Click here to read 1 Samuel 17. These are the stories that capture our imagination and restore hope. Rudy, The Karate Kid, Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby…these are all stories where the “wrong person” wins. But these stories stick with us. Why? Because of who wins! We love for the underdog to win. Why? I […]

  Ryan Stratton

  06/22/2021

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, believe, belonging, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, faith, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, legacy, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, preach, preaching, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  1 Samuel 17, Christian life, David and Goliath, faith in Christ, God leads to victory, Good News of Jesus Christ, Jesus changes everything, rooting for the underdog, transform the world, underdogs win

• Rahab: The Past Does Note Define You

  How would you describe yourself before coming to faith in Jesus Christ? How is that different from your life now? What do other people think about you? Do your family and friends see something different and new in you since you began to follow Christ? Even if you have be “in church” your whole life, […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/04/2020

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, born again, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, home, Jesus, Jesus Christ, legacy, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, new life, preach, preaching, redeemed, Relationships, revival, Spiritual transformation, transformation, Uncategorized, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  fall of Jericho, following Jesus, Jesus changes everything, Jesus defines you, Joshua 2, keeping your word, know who you are, know your worth, new life in Jesus, overcoming the past, people can change, People like us, Rahab the prostitue, story of redemption, trusting Jesus

• Noah: Nobody’s Perfect

  There are movies and books and stories that we allow to speak to our hearts. We fall in love with the characters and root for them, or want what’s coming to them to happen. The stories we seem to pay more attention to add to our notion that life is all about us. One of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/21/2020

  anger, attitudes, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, confrontation, Creation, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, Failure, faith, forgiven, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, learn, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, people pleasing, perfection, plan, planning, priority, purpose, relationships, rest, sin, trials, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, wisdom, Work, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Genesis 6, in Christ alone, Jesus is the way truth and life, live a holy life, narrow is the gate, noah and the flood, noah found favor in the eyes of God, nobodys perfect, perfection in Christ, Trust in Christ

• People Like Us: Adam

  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, but the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Right here we get a picture of God who seeks to be intimately connected with his creation by remaining close. For God it was, and still is, all about […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/14/2020

  belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conflict, confrontation, disciples, Failure, faith, faithful, glory, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, holy life, Holy Spirit, hope, humble, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, proclaiming Christ, Relationships, revival, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, worship, writing, youth ministry

  becoming more, blaming others, Christ changes everything, Christ is victorious, Christian blog post, I am not a failure, is it my fault, it’s all about Christ, People like us, sermon on Adam, taking responsibility

• Discovering God through the Book of Jonah (Part 4)

  

  Do we see the world, people, as God wants us to see them? This post shows us some things we can learn about God in Jonah 4.

  Ryan Stratton

  11/01/2019

  beauty, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, Failure, faith, forgiven, Forgiveness, glory of God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, holy life, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kindness, leadership, Life, Love, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, mission, new life, pastor, patience, possibilities, power, praise, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, revival, Spirit, travel, trust, Truth, uncategoried, understanding, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  God is good, gospel of Jesus Christ, Jonah 4, learning about God, live in peace with each other, purpose of the book of Jonah, repent and believe the gospel, saving the world, the bigger picture, the prophet Jonah, what does God want?

• Discovering God through the Book of Jonah (Part 3)

  

  God reveals himself and his mission in a huge way in the book of Jonah. What does Jonah 3 teach us about who God is? Check out this blog post.

  Ryan Stratton

  10/25/2019

  apostles, awakening, beauty, belief, believe, belonging, bible, bible stories, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, confrontation, conversion, devotionals, divorce, eternal life, evangelism, example, faith, faithful, Forgiveness, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, humility, hypocricy, Identity, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, leadership, learn, lost and found, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, revival, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study on Jonah, book of Jonah, called by God, God brings salvation, God’s Grace saves, Jesus’ call for our lives, Jonah Bible study, listening to God, mission from God, Relentless pursuit of God, sent into the world, trusting God’s call

• Discovering God through the book of Jonah (Part 2)

  

  The Book of Jonah teaches us A LOT about who God is. Chapter 2 forces us to focus and evaluate what we pray and believing God answers prayers.

  Ryan Stratton

  10/18/2019

  belief, believe, belonging, bible, Bible, bible stories, bible study, calling, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conflict, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faith, faithful, family of God, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, gospel, grace, Image of God, John Wesley, journaling, journey, joy, judgement, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, power, praise, pray, Prayer, prayer life, preaching, priorities, priority, proclaiming Christ, renewal, repent, revival, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, witnessing, worldview, worship, writing, youth ministry

  believing God, bible study on Jonah, God answers prayers, hear our prayer, how to pray, Jonah 2, Lord, power of prayer, power of the Holy Spirit, Who is God, who is Jesus?

• Discovering God through the Book of Jonah (Part 1)

  

  What can we learn about God through the short Old Testament book of Jonah?

  Ryan Stratton

  10/09/2019

  attitudes, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, calling, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, confession, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Identity, Image of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, plan, power, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, revival, trust, Truth, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study on Jonah, book of Jonah, discovering God, Jonah chapter 1, Jonah the prophet, knowing God, mowing the lawn, running from God, Who is God

• The Greatest Story Ever Told

  How is the story of Scripture shaping your life? Do you know how the complete canon (storyline) of the Bible fits together? Here is a message (including liturgy for Holy Communion) to show us how we can understand what the Bible is about. GROW IN YOUR FAITH AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM    KINDLE & PAPERBACK EDITIONS […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/06/2019

  belief, believe, Bible, bible stories, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, faith, family of God, forgiven, Forgiveness, glory to God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgment, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new creation, new life, Prayer, sin, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, understanding, witness, worldview, worship, writing, youth ministry

  how the bible fits together, plan of redemption, the story of scripture, Trust God, what the Bible says