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Jars of Clay

Do you feel like you never quite live up to religious expectations? That if you could just work a little bit more you can be good enough? The Apostle Paul confronts this way of thinking and reminds us that we can only find true freedom in Jesus.

The sense of smell can invoke memories and emotional reactions. In today's passage Paul reminds us of how we are to be the pleasing aroma of Christ in this world. We need to be people of sincerity, sharing the love of Jesus with those around us.

In this passage the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of conflict and difficulties we can face in relationships with those around us.

When you live for Christ, there will be people who don't agree with you and criticize you for your faith. How do we respond to our critics? We need to plant our roots deep into Jesus.

We're beginning a new series in 2nd Corinthians and how God's power is made evident in our weaknesses. The Christian walk can feel like a struggle at time, but we can find strength by surrendering our weakness and struggles to Christ.

One of the most important aspects of our faith is the Resurrection. We can have confidence that Jesus has not only defeated the power of the grave but that He did it on our behalf that we might find new life in Him. It is finished!

Today is Palm Sunday and we answer these questions: what is Palm Sunday, why does it matter, and what significance does it have to our faith today?

The book of Philemon is a personal letter from the Apostle Paul to Philemon. In addition to words of encouragement, Paul is asking them to forgive and welcome back Onesimus who he is sending back to them. It also serves as an encouragement for us to forgive others as Christ as forgiven us.

In Esther we see the origins of the Jewish celebration of Purim. It is intended as a reminder of God's faithfulness and deliverance in the midst of adversity. When God is for you, you always have a reason to celebrate.

The story of Esther shows us the alternative to embracing the hand of God as He moves in this world is death. But, we can find life through Him who gave His life on our behalf.

In our study of Esther, we've learned that selfishness leads to sin and suffering. Haman and the king were willing to exterminate the Jewish people to serve their own needs. The book of Esther offers the opportunity to contrast their selfishness with the picture of a godly leader.

We've reached the point in the story where Esther will reveal that she is Jewish and put her life on the line. She exposes Haman's plot against the Jews and his desire to eliminate them.

In Esther 6, we see the providence of God at work in directing King Ahasuerus to honor Mordecai and spare his life. The pride of Haman finally leads to his downfall.

In Esther 5, we see Queen Esther approaching the king with humility and honor in her desire to save her people, the Jews. Meanwhile, Haman, one of the king's officials, is filled with pride, and his anger burned towards the Jews.

With the king's decree ordering the death of all the Jews, Esther and Mordecai are faced with a crisis that could cost them their lives. We see them turning to trust in the Lord to save them.

What does it mean to "wait for the Lord?" In Esther 3, we see how selfish intentions and pride can cause chaos in all aspects of life.

In chapter 2, we are introduced to three complex characters. In the king, we see the lack of accountability in his attitude and behavior. We are also introduced to Mordecai and his cousin Esther as they are faced with choices of faith vs convenience.

In Esther 1, we see King Xerxes so wrapped up in himself that he makes a drunken, foolish decision. Instead of putting his wife's needs first, he choose to demoralize and shame her. Today, we contrast this against the example of what a godly marriage should look like.

As we begin our new series on the book of Esther, we see King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) throwing a massive party that lasted 180 days. This party was about indulging in every pleasure imaginable. We can observe that the kingdom this king is building is all about his own glory. What type of kingdom are you building in your life?