An orchid is a beautiful plant that produces a bloom that is rivaled by few. Yet, they are known for being healthy one day and dead the next. In reality, they just appeared healthy while all the while below the surface the roots were rotting and the plant was being cut off from the life-sustaining water and food it needs. So it can be with marriage. If we just look at appearances between a husband and a wife, we might be deluded into believing that all is well, when in fact the roots of the marriage that should be dug deep into Christ - the only sustainer of life and love.
There's great joy when something is made just for you--a tailor-made suit, a build-your-own sundae, or a custom home. The designed outcome is perfect for you. Did you know that your suffering and trials in this life are also custom-made just for you by God? They are designed to deepen your faith and teach you to fully entrust your life to our Creator God.
As we prepare for the end of this age and Jesus' return, it's all about attitude. Instead of seeking control amid growing chaos, we must choose surrender to the Lord's plan. Instead of merely resting in our salvation and future glory, we must pity unbelievers for the eternal wrath awaiting them.
Jesus was mocked and scorned His whole life. And His followers have been persecuted ever since. As His return draws nearer, the hatred for Christians will continue to grow. How can we stand strong in our faith and glorify God, even when we suffer for Christ's sake?
In his letter, Peter tells us to not only expect trials in life, but to celebrate them! Thankfully, he also describes for us how this is possible for the believer, and he encourages us to use our inevitable suffering to become more like Jesus.
Behind every great event are countless individuals that have worked, often without accolades, to make it happen. The Church is no different, filled with God-empowered Christians serving each other's needs in support of a single grand purpose: to glorify God!
God has given every believer special gifts. But they're not oursâ€â€Âthey belong to Him. And as each day brings us closer to the return of Christ, Peter encourages us to prepare by identifying our gifts and then sharing them for God's glory.
We are living in the last days. And, as believers, we are called to prepare as the end draws near. But the Biblical instruction for readiness contradicts worldly expectations, challenging us to stay focused on others.
To believers, "the end is near" means something very different than to the rest of humanity. While the world fears inevitable catastrophe, Christians are anticipating the return of Jesus Christ and our eternal future with Him.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 2 (Philippians 4:4–5), Stephen Davey teaches that believers are called to display grace in a disappointed and self-centered world through two qualities—a resolution to be joyful and a reputation for gentleness. Joy, he explains, is not dependent on circumstances but flows from the Holy Spirit, the gospel, and trust in God’s sovereignty—even in suffering. Gentleness, often misunderstood as weakness, is strength under control—a willingness to yield, be courteous, and respond to hostility with grace. Using vivid examples from history, culture, and personal experience, Davey challenges believers to demonstrate joy and gentleness as living testimonies of Christ’s presence. Because “the Lord is near,” Christians can embody supernatural calm and kindness, showing a frustrated world the reality of God’s transforming grace.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 3 (Philippians 4:6–7), Stephen Davey teaches believers how to conquer anxiety through prayer and trust in God. He compares worry to a deadly anaconda that strangles faith, urging Christians to “be anxious for nothing.” Instead of allowing fear to consume them, they are to replace worry with prayer—bringing every concern to God with gratitude. Davey explains that worry pulls believers apart, while thankful prayer realigns their hearts toward God’s power and presence. The result is a supernatural peace that “guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” a peace flowing directly from God’s own character. This peace doesn’t come from understanding circumstances but from trusting the God who controls them all. Through continual, thankful prayer, believers display the extravagant grace of God by living free from fear and full of peace.
Stephen Davey’s sermon “Reconcilable Differences” (Philippians 4:2–3) explains that real church and family life are messy, which is exactly where extravagant grace must be practiced. Using humorous and honest stories, he shows that grace is more than a doctrine we receive from God—it’s a costly, deliberate way of stooping low in attitude and action toward difficult people. Paul’s appeal to Euodia and Syntyche models gracious confrontation: he names them, refuses to take sides, reminds them of their shared labor in the gospel, and urges them to “live in harmony in the Lord,” enlisting a trusted “true companion” to help them reconcile. Stephen Davey draws out principles that disagreements are inevitable, even mature believers don’t always disagree agreeably, and small conflicts—if unchecked—can damage an entire church. Instead of taking sides, spiritually mature believers should step in to untangle issues and protect the unity of the body, remembering that everyone’s name is written in the book of life. He concludes with the example of a Christian bus driver whose daily, practical kindness creates a community of grace, urging believers to let that same grace characterize their relationships in the church.
In Father Abraham, Part I (Romans 4:1–3), Stephen Davey introduces Abraham as Paul’s prime example of justification by faith, not works. He explains that Abraham lived 2,000 years before Paul, proving that salvation by faith is not new but has always been God’s plan. Abraham, the forefather of Israel and “friend of God,” was revered for righteousness, yet Scripture reveals his flaws—fear, deceit, and unbelief—showing that his justification came by faith alone. Davey warns against relying on human reasoning or cultural religion, urging believers to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Like Abraham, sinners are declared righteous not by merit but by trusting God’s promise of redemption through Christ. God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account by grace, illustrating the same salvation available to every believer today.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 7:1–14, Stephen Davey explains how Solomon shifts from raising life’s troubling questions to offering God-given wisdom for living well. Davey highlights four truths Solomon teaches: contemplate your mortality, because facing death cultivates serious thinking and a life of purpose rather than pretense; choose wise companions, since the rebuke of the godly is far more valuable than the shallow laughter of fools; cultivate godly character, resisting the pull of anger, corruption, impatience, and nostalgic fantasies about “the good old days”; and consider your Creator with humility, recognizing that God ordains both prosperity and adversity, the straight paths and the crooked ones, to deepen trust in Him. Davey concludes that Solomon’s inspired counsel urges believers to live with sober perspective, intentional relationships, steadfast integrity, and humble dependence on the God who shapes every season of life.
