Vetrix (Vetrix Series Book 1)

Two alien species. One threat to Earth.
But who is the real threat and who can be trusted?

Twelve-year-old Flipper didn’t believe in aliens – until he was kidnapped by one.

When he wakes up one morning on the planet Vetrix he is trapped in the midst of an inter-planetary war. As Flipper struggles to survive and find a way back to Earth he discovers he may be a descendant of one of the warring species and that his intervening in the war may be his destiny, if destiny is decided by a computer program.

On Earth, Allison begins having dreams that turn out to be real experiences. When she watches a purple man disappear with her cousin, Flipper, no one believes her. Allison’s best friend Josh agrees to help and together the two sixth-graders begin their own investigation that leads them to the truth behind the Roswell Incident of 1947 and current alien activity on Earth.

As they try to figure out how to expose the secret colony of aliens and their plans to destroy the human race, Allison attempts to use her dreams to locate and rescue Flipper.

Purchase an autographed copy of Vetrix:

Watch the Book Trailer
Read the First Chapter

Book 2: Earth
Book 3: Zentron
Book 4: Sevitan

The original cover from 2017:

Vetrix (Flipper Book 1) by [Bush, Bill, Bush, Blake]

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Kingdom of God

What does it take to be a great leader?

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

The original plan for Israel was for God to be its king (Isaiah 33:22), but Israel’s demand for a king was a rejection of God’s rule over their nation (1 Samuel 8:7).

First, God gave them the king they wanted in Saul. He was the right man from a human perspective—tall, strong, capable. Yet none of those qualities qualified him in God’s eyes.

Saul did the exact thing God told him not to do (1 Samuel 13:8-14), made a vow he neglected to keep (1 Samuel 14:24-47), and neglected to do what God had specifically commanded (1 Samuel 15:1-35).

His fatal character flaws included valuing people’s opinions over God’s commands, promoting himself through manipulation rather than waiting for God’s provision, and blaming others after his failures.

God rejected Saul and king as sent Samuel to anoint a new king—David, a young, small shepherd.

David wasn’t a perfect king, flawed on multiple levels, but he became the model leader of Isreal because he left leadership in the hands of Yahweh. He was merely God’s servant to point God’s people to God’s laws.

David refused to kill Saul given the opportunity, even though he had been anointed as the next king. After he committed adultery and murder, he repented. The Bible called David a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

David’s flaws didn’t disqualify him from being a leader, but they did disqualify him from ruling God’s kingdom permanently.

That’s why Jesus came. Jesus claimed a kingdom, but didn’t assert himself as a king during his life on earth. Instead, He submitted himself to God and served those He had helped create.

1 Samuel 16:7 is more a description of Jesus the Messiah than of David the king, and it should characterize our own ambitions as well, if we’re to follow in the footsteps of both.

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Jesus and Moses

Did Jesus fulfill the promise to replace Moses?

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak all that I command him.” – Deuteronomy 18:18

Was Jesus the prophet that God promised in Deuteronomy 18?

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus claimed that he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Then six times in Matthew 5, Jesus states, “Moses said…but I say,” placing himself above the revered prophet.

In John, Jesus compared his crucifixion to the bronze serpent of Moses (John 3:14-15) and told the religious leaders that if they believed Moses, they would believe him (John 5:45-47).

While discussing manna, Jesus claimed to be the bread of life (John 6:26-58). During his final Passover celebration, Jesus claimed the bread was his body and the cup was his blood (Matthew 26:26-30). Paul claimed that Jesus was the rock that the Israelites drank from when Moses struck it (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Exodus 17:6).

Nearly every author of the New Testament compared Moses with Jesus.

The author of Hebrews wrote, “Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses…” (Hebrews 3:3-6).

Two things separated Jesus from Moses: his incomparable moral life and his resurrection. Without Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, there’s no valid explanation for how he could claim to have fulfilled the prophecy of Moses, let alone surpassed his status.

Moses instituted the Passover; Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God. Moses offered manna; Jesus is the bread from heaven. Moses miraculously provided water from the rock; Jesus is that rock.

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Holiness

How can I live up to God’s moral standards?

“I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” – Leviticus 11:45

Holiness means “set apart” and happens when God takes ordinary objects and claims the for his purpose.

Think of a toothbrush. The moment you put a toothbrush into your mouth for the first time, you become protective of anyone else using it.

Holiness happens when God proclaims, not when a person performs. Our holiness is God’s gift to us, not our gift to him. Holiness is received, not achieved.

God reminds the Israelites in Leviticus 11:45 that He chose them. “I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

God asks for the same response of holiness of us as he did the Israelites (see 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Revelation 20:6).

Our practice of holiness is a result of God’s proclamation of holiness, not the other way around. It’s only when God’s declaration of our holiness—our set-apartness—sinks into our souls that our actions are transformed to align with his character and nature.

When we wrestle with holiness, it’s not because we really believe what the world has to offer is better. It’s because we don’t believe that either the presence or the proclamation of God is reality. In other words, we don’t believe that God is present now or because we don’t believe he’ll show up later.

You don’t become holy through religious rites. You don’t develop holiness through sheer discipline. You become holy the millisecond God places his hand on you and says “Mine.”

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Covenant

How can I become a part of what God is doing in the world?

“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6

A covenant (or testament) is an agreement between two parties. God made five covenants in the Old Testament—Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—and one in the New Testament, the new covenant through Jesus.

Mark E. Moore summarizes the covenants this way in his book, Core 52:

CovenantCondition(s)BlessingsCurses
AdamAbstain from one treeFellowship with GodDeath and exile
NoahBuild an arkSurvivalAnnihilation
AbrahamCircumcisionOffspring and landCut off
MosesTen CommandmentsLand and kingdomExile
DaivdFidelity to YahwehThrone in IsraelDivided Kingdom
NewFidelity to JesusEternal lifeDamnation

What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus?

One, we are in a covenantal relationship with God and this implies both responsibility and community. We are part of God’s kingdom, the church, and we trace our heritage back to our father Abraham.

Two, by design, all of the previous covenants pointed toward and were fulfilled by Jesus.

Three, the condition of every covenant is faith, and Abraham’s faith (trust) in God is the model of fidelity for Christians today.

Our verse this week says, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

Abraham left his homeland for a new one, circumcised his household, and willingly offered his promised son (Isaac) on the altar.

God is calling us to be both obedient to His Word in the Scriptures and to the leading of the Holy Spirit. By doing so, we are imitating the faith of Abraham.

And remember, this isn’t blind faith because our obedience is a natural response to what God has already done for us.

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The Fall

What is my problem?

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” – Genesis 3:6 (full)

“When the woman saw that the tree was good…she took of its fruit and ate…” – Genesis 3:6 (partial)

The story in Genesis 3 includes a naked woman, a talking serpent, forbidden fruit, and a passive husband.

Before Eve ate the fruit, she thought nothing of her nakedness. Afterward, she hid her body in shame. When we sin, shame engulfs more than we give credence, because what God created as good, Adam and Eve’s bodies, became objects of shame in the light of sin.

The talking serpent tempted Eve with a half-truth. Deception doesn’t usually come from darkness but from partial light. The serpent dangled the truth portion—the fruit was good, a delight, and desirable—and hid the dark truth until Eve and then Adam rebelled.

There are many forbidden fruits in our lives that we desire simply because we cannot have them. Pride led to Satan’s fall, Eve’s fall, and our sin on a regular basis. That’s why Jesus told us to lay down our crosses and follow Him. He doesn’t need our complete surrender and obedience, we do.

Instead of setting an example, warning her of the consequences, or urging her to stop, Adam stood passively by and watched Eve fall into temptation and then followed her example. He was with Eve doing nothing. It’s critical we stay in community and urge one another to good works.

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Our True Identity

What does it mean that I’m created in God’s image?

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our image.’” – Genesis 1:26

Humans are special in all of God’s creation because we were made in His likeness. That doesn’t mean that we are little gods, but we do share some of God’s attributes, including emotion, honor, time, beauty, language, love, and rule.

One of the most obvious of those attributes is demonstrated within this week’s memory verse. God said, “Let US…” Since God exists in community, so should we.

Rugged individualism is a great American trait, and one the world often champions in achievements that seldom bring the satisfaction they promise.

But individualism isn’t something the church should adopt. Often, we mistakenly try connecting with God only personally, when we were designed to experience Him in community. For instance:

  • We ask people to accept Jesus as their “personal” Lord and Savior. Yes, each person has to make their own decision to follow Christ, but the Bible calls us to a kingdom, being built into the body of Christ.
  • Communion becomes the most individualistic event at church, even though the name itself indicates a communal celebration. Our New Testament example, the Last Supper, demonstrates this truth as Jesus and the apostles took communion together.
  • Bible reading is practiced as a solitary discipline, when in fact the majority of the books in the Bible were written to and read in communities, not individuals.
  • We’re often called to pray with “every head bowed and every eye closed.” In the Bible, however, prayer was primarily communal. This was true for the church in Acts, for the prayers printed in the epistles, and for the psalms sung in the temple.

Yes, we each have a personal relationship with God through Christ, but our true identity is found in community, not in individualism.

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Creation

Why are we here?

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1

The biggest miracle in the Bible occurs in the first verse: God created the heavens and the earth. If God created everything out of nothing, including time, space, and matter, then all the other miracles of the Bible are possible.

And that’s the point of this verse: to lay the groundwork for God’s involvement in humanity.

One of the reasons the idea of a Creator is attacked/dismissed comes down to accountability. If God created us, then He has the authority to tell us what to do and to judge us accordingly. Without God, we can live our lives as we choose.

Mark E. Moore, in his book Core 52, states that to understand why we are here, we need to understand the answer to three questions.

Who created this world?

Moore points out that the Bible teaches that God is three in one—Father, Spirit, and Son—and Genesis 1:1-3 provides of glimpse of each.

The Father is seen in verse one as the architect of creation. Moore says that every other ancient Near East creation story assumes that physical matter is eternal, not God, and their gods fashioned the world from existing matter.

But the Bible presents God alone as eternal.

“Hence, the universe is an extension of God, not vice versa. This Christian worldview stands in opposition to all worldviews that assert matter as eternal rather than God.”

The Holy Spirit is seen as the engineer of creation in verse 2: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Moore says the Hebrew word for hovering expresses a vibration; that the Spirit quaked to bring order out of chaos.

Jesus is the builder of creation, according to Moore. Genesis 1:3: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-16 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God and that He created everything.

Why did God create this world?

Psalm 102:18 says, “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.”

Moore writes: “Every generation that God created—from our primal parents in Eden to our own unborn children—has a singular divine purpose: to bring God glory.”

Romans 1 tells us that creation shows God’s eternal power and divine nature (1:20). That includes each person. We are God’s image-bearers, whether or not we recognize or acknowledge God and His role in our lives.

How did God restore Creation?

From the moment Eve bit into the forbidden fruit, God has worked to restore His fallen creation. That culminated in Jesus dying for our sins and rising from the grave. Now when we believe in Jesus, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Ultimately, the restoration process will be complete when God judges evil and replaces His old creation with a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21).

But it all started with Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

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Introduction to Core 52

I believe if you commit yourself to read, meditate on, and memorize one verse a week for the next year, you will gain the understanding of Scripture you wish you had.

That’s a lofty statement considering there are 31,103 verses in the Bible.

You don’t have to rely solely on my claim. Mark E. Moore, scholar, former professor, and current pastor, states in his book, Core 52, that understanding each of these verses will enable you to master dozens of other verses that reflect the same biblical principles. Many other verses will begin to make sense by starting with these first 52.

You may have heard of the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, where 80% of results come from 20% of the effort. That’s the idea for the next year—to give you 52 of the most foundational verses to understanding Scripture so you can then build a lifetime of Biblical literacy.

Do you want to gain confidence in your Biblical knowledge? Mark Moore says that by carving out 15 minutes a day for these verses you will know the vast majority of what every pastor preaches.

He said he wrote the book Core 52 for those who are busy and don’t know where to start in understanding the Bible to build a firm framework for ambassadors of Jesus Christ to serve our world that is hungering for truth that transforms.

“It’s not designed to make you smart; it’s designed to make you effective. Those who move from Bible curiosity to Bible confidence are far more likely to engage their gifts in service to others for God’s glory. Bible confidence fosters social engagement, acts of compassion, and community transformation.”

If that’s what you want, then please join others on this journey to transform your mind.

If you’re unsure, give it a try for a month and see what you think. And if you struggle with memorizing or read the material and have questions afterward, shoot me an email and let’s discuss. Or find an accountability partner or group to help you stay on track with your memorization.

Understanding the Bible isn’t just important, it’s critical.

As Moore writes:

“You’re more needed now than ever. Our culture is reeling from the demise of biblical literacy. As you gain confidence, you’ll find yourself at the epicenter of God’s solution in your own circle of influence. God has designed you uniquely for such a time as this.”

I couldn’t agree more, which is why I’m inviting you to spend the next year memorizing Scripture, gaining a deeper understanding of the Bible, and preparing to share truth and defend biblical misunderstandings.

Each week I will send an email highlighting a chapter from Mark Moore’s book. I highly encourage you to purchase the book and read along, taking advantage of his deeper insights.

But you don’t need the book to participate and benefit from memorizing and understanding God’s Word.

If you do purchase Core 52 and read along, use the weekly emails as a supplement to your study.

Either way, know that many others are joining you in memorizing God’s Word each week.

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Take Captive Every Thought

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Purposefully capturing your thoughts can control the brain’s sensory processing, the brain’s rewiring, and the cellular activity in a positive or a negative direction. You choose.

When bad choices are made, or negative thoughts are not captured, your neural wiring becomes distorted.

When you make a conscious decision to focus and direct your attention correctly, you change physical matter—your brain and your body change in a healthy way.

The primary success of capturing your thoughts will be to focus on God’s way first, not the world’s ways.

Research has shown that 5 to 16 minutes a day of focused meditative capturing of thoughts shifts the brain and increases the chances of a happier outlook on life.

When you direct your attention by capturing your thoughts, you provide a target for your mental faculties. If you don’t let God give you a thinking project, the Enemy will surely step in to try to catch your thoughts and destroy your balance.

Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ gives our bodies the best opportunity for a healthy, fulfilling life.

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List of Bible Memory Verse for 2025

Short List:
Genesis 1:1
Genesis – 1:26
Genesis 3:6
Genesis 15:6
Leviticus 11:45
Deuteronomy 18:18
1 Samuel 16:7
2 Samuel 7:12
Psalm 1:1-3
Psalm 2:7
Psalm 23:1-3
Psalm 110:1
Psalm 118:22
Proverbs 1:7
Isaiah 53:3
Jeremiah 31:33-34
Daniel 7:13
Matthew 5:11-12
Matthew 5:20
Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 6:19-21
Matthew 7:12
Matthew 16:24-25
Matthew 22:14
Matthew 25:41
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 1:1
Mark 1:15
Mark 2:27-28
Mark 10:45
Mark 12:29-31
John 1:14
John 3:16
John 4:24
John 6:53
John 10:28
Acts 1:8
Acts 1:9
Acts 2:38
Acts 17:26
Romans 8:1
Romans 12:2
1 Corinthians 2:16
1 Corinthians 15:14
Ephesians 2:8
Ephesians 4:4-7
Philippians 2:5-7
Philippians 4:6
2 Timothy 2:2
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 12:1-2
Revelation 21:1-3

Long List:

Creation – Why are we here?
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Our True Identity – What does it mean that I’m created in God’s image?
Genesis – 1:26  “God said, ‘Let us make man in our image.’”

The Fall – What is my problem?
Genesis 3:6 – “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”

Covenant – How can I become a part of what God is doing in the world?
Genesis 15:6 – “Abram believe the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

Holiness – How can I live up to God’s moral standards?
Leviticus 11:45 – “I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Jesus and Moses – Did Jesus fulfill the promise to replace Moses?
Deuteronomy 18:18 – “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak all that I command him.”

Kingdom of God – What does it take to be a great leader?
1 Samuel 16:7 – “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as many sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

Jesus and David – Was Jesus a king literally or spiritually?
2 Samuel 7:12 – “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.”

Finding Happiness – Does God want you to be happy?
Psalm 1:1-3 – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Prophecy – Is there proof that Jesus was God’s son?
Psalm 2:7 – “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”

Good Shepherd – If the Lord is my shepherd, what’s my obligation to those I lead?
Psalm 23:1-3 – “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

Messiah – Is there proof that Jesus is the Messiah promised by God?
Psalm 110:1 – “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”

Jesus Rejected – If Jesus was rejected by his own people, why should I accept him?
Psalm 118:22 – “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Wisdom – How do I become wise?
Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Atonement – How does Jesus’s death cover my sin?
Isaiah 53:3 – “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

New Covenant – What advantages do Christians have under the new covenant?
Jeremiah 31:33-34 – “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each on teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Son of Man – Is Jesus really fully human and fully divine?
Daniel 7:13 – “Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man.”

Blessedness – How can I be happy?
Matthew 5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Deeper Morality – What does it take to be a “good” person?
Matthew 5:20 – “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Prayer – How should I pray?
Matthew 6:9-13 – “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Money – Is money spiritual?
Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Golden Rule – What is true religion?
Matthew 7:12 – “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

The Cross – Who do you say Jesus is?
Matthew 16:24-25 – “Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Election and Predestination – For what did God choose me?
Matthew 22:14 – “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Supernatural – Is there really a spiritual world active around me?
Matthew 25:41 – “He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”

Our Co-Mission – What’s the mission of the church?
Matthew 28:18-20 – “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Gospel – What is the gospel?
Mark 1:1 – “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Faith – What is faith?
Mark 1:15 – “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Rest – How can I find rest?
Mark 2:27-28 – “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Leadership – How can I achieve greatness?
Mark 10:45 – “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to seve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Greatest Command – What moral issue is most important to God?
Mark 12:29-31 – “Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’”

The Incarnation – Is God Jesus?
John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Love – How can I love and be loved?
John 3:16 – “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Worship – What does it really look like to worship God?
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Communion – Why is communion so central to the church?
John 6:53 – “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’”

Eternal Security – Can Christians lose their salvation?
John 10:28 – “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

The Holy Spirit – What does the Holy Spirit do for us?
Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirits has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The Ascension – Why did Jesus leave?
Acts 1:9 – “When he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”

Baptism – Why should I be baptized?
Acts 2:38 – “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sings, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

God’s Solution to Racism – What is the Christian solution to racism?
Acts 17:26 – “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”

Freedom – How can I experience freedom?
Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Radical Change – How can I change?
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Knowing God’s Will – Can I know God’s will for my life?
1 Corinthians 2:16 – “‘Who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

The Resurrection – Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:14 – “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

Grace – What do we need to do to be saved?
Ephesians 2:8 – “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

Unity – What can possibly unify the church?
Ephesians 4:4-7 – “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

Humility – How does humility help you succeed?
Philippians 2:5-7 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not county equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Overwhelming Worry – How can I reduce worry?
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.”

Mentoring – How can I find a mentor and be a mentor?
2 Timothy 2:2 – “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

Scripture – How do I get something out of the Bible?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Gaining Grit – How do we gain grit?
Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Heaven – What will heaven be like?
Revelation 21:1-3 – “I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heave from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heart a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”

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