Weekly sermon podcast of Orchard Church in Southern California: www.orchardchurch.life
In the Old Testament law, God required every firstborn male—which was considered the ‘strength’ of the herd or family—to be presented to Him (Ex. 13:2). As the firstborn son was set apart for God, th…
Shepherds down through the ages have been primarily lower class and often poor and uneducated. In a family, shepherding was usually done by the youngest son or hired out by owners that could afford i…
When Joseph met Mary, he was probably in his late teens to early twenties, living in his father’s house in Nazareth. For Joseph, becoming a responsible man able to support a wife meant learning a tra…
Mary grew up in a rural area of northern Israel in Nazareth and came from a family with no great social influence. Like most young women of her time, she would have been happy to marry a man she love…
Paul grew up in a strict Jewish home in Tarsus. He spoke multiple languages, had a genius-level IQ, was educated by the famous rabbi Gamaliel, and had a passion to serve God through Judaism (Phil. 3:…
I know that once people live their lives on the earth, they are made beautiful angels that are free to roam the universe. It makes me feel good to know that people I love are angels looking down on u…
As a believer in Jesus, I know that I am a child of God, and that He leads my life. Because of this reality, I have confidence when I encounter difficulty that God won’t allow anything in my life I c…
Knowledge can be understood from several aspects: simple knowledge (intellectual ascent), acceptance, application. So, is it good deeds, or is it faith? Yes! Faith is a lot like physical exercise. It…
Ever since I can remember I had same or both-sex attractions. I know I was born this way and since I can’t choose how I feel, other people must approve of my lifestyle. My feelings and desires are my…
Over the course of my life, I have done things I regret and have caused me guilt. In the moment, I thought those things would make me happy. But the pleasure I gained was short-lived while the guilt …
Believers aren’t ‘born-again’ to be orphaned but are born into a spiritual family to care for them. Being a Christian isn’t about your salvation, but about your sanctification. The goal of salvation …