21 October

End Times FAQ With Max Lucado

The term “end times” causes different reactions among people. Some approach the subject with excitement, while others broach it reluctantly or even fearfully. After all, with so many issues in the present, why should we spend our time speculating about the future?

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 3:13-14

The apostle Paul penned these words and they provide encouragement that facing the future helps us face the present. The best of life is yet to be. Got challenges in the here-and-now? Then ponder what is to come. Yes, the Bible has much to say about the future of our world, the end of history, and the glorious span of eternity that lies beyond. But God didn’t give us those glimpses just so that we could better understand the future. He helps us see the plan to invite us to spend eternity with Him. Paul goes on in Colossians 3 to encourage believers to focus on heavenly things.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

— Colossians 3:1–2

Your soul needs hourly gazes into the life to come. You need to know what your departed loved ones are doing. You need to envision the rapture and the millennium. You need to picture your eternal home and the face of God. Why? Because Heaven is the green vegetable in the spiritual diet. It makes us whole. It keeps us healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the anti-christ alive today?

Using the example of Judas in the Bible, Max Lucado explains how the enemy has candidates for the anti-christ in each generation. Watch the full answer now.

Are we living in the end times?

According to Max Lucado, we are living in the end times. He believes that many of the signs in Matthew 25 have been fulfilled. Watch the full answer now.

Is Jesus returning soon?

No one knows when Jesus will return, however, we need to pay attention to the signs of His second coming. Jesus calls us to be prepared. Max shares how to posture our hearts during the waiting. Watch the full answer here.

Where do people go when they die?

Pastor Max Lucado shares about where believers go when they die. He examines scriptures about paradise. There is hope in knowing that there is a place of restoration in healing where believers will wait until the return of Christ. Watch his full answer here.

07 October

New Studies Coming in October 2024

Fall brings many “returns”– the return of beautiful leaves, scarves, afternoons watching football, and pumpkin spice-flavored everything. Here at HCR, we are eagerly anticipating the return of some of your favorite authors and Bible studies. Lysa TerKeurst, Dallas Willard, Sarah Young, John MacArthur, and Max Lucado all have Bible studies releasing this month. Keep reading to learn more, and see if you find a new study you’ll return to again and again!

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30 September

Top 5 Advent Bible Studies

If you’re not careful, Thanksgiving comes, and the Christmas crush is on. And it does just that. It crushes us with the busyness and the stress and all that we’ve got to get done and check off our list. Then, all of a sudden, the whole thing is over, and we’ve missed the miracle that is Christmas. 

And that’s why it’s important to slow down and consider the rhythm of the Advent and Christmas season. Advent, at its core is about waiting. Specifically, it’s about waiting in expectation, and remembering that God comes through on his promises.  

You might be in a part of the story right now where you can’t see how all the pieces are coming together, God’s working right now amid the waiting. While you’re waiting on God, God is working his plan in your life.

Here are the Top 5 Bible studies from trusted teachers on the waiting season of Advent.

Continue reading “Top 5 Advent Bible Studies”
03 September

New Studies Coming in September 2024

Much like Inigo Montoya in the classic film The Princess Bride, most of us hate waiting.

However, that is the theme I thought of when I was putting together the below collection of Bible studies that are coming from HarperChristian Resources this September.

The first to release is Megan Marshman’s Relaxed, a study on Proverbs 3:5-6. These verses encourage us to trust in the Lord, which, in my experience, entails a whole lotta waiting! Megan teaches in Relaxed how to have the posture of Jesus as we trust in the Lord.

The second to release is an advent Bible study from Christine Caine and Lisa Harper. Advent is literally about waiting. People in the first century were waiting for the coming of the Messiah the same as we in the 21st century are waiting for Jesus to return. Lisa and Chris tag team in this study helping us recapture the wonder of Jesus living with us.

The final release is appropriately Forever, the final volume of Passion’s Jesus Bible study series. This series (Beginnings, Revolt, People, Savior, Church, and Forever) looks at the six acts of Scripture and walks participants through them. Not only have we been waiting for this final volume to come out, we all are waiting for Jesus to return and usher in his Forever Kingdom.

Keep reading to learn more about these and more!

Continue reading “New Studies Coming in September 2024”
12 August

5 Essential Studies from Max Lucado

Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as the teaching minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry and society at large. He is America’s bestselling inspirational author with more than 150 million products in print.

Here are 5 essential Bible studies from Max:

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05 August

5 Bible Studies for Fall 2024

What are your going to study this fall? Below are 5 ideal options, covering the book of Revelation, biblical prophecy, God’s faithfulness, understanding our emotions, and the book of Judges – a time when the country of Israel was dealing with a lack of leadership and people doing whatever they felt right in their own eyes.

Check out these 5 studies and click the links to watch full sessions to get the scope of the teaching and study.

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15 July

New Studies Coming in August 2024

God’s faithfulness is on full display in our upcoming Bible studies this August. Ruth Chou Simons’s Now and Not Yet highlights 6 ways God is more faithful then we know, Max Lucado’s What Happens Next unveils God’s faithfulness to us in the End Times, Sandy Richter shows how God is faithful to his people during one of the most chaotic and morally dark eras of Israel’s story in her Deborah study. Keep reading to learn more about these and more!

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28 May

Top 5 Bible Studies on the Spiritual World

We all have a foot in two different worlds, whether we realize it or not: the physical world, and the spiritual world. And what happens in the spiritual world definitely affects what happens in the physical world – it’s just difficult to recognize sometimes. Maybe you’d like your eyes opened to the reality of the spiritual world or maybe you’d like to understand the Holy Spirit deeper or maybe you’d like some spiritual rhythms that will deeper your connection to Jesus and the world to come. Wherever you find yourself today, here are 5 video Bible studies that help you explore the spiritual world:

Continue reading “Top 5 Bible Studies on the Spiritual World”
01 May

New Studies in May 2024

Many small groups take a break in summer since it’s difficult to plan gatherings with vacations and travel. But that doesn’t mean that your spiritual life takes a hiatus. We have a number of Bible studies that while they can definitely be used by groups are ideal for personal Bible study. Explore living in tension within the church and Christian community in Scot McKnight’s 1 Corinthians Bible study. Or spend the next year developing a close personal relationship with Jesus in Experiencing the Heart of Jesus for 52 Weeks from Max Lucado. Keep reading to learn more about both of these and others!

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03 November

Top 4 Bible Studies for Christmas

If you’re not careful, Thanksgiving comes, and the Christmas crush is on. And it does just that. It crushes us with the busyness and the stress and all that we’ve got to get done and check off our list. Then, all of a sudden, the whole thing is over, and we’ve missed the miracle that is Christmas. 

And that’s why it’s important to slow down and consider the rhythm of the Advent and Christmas season. Advent, at its core is about waiting. Specifically, it’s about waiting in expectation, and remembering that God comes through on his promises.  

You might be in a part of the story right now where you can’t see how all the pieces are coming together, God’s working right now amid the waiting. While you’re waiting on God, God is working his plan in your life.

Here are the Top 4 studies from trusted teachers on the waiting season of Advent.

1. Waiting Here for You: An Advent Journey of Hope – Louie Giglio

Waiting Here for You Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video: An Advent Journey of Hope

A season overflowing with anticipation, Christmas comes the same time each year with great hope and promise of a baby born long ago. But this season meant for joy is often consumed by busyness, pressure, mixed emotions, and is gone as quickly as it came.

What is it all for?

In this four session study, pastor Louie Giglio reminds us that it’s in the richness of Advent – a season of expectant waiting and preparation – that we find our answer. And it is throughout this waiting season that we prepare our hearts to greet December 25th with joy, peace, hope, and refreshed promise in our newborn King.

Here’s Louie talking about the series:

For more on Waiting Here for You and Louie Giglio, click here.

2. Because of Bethlehem: Love is Born, Hope is Here – Max Lucado

Because of Bethlehem Bible Study Guide: Love is Born, Hope is Here

No one expected the Messiah to come the way he did. Yet the way he came was every bit as important as the coming itself. The manger is the message.

Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it’s like to be human. Because of Bethlehem, when we talk to him about tough times, he understands. He’s been there. He’s been here. Because of Bethlehem, we no longer have marks on our record…just grace.

For some, Christmas is a time of excitement, celebration, and family, while for others it is a time of loneliness, grief, and loss. No matter what this season holds for you, the promise of Christmas will bring you a lifetime of hope.

Max Lucado guides you through the Advent season:

For more on Because of Bethlehem from Max Lucado, click here

3. The Case for Christmas: Evidence for the Identity of Jesus – Lee Strobel

The Case for Christmas Bible Study Guide: Evidence for the Identity of Jesus

During his faith journey, Lee Strobel investigated the real meaning behind all those nativity scenes he saw outside of churches. In this four-week study, Lee reveals what he discovered from consulting experts on the Bible, archaeology, and messianic prophecy as he sought to separate the truth from the tradition.

Regardless of whether the center of your Christmas decorations is the nativity set on your mantle or the presents under the tree, The Case for Christmas study invites you to look beyond the familiar traditions of the season, challenge you to examine the evidence for yourself, and consider why Christmas really matters and why it’s still so relevant today.

Watch a clip from the first session:

For more on The Case Christmas by Lee Strobel, click here

4. Who Needs Christmas – Andy Stanley

Who Needs Christmas Bible Study Guide

Rediscover the improbable story of Christmas.

Four thousand years ago, God promised he would do something through the bloodline of Abraham. Two thousand years later, Jesus was born. And two thousand years after that, we’re still talking about it.

Why?

The story of Jesus’ birth was not what anyone expected: a baby . . . born in the armpit of the Mediterranean . . . to save us from sins that no one thought we needed saving from.

This Christmas season, join Andy Stanley as he unpacks why the improbability of the Christmas story is what makes it so believable. No one could have or would have made it up.

Watch the trailer for Who Needs Christmas:

For more on Who Needs Christmas by Andy Stanley, click here