Author Archives: Mark Cole

About Mark Cole

Jesus follower, Husband, Grandfather, Worship Leader, Writer, Pastor, Teacher, Founding Arranger for Praisecharts.com, pickleball player, blogger & outdoor enthusiast.. (biking, hiking, skiing). Twitter: @MarkMCole Facebook: mmcole

Introduction to the Book of Jeremiah: A Prophet of Tears, Truth, and Hope

Posted on October 18, 2026 by Mark Cole

Key Verse: “O Lord, You are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble!” — Jeremiah 16:19 (NLT) The book of Jeremiah is one of the most powerful and emotional books in the Old Testament. It tells … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Holy Spirit, humility, Leadership, obedience, Worship | Tagged calling, compassion, courage, covenant, decline, faithfulness, God, humility, Jeremiah, love, obey, persecution, perseverance, plans, prophet, repentance, restoration, threats, trusting, weeping prophet | Leave a comment

Introduction to Habakkuk: Trusting God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Posted on October 17, 2026 by Mark Cole

Key Verse: “For the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” — Habakkuk 2:4 (NLT) Have you ever wondered why God allows evil to prosper? Why do the wicked sometimes seem to succeed while the righteous suffer? Why does … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, obedience, Prayer, Worship | Tagged believe, complaint, embrace, evil, faith, faithfulness, glory of the LORD, God's ways, praise, prayer, prophet, prosper, questions, rejoice in the Lord, righteous, spiritual decline, trust God, Worship | Leave a comment

Introduction to the Book of Zephaniah: Judgment, Hope, and the God Who Rejoices Over Us

Posted on October 16, 2026 by Mark Cole

The book of Zephaniah is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament, containing only three chapters. Yet within these chapters is a powerful message about God’s holiness, His judgment against sin, His call to repentance, and His incredible … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, obedience, Worship | Tagged decline, devotion, devotion to God, God sings, holiness, holy, hope, humble, humility, Israel, joy, joyful, Juday, just, King Josiah, live humbly, repentance, restoration, restore, righteous, Savior, seek the Lord, songs, spiritual decline, Zephaniah | Leave a comment

Introduction to the Book of Ephesians: Discovering Our Riches in Christ

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Mark Cole

The Book of Ephesians is one of the most powerful and encouraging letters in the New Testament. In just six chapters, the Apostle Paul explains who we are in Christ, the incredible spiritual blessings God has given us, and how … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Leadership, Love, obedience, Teaching | Tagged accomplish, adopted, Apostle Paul, apostles, calling from God, chosen, church, confidence, encouragement, Ephesians, faith, followers of Jesus, forgiven, God's masterpiece, God's Word, grace, holiness, humility, joy, maturity, New Testament, pastors, patience, Paul, prayer, prophets, purpose, redeemed, righteousness, salvation, sealed, spiritual blessings, spiritual riches, spiritual warfare, teachers, truth, unity | Leave a comment

The Power of a God-Fearing Life: Leaving a Legacy of Security for Your Children

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Mark Cole

“Those who fear the Lord are secure; He will be a refuge for their children.” — Proverbs 14:26 (NLT) One of the greatest gifts we can give our children and grandchildren is not money, property, or possessions. It is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Family, God, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus, obedience, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged blessing, children, difficult times, faith, faith in God, family, fear of the Lord, follow Jesus, generations, God's love, good judgement, grandchildren, Holy One, honor God, integrity, legacy, life, marriages, obedience, prayer, refuge, respect, reverence, security, serve the Lord, trouble, walk with God, wisdom | Leave a comment

An Introduction to the Book of Nahum: God Is Patient, but He Will Not Ignore Evil

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Mark Cole

Key Verse: Nahum 1:7 (NLT) “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.” The book of Nahum is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament, containing only … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, obedience | Tagged faithfulness, forgiveness, God is, God sees, God's justice, God's kingdom, God's Word, greater, judgement, justice, loving, merciful, Nahum, new life, Nineveh, obedience, ordinary people, patience, patient, promises, purposes, refuge, repentance | Leave a comment

7 Keys to a Successful Life and Ministry

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Mark Cole

What does it really mean to live a successful Christian life? Is success measured by the size of your church, the number of people attending your services, your musical abilities, your influence, or your accomplishments? After more than 50 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus, Leadership, Music, Teaching, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged encourage, follow His Word, God's wisdom, God's Word, gratitude, heart, hymns, Jesus at the center, Know God, know Jesus, life, lifestyle, mentor, ministry, new song, Psalms, relationship, relationship with Jesus, representative, sing to the Lord, singing, spirit and in truth, spiritual songs, teach, teachable, thanksgiving, walk with God | Leave a comment

The Secret: Christ In You and the Path to Wisdom

Posted on October 12, 2026 by Mark Cole

The apostle Paul unveils a profound mystery in his letter to the Colossians, something that had been hidden for ages: “And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing His glory” (Colossians 1:27). He goes on to say, “In Christ lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The secret is out—Christ in us is the key to unlocking a life of wisdom, growth, and transformation. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, God Adventures, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Wisdom | Tagged abide in Christ, crucified with Christ, cummunity, fullness, God's Word, Holy Spirit, humility, knowledge, power, prayer, purpose, renewing, secret, Surrender, treasures, truth, wisdom, Word | Leave a comment

Jesus Is Lord: An Introduction to the Book of Colossians

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Mark Cole

If you could summarize the entire Christian life in just one sentence, what would it be? In his short but explosive letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul does exactly that: “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). Whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, Leadership | Tagged Apostle Paul, Christ, Colossae, Colossians, false teachers, firstborn, head of the church, in all, Jesus Christ, Jesus is enough, Jesus is Lord, legalistic, resurrection, rooted in Jesus, Timothy, universe | Leave a comment

The Book of Micah: What Does God Really Want From Us?

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Mark Cole

An Introduction to the Book of Micah What does God really want from His people? Is it more worship services? More sacrifices? More religious activity? Or is He looking for something much deeper? Nearly 2,700 years ago, a prophet named … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Leadership, Worship | Tagged Bethlehem, compassionate, do what is right, fairness, generous, God cares, God sees, His promises, honesty, hope, humility, injustice, integrity, judgement, justice, love mercy, mercy, MIcah, obedience, preach, prophecy, religious, restoration, restore, sin, teach, traditions, true worship, unfailing love, walking humbly, with God, Worship | Leave a comment