Sermons and Messages
Restore Us Again
Sometimes it’s easy to compare our current circumstances with our past, especially when the present doesn’t seem as good as days gone by. We begin to look for answers and question God’s presence and action in our lives. But when we just see God as the source of benefits, we miss the big picture. Jesus came to connect us to God, to transform our lives, to be able to live like Him. When we commit to making changes in our lives, that’s when we begin to see God in the world. Let’s live on a mission for God and make a difference in the world.
Who is Like the Lord?
Praise God! There is no one like Him. In our brokenness, in our destitution, and in our lowly status, He lifts us up. God cares for his creation. It's easy to get caught-up in the hustle of the season. But take time to pause, praise God for what He has done, and look around for those that need Jesus. Live out His mission today and every day.
Jesus is King
Nations have always revolted, but we know that God is in control. Jesus is the answer that world is looking for. During this season of advent, we look forward to the coming king and we are assured that He is and will be victorious. What is your response to the Victorious King?
Be Thankful
Sometimes we only tend to see the negative things in life. Sometimes we get so busy we fail to stop to even be thankful. One healed leper demonstrates in his life for us today a thankful spirit and heart that challenges us to stop and be thankful.
Where is Justice?
Violence, oppression, protests, frustration… It’s easy to ask “Why, God?” “Why aren’t you doing something? Why do God’s people struggle? This is not a new question. People in Malachi’s day witnessed evil nations being blessed while they struggled. They questioned God’s love while only honoring Him with their lips. Instead of looking inward, they began to focus on those around them. We, too, must be careful looking for justice in the world. There will always be injustice as long as there is evil, but there will be a day when God brings His judgement and we will all stand and face Him.
The Good Samaritan
In Matthew 22, Jesus lays out the Greatest Commandment; love God, love your neighbor. Love starts with God and our belief in Him. God wants all of us. Our hearts. Our mind. Our strength. When we have a heart for God, we have a heart of compassion which moves us to love our neighbor. But who is our neighbor? It’s easy to consider those in our inner circle to be our neighbor—those who look like us, act like us, think like us—drawing only a small circle of inclusion. But if we love the way God calls us to love, we cannot separate our relationships from the love we’re called to have.
What am I giving God?
Every day we offer God something.
Ask yourself, “Am I serving God the leftovers, instead of making Him a priority?” Every day we have an opportunity to serve God through our time, talents, resources, and energy. Our desire to offer God our best starts with our hearts—what we offer God is a reflection of our heart. So what are you offering God? Would He be pleased, or would He be disgusted?
Let’s look at the text in Malachi 1:6-2:9 and see if the people in Malachi’s day were practicing heartfelt adoration or thought of honoring God as a burdensome job.
God Loves You
People in Malachi’s day questioned God’s love for them. We’re guilty of doing the same today, aren’t we? When life doesn’t go how we want… When we wonder why we’re going through certain situations… When are prayers seemingly go unanswered… We question—we doubt—God loves us. In the same way God revealed his love to Israel through his actions, he reveals Himself in our day. See and speak about God’s love in your life today!
While We Wait
Which Mountain
Hebrews 12: Should We Shrink Back or Have Faith?
Mount Sinai is NOT our mountain. We are running toward the mountain of joy and perfection — Mount Zion! Jesus makes is possible to climb this mountain!
Faith
Throughout the bible, ordinary people have done extraordinary things because of their faith in God. In today’s world, it’s easy to trust everything else, except God, because of our lack of faith. We need to let the world see an invisible God through our visible actions. There’s no cheap grace. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and can’t see.
Perseverance
When being a Christian feels hard...
1. Consider the consequences of quitting.
2. Remember the past.
3. Focus on the future reward.
Let Us
Most things in our society direct our gaze inward, focusing on the individual as the center of the universe. Christianity is different; our focus is on Jesus.
Perfection
Jesus is our mediator and great High Priest. Through him we have perfection -- a reaching of maturity -- and makes our relationship with God possible.
Hope
We're not saved because we get everything right, we're saved because of Jesus. We wait patiently for God to keep His promise and we have hope because Jesus is our High Priest.
Maturity
The same way a parent is concerned for their child who might not be growing, getting bigger, gaining strength—we should be concerned when we’re not growing in our relationship with God.
Help
Help!
Mercy, Grace, & Comfort in Our Time of Need
Hebrews 4:14-5:10
Rest
We all at times need some rest. The Bible refers to rest by God at creation, the Sabbath rest in the Old Testament and even in Joshua settling in the promised land is referred to rest. While we might find “rest” now as followers of Jesus, the ultimate “rest” will come when we one day when we live in God’s presence in Heaven.
Unbelief
Unbelief is not just about not believing, it's about failing to trust. As we follow God, we should follow God together--to the very end--having confidence, protecting our hearts, and encouraging one another so that none of us are hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:7-19
The Broad vs. Narrow Way
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”