Dear Friends,
An expert jeweler can tell a real pearl from paste with a glance. An expert designer knows a fake bag immediately, as different from the original. A good teller distinguishes genuine currency from counterfeit.
But how can we tell when our Christian lives are real, genuine, and authentic? The apostle Peter’s two New Testament letters will help us answer this question.
The devotional is supplemented by daily videos and is supplemental to our Sunday sermons.
Blessings as you read, meditate, and pray.
Dear Friends,
Our current sermon series is called “Graceways.” In it we will focus on the habits and practices that foster God’s grace in our lives and that make us into gracious people. As you read these meditations, try and find concreate ways to apply them in your life. If you want more ideas on how to do this, connect with me or any of our pastors directly or digitally.
God wants us to be free from stress—free for love, service, and joy. But this means understanding the things that produce stress in our lives and changing our ways of dealing with them. Over the next six weeks we will do this through our sermon series, “Stress Tests” and our accompanying devotional. Feel free to text, call, email, or chat if you have reactions or ideas!
Our Lenten Series is called The Week that Changed the World. Each Sunday we will examine a key incident that occurred during those telling seven days between Jesus’ Passover entrance to Jerusalem and His resurrection. Knowing the cross was coming, we see Him using His last days to teach and demonstrate the character of His coming. We all have moments that change our lives. These Holy Week moments shifted the world’s trajectory. May God bless you this season!
Even if you can't carry a tune, your soul can sing with joy and thanksgiving. Over the next 6 weeks, we will explore 6 great songs, and many connected scripture passages, that have inspired Christians through the generations. Use this devotional to deepen your grasp of their greatness and depth-these songs will help your soul sing.
Do you instinctively embrace authority? By personality some of us are natural followers some neutral resistors. All of us have had mixed experiences with authorities in our lives, like parents, bosses, coaches, or police.
This fall we’ll examine the commands that came from our spiritual Master, Jesus Christ. As we study them, remember that His authority is unique. He has ultimate power as our Creator and Judge, but only uses that divine authority in the way of love, shaping us to be people of truth and gladness. As He said “Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you (accept my authority), and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls—my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Understanding and following His commands is the narrow way that leads to an abundant life.
A willingness to encounter and befriend non-Christians means a willingness to understand and address their questions. Jesus never resisted questions and neither must we. But some questions are difficult, and in this series we examine the hardest challenges to Christian faith in our current culture. The devotions, sermons, and forums will be an invitation to discussion.
Each of us has an opportunity in partnership with God, to change the trajectory of someone's life, helping them discover the joy God intends them to know through faith. Each one can reach one. Through the dynamism of the Spirit, those we touch, bless and encourage will do the same for others. This sermon series is meant to help you in your outreach to others.