Satan is the father of lies. His main tactic is deception. However, he is not as powerful as he claims to be. We also have the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth to guide us. Spiritual warfare is true, but Christians are on the winning side.
We all “believe” in invisible things, like oxygen and love, for example. But when it comes to a mysterious spirit world, many of us think it sounds a bit too fanciful. Angels and demons? Really?
But the unseen world is real, and by pretending it’s not (or hyperfocusing on it), we run the risk of being influenced unknowingly.
We’ve all got them – people in our lives that drive us crazy. People that seem to sap the energy, rob our joy, and leave us often feeling angry, guilty, frustrated, and confused. What does God say about dealing with the annoying people in our lives?
God has made us all unique, so there’s no wonder that in relationships we will come face to face with others who are in different spiritual seasons and have different preferences and practices. Today we’ll look through the lens of Paul’s words to the Corinthians to see what wisdom from God he had to share regarding a church full of spiritual imbalances.
Relationships are beautiful, yet complex. We thrive when we’re on the same page and in harmony with one another. But when that gets complicated because we feel wronged by a person, bitterness can creep in and create a toxic relationship… with ourselves. Resentment is a powerful emotion that sends us down a downward spiral. There’s only one thing that can pull us out… and that’s what we’re talking about today.
Repairing relationships is one of the toughest things we’ll do in life. And yet, it’s required from us all.
And though we love building new relationships, maintaining damaged relationships can be daunting.
A few practical skills can greatly assist us along the way.
Discouragement can take a toll. On our own mental health, our sense of joy in life, and it will even affect our relationships. Having a personal strategy to combat discouragement will bring blessing to you and those near you.
This may be the most confusing descriptor of God in all the Bible, but unless we understand His jealousy, we can’t really understand God Himself.
Have you ever observed someone who is a Christian and thought, “They don’t really act like one?” Or have you ever been personally disappointed in your own ability to maintain a vibrant faith? As we learn more about The Lord who Sanctifies, we will gain a deeper understanding of how spiritual growth happens, and what we can expect from God in that journey.
Today we are reminded that God sees you and provides for you. He is El Roi, the God who sees, and Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. These names of God are beautifully illustrated in the tale of two step-brothers. Both sons of Abraham, but dramatically different stories.
Whether you feel forgotten like Hagar or tested like Abraham, God knows your story. He sees your pain, your questions, your hopes, and He will meet you right there. He sees you, and He will see to your provisions.
Discover the profound story of Hagar, the Egyptian slave girl who named God El Roi – "the God who sees me." In this powerful message, we explore how God meets us in our deepest vulnerabilities, hears our pain, and sees the longings of our hearts. Just as He saw Hagar and set her free, He sees you and is working to bring redemption and hope into your story. Do you see the God who sees you?
We all want healing from God, but few of us get it. How do we reconcile that experience with the revelation of God as Jehovah Rapha, which means God our healer? We try to answer this question by studying Exodus 15, where God first reveals Himself to be Rapha.
God has revealed himself to us with different names that indicate various aspects of His character. This message focuses on God as a purposeful, powerful God who provides victory.
Frantic. Distracted. Overwhelmed. Worried. These are likely to be pretty good adjectives to describe your life. What would your life look like if the peace of God rushed in? How would your demeanor change?
On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! His resurrection assures us that we, too, can conquer death. Yet, the idea of our own resurrection can sometimes feel abstract, lacking practical relevance in our everyday lives. How significant is the resurrection for our daily existence, and why should it matter to us?
Perhaps the most radical statement Jesus ever makes, is found in John 14:6. It was provocative then, and it is provocative now. His claim to be the only way to God is extreme, and seemingly narrow. But it also highlights the uniqueness of Jesus among all other gods.
As Jesus was preparing for His eventual arrest and crucifixion, He wanted to leave His disciples with a message. What He gives them is a simple, yet profound illustration, to succinctly explain everything we need to live as believers. With His usual candor, He also outlines what could happen if we don’t follow His words, but overall, the message is clear. We must stay connected to Him. Our prayer today is that these words would be both encouraging and challenging for us as we prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday.
Jesus’s discourse in John 10 continues from the revelation of Him as the door, to His role as the Good Shepherd over God’s people. His use of symbolism stems from an occupation and prophetic imagery used extensively in the Old Testament, and here to the religious leaders of the day, He is declaring that He is the loving Messiah God’s people had been waiting for.
Jesus said, “I AM the door.” Jesus is the only door to God, and the only door to a life that is truly meaningful.
Jesus says that He is the Light of the world. What does that mean? Why were the Israelites so offended by that statement? We kick off our new sermon series through the “I AM” statements in the gospel of John and explore the significance of this statement and what it means for our lives.