Times of Waiting
As Paul was returning to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, he already had a sense of where his next journey would lead; “after I have been there, I must visit Rome” (Acts 19:21). But he also knew he was about to face many difficulties; “in every city the Holy Spirit warns […]
Light And Momentary
There is no example of a Christ-changed life which is more dramatic than the Apostle Paul. While on his way to Damascus to capture Christians and put them in jail, Jesus blinded Paul and asked, “Why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4). When Paul asked who was speaking, Jesus replied: “I am Jesus, whom you […]
Take Up Our Cross
In the message “Shiny Stones” we saw how we are often trapped by the seductive temptations of the world and kept from a truly free life – a life found only through complete surrender to Jesus; “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew […]
Shiny Stones
There are many types of monkey that can be captured with nothing more than a hollow wooden ball and a few shiny stones. The wooden ball contains a hole just large enough for the open hand of the monkey to pass through. The shiny stones are placed inside the ball and the ball is then […]
His Burden is Light
In the message “Preparing God’s People to Serve” we saw how Jesus set the example for ministry by equipping others to serve in His Kingdom. We also saw that each of us have been called to minister as we love Him and build up the body of Christ. Our specific roles in ministry may differ, […]
Preparing God’s People To Serve
Jesus’ ministry on earth lasted only three short years, but His message continues to be preached today and has spread to nearly every country and language of the world. When Jesus began His ministry, He knew His time would quickly pass; yet rather than trying to preach to the greatest number of people, Jesus focused […]
A New Name
Several of our last messages provided a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the gift of life we have in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth to be our necessary and absolutely sufficient sacrifice for sin. His death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb opened the door of grace for an eternally restored relationship […]
The Joy of Restoration
In the message “The Pain of Separation” we considered the original relationship between God and man. This was the perfect relationship for which we were created; a relationship where we understand our form, sustenance, blessings, and direction as coming from God; a relationship where we walk in His intimate fellowship every moment of every day. […]
The Pain of Separation
When we read the story of creation, we can clearly see how man was created for a blessed and intimate relationship with God. Man was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and given life with God’s own breath (Genesis 2:7). From the very beginning, God intended man to live under His blessing and […]
The Resurrected Life
We often consider our need to be set free from the deceptive entanglements of the world. Whether this means the sinful temptations of the flesh, the misguided priorities of selfish ambition, or simply the vast number of trivial activities which consume our time, they all hinder our intimacy with God. These “hindrances” of the world […]
Opportunity To Praise
There are going to be days when we just don’t feel like being thankful. We wake up and don’t seem able to praise. We know we should “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4), and we are trying to learn “the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12). We want to […]
Where Are You
All over the world, people are asking how to strengthen their relationship with God. Many have wandered from His path and become entangled in the weeds. We never actually plan to leave God’s path and become entangled; rather, it seems we simply take a wrong turn and then drift through small steps of compromise. How […]