Abiding Shepherd: Recent Episodes
Abiding Shepherd
Messages that dive into God's Word and apply God's Word to your life, from Pastors Krause and Abrahamson of Abiding Shepherd Lutheran Church, Cottage Grove & Fort Atkinson, WI.
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We say the words but do we really believe and trust what we say. God takes us through tests to help us "Walk the Walk."
Exodus 16:4-5
6.16.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Guest Preacher, Prof. Joel Russow shares a message from Mark 4:26-34.
6.16.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
You may have been here before but you are not stuck here. Through Jesus, in this test you can embrace the freedom of knowing you are "Not A Hostage."
Genesis 42:15-20
6.9.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
There will be a day of freedom when we can see how the plans God had were so much better than the plans we had. Until that day, we have the opportunity to be practicing patience.
Genesis 42:15-20
6.9.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
God offers us the opportunity to become what He created us to be with each and every one of these tests, starting with the first.
Genesis 2:15-17
6.2.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
There's risk...but it's worth it! Jesus gives you the ability to take hold of "The Opportunity of Your Life."
Genesis 2:15-17
6.2.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
A message based on Revelation 12:7-12.
5.26.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Guest Preacher Prof. Joel Russow
It's one thing for us to want to be with our God.
It's another thing for our God to choose to be with us!
John 14:23-27
5.26.24 Trinity Sunday Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
You and I are the Temple of God.
It's not a bad idea for us to look around to take stock and see what kind of shape this house is in. Christian is not just something we call ourselves, it's who we are.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
5.19.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
It reshapes how you see yourself, your life and the world around you when you learn what God sees as "The Living Room."
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
5.19.24 Pentecost/Confirmation Sermon from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Every single one of us needs more of that kind of love, a love like no other!
Luke 13:33-34
5.12.24 Mother's Day Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Wherever you find yourself mentally, emotionally and spiritually today, there is One who is everything you need. Listen closely and hear "The Heartbeat of God."
5.12.24 Mother's Day Message
Luke 13:33-34
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Lord, would you not only remind me but empower me to live the life that You created me to live, for Your glory and our good.
If that is our prayer, than we certainly have every reason to say "Happy Death Day."
Romans 6:4
5.5.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
There's already been a funeral for that. You can leave it behind and step into what's ahead "When God Calls You Out."
Romans 6:4
5.5.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
It's not how we measure success but how God measures success.
The way God measures success is to extend this amazing bounty of His love and ask us to trust it!
Acts 20:24
4.28.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Do you smell that? Something's different. Something is happening. It's impact you and transforming how you live. Dig into Acts 20:24 and tune into "A Change in the Air.
4.28.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Have you noticed all the new construction?
There's new growth all over the place! That's because the risen Jesus is "Building A Better Life."
Acts 5:20
4.21.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When life turns up the heat and keeps coming at us, sometimes it can start to feel like hope is lost. Yet, when we dig into Ezra 9:9 in light of the resurrection, we can see that Jesus has given us a life that really is "Unstoppable."
4.14.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Easter gives us new life! It's not just a one day event. We get to begin to embrace what it means to have "Newer Life" as well.
2 Corinthians 5:17
4.7.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Does it seem like Easter has made you new, or do things seem the same? Whether we see it in the moment or not, the resurrection really has made you new and as we dig into 2 Corinthians 5:17 we can gain a "New View."
4.7.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Just because you're breathing, it doesn't mean you're really living. The Resurrection doesn't just mean that we'll breath again, but it makes it possible for us truly "To Be Alive..."
Matthew 16:24-27
3.31.24 Easter Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What and who are "Now Serving" can literally give you new and renewed life. Learn how by digging into Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples as recorded in Luke 22:14-27.
3.29.24 Good Friday Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The more we give it away, the more we have....
Dig into Mark 14:3-9 and discover what is at the heart of "Piety With A Purpose."
3.24.24 Palm Sunday Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Are you really hearing what it is that changes EVERYTHING? Dig into Mark 14:3-9 and get to "The Heart of it All."
3.24.24 Palm Sunday Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
We thank our Triune God for His words of life and of love - for they alone drive away all fear and help us to take off the masks we wear.
Luke 14:1-14
3.17.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
What are they all about - this lesson, our worship, our lives as Christians?
Dig into Luke 14:1-14 and embrace "The Invitation."
3.17.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Being Mary in a Martha world means that when the world around us operates in a system of false guilt, we have a Savior who says, "Not only are you good enough, but I came to make you perfect!"
Luke 10:38-42
3.10.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
You might be looking good on the outside but how are things on the inside?
It's harder to look deep within but it's what matters most. Thankfully, Jesus brings us the "Deep Clean."
Luke 11:37-54
3.10.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What you hear can have such an impact on you. But what's going on inside of you can have such an impact on what you hear.
Jesus is speaking words of life to us and it makes all the difference "Ear to Ear."
Luke 10:38-42
3.3.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Do we ever really grow out of caring about what others think of us?
Whether it's the thoughts others have about us, the thoughts we have about others or the way we think about ourselves, there much better thoughts that come from someone far greater for us to consider. Ask yourself, "What Is He Thinking?"
Luke 7:36-50
2.25.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
There is not afraid to be associated with anyone or anything. He meets you right where you are and them right where they are.
He came that we might be reclaimed by how He's resetting the table.
Matthew 9:10-12
2.18.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Our God not only invites us to sit down at the table with all the other sinners, but also encourages us to invite them to sit with us as well!
Matthew 9:10-13
2.18.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's not about beating yourself up or sitting in sadness. It's about life. Embrace what the season is all about and see how in Jesus we are "Dying to Live."
2.14.24 Ash Wednesday Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Whether the calendar says Valentines Day or Ash Wednesday, we can celebrate the true holiday of God's love and how He brings value to death in order to give us our lives back!
2.14.24 Ash Wednesday Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
The Final Lesson in Our A-HA Moments Epiphany series. A study of John 16:29-30.
2.11.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Jesus certainly cares just as much about our heads as He does our hearts!
John 14:1-11
2.4.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you're nowhere near where you want to be, feeling confused, disappointed, sad, angry or wondering what you did wrong, Jesus has some good news for you....What you're longing for, is "Not As Far as You Might Think."John 14:1-112.4.24 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
May we be an influence in the lives of those who need the truth of the love of Jesus while at the same time refusing to be influenced by the confusion and deceptions of the world.Matthew 16:5-121.28.24 Message from Fort AtkinsonPastor Nathan Krause
Yes it takes some thought, but once you realize what's been going on in your mind and in your heart and turn your attention to the One who changes it all, it's completely worth it!
Jesus is calling for "Your Attention Please."
Matthew 16:5-12
1.28.24 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Everyday and every interaction can be completely changed when you have this "People Perspective."
Matthew 13:47-51
1.21.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
As amazing as it is that we know Jesus, it may be even more amazing to know that He knows us and that we never need to understimate our Jesus.
John 1:47-51
1.14.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you're in a place where you might least expect it, you can see Jesus!John 1:47-511.14.24 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
Guest preacher, Prof. Joel Russow, shares an Epiphany message from Matthew 2.
1.7.24 Message from Fort Atkinson
When we find ourselves in dark places, God's answer may not be easy...but it is powerful when we see in Jesus "Light vs Dark."Luke 7:18-231.7.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
This new year, truly embrace what God has placed on "The Road Before You."
New Year's Eve 2023 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When making big plans for the future, make sure the biggest plan of all is to choose to submit every part of your plans to God's will and trust only in Him.New Year's Eve 2023 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nathan Krause
Whether you feel it or not, the same Spirit that was at work in the first Christmas story is at work in you today. You have the Christmas Spirit!
Christmas Day 2023 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Son of God has made a promise to us. He will come again. Yes - Amen!Christmas Eve 2023 Message from Fort AtkinsonPastor Nathan Krause
It might all look the same, but life really has changed because of "The Coming King."Christmas Eve 2023 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
Jesus has made a promise that stands not just for that day, but everyday until then. He is with us.
2 Peter 3:10-14
12.17.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Embracing that Day transforms how you live today! Dig into 2 Peter 3:10-14 and see how God would have you truly "Seize the Day!"12.17.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
Guest Preacher, Prof. Joel Russow, shares an Advent message from Mark 1:1-8.
12.10.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
When thinking about what's ahead, don't lose sight of what God calls us to right now. "Be Ready! Be Busy! Be Sheep!"
Matthew 24:1-3 & Matthew 25:31-46
12.10.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
When it comes to Jesus and His coming, may we especially practice "The Lost Art of Listening."
Isaiah 51:4-6
12.3.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
We are a people and a world in need of rescue.
Thankfully Jesus came to do exactly that! Dig into Isaiah 51:4-6 and embrace "Rescue Realized"
12.3.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you come to those turning points where you can either follow your own will or God's, may your submit your will to His, stay focused on what Jesus has done for you and be with Him!
11.26.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Saying "thank you," from the heart, is not just the old way, it's God's way!Exodus 23:1611.22.23 Thanksgiving Eve Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nathan Krause
Saying "thank you" is more than just practicing good manners. It makes a real impact! Lean "Why? Say Thank You!"
Psalm 54
11.22.23 Thanksgiving Eve Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Jesus is calling you today. You can confidently respond, "Yes, Lord, I will follow, because of Your Love."John 21:15-1911.26.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
When you're in the dark where it seems like God is absent and not doing anything good, everything can change with the "Light Switch."
Matthew 27:44
Luke 23:40-42
11.19.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
You may not find what you've been looking for...but you can find what you need. Look to Jesus in "The Search."Mark 8:11-1311.12.13 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
Jesus, who has the power to do what we need, also has the heart to do it for us. He gives to us His miracle of mercy.
Mark 10:48
11.5.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
You need help. What's holding you back from asking?
Jesus is right here asking you, "What do you need?"
Mark 10:48
11.5.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you're finding yourself confused or discouraged in your faith, remember what Jesus has said, remind yourself of what He has done and ask youself, "Have You Heard Enough?"
John 6:66-69
10.29.23 Reformation Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Once you know the truth of God's Word, you know that it's not only worth dying for, but living for!
John 6:66-69
10.29.23 Reformation Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Guest preacher Pastor Charles Degner takes us through a study of Psalm 1.
10.15.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
What's that around your heart?
Sometimes we put up a barrier around our heart that keeps the Gospel message from really sinking, transforming us and flowing out into our lives. Thankfully, Jesus meets us right here and reminds us of how beautiful it can be to "Cry Your Heart Out."
Luke 7:37-38
10.15.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
In a world that loves to hate, only Jesus is able to build a bridge of love between God, us and each other!
John 4:9 & 19-20
10.8.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Some questions come from a place of feeling distant from God. When these questions are brought to Jesus, the He answers can change everything!John 4:9 & 19-2010.8.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
We often allow our hearts and lives to be ruled by fear. Don't just live, forgetting Who made us alive. Find the courage to truly live and enjoy the blessings He gives us. Live the truth and share that truth with the world.John 3:1-9
10.1.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nathan Krause
Uncomfortable? Yes. Difficult? Probably? Worth it? Absolutely!
Dig into John 3:1-9 where we gain insight to embrace and recognize "The Power to Change" in our lives.
10.1.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Want to find out just what God can do with your life?
Trust Him with it!
Malachi 3:6-12
9.24.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
It's not really about what's been in our hands, but what is in our hearts.
Malachi 3:6-12
9.24.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
We're willing to say those hard things because of God's love for us and ultimately for His glory!
Matthew 18:15-20
9.17.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Guest Preacher Prof. Joel Russow
Even good things can turn into a mess. Thankfully, Jesus sets everything right when life gets blended and good things have gone wrong.
2 Kings 18:20
2 Chronicles 32:30-32
9.17.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Making Decisions can be awfully hard!
Not only do we struggle to know the best choice, but our minds are naturally mastered by some destructive influences. Thankfully, we have a God has overcome the sinful mind and has already befun to rewire the way we think and approach decisions!
2 Chronicles 10:8-11
9.10.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Decisions not only have a major affect on us but on those around us. It makes sense then that we'd want to find the most efficient way to make Godly decisions. It turns out it's not either or. It's smarts and hearts.
2 Chronicles 10:8-11
9.10.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Instead of sinful pride, replace it with Godly confidence, thanking Him for our gifts and talents, and for those things which we, by His grace, accomplish in this life.
9.3.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's destroying you... and you don't even know it.
There's something subtle but deadly going on in our lives. Thankfully, God's Word not only reveals the danger but meets us with the solution. We can embrace life when we hear God say, "Don't Drink the Poison."
1 Chronicles 21:1-2
9.3.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Dangerously Good & PowerfulA fire can be dangerous, not because it's inherently bad but because it's so good and powerful. What could happen to our lives when, through Jesus, we encounter our ultimately good & powerful God?1 Chronicles 13:12-148.27.23 Message from Cottage GrovePastor Nate Abrahamson
The Blame Game comes naturally for us. Thankfully, because of Jesus, we're free to respect God, practice our faith and leave the blame game behind!1 Chronicles 13:12-148.27.23 Message from Fort AtkinsonPastor Nathan Krause
May the Lord help us to treasure all the people in our lives - to do far more than simply be passive actors in the lives of others. May He help us to commit ourselves – first to You and then to each other.
8.20.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
There are times in our life when we have to say "My bad!" What comfort to know that we have a God who has mercy on us and sent His Son to live the perfect life we couldn't. Seminary student Skyler Hepler delivers today's message at the Cottage Grove Campus
8.20.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Seminary student Skyler Hepler brings us today's message from our Fort Atkinson campus. Born with the inherited sinful nature of Adam, God's grace through Jesus Christ, overflows to cover every sin we commit.
8.13.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Every day we face a turning point. Step forward in faith and see how God can bless you in this life before He hands to you the gift of eternal life - be encouraged to rise to your role.8.13.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Trust God and His Word when making decisions. Everything the world offers is just moldy bread.
Joshua 9:14-15
8.6.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
The Enemy Doesn't Always Look Like the Enemy
It may look harmless, but the enemy might actually be settling in right next to you. Detect the enemy. Take hold of the victory through Jesus and embrace your "Survival Skills."
Joshua 9:14-15
8.6.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The plans we have are no longer based around fear but around a sure and certain hope!
7.31.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Deuteronomy 1:22-24
Guest Preacher, Professor Brian Klebig
Trade the negative of fear for the positive of faith!
Deuteronomy 1:22-24
7.30.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
If you're looking for freedom and confidence today, ask yourself...
"What Did I Do?"
Numbers 20:9-11
7.23.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you're weary because it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, you can find rest in "Jesus, the Friend Who Gives..."
Matthew 11:28-30
7.23.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Guest Pastor Clark Schultz
Some masks & coverups are fun. Others are damaging.
It's time to expose the real false god and embrace the life transforming covering of Jesus.
Exodus 32:1-4
7.16.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Guest Preacher Professor Brian Klebig
Are you going to trust in the true God or trust in yourself?
May God not only reveal your false gods to you, but give you the strength and the assurance of His love so that you trust in Him!
7.16.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
For when there's an enemy coming after you and an apparent dead end in front of you...
Here's "What To Do When Faith Fails."
Exodus 14:10-12
7.2.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
God has entrusted you with some incredible gifts.
Ask yourself, what am I going to do with what God has placed, "In My Hands?"
Genesis 39:6b-10
6.25.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When life puts you in a challenging situation, what guides your next step?
It's time to "Calibrate Your Compass."
Genesis 29:26-28
6.18.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Like Jacob, God comes to us with His tremendously loving heart, allowing these turning points in our lives to teach us this truth, it's better to trust in Him than ourselves!
Genesis 29:26-28
6.18.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you face that "turning point" moment this week, try this.... trust God!
Genesis 12:10-13 6.11.23 Message from Fort Atkinson Pastor Nathan Krause
In those moments where it's difficult to trust God, in more ways than one, "Actually, We're A Lot Like Abraham."
Genesis 12:10-13 6.11.23 Message from Cottage Grove Guest Preacher Pastor Steve Petersen
Pastor Krause kickstarts our new "Turning Points" Trinity season series with a study of Genesis 4:3-7.
6.4.23 Message from Cottage Grove
You're turning red, heating up and feeling down.... in those moments ask yourself, "Who's Driving?"
Genesis 4:3-7
6.4.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Guest preacher Prof. Joel Russow shares a Pentecost message from Ezekiel 37:1-14.
5.28.23 Pentecost Message from Fort Atkinson
We all want to live a full, abundant life. But there's something that fights against us.
Dig into 2 Timothy 1:13-14 and embrace the victory God gives us in "The Fight to Flourish."
5.28.23 Pentecost Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Something has changed. Your life is under a different authority now.
Step forward and embrace what Jesus has done, how He has given you "A Change For Good."
Romans 6:11-14
5.21.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Resurrection overcomes the power of the law, sin & death and puts us right back in the garden, to begin again!
Romans 6:11-14
5.21.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When it comes to your life.... and this moment.... ask yourself, "Who has the final say?"
Romans 6:8-10
5.14.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
As you sit at the empty tomb, God wants to not only look forward to the resurrection,
but know Easter is at work in you right now!
Romans 6:8-10
5.14.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
What you see when you look in the mirror is more than just a reflection of your appearance,
it's an indication of the direction of your life.
Dig into Romans 6:5-7 and begin "Seeing Easter In You."
5.7.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
We know what the resurrection means for the future, but what is it doing for me and in me right now?
It's raised me to new life but first, it teaches me the "Value of Death."
Romans 6:1-4
4.30.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When the ultimate bad thing is used to achieve the ultimate good....
God works "Death to Life."
Romans 6:1-4
4.30.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you've been trying to fix it, trying so hard to make things better, but nothing seems to work...
The resurrection of Jesus means that right now you can actually have a "Fresh Start!"
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
4.23.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
God wants to remake you!
That's exactly what happens as a result of the empty tomb!
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
4.23.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
4.16.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
1 Corinthians 15:35-38 & 42-49
Guest Preacher Prof. Joel Russow
Whatever is in front of you, the resurrected Jesus can empower you to boldly "Testify."
4.16.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
What makes Good Frday good?
2023 Good Friday Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Kraue
The sounds of Easter mean something incredible for you and your life today.
Have your mind and heart tuned into the meaning behind all you heard Easter Sunday with a study of Acts 5:17-20
4.9.23 Easter Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What's been holding you back from what God wants from you?
Good Friday is all about God removing that barriaer becasue Good Friday is all about love, and "Love Means Freedom."
4.7.23 Good Friday Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What you are hoping for in the future, actually transforms your life now!
Dig into 1 John 3:1-3 and see the beauty of how "Love Is Filled With Hope."
4.2.23 Palm Sunday Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Guest preacher Pastor Joel Russow takes us through Matthew 13:44-52 to show us how, through Jesus, we've received true treasure!
3.26.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
When life just isn't quite right...
Remember Jesus. Remember His love. Remember that "Love Means New Life."
1 John 2:28-29
3.26.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Wouldn't today be a beautiful day if you shared with the people around you the one thing that not only touches our hearts, but makes this life and the next worth living? One thing will do that. The kind of love, God's love, that will last forever!
1 John 2:15-17
3.19.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Will you lose everything that you love?
It doesn't have to be that way. You can take hold of a life that really lasts because your God loves you and "Love Lives Forever."
1 John 2:15-17
3.19.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Givers of light and love. That's our role.
How do we get started? By receiving light and love from God Himself!
1 John 2:9-14
3.12.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
What does God's love have to do with your life? Everything!
Dig into 1 John 2:9-14 to see how "Love Is Meant to Be Lived."
3.12.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
God wants you to love the world, not for it's lies... but because you know the truth, and the world desperately needs it!
1 John 2:1-8
3.5.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
God loves you too much to be okay with you settling for a fake life.
Not only does He want you to have the real deal, but He is where you find real life.
1 John 2:1-8
3.5.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
"Lord, bring me into Your light, that I might exeprience Your life and Your love!"
1 John 1:5-10
2.26.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
You're not really living if you're "living" in the dark.
Thankfully, you can step out of the darkness because "Love Lives In the Light."
1 John 1:5-10
2.26.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
It transforms the way you see yourself, your life and the world around you. Dive into the Transfiguration (transforming of appearance) of Jesus with a study of 2 Peter 1::16-18 and see Jesus revealed "In Honor & Glory."
2.19.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
You are invited to participate in God's glory, not just in the future, but today! See what this glory looks like with a Transfiguration message from 2 Peter 1:16-18.
2.19.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Guest preacher, Prof. Joel Russow shares a message based on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
2.12.23 message from Fort Atkinson
Prof. Joel Russow
Salvation isn't the end. It's the beginning!
Learn how Jesus' glory is revealed in us, His disciples!
John 17:10b
2.12.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Sometimes we might wonder, "Where's the proof? Where's the evidence?"
Listen closely to the Word of God and you will hear every prophesy and promise fulfilled!
John 12:37-38
2.5.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Revelation (Not the Book) series continues as we see how Jesus is revealed to us In Prophecy
Guest preacher, Prof. Sam Degner shares this Epiphany message from Matthew 16:13-17
1.29.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
What's shaping your view of Jesus?
When we see Jesus revealed "By the Father," not only does it reshape how we view Him, but how we see our entire life of faith!
Matthew 16:13-17
1.29.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
If you could see God's face in this moment, how would He be looking at you?
You might be surprised and amazed by what you would see, because of what is revealed to us about Jesus "In Judgment."
Luke 10:21
1.22.23 Message recorded for Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Special Note - due to Pastor A being ill with COVID, this message was pre-recorded at our Cottage Grove campus and then shown at our Fort Atkinson campus for worship.
The miracle of faith gives us our life back! Count your miracles!
John 2:11
1.15.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
You need a miracle. We all do.
There are situations in our lives and in this world that we have no power to fix.
But when you find yourself in the dark because you have no idea what to do, remember how Jesus was revealed "In Miracles."
John 2:11
1.15.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The more we recognize the Glory of Christ, the more we'll come to realize and appreciate that God's glory is meant to shine in our hearts!
We begin the Epiphany season by seeing "Jesus' Glory Revealed in Baptism."
John 1.29-34
1.8.23 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you're surrounded by darkness,
it's amazing what light you'll find,
when you see how Jesus is revealed "In Baptism."
John 1:29-34
1.8.23 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When there's a battle before you and challenges around you, everything can change with just "A Glimpse of Hope."
News Year's Day 2023 Message from Fort Atkinson
Genesis 3:15
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What does Eve's temptation have to do with Christmas? God wants our affections directed away from false gods that make us happy for the moment to focus on Him, His love. He wants to give us a new heart this New Year.
New Year's Day 2023 Message from Cottage Grove
Genesis 3:15
Pastor Nathan Krause
We're not just getting ready to celebrate the birth of a baby. We're celebrating that "A New Life Is Born"!
Romans 5:17-19
Christmas Eve 2022 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Presence (meet the King who gives us back our lives)
Presents (offer our greatest treasures to Him)
Pre-sense (listen to His warnings to keep us safely in our faith)
2022 Christmas Day Message (3 sermonettes) from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
God paid attention to every detail to fulfill His promise to send a Savior. If He kept this big promise, know that He will keep all of His promises - to give us courage, to not let us fall, to guide us and to love us. Now and in eternity.
2022 Christmas Eve Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you get a little older and roles change a bit, Christms can look completely different.
How, different then, might Christmas look from the perspective of the angels? What insights might they give us to the birth of Christ?
Get a glimpse of what Christmas loos like "Through Angel Eyes."
Christmas Day 2022 Messages (3 sermonettes) in Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
In the hard moments.... when it feels like too much....
that's when love does it's best work. You can cast it all to God, because He has promised you "Love."
Psalm 55:22
12.18.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you feel lost, you can move forward knowing that God promised.... "To Guide Me."
Proverbs 6:20-22
12.10.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Our Big God doesn't just want us to trust Him with the big things.
We can have faith that our Big God will come through in the everyday little things too!
Psalm 121:3-4
12.4.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When the path of life is shaky or there's danger around you....
Remind yourself, I can look to the One who has promised me "Faith: That You Won't Let Me Fall."
Psalm 121:3-4
12.4.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
God promises to always provide us with the assurance that He is with us always, and will never let us fall.
There is so much that the world is throwing at us.
But in the face of it all, God, "You promised to give me courage!"
Isaiah 41:10
11.27.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
The 2022 Thanksgiving Eve message from Fort Atkinson, based on Proverbs 30:7-9.
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you're afraid to move forward....
or don't know what to do....
God who has pomised to give you "Courage."
Isaiah 41:10
12.27.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
I am thankful for you!
When it sinks in why this is true, you may find yourself saying again and again to God, "Thank You.
11.23.22 Thanskgiving Eve Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you look at your life, it looks average. Jesus is IN the average - look for Him. When life doesn't make sense - look for Jesus there. And one day, we will see Jesus in all His glory - for eternity!
1 Corinthians 15:7-8
11.20.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Ever feel like you're nobody, because you listen to the devil, the world or even what goes on in your own head? God's grace says you are His child, the empty tomb confirms His love for you! You ARE somebody!
1 Corinthians 15:7-8
11.20.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's hard, when you've lost something or someone important.
But Jesus has made it so you can live with "Hope Restored."
2 Kings 8:1-6
11.13.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Hard to believe... and that's exactly the point!
God has done and continues to do reality rocking work. He's given us "Crazy Faith."
Acts 12:13-17
11.6.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
It's time to break out of prison.... the prison of fear!
Acts 12:13-17
11.6.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
From the beginning, God has always wanted our hearts!
2 Kings 22:1-2
10.30.22 Reformation Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Opportunity Is In Front of You. What's your response?
God can transform you and the world whether you're "Ready Or Not."
2 Kings 22:1-2
10.30.22 Reformation Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
A wall or a bridge. Everything changes based on the "If."
Philemon 8-11 reminds us how we get to have a truly counter-cultural view of people and ability to restore relationships because of Jesus.
10.23.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
An epic story of forgiveness, love and reunion.
God is still working through us today for good of His Kingdom and love for one another!
Philemon 8-11
10.23.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Guest Preacher Prof. Brian Klebig
"Lord, now, restored by Your gift of faith, lead us to be so much more than the world tells us, or that we often tell ourselves. Make us warrior champions who, with Your authority, speak Your powerful truth to those who need it."
Judges 3:31
10.16.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
People are feeling more disconnected than ever before...
Thankfully, while you may sometimes feel lonely, you're never alone!
2 Timothy 1:16-18
10.9.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Loneliness is real.
But so is the power of "Friending!"
2 Tiomthy 1:16-18
10.9.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
A friend is someone you can both have and be. We have a great example of a friend in Jesus.
Special guest preacher, Pastor Mario Gálvez shared with us a message in Spanish from Luke 15:1-10. Pastor Galvez is the pastor of two churches in Chile. He is visiting the United States to attend our ELS general pastors conference. Pastor Thomas Heyn, Administrator for our Board for World Outreach, translated the message.
10.2.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
God asks us to speak His truth with a loving and compassionate heart, much like our Savior did. His truth gives us life, it offers meaning and purpose to our lives and is meant to be shared with others.
10.2.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Pain - physical, emotional or spiritual - is a consequence of sin. Looking to Jesus and His cross, we have hope! Because of Jesus, we now have direct access to bring our pain to our heavenly Father, trusting that He will work these things for our good.
9.25.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Guest Preacher Prof. Brian Klebig
This one truth can change the way you see everything in your life!
Dig into 1 Chronicles 4:10 to see how God created us to thrive and continues to work that we might have real, full, life!
9.25.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Reminder: You are truly amazing!
God created you with a purpose for a purpose!
Exodus 35:30-35
9.11.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's fun to dream about what you'd like to see happen in your life.
But you know what's even better? Discovering what God has planned for your life!
Dig into Exodus 35:30-35 to learn how to recognize "God's Dreams In Your Heart."
9.11.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
We all know what it's like to be afraid.
Thankfully, God makes it possible for us to experience "Overcoming Fear."
Acts 9:10-16
9.4.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
There Is An Opportunity in Right Front of You
You don't have to go viral on the internet or be in a position of power to make an impact. God loves to work through people like us, right where we are, to carry out His work. He makes us "Influencers."
Jeremiah 38:7-9
8.28.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Holy Spirit affords us a second chance as we battle between the Old Adam and the New Man.
Instead of answering.... ask...
"what do you think?"
It's amazing how much things can change when you approach them from God's perspective!
Numbers 27:5-6
8.14.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What if what you thought you knew was all wrong?
Thankfully God is able to open our eyes to see Jesus clearly, like He did with "The Other Judas."
John 14:22
8.7.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Even when it feels like there's a dark shadow over our lives or faith...
Jesus is able to bring light "In the Shadow!"
John 14:22
8.7.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
There may be a time where you are faced with the challenge of laying down your life for another. If that time comes, remember, you are so valuable to God that He chose you!
Exodus 1:16-18
7.31.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Just as God raised up Shiphrah and Puah to deliver Hebrew babies from the genocide planned for them, God raised up Jesus to deliver us from sin, death and the devil. Pastor Klebig takes us through a lesson from Exodus 1:16-18.
7.31.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
The next time God puts an opportunity in front of you, don't be afraid. Know you can do it!
You can gain some confidence as you are "Wrangling Donkeys."
7.24.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When the tension is rising.... you may be exactly where God wants you to be! Spend some time in Mark 11:4-6 and see how we get to embrace a life of "Them's Fightin' Words." 7.24.22 Message from Cottage Grove Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Abigail was willing to step in to rescue those who did not deserve it. A perfect example of what Jesus has done for us.
1 Samuel 25:23-27
7.17.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's natural to point fingers at others, but there's a better way!
Because of Jesus, you can take hold of your "Response-Ability."
1 Samuel 25:23-27
7.17.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
May we have humble heart to serve when called up, so that Your grace may work through us to be a blessing to others.
7.10.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Sometimes as we face a world that seems to be deaf to the Word and ways of God, He blesses us with a Christian friend to walk beside us, just like Ittai walked with David in 2 Samuel 15:19-22.
7.3.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
It may not make sense at first....
but it makes all the difference in the world!
There's beauty & power to what may look like "Illogical Loyalty."
2 Samuel 15:19-22
7.3.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
As we go about our week, God will present opportunities for us to make a difference in the lives of others. Like the unknown man in 2 Corinthians 8:16-21, may our words and behavior affect their lives and, more importantly, their eternities for His glory.
6.26.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
What will be remembered?
God doesn't need us to be famous but He's also not afraid to shine through us. Go ahead and use that spiritual gift having clear in your mind what God would have you be "Famous For..."
2 Corinthians 8:16-21
6.26.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When God calls you to speak or act, it might feel complicated or strange. But don't overlook the opportunity God has placed in front of you! In those moments ask, "What Would You Say?"
Exodus 4:27-31
6.19.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Like Moses, we all have weaknesses. And, like Moses, sometimes we need a big brother. Thank God He sent us our true Brother in faith, Jesus Christ.
Exodus 4:27-31
6.19.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
You, Yes You Matter!
With God's people, it's not about 1 person or group. All of God's people are united and that means "Everyone Matters."
1 Corinthians 12:21-24a
6.12.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
How does your standard for beauty, value and significance match with God's?
God calls us into HIs upside way of living and to truly embrace being "Pretty Ugly People."
1 Corinthians 12:21-24a
6.12.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Right here, right now, you can begin to take hold of how God is making everything new!
Dig into the Old Testament roots of Pentecost to see just what a gift God gave us that day!
Leviticus 23:15-21
6.5.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
A Fear That Transforms Your Life
When we live with the fear that God gives us, it gives significance, power, boldness and so much more to our lives. Spend some time in Hebrews 12:28-29 and take hold of "The Value of Fear."
5.29.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Christ died on the cross to forgive every one of our sins and to give us the ability to let go of the sins others have committed against us. There is only one way to be truly happy, truly free - practice the godly virtue of forgiveness.
Colossians 3:12-14
5.22.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
There's a bridge we often need to cross in order to really embrace life with other Christians, that bridge is forgiveness. Dig into Colosssians 3:12-14 and take hold of "The Value of Forgivness."
5.22.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Friends... For Life! We all want to live well. That means, we all need friends! Dig into Luke 7:31-35 to see just what God gives us through "The Value of Friendship."
5.15.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Messy Family? Join the Club!
Your family is probably messy, just like every other family. When once again family is complicated or even painful, you can find comfort in knowing that Jesus has redeemed family because He has made us God's family!
Mark 3:31-35
5.8.22 Confirmation/Mother's Day Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Holiest Place on Earth
Because of Jesus, we are clean, pure and holy. So when Christians come together, it is a gathering of the presence of Holy God. The momentum of our world today is moving toward isolation. But God created us for community and connection. He wants us to know "The Value of Fellowship."
Hebrews 10:19-25
5.1.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Move, mountain, move!
When Jesus died and rose again, the biggest mountain we all face was thrown into the sea. When the Spirit gave us faith, the stone was rolled away from our hearts. We get to live a new life. Get ready to see those mountains move!
Matthew 21:18-21
4.24.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
On Easter morning, Jesus did not just defeat death - He conquered life! Let's live like our lives are just beginning.
4.17.22 Easter Message from Cottage Grove
Acts 1:1-3
Pastor Nathan Krause
You're Different Now
On Easter we don't just remembe an event that happened long in the past or somethign we're looking forward to happening in the future. Easter means that you are being transformed right here today. Because of Jesus' resurrection, we are now "Easter People."
4.17.22 Easter Message from Fort Atkinson
Acts 1:1-3
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Pastor K takes us through the final verse of Psalm 23 as we remember why Good Friday is so good!
Tonight, don't just remember that it's Good Friday.
Cherish "Why" He died & "Why" this Friday really is good!
Psalm 23:6
4.15.22 Good Friday Message from CG
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Your problems might be bigger than you,
but God is bigger than your problems!
1 Samuel 17:16
4.10.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you see your enemy, victory is in sight.
Remember, "How the Mighty Fall."
1 Samuel 17:16
4.10.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Lenten season we are walking through Psalm 23. Join Pastor A as he digs into this favorite Psalm one verse at a time and hear Pastor K share the traditional Passion History reading.
Today we walk through verse 5.
Even when our tests are compounded, God shows that He loves us so much that He compounds His promises - to give us a perfect scapegoat that takes away our sin and the perfect promise of a savior, our Savior, Jesus.
Deuteronomy 9:25-29
4.3.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Sometimes life is in pieces....
and to make things worse...
you know it's your own fault.
In those broken seasons, you can always look back to the One who is "Putting the Pieces Back Together."
Deuteronomy 9:25-29
4.3.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Lenten season we are walking through Psalm 23. Join Pastor A as he digs into this favorite Psalm one verse at a time and hear Pastor K share the traditional Passion History reading. Today we walk through verse 4.
God promises that He will lead you and He will guard your hearts. This week - believe God. Because He never goes back on His word!
Deuteronomy 8:1-2
3.27.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Remember....
to step forward into what God has placed in front of you! God has given you "The Bridge" so you can "Discover the Other Side of Your Story."
Deuteronomy 8:1-2
3.27.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Lenten season we are walking through Psalm 23. Join Pastor A as he digs into this favorite Psalm one verse at a time and hear Pastor K share the traditional Passion History reading. This week we walk through verse 3 of Psalm 23 and the 4th installment of the Passion History Reading.
Even as God's children, we will endure pain, suffering and grief. When we stop depending on ourselves we ultimately find true comfort in no other place than resting the arms of our Lord, who whispers to us "It's OK to not be OK".
Genesis 50:1-3
3.20.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
So it got a bit emotional... and that's Ok.
A grieving season is a difficult season. But when going through this difficult process, we can find "Good Medicine. Seeing God At Work In Our Grief."
Genesis 50:1-3
3.20.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Lenten season we are walking through Psalm 23. Join Pastor A as he digs into this favorite Psalm one verse at a time and hear Pastor K share the traditional Passion History reading. This week we walk through verse 2 of Psalm 23 and the 3rd installment of the Passion History Reading.
Often God can send tests to teach us patience, so we stop looking to ourselves and we are compelled to look to Him. He limits our tests to encourage us to look forward to something better, one of His greatest gifts - hope!
Genesis 8:6-12
3.13.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Waiting Is So Hard....Why?
God is at work in those times of waiting and gives us reason to embrace "the Wonderful Wait."
3.13.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Lenten season we are walking through Psalm 23. Join Pastor A as he digs into this favorite Psalm one verse at a time and hear Pastor K share the traditional Passion History reading.
Today we walk through verse 1.
When the rain is falling and there's more on the way....
there may actually be blessings coming and opportunity ahead!
When going through a season of testing, keep your eyes open for what God may be doing because "When it rains, it pours".
Genesis 7:17-24
3.6.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
- Testing. Jesus & You.
This Ash Wednesday we dig into Mark 1:12-13 where we see that we can pass the test because our Savior passed it for us!
3.2.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
We are willing to trust Jesus with our eternities, and when we are willing to also trust Him with our earthly lives - it is glorious and we will amaze even our Savior Himself.
Matthew 8:5-10
2.27.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
A Jesus-Astonishing Faith
You've been given a faith that astonishes Jesus, a faith that makes it possible for you to see the glory of God when you look at other Christians and even when you look in the mirror. Welcome to the "Hall of Faith."
Matthew 8:5-10
2.27.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What could taxes possibly teach us about God's relationship with us?
Plenty!
Study Mark 12:13-17 and see how Jesus shows us His "Amazing Love."
2.20.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
What if, when it seems like there's no way to win, there's a new opportunity to see Gods glory?
Dig into Mark 12:13-17 and see Jesus "Level Up."
2.20.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Whoa!
Flipping over tables and benches.....stopping people in their tracks... apparently Jesus was awfully passionate about something happening in the temple!
He's just as passionate about what is happening in our world and our lives today. Mark 11:15-18 clues us into to how we can see God's glory by asking, "What Would Jesus Undo?"
2.13.22
Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Life's storms - we all have them.
There is no better solution than to place our problems in God's hands and allow Him in His wisdom and love to send the kind of rescue we need.
Mark 6:45-52
2.6.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
When the Storm Hits...
Sometimes there's a force against you making it nearly impossible to move forward. Sometimes the wind is so strong it feels like you're going to break. But in these moments you can ask, "What does God, in this storm, want me to see?"
Mark 6:45-52
2.6.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Jesus can be offensive....in the best way!
With His words and actions, Jesus can be offensive to us. Through faith, however, we see the beauty of who He is and what He does for us!
Mark 6:1-3
1.30.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
"Life is one big awkward situation. The more you embrace it, the better it will be."
Okay, that may just be a goofy life motto that Pastor A lives by. Yet, Mark 6:1-3 can help us see the beauty of embracing the "Warning: Awkward Moment."
1.30.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Impossible.... Almost
We might feel like we're beyond repair or like we'll never break free, but Jesus came to show us what happens "When Pigs Fly."
Mark 5:18-20
1.23.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
So Merciful!
As amazing as it would be to see Jesus drive out a demon, what is even more amazing is the mercy that He showed and continues to show us today!
Mark 5:18-20
1.23.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
As we wrestle every day with being sinners in a sinful world, Jesus comes and says "I have the cure and I want to heal you." But it doesn't start with our legs, it starts with our hearts. He came to forgive all of our sins.
Mark 2:8-12
1.16.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
As good as that was ....what if there's more?
All those special ways that God comes through for us now are little glimpses of the healing that is to come!
Mark 2:8-12
1.16.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Jaw Dropping
Jesus isn't just any teacher. He's the Key Piece to all the Scriptures. He gives the meaning and purpose to our lives. With that kind of authority comes real power.
This lesson launches our new Epiphany series, "Hidden Glory." It might always be that easy to see, but when we're tuned in, we'll see Jesus' glory again and again.
Mark 1:21-28
1.9.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Amazing!
When Jesus teaches, it's absolutely amazing! Pastor Krause takes us to an event recorded in Mark 1:21-28 where everyone is blown away by Jesus as He teaches. This lesson kickstarts our new Epiphany series "Hidden Glory." It may not always be easy to see, but when we're tuned in, we can see the glory of Jesus again and again.
Mark 1:21-28
1.9.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Normal Looking but Powerful! Growth might not look all that spectacular, but don't overlook what God is doing!
Luke 2:51-52
1.2.22 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
God wants us to grow up and mature, like His own Son did. Humble and willing to submit to the Father's will, growing up spiritually and acknowledging that God gives us comfort and hope today!
Luke 2:51-52
1.2.22 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's not over yet!
Whether your tree is already down or you’ll still be celebrating for weeks yet, there come times for all of us where it seems like it’s all over. But He is providing. He is preserving. He is giving you life!
1) When you look at Jesus’ life, see that He entered into your story. Through faith, now your story is connected to His!
2) The evil powers in this world saw Jesus as a threat and so tried to kill Him. If He’s our King, we can expect the enemy to be at work against us!
3) The Father watched over and preserved His Son Jesus. He does the same for us.
4) The hard truth is that we often act in ways that should cut us off from our God. But Jesus was cut off for us.
5) No matter how hard the enemy works or how bad we’ve acted, we can look to Jesus for life!
12.26.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
We've been here before! Pastor Krause compares the history of God's chosen people, Israel, and the life of His Son. We see how God protects them from the slaughter of innocents by sending them to Egypt and how we can trust Him today to protect us.
12.26.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Merry Christmas Eve!
Pastor A shares a message from Colossians 1:15-20 to help us see clearly what took place when Jesus was born!
12.24.21 Christmas Eve Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
On Christmas Eve we look at a familiar Christmas verse from Isaiah, Chapter 9, verse 6 and learn why the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is described with these names.
12.24.21 Christmas Eve Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Pastor Krause concludes our "The End Is Near" Advent series with a message from John 14:27.
12.19.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
So You Can Face Anything...
No matter what challenge we face, we have exactly what we need because of “What’s left” from Jesus!
1) Jesus lets go into our hands a special gift – peace!
2) Biblical peace is more than just the absence of conflict, it’s the restoration of relationship. It means that now nothing is missing!
3) The peace that belongs to Jesus, the relationship and partnership with the Father, is now given to us.
4) Jesus’ life didn’t look all that peaceful according to the world’s standards. But His Father was present throughout, carrying out His plan according to His purpose. That’s peace!
5) We often pull back in fear from God. But because of the peace Jesus gives us, we can have calm hearts and step forward in faith no matter what we face!
John 14:27
12.19.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
How to we balance our freedom in Christ with abstaining from a choice that may cause a brother or sister to stumble in their faith? With humility and a Christ-like love!
Romans 14:23-15:1
12.12.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Challenging. But Good.
Evaluating our faith life can be challenging. It gets even harder when we consider how to relate with other Christians. But there is incredible encouragement and hope from the One who takes care of Judging Us.”
1) There are some things that are clearly black and white like that the fact that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. But when it comes to applying our faith, things can get awfully complicated.
2) Even if an action is not wrong in and of itself, if we believe it is wrong and still do it, we actually judge against ourselves.
3) Two Christians can be in very different places in their faith. They can both bring glory to God while going in very different directions.
4) God calls us to lift up and encourage each other, including our fellow Christians who believe the most God-pleasing way is different than what we believe.
5) We are able to come together in love and humility because we all have the same problem = sin and the same solution = Jesus. He has reunited us with God and each other.
Romans 14:23-15:1 12.12.21
Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Your Enemy Is Going Down! When the enemy is fighting hard agaisnts you, "What Are You Waiting For?"
Luke 18:8b
12.5.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Are you dealing with this God's way?
In a world that doesn’t know how to disagree well, God has a different design.
1) Today’s norm for how people who disagree interact is not very Godly
a. People are offended easily
b. People are quick to be outraged and angry
c. People often avoid difficult conversations while silently allowing negative feelings and self-righteousness to grow
2) Love is growing cold among so many because faith is fading
3) God would have us keep looking to Him to bring justice and to trust Him to make things right.
4) God has a design for how to interact with others. Let’s follow it and trust God!
5) We interact with others based on how God interacts with us. He acts towards us in love!
Luke 18:8b
12.5.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
A Strange Combination of Ingredients Can Make A Great Recipe!
With the beginning of the new church year we’re at a time where this is a unique combination of ingredients: thinking about the end of the world + looking forward to Jesus’ coming + Thanksgiving. This unique combo makes for a beautiful recipe in a messy world!
1) We can feel that there is a darkness in the world. But in Advent we focus on the light of Jesus coming!
2) When the world turned against Jesus, He lovingly humbled Himself in order to save the world!
3) On the cross an exchange took place. Jesus took on the cold sin of the world and gave us the warm love of God.
4) Even in a challenging world, we feast on God’s mercy.
5) A Christian shows Thanksgiving by showing love and sharing the light of Christ!
Matthew 24:13-14
11.28.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
This World Needs Some Love
God's love is meant to transform us so we love HIm and others. In a world where love is lacking, this can be easy to forget. Take a look at what Jesus says about the need for love and how you can "Never Lose Heart" with this message on Matthew 24:12-13.
11.28.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Do you need peace?
You can find it this Thanksgiving!
11.24.21 Thanksgiving Eve Message
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Every decision we make comes down to two Hebrew words - CHA-REM (abandon my sinful way of thinking and my plans for my life) or KA-DOSH (give God my whole heart, fully trusting the promises He's made). Like God giving victory in Jericho, Jesus came and gave us the victory - the question is "Now, what do we do with that victory?"
Joshua 6:15-19
11.21.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
His Victory. Your Hands.
God has won the victory and given it into your hands. It’s time to take hold of it!
1) The battle isn’t really ours. It’s God’s.
2) There’s a sinister enemy in this world and in our hearts. We get to be part of its defeat.
3) God wins the victory and then places it in our hands. He invites us to join Him.
4) He didn’t give us the victory so we could take part in things that are broken. We get to be part of making things right!
5) Jesus won it all by dying and rising. One day He will return when once and for all we see The Conquest
Joshua 6:15-19 11.21.21
Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What's Your Crocodile?
It’s hard to let go and not be in control. But we get to trust God more than we trust ourselves!
1) Are we teaching those around us, including little kids, to live by faith or by fear?
2) The world around us tries to tell us that marriage and children aren’t all that important.
3) God chooses who gets to live, not us.
4) Our fears can distract and divide us.
5) What’s your crocodile? God is bigger than every fear, every crocodile in your way!
Exodus 2:1-3
11.14.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
It's often said, "When God shuts a door He opens a window."
But what do you do when the door is closing?
See how we get to live as people of hope by digging into what God does in the lives of Moses' parents in Exodus 2:1-3.
11.14.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Life Isn't Fair. But God still gives us the ability to really live. See what God can do in us despite life's challenges by looking at teh life of Joseph.
Genesis 50:9-12
11.7.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
If You've Ever Been Hurt By Someone, This Is For You.
One of life’s most difficult challenges is dealing with the ways people have hurt us. Thankfully, Jesus made reconciliation possible not just between God and us, but between us and others. He is “Healing Hearts.”
1) When someone wrongs you, ask, “Am I in the place of God?” Then remind yourself what God’s place is in all of this.
2) Christian forgiveness is not saying that the wrong someone did is okay or not a big deal. It means trusting that God is a God of justice who is setting everything right.
3) Our God is so big and so amazing that He can use the ways people break His world to bring healing to this world. That’s what happened on the cross.
4) There is no wrong too awful that God won’t use it to achieve something good.
5) There will be a day when your heart is completely healed and you are reconciled with others. The God who will heal you completely then is already at work in you now.
Genesis 50:19-21
11.7.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Big Choices!
God has given you the opportunity to make choices and to trust Him as you step forward in faith!
1) God often doesn’t take us where we’re going immediately. It’s a process. He is patient with us. Are we patient with God?
2) Along the way God gives us the opportunity to make sanctified choices.
3) We have more than the promises of God to rest on. We can hang onto the character and nature of God.
4) We are so quick to replace God’s ways with our ways. We want God to follow our plan.
5) Fear is not defeated by our good plans but by God’s presence.
Genesis 12:4-9
10.31.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
You're Going Somewhere
God has called you out so you can step forward in faith. Like Abraham, you're on "The Incredible Journey."
Genesis 12:4-9
10.31.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Heroic!
We all love heroes. But it can be a tall order to trying to live up to them! Jesus, however, makes us heroic like Noah!
- Some might say that Noah wasn’t all that heroic. He just followed directions. But humans are notoriously bad at following directions, especially from God!
- God has given us very simple directions in the 10 commandments but none of us follow them.
- Jesus perfectly obeyed for us. He are saved through Him!
- As Christians we aren’t afraid because we’re wrapped in Christ. We’re safe in the ark!
- We get to do something Noah didn’t. We get to throw a lifeline out to others so they can be saved with us. We get to be heroic!
Genesis 6:22
10.24.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
The Key to Significance
God worked through Noah to preserve humanity on the face of the earth. Talk about significant! What was central to Noah's life of significance can be cenral to ours as well. We are oBEdient.
Genesis 6:22
10.24.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Where real living begins!
We know we've been given a new life in Christ and want to live that way more and more. Sometimes it goes well. Other times, not so much. Sometimes it's a combination of the both. That's why we need to remember how this new life works!
1) We need God to carve out a pure heart in us that can be in His presence and partner with Him. When He does, it changes everything about how we live!
2) Even though God has accomplished great things in us, we all have been guilty of doing what is in our own best interest, with a complete disregard for others. None of us deserve God's favor or His Spirit.
3) Jesus was forsaken by God so justice could be served for our sins. Because of Him, we can confidently look to our God to give us life.
4) We get to ask God to give us a like-new spirit, solidly filling up our spiritual lungs so we can live.
5) God can bring us out into the light of His salvation, the light of Jesus and give us a willing spirit to step forward into life!
Psalm 51:10-12
10.17.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abahamson
Our Sanctification series continues with a study of Psalm 51:10-12.
10.17.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Our "Sanctification" Series continues with a study of Philippians 1:3-6.
10.10.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
It's often the little things that really make all the difference. The little things begin with humility.
1) Biblical submission is not about being less valuable than another. It's about willfully submitting yourself to the direction of another.
2) There are little things that will creep into our hearts and take a position that belongs to God.
3) God didn't leave us alone to fight the battle in our hearts.
4) Jesus entered the game to be our substitute. Through His life, death and resurrection now no matter what your position, you matter.
5) God has made you valuable so now you can go and make a difference in someone else's life.
James 4:7-12
10.10.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Clark Schultz
The Light For You & For The World!
For all of eternity, God the Father & God the Son have shared a unique relationship. Now God extends an invitation to join in!
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There’s a challenge we all face as Christians. On the one hand, we’re God’s children. But on the other hand, there’s a sinful nature with us that aligns with the devil.
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Man-made solutions just won’t do. The only way to resolve the problem of sin is Jesus.
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God has chosen us and given us the gift of faith. He makes us born again.
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Even in a sinful world, God has given us the power to be light and to show love.
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This world matters to God and so God calls us to be lights in the world.
1 John 3:7-10
10.3.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Are you hiding in the dark?
Stepping out into the light can feel scary. It means being honest about how fall short. It means looking to God to cleanse every part of us. But there is a beautiful new life that's been given to us when we are "Living in the Light."
1 John 3:7-10
10.3.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
What Every Christian Parent Wants...
Above all, every Christian parent wants their child to be with God for eternity. Your Heavenly Father wants the same!
1) When life gets rough, we might sometimes wonder if God is angry with us but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Jesus already paid for all our sins!
2) Living in this broken world, our default temptation tends to be to question if God really loves us and if He’s really trustworthy.
3) God not only know what is necessary to build up who we are now in Him, but also what is necessary to beat down the sinful nature that fights against us.
4) A parent who lets their child do whatever they want is NOT a loving parent. God IS a loving parent, offering the right correction.
5) Faith is like a muscle. When stretched and worked, it grows!
Hebrews 12:4-11
9.26.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Is God Against Me?
Sometimes it can feel like everything in life is going against you, even God. But when we face life gets tough, we have every reason to embrace the love our Father is showing us.
Hebrews 12:4-11
9.26.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Not Natural. But Good!
There are many things in life that are not natural to us but are good for us! Jesus changes us for the good!
1) If someone were to tell us that we need to do something, it shows that we haven’t been doing it!
2) If someone were to tell us, “You need to be zealous” for something, it would make it almost impossible to do so because then we would be doing it out of obligation.
3) Thankfully, the directives God gives us begin with His mercy!
4) Jesus is more than an example. Our evil was glued to Him. His goodness is now glued to us!
5) As we pursue righteousness in view of Christ’s mercy, it changes us!
Romans 12:9-12
9.19.21 message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
Transformed through Christ we embrace lives of love!
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Be disgusted by what is evil.
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Be glued to what is good.
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Value one another with brotherly love.
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Be "all in" for God!
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Joyfully anticipate good things to come, even when you are under pressure, through continual prayer!
Romans 12:9-12
9.19.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Pastor Krause helps us dig into Joshua 24:15.
9.12.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
You Have A Choice!
Choices can be difficult. But you’ve been given an amazing opportunity with “Your Choice. Today.”
1) Even though God has done so much for us, there’s a part of us that will sometimes feel like it’s bad to serve God. We need to be honest about that.
2) If it seems bad to serve God, we need to ask ourselves, “What other god will we serve?” You were designed to worship. You will serve something or someone.
3) Serving God is not primarily about what we do for God but trusting what God has done, is doing and will do for and through us!
4) Even our ability to choose to trust God today is a gift from Him. It’s all about His power!
5) When we’re faced with the choice to serve God or another, it’s an opportunity to turn to the God who has rescued us, is here with us and will always come through on His promises to us!
9.12.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Pastor Krause takes us through the next step of our "Sanctification" series journey, a study of Matthew 13:18-23.
9.5.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
God Wants You To Grow!
But how the your growing conditions?
- We can’t make our faith grow. That’s God’s job. But we can remove barriers to growth and turn to Him to grow us!
- When we want something different than what God offers, we’re not ready to receive what He’s giving. What wrong thing do you want or want the wrong way?
- When our faith lacks deep roots, the pressure of life can make our faith shrink away. What stops your roots from growing deep? Self-reliance? Independence?
- Biblical anxiety is when our mind is pulled in a variety of directions. When this happens, our faith may survive but it’s hard to produce much fruit.
- God turns our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Spend time with your Father in prayer, look to His Word, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. See how much He can grow you!
9.25.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The world's ways are not God's way, the world's ways are not what God had planned for our lives. God sees that what the world offers is a big lie - He offers us something better! And to prove it, He gave up everything for us - even His own Son.
8.29.21 Message From Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Don't Settle For Deflated! When a balloon is deflated, you might still be able to kind of tell what it looks like, but you’re not really seeing it as it’s supposed to be. The same goes with our lives of faith. The Spirit fills us up so we can begin to see what we were meant to be!
1) We’ve been rescued from destructive thinking. Now we get to bring what’s on our mind to God and have Him reshape our minds.
2) The Spirit fills us with the ultimate, all-in love of Jesus. Now we get to stretch that all-in love out to others.
3) The Spirit has built us into God’s house. God lives in us and has chosen to partner with us through giving us opportunities to serve others.
4) Everyone of us has a spiritual gift that is to be used to serve others. We can go all-in with these gifts because they come from the giver, not just from us.
5) Our lives are all about Christ. He made us right with God. He sends the Spirit. He gets the glory!
8.29.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Holy Spirit is the intercessor between us and Holy God when it comes to sanctification. When we are struggling, God Himself knows exactly what we need. The day is coming when we get to live our lives the way we always wanted to - perfectly - so we are encouraged to persevere in our walk of sanctification - keep going!
8.22.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Natrhan Krause
You Don't Have It All Figured Out. But He Does!
It’s hard to admit, but we really don’t know what we need. God knows and thankfully we can trust the Spirit to speak for us and to guide us every step of the way!
- Waiting to open a gift can be hard, especially when you’re expecting something good but don’t know what gift is in the box. Living our lives of faith can be the same way. We don’t know exactly what’s resurrection life is going to be like and we don’t know what good plans God has for this life!
- At the core of everything broken about this world is the thought that we know what’s good for us, not God.
- The Holy Spirit knows what this broken world and we, as broken individuals, long for. He joins us, longs with us and expresses what we need to the Father.
- The Holy Spirit expresses what we long for in a way that perfectly matches God’s desire for us and our lives.
- God set us apart for Himself and is guiding us according to His plan! Trust the Spirit who knows what our need and trust God to lead your life in a way that is good according to His plan!
8.22.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
How does prayer work?
1) Prayer comes from the new man in us. The old Adam is convinced he has it all figured out.
2) Prayer is possible only because Jesus' perfect life and innocent death torn down the barriers between Holy God and believers.
3) Prayer is prompted by the Holy Spirit working in our sanctified lives.
4) Prayer in Jesus' name is a humble prayer, trusting God to answer for the sake of our faith and our eternity.
5) Prayer is answered by God not because we make the request, but because He loves us.
6) Prayer works best when we begin to listen to God and quit talking.
Take A Look Inside!
It’s hard to look inside of ourselves. We might find something gross. But when we look inside, we can find the proper diagnosis!
1) People often say, “That just wasn’t me.” What we do often doesn’t align with what we want to do.
2) There’s a slave driver inside of us, preventing us from doing what we want to do.
3) Jesus has also planted Himself inside of us and He is perfectly. He and our sinful nature are completely at odds.
4) We get to walk with the cross of Christ. His cross crushes the old me so the new me can stand up tall.
5) God has this way of using even our weaknesses to draw us closer. When we lean on Him in weakness, He gives us strength!
8.8.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
You can't overcome it.
But it can't ovecome Him.
Jesus is the NEMESIS of your NEMESIS.
8.8.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Ever feel like something is fighting against you? There is.
Being connected to Christ means that you're part of a movement against the powers of darkness. Jesus teaches you what you need to know to be equipped and encouraged as you live connected to the One who is Revolutionary.
8.1.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Challenges - When living out our lives of faith (Sanctification), we face challenges both from the inside and the outside. Thankfully, God prepares us to face this challenges and even uses them for His purpose! 1) Challenges come at us from the outside because the truth of God’s Word is opposite of the ways of the world. 2) Because these challenges are going to come, Jesus tells us to be smart and pure in our thinking. 3) A cross is something we suffer because we believe the Gospel. There are various crosses we will have to bear. 4) When you face these challenges, don’t worry. God will speak in you! 5) Sometimes the crosses make us stop and listen to what God has to say to us! 6) If Jesus is leading you then all this will work out according to God’s will and plan. It’s worth the fight!
8.1.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Before & After
It’s amazing the transformation that can take place between when a project begins and when it ends. God has promised that you get to experience most incredible transformation, “Perfection.”
1) Jesus rescued us to give us eternal life and to give us our lives back!
2) Death is scary because we weren’t created to die. But God uses death to serve His purpose. When we die, the old sinful nature is stripped away.
3) We live knowing that life will not always be the difficult struggle that is today.
4) In the same way our spirits are sanctified, our bodies will be sanctified. We will have a resurrected body like Jesus’ resurrected body.
5) How would you live if you knew you couldn’t die?
7.25.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
How Do You See Yourself?
Jesus has transformed your future. That means you have a new identity, purpose and life now. You get to live with a "Victory View."
7.25.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Because of what Jesus did on the cross for us, we are now perfect in God's eyes. As we live our lives here on earth, however, God does not look for perfection in His broken children, but gives us the opportunity to make progress in our lives of sanctification.
7.18.21 Message from Fort Atkinson (recorded Monday night in Cottage Grove due to technical difficulties in Fort Atkinson)
Pastor Nathan Krause
Let Go! Forward!
Sometimes we cling to things that really serve no purpose anymore. Consider what you need to let go of by answering the question, “What Is The Destination?”
- There’s something about humanity, where we have a difficult time letting go of things, even when they no longer serve any purpose.
- One of the challenges to being a Christian is that embracing the hope of the Gospel means letting go of what we once held onto:
- We no longer depend on ourselves and our own attempts to make things right. We trust in Jesus.
- We no longer look to his world for purpose, meaning or contentment. We look to the life to come.
- While it may feel scary to let go, our lives can be beautifully transformed when we focus on what’s ahead!
- Leave behind the rubble. Take hold of the beautiful future!
7.18.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
Feeling Stuck or Bogged Down?
Sometimes as we strive to live our faith we can feel stuck or get bogged down? When something similar happens with our computer or smartphone, a reboot does wonders! So, “What if you could Restart?”
1) While God’s law is good, it actually held us captive because it kept showing how we have failed to be what we were meant to be.
2) When God’s law meets our sinful flesh, it actually energizes our sinful desires. This works in a variety of ways.
a. Magnification:
i. We magnify what we think about. If we think about what not to do, we magnify what not to do.
ii. If we focus on the law which shows how we fail, we magnify our guilt and shame.
iii. If we focus on the law and are able to follow certain parts of it well, we are susceptible to pride.
b. Complication:
i. When we think too hard about what is meant to flow naturally, we make it complicated. Try thinking about breathing. It becomes difficult.
3) The problem with trying to overcome what’s wrong in us by our own strength is that we’re trying to overcome our sinful flesh with our sinful flesh.
4) But through Jesus’ death, we died to that old way of the law, of sin and trying to do it ourselves. We’ve been restarted to live a new way!
5) We now live by the Spirit, the One who gives us faith to believe the promises of God. Believing the promises is eating the fruit that gives us a new life!
7.4.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
It's time to really live in freedom! Celebrate your Independence!
7.4.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
An Epic Battle!
It might not have looked like it….no swords or shields… but in the wilderness, a battle took place between good and evil.
1) Jesus, being fully human, faced the same temptations we face. On the surface they might seem different. But at the root, they are the same.
2) The devil often doesn’t start with luring us into actions. He plants a seed of doubt which leads to sinful actions.
3) The devil may try to get us to doubt God’s Word, but Jesus kept going back to it and so should we.
4) The devil may try to convince us that we should give up because he’s winning the battle. But Jesus won the war!
5) Jesus is exactly who He says He is. He overcome every temptation, died on the cross and rose again. Victory is ours!
6.27.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
Is Your Life Heading The Right Direction?
We’re bombarded every day with messages about what steps we should take next. How do we stay on track in our lives? Thankfully Jesus leads us "True North."
6.27.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Is Refreshing!
Feeling tired and worn? Refreshment is waiting! Jesus makes possible today for you to “revive.”
1) Trees are pretty amazing, aren’t they? As long as they’re planted in soil with the right nutrients, they can thrive in the craziest of conditions. So can we!
2) You might not have noticed, but trees are central to your story.
a. We were meant to eat from the tree of life.
b. Our fundamental problem is that we take from the tree that looks good to us instead of the tree of life.
c. Jesus, by dying on the tree, is the new and greater tree of life
d. Jesus is the vine, you are the branches and in Him you bear fruit!
3) When you stay in Jesus and His words stay in you, God will give you what you want because now you want what God wants!
4) Slow down. Stay in Jesus and let His words stay in you. You are transformed & God is glorified.
6.20.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Maybe the Toughest Part About Being A Christian....
We love God and know He's good but there's power inside of us working against. Make some sense of what's going on, find confidence and hope for "The Battle Within."
6.13.21 Message from Fort Akinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
This Means War!
There’s a fight taking place inside of us. Join the fight because the war is won!
- The powers inside of us are in conflict. One loves God while the other hates God!
- The sinful nature always wants to do the wrong thing and is always working against us.
- If the battle is so hard, we might sometimes wonder, “Why fight?” We fight because Jesus has won the victory!
- Jesus gave His life so we could have our lives back!
- Sanctification means that now parts of our lives display what God originally created us for. God empowers us to live for eternity and enjoy life now!
6.13.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
So WHY Are You Living This Way?
Have you ever considered why you live the way you do? There’s something that motivates you, something that drives the way you live. This weekend we study Romans 6:11-14, a lesson that can bring perspective to how we live and the opportunity in front of us.
6.6.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Something's Ruling Your Life!
Sometimes we live under restrictions that do not exist and act like we’re under the power of something that no longer is master of us. It’s time to live free and ask, “What Are You Standing Under?”
- Through faith in Christ what’s true of Him becomes true of you. He died for our sins so you died to sin. He rose to new life. Now you have a new life!
- Temptation to sin is not merely a choice between right and wrong. It’s a power struggle. When you sin you allow yourself to come under the power of something other than God.
- Naturally we’re born under the power of sin, missing the mark of what we were meant to be, unable to live the life we were meant to live. But no longer!
- You’ve passed from death to life. The life you were meant to live has been given back to you!
- You’re under grace. God delights in you and so He gives you gift after gift, forgiveness, faith, power, purpose, calling, confidence, life that never ends!
6.6.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
"That sounds amazing God! So...How??? How do I experience that? How do I live this out? How do I recieve it?"
Lean into the question "So... How???"
5.30.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
There are some things in life that hold us back when the solution is right in front of us. “If you want to be free, then you have to let go!”
- God’s Law is good, but when we look at it the wrong way, it enslaves us.
- Letting go of the law doesn’t mean we throw it all out. It means that because Jesus fulfilled the law for us, we are free to choose to live God’s way.
- Through faith our attitude and motivation now changes. We get to begin to live the way we were meant to!
- It’s a simple formula, but letting go is hard for us to do. That’s why we go again and again to the Means of Grace where the Spirit works in us.
- We tend to try to live good enough lives for Jesus, but the truth is that Jesus has made us good enough, now we get to live!
5.30.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
The motivation behind what we do makes a major impact on what we do. That’s why it’s so important to consider “Sanctification: Not What but Why.”
- Having faith means that we’ve been given the gift of seeing things differently, seeing things God’s way!
- Our living God’s way comes as a direct result of what God does for us.
- When we were created, it was easy for us to serve God. Sin messed that all up. But God chose to restore that to us.
- The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith in Jesus which means we have new life with God!
- Sanctification, because it means living life the way we were intended to live, is a blessing to us!
5.23.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
No Longer Depending On What Your Eyes Can See
We get to live by faith and experience "What the Spirit Makes Possible..."
5.23.21 message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Drained?
God has given a new life of purpose and significance. But it can be hard to live that way when it feels like the world is sucking the energy and power right out of us. Thankfully, God has given us Philippians 2:12-16a.
5.9.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
You Are NOT Powerless Today!
With all the stress that life pours on us and all the challenges to our faith, we can feel overwhelmed or even intimidated. But never forget who’s working in you!
- Believing in Jesus isn’t just about just knowing that Jesus did something for you. It’s about being united with Christ. His story is now your story!
- Jesus has done all the work of earning our salvation. Now we get to take what we’ve been given and work it out into our lives for the world to see.
- Anytime you live out your faith, it is result of God Himself working in you. This power never originates from you. He is your spiritual energy.
- When the power of God is at work it in us, it means living different than the world around us. When we embrace this challeng by the power of God, we’ll shine like stars!
- God’s Word is our charging station. There we’re reminded that in baptism we’ve been connected to Christ. In the Lord’s Supper we partner in Him!
5.9.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Who/What Is Shaping Your Life?
Where we find our identity, purpose and fulfillment drives our lives. Thankfully, we’ve been given the gift of Sanctification (In the Narrow Sense) which means we get to live with the identity, purpose and fulfillment that God created us to have!
1) As beings who were made by a Creator for a purpose to achieve something significant, our need for identity, purpose and fulfilment is written into our DNA.
2) When we search for our identity, purpose and fulfillment in something other than God, we’ll always miss the mark of what we were meant to be. We’re living as slaves to sin.
3) We were baptized into Christ we died with Him. When He rose we rose. We no longer belong to a way of life that ends in death. We have real life!
4) Through faith in Christ we have been declared right with God. That means we are alive to:
a. God, the One who created us to be walking pictures of Him (Identity)
b. Purpose (You have been given a life that is truly awe-some as a part of His plan)
c. Fulfillment (You’ve been set on the path of life with real, eternal significance)
5.2.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Power of Truth
God’s truth has given us life and changes our lives. Dig into how this works by looking at “Sanctification in the Wide Sense.”
- Sanctification in the wide sense includes all that the Holy Spirit does in us. Sanctification in the narrow sense focuses in on the fruits of our faith.
- Once we lived in darkness and death. God’s truth gave us life and called us into the light.
- God protects us from the evil one, keeping us in the faith by the truth.
- The is hard at work today attacking even the notion of absolute truth.
- Everyday we battle our sinful nature and face the difficulty of living in a sinful world. But God’s Word has power and gives us life!
4.24.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
When you know the truth, you have a new life!
Study John 17:17 and learn how God gives us "The Real Life."
4.25.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
As we take the 2nd step in our new series "Sanctification," an in-depth look at living our Christian faith, it's important to recognize the difference between Justification and Sanctification. Pastor Krause lays out the differences with the message "Justification is Not Sanctification."
4.18.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Gifts Are Meant to Be Enjoyed!
Giftts are pretty amazing! It’s great simply to open up the gift and see what’s inside. But there’s a second part. A gift is meant to be taken hold of and enjoyed!
1) When Jesus rose on Easter Sunday, He brought us the greatest gift. Like any gift, it’s meant to be enjoyed!
2) We’ve embarked on a special new series called “Sanctification” which is all about taking hold of and living in the reality of the gift we’ve been given!
3) Naturally we were all born spiritually dead, unable to fulfill our intended purpose or live according to God’s design.
4) Through faith in Christ, we are declared right with God. Simply because God delights in us, He has given us the gift of life! (Justification).
5) Every gift is meant to be enjoyed. God made us alive and prepared good works for us to do so that we can take hold of this git & really live! (Sanctification)
4.18.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
We all want to live a good life.
God wants that for us too!
But what does a good life really look like?
Embark on a life changing journey with our new sermon series digging into "Sanctification" and embrace the gift God has given us in "the good life."
4.11.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Tomb Is Empty - What Now?
So often reality doesn’t meet our expectations, but the Resurrection actually exceeds all human expectations! So… what should we do now?
1) Sanctification takes place in us by the work of the Holy Spirit. We were spiritually dead but have been raised back to life!
2) Without Jesus not only are we not saved, we’re not sanctified. It all goes back to Jesus.
3) Salvation is not sanctification. Sanctification only happens as a result of salvation.
4) God has saved us and now He gives us opportunities to choose to give Him glory in our lives.
5) When we look for the answer to the question, “What now?” the reality always exceeds the expectation!
4.11.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
The World Changed That Day
From the moment Jesus rose, the world has not been the same.
This Sunday we celebrated Easter by studying Mark’s account of the resurrection from Mark 16:1-8.
4.4.21 Easter Sermon from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Resurrection Is Real!
He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed! Those are such fun beautiful words. But even when we say those words, does the truth of Easter always sink into to our minds and hearts. This Easter season, may God bend our minds a bit with the truth of Easter!
1) Jesus finished the work of healing His world on Good Friday. He rested on the Sabbath. Easter morning was the time for new life to begin!
2) The empty tomb with an angel sitting in Jesus’ spot let the women dumbfounded. But Jesus had prepared them for this moment.
3) We can see and hear what Jesus has done, and yet the truth of the event doesn’t sink in.
4) But when we don’t go running out to Resurrection, Resurrection came to us!
5) We live in a world where a man really died and then really rose, just like He said. Resurrection happened, is happening and will happen again!
4.4.21 Easter Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
At the center is the Covenant, God choosing to partner with you!
We dig into Hebrews 9:1-10 and see how the Tabernacle helps us understand what took place on the cross Good Friday and what it means for us today.
Series Theme: Do You See the Messiah?
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
4.2.21 Good Friday Message from Fort Atkinson
Jesus finished the task. The work is complete. You're invited to join Him "Resting & Ready."
3.28.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Overlooked & Underappreciated
In the Passion History & Easter events, the burial of Jesus is often overlooked and underappreciated. But this event is powerful and gives us the boldness to get our hands a little ditry!
1) The God who created the earth was buried in the womb of the earth.
2) When we witness a baptism we actually step into the tomb of Jesus and are connected with the body of Christ
3) In that tomb we find the fullness of God in Christ and Christ is given to us. The dead body lying there of Jesus is a testimony of God’s love
4) For Easter to mean anything, that death and burial needed to mean everything.
5) His death gives us courage to praise the God who laid down His life to give us life.
3.28.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
He laid HImself down so we could have life! When we've gone off the wrong way, we have a Shepherd who laid down His life so we could live! A midweek Lenten devotion based on 1 Chronicles 21:17 and a reading of the 6th installment of the Passion History.
2021 Lenten Devotion series theme: "Do you see the Messiah?"
Failure?
The feeling of failure can be one of the worst feelings in the world. But this weekend, as we study Mark 15:33-41, when it looks like failure it turns out that God is up to something amazingly significant with our sermon theme "ELOI, not Elias!
3.21.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Time to Let Go!
When we look at Jesus on the cross we see more than just a dark scene of suffering. We see God giving us every reason to “Let Go” with Him.
1) God doesn’t make us do things His way. He will let us go our own way if we choose and will let us experience the consequences that come along with it.
2) The ultimate consequence of our going our own way was let go on Jesus instead of us.
3) Jesus let go of His final breath because He had exhausted the power of sin and paid the debt that we owed.
4) When Jesus let go of His life, everything that separated us from God was let go as well! He is now up close and personal with us!
5) We get to let go of our doing things our own way, of thinking we know what we need and how God should work. We get to let go and let God do it His way!
3.21.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When God Changes The Hurt to Healing
The cross is a difficult scene. That's because there we see our sin and the consequences of sin. But when we look at Jesus lifted up, there we find the healing we need.
A Midweek Lenten Devotion based on Numbers 21:8-9 and a reading of the 5th installment of the Passion History.
2021 Midweek Lenten Series: "Do You See the Messiah?"
More Than Relatable
Our God entered our story. He suffered alongside us and for us. He understands us and rescues us.
He is "The People's King."
3.14.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The Center of Our Story
What Jesus accomplished when He was crucified on the cross is at the center of all of history!
1) Jesus took head on the worst this world has to offer.
2) We were created to be in the image of God but sin disassembled us.
3) Jesus took on Himself the undoing of humanity that sin caused.
4) Jesus’ greatest act of ruling occurred on that cross.
5) By not saving Himself, He saved us!
3.14.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
Picture A Powerful King
If you were to picture that powerful king, you likely wouldn’t picture the scene in the lesson we’re studying this weekend. But after studying Mark 15:16-20, we may begin to see things a bit differently.
3.7.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
A King That Changes How You See Everything!
We all have expectations how a king should look and of what power looks like. But it’s amazing how we can begin to see things differently when you “Consider Your King.”
1) People expected Jesus to be a political leader who sought power like other kings. As such, when He was handed over to be crucified, they saw a failure.
2) We need to check our expectations of what our King looks like and how His power looks with Jesus Himself.
a. God can work through political nations, but Jesus refused to be a political leader.
b. Jesus did impressive miracles but in the hands of the soldiers it looked like nothing good was happening.
c. Jesus attracted crowds of thousands but then the crowd cheered for His death.
d. Jesus transforms us but His death on the cross took place we needed Him to save us.
3) The One crowned with thorns is the King of Kings. The One who looked like a failure was winning the greatest victory. This changes how we see everything!
a. No matter what is happening in the world, the Kingdom of God is advancing.
b. No matter what is happening in our lives, God’s purpose is prevailing.
c. No matter how impactful we seem to be at the time, God is working through us.
d. No matter how we’re doing on the inside, Jesus came to rescue us!
3.7.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
When you feel far from God and stuck, you have a brother who says "Let me stay in their place so they can go home to our Father."
A midweek Lenten devotion based on Genesis 44:33-34 and a reading of the third installment of the Passion History.
2021 Midweek Lenten Series: "Do You See the Messiah?"
How does it feel when someone accuses you of something? Pretty awful isn't it? Now consider how often we live like we're being accused. Whether it's in the ways that we suspect that people are unhappy with us or if it's simply the accusations that play in our own heads. But Jesus was also accused. When we look to his response and what He achieved we can have peace and confidence to say to our accusations, "I Rest My Case."
2.28.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Love Working Through Injustice
It’s tough when we’re misjudged by someone. But it was through the greatest act of injustice that we get to experience real love.
- There is a strong desire for justice in our world today because God placed a desire for justice in our hearts.
- We’ll never achieve true justice by passing a law or digging deep down inside of us because we all have a flawed standard of justice.
- If we’re going to work for true justice we all need to also admit that we stand guilty of breaking God’s law and God’s world.
- God tells us over and over again that His choice was to have the innocent One, Jesus, die in our place.
- Only God can be real justice and through His justice, we able to experience real love.
2.28.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
When your hope looks like it's coming to an end, lift your eyes! Do you see Jesus?
A midweek Lenten devotion based on Genesis 22:13-14 and a reading of the 2nd installment of the Passion History.
2021 Midweek Lenten Series: "Foreshadowed"
There may be times that talk and act like we don't know Jesus. But Jesus has always known us. We are totally known and completely loved. It's amazing how everything changes when we ask Jesus, "do You know me?"
2.21.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The next big thing might be really little
Most people focus on the big things in life – things like birthdays, anniversaries, even Valentine’s day. But the little things matter just as much, sometimes even more. If you don’t believe me then try sleeping with a mosquito in the room.
Often, we want God to show up in big ways. We want big changes, and even bigger miracles. However this week we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday by going in a completely different direction as we study Matthew 17:24-27.
2.14.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
See How Things Have Changed!
God often works in ways that seem odd or surprising because He is making things different for us! We get to open our eyes and see how things have changed!
- Sometimes church can just look like a place we go to and our faith can feel like an obligation. But that’s not what God has in mind.
- When Jesus did miracles He always did what He came to do, undo something broken by sin.
- Jesus went to the cross in order to give us the inheritance that comes with being God’s children.
- Just like you don’t have to pay to go to your father’s house, you also have free access to God the Father’s house! It’s now your house!
- You don’t just go to the Father’s house. Now the Father’s house is inside of you. That means that everything God did in the temple, He does in you!
2.14.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
Sometimes when we're having difficulty seeing, all we need to do is open our eyes!
2.7.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
See The Spectacular Today!
Seeing something spectacular isn’t limited to those who lived in Bible times. We get to see it today!
1) When our expectations of what God is doing are misguided, we often end up looking for far less than what God is actually up to!
2) Jesus looked just like a normal guy because He was a normal guy. But He wasn’t just that. He’s God Himself!
3) God’s plan has always been to showcase Himself through normal people. In this normal looking guy named Jesus, the Divine is on display!
4) When you want to see something special, simply look at Jesus, what He’s accomplished for and through you.
5) Your life might not seem all that exciting, but remember, Jesus looks pretty normal!
2.7.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Looks can be deceiving.
Thankfully what really matters isn’t how things look on the surface!
1) It’s not about what or how much we give, it’s about what’s going on inside of us.
2) God doesn’t need anything from us for Him to be God. He simply wants our hearts.
3) God simply wants us to trust Him.
4) If God is first in our lives, everything else falls into place.
5) It’s refreshing to stop worrying about appearances, to know that God isn’t about looks, He’s about hearts.
1.31.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Settling For Surface Vision?
✝ If you’re only seeing what’s on the surface, then you’re missing out on a far greater view. This weekend let’s refine what we see by studying John 7:21-24.
1.24.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
See What’s Really Going On!
Our perspective is often limited if we only see what’s on the surface. We begin to see what’s really going on and understand what we see when we “Look Deeper.”
- When we think we see the problem, we look for a solution to match. When our focus is off, so is our vision.
- The special worship practices in the Old Testament were not about the practices themselves. They pointed to God’s promise of healing. Jesus is the promise fulfilled.
- It’s hard to look deeper when we’re convinced that the main problem is someone else and when our focus is on actions we see.
- Surface is comfortable. Looking deeper is scary. But when we see the brokenness inside, we’re ready to see the healer God provides.
- When we see Jesus as the healer we need, it’s amazing how much more we can see when we look deeper!
1.24.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Blurred Vision Meets A God Who Sees Perfectly
We often struggle to see what God is really up to but God always sees exactly what we need and how it nees to be done.
Take a look at how God works in our lives as we ask, "What Are You Seeing?"
1.17.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Blessings in the Blurry
Something can be right in font of us and still we can’t see it. Thankfully God can give us a new perspective!
1) People are often looking for the wrong kind of Messiah. Jesus didn’t just come to make life a little better. He came to give us eternal life with Him.
2) When Jesus fulfilled a physical miracle, it showed that He was here to do a greater miracle.
3) Jesus knows that sometimes, if He were to give us full sight all at once, it would be too much for us. He knows what we need.
4) We’re living in an awfully confusing time. When we find ourselves confused, it is an opportunity to trust God. Let’s celebrate this opportunity!
5) When our vision is blurry, let’s focus on what is clear. Jesus came to give us exactly what we need and continues to work according to His plan.
1.17.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
What Eyes Are You Using?
A lack of vision can be dangerous, especially when it comes to how we see God, ourselves and our world. Thankfully, we’ve been given the gift of sight because Jesus gives us “New Eyes.”
1) Lack of vision has been a problem ever since Adam and Eve took the fruit that “looked pleasing to the eye” rather than listening to God.
2) It’s important to recognize that we live in a world of blindness and blurred vision.
a. Sometimes things that start off with right intentions, become misunderstood and misapplied and can actually blur our vision.
b. Our selfish ambitions can prevent us to seeing what is right in front of us.
3) Instead of talking about all the blindness out there, Christ would have us be honest about ways we’ve acted blindly.
4) Jesus gave a blind man the ability to see with His physical eyes. But they greatest miracle given to Him was the eyes of faith.
5) We get to leave the blindness behind and see what we know to be true. When we live by the light of Jesus it’s then that we can be His lights in the world!
1.10.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Fully A Son. Free To Live.
So often we live like we're still under restrictions and slaves to our sin. But you've been set free. You are God's child. God wants us to celebrate that "It's A Family Thing!"
1.3.21 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Stop Trying to Be What You Already Are!
We all have a list of things we think we need to do in order to be who we want to be. But God wants us to live in the reality of who we already are in Him!
1) God has been working throughout history in order to make us His children.
a. Instead of sending a Savior right away, in His grace He first gave the law to show us our need for a Savior.
b. He knew the perfect time and conditions for a Savior to enter this world.
2) God’s Son became us, so we could become God’s Son.
3) When God looks at You, what He sees is His perfect Son!
4) Being a good Christian is not objective to be achieved, it’s a position of authority that we’ve already been given and from which we live!
1.3.21 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
So much about the Christmas story looked impossible according to human standards. But Christmas is not about human solutions. It's about our impossible God. Celebrate Christmas Eve 2020.
Pastor Nathan Krause
Cottage Grove Campus
Look At What You’ve Been Given!
No matter what was placed under your tree, you’ve received the most incredible gift at Christmas. Unpack your gift this weekend as we study 2 Corinthians 8:9.
12.27.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Merry Christmas!
On Christmas we celebrate so much more than great memories, but an actual event that changes everything today. Let's study together John 1:14 and consider what "Became" that day.
12.25.20 Christmas Day Message
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Rich Living!
There’s a treasure that you don’t need to hunt for to find. It came to you. Now the quest begins.
- God’s grace is not only His undeserved love for us, it’s a beautiful trait of His character where He cherishes us and chooses to give us the greatest gift!
- What if part of being truly rich isn’t the acquiring money, a fancy house or expensive foods, but it’s the lack of needing them?
- What if a true treasure consists more of things like being loved and being able to love, having life and being full of goodness?
- Jesus was willing to lack, to the point that He even died for us, so we might receive a treasure from God.
- A gift is meant to be enjoyed, so let’s live like we’re overflowing with treasure. Let the quest begin!
12.27.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Who or what rules your life?
It's one thing to know Jesus is King. It's another thing to live that way. That's why we're so blessed to study Jeremiah 23:5-6 where we get to prepare our hearts for "A Greater King."
12.20.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
The King We Really Need
For all the challenges in our lives and in this world, we need more than a regular king. Jesus is exactly the King we need!
1) God’s people have often wanted a king that just makes things a little better now. But is that the king we really need?
2) A day is coming when a King will arrive that doesn’t just make things a little better, but solves every single problem!
3) This year it seems like everything has gone off the rails and unfortunately, in many ways we’ve done it to ourselves.
4) Man-made solutions just don’t cut it.
5) We don’t need a good king, we need A Greater King!
12.20.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Join Pastor A and his dog, Sibley, for a winter stroll as Pastor A reflects on the Christmas Story.
Presence for You!
No, that’s not a typo. This weekend is not about presents but about presence. Which actually might be what we want most during this crazy year after all. This weekend we study Hebrews 7:23-28 where we prepare to welcome the greatest presence of all through the “Greater Priest.”
12.13.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Unlimited Access!
In a season when we’re longing for the people, places and activities that we love, Jesus gives us exactly what we need by being “A Better Priest.”
1) How could sinful people be assured that they were on good terms with God, that His presence was there among them and that He was working for them and through them? A vital piece was the work of the priests!
2) The priests would bring sacrifices into the holy place on behalf of the people. These sacrifices would point to how God would bring justice for sin and create a way for us to be at one with Him.
3) Jesus is a greater priest because:
a. He is not limited by death. He is speaking to the Father on our behalf always and forever.
b. He gives us unlimited access to God. We can come into His presence again and again, knowing He is here with us and we will live forever with Him.
c. He not only brought a sacrifice before God, He was the sacrifice before God. He laid down His life so we could be set right with God once and for all.
4) In challenging seasons like we’re in, we may long for what once was. But perhaps this is an opportunity to recognize that as good as those things were, they were limited.
5) Focus on something greater! No matter where you are or who you’re with, you can come into God’s presence right now. He is there with you and you will live forever with Him!
12.13.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Messages. Messages. And More Messages!
We are constantly being bombarded with messages. We get to choose whether or not to listen. There is a better message from A Greater Prophet that we get to listen to again and again every day!
Deuteronomy 18:17-20
12.6.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Can Anyone Actually Help Us?
With all the challenges in life, we may wonder if there’s anyone who can actually help us, who can actually do the job. Thankfully, God has given us A Greater Prophet!
1) When God sends a messenger to us, He wants us to listen!
2) Whoever is called by God to speak on His behalf is to say nothing more or nothing less than God says.
3) Jesus not only spoke God’s Word perfectly but embodied God’s Word.
4) Jesus the is the leader that actually leads us to the promised land, that actually solves the problems of life!
5) God is calling us to be His prophets to this generation, to speak the truth that there is a Greater Prophet who brings light into this dark world!
Deuteronomy 18:17-20
12.6.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Missing Something?
We just got done with one holiday that didn’t feel quite right, and soon an even bigger holiday will present us with many of the same challenges.
2020 has been filled with strange and unusual circumstances leaving us all with that “something is missing” feeling. As we begin the season of Advent, as well as a new church year, God chooses to fill the gap with some great news. Our Advent series is called SOMETHING GREAER and our first lesson takes us to Haggai 2:6-9 with the theme “A Greater Glory”.
11.29.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Your Life Is About Something Greater!
What we prioritize in our lives says a lot about where we find our identity and security. Remember what your life is all about!
1) When we make ourselves number 1, it might seem like it will benefit us, but it never turns out well.
2) When we rob God of being first in our lives, we really rob ourselves.
3) God takes our lack of glory and gives us the glory of Christ.
4) We give God glory when we honor all that He’s done and continues to do!
5) We reflect God’s glory so all the nations can see what He has done!
11.29.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
It's Good Not to Know!
If you’ve ever felt like it would be easier if God would just tell us when Jesus will return, you’re not alone. But there is incredible blessing for us today not to know!
1) Rather than having us be ready on a specific day for Jesus to return, God would have us always be ready.
2) Part of being ready is not just being prepared for the day Jesus returns, but knowing that our personal last day could also come any day.
3) We often feel like we’re most ready when life is going smoothly, but it’s often in those challenging times when we’re depending on Him that we’re most ready.
4) God would have us be ready every day, seeing each day as an opportunity to glorify Him and serve others.
5) Perhaps our current situation with the virus, where we don’t know when it will all be over, is a great opportunity to practice encouraging each other being ready for Jesus to return.
11.22.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
When there's something in our future that we've never experienced before, we can tend to get a bit nervous. If that's true with any unfamiliar experience, it can be especially true with something as different as the return of Jesus. But as we study 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we find incredible encouragement as we ask the question, "What Will It Be Like?"
11.15.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Our Future Is Amazing!
It can be dangerous when people aren’t on the same page. As Christians we get to come together and encourage each other with the good news of what’s ahead!
1) One of the most fundamental truths about the Christian faith is that death has now power over us!
2) When a Christian passes away, their soul immediately joins Jesus in paradise. When He returns He’ll bring their soul with Him, their soul & body will be reunited and resurrected.
3) Whether a person passes away before Jesus’ return or is still living on this earth, we will all join in on the same celebration that day.
4) One of the challenges of our current season is how difficult it is to encourage one another. As the body of Christ let’s continue to look for ways to support and encourage each other with the good news of what’s ahead!
11.15.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
It Matters Today!
We’re looking forward to eternal life with Jesus. Someday He’s going to return. But let’s be honest, sometimes all that good stuff can seem really far off. It can be hard to see how it changes the way we live today. So this weekend, as we’re nearing the end of the church year and turning our focus towards Jesus’ return, let’s study 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 together.
11.8.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Not Just Someday...
We often talk about what we will experience as Christians “someday.” But what we’re looking forward to isn’t just far off in the distance. It affects how we live today!
- God’s heart for us is that we be sanctified, not just someday but today! Jesus makes us pure and clean so that Holy God lives in us today.
- At the front lines of the battle between who we are in Christ and who we were before is this question, “Who’s in charge? My feelings or me?”
- When we live by what we feel, we often over step and contribute to the pain and death in this world.
- God is the ultimate justice-maker. Jesus endured the justice our sins deserve so we now stand right with God.
- If we’re longing for the day when we live in a pure and holy place with God, why would we go back to impurity now? God’s given you His Holy Spirit so you can live the live God has called you to!
11.8.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
You? Holy?
If we were to look at God, we know we’d see One who is holy. But what does God see when He looks at us? This weekend we get to see ourselves from God’s perspective as we study Ephesians 3:14-19, as we continue our "Nagging Questions" sermon series.
11.1.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Good Enough!
We often don’t feel good enough. If left to ourselves, we wouldn’t be. But God has completely changed everything for us!
- If we’re honest, we don’t deserve to be glorified as an incredible people or Christians. None of us our good enough on our own.
- The devil knows how to tempt each of us. We all have our weaknesses.
- But God has taken us and is remodeling us, together with all the saints, into the most beautiful temple!
- The love God has for us is beyond measure!
- Through faith in Jesus you are now part of the family of God. You are good enough! You are a saint!
11.1.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Steve Soukup
RISKY
Faith can feel risky. Living your life according to something that you can’t see, finding your purpose, significance and hope in something that you can’t set your eyes on, can feel dangerous. So this weekend let’s wrestle with faith and study Hebrews 11:6.
10.25.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
RISKY
Faith can feel risky. Living your life according to something that you can’t see, finding your purpose, significance and hope in something that you can’t set your eyes on, can feel dangerous. So this weekend let’s wrestle with faith and study Hebrews 11:6.
10.25.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Think About It….
It’s not just what you do and say that matters, God cares about what is going on in your heart and in your mind. When things are moving in the right direction on the inside, it’s amazing the difference that can take place on the outside. That’s why this weekend we’re studying Colossians 3:1-2.
10.18.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Think About It….
It’s not just what you do and say that matters, God cares about what is going on in your heart and in your mind. When things are moving in the right direction on the inside, it’s amazing the difference that can take place on the outside. That’s why this weekend we’re studying Colossians 3:1-2.
10.18.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Brian Klebig
✝️ words
✝️ I’m sure you have heard all the clichés: “you have two ears and one mouth, think before you speak, open mouth and insert foot here”, etc. Why are there so many sayings about the words that come out of our mouths?
✝️ This weekend we study a close companion to the nagging question we tackled last weekend, however this week we focus more on how we say something rather than what it is we say as we study Ephesians 4:15.
10.11.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
words
I’m sure you have heard all the clichés: “you have two ears and one mouth, think before you speak, open mouth and insert foot here”, etc. Why are there so many sayings about the words that come out of our mouths?
This weekend we study a close companion to the nagging question we tackled last weekend, however this week we focus more on how we say something rather than what it is we say as we study Ephesians 4:15.
10.11.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
Sin, Them, and Me
Dealing with our own sin is challenging enough, but what about when someone I care about sins. Do I say something or do I just mind my own business? This weekend we’ll dig into this challenging Nagging Question as we study Galatians 6:1-2.
10.4.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Sin, Them, and Me
Dealing with our own sin is challenging enough, but what about when someone I care about sins. Do I say something or do I just mind my own business? This weekend we’ll dig into this challenging Nagging Question as we study Galatians 6:1-2.
10.4.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
Faith Check-up
How’s your faith these days? Sometimes our faith can seem big. Other times it seems small. Sometimes our faith feels weak and other times it feels strong. This weekend, we’ll dig into what makes for powerful faith by studying Matthew 17:19-20.
9.27.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Faith Check-up
How’s your faith these days? Sometimes our faith can seem big. Other times it seems small. Sometimes our faith feels weak and other times it feels strong. This weekend, we’ll dig into what makes for powerful faith by studying Matthew 17:19-20.
9.27.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Steve Soukup
I just don’t see it!
We’ve all heard it…. We’ve probably all even said it…. “God has a plan.”
But let’s be honest, sometimes it can be awfully hard to see how everything that is happening can be part of God’s good plan. So this weekend let’s clear up some confusion with a study of Jeremiah 29:11.
9.20.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
Pastor Klebig leads us through a message of hope as we can be confident that God DOES have a plan for us as we go through our "Babylons".
Recorded 9.20.2020 at ASLC-CG Campus
Dream Big!
Really!
There are some pretty big claims in God's Word - that anything is possible for those who believe and that if we ask anything according to His will, He'll do it. These claims seem so big that sometimes they're hard to believe. So this weekend let's embrace the power of God with a study of Ephesians 3:20-21.
9.13.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Krause
Dream Big!
Really!
There are some pretty big claims in God's Word - that anything is possible for those who believe and that if we ask anything according to His will, He'll do it. These claims seem so big that sometimes they're hard to believe. So this weekend let's embrace the power of God with a study of Ephesians 3:20-21.
9.13.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Abrahamson
❓ What Now?
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✝️ Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? What if one of those days turns into one of those weeks, or months, or even years?
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✝️ Because we live in a sinful world we will always have troubles in this life. But what are we to do when it seems as if we face one crisis after another? This weekend we seek the answer to the next nagging question as presented to us in 1 Corinthians 10:11-13.
9.6.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
❓ What Now?
-
✝️ Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? What if one of those days turns into one of those weeks, or months, or even years?
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✝️ Because we live in a sinful world we will always have troubles in this life. But what are we to do when it seems as if we face one crisis after another? This weekend we seek the answer to the next nagging question as presented to us in 1 Corinthians 10:11-13.
9.6.20 Message from Cottage Grove
Pastor Nathan Krause
"God, What’s Going On?"
"I Don’t Get It!"
Sometimes our world is turned upside down and nothing seems right. Sometimes we can’t see how God is doing anything good and can’t make any sense of how God works. For those times, we have Job 42:1-6.
8.30.20 Message from Fort Atkinson
Pastor Nathan Krause
"God, What’s Going On?"
❗️"I Don’t Get It!"
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✝️ Sometimes our world is turned upside down and nothing seems right. Sometimes we can’t see how God is doing anything good and can’t make any sense of how God works. For those times, we have Job 42:1-6.
Message from Cottage Grove on 8.30.20
Pastor Abrahamson
Dirty Birds.
✝️ Growing up I [Pastor Krause] was taught that sparrows were “dirty birds”. They got that nickname because they don’t seem to have any redeeming value and when they finally fly away they leave a mess behind.
✝️ But God sees the sparrows differently. In fact, this weekend’s lesson teaches us they are a measuring device for our own worth. Together we discover our value to God as we plow through Luke 12:4-7.
Message from Cottage Grove, 8.23.20
Pastor Nathan Krause
Dirty Birds.
✝️ Growing up I [Pastor Krause] was taught that sparrows were “dirty birds”. They got that nickname because they don’t seem to have any redeeming value and when they finally fly away they leave a mess behind.
✝️ But God sees the sparrows differently. In fact, this weekend’s lesson teaches us they are a measuring device for our own worth. Together we discover our value to God as we plow through Luke 12:4-7.
Message from Fort Atkinson, 8.23.20
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
👂Hearing Check
✝️I’m pretty sure by now most of you know I [Pastor Krause] am just a bit hard of hearing (that’s why I ask you to repeat things when we are at worship).
✝️You can deal with a pastor who is hard of hearing, but what if it seems like God has that same problem? This week we forge on to our next nagging question having to do with God’s response to our conversations with Him.
Message from Cottage Grove, 8.16.20
Pastor Brian Klebig
👂Hearing Check
✝️I’m pretty sure by now most of you know I [Pastor Krause] am just a bit hard of hearing (that’s why I ask you to repeat things when we are at worship).
✝️You can deal with a pastor who is hard of hearing, but what if it seems like God has that same problem? This week we forge on to our next nagging question having to do with God’s response to our conversations with Him.
Message From Fort Atkinson, 8.16.20
Pastor Nathan Krause
✝️Ouch!
✝️When life is good and all goes as we want, do we question God? Usually we don’t. Often, it is not until we find ourselves struggling, even suffering, that we wonder if God is doing His job?
✝️This weekend we look at the opening verses of John chapter 11 to see if we can find any good in our moments of suffering.
Message from Cottage Grove, 8.9.20
Pastor Brian Klebig
✝️Ouch!
✝️When life is good and all goes as we want, do we question God? Usually we don’t. Often, it is not until we find ourselves struggling, even suffering, that we wonder if God is doing His job?
✝️This weekend we look at the opening verses of John chapter 11 to see if we can find any good in our moments of suffering.
Message From Fort Atkinson, 8.9.20
Pastor Nathan Krause
✝️Feeling small?
✝️ Worship!
✝️When we’re reminded of just how big the world is, we can start to feel pretty small. That’s why this weekend we’ll study Psalm 8:3-6 and ask a pretty important question....
❓ "Why Would He Care?"
Message from Fort Atkinson 8.2.20
Pastor Nate Abrahamson
✝️Feeling small?
✝️ Worship!
✝️When we’re reminded of just how big the world is, we can start to feel pretty small. That’s why this weekend we’ll study Psalm 8:3-6 and ask a pretty important question...
❓ “Does God Care About…?”
Message from Cottage Grove 8.2.20
Pastor Nathan Krause
Feel Like Giving Up?
Sometimes we feel like giving up, like there’s no hope for improvement. For every one of those times, we have the message of Jeremiah 32:27 that we’ll be studying this weekend.
Message from 7.26.20 in Cottage Grove
Pastor Krause
Sometimes we feel like giving up, like there’s no hope for improvement. For every one of those times, we have the message of Jeremiah 32:27 that we’ll be studying this weekend.
Message from 7.26.20 in Fort Atkinson
Pastor Abrahamson
The world is dying, and Christians have been charged with taking the message of a Savior to that dying world. The challenges of being “in the world but not of it” can genuinely test a believer’s faith, and can present a frightening time in the life of a Christian. What happens when we question our faith? For our place and God’s role in this question, we’ll be looking at Jude 22-23 and asking, “What If I Question My Faith?”
Pastor Brian Klebig
Message from 7.19.20
Good or Bad? Is religion part of the problem?
There probably aren’t many words today that carry more baggage than the word “religion.” Some are proud of their religion. But some talk about having a relationship rather than a religion. Others say they are spiritual, not religious. Still others see religion as an archaic evil that needs to be done away with. Where should we be on the religion opinion spectrum? This weekend, as we continue our “Nagging Questions” sermon series we study James 1:26-27 and ask a very challenging question, “Is Religion Part of the Problem?”
Message from 7.12.20
Freedom is on everyone’s minds right now. The Fourth of July is a celebration of our freedom as Americans, but at the same time the current circumstances are making us feel less free than almost any other time in our lives. The tension between our two realities begs the question of how free are we really? The Bible offers special insight into the strange nature of freedom and captivity, and the implications for our lives as we study this Sunday under the theme, “Am I Really Free?” We’ll be looking to John 8:36 for the answer.
Message from 7.5.20
You Make A Difference!
Sometimes, especially as we’re going through the challenges of life, we can feel pretty significant. But God has an amazing answer when we ask, “Can I Make A Difference?”
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Whatever you’re going through, God loves you in such a way that He will never ever leave you. When you’re loved like that, you can love others.
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As people who are loved by God, we are invited by Him to leave behind the ways of this world and live His way.
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The world often has some negative things to say about Christians. Sometimes it’s because we’re living God’s way. But other times it’s because we’ve sinned and aren’t living God’s way.
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No matter what, God continues to love us and choose us.
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God loves to take broken people and through us, He makes all the difference!
Message for June 28, 2020
It’s always fun to hear about a time when someone met a celebrity or maybe even knows them personally. Maybe part of why it’s so fun is because celebrities can seem larger than life to us, like they almost aren’t real people, like they almost don’t exist in “real life.” If people can feel that way to us, how much more God? This weekend, as we celebrate Father’s Day we study John 14:5-9 and ask a life transforming question, “Can I Really Know God?
Message for June 21, 2020
Is something missing?
You know that moment...uncertainity, indecision, the uneasy feeling of not knowing for sure what to do. Life can be that way sometimes. Because of sin we often struggle to understand what He is doing in our lives at that very moment.
God created every single one of us for a reason and with purpose, even though God does not dictate exactly what we are supposed to do every moment of the day. This week's lesson is Ecclesiastes 12:13 and answers that nagging question "what's my purpose," and it offers application for every moment of our lives.
Message for June 14, 2020
Go Ahead. Ask.
Let's Lean In Together!
We may try to ignore them, but the truth is, they are there, those challenging questions that just keep coming up. This weekend we begin a new sermon series, "Nagging Questions???" where we lean into some of life's biggest questions and go to God's Word for answers. This weekend we'll get started with a study of Romans 1:20 where we ask, "Is God Real?"
Message for June 7, 2020
Pardon our dust
No one likes to deal with the delay or inconveniences of repairs or reconstruction projects. Even now as there is far less traffic on roads there are still many construction projects going on. At times it can be frustrating.
But the most important reconstruction project that affects our lives is the one going on inside of us - in our hearts. This weekend we celebrate the festival of Pentecost and consider the most important repair God is doing in our lives as we study Psalm 51:10. King David's prayer is also our prayer to "Have a Heart."
Message for May 31, 2020
Do you know where you are?
Check out the view!
Imagine you've been given a weekend get-a-way at a beachfront home on the ocean. But when you're there, you just hang out inside and watch tv because that's what you normally do. Pretty lame, eh? Talk about missing out on an opportunity! Well, this weekend we wrap up the Easter season with a study of Ephesians 2:4-7 to help us take advantage of what we've been given, life that is "Above and Beyond."
Message for May 24, 2020
Weathering the Storm
Did you know that the average thunderstorm in Wisconsin lasts 90 minutes? So what? Well, we tened to think in terms of "forever" when we're in the middle of weathering a storm and have little appreciation for its benefits until the storm passes.
I (Pastor K) keep hearing all kinds of promises made by various leaders and businesses that soon things will be back to normal, that this will pass. Truth is, only God knows for sure. And only God can make the kind of promise we study this weekened as we study James 1:12 with the theme "Better Days Ahead."
Message for Sunday, May 17, 2020
The Greatest Gift For You. For Her. For Them. For All.
This is a unique but special weekend. As we celebrate moms, we come toegether to worship online and celebrate the greatest gift we've ever recieved and the greatest gift that will ever be passed on.Let's study 2 Timothy 2 8:-10 and celebrate the "Living Legacy."
May 10, 2020
Quarantine Accomplishments
I've been reading about people getting a lot done durng the virus quarantine: home projects or learning a new language. But I've also read some pretty humuorous things too: getting caught having a Zoom meeting without pants and stores refusing to let people return thousands of rolls of toilet paper they obviously didn't need. What if I told you that your greatest quarantine accomplishment could be embracing the gift God wants to give you: learning to suffer well while trusting God's plans? That's our lesson this week as we study 1 Peter 1:18-21 with the theme "For You."
5.3.20
Nothing Left To Give?
You're in the Perfect Spot!
Somedays, and perhaps especially during these challenging times, we feel like we have nothing left to give. We’ve reached the end of our strength and don’t know how we’re going to move forward. That is when we are perfectly positioned to experience the power of Easter. This weekend we continue celebrating Easter with the message “Finish to Start” from 2 Corinthians 1:8-9.
April 26, 2020
So, how are you spending your days during the quarantine? Occasionally I’ll (Pastor K) look for funny memes just to pass the time. I found this one just for you.
We miss normal life, but don’t worry because something better is on its way. And I’m not just talking about normal life. I’m talking about the next lesson of our Easter sermon season "Something Better". We will study Hebrews 11:35 as the author tells us about a “Better Resurrection”.
April 19, 2020
It’s Time to Celebrate!
Happy Easter!
What’s your story? No matter how your story seems right now, this weekend we celebrate that we our part of “A Better Story.”
Easter Morning
April 12, 2020
Let's walk to the cross together and see how Jesus brought us freedom by being "Sacrificed."
Good Friday
4.10.20
What's Your Love Language?
You are right with God through Jesus. Know it in your heart. Confess it with you mouth. Let's celebrate God's love language!
4.5.20
As we continue our "Ouch-the 7 Deadly Stings of Sin" midweek Lenten series we ask a very important question, "Who Is Jesus?" as we see that He was "Condemned."
4.1.20
Our weekends in Lent series "Just In Time" with a message that speaks to the challenging time we find oursevles. We study Romans 8:31-33 and ask, "What In the World Is Going On?"
Recorded 3.29.20
Our midweek Lenten series "Ouch-The 7 Deadly Stings of Sin" continues as we learn about how Jesus absorbed the pain of being "Betrayed."
Recorded 3.24.20
Our weekends in Lent series "Just In Time" continues with a message from Romans 5:8-11 asking, "Are We Good?"
Recorded 3.22.20
Our midweek Lenten series, "Ouch - the 7 Deadly Stings of Sin" continues with the message "Scorned" from Psalm 69:19-21.
Recorded 3.18.20
What Time Do You See?
See the Season You You’re In
There are some events that change the way the world looks. There are some experiences that make you see something different. We may very well be living in one of those times now with the concern over COVID-19/coronavirus. But however the current concerns may or may not change the way you see the world, there is a far greater event that can change the way you see the world and make you see something different. This weekend we’ll study Romans 5:6 where we’ll learn about the special gift of how we get to “See the Time.”
Recorded 3.15.20
What was broken has been mended.
The 3rd installment of our midweek Lenten series "Ouch: The 7 Deadly Stings of Sin" takes us to Isaiah 53:5, where we see how we are healed because Jesus was "Pierced."
Recorded 3.11.20
It is an epidemic!
Lately a lot of our Abiding Shepherd family has either been fighting illness or have had surgery of one kind or another. Fortunately, no one has contracted the coronavirus (nor have we begun to panic as if God were not in control). But we all are part of another epidemic known to us as sin.
This weekend we tackle the next lesson in our “JUST in Time” Sunday Lenten series. We dissect Romans 4:25 and see one of the laws of nature at work: “Equal and Opposite”.
Recorded 3.8.20
Sin Hurts.
Last night we considered the love our Savior has for us that moved Him to choose to be "Forsaken" for us. Watch the message below, the 2nd installment in our "7 Deadly Stings of Sin" midweek Lenten series.
Recorded March 4, 2020
Are You Ok?
How Do You Know?
How do you know if you’re doing ok? How do you know your life matters? How do you know if things are going to turn out alright? How do you know that you’re part of something incredible? This weekend we begin our new weekends in Lent series “JUST in Time” with a message from Romans 3:28 about how you can know exactly where you stand, “Faith or Works.”
Recorded March 1, 2020
Life can be painful, but there’s a cure for the pain. Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent and our midweek Lenten series “Ouch! The Seven Deadly Stings of Sin.” We’ll honestly discuss the pain that sin brings and treasure the cure that comes through the cross.
Recorded February 26, 2020
Blindspot:
The other day I [Pastor Krause] pulled the last can of soda out of the fridge. I went to the pantry to find some more to restock the fridge, but couldn’t find any. I mentioned this to my wife who immediately found three six packs in the very place I had just looked. What’s that about?
Sometimes we can be looking right at something and still not see it. Not a big deal when it comes to soda, but very dangerous when it comes to our faith. This week we study our final Epiphany lesson and it is part of the Transfiguration account. We take a deep dive into Luke 9:29 and ask one thing of God – “Lord, Open My Eyes!”
Recorded February 23, 2020
I Can’t Stand How Dark It Is!
Walk in the Light!
While the cold and snow during winter can be tough, the hardest part for many is the lack of sunlight. The days are short. The night is long.
Darkness wears on a person. Dark places can bring fear, anxiety and pain to a person. But this weekend we study 2 Peter 1:19-21 where we learn how to walk firmly, full of hope & joy, with “Night Vision.”
Recorded February 16, 2020
Significant.
You Are!
Sometimes we can get bogged down by the daily grind. But how differently you could carry your load if you saw how significant you are. This weekend we study 1 Peter 2:9-10 and celebrate how this life Jesus has given us is the most incredible “Honor.”
Recorded February 9, 2020
I didn’t know that, did you?
I recently ran across a website explaining the use for many everyday objects I did not realize. Without someone telling or showing you, there are certain design features we may overlook or never fully appreciate.
Our lives can be like this – certain design elements God wisely gave us that we have never fully realized. Our good works, our outward lives as Christians is one of these areas. This weekend we study the second part to Matthew’s epiphany lessons to “light-en our load”. The lesson is Matthew 5:14-16 and our focus will be: “Designed to Shine”
Recorded February 2, 2020
Can you see it?
With all our modern technology so many skills of the past are being lost. As an example, when we want a picture of something we pull out our smart phones and just snap away.
Lost is the fine are of focusing. In times past good pictures required the skill of understanding your camera, how it operated, and what exactly was need to get the best results. Could the same be true of our faith, both in the skills that are lost over time and the necessary steps to get the best results? Let’s find out this weekend as we study Matthew 4:12-17. Our theme is “Focus”.
Recorded January 26, 2020
Running on an old version?
Is your system outdated?
It can be incredibly frustrating when we’re stuck with a computer or mobile device that’s running on an old version. It lags & doesn’t work right. Could it be possible that some of our frustrations in life come because we’ve been trying to run on an old version of living? This weekend let’s study together John 1:14-18 and learn how Jesus has given us a much needed “UPGRADE.”
Recorded January 19, 2020
The Journey Has Just Begun…..
Where Are You Going?
Happy New Year! 2020 is here which means we’ve just begun a new year & new decade! What do the months and years ahead hold? None of us know for sure. But this weekend, as we wrap up the Christmas season, we study Matthew 2:23b and celebrate the One who joins us on and transforms for us “The Journey.”
Recorded January 6, 2020
Eureka!
Don’t you just love those moments in time when everything finally comes together and you just get it? What about such moments when God connects all the dots and something we have been wrestling with, something we have been trying to get our heads around, suddenly the Holy Spirit shows us the light?
This weekend we begin our Epiphany sermon series: “Light-en Your Load”. Our first lesson is from John 1:1-14 and God shows us how just one day can make all the difference in our lives and in this world.
Recorded January 12, 2020
I forget...
The older I get (and yes, I am getting old) the more I seem to struggle to remember things. While forgetting things can sometimes be a problem, what if forgetting could be a good thing? What if there was something God actually told us we should forget? Our third Advent lesson – “I’m forgetting something” – teaches us about good forgetting as we study Isaiah 43:18-19.
Recorded 12.15.19
I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying!
Either Way, Hope Is Here!
No one likes to admit their tears. We don’t want to show our struggle. But not only can we be honest about our dark nights, we are empowered to say “It’s A Beautiful Mourning.” Let’s study Lamentations 3:22-24 together this weekend and find out how.
Recorded 12.8.19
Unkillable...
Have you ever had a tree or plant that you tried to get rid of but it just kept coming back? No matter what you used: a saw, poison, digging up the roots – it just could not kill it.
I know, it is a weird analogy, but that’s how God’s promises are – unkillable. No matter how many times we doubt them, reject them, or walk away from them, God’s promises are always there. This week we begin the new church year and the Advent season. We start our series “New Beginnings” with a lesson from Jeremiah 33:14-16 with the theme: “Let’s begin – Again”.
Recorded 12.1.19
What If Some Blessings Look Different Than You Expect?
As we get ready to thank God for all His blessings, we're going to make sure not to overlook some of His greatest but surprising blessings by studying Psalm 119:71-72. Let's give God thanks for "The Secret to a Successful Christian Life."
Recorded 11.27.19
What Happened To You?
You’ve Changed!
When we go through a battle we come out changed. This weekend as we conclude our “I Quit! (spiritual warfare on a personal level)” series we study Genesis 32:24-28 and celebrate how we’ve been “Transformed.”
Recorded 11.24.19
You missed the point!
How many times have you heard a sermon on the feeding of the 5,000? Really, that many times – well get ready for one more. What if I told you that we have been missing the point of this miracle? While this miracle shows us God can provide everything we need, the truth it is about so much more than that. We will focus in on verses 16-18 of Matthew 14 with this thought in mind: “Expect More”.
Recorded 11.17.19
DEFENSE!
I think it is a pretty safe guess that you all know I am a huge Packer fan. I am excited the Pack is off to good start this season. But I am a bit concerned how our defense has been playing, especially with Sunday’s upcoming game against Dallas.
I hope the Packers prepare for the game with a philosophy this weekend’s lesson teaches us about spiritual warfare. We are going to study another prophet who was at the point of wanting to quit. And so God taught Jeremiah to “Bend, but not Break”.
Filmed 10.6.19
Church, You’ve Got Mail!
God Wants You to Know….
If God were to send a letter to the Church, what do you think it would say? Would it be a happy message? Would it be a challenging message? Would it be a message that changes your life? This weekend we hear a special message God brings to us by studying Genesis 16:7-10 with the message “Dear Church,”.
Filmed 10.13.19
I’M ANGRY!
I was trying to find a good way to describe what we will be studying this weekend so I googled “anger” and the results kind of made me angry. Seems there is no perfect way to reference anger - I found one list identifying 4 kinds of anger, one says 7, one says 10 and another says 12 different kinds. Argh!
So I’m going to skip Google and go right to the expert, the man of our spiritual warfare lesson this week – Jonah. We will be studying chapter 4:9-10 with the theme “Anger Mismanagement”.
Filmed 10.20.19
You’re being lied to!
Not sure if you caught that, but every day you are hearing a lie. No, I’m not talking about that political ad you just saw on TV, or the story your kid just handed you about how they didn’t do what you just saw them do.
I’m talking about your life. Every day we hear two stories - one heavenly and one earthly, and one of them has to be a lie. Which one is the subject of our 20th spiritual battle lesson and it just so happens to also fall on the observance of the Protestant Reformation. We will study 2 Timothy 4:10 and our theme is “The Problem with Jesus”.
Filmed 10.27.19
So Close! But So Far Away…..
Ever start getting excited because you think you’re close to your destination, maybe you can even see where you want to be, only to find out that the road to get there is closed?
The let-down that comes after getting your hopes up can bring an extra dose of discouragement and frustration. This weekend’s lesson gives us some much needed perspective, hope & encouragement for the journey as Genesis 40:14-15 & 23 teaches us the “Principle of the Path.”
Filmed 11.3.19
Just Give Up Already!
This Doesn’t Make Any Sense….
Sometimes it’s not just that life is really tough, but we actually hear voices saying we should give up on God. This weekend we have a challenging section of God’s Word, Job 2:7-10, where you get the surprising encouragement to just go right ahead and “give up on YOUR god.”
Filmed 11.10.19