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God commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but do we know what that really means? What kind of neighbor are you? Do you live as God intends for you to live?To do that, we must love as He loves and forgive as He forgives.
When you look at the world around you, where's your focus? To be able to see the world more clearly, we must open our eyes and see our life's story through God's story. We must recognize the pivotal moments in our life when we knew that God was there with us, and we must then become a storyteller to others of His grace and mercy toward us.
How do you see yourself? Do you see the truth, or do you see yourself through a filter? To know God, we have to understand who we are and where we're supposed to be. We must be honest with ourselves in order to be free to clearly see God and who we are in Him.
When fear is our lens, we don't see God as He is. When we see Him clearly, we see the world differently. Because God is reliable, we do not have to fear and can be confident in His love and grace.
Advent is the unlikely season when God gave us the Savior of the world in the most unlikely form, a baby born in an unlikely place in an unlikely way to unlikely parents. How often has God shown up for you in the most unlikely place? Don't ignore the gifts of hope, joy, and peace He brings this season and always.
Are you ready? Are you ready to have your heart transformed through Christ? With a heart of repentance and a willingness to receive Him, we will be truly prepared for the gift of Jesus at Christmastime and throughout the year. Don't let the best give you've ever received go unopened.
In this time of preparation, have you readied your heart to receive the Christ child anew, or are you focused on the wrong things? We must turn away from the things that separate us from experiencing the true joy in Jesus Christ, and we must invest in sharing Him with others so that they, too, will know the joy of our Savior.
During the season of Advent we see signs of Christmas all around us, but we must be cautious to not let the distractions of the season prevent us from truly seeing its meaning. When we maintain our focus on Jesus and family and discipline ourselves through devotion, we begin to realize that all of the signs of the season point to Him, the true "reason for the season".
Have you ever lost something really important to you? Do you remember the anxiety you experienced before it was found? Just imagine how much God grieves when we are "lost", but when those who have been lost are found, He throws a party! To be found IN God is to understand the need FOR God. As believers, we need to understand that alone, we are never enough.
Are you willing to humble yourself and yield to God's will for your life? Will you ask Him where He would have you go? When we turn our lives toward others and away from ourselves, we are opening our eyes to truly see Jesus.
If we are to serve a Savior who is one the move, we must be people who are on the move. Jesus calls us to serve the least and the lost, so by serving the God who gives of Himself to each of us, we are able to give Him to others through our service to them.
How far can you see? Because God is God and we are not, nothing in our future is certain except uncertainty. We must stop seeking the answers; instead, we must focus our energies on seeking the One who has the answers. Remember, Jesus is always in front of us, never behind us - He's already been where we've been.
What is our posture toward our resources? How we view the blessings that God has given us is reflected in how we handle our resources. When we trust God fully, we are ensured that His providence will meet all of our needs.
God honors those who honor Him.
If we are going to lead and minister to generations, we have to lean into the power of the influence God has given us. Everything we do has the potential to influence people. Are you stewarding your influence?
What do you have that God might use to lead the next generation? So often we hold onto who we are and what we have when God's desire is to to use what's in our hands and make it holy. We have the responsibility to teach and lead the next generation. What if you let go and let God use your talents for our good and His glory?
Jesus wants us to do more than cope. When we are drawn into moments of self-doubt, we need to first identity the lie that our doubts would have us believe. We must then confess the lie and completely dismantle it through His truth. We are more than conquerors in Him.
Everyone has a moment or a situation that makes us shift through the rubble in our lives. How, as Christians, do we deal with those moments? Do we choose to take a step of faith trusting that Jesus will lead us through the rubble, or do we merely "hope" that things work out?
God meets us in our difficult places; He never leaves us - rather, He meets us in our moment, no matter how dangerous or difficult it is. What keeps us, then, from pursuing the future God has planned for us? When we allow our fears to take control over the reality of the moment, we limit our own future. Fear freezes us, but faith sets us free.
We all have moments that change our trajectory; will you recognize those moments or miss them completely? God uses those moments to mold us for our good and His glory because His intent for us is ALWAYS good.
When we do the hard work of stopping and mining our God Dream, we move past being stuck or chasing the wrong dream. What is the next step you need to take to uncover your God dream and gain clarity in your life?
The valleys of our lives are not the dream deferred, but the dream defined. The question isn’t whether God wants you to prosper, it’s whether or not you are prepared to handle God’s prosperity.
Dreaming is for our good and God's glory. If you trust God in everything, He will do something amazing in and through you because He loves us exponentially more than we can imagine.
Begin walking in God’s dreams for you. There is a way to begin walking in the dreams God has for your life. It begins with prayer. It begins with a willingness to let go of the lesser dreams we think are great, and open ourselves to God’s greater for us. It’s about understanding who God created you to be, who God has called you to be, and where God has uniquely placed you.
Religion is often understood in terms of avoiding something bad rather than embracing something amazing. This view encourages us to participate in just the bare minimum needed to avoid the undesirable outcome. But the truth is there is a greater life is waiting for us, and we can begin to live that greater life right now. While the world around us may still be in the midst of brokenness, we can experience the resurrection life of Christ and his New Creation, even as we wait with absolute assurance for its full inauguration.
Christianity is meant to be lived in community, and it is the Community to which God has given His Spirit. We need one another in order to live in the connection that gives us God’s Spirit. We need God’s Spirit to have the peace, the joy, the self-control, and all the rest that we so want in our lives.
God will go to any lengths for us. Because we are flawed, He came to us in the form of a baby, suffered for us, and died on the cross so that our lives could be changed. How are you using what God has entrusted to you? Are you willing to show the world what God has done for you through sacrifice?
God uses the most messy and unlikely characters to bring about His salvation story. He wants to use your life to change your identity in Him and radically transform your life.
We often miss the chance to commune with God simply because we're "out of position" and not where we're intended to be. The good news is that even when we fall into sin by being in the wrong place, God leads us to safety in Jesus.
Most of us share a common fear - the fear of being exposed. God, however, frees us from shame, giving us fearless safety through Christ. Only through Him can our vulnerability be transformed into strength.
Worry tells us we don’t have enough, but God tells us He is more than enough. The tighter we hold on to worry, the tighter the bonds of worry wrap around us. God asks us to break the bonds of worry and turn our worries over to him, trusting that He will provide for all our needs.
Anger prevents us from having a heart of prayer and keeps us focused on ourselves and our sense of having been wronged. Only when our hearts are cleansed of anger can the Word of life come in.
When Christians live with unforgiveness, it can give a false witness to the world and can create a stumbling block to others from coming to faith in Christ. This is why forgiveness, particularly within the family of God is so vital. Release yourself from the prison of unforgiveness, whether or not the other party even acknowledges their wrong doing.
In order to embrace the future, we have to let go of the past. In order to follow Christ, we have to stop following our own path. Are you willing?
Following Jesus means Jesus is the leader, not us; however, Jesus often asks us to step out of our comfort zones in order to follow Him. Are you willing to give up control and truly believe that Jesus always has our best interests at heart and that He has incredible plans for your life?
Sometimes things don't make sense until you grasp the missing piece. Easter gives us the piece that many of us miss - the power in the resurrection and the hope that is always within our reach. What do you need to let go of in order experience God's resurrection power?
What keeps us from walking in the victory God calls us to, and how does God define victory? In this sixth installment of our "A Matter of Life and Death" series, we are reminded that we live our lives according to that which we worship - things like money, prestige, or simply "stuff". When we see Jesus as He is -- King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- and worship Him above all else, we are able to walk in the victory of Jesus, the most powerful victory of all!
What is keeping you from the relationship you desire with Jesus? What are you allowing in your life that prevents you from seeing Him? Be a Zaccheus, and don't let anything get in your way!
By learning to be thankful for the gift of community, we also learn that everything we do or say affects those around us.
Are you presenting your requests to God, or are you just worrying about things? If we turn to God in prayer and gratitude, living a life centered in His peace and focusing on our blessings, our physical and mental health will improve. We will then truly be living in faith.
Resurrection hope begins when we accept the reality of our mortality and allow the brokenness of our hearts to be mended. We are able to live hopefully because we acknowledge the suffering and grief in the world.
God's desire for us is to live in His grace and to know that His mercy is always more than enough. His love is so abundant that we can trust Him with all of our transgressions, knowing that He loves us in all circumstances and that through His grace, we are saved.
We need to believe in order to see, but we choose the lens through which we look. We must determine what we truly believe--eternity hangs in the balance.
God gives us His love and grace when we do nothing to earn it. Through His love, He gives us Himself, and He gives us hope.
God's love is unconditional and proactive. He seeks us but never forces us into relationship. Although He longs for communion, He will never make us do anything for which we are not ready. He simply loves.
We are sent into the world for a purpose - to seek and save those who are lost. How do we fulfill that purpose? We must declare Jesus Christ as our savior, care about what God cares about, and share our story because we all have a story to share.
Through Christ, we are reconciled to God, but we alone are unable to be reconciled. To receive salvation, we must admit that we cannot receive reconciliation without Christ. We must let go of false identities to receive our true identity in God.
Second Timothy tells us that all scripture is God-breathed. Through scripture, we gain wisdom, truth, and knowledge of salvation.
Agape love has the ability to change the world. Since God is love, His spirit living in us changes us and reflects His image in us. Therefore, God's love in us changes us.
In our lives, there are events that we know we don't want to miss, sometimes not really knowing what will occur during that event. The Magi, or the Wise Men, knew that following the star would lead them to an event they didn't want to miss. Is there something in your life that's holding you back from missing the grace and miracle of Jesus?
To be courageous in difficult times, we must be faithful to scripture and obedient to the Word even if it costs us.
In the busyness of the season, remember to pause and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Slow down, embrace, and celebrate.
When someone criticizes us, our instinct is to respond negatively to their criticism. What if, instead, we learned to speak words filled with grace and understanding? Through the strength we have in Christ, we must learn to put aside our hurt and focus on loving others more than being right. In doing that, we can begin to recognize the value every person has in Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we are called to rise above in order to show others a more excellent way in Christ. This means that we must understand the power of our words, both to help and to harm. We also have to understand the power of relationship and the importance of not simply withdrawing when things get challenging.
Prayer teaches us that we need God; forgiveness shows that we trust God to take up our cause. When we walk through the door of forgiveness, Jesus will meet us and transform us.
Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently? Most of us have a hard time gaining awareness of the reality of our past. In this first installment of our "Had I Known" series, Dr. Jody Ray shares how no matter what our past holds, God is for us. The grace of God meets us always. He accepts us just as we are and leads us to wholeness.
In this fourth and final sermon in our "Who's Your One?" series, Dr. Jody Ray shares how God can use each of us for His purpose through our obedience. When He inspires us, He will empower us.
In week three of our "Who's Your One?" series, Pastor Jonathan Lawson urges us to think about the lives we encounter on a daily basis and how we can point those persons toward Christ through our words and our actions.
Each of us are uniquely positioned and equipped to be Jesus for a group of people, and often that group is our neighbors. In this third week of our "Who's Your One?" sermon series, Pastor Joshua Toepper shares how we can bring grace to our neighbors just as God brings each of us grace.
Dr. Jody Ray takes us further into our "Who's Your One?" series, sharing that active and living faith is more than just a set of beliefs. Faith is something that is put into action. When God nudges, we have to be willing to respond. Sometimes that means leaning into a place outside of our comfort zone. Sometimes it means taking a step in a new direction - into a God venture.
How can we do evangelism “Jesus-style”--that is, relationally and naturally as we go about our daily lives? According to Pastor Jody Ray, all we have to do is be willing to respond when God nudges us, and pass it on as we nudge them a little bit closer to Christ.
Does God speak today as He did throughout the Bible? In this fourth message in our "You Asked For It" sermon series, examine the often asked question regarding how we can hear God's voice in our lives.
Can't we just make our own decisions about what's right and wrong in life? In the third sermon of our "You Asked For It" series, examine the question of why we NEED Jesus in our lives.
Can't we just make our own decisions about what's right and wrong in life? In the third sermon of our "You Asked For It" series, examine the question of why we NEED Jesus in our lives.
True love loves regardless. In week two of our "You Asked for It" series, explore the question of how we can love others regardless of what's going on in our lives or theirs.
In the "You Asked For It" sermon series, we are taking a look at your most pressing questions. Explore the question, "why do bad things happen to good people?"
Everyone can receive a spiritual gift. But a gift is not fully received until it is used for its intended purpose. Listen as we explores the spiritual gifts, where they come from, and what they're intended for.
Scripture reminds us to live wisely and be filled with the Holy Spirit. But when the unexplainable happens in the church, we are skeptical. When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, the unexplainable happened: they spoke in languages that were not their own. Listen as we share how being spirit filled leads to wise living.
Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we can't accomplish what living a Christian life requires of us. Tap into that power and realize all that it holds for us.
Have you ever thought about why we judge others so readily? Listen as we teach the power of lifting others up instead of judging.
What do you worry about? Your children? Your spouse? Your career? Your grades? Your health? Worry is a product of focusing on that which we do not have, and it harms us. Worry brings stress. However, Jesus tells us not to worry about life. Is that really possible? And if we aren’t to supposed to worry what are we supposed to do? Listen as we share the best way to live a worry-free life.
Who do you think about the most? If we are honest with ourselves many of us would say we think about ourselves the most. When we are the focus of everything then we cannot be who God wants us to be. When we work for our glory what we leave behind us is hurt and pain. Listen as we share why motive is more important than action.
How do you answer this question, “Honey, does this make me look fat?” We often dread this question. We are told lying is bad, but we also don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. So, is all lying wrong? What about little white lies? It seems in order to make it through life some lies are necessary. But what if there was an alternative? Listen as we share thoughts on lying and how a lie free life is a life lived free.
How do you fill the voids in your life? Are you satisfied with the person God has created you to be, or do you covet what others have? In this second week of the My Self series, listen as we are reminded that through God we have already overcome the world and all its temptations.
How do you fill the voids in your life? Are you satisfied with the person God has created you to be, or do you covet what others have? In this second week of the My Self series, listen as we are reminded that through God we have already overcome the world and all its temptations.
Do you struggle with anger? Where does that anger come from? Listen as we explore some of the root causes of anger and how to overcome it by seeking a sense of justice that is not self-focused, but is motivated by the love of God.
So many times as Christians, we want to walk in victory, but we get stuck in patterns of sin that keep us from reaching the life we want. It’s easy to get sucked back into our old bad habits. We’ve been saved by grace, so we don’t have to be controlled by sin. But after we are saved, often we forget that we still need more grace. What does Pastor Jody Ray says about what it really takes to transform our lives?
When you picture God, what do you see? We all have a mental image of who we think God is. But we need a vision of God as He is described in the bible, not an image of God we created in our minds. Pastor Jody Ray explores the image of God from the bible in this week’s message: “Is God Holy?”
How deep does God’s love run for us? Pastor John Freeland explores this in the third sermon in the “Is God…?” series.
God’s heart of love toward undeserving sinners—both rebellious sinners and self-righteous sinners—is always good. Pastor Jody Ray describes the depth of God’s love in the third sermon of the “Is God…?” series.
In the second sermon in the “Is God…?” sermon series, Pastor Jody Ray answers a new question: Is God trustworthy?
With all of the suffering in the world, how can we say that God is a good God? Why do bad things happen to good people? Listen as Pastor John Freeland explores this in the first sermon of the “Is God…?” series.
The most frequent command God gives us in the scripture is some version of, “Do not be afraid.” The Bible is not saying don’t be scared because there’s nothing to be scared of—it’s telling us to trust more.
God is in the business of using the most unqualified characters to slay giants. You might feel unqualified, but God wants to use you to stand up to your giant.
We each get two dates and one dash. Our dates of birth and death are up to God—but we get to choose how to spend that time in between. Don't miss week four of No Regrets, as Dr. Jody Ray teaches on how to live out our dash and "Step Into the Future With Faith."
We all experience fear in this life, but what does the Bible tell us we can do in the face of fear?
We all experience fear in this life, but what does the Bible tell us we can do in the face of fear?
We've all made mistakes, and we all have regrets. We cope with these regrets by minimizing, covering up, blaming others, or beating ourselves up. But God offers forgiveness and a new beginning for us, if we are only willing to embrace it.
As believers, we don't have to live in the past. We don't have to live a life of regrets; we can live a life of forgiveness today.