The idea of feeling like we have to earn value or acceptance is something that we all struggle with, and is completely rampant in our society.  We believe things like: If I do more, I’ll be successful. If I do more, I will be known. If I do more, I will be promoted. If I do more, I will be seen.  If I do more, I will be valuable. If I do more, I will be accepted. If I do more, I will be loved. If you really want it, try harder. Work harder. Performance equalling acceptance is ingrained into the very essence of how we think, of who we are.  We don’t feel seen-we don’t feel valued ..read more

We face all sorts of situations that make us feel hopeless. Sometimes, on a daily basis, we can feel like we are in over our heads. We can feel inadequate, not prepared, and unable to overcome different things in our life.  We all face situations that overwhelm us-that can shake us to our very core. We face problems that can leave us evaluating everything we once held true. Maybe you are listening, and that’s where you find yourself. You are facing a problem, a situation, that has completely consumed your hope and your joy. Maybe you are evaluating what you once held as true or you once b ..read more

If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be? That’s an interesting and thought provoking question, isn’t it? Today, we are going to study someone, who was just like us. He had problems. He faced adversity. He made mistakes. He was far from perfect, and he knew that he needed one specific thing for himself personally.  Psalm 27:4: One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. What David longed for, what He wanted above all else-was to k ..read more

As Paul approaches the end of this letter, he takes the pen himself. And in this closing passage of the letter-he really summarizes the whole point that he has been trying to get across-that you are going to live your life with one of two value and belief systems-you are either going to live in a way to glory in the flesh, or you will live and believe in a way to glory in the cross.  The word glory can mean to boast, to praise, to magnify, and to exalt. The validity of all of those things being right is based on the thing that it is being placed in.  In today's lesson, we will see th ..read more

What in this life do you value the most? What do you protect the most? What do you invest in the most? What do you find joy and happiness in the most? Did you think of a financial asset? A possession? A hobby or an interest? Or did you think of people? I submit this to you-the earthly things that God places into our life that we should value the most, protect the most, invest in the most, and find the most joy and happiness in, are not a what, but a who.  The most valuable things that God has placed into our life is not found in a bank account, sitting on a property, or in a driveway, it ..read more

What if, instead of getting angry, we stayed patient? What if, instead of causing division, we lived a life filled with peace? What if, instead of putting self first and living selfishly, we showed love and served others? What if, instead of treating others harshly, we were gentle? What if, instead of acting impulsively, we had restraint, or self control? It is possible as we live and walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh ..read more

Have you ever watched a movie or a book and the story go differently than how you thought it would? Maybe there was a conflict that you didn't see coming or a plot twist? In our lives, sometimes our stories don't go the way that we thought that they would. We have a vision of how we want life to perfectly go, then life happens and the twist comes. When you look at Jesus' life, His story didn't go the way that even His disciples thought that it would. But then His resurrection changed everything. In this message, we will see how the story of Jesus transforms all of our stories ..read more

What if I told you that the freedom that the Gospel offers transcends our success and our failures? What if I told you that the Gospel offers freedom from guilt, freedom from shame, and freedom from condemnation? What if I told you that the Gospel offers freedom from religion, freedom from having to earn God’s favor, and freedom from the pressure and expectations of others? What response would it create in you? Because that is the freedom that the Gospel has brought us.  In today's lesson we will learn what the Gospel frees us from and what the Gospel frees us to do ..read more

Everyone lives their life relying on something or someone. What you rely on spiritually is what you depend on for your worth, value, and acceptance. Some of the Galatians believers were relying on the law-they were attempting to find their acceptance and worth through their works. In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul gives an illustration to teach us that we must rely on God and His grace alone. And that when we do, God will provide us with the hope and encouragement that we need ..read more

Jesus modeled for us what it really means to minister to others: Matthew 20:28: "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." 2 Corinthians 5:8: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." No matter what your job or roles are-the greatest purpose of our life is to help reconcile or bring people to the Gospel-to be part of ministry through the Gospel. As we look at this purpose of ministry through the Gospel-we will ask four different ques ..read more