“Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” – ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭(NLT)‬‬ It’s hard to imagine this time of year, but springtime will eventually come around. And with it, the signs of new seasons and the possibilities of the days ahead. Snow was melting, birds were chirping, and leaves were beginning to bud on trees all around. The world will begin to feel warm and full of life! The writer of this Proverb uses the imagery of budding leaves in spring to remind us of the relationship we should have with our financial resources. Our finances are a gift an ..read more

“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” – Luke 2:49b (NIV) For Jesus, prayer wasn’t just something He did – it was a lifestyle. His very being and life became a life of prayer and devotion, it wasn’t simply an item to be checked off of his daily to-do list. Sometimes Jesus would draw away into solitude to pray; sometimes He would create His own sphere of silence in the midst of the noise but quietly and personally crying out to God; and other times, He did it in the midst of the public sphere, allowing others to experience and witness the personal interaction. R.A. Torrey notes tha ..read more

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” – Psalm 56:3 (NIV) When novices begin learning to cook, they are encouraged to try cooking white rice. To many,   it is a less intimidating dish. What cooks will find, though, is that rice requires two competing elements: water and oil. Our common knowledge tells us that oil and water don’t mix. Yet, when we follow the recipe, the blend of these seemingly incompatible ingredients creates something of high value.  This experience parallels prayer. We recognize the value and necessity of prayer, but often, we attempt to compartmentalize our pr ..read more

”…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.“ – ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16b – 18‬ (‭NLT)‬‬ No matter if you have been walking with the Lord for a short time, or many decades, there’s no doubt you will encounter situations that seem impossible and beyond your ability to pray. Even during this fast, you may believe God for a breakthrough in an ar ..read more

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken . . .” – Acts 4:31a (NIV) On April 18, 2008, the Midwest experienced something rare. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake rattled most of Illinois, including Chicago. People recollect waking up early in the morning feeling buildings swaying, unfamiliar with the phenomenon. It dominated conversations: ‘Where were you when it happened?’ ‘Was there any impact on your home?’ ‘Will it happen again?’ For days, the news talked about the earthquake, even as minor aftershocks occurred around the region. Acts 4 finds the early church gathered for pr ..read more

“After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists ..read more

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  – Matthew 6:6-7  (NIV)  Prayer is an invitation from God to have a personal relationship with Him. In this passage, Jesus tells us the importance of finding a quiet, secluded place to pray. So many things require our attentio ..read more

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” – Joel 2:12 (NIV) In Joel 2:12, God extends a heartfelt invitation to return to Him with all our hearts, underlining the importance of fasting in this process. Fasting involves deliberately choosing to abstain from food or activities for a set period. But why does God specifically mention fasting in this context? Fasting is more than just a physical act; it’s a spiritual discipline that can recalibrate our hearts. It’s like a reset button for our soul. When we fast, we intentio ..read more

“Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” – Exodus 34:28-29 (NIV) When we think of greatness, especially in sports, we often envision individuals born with extraordinary talents that set them apart. It’s hard to imagine that the person many consider the greatest basketball player of all time ..read more

Due to the severe weather conditions, our programming scheduled for Friday, January 12 and Saturday, January 13 is cancelled. For Friday, January 12, we will NOT have The Free, but students can still join Pastor Christian on TikTok at 7pm!  Intercession Ministry will also NOT be meeting.  For Saturday, January 13, our Men’s Ministry event will be POSTPONED to Saturday, January 20 at 8:30am. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your grace! We love you CT Family ..read more