We learn from a young age that sharing is caring. From the beginning we’re told to share our blocks and crayons. As adults we share our favorite restaurant spot… we share our favorite movie… or we share our favorite celebrity meme. We share the things we care about. Why is it, then, that it’s so difficult to share our faith? Join us as we look into what it means to share the most important thing, and the impact it could have on our community.
Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat? Maybe a job isn't going well. Maybe that relationship is about to end. Maybe the pain won't go away, control is slipping away, and death feels a moment away. Fear can be a controlling force in our daily lives. What if, even in the midst of our greatest trials and troubles, something can overcome those insurmountable fears? Do not be afraid, because our hope is in Jesus.
We all want things. A bigger house. A nicer car. A better ending to the final season of “Lost”. Problem is, we know at some level that they won’t be enough. We want more. We want the thing that will fill our lives, satisfy our souls and bring our lives meaning. The book of Colossians describes that thing: it’s Jesus. Jesus isn’t simply a good thing…he’s everything. He’s not a part of the solution…he’s the whole answer. Jesus is the only thing that is enough for us.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. Well that’s not true… that’s not true at all. Words have power. They can encourage or support. They can communicate affection or appreciation. They can also wound or poison. Words carry more weight than we would like to believe. Our words impact the lives of those around us… whether that is positive or negative is up to us. Words matter… join us as we find out how.
An extra large pizza. An American girl doll. The height of a chair.
They are all 18 inches.
Most people know the story of how God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as a baby on Christmas, died on a cross on Good Friday, and rose from the dead on Easter.
But it’s more than knowing that. It has to become personal. The message of Easter is that a personal relationship with God is only 18 inches away. 18 inches to heaven!
Imagine you’re trapped – stuck in a difficult situation or season of life. What do you do when you can’t seem to get yourself out of it? When nothing seems to fix it? You just want to get away. It can be hard to trust that God is listening to you… but He is.
The Israelites found themselves in a similar situation. God heard them. He stepped into their story in a powerful and tangible way. God rescued His people. He does the same for us.
Words have meaning… but sometimes we only scratch the surface in our understanding of them. The Bible is full of significant words. Words that look good on Instagram or stuck on the back of a car. Words that feel good when say them or hear them. But there’s often more to those words than we think. They are deeper, richer and more meaningful than we imagine. They point to a bigger, more powerful, more loving God. Those are things that we’d miss out on if we just stayed on the surface. So let’s dig in.
Christmas requires a lot of preparation. Your home needs to be decorated. You’ve got to get the presents and wrap them. You’ve got to find a tree and trim it.
But the preparations for Christmas actually began thousands of years in the past. God promised long ago that His perfect gift was coming. He repeated that promise throughout the generations and His people looked forward to its fulfillment.
Christmas is when God’s ultimate promise became a reality. When hope entered our world… at last.