Watch/Listen
Topic: Hope
Getting Egypt Out
Greg shared an image that he uses to represent how principalities and powers pollute the “air” we breathe by drawing on the impact of sins committed in the past. Norm shared his story of how he got out of living in poverty with the help of a friend who provided key opportunities. Read More
My Life as a Vampire
What is the difference between a vampire and Jesus? This may sound like a rather odd question to ask, but you may be surprised at the profound difference between the two. A vampire is known for two things: it loves to dwell in darkness and feeds off of people. Jesus is known for two things: he lives in light and sacrificially gives of himself in love for all. Read More
The 77-Fulfillment Savior
Some people think that the genealogies of Jesus are outright boring. In reality, there is a wonderful truth communicated in those lines of names. The truth is that Jesus is not only the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes, but also the hopes for the entire human race. As Christians, we can live in that truth today! Read More
Don’t Go Down with the Ship
Our world is often filled with stress and trials. As discouragement builds in our lives, we have a natural desire to build up defensive walls to protect ourselves from being hurt by a hurtful world. Unfortunately, these defenses can lead toward increasing self-centeredness, frustration, and even unbelief against God. The biblical author of the “Hebrews” letter understood this behavior pattern well. In chapter 3, the author uses a tragic story to speak a word about something important and urgent: the need for encouragement. Read More
Hope in the Midst of Chaos
The message of John the Baptist came into a chaotic period of history. In the middle of this chaos were the people of Israel. They did not know what their future would hold. To these people, John the Baptist proclaimed a message of repentance, an invitation to change one’s focus from the chaotic nature of circumstance to the God who was coming to bring salvation. Hope is only found in the saving actions of God, the faithful one who completes what he started. Modern life is characterized by chaos. In the midst of this chaos we need hope, solid ground on which to stand. Jesus is our only hope; he is the only consistent factor in this crazy world. Read More
Holding the Hope
In our world today, we are exposed to so many things that can cause us to be worried or anxious. Yet, in Christ we have hope that this life is not all that there is. In Christ we can have hope and know that he can bring peace into our lives, even in the midst of living within a terrifying … Read More
Your Thoughts, Your Destiny
Mary’s song praises God because He scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. God’s is incredibly concerned about how we think because what we do is a product of how we think. Inmost thoughts steer all of life. Our quality of life is determined by our thought lives. Read More
Already, But Not Yet
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32-33). Such were the words of Gabriel to Mary regarding the coming of Jesus. These were words promising that Jesus would be the Messiah, the one who would reign over the earth, bringing peace and victory.So what does it mean for Jesus to reign today or “for everything to placed under his feet” as Paul writes in Eph 1:22? Where is the victory? Read More
Living with Disappointment
Stina Busman preached this morning on grief. She offered this question for reflection: What do we do when we have to live with and after disappointment and defeat? As we all know, some things in this world go profoundly wrong. For Stina, it was the loss of Scott, her fiancé. Stina closed with a challenge: who will write the end of this chapter: Jesus or the enemy? We may grieve deeply, but we do so with great expectation! Read More
Write It on a Rock
Greg described his journey during his sabbatical as one that was focused on a simple and important question: “What is real?” And he talked about how every now and then we all need to ask ourselves this with regard to every area in our lives. He challenged us to think like Job, who lost all of his securities and worldly relations but who still knew that his redeemer lived and that he would see him someday face to face. That’s what Job REALLY believed. What do we REALLY believe? Read More
