God Is Love
By Will Powell, Guest Author God is love. We say it so easily. God is love. But what does that mean, and why is that so important—particularly right now? First, God defines what love is. It is not the other way around: “Love is God.” Our concept of what love might be is not supposed to define who we think God is. Instead, if we want to find out what love is, we first need to discover and explore who God is.
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 68 – Valley of the Shadow
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4 Have you had a near-death experience? Did you feel God's presence with you as you were going through it? King David knew God was with him the many times he "walked through the valley of the shadow of death." So what this Psalm is celebrating? "So this psalm celebrates that aspect
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 64 – Suffering and Comfort
by TJ Bates Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. –2 Corinthians 1:3-5 It isn't uncommon to hear cancer patients describe how they were
Restarting for A Happy New Year: What’s My Purpose?
by Mike Page Did you make any New Year resolutions for 2021? I haven’t made any for years—it's too depressing breaking them after a week! So, instead, how about restarting the year with the question: “God, what can I do for you this year?” It’s one of those "Big Questions," isn’t it? In other words, What’s my purpose here? How can I be significant? What do you want from me, Lord? Frequently, these questions are asked by overweight people as they reach 50+
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 47 – When Heaven Meets Earth
by TJ Bates The kingdom of heaven is near. -Matthew 10:7B Do you remember, back in Day 19, Paul's ability to be joyful while in prison because he didn't think of God being billions of miles away, but just inches above his head? Hear again the meaning of "the kingdom of heaven is near." "
Jesus: The Star of Our Show
This Sunday, 13 December, we are excited to be celebrating our annual Christmas pageant—the reenactment of the “incarnation of God” in human form. In Luke 1:46-55, when we read the Song of Mary, we hear the amazing message that this story is not only about God’s mercy and love for Mary and Joseph, but for all whom God calls from generation to generation. The point that Luke wants us to learn from this passage is that Jesus is the star of
The Promised Messiah
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. -Genesis 49:10 Jacob’s astounding prophecy regarding his son Judah in the above verses, long before Jesus’ birth, has been regarded as a prediction that the Messiah will descend from the tribe of Judah. At the time, there was no tribe of Judah. There was only Judah, his son. So how did Jacob know that,
Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 31 – Love
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. -John 13:34 I just love LOVE! Don't you? Don't you LOVE that dress or LOVE that movie or LOVE what I'm saying? In the present day, "love" is a word that is overused and often has no meaning. However, Jesus is not using the word love carelessly as we do. He wants us to truly love one another—to be a conduit of
Call God: The 24/7 Direct Prayer Line
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies
From the Pastor: Grateful to God
Do we have plenty to complain about? Yes, absolutely. Any one of us could create a long list of things of what we want, but don’t have. Very easily, we can enumerate lengthy, detailed reasons why not to be thankful. In any given situation, we can find plenty to criticize and find fault with. But we need to concentrate on what God has given us and how blessed we truly are. An exercise in gratitude will help change our perspective on things and
