Let Your Light Shine

Sometimes it is a struggle trusting God, taking Him at His word, and believing that what God wants is best for me. This comes from wanting to be in control. Because in control of life, one can be confident everything will happen how they want it to. We have just launched a new series, Elijah; A Man Just Like Us, reminding us how the same God Elijah served can use us to live a life of impact for His kingdom. When looking at this section of scripture, we see that God's people have lost their way and its unique and dangerous time to be a faithful follower of God. In all this, Elijah lives a life of faith, trusting God and taking him at his word. But what does this look like? What does a life of faith look like? Listen to our first message of the series, Elijah, A Life of Faith, and see how a life of faith is a life of trusting God and taking him at his word. 

Have you ever been met with the question; “why are you a Christian?” The outside world loves to ask that question, for curiosity or possibly to prove you wrong. It can be very intimidating to feel like all the pressure to defend your faith and want to do it perfectly. Fears may sneak in, and insecurities build up. What should I say? How do I do this? In our series, Asking for a Friend series, we’ll answer tough questions and provide you with gospel-centered answers that you can share with a friend. We all have questions, but sometimes, navigating the answers to cultural issues through the lens of the Gospel can be challenging. We need to learn how to be comfortable with the skeptics and doubters within our world. The issue is not about criticizing the blindness of those who do not yet believe and live as we do, but how we respond to an unbelieving world that will help them see Jesus! Listen to our newest messages, How Can We Defend Our Faith When Talking to Unbelievers?, and come to understand when the unbelieving world sees your life, let them see Jesus.

It’s one of the most tragic and misunderstood trials a parent can face, losing their child. While plagued with grief, questions are flooding their minds. What happened to our child? Are they with Jesus? How are we supposed to know if they are ok?” In our series, Asking for a Friend series, we’ll answer tough questions and provide you with gospel-centered answers that you can share with a friend. We all have questions, but sometimes, navigating the answers to cultural issues through the lens of the Gospel can be challenging. Death is a topic difficult to navigate because we don’t know from personal experience. It requires full trust in what God tells us through His scripture. And when it comes to a life ending early, more questions arise and more concerns flood into our minds. Listen to our newest message regarding babies, children, or people with special needs passing, and be comforted that those in Christ will go to Him.

Is anxiety or being anxious, a sin? Anxiety is an issue of giving weight to the things we care about. If we give the proper weight to the proper things, then our anxiety over them is not sin. But if we give improper weight to things, our anxiety could be the kind that Jesus instructs us against. Each of us needs to ask ourselves this question considering scripture, how do I address my anxious heart? In our series, Asking for a Friend series, we’ll answer tough questions and provide you with gospel-centered answers that you can share with a friend. We all have questions, but sometimes, navigating the answers to cultural issues through the lens of the Gospel can be challenging. We need to look to God, who he is, and what he has done to help properly reorder our cares and anxieties. Listen to our newest messages, Is Anxiety a Sin?, and begin to see that reflecting on God will reorder our anxieties. 

We prepare for tests, parties, job interviews, house projects, and difficult conversations. Preparation is a part of our lives. But how often do we think about preparing for paradise? In Revelation: All Things New, we’ll discover a glorious description of the end of all things and the great kingdom to come. We concluded our study by examining the final defeat of sin and death, culminating with the New Heaven and New Earth where God dwells with his people forever. In paradise. If this is truly the destiny for all those who believe in Jesus, then how should we live today? How should we prepare for it? Listen to our newest message of the series, The Great Return, and choose to live in anticipation of Jesus’ return! 

We all love a good story! Maybe even more specifically, one with a hero and a happy ending! It’s the classic adventure we sometimes relate and reflect within our own lives—we face antagonists, weakness, trial or even death—and then we come out of the abyss victorious, resurrected, changed. It’s the hopeful outcome of the human soul! We love stories that illustrate this because we all are asking the same question – are we going to make it?  In Revelation: All Things New, we’ll discover a glorious description of the end of all things and the great kingdom to come. We find the magnificent conclusion of Christ’s work in Revelation Chapter 2, which reveals to us that through Christ, God will bring restoration to all! That’s the undeniable truth, regardless of what it looks like today. We are going to make it and we will have a happy ending! Listen to our newest message of the series, All Things New, and trust that God is making all things new!

If someone were to ask you what the word “father” means to you, your answer may be vastly different than the person next to you. In fact, everyone may have a slightly different view based on your relationship with your father or if you are a father. Our world has deeply impacted our view, but has that somehow impacted our view of our Heavenly Father? In a special message for Father’s Day, we unpack verses from Psalm 103 to answer the question; how does God care for his children? Listen to our newest message of the series, Looking Up to Our Father, and see that God shows us how a father cares for his children.

Who gets the last word? In so many aspects, we see that the last word comes from a place of authority. In a court case, the jury makes the decision. At work, your boss makes the final decision. In a game, the referee makes the call. At church, we learn that God is the ultimate power and authority over all. So, we may wonder, how does God deal with the forces of evil? Will He get the final verdict? In Revelation: All Things New, we’ll discover a glorious description of the end of all things and the great kingdom to come. In order for God to renew the world, he must rid the world of what’s ruined it. The forces of evil have wrought tragedy after tragedy after tragedy throughout our history. Listen to our newest message of the series, The End of Evil, and trust that God gets the final word on sin and evil!

For many Christians worldwide, the threat of persecution is a constant reality in their following of Jesus. While we do not have those same experiences in the West, it is important to remember what our brothers and sisters face in other parts of the world. Imagine waking up daily under the threat of persecution. What might you long for or place your hope? What vision might motivate you to pursue faithfulness in life and mission amidst the pressure and persecution you face? In Revelation: All Things New, we’ll discover a glorious description of the end of all things and the great kingdom to come. The Apostle John shares a revelation he received while a prisoner to encourage churches facing increasing pressure and persecution from their surrounding Roman culture. These churches were tempted to abandon the way of Christ as they faced rejection, martyrdom, cultural influence, spiritual enemies, etc. And yet, John writes to encourage them to overcome by providing them a vision of what is and what will ultimately come when God makes all things new. What might also motivate us towards faithfulness in life and mission? Listen to our newest message of the series, Welcome to the New Millennium, and see how John seeks to encourage His audience by showing them how Christ will reign in a millennial kingdom! 

What will it be like when Jesus returns at his second coming? Have you ever thought about that? What’s the impact of his return, and what should our response be? Today we continue our message series! In Revelation: All Things New, we’ll discover a glorious description of the end of all things and the great kingdom to come. There is debate surrounding this section of Revelation about certain details and when certain events happen. We want to focus on what everyone does agree upon – one day, Jesus is coming back again! Does what we believe about the return of Christ impact how we live today? Listen to our newest message of the series, The Return of the King, and rejoice that Jesus will defeat God’s enemies!