But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19 (ESV)hristmas tends to make me a little… grumpy. I don’t like endings and I abhor goodbyes. As an angsty teen, I began to sense frustration with the inescapable fact...
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Day 4: Healing With Us
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7 (NASB)he plan was to be home by...
Day 3: United With Us
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our...
Day 2: Home With Us
Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ Matthew 2:23 (NLT)hen I think of Christmas, I think of home. Home is a place we all long for and sometimes cannot...
Day 1: Present With Us
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory. John 1:14a (ESV)he cold night air frosted my breath as my chore boots crunched across the snowy farmyard. On my way toward the goat barn, I paused to look up at the crisp,...
Searching for the Generous Life
Just like modest investments can grow over time, our investment into God's kingdom generates growth and produces eternal dividends. The apostle Paul presented the Macedonian believers as an example of generous giving to the Corinthian church and to us. Let's explore...
Searching for Reconciliation
Confronting others concerning biblical/theological compromise is never easy or pleasant. Such encounters must be handled with sensitivity to the needs of others, directed by spiritual wisdom and the Scriptures, and guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul closed chapter two of...
Searching for Courage
On the surface, hearing God and following His commands seems straightforward. However, when God calls us to do something that generates fear in us and feels daunting, second-guessing His call becomes reasonable. Finding the courage to obey such a call is overwhelming....
Searching for the Abundant Life
Jesus explicitly explained his purpose when He said “…I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). He said similar things many times, and these ideas are repeated, over and over again, by those who wrote the New Testament. Yet many people,...
Searching for Real Friendship
Some relationships may imitate friendship, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Exploring the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Bible, we’ll identify some distinguishing features of friendship that are often overlooked and discover how to infuse...
Searching for the Right Word
Have you ever said the wrong thing at the wrong time or misunderstood what someone else was saying and experienced unfortunate results? Finding just the right word and communicating effectively with another person is one of the most frequent challenges we face. While...
Isn’t God’s Grace Unfair?
Part of being human includes an unwritten set of rules that emphasize earning, winning, and achievement. God calls us to a different way of being—where we are accepted and loved because of who God is and what Jesus has done for us rather than what we can do for him....
Science and Christianity
In every culture there’s a set of ideas or beliefs that people don’t think much about, but many simply assume to be true. One of these ideas is that there is an intrinsic conflict between science and Christianity. Today we’ll talk about some of the apparent conflict,...
Invest in the Next
What does the word "invest" mean to you? What does investing in the next generation mean to you? This week we will look at three different ways we invest in the next generation and influence them to find and follow Jesus. 1. How does Proverbs 22:6 apply to you? 2. Who...
Eternal Life: Heaven or Hell?
Many people struggle with the idea that in Christianity God is both a God of love and of justice. They believe that a loving and forgiving God who accepts people into heaven can’t also be a judging and sometimes angry God who sends others to hell. In the parable of...
The Problem of Injustice and Suffering
If God is loving and all-powerful, then why is there injustice, suffering, and pain in the world? This is a difficult question, and it represents one of the most difficult reasons people struggle with believing in God. In this message, we will examine a secular...
Can I Trust the Bible?
Loud and persistent voices attack the trustworthiness and relevance of the Biblical text. At times our quieter, inner voice may raise sincere questions about the Bible’s reliability, but if we can’t depend on the Scriptures then our faith can’t stand. Through the...
Doubting Doubt
Doubt is the presence of uncertainty. This uncertainty can present itself at anytime, for both believers and skeptics alike. The aim for both is to consider their own positions of doubt and consider these beliefs in view of a risen Jesus. Whether a believer or a...
LifePoint Kids – May 28
God is with you even when you have questions. We end the month in Acts 8:26-40 and discover a Jesus-follower named Philip. An angel told Philip to travel toward the desert. On the way, Philip met an Ethiopian official who was reading the Jewish Scriptures. This man...
When Jesus Restores…
Receiving forgiveness and experiencing restoration can become pivotal moments that shape our character. Peter received a course correction for life as Jesus gently but powerfully restored their relationship and Peter’s role. Together, we can grow deeper into Jesus’...
Overcoming Failure
Failing is a common but disappointing life experience that always seems to catch us by surprise. When our failures are placed into the hand of Jesus, he can use even our shortcomings to fuel our growth. Let’s discover the part failure played in Peter’s life and how we...