The Freedom in Confession
Have you ever dreamed you were standing in front of a crowd in just your underwear? Feeling exposed and embarrassed is a familiar nightmare. But for the first humans in the Bible, this was a very real experience. After Adam and Eve sinned, eating from that fateful...
Kids Experience September 20
God can help you be an encourager We all go through things that are difficult. It means EVERYTHING to know that your friend is there to cheer you on! Remember, God can help you be an encourager with your friends. Jesus promised that God would send us a Helper: His...
Confessing Your Sins
God’s redemptive plan for humanity involves the death of Jesus for the sins of everyone. But we enjoy God’s forgiveness only when we believe what Jesus did for us. Have you noticed, even Christians still sin? Confessing or admitting our daily sin keeps our...
Rest in Me
Recently, I’ve realized all I can do, all I need to do, is to pray. From my heart. God keeps letting me know, it’s enough. In fact, it’s more than enough. My relationship with Him should bring joy and peace. It shouldn’t be a burden.
What Would Jesus Do?
Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar situation before. A family member or colleague makes a racist comment and instead of speaking up you remain silent. Have you ever thought about why it’s difficult to speak up? Maybe you’re afraid of the consequences of speaking up. Or maybe, no one has ever taught you what to do or what to say in those situations.
A New Creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 OBSERVATION The Church of Corinth had issues. Paul's writing here is to address just one of the many challenges facing...
Your Assurance of Salvation
Is it possible to know you have a new life through Christ and are headed for heaven? If so, how? God never intends for the assurance of your salvation to be a perpetual guessing game. You can know you’re saved. Unfortunately, you can lose your grip on the assurance of...
Kids Experience September 13
Friends love one another.Friends love one another. That’s easy to say, but it’s not always easy to do. If we really want to love our friends the way God wants us to, we need God’s help. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our...
Receive the Gift
Have you ever received a compliment and then dismissed it or re-focused the conversation on something else? Have you ever received a Christmas gift and then felt bad because you didn’t have one to give in return? Yeah, I’ve been there. “To doubt the guarantee of...
We Remember
After the collapse of the second tower, I was gripped by a sense of urgency to tell people of God’s faithfulness and presence. I had the thought “Jesus may appear in the clouds soon and I want everyone to be ready!”
He’s Got Your Back
“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 OBSERVATION Reading this verse we can be assured...
Kids Experience September 6
God created friendship.God CREATED friendship. He knew when He first created people that we would need friends. And when Jesus came to live here on Earth, He showed us what the very BEST kind of friendship looks like. Jesus is the greatest friend we could ever have....
A Good God
Nothing challenges our view of God like challenges. Maybe, lately, you feel like you’ve had your share of obstacles and hardships. When we’re pressured with difficulties, our idea of a good God can end up on the chopping block. How can God be good when evil exists and...
I Didn’t Sign Up For This
I can add our vulture family to a very long list of things in 2020 that I didn’t sign up for. I’m sure you feel the same way. But I’m in good company. When I flip through my Bible, I read the stories of many characters for whom life took an unexpected and unwelcome turn. Jesus even assures His disciples, and us, that we will have hard things as part of life on this earth.
When a Loved One is Struggling
The open conversations in our culture surrounding mental health have created an environment in society where people feel free to talk about their struggles. For many, this struggle extends to friends and loved ones walking through these very personal battles.
If you find yourself close to someone in their own mental health struggle or if you have a loved one who is having a hard time caring for you, this is for you.
No Need To Fear Tomorrow
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 OBSERVATION I know we have heard or said this verse probably hundreds of times. Have you ever actually thought...
Kids Experience August 30
Point others to God.You and I can be salt and light! Just like salt makes food taste better, we can make people’s lives better. We can shine the light of God’s love when we treat others with love and kindness. We can use our creativity to point others to God. We can...
NextGen Weekend
There is no greater influence a child has than their parents. Our Family Life ministries come alongside parents to partner with them in influencing kids and students to find and follow Jesus. During this special NextGen weekend we’ll hear from our LPKids, LPStudents...
Numbering Our Days
Many of us feel like we are standing in place, waiting for updates, waiting for our current situation to improve. We consider the future often: “maybe in a month” we think, or “by next year.” But when my boys smile, I am reminded that time does not wait. Time is passing even when we don’t give it permission. It is most important to consider what we can do with today.
When To Seek Professional Help
If therapy is a way to better understand who we are and why we feel what we feel, there is never a wrong time to seek it. Seeing a therapist can be done proactively when stressful events are on the horizon and/or reactively in times of mental struggle. We can seek therapy as a port in a storm, or even simply as a way to touch base with our emotions to keep us running on track.
Most importantly, therapy functions as a time set aside solely to focus on ourselves. It is a time to hear things in a different way and express things it can be hard to admit anywhere else. Romans 12:2 notes that we should not “be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.”
Here I am, Send Me – Who Will Go?
"Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs form the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched our lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." Also I heard the...
Kids Experience August 23
God made us in His image.God made us in His image. He made us to do His work in this world and show love to the people around us. With His help, we can join forces and find ways to lend a hand. There are so many ways we can use our creativity...
A New Covenant
God reminds us in the Bible that He gave an Old Covenant and a New Covenant. Confuse the two and you’re in for a confusing and inconsistent attempt at living for Jesus. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that the church across the world is mired in legalistic...
Pulling Back the Curtain
When squirming within the tensions of life, do you ever find yourself praying the Lord would pull back the curtain and show you a glimpse of your future? In the weariness of life, do you ever just want to fast forward the dial to get to the storybook ending you’ve hoped, prayed and worked for?
What We Can Learn From Loneliness
Loneliness, like other uncomfortable emotions, is trying to teach us something. And the more we ignore it, the harder the lessons can be to learn. Here are three teachable moments I’ve found in times of loneliness.
Here I Am, Send Me – I saw The Lord
"... I saw the Lord high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one with six wings: with two they covered their face, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And they cried to one another and said:...
Kids Experience August 16
His plans are always good!God always has a plan for our lives—and His plans are always good! He had a purpose for His Son, too. He sent Jesus to save the entire world. Because Jesus came to be our Savior, we can have a relationship with God that will last FOREVER....
New Direction
When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...
With Hope
I see more anger, more suspicion, more hiding, more self-protection, and more hostility than ever. And the more I grieve and pray, the more urgency to share my hope with those who are rapidly losing theirs.
Celebrate Recovery Aug 13
There's a story in Daniel, chapter 3, about three young boys, Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo, who are thrown into a fiery furnace for daring to honor God by not bowing to a golden image. But there was another in that fire with them. Many believe it was God Himself,...