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’...
Forgiveness
As God has forgiven us, we are to forgive each other. In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus is teaching His disciples, and us by extension, that forgiveness should be in like proportion to the amount forgiven. The first servant had been forgiven all, and he...
God Gave
We’ve just come through a time of gift-giving and joy. Of course, the most significant gift of all was God’s gift of Jesus to the world. We find this profound truth simply stated in what might be the most famous of all Bible verses: John 3:16. Maybe this verse is so...
Read the Bible
We live in an age of information overload, and the amount of information increases every day. Yet the most important information ever written is contained in one book--the Bible. The words in the Bible, God's words, give us life--spiritual life, eternal life. Jesus...
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...
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...
For God So Loved
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11OBSERVATION "Since God so loved us, we also ought to love..". We love because God loved first. He loved his creation so much that He sent His one and only son to die for it. To die...
Kids Experience August 2
There is no limit to God's creativityWhen God created the world, everything was perfect . . . but we know that life isn’t perfect. Unfortunately, people mess up. It started with Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God . . . and it has continued all the way until now....
Shake The Dust Off
"As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give... If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home...
Kids Experience July 5
God's love for us is a gift.God’s love for us is a gift. It’s not something we could ever earn. It isn’t based on anything WE’VE done. It’s all about what HE’S done for us! This is why God sent Jesus. This is why Jesus died on the cross. When we put our faith in...
A New Beginning
We all had a beginning. You entered the world in a moment of time. And just like a physical birth, so too, you need a spiritual birth. You may be a child who is only a few years old or an adult well into your later years. But you need to experience new life through a...
Adoption
Adoption brings up mixed emotions. The term “adopted” can be used to show affection or insult. Our understanding of adoption comes from our picture of family. Many times we have a picture of family that limits our understanding of the truth of adoption. In this...
April 12 Experience
It Cost Jesus Everything It cost Jesus EVERYTHING to put us first. Jesus died so He could pay the price for our sins—so we could be forgiven. It was the only way we could have a relationship with God. And because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can have a...
March 29 Experience
All of Us Need ForgivenessSometimes we don’t FEEL like forgiving someone. Maybe we think it isn’t fair; we don’t feel like they DESERVE forgiveness. But the truth is, all of us have messed up. All of us need forgiveness. God wants us to experience the joy of being...
Shalom
Peace. We sing songs about it. We march for it. Demonstrate for it. Hold conferences about it and create think tanks to create it. We long for it. But it remains elusive. We live in a world broken by war, poverty, hatred, and illness, making peace seem impossible. Yet...
The Father
In Jesus’ story of two lost and wasteful sons there is a character is who far more wasteful and who willingly loses whatever is necessary – the Father. In response to the rejection and rebellion of his sons, the father answers with extravagant self-sacrificing love...
The Older Son
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story of two sons. The older son is the son favored by tradition and culture. In Jesus’ time the older son would receive a larger inheritance and would be responsible to care for and uphold the family. In Jesus’ story the older son...
The Younger Son
The Parable of the Prodigal Son centers around the younger of two sons who turns his back on his father and his family to pursue his own freedom and happiness. His journey of rebellion, self-destruction, awakening, return, and redemption represents the very heart of...
The Destruction of Shame
There’s an enemy that lurks just below the surface of our lives. Its influence can be debilitating and even deadly. It may be Evil’s primary tool for rendering us ineffective and defeated. And no one is immune to its whispers. But this enemy can be conquered in ways...
Miracles of Jesus – 4 – God of Forgiveness
This week we’ll continue our study of the Miracles of Jesus by investigating a miracle Jesus performed demonstrating his ability to meet our deepest need, the forgiveness of our sin. Through the healing of a paralytic brought to Jesus by his friends, we see that while...
What in the World are We Doing
God loves us all. And He has made forgiveness and eternal life available to anyone who believes in Jesus! No one is excluded from this opportunity. But many people in the world don’t know this. And God has given His Church the privilege of taking part in sharing this...