Dolly Parton once entered a look-alike contest as herself and lost. Sometimes we don't see the real thing when it's right in front of us. This Sunday, we will see how expectations can make us overlook the real Jesus. Expect a house-cleaning of the heart.
This Sunday: A king, a hill, and a story that changes everything. What makes a place sacred? Let's find out together.
Are you into re-gifting? You give as a gift something you received as a gift, and it costs you nothing. But maybe true gifts come only at a personal cost. And maybe this reveals a deeper truth about following Jesus.
Imagine one place on earth where you can stand and see it all, from the dawn of creation to the heart of Easter. We are kicking off "A Hill Far Away," a journey to Mount Moriah, where history and faith intersect in extraordinary ways. Ready for an adventure?
Does God have unfinished business with the Jewish people? Are there promises to Israel yet to be fulfilled? What about the land? We're finishing this series with a look at God's Future for Israel.
At the Seder Jews say, " In every generation they rise up against us to destroy us." It's true. From Haman and Hitler to Hamas. Has there ever been a people so despised by the world, so repeatedly targeted for annihilation? The question is, Why?
With Israel in the headlines, let's look at the way their past echoes into our present. This Sunday, we're diving into the choices that shaped a nation and how ancient crossroads reveal where the whole world is headed.
From Abram's leap of faith to a nation's destiny, this Sunday we unravel the beginnings, promises, and how we're all part of something bigger. It's not just Israel's story. It's your story, too. Ready for and epic journey?
Think giving's just about opening your wallet? Think again! Dive into our 'When Giving feels Good' talk and discover why chucking a few bucks can actually be a blast! Spoiler: it's not just about the money.
Ever feel like everyone's faking it with money? Lots of us feel pressured to pretend. Being a slave to debt may seem normal, but what if financial freedom is within your reach?
We read Proverbs 31 on Mother's Day or at grandma's funeral, but that Proverbs 31 woman is an incredible financial role model. She's out there in real estate, savvy with money, and generous to the poor.
How many truly happy people do you know? Does anybody even know what happiness is? We confuse it with pleasure and convenience. But surely there's more. What's life about? What's worth the pursuit?
When you were born you got one life to live. One physical body. One mind. One set of relationships. Financial resources. One chance at doing something. Impossibly marvelous things may happen. So how do you keep from wasting it?
Queen Elizabeth traveled with 4000 pounds of luggage, 40 pints of plasma, and her own royal toilet seats. When Jesus came to us, they swaddled him in rags and laid him in the straw. Its unfathomable, what he left to be with us, the price he paid to save you.
The carol about the little town says "the hopes and fears of all the years" collide in Bethlehem, and it's true. Public celebration of Christmas is canceled this year in the very birthplace of Jesus. Bethlehem is in Palestinian territory, and conflict with Israel rages. Have mercy.
We'll never know who first sang the words or hummed the tune. It was a slave song. First it was called " Christmas Plantation Song." Now we call it, "Go, Tell It On The Mountain." So next time you sing it in church, think of the ones who sang it in chains.
The angels sang of peace the night Jesus was born. That was 2000 years ago, years full of war, sin, and strife. This is the tension we face, singing, "It Came Upon The Midnight Clear." What happens, when faith meets disappointment?
Nehemiah prays 4 months, preparing to build a wall that gets built in 52 days. Why does the praying take longer than the work? It doesn't. The praying is the work. Praying is not the least you can do. It's the most you can do.
The devil thinks you'll turn away if he can make you feel ridiculous for following Jesus. He makes the world laugh at you. You feel stupid, on the wrong side, uncool. This is how the devil fights. Are you going to follow Jesus? Prepare to be mocked. And worse.
Most people skip Nehemiah Chapter 3. It's a lot of names, regular people doing regular things on regular days. We don't know or care about them. But God knows and cares about them. Just like he knows and cares about you.
Praying requires waiting. God doesn't jump when you say jump. To pray is to surrender to God's will and God's timing. But be honest, in your life with God, he spends a lot more time waiting on you than you spend waiting on him.
Nehemiah was doing well in his high position in the court of a Persian king, then he heard bad news from Jerusalem, 900 miles away. Their problem wasn't his problem. Until God burdens his heart. When's the last time your heart broke for the things that break God's great heart?
There are always preachers and big-time evangelists who pack stadiums and preach Jesus to the masses. But most people come to Christ through the everyday witness of someone they know personally. A Christian friend who is real and unembarrassed. Somebody like you.
This Sermon is from the3rd and final session of Daytime Revival 2023 (10/20/23). Pastor Tim preaches from Jonah 3:1-10
This is the sermon from the second day of our Daytime Revival 2023 (10/19/23). Pastor Tim Preaches from 1 Samuel 7:1-17.
This is the sermon from day one of our Daytime Revival on October 18, 2023. Pastor Tim preaches from Exodus 32 and 33.
People are focused on Israel and this war the world can see, a flesh-and-blood fight. But believers know the brutal reality of another war, far greater, a fight in the realm of things you can't see. We're in a war for souls. And souls are worth the fight.
Ask a farmer to tell you about harvest time. You need workers. It's an enormous amount of work and a short amount of time. Jesus says our mission is like a great harvest, only there's nearly nobody who wants to work. Pray for more workers. Then let's get to work.
How does an ordinary church like ours even start to impact the world for Christ? Start at home. Start on your knees.
The shortest verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept." Beside the grave of his friend, Jesus weeps because he's human. He weeps because he's God. And of all the sad and broken hearts, it turns out God's own heart is the biggest most broken of all.