1 Peter 1:6-12

1 Peter 1:1-5

Acts 4:4:36; 11:20-24; 15:1-2; 13;1-2

Related Topics | encouragement, mission, vision

Luke 15:11-32

2 Samuel 11–12; Psalm 51

We all make sacrifices - for careers, comfort, and control. But are we sacrificing for the right things? In 2 Samuel 24 we see a powerful story of David's failure, repentance, and costly worship. We see that God desires more than convenient religion - He calls us to trust Him fully and worship Him sacrificially out of an abiding relationship. As David's story points us to Jesus, the ultimate King who made the ultimate sacrifice, we're invited to examine where we place our trust and how we offer our worship.

Have you ever wondered why faith feels strong around others but fades when you're alone?
Joash's life shows how easy it is to borrow faith without growing deep roots and how that can lead us right back to what once tipped us up and tried to destroy us.
But even in repeated failure, God protects, provides, and pursues and He still invites us to engage, respond, and grow.

This morning
we're studying the life of Samson to better understand how God forgives our failures & provides our purpose.

What gives us hope when our faith feels fragile and our hearts feel empty? In 1 Kings 19, Elijah meets God not in fire or earthquake but in a whisper-a whisper that reminds him (and us) of three life-giving truths: God cares for us holistically, God is intimately close even in our lowest moments, and God's calling on our lives still stands, even after failure and burnout. These truths revive our purpose and restore our hearts when we feel most alone, moving us from despair to renewed mission.

What ought to motivate us to put our “yes” on the table? What should propel us to a lifetime of Jesus-following and disciple-making? In Isaiah 6, we see the 3 things that motivated Isaiah, and will certainly motivate us, toward a bold, unhindered, “here I am, send me!"

We are all called to leave a legacy!
Through faith in Jesus Christ "we have salvation, instruction to godly living in the present age, and hope for the appearing of our great God and Savior."

As we respond to this grace, we can live as bright lights who have an overflow to
pour out on others.

Life is often chaotic and distracting. It is easy to lose sight of what matters most. Jesus told us which priorities should define our lives as we strive to follow Him faithfully. The priorities are easy to understand, but hard to live out. When all is said and done, though, Jesus asks us to love God, love others, and make disciples. Does your life reflect the priorities that matter most?

The love of Jesus changed the Apostle John's life forever. Because Jesus loved Him, John understood where he was going, who he was, and how to love others. Has Christ's love changed your life, as well?

One week before His death and resurrection, Jesus presented Himself to the nation of Israel as the rightful King of the nation. The Scripture makes it clear that He is also the rightful King of the universe. The question each of us has to answer is this: Will I make King Jesus the king of my life?

Some investments simply don't work out – they decline in value or disappear altogether. In fact, from the Bible's point of view, all earthly wealth will ultimately lose all of its value unless it is converted into something of eternal value – PEOPLE. God loves people because people are made in His image, and they will all live forever, with Him or apart from Him. So invest your life – your treasure, your time, your talent – in helping people find and follow Jesus.

This morning
we're studying Jesus' works and parables in Luke 14 to better understand how God's invitation to salvation inspires our compassion, humility, and urgency.

God loves to rescue hopeless sinners…and all of us are hopeless sinners who need rescuing. In Luke 15, Jesus told three powerful stories to illustrate the lavish and remarkable nature of God's mercy and grace to the most desperate of lost sinners.

What is the "one thing" you feel you need in order to make your life all that you want it to be? A happier marriage? More money? Better health? The Scripture tells us that real life comes from knowing Jesus first. When Jesus is our “one thing,” we can trust Him to take care of everything else. Will you and I commit to making Jesus the center of our lives?

All of us have room to grow in our prayer lives. In one of Jesus' most famous teachings on prayer, He helps His disciples on throughout the generations know 3 attitude shifts we need to make in prayer.

What makes a good neighbor according to Jesus? A good neighbor extends the unconditional love of God to anyone in need. According to that definition, are you a good neighbor? The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to become neighbors who reflect the character of God, who sent His only Son Jesus to help you and me when we were most in need of His love and His mercy.

Jesus wants His followers to share the good news with others about the eternal kingdom He offers to those who believe in Him. That is our mission: To help people find and follow Jesus! But how can we accomplish that mission effectively? In Luke 10, Jesus gives His disciples some instructions to keep in mind as they go into the world as His representatives. Those same instructions are useful to us today as we continue the mission of making disciples.

A logical question for us followers of Jesus to ask is this: is what we sacrifice for Jesus worth what we will gain? In today's passage, the disciples have a breakthrough moment in realizing who Jesus is, and he lets them in on all of the difficulty following him will bring. The disciples are forced to ask: is it worth it? Jesus will provide the answer, which is, of course, unequivocally “yes.”

Jesus preached the Word of God perfectly, because He is the living Word of God. Some people believed His words, while others rejected Him. In Luke 8, Jesus explains that our response to God's Word determines the outcome of our lives. A fruitful life is one that glorifies God and helps others to know Him. The only way to lead a fruitful life is to listen carefully to God's Word and to obey it.

When you think of the
“good life,” what comes to mind? Riches? Fame? Pleasure? Our world values people who are powerful, important, and prideful. But the values of Christ's kingdom are opposed to the values of this world. In Luke 6, Jesus described a kingdom in which everything is upside down: the poor are rich, outcasts are insiders, enemies are friends, and sinners turn into saints. Will we trust Him and arrange our lives according to His kingdom values?

God helps those who help themselves…or does He? What about those who can't help themselves: the helpless, the outcasts, and the sinners? If we are being honest, those words describe all of us! We cannot save ourselves from our greatest enemies: death, Satan, and sin. Only God has that power. Jesus, God's only Son, came to save those who cannot save themselves, and that's all of us. He came to bring us good news: Everyone who knows Him can be a part of His kingdom, now and for eternity.

We've all come face to face with temptation and will continue to do so. The question is, how will we deal with temptation when it threatens us? In today's passage, we'll see the areas Satan targets to tempt us and the tools at our disposal to fight back, just like Jesus did.

Throughout human history, we've all been looking for a few standard things: purpose, meaning, fulfillment, joy and peace. In this chapter, we see 4 pieces of affirmation that every single thing we're looking for is found in Jesus.

We are made to reflect God's character and glory, but sin contaminates our lives and prevents us from fulfilling our purpose. For that reason, the Scripture calls us to pursue holiness - to separate ourselves from sin and set
ourselves apart for God. The start of a new year is a natural opportunity for us to evaluate our lives and
develop new habits of holiness as we seek to honor Jesus.

With the New Year comes dreams, goals, and resolutions, but as we pursue these things, what are we looking for? Is it fulfillment, satisfaction, financial
stability, status, or something else? The same question could be asked about church. When we come to worship God, what are we seeking? Are we coming to church because of the tradition we were taught, or because the Bible says we should, or because we're genuinely
curious about Jesus and we want to know him?

In John 1:35–42, two men wrestle with this same question as Jesus asks them, "What are you seeking?" How will we respond to this question ourselves? The hope is that we will seek to know Jesus more by accepting
his invitation to follow him and learn from him, and as we do, we will invite others to know and experience Jesus for themselves.

The greatest story of all time would never have been written if it were in the hands of human authors. God is masterfully crafting the narrative of our redemption as He reconciles mankind to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ.

Even though Christmas is meant to be a joyful season, we often find that our lives do not match our expectations. We still live in a world full of sin, death, and darkness, although we believe that Jesus came to bring us eternal life. Those who received the news of Christ's arrival on the very first Christmas also had reasons for despair and sadness. Yet the coming of Jesus into the world proves that we always have a reason to praise God, even when life is hard.

With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is all too easy for Christians to become a distracted people!
In the narrative of Mary and Martha, we learn that activities, even good ones, must not overshadow our relationship with Jesus. When we let distractions
allow us to miss presence and intimacy with God, we will become anxious and troubled. However, when we make Jesus our Main Thing, we experience the abundant life that He has offered us. In this sermon, we learn how to overcome distractions and become more devoted disciples of Jesus!

God has given every follower of Jesus a story. It's a story of how His grace has intersected with our lives, a story of salvation and transformation. Every story is unique, and yet every story is also the same, because every story is about Jesus. Paul's example challenges us to share our story with anyone who will listen, because God wants to use our stories to bring people to Himself.

How can we live so that we leave behind an eternal legacy? We might not be remembered for very long, but we can still influence the lives of other people for the sake of eternity. The example of the apostle Paul shows us how: Be humble, love sincerely, persevere, and preach the Word. Lives that display those values also reflect and honor Jesus. And when we use our lives to honor Jesus, we can make a lasting impact on those around us.

For those of us who believe in Jesus, there is no such thing as an ordinary person or an insignificant moment. Every moment is an opportunity to reflect the good news of the gospel, and every person matters deeply to God. Are our eyes and hearts open to the people around us who need to know Jesus? Are we willing to courageously and compassionately share the truth with the people we encounter in our daily lives?

Life never goes according to our plans. There are so many things outside of our control! The good news is that nothing is out of God's control. His plans never fail, even when ours do. The ministry of Paul demonstrates that even life's detours cannot thwart God's plans. Our responsibility is simply to trust Him and to obey Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Everyone loves the idea of grace, at least in theory. In reality, though, grace is messy and controversial. It seems unfair! How can God welcome undeserving sinners into His family, and give them eternal life for free? The message of the gospel, however, is we are all undeserving sinners. Grace is our only hope of salvation. For that reason, grace is worth defending and fighting for, even when it seems too good to be true.

In Acts 12-14, God shows us 3 marks of a church that multiplies: a commitment to seeking God through prayer, sending people to the nations, and sharing the Gospel with people around us.

Do you believe that Jesus can transform God's enemies into His friends? Do you believe that the gospel can reach even the hardest hearts and save the most hopeless sinners? When Saul of Tarsus encountered Jesus, everything changed. God gave him a new perspective, a new identity, and a new mission. Saul's story demonstrates that nobody is beyond the transforming power of the gospel.

Are you open to the thought that God might want to use your life in a way that breaks your boxes and stretches you beyond what you think you're ready for?

The life of Philip demonstrates that God often calls unlikely people in extraordinary ways to go to unexpected places. Will you trust Him and obey Him when He calls you?

How will we respond when we face hostility or persecution for the sake of Jesus? Are we ready to be faithful and bold, even if it costs us dearly? Our ability to withstand pressure depends upon the character we are cultivating on a daily basis. The life of Stephen demonstrates that when we display Christ-like character under pressure, we demonstrate the power of the gospel.

God disciplines his church as beloved children. He does this because sin is destructive, his discipline protects us and the church is strengthened whenever we walk in a fear of God.

It's easy to be discouraged when our lives don't turn out like we expect or hope them to. But what if God has plans for us that are much better than our own? What if He has an eternal purpose for our lives that is greater than our earthly dreams? In Acts 3, Luke tells us about one man who realized that his story was just a part the much greater story that God is writing. God used his most difficult circumstances to bring praise and glory to the name of Jesus. When we are willing to submit our lives to God's plans, He might surprise us also, and lead us into a life that's much greater than the one imagine for ourselves.

The Scripture tells us that believing in Jesus is the only requirement for us to receive eternal life. So why did the apostle Peter tell his listeners on the Day of Pentecost to "repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins"? Are repentance and baptism necessary for us to be saved? Once we examine Acts 2:38 closely, we will find that we can rest assured that we can have eternal life by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Without the Holy Spirit, the church is an unremarkable group of people. But when the Holy Spirit shows up, He changes everything. The church is not defined by its buildings, programs, staff, or events, but instead by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Christ ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples a mission to accomplish. He instructed us to spread the message of His love to every nation, until the day He returns. He did not leave us alone, though: He gave us the power of His Spirit to help us accomplish the task. What are you doing to participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, here and around the world?

As a church, we share a common faith in Jesus Christ, and a common mission to make disciples of all the nations. But in order to fulfill that mission, each one of us must use our individual gifts to help the church become both mature and effective.

We all feel afraid sometimes. What can we remember about God in those moments of fear? How can we find the courage to trust Him and to obey Him, even when fear threatens to
drown us. Psalm 91 tells us that God is our shelter, our courage, and our salvation. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.

How can we draw near to God when He seems to be far away? How can we change our perspective, even when we can't
change our circumstances? King David wrote Psalm 63 when he was in the wilderness, separated from his home and feeling spiritually distant from God. In the
midst of his pain, he chose to reflect on God's good character, to remember God's perfect faithfulness, and to rely on God's generous
promises. When we take the same approach, we can navigate the
spiritually dry
moments in our lives with faith and hope in God.

The Scripture is God's Word. We believe that it is divine, true, and relevant to our lives. If we want to know God, we need to know the Bible. So how can we grow in our desire and our ability to read and to obey it?

When
we're
unified
(as a church family,
with
friendships, in marriage, etc.), we can enjoy God's incredible blessings.

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and familiar chapters in the entire Bible. But have you ever really meditated on what it means that the Lord is our Shepherd? What kind of Shepherd is He? King
David tells us that we follow a Shepherd that we can trust to protect and to provide for us, both now and forever.

The greatest antidote to discontent and anxiety is to remember how faithfully and fiercely God loves us. We see God's loyal love reflected in creation, in history, and in the free gift of salvation. Psalm 136 reminds us, over and over again, that His love endures forever.

Though God is transcendent in His qualities of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, He uses those characteristics to be involved in the lives of His people intimately. He knows YOU, chooses YOU, is with YOU, and has a plan for YOU.

A bad question: will we mess up, fall, and sin? Obviously! A good question:
how will we respond

when we mess up, fall, and sin? Psalm 51 takes us through a template of responding to sin like a man after God's own heart. In it, we see 4 do's and don'ts of dealing with sin, all of which lead us to a place of renewed joy.

Nations and empires throughout history have aligned themselves against God and against His people. But they will never win, because God's authority over the universe - and the authority of His Son Jesus - is absolute and unstoppable. For that reason, we can fix our hope on King Jesus, because He will never fail us.

How does one live out the blessed life,
the good life? The life that causes others to say, "Look at the person experiencing God's favor and abundance!" Psalm one kicks off the Book of Psalms by introducing the reader to two pathways, two antithetical lifestyles; our destination will ultimately be determined by the path we take!

Psalm 42 contains a number of circumstances that can lead to depression. But, even in the midst of despair, the psalmist keeps his focus on God.

Being a parent is a hard job, but it is also an eternally significant job! How can you treasure your role as a mom, while focusing on the values and character traits that are most important for your children to understand and develop?

God established boundaries around marriage and sex because He loves us and He wants what is best for us. For that reason, the Scripture prohibits homosexual behavior, along with every other expression of sexual sin. In a society that denies God's design, it can be hard to believe that real change is possible for those who struggle with sexual sin. However, the gospel offers forgiveness for every sexual sin, and hope for every struggling sinner.

Why did God create marriage and sex in the first place? The Bible is clear that marriage is not the only pathway to a life of purpose and meaning, so what is it for? God's Word tells us that marriage is both a partnership and a picture, in which a man and a woman join together to fulfill God's purposes and reflect God's love.

God created us in His image. But why did He make us male and female? Why do those categories even matter from a biblical perspective? Our current culture questions the importance, and even the reality, of God's design on this issue. Knowing what His Word says about sex and gender will help us to respond with grace and truth as we engage these challenging, yet critical, conversations.

The Bible has a lot to say about sex and gender. So why does God care so much about our sexual identity, behavior and thoughts? Scripture tells us that God is not trying to keep us from experiencing joy and fulfillment by placing boundaries around our sexual behavior. Instead, He wants us to understand that when we live in keeping with His design, we will experience true freedom and joy. His design is for us to reflect His character and love in every area of life, including how we use our bodies. Will we submit our sexual beliefs and behaviors to the authority of God's Word?

What is God's heart toward us when we sin? The story of Peter's restoration shows us that God pursues sinners, forgives sinners, and uses redeemed sinners for a beautiful purpose.

What characterizes a healthy church? The answers might surprise you! A church can have a beautiful building full of people, high-quality music, and excellent events, and still be unhealthy. On the other hand, a church could be small and outwardly unimpressive and yet be healthy and effective in its mission. Romans 16 paints a picture for us of a healthy church, as Paul concludes the epistle. A healthy church serves God together, clings to the truth, and relies on God's power. When those characteristics are present, the church will be faithful and effective in following Jesus and making disciples.

As Paul nears the end of his letter to the Romans, we see him take on a more personal tone as he explains his ministry and role within the Gospel mission. In doing so, he highlights two essential activities of a healthy church: accepting one another in Christ despite cultural differences and supporting those that are going out to share the gospel. When we understand our own role and are united in purpose, then we have the greatest impact for the gospel going out both locally
and globally.

We all go through crisis. We all have needs at various times. Through the story of the Good Samaritan, we are, both, challenged to love our neighbor and given some very practical ways to care for others when we see someone hurting.

Even though we are united by the gospel, Christians sometimes disagree with each other. Disagreements over issues of secondary importance often divide the church and threaten our ability to reflect Jesus well. So how can we disagree well? Paul calls us to make love our default position, even when we don't agree.

How can we honor Jesus when we live in a world that doesn't know Him or believe in Him? We are not the first Christians to face this dilemma. In Romans 13, Paul tells us that the best way to honor Jesus well is to live peaceful lives consistent with His character: submit to the government, love our neighbors, and live righteously.

The Scripture is clear that nobody can have eternal life without believing in Jesus. But what about people who work really hard to do what is right? Or people who feel like they don't have the information or the ability to believe? Those excuses did not work for the nation of Israel, and they won't work for us either. In Romans 9-10, the apostle Paul explains that nobody has a legitimate excuse for unbelief. Everyone is held responsible to believe in Jesus for eternal life, and He is the only pathway to forgiveness of sins and a right standing before God.

We believe that God's promises of salvation are permanent are irrevocable. Nothing can separate God's people from His love and mercy. But if that is true, then how can we explain the fact that most Israelites - God's chosen people - rejected Jesus? Does their unbelief mean that God's promises to them have failed? And if so, does that mean that we can no longer trust His faithfulness? In Romans 9, Paul tells us that God not unfaithful, nor is He unjust. He has a perfect plan of salvation, and He will be completely faithful to every promise He has ever made.

Our lives are busy and full; it's easy to be constantly distracted and never focused on what's important. As a church, we want to remain laser-focused on a few key priorities: to love God, to love others, and to make disciples. How can each of us participate in these priorities as we seek fulfill God's purposes for us?

Unless Jesus returns first, we are all going to die one day. We don't like to think about it very often, but the Scripture encourages us to consider how the reality of our death affects how we live. Are we investing our lives in what will last for eternity, or are we squandering our lives on temporary pleasures? Solomon, the wise writer of Ecclesiastes, reminds us that nothing on earth can satisfy our need for lasting significance; only God can.

We all want to live fruit-bearing lives. In John 15, Jesus lays out a beautiful metaphor that teaches us how to create the optimal conditions in our lives for God to produce fruit in and through us. Jesus will show us that the key to the fruit-bearing life is abiding in Him.

Christmas reminds us that Jesus was born to bring God's light into our dark world. Christ's light destroys the darkness of sin and death, reveals to us the truth about God and ourselves, and illuminates the entire world. His Light shines brightly for everyone who wants to see it. Do you?

Every Christmas, we sing the same songs and read the same Bible stories. If we aren't careful, the story of Christmas can being to feel stale and lose its wonder. How can we reclaim a sense of amazement and wonder during the Christmas season? The key is for us to make Jesus our primary focus, whether we are by ourselves, with our family, or out in the world.

Sometimes it's hard to live in between Christ's ascension to heaven and His second coming. We have the promise of eternal life, but we're still waiting for its fulfillment. God's kingdom is coming, but it hasn't arrived yet. We experience suffering and tension as a result of living in a world that awaits its final redemption, and we often wonder what God is doing while we wait. Paul tells us in the final section of Romans 8 that God is still working while we are waiting. His Spirit is interceding for us, His plan is working out for us, and His love never leaves us! As a result, we can endure hardship with hope and faithfulness as we wait eagerly for Jesus to come back.

When we believed in Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to live within us. That means that we now inherit all of the promises that God has made to His children: Freedom from sin, closeness to Him, and hope for the future. As we learn to walk more closely with God by the power of the Spirit, He will more deeply assure us of God's power, love, and promises to us. Because of that, the Spirit-directed life is like no other. It is truly a life beyond compare!

If we cannot win our struggle against sin by obeying the Law, then what can we do? Is real change even possible? Yes! If you know Jesus, then the Holy Spirit - the third member of the Trinity - lives in you. And the Spirit can do what the Law could not do: He can give us the power to obey God and to become more like Jesus. But unlike the Law, the Spirit doesn't transform us by means of external pressure, or a list of rules. The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out, as we choose to walk with Him on a moment-by-moment basis. When we reject the worldview of the flesh, and accept the worldview of the Spirit, we find that transformation is possible. God makes us more like Jesus, step by step and day by day, until we see Him face to face.

If Jesus died and rose again to set us free from sin's reign, then why do we still struggle with sin on a regular basis? In Romans 7, Paul describes the fierce battle that we face between our desire to obey God, and our inability to actually do so. This conflict is a normal part of the Christian life, yet it can lead us to frustration and even despair. How can we experience practical victory over sin in our lives? Only through the power of God, which is available to us because we know Jesus and have His Spirit inside of us.

Every church is called to the same mission: To make disciples of Jesus. At Grace Bible Church, we desire to make disciples not only in our local community, but all around the world. That is why we engage in world missions. All of us are called to participate in the mission that Jesus gave us. As we learn more about what God is doing around the world, we will be increasingly motivated to pray, to give, and to go.

Paul explains how the believer in Jesus Christ has been released from the Law and why it is to our benefit.

If God's grace covers all of our sin, then why should we even bother to pursue holiness? If God is going to forgive us
anyway, why not just keep on sinning? In Romans 6, Paul answers this question by telling us that sin is completely inconsistent with our new identity in Christ. Sin is destructive and tyrannical, and Jesus died and rose again to set us free! We are no longer under sin's power, and we no longer have to experience sin's
consequences.
Instead, we can choose the much greater path of obedience to God's way of living, which results in the kind of life transformation and hope that all of us long for.

When Adam chose to disobey God, he introduced sin and death into the world. As a result, all of us are condemned to eternal death and separation from God, unless He intervenes to save us. The good news is that He has intervened! All who are united with Christ by faith are rescued from death, and granted infinite grace, the righteousness of God, and eternal life. We are no longer identified with the sin of Adam, nor are we condemned by our own sin and guilt. Instead, we live under the reign of grace, where every sin and transgression is overcome by the unbelievable grace of Jesus.

By His amazing grace, God forgave our sin and declared us righteous when we believed in Jesus. Now, everything about our lives has changed! We get to participate in the amazing benefits that come from knowing God. We we were once God's enemies, but now we are at peace. We were once hopeless, but now we have hope again, even in the face of suffering. We were once destined for eternal death, but now we have the confidence of eternal life. Because of everything that God has given us through Jesus, our lives ought to be full of unceasing joy as we remember all of the blessings that he has lavished on us.

We all like to believe we are self-sufficient, that we can solve all of our problems if we only try hard enough. When it comes to our relationship with God, however, we can't fix things on our own. Our good works and religious rituals aren't good enough for us to earn our way to heaven. The only way to be right with God is to believe in Jesus. Saving faith does not include our good works, nor does it require our religious rituals. Instead, faith relies upon the promises of God, believing that He declares us righteous on the basis of Jesus's faithfulness on our behalf. Do you believe that God declares your righteous by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone?

Our sin has created a rift between us and God, and there is nothing we can do to make things right again. That's the bad news. But the good news is that, through Jesus, God has done everything for us! Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life as a gift. We are saved by grace through faith alone. We add nothing to the equation; we simply accept what God gives us. Once we truly understand what Jesus has done for us, we will be motivated to spend the rest of our lives responding to Him in worship and gratitude for the salvation He has given us for free.

It's easy to believe that the world is sinful, but it's harder to believe that
we
are sinful. We all understand that murderers, adulterers, thieves, and idolaters are disobedient to God. But what
about religious people? If I attend the right church, know the Bible inside and out, and hang around with holy people, isn't that enough to make me right with God? The book of Romans says it's not enough. Not even close. Even religious people need God's righteousness. One of the reasons that the gospel is such good news is because it levels the playing field. Everyone, no matter how “good” they are, is in need of God's grace for eternal life. And the really good news? Everyone who believes in Jesus can have it for free.

In this week's passage from Romans, Paul directs his attention to the self-righteous moralist… that lives within every one of us. He

shows us that if you're relying on yourself for salvation or God's approval, you're hopelessly lost. All of this is building his argument that the gospel really is good news.

Sin is a very big deal to God. Apart from His grace, we aren't just a little bit off track; we're hopelessly lost. Humanity has chosen rebellion and disobedience instead of faith and submission to God. As a result, our sin has incurred the wrath of God, which leads to devastating consequences. In order to understand the beauty and the magnitude of the good news, then, we have to understand the bad news first. We desperately need the righteousness of God that we can only find in the gospel.

We all need to hear good news, especially in a world full of so much bad news! In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul explains why the gospel - a word that means “good news” - is the very best news we could ever hope to hear. God's good news is that we can have a relationship with God and eternal life when we simply believe in Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has the power to make us right with God again. This good news, this gospel, completely transformed Paul's life, and it can completely transform ours, as well.

In order to be effective, a church must understand its mission and its core values. At Grace Bible Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. That mission is supported by our key values, or “pillars,” that support everything we do. We value God's Grace, God's Word, Next-Generation Ministry, and World Missions.

Sexual immorality is rampant in our world. Believe it or not, that's nothing new. Ever since the fall of mankind, men and women have used God's good gift of sex in twisted and sinful ways. That's why Solomon warned his son of the dangers of sexual immorality, and exhorted him to pursue godly wisdom instead. Talking about sex is awkward, but necessary. If we want to pursue holiness in this area of our lives, we need to live in the light, openly and honestly talking about God's design. Proverbs 7-8 offers us some help as we seek to flee sexual temptation and pursue holiness and purity.

When it comes to words, there are pitfalls everywhere. The more we talk, the more likely we are to say something sinful or stupid. Jesus told us that our words reflect our hearts. If we hope to transform our speech, then, we need to ask God to change us from the inside out. That transformation begins with evaluation, as we examine our speech patterns to see where we fall short of God's standards. The book of Proverbs helps us with this evaluation by warning us about several “word pitfalls.” Once we understand how we're falling short, we can ask God for the strength and power to honor Him with what we say.

Pride is a parasite that has infected us all. Left unchecked, pride will drain us of life and deteriorate our relationship with God. But God wants more for us! Today's talk dives into a few proverbs and 1 Peter 5:5-7, which all exhort us to do two simple things: kill pride, and wear humility.

There is a natural rhythm between work and rest but it can very difficult to find a healthy balance between those 2 responsibilities in our life. Proverbs will highlight the great value of rest and we will explore why we struggle to rest, what rest actually is as God designed it, and how we can build in healthy rhythms of rest in our life.

We all come face to face with “work” every single day. The Scriptures teach us that work can either be a laborious means to an end, or a fulfilling, difference-making endeavor. Today, we look and see what the Bible teaches us about work, and how to book of Proverbs teaches us to be the sorts of workers that God desires us to be.

Words are powerful. They have the ability to build up or tear down, to save life or destroy it. The book of Proverbs has a great deal to tell us about how to use our words to honor God and other people. Life-giving words are honest, kind, peaceful, pure, and timely.

From the day we are born, we are dealing with the powerful emotion of anger. No one had to teach us how to be angry. Yet, if we never learn to control

our anger in a godly way, we could end up damaging the relationships around us. In the book of Proverbs, we see those that are quick to anger are usually proving their foolishness to everyone around them, but those that are slow to anger showcase the same character that God consistently shows us. When we remain in control of our anger, we are able to build honest, trusting, loving relationships with those around us.

Researchers say that the average adult makes about 35,000 choices a day... Choices like, "What to eat, what to wear, what to watch, what to believe." The reality is that you are where you are today because of the choices that you've made in the past; similarly, the choices you make today will determine your tomorrow. Thus, making wise choices is an extremely important and priceless skill that will ultimately
determine your development and your destination. Today we will see that the people of God must walk in God's will by trusting in God's Word, thus embodying Jesus' words and actions which leads to a life filled with wise choices and fruitful actions.

Being a father is a wonderful privilege, but it's also a tough job! What does it mean to be a “good” dad? Where do you even begin? In writing the book of Proverbs, King Solomon had a clear and simple goal for his son: To help him grow in wisdom. As fathers, we are called to help immature children become wise adults. Wisdom, of course, begins with knowing and revering the Lord. Our task, then, is to model a life of godliness and wisdom, and to coach our children toward a life that honors God. It isn't an easy job, but it's a critical one. There will be many ups and downs, but if we pray and persevere, we can trust that God is faithful.

Money is a valuable tool, but it's a terrible god. The book of Proverbs urges God's people to use money in ways that honor and reflect His character. When we keep it in its proper perspective, we will earn and spend our money wisely and righteously, and we will remember that it doesn't last forever. When we view our money correctly, we will invest it in eternal treasures rather than in the fleeting pleasures of this world.

Nobody navigates life successfully without good friends. Even Jesus had friends during His earthly life. Some friends are better than others, though. So what makes for a good friend? The book of Proverbs offers a number of character traits to give us a portrait of the kind of friends we should look for, and the kind of friends we should be. Ultimately, we will find that the very best friends are those who are most like Jesus.

Proverbs shows us that a wise leader seeks counsel, prioritizes integrity, focuses on their impact, and strives to serve rather than be served. Worldly leadership may sway us to be a lone wolf, value expediency & money, and prioritize self over those we lead, but a fear of the Lord can lead us to trust and walk with Him in the way we approach our leadership.

Just as good a father desires to prepare and equip their children to have the best life possible, God desires the same for us. The key to the best life? Wisdom. Biblical wisdom is more than knowledge or education, it is all about applying truth in our lives. In other words Biblical wisdom is all about skillful living. This wisdom is available to all, yet some will play the fool and go their own way - which will you be?

Sin is a major barrier in our relationship with God. If we want to walk closely with Him on a daily basis, we must deal with the reality that we often fall short of God's standards for our lives. When we confess our sin and ask for God's forgiveness, that paves the way for our fellowship with Him to be restored. And when we ask Him to protect us from sinning in the future, we can move ahead in confidence that His Spirit will give us the power to live in a way that pleases Him.

How should we ask God for what we need and desire? What attitudes should permeate our prayer lives as we make our requests? In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus instructs us with one sentence:
“Give us this day our daily bread.” That sentence is short but powerful, though, and we can learn a lot about prayer from these few simple words. Jesus's model demonstrates that when we come before God, we ought to present our needs to Him expectantly, humbly, specifically, and daily. Where do you need to grow in your prayer life, as you ask God to meet your needs and to consider your heart's desires?

When we pray, we're often tempted to begin by asking God to meet our needs and fulfill our desires. But Jesus encouraged His followers to begin their prayers by
acknowledging who God is before asking for what they need. Our relationship with God takes priority over our requests of God, in other words. When we pray, we relate to God as our compassionate and perfect Father, but we also submit to Him as our holy and all-powerful King. The first
half of the Lord's Prayer challenges us to search our own hearts in order to draw closer to Him in order to more fully trust and obey Him.

Prayer is an essential part of our relationship with God.
Prayer can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be challenging and difficult. That is why Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, and also how


not

to pray. As we examine the Lord's Prayer, we
will see that prayer is not intended to be a performance, nor is it a means of manipulating God. Instead, prayer is about making a personal connection to God. The good news is that God is always listening and eager to respond. We can
approach Him directly, honestly, and confidently, knowing that He wants to talk to us.

Sometimes we can learn as much from the questions Jesus asked as we can from the statements He made. In John 20, after He rose from the dead, Jesus asked His friends three questions: First, why are you weeping? Second, who are you looking for? Third, have you believed? Our answers to those questions will reveal the condition of our hearts and shape the trajectory of our future. We will find that every eternal question is answered at the empty tomb of Jesus.

On Palm Sunday we celebrate the arrival of the King. But who was this King, and what was so great about his arrival? Today, we look at the prophecy that was fulfilled the day that Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, and see what it teaches us about this great, Anticipated King.

Prayer is the right response to every situation. James tells us to pray in times of suffering, times of joy, and times of sickness. God hears our prayers and He responds to them powerfully. Prayer changes our hearts and it can even change the world. What is keeping us from developing a habit of faithful and faith-filled prayer?

It is tempting for us to believe that we can control our future by carefully planning our time and diligently building our wealth. But James reminds us that our plans often fail, and our money won't last. Bank accounts and calendars can never offer us the significance and security we long for. But Jesus can. Instead of arrogantly presuming that we can control the future, we can trust in God, who is in charge of our lives today, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. We can trust that Jesus is coming back, so the future is bright for those who know Him. In the meanwhile, we can be patient and faithful to Him, knowing that our suffering is only temporary and our salvation will last forever. Our plans and our money will fail us, but the grace of God never will.

God is Triune. We often wrongly view this doctrine as an annoying doctrine to explain away, when in reality it's a beautiful doctrine to celebrate. In this talk, we explain (1) what the Trinity is, (2) how we know that God is Triune, and (3) why any of it matters.

All too often, our hearts are divided between allegiance to God and our love for this world. We want to know and obey God, but we also want to rule our own lives. We feel entitled to things that God has not given us, whether money, power, prestige, or pleasure. Our entitlement leads to discontent, envy, and conflict with other Christians. But God offers us a way to escape this painful cycle of conflict: Repentance. When we humble ourselves before God, agree with His perspective, and turn away from our misplaced desires, God freely offers the grace we need in order for our hearts to be transformed. And changed hearts result in restored relationships, with God and with those around us. Repentance leads to peace.

Words are powerful and dangerous. We will one day answer to God for the words we speak. After all, words can destroy people's lives or heal their hearts. They can ruin our relationships or build a foundation of trust. Not only are words powerful, they also reflect what's in our hearts. For that reason, the only way we can control our speech is to ask God to change our character. We need His wisdom and His grace to speak and act in ways that build up rather than tear down. When we live according to God's wisdom, our lives and our words will reflect His peace and His righteousness.

What is the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life? Do we earn eternal life by doing good works? Do we prove we're Christians by how good we are? James 2 is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible, and it addresses the connection between our faith in Christ and good works. James says that faith without works is worthless! However, it's important to carefully study what he means: We cannot earn our salvation by doing good works, but if we want lives of purpose that meet with God's approval, our faith should lead us to live in a way that reflects and honors Jesus Christ.

James, this week, targets a weed that desperately needs to be uprooted in our hearts: the sin of partiality. By examining a hypothetical scenario, discussing the “Royal Law” of Christ, and foreshadowing the coming eschatological judgment, James helps us see the danger of partiality and the beauty of love.

The trials of life can often cause us to act in angry and ungodly ways. But James tells us that there is a better way to navigate life's challenges: Listen to the Word of God and obey it! When we do, we will find the life of obedience is the life that God blesses. It's not that our problems will all be resolved. Instead, our lives will fulfill God's purposes and meet with His approval. We will become the people that God created us to be, and we will receive praise from Jesus when we meet Him face to face. Anger and sin cause destruction, but obedience brings blessing.

In the midst of life's trials, we are often tempted to doubt God's goodness, or even to blame Him for the consequences of our own sinful choices. But sin comes from within our own hearts, and results in terrible consequences. Sin doesn't make our trials better; it actually makes everything worse. Therefore, James urges us to resist sin's lies, and instead to trust in the goodness of God. God never leads us toward evil and death, but instead He sent His Son to save us. God is always good, and always generous, and James calls us remind ourselves of that reality when life is hard.

Suffering can either strengthen our faith or derail it. The difference lies in how we respond, and in where we place our hope when we're walking through hard times. James 1:1-12 tells us that the trials of life can become opportunities to deepen our faith and to focus our hope. Our response to suffering can be rooted in the reality of Christ's victory over death and sin, and the promise of eternal life. Because of Jesus, our suffering can work something good inside of us, even if our trials are wreaking havoc all around us. We can rejoice, knowing that God stands ready to offer us the maturity and wisdom we need, and to remind us that suffering and death will not win in the end.

In order to be effective, a church must understand its mission and its core values. At Grace Bible Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. That mission is supported by our key values, or “pillars,” that support everything we do. We value God's Grace, God's Word, Next-Generation Ministry, and World Missions.

One of the greatest threats to our intimacy with God, this New Year, is noise. We're surrounded by noise, external and internal, digital and physical, and all of it threatens to drown out God's voice. Today, we take a look at the ancient spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude, and discuss how these practices of Jesus are imperative to our walk with him today, and how through practicing them, we allow God's voice to rise above all the noise.

The first Advent highlights a multitude of God's incredible attributes, but one of the most clear is His humility. The fact that the universe's Creator became a creation, the infinite became infant, the omniscient took on limits, is one of the most striking realities in all of human history. Today's message discusses the beauty of Christ's humility, and encourages us to model our lives after His.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God's world has been tainted by sin and death. The Bible is the story of how God is redeeming His world and His people through His Son Jesus. Throughout the book of Revelation, we have seen how He will one day destroy His enemies and establish His eternal kingdom on earth. In the final two chapters of Revelation, the apostle John describes what life will be like in the new world that God is creating. We will have perfect relationships and perfect surroundings. We will have all that we need, and we'll never again fear the shadow of death. It's a glorious and bright future, and the best news of all is that everyone is invited!

When Jesus returns to the earth, He will fulfill all of His promises and defeat all of His enemies. In Revelation 20, we see how Jesus will tie up every loose end as He establishes His kingdom on earth. He will reign with His people for 1,000 years. Then, He will destroy Satan, abolish death forever, and pave the way for the arrival of the new heavens and the new earth.

It has been said that, "Comparison
is the
thief
of all joy." Therefore, in a world where we are constantly bombarded with opportunities to compare our lives with others, is joy possible? We will look at

King Saul, who
was given incredible promises yet lived most of his life consumed with lesser things. Through his life we will see the impact of comparison and then look at some practical steps to move towards contentment - so that we too don't become a people given great promises and yet consume our lives with lesser things.

Everybody follower of Jesus looks forward to His return with joy. When that day comes, Jesus will descend from heaven with His people following behind Him. He will gather His people together for a great feast, a party that will be better than anything we've ever experienced before. At the same time, he will destroy his enemies and rivals. Instead of celebrating with Jesus, they will face destruction and ruin as the birds of the sky feast on their flesh. Every person on earth will follow Jesus or face His judgment. Do you know for sure that you'll be at the wedding feast? Will you invite others to join you at the feast? There's enough room for everyone, and this feast will never end.

Our world is full of idols, tempting us to trust in anything other than Jesus. False religion and materialism run rampant, as people try to find hope, purpose, and security apart from the one true God. Before Christ's return, God will decisively demolish the world system that is so full of deception, immorality, greed, and idolatry. By doing so, He will pave the way for Christ's kingdom, which will never fall. The question for you and me is whether we're building our lives on Jesus, or on the false belief systems and satanic lies of the world around us.

Have you ever thanked God for His justice? We often talk about God's grace, but words like ‘judgment' and ‘wrath' tend to make us uncomfortable. But the Book of Revelation shows us that God's justice is good! His justice is rooted in His character, and it flows from His holiness and love. Evil must be abolished for God's perfect kingdom to arrive, and for His people to be vindicated. Therefore, we can praise God for His justice and for the reality that His justice and grace have been perfectly displayed to us through Jesus Christ. As a result, we have the hope of eternal life, for which we can joyfully worship God, now and forever.

Throughout human history, Satan has used deception in order to keep people from trusting in God. He offers counterfeit saviors, counterfeit religion, and counterfeit security. During the Tribulation Period, the antichrist will be the final manifestation of Satan's counterfeit kingdom. He will oppose Jesus by mimicking Him, in order to lead people astray. In reality, however, Satan's kingdom only leads to death. Jesus's kingdom, however, is real and eternal, and His promises are always true. Therefore, the book of Revelation calls us to keep our hope and our faith firmly fixed on Jesus Christ.

The most valuable asset we've all been given is our lives, and we all have a choice: will I
spend
or
invest
my life? This Sunday we look at Jesus' answer to the question, “how does God call us to invest our lives?” Spoiler alert: it has everything to do with disciple-making and all of the nations.

Satan hates God, and he hates God's people. Throughout all of human history, he has been trying to derail God's plans. He is dangerous and hostile. However, he will lose in the end. Revelation 12 shows us that in the cosmic conflict between God and Satan, the devil cannot win. God's power is infinitely greater, and He has secured his victory through the death and resurrection of Christ. While we wait for Satan's final destruction, however, we are called to be alert and aware of his schemes, so that we can stand firm in our faith.

It's hard to be God's messenger sometimes. His message is often met with indifference, or even open hostility. At the same time, the message of the gospel is incredibly sweet news. It's the best message in the world! In Revelation 10-11, we will see that nothing can silence the message of the gospel. No matter how fiercely the world opposes God's messengers, His gospel will prevail in the end. No matter what anybody says, Jesus is always on the winning side of history. And those of us who follow Him and proclaim Him can live with courage and joy, knowing that the end of our story is good.

Why does God judge the world so harshly during the Tribulation period? What purpose does it serve? As we read Revelation 8-9, we can see clearly that God's judgments are never arbitrary or random. Instead, they serve as a final warning to those who would oppose Him or His people. The only protection we can find is in God Himself. Everyone who finds shelter in Him will be saved, now and forever. But those who oppose Him will find themselves in a losing predicament, because nobody can defeat the justice and the power of God.

The book of Revelation is in many ways a glimpse at the fuller reality of who God is. In this seventh chapter, God's faithfulness to His promises and care for His multi-ethnic people are put on full display.

The Tribulation will be the worst time period in human history. There will be massive destruction and death on a scale that nobody has seen before. God will judge those who oppose Him, vindicate those who trust in Him, and save those who turn to Him. His judgment is righteous, and it is certain. But even when His judgment arrives, His grace will not depart.

Throughout history, kings and nations have arisen and fallen. God showed John a vision of His throne room, a place where it becomes clear that no kingdom lasts forever except one: the kingdom of God. The Universe has no ruler except for the One who created it and sustains it. For that reason, the Father and the Son are worthy of all power and all praise. Will we fall on our faces and worship God alone?

What would Jesus say to us if He wrote us a letter? Thanks to the Book of Revelation, we know the answer to that question! Jesus dictated to John seven letters to seven different churches, encouraging them to stand firm in their faith, and warning them to turn away from sin. His message to those First Century churches is the same as His message to you and me: Keep following Jesus until He comes back! Turn away from your sin, but cling to the promises of your Savior.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a book about
what

will happen in the future; but perhaps more importantly, it's a book about
who
controls the future. More than sixty years after Jesus rose from the dead, He appears once again to His disciple John to tell him about the things to come. John sees Jesus in a whole new way: He is now risen, glorified, and clearly in charge of the universe. Jesus is Lord of everyone, everywhere, forever. The question for you and me is whether we will trust Him with our lives, believing that He holds both the present and the future in His all-powerful and loving hands.

Endings are important, whether it's the end of a football game, a movie, or a book. How much more important is it to understand the end of God's story, then? When we know God's plans for the future, we can have greater joy and hope in the present. One day God will fulfill all of His promises, defeat all of His enemies. save all of His people, and make all things new again. Will we live faithfully in light of that day, and invite others to join us?

Eternal life is a free gift that God will never take away from those who have trusted in Jesus. We didn't earn it, and we can't lose it. Therefore, we can worship and serve God in freedom, knowing that our relationship with Him is secure.

We live in a world that constantly tempts us toward doubt and unbelief. In the face of such pressure, many Christians struggle with doubt, and some even fall away from the faith. Is there a way to navigate doubt in a way that is both honest and also honoring to God? The Scripture doesn't shy away from talking about the doubts and struggles of God's people. God's Word shows us that doubt doesn't have to tear down our faith, but instead it can help us build a stronger foundation.

We live in a world that constantly tempts us toward doubt and unbelief. In the face of such pressure, many Christians struggle with doubt, and some even fall away from the faith. Is there a way to navigate doubt in a way that is both honest and also honoring to God? The Scripture doesn't shy away from talking about the doubts and struggles of God's people. God's Word shows us that doubt doesn't have to tear down our faith, but instead it can help us build a stronger foundation.

Upon being raised from the dead, Jesus appeared to two men on their way home to Emmaus. Jesus finds them sad due to unmet expectations about Himself. He teaches them how the Scriptures have pointed to all that has happened and that God's plan is even better than what they had expected.

Is the Resurrection of Jesus simply a tall tale, or did it really happen? If it's merely a story, then Easter is nothing more than a chance to wear fancy clothes and hide eggs. But if it really happened, then it's the most important event in human history. If Jesus rose from the dead, our sins are forgiven, our future is bright, and our lives have meaning. The Gospel of Luke demonstrates clearly and convincingly that the tomb is empty. And the empty tomb changes everything.

If Jesus is the only true source of joy, peace, and eternal life, then we should be eager to tell others about Him. But how can we faithfully represent Jesus to the outside world? As the book of Colossians concludes, Paul tells us how we can be effective ambassadors of Christ to those who don't yet know Him: Pray constantly, seize every opportunity, season your words with grace, and find faithful partners in ministry. Will you and I speak about the hope we have in Jesus with a world that desperately needs to know Him?

We are all under authority in some areas of our lives; in other areas of your lives, we hold authority over others. But whatever position we hold, all of us work for Jesus. We're called to work for him even when it seems like nobody sees us and our faithfulness goes unnoticed. We can trust that God sees and cares about our work, and He will reward us. He calls us to trust Him with our work and also with our attitudes, as we aim to reflect Jesus' character and humility in everything we do.

Jesus changes everything: our hearts, our churches, and even our homes. Those who know Jesus have the opportunity to see their families transformed so that they can beautifully represent the love of Jesus. Husbands, wives, parents, and children can now relate to one another in entirely new ways, consistent with our new identity in Jesus.

Thousands of years ago Jesus famously provided the gracious invitation for his followers to find, in him,
rest for their very souls.

The offer stands just as open to his followers today, and yet we so rarely seem to accept it. So then, what really is Jesus' invitation, and how do we go about accepting it?

Why does God answer some prayer but not others? Does prayer really make any difference? Prayer does make a difference but it isn't necessarily what you expect.

Jesus changes everything. If we've believed in Him for eternal life, the Scripture says we are entirely new people who are dead to sin and alive to God. God is now transforming us into Christ's image, not only as individuals, but as His church. The church that reflects Christ's image will offer a wonderful contrast to a world full of anxiety, fear, and anger. Instead, the world can see Jesus in us when we are clothed in love, saturated in the truth, and fully devoted to Jesus.

Legalism, asceticism, and mysticism cannot transform us into the people God wants us to be, so what can? How can we experience the life transformation that we long for? In Colossians 3, Paul tells us that if we long for life change, we must look to Jesus above anything else. When we seek to know Him and to arrange our lives around Him, we will have the power we need to overcome sin and to become the people God intends for us to be. Through the power of Christ's resurrection, God will transform us into His image once again, so that we can reflect His character and bring Him glory.

We're all tempted to seek meaningful connection with God through the false paths of legalism, mysticism and asceticism, but Colossians 2:16-23 shows us that true, meaningful connection to God is only found through the path of abiding.

Our world is full of voices promising us the key to a life of joy, hope, and purpose. We could spend our lives listening to various teachers and chasing different experiences, hoping that the next one will unlock the life we're looking for. But the book of Colossians tells us that everything we need is found at the Cross of Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers us a new life of freedom and hope such as we can't find anywhere else. Having believed in Him, then, the apostle Paul urges us to keep walking by faith, trusting that everything we need is found only in Christ.

If we boldly tell people about Jesus, we will face pushback, opposition, and struggle. So why is proclaiming Jesus worth the struggle it brings into our lives? The apostle Paul tells us that we can rejoice, even in the face of suffering, because proclaiming Jesus is an unimaginably great privilege. We get to tell people about God's perfect plan to offer them eternal life and to restore them to all that God intended to be. And as we share the good news, we'll experience the power of the Holy Spirit in new and amazing ways. So we can stand firm and remain joyful, knowing that proclaiming Jesus is worth the struggle.

The book of Colossians urges us to make Jesus first place in our lives. Why is He worthy of that position, though? He is worthy because He is our rescuer, our ruler, and our reconciler. The only question for us to answer is whether or not we will give Jesus the first and the best of our affections, our time, our money, and our energy.

Every person must eventually ask themselves, “How can I find a life of lasting joy, purpose, and hope?” The world presents us with many answers to that question. Advertisers tell us that their products will complete our lives. Religious gurus and life coaches say that we can become better people if we'll just follow their advice. But in the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul tells us that the only place we can find fullness of life is in Jesus Christ. If you have Jesus, you have more than enough. If you lack Jesus, you have nothing at all.

Persistent spiritual immaturity poses a problem to each one of us and to any church. How do we respond to it appropriately? How do different theological persuasions handle such a problem?

Time is our most precious resource, because it is the substance of our lives. Wasting our time is tragic misuse of the gift of life that God has given us. All of our time belongs to Him. As a result, we're called to use our time to glorify God. How can we use our time to honor and represent Him in the coming year?

God will inevitably call us into new and hard things this New Year. So why, when he calls, should we say yes? Isaiah's story of calling shows us what we must all see, feel, and hear from God if we are to answer with Isaiah's same, enthusiastic, “here I am, send me!”

Jesus' birth in Bethlehem is surprising, but it's also significant. His humble birth is God's way of telling us that our hope won't come from the kingdoms or rulers of this world. Nor will it come from our own wisdom or resources. Instead, our hope for the future comes from a baby, born in a small town, who will grow up to be the Ruler and the Savior of the world.

In this world filled with crises and trouble, we long to know that God understands what we're going through, and cares enough to save us. The good news of Christmas proves that He does. Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, entered into our world in order to save us from our enemies once and for all. Will we trust in Him every day as we face the trials and tribulations of our lives?

The world is bent and broken because of sin. Relational conflict, pain, shame, fear, and death are just a few of the devastating consequences of humanity's rebellion against God. We cannot fix the world. From the time that Adam and Eve fell into sin, however, God has promised that He will repair our world once and for all. He has sent us His Son, Jesus our Savior, who will one day destroy the devil and remake the world into the perfect creation that God intends it to be.

Even in the chaos of life, God promises peace and rest when we dwell in His presence.

The holidays are meant to be a time of gratitude and joy, when we thank God for all He's given us and celebrate with those we love. But what if we feel distant from God and spiritually dry? How do we praise Him when our hearts don't feel particularly joyful? King David wrestled with that same dilemma, and in Psalm 63 he provides us with a model for how to recover our joy when it's hard to find. In moments of spiritual dryness, David encourages us to reflect on God's character, remember God's faithfulness, and trust in God's promises.

What does it take to be an effective disciple-maker? First, we must pray persistently, since making disciples is the work of the Holy Spirit. Second, we must work diligently, because disciple-making requires time, energy, and perseverance. Third, we must plan wisely, aiming to meet the needs of those we're investing our lives into.

f we want to help other people follow Jesus, we need to understand what a follower of Jesus should be like. What does a faithful disciple of Jesus think, say, and do? This week, we will examine how to assess spiritual maturity so that we can help other people move closer to that goal.

Life changing discipleship beings with a wise invitation. While
individually we can't disciple everyone, we are called to disciple someone, so let's be wise in who we invite. Join us as we explore a few practical ideas to help us make a wise decision as we look to live in step with the great commission
to go and make disciples of all nations.

Jesus commanded us to make disciples. But what does that mean? And why should we bother? It turns out that making disciples is the most significant way we can invest our lives. When we help people find and follow Jesus, we can leave a legacy that lasts into eternity.

For Christians, missions isn't a side project. It's at the center of who we are and what we are called to do. Jesus has commanded us to participate in global missions, because God is building a kingdom of worshipers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. The task is great, but God has given us the power we need to do the job.

The church is like a flock of sheep, in need of Christ-like shepherds to lead us. For that reason, God has provided elders, men who are called to provide spiritual nourishment to God's people and to protect us from danger. They are called to lead eagerly, selflessly, and gently. The congregation is commanded to follow our elders submissively. All of us are expected to behave toward one another with the humility of Jesus, knowing that the Church ultimately belongs to Him, because He is the Chief Shepherd.

Jesus loves the Church perfectly and lavishly. His love is sacrificial, special, transformative, and enduring. Because He loves us so much, He calls us to love one another in the same way. The Church is meant to be a place where Christ's love is freely given and freely received.

God's church is like a human body, in many ways. There are a great multitude of members, each bearing great significance, individuality, and diversity. At the same time, each member is deficient on their own. Belonging to Christ's body makes us a part of something incredibly significant, diverse, and unified.

The church is a temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. God wants His temple to be a place of peace, worship, and focus. When we divide up and argue about issues that are not of first importance, we risk destroying the temple. We reveal how foolish we really are and we reject the authority of Christ over the church itself. For those reasons, God hates divisiveness within the church and He judges it. We need to constantly ask ourselves: Am I building up the Temple of God or am I tearing it down?

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “priest”? Would it surprise you to know that the Bible says that if you know Jesus, you are a priest? Priests are people who have been set apart by God to worship Him, obey Him, and show other people what He's really like. We don't offer animal sacrifices, but instead our lives are sacrifice to God. Peter tells us that the church is a holy priesthood, founded by Jesus and called to a glorious purpose.

Because God has adopted us as His children, we are now members of His family! We have confidence that He loves us permanently and perfectly. As a result, we can extend His love to our fellow Christians and we can represent God's love to a world that needs to hear the good news of Jesus.

What does it look like to faithfully follow Jesus while living in dark and evil times? In Ephesians 5:15-21, Paul tells us that we can live well by making the most of our time, diligently seeking God's will, and being filled by the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This year, let's commit to making our walk with Jesus the number one priority of our lives, as we seek to honor Him in these dark times.

In order to be effective, a church must understand its mission and its core values. At Grace Bible Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. That mission is supported by our key values, or “pillars,” that support everything we do. We value God's Grace, God's Word, Next-Generation Ministry, and World Missions.

Do you feel hopeful about the future? If so, where do you find your hope? Just like the people of Israel, we find ourselves in a world filled with darkness and sin. There is external opposition to God's kingdom, and there is opposition within our own hearts. We need a king who will defeat God's enemies and bring us hope and peace with Him. Psalm 2 gives us a picture of the power and goodness of the Messiah, in whom we can place all of our hope, both now and forever.

Jealousy or discontentment is a plague in our society and it wars against our soul to the point you would say, do almost anything to quench its thirst.
While this issue isn't new to our generation,
how do we as believers cultivate contentedness in our life?

In the account of Noah we see one man that is willing to follow the things God asked even though it was incredibly difficult. How can we as believers cultivate that type of radical obedience in our life?

In the book of Daniel we see a believer navigate life in a culture that is apathetic towards the Lord. Today we find ourselves in a similar situation. As we see Daniel stand for the Lord and lead with conviction it should challenge us to do the same.

The normal human tendency threatens our joy and contentment in God's work in our lives.

For decades, the Jews
had seen the need to rebuild the broken wall and burned gates of Jerusalem. Some
had even given it a try, then hesitated and failed because of the sheer volume
of the task. Nehemiah,
however, came on the scene and accomplished this
awesome task in less than
two months. A huge factor in his success
was in the way he got started: engaging the presence of God through prayer and
worship-before taking any action. The story of Nehemiah is an invitation from God to us to rebuild our worship to Himself.

Even as an 8 year old, King Josiah made a big difference through humility, faithfulness, and obedience. He sought after God and did not turn aside to the right or the left. His daily faithfulness led to reform and restoration for all of Israel.

How can we continue to persevere in our faith when we are facing trials and exhausted? The life of Joseph shows us that we can remain faithful to God, even in the midst of pain, because we know that God always remains faithful to us. Our security in His presence and promises provides us with the strength we need to keep serving Him and loving others.

What is your highest priority as a father? When your kids are grown, what wisdom do you want them to use as the foundation of their lives? In the book of Proverbs, Solomon tells his son where true wisdom comes from and how to find it. As fathers, we have an opportunity to pass along eternal and life-giving wisdom to our children as we seek to honor the Lord in the task of parenting.

Before God can use us in great ways, He must transform us into the people He wants us to become. Like Gideon, we are called to trust Him in the face of our fears and doubts. We are called to obey Him fully instead of holding back. God is patient with us in the transformation process, but He is also persistent with us; He refuses to leave us where we are. Will we submit to His authority in our lives as He changes us, so that He can use us in powerful ways?

Solomon began his reign as king in humility and with a desire to glorify God. However Solomon's divided heart justified the small compromises that led to great destruction.

Sin produces destruction. It disrupts our relationships with God and other people, and sometimes leads to irreversible consequences. So how can we resist it? How can we remain constantly vigilant against sin and its snares? As we look at the worst episode in the life of King David, we will see how to spot temptation and how to avoid it through God's strength.

Waiting is tough. When you're longing for a change, and you want things to happen quickly, it's hard to avoid bitterness and discontent. How can we honor God when we find ourselves being forced to wait patiently for what we want, for weeks, months, or even years? As a young man, David found himself in a long period of waiting for God's promises to come true. From his life, we can learn some key principles of how to make the most of our seasons of waiting.

Young David's victory over the Philistine giant Goliath is one of the most beloved stories in the Bible. Almost everyone knows it, but we often misunderstand its point. David and Goliath is not a story about how we can defeat the giants in our own lives with enough ingenuity, courage, and self-esteem. Instead, it is a story about God, and how He always defeats His enemies. Those who know and trust Him have the privilege of participating in His victories. Therefore, you and I can serve and proclaim Him boldly, without fear of death, Satan, or any other enemy who might line up against us.

Re-examine an oft overlooked and sometimes vilified mother from the OT and remember the invaluable truth that God sees us and hears in all of our circumstances.

What does the Scripture say about God's fairness and justice in saving men and women through Jesus?
For example, how do we deal with the reality that some people have greater opportunity to hear the gospel than other people? What about babies, or those who are incapable of understanding the gospel?
Can we trust that God always does what is right? As we examine these issues, we will learn that we worship a faithful, just, and infinitely gracious God.

The concept of hell is probably the most unpopular doctrine in Christianity. And yet, Jesus talked about hell quite a bit. What does the Scripture say about hell? Who goes there, and why? What is it like? And how can it be avoided?

Have you ever looked around you and thought, "The world should be better than this"? If so, what you're really longing for is heaven. When Jesus comes back, heaven will come down to earth. We will have perfect bodies, perfect hearts, perfect relationships, perfect surroundings, and perfect occupations. In the meanwhile, we place all of our hope in the promise of God's kingdom, and we share the good news that heaven is on its way.

Death is always a source of grief, and it always raises tough questions. Where do people go when they die? Is death permanent? Are heaven and hell real places? The Scripture tells us that death is our enemy, but Jesus has defeated it. Although we grieve, we can grieve with hope. Those who believe in Jesus can have assurance that they will live with Him forever. Not even death can defeat God's people, because Jesus has overcome it.

When we encounter a seemingly unbelievable story like the resurrection of Jesus, doubt is a normal response. Thomas wasn't the only disciple who doubted whether it was true. After all, people don't rise from the dead every day. But doubt doesn't have to be fatal to our faith. Jesus still loves doubters, and He can even use our doubts to strengthen our faith. When we acknowledge our questions and seek the truth, we can find an even deeper trust in Jesus on the other side of our doubt.

Money is a sensitive and personal subject for most people. Yet it's a topic that the Bible talks about a great deal. The way we use our money tells us a lot about our values. In the church, giving is one of the ways that we worship God. When we give, we're responding to the fact that He has been infinitely generous toward us, and we're also investing in eternity.

Serving isn't the most glamorous part of being involved in a church, but it is one of the most important parts! Jesus told His disciples that if we want to be truly great, we must learn how to serve. When we use our gifts to serve the body of Christ, we reflect the humble character of Christ so that others can know more about who He is. Serving also allows us to contribute to the growth and maturity of the church. Each of us has a critical role to play, and God calls us to serve joyfully and faithfully.

What is communion all about and why do we take it so seriously? Discover the history and significance of this unusual ceremony, and find out how to celebrate it in a way that delights God.

Baptism is a wonderful celebration of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus told us to baptized as a way of publicly proclaiming our faith in Christ and our desire to be a part of His Church. Baptism is a powerful symbol of the salvation that God has given in Jesus Christ.

The past year has revealed to us in painful ways that we are not in control of our circumstances. We find ourselves feeling much like Paul in Acts 27, tossed and beaten by a storm he neither chose nor caused. Though we cannot control life's storms, we know that God can. When we trust Him in the midst of the storms, He provides us with courage and the ability to encourage others, even when life feels out of control.

Why does the local church worship God through singing every week? Today's message teaches that through singing God's praises, God's people obey His commands, remember God's words, inspire devotion, strengthen their community, and anticipate their hope and future.

Is the Church only relevant to those who belong, or do we matter to the world? God's Word says that we matter greatly, because Jesus gave us the message of eternal life to carry into a world full of dying people. He sent us on a mission to help people find and follow Him, and He empowered us for the task. If you want your life to have an impact that lasts for eternity, invest in sharing the gospel and making disciples.

Does it really matter whether or not the church gathers together for worship? Is listening to a sermon online just as effective for our spiritual growth? Can we follow Jesus faithfully without being connected to a local church? The Bible tells us that when the church gathers in Jesus' name, God moves in extraordinary ways. When we gather together, we worship, we grow, and we proclaim God's greatness in ways that we could never do on our own.

Does church even matter anymore? What good can we possibly do when it seems like the world is falling apart at the seams? Does the Church have anything to say in the midst of the confusion, chaos, and strife that marks our world today? The Scripture tells us that the answer that question is, “Yes!” The Church is called to be an island of unity and purpose in a sea of strife and confusion.

What is the "one thing" you feel you need in order to make your life all that you want it to be? A happier marriage? More money? Better health? The Scripture tells us that real life comes from knowing Jesus first. When Jesus is our “one thing,” we can trust Him to take care of everything else. Will you and I commit to making Jesus the center of our lives, our highest priority, for the coming year?

The angels who announced Jesus' birth were powerful and impressive. But their glory pales in comparison to the glory of Jesus Himself. In fact, nothing and nobody else in the universe is as glorious, powerful, or trustworthy as Jesus. Everything we trust in will eventually fade away or disappoint us, but Jesus never will. He is better than the angels, and better than anything else we rely upon.

Every Christmas, we sing the same songs and read the same stories. If we aren't careful, the story of Christmas can being to feel stale and lose its wonder. How can we reclaim a sense of amazement and wonder during the Christmas season? The key is for us to make Jesus our primary focus, whether we are by ourselves, with our family, or out in the world.

The book of Micah
it's all about
the God of judgment, the God of hope and the God of pardon. But in Micah chapter 5, the prophet describes
particularly
the
Person of Christ
(v.2), and
the
Program
of Christ


(vv.3-15).








It is a good reminder that
when we are not walking with God… when we are not obeying Him… the most loving
thing that God can do
is to turn our hearts back to Him. -But sometimes that

means
through discipline. Therefore,
Christmas
serves as a reminder that the best gift God can give any person is the gift of Himself-and nothing else compares. But Jesus also brought in Himself other
gifts:
hope
and peace.
And there has to be an excitement to enjoy His presence today, tomorrow and for the rest of our lives.

Why can we be thankful in the midst of doubts, discouragement, danger, and dread? How can we cultivate gratitude when all we seem to have before us is pain, disappointment, loss, and great difficulty? The prophet Habakkuk shows us that we follow a God who is attentive to our needs, faithful to His people and His promises, and that He is in control and for our good!

Throughout Galatians, Paul has warned us that we cannot find eternal life through obeying the Law. Nor can we find it through following the desires of our flesh. Instead, he urges us to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, because only the Spirit can make us truly alive. But who is the Holy Spirit? What does He do, and how can we relate to Him? How can we pursue the life that God promises to us, through the power of the Holy Spirit?

If we walk by the Spirit, our relationships will be characterized by His fruit. Instead of apathy, we will care for one another. Instead of arrogance, our interactions will be marked with humility and love. Instead of wasting our time and energy on things that won't last, we will invest in things that are eternal. When we walk closely with the Spirit, our church will be a community filled with Christ's love and effective in our ongoing mission to make disciples.

Every moment of every day, we face a choice whether to listen to the desires of our flesh or to the leading of God's Spirit. The way of the flesh leads to sin, strife, and alienation from God. The way of the Spirit leads us to spiritual growth and a life that reflects the character of Jesus. Which will we choose?

We all want to experience true freedom which
allows human flourishing and for us to experience that which is genuine. But how do we experience the freedom that Christ offers? How does our identity determine our activity? Today we will see that there are three lifestyles which will either enslave us to our pride and passions, or offer us true freedom to fully love God and others.

Every church is called to the same mission: To make disciples of Jesus. At Grace Bible Church, we desire to make disciples not only in our local community, but all around the world. That is why we engage in world missions. All of us are called to participate in the mission that Jesus gave us. As we learn more about what God is doing around the world, we will be increasingly motivated to pray, to give, and to go.

We hear voices all around us preaching various “gospels,” both true and untrue. Paul tells us in the book of Galatians that false teaching about God will lead us into spiritual slavery. On the other hand, voices of truth will lead us to freedom and to the life that God wants for us. How can we tell the difference between truth and falsehood? How can we discern which voices are telling us the truth and which ones are not? Paul provides some answers to those questions in Galatians 4.

We live in a culture that is filled with division and anger. People are constantly arguing about everything, whether religion or politics or race or morality. All too often the same spirit of disunity creeps into our churches, and threatens to damage the body of Christ. But Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified so that we can represent Him faithfully in the midst of a sinful and chaotic world. How can Christians seek unity, then, even if we disagree about some things? We will find that when we unify around the things that matter the most, we will become more effective in the mission that Jesus has given us, to help people find and follow Him.

What labels define you? Do you find your identity in your job, your marital or family status, your race, your gender, your political party, your abilities, or something else? All of those labels have meaning, but the Scripture tells us that the most important label we wear is the one that says, “Child of God.” If you have trusted in Jesus for eternal life, then you are primarily identified by your relationship with Him. Understanding our identity in Christ has the power to liberate and to transform us like nothing else can.

If our hope for the future is dependent upon our own obedience to God, then we are doomed. Thank God that our hope is rooted in His faithfulness instead of our goodness. God has always been a gracious and promise-keeping God. He hasn't changed, but we see His grace and faithfulness most perfectly revealed in Jesus. Because of Jesus, we know that God has promised us forgiveness and eternal life that can never be taken away.

We all desire to measure up, to be enough, to be approved. Ultimately, there are two opposing orientations in seeking these desires: a life lived by works under the law, or a life lived by faith under the gospel of grace.

How can you know whether or not you are right with God? Does God approve of you based on how well you adhere to a certain list of rules? What if your list is different from somebody else's list, though? And what happens if you fail to obey the rules? Galatians tells us that God declares us righteous on the basis of what Jesus has done rather than on the basis of what we do. Only Jesus can make us right with God, now and forever.

For the past 55 years, Grace Bible Church has been helping people find and follow Jesus, both in Bryan/College Station and around the world. We have a passion for the Word of God, the gospel of grace, the power of students and families worshiping together, and the call to overseas missions. For the past two years, our Every Knee initiative has allowed us to take the next steps toward our unique vision as a church. We are grateful to God for how far He's brought us, and excited about what still lies ahead.

Do you expect God to do big things, genuinely supernatural things, in your life and in the lives of others? When Paul came to know Jesus, God changed his life in dramatic ways. He found a new story, a new message, and a new mission in life. The power of the gospel can reach the hardest of hearts and transform the worst of sinners. The power of the gospel can even change people like you and me.

How should we live when we are in the middle of an unfinished story, and the future is uncertain? The key is to obey the command that Jesus gave to his disciples before He departed for heaven. We are called to continue the work of making disciples, no matter what is going on in the world around us. We do that task through the power of God's Spirit until the day Jesus comes back.

We look at Proverbs to see the dangers of putting our desires over God's then walk through the benefit of trusting God's plan for our lives.

God gave us the desire and ability to connect with others in our various workplaces. What does it look like to not just have a testimony but live one at work?

What does it mean to be a good neighbor, not only to those who live on your street, but to those who live in your local community? Why is it important for those of us who follow Jesus to be good neighbors? The parable of the Good Samaritan was Jesus' answer to those questions.

If we love God deeply, we will care about the nations. God's kingdom extends far beyond America, because He is building a kingdom composed of men and women from every ethnic and racial group on the planet, a kingdom of people who speak different languages and come from different cultures. One day, we will all worship Him together around His throne. In the meanwhile, we have been commanded to participate in the task of making disciples among all of the nations. The Great Commission isn't an optional command. God has blessed us with eternal life so that we can share it with the world.

We all want to have good friends, and we all want to be good friends. God gave us that desire for friendship; we were not meant to walk alone. What does it mean to be a good friend, though? What sort of people should be in our inner circle? What sort of friends should we strive to become? The Bible says a lot about friendship, especially in the book of Proverbs. How can find friends and become friends who reflect the character of Jesus?

We were made for relationships because we were made in the image of a relational God. And the first relationship God designed for us was marriage - one man and one woman becoming one together as they follow God and love one another. It's not always easy, but when oneness begins to grow, the world sees a beautiful representation of the Triune God - Father, Son and Spirit.

Outside of our relationship with Jesus, no relationship in life is as formative as the relationship between a parent and child. It begins before birth, experiences the greatest amount of change over one's life, and when we're in the roll of parent, demands more time and energy than any other relationship we'll ever experience. So how can we do better, both as children and as parents, in this all-important relationship?

If you want relationships that will help you know Christ better, then there is no better place to be than the Church! The Church is God's family, united around Jesus. We each have a unique role to play as we seek to love one another and to reflect Jesus to the rest of the world. Will you and I step into our roles to serve and to love God's people as He has called us to do?

We all want good relationships. God created us in His image, designed to connect with Him and with other people. Sin makes our relationships hard, though. We are selfish, angry, and entitled; those attitudes damage our relationships deeply. But Jesus can heal and restore our broken relationships, so that they can become all that God intended them to be.

As we enter into the new year, 2020 will be wrought with many storms. Discover how Jesus' identity and ministry encourage believers to go from fear-based surviving to faith-based thriving!

The Christmas season does not always feel as peaceful as it should. In the midst of anxiety, chaos, and the darkness of the world, the coming of Jesus provides us with the hope of real and lasting peace.

Moses was one of the the greatest leaders in history. He was wise, bold, godly, and humble. He led the nation of Israel out of slavery toward the land that God had promised them. But Jesus is even greater than Moses. Moses spoke for God, but Jesus is God. Moses was a great leader, but Jesus is a perfect King. Moses declared God's Law, but Jesus offered eternal life. This Christmas, take a moment to thank God for revealing Himself to us through Somebody even greater than Moses, his one and only Son Jesus Christ.

As believers we are called and have the opportunity to thankful in all circumstances. We will be looking at how we can grow in gratitude even in difficult seasons of our lives.

Obeying authority is hard. We have a sinful desire to rebel against God and against our earthly authorities. The Bible is clear that our attitude toward authority exposes our attitude toward God. For that reason, it is critical for us to learn how to respond to authority in a way that honors God and reflects His character.

At the border of the Promised Land, the Israelites gave into fear and unbelief. The terrible consequence was that they forfeited their opportunity to experience the life that God wanted to give them. As we seek to follow God, we face a constant battle between trusting in Him or giving in to our fears. We can choose to focus on His power and His faithfulness, or we can choose to focus on everything that scares us. The choice is ultimately between a life of joy and impact in God's service, or a life of self-protection, a life that will never be all that God intends to give us.

God's plans are precisely followed to build the Tabernacle: a dwelling in the very midst of His people demonstrating His passion to be with us and vividly foreshadowing Christ's atoning work.

God gave Israel a rhythm for worship - daily, weekly, annually and generationally - because all of life is intended for worship. We get out of rhythm when we listen to another song - life is food, or houses, or career, or sex, etc. We get back in rhythm when we consciously, actively seek to praise God through all that we say, do, think and feel because He is worthy of our entire lives.

Your work matters as much to God as your church attendance because God created you to work. Discover what God's Law says about your vocation.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "holy"? If you're like most people, you probably think of words like, "boring" and "self-righteous." The Bible tells us, though, that holiness is anything but boring, and it is definitely not self-righteous. Instead, holiness means that we are reserved for a special purpose, to know and to represent the character of God. Nothing could be more important, and nothing is more difficult to do! How can we be holy people when the world around us, and even our own hearts, are full of sin and rebellion?

All of us are tempted to make God in our image. We want a God that we can control, one who will always approve of our actions and give us whatever we want. The Bible calls that idolatry, and there are severe consequences for it; the path of idolatry leads to destruction and death. However, God is infinitely gracious. He is eager to forgive, He always keeps His promises, and He even lavishes His blessings on undeserving people like you and me.

God's laws are not arbitrary: They reflect His holiness and His love for His people. His commands are designed for our own good, because we are created to have a relationship with Him and to represent Him to the world. But we also have a problem: We are unable and unwilling to obey His laws. To solve that problem, we need what the law cannot provide us. We need the forgiveness and power that only Jesus can provide.

In Exodus 15-18, we see God meet the physical needs of His people while also addressing their greatest need of trusting in Him.

God's final plague was the worst one: The firstborn in every Egyptian home would die, and then Pharaoh would finally let God's people go. For the Israelites, though, they could offer a perfect, spotless lamb as a substitute for their firstborn sons. When God saw the blood, He would pass over that house and they would escape God's judgment. One day, God would send another Lamb, perfect and spotless, to be offered as a substitute for our lives. And all who trust in the blood of that Lamb, God's only Son Jesus, will escape God's judgment and receive eternal life. Just as the Israelites were called to remember what God had done on Passover, we are called to remember and to stand in awe of all that God has done for us in Jesus.

When Moses finally decided to obey God, things did not go as well as he hoped they would. Instead of letting the Israelites go, Pharaoh decided to make their lives even harder! Hadn't God promised to deliver the people out of slavery? If so, why was this happening? God had not forgotten or abandoned His promises. Instead, God allowed Pharaoh to oppose Him, in order to make the point that God alone is in charge of the universe. Nobody can defeat His plan, and the plagues demonstrated that reality. The only question is whether or not we will submit to Him. Will we trust God with all that we can't control, and simply obey Him in what He has called us to do?

God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery and out of Egypt. Moses did not want the job. He told God he had the wrong guy and should send somebody else instead. But God knew exactly what He was doing. Moses's lack of qualifications was irrelevant, because God would be with him, providing everything he would need to get the job done. All Moses had to do was trust in God and obey His instructions, and the plan would work out perfectly. For those of us who feel unqualified or afraid to do God's will, the story of Moses reminds us that He is always faithful, always with us, and always gracious to provide what we need.

The people of Israel had fallen on hard times. They were slaves in Egypt, far from their homeland. Where was God, the One who had promised them a land of their own and enough blessing to share with the whole world? Despite appearances, God was still with them, and God was still at work. And the same is true for us today: even when we cannot see what God is doing, and even when our lives look dark and uncertain, God is at work building His kingdom through people like you and me.

It is easy to lose focus and to forget about our most important priorities in life. For our church, we want to stay focused on our core values and the mission God has called us to do. Our desire is to share the gospel and make disciples in this community and around the world. How can we stay focused on what really matters?

Consider your priorities. The prophet Haggai encourages us to consider our priorities as Christians to prioritize our relationship with God and the building of His kingdom.

Why do the unrighteous prosper and the righteous suffer with no reward? Malachi's words are as timely today as they were 2400 years ago: Don't be deceived or discouraged by the delay. Live today in light of that day when God's Messenger will set all things right.

God loves marriage and hates divorce. After His Son, Jesus Christ, marriage is the greatest gift the Father has given to mankind. May we also learn to love, nurture and protect this wonderful gift.

There is no higher privilege or calling than to worship and serve the one, true God. Are we giving Him the honor due to His name?

God loves you! And He demonstrates this love not through pleasant circumstances, but through the extravagant provision of eternal life through the death of His Son.

Thomas is often referred to as "Doubting Thomas," as if he is the only disciple who doubted Christ's resurrection. But the truth is that he wasn't alone; the other disciples had their doubts also. So do we. Every Christian eventually struggles with doubt: Is God real? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Does God love me? Doubt is common, and it can be destructive to our faith. But doubt can also be a means by which God strengthens our faith, teaching us to trust Him even when we don't understand everything.

Jesus crossed cultural, religious, and social barriers to reach a woman that others had overlooked and dismissed. He knew that nobody is too lost for salvation, and nobody is too hopeless to make an impact on others. Will you and I cross barriers, even at the risk of our own comfort, to introduce people to Jesus? He is the source of eternal life, the true fountain of living water!

Followers of the King will face resistance through rejection, opposition, and seclusion. As we walk through the life and death of John the Baptist, we learn how to respond to resistance with righteousness thus reflecting the hope to which we cling!

Late in the evening Jesus comes walking on the water and challenges Peter to step out of the boat and walk to him. God calls us to step out of our "boat" and follow him everyday. So what got Peter out of the boat and how do we do the same?

The trials and challenges of our lives reveal our inner character. Under pressure, Stephen proved to be a man who had cultivated Christ-like character. What about us? When we display Christ-like character under pressure and pain, we demonstrate the power of the gospel to transform our lives and the lives of those around us.

In the Gospel of John, the author refers to himself as "the disciple Jesus loved." John talks about love more than any other New Testament author, because he was deeply changed by the love of Jesus. His life and his ministry were forever marked by the reality that the Son of God loved him. Is the same thing true for you? Is your life anchored in the love of Jesus, or is it anchored in the things of this earth?

By looking at how the Apostle Philip in the New Testament, we can learn what it means to find and follow Jesus.

Doubt doesn't disqualify you from Jesus' love or purpose for your life.

Paul begins as a driven Pharisee out to make a name for himself, and he ends as a hard-working faithful servant of Christ. A key piece of his transformation was his time away with Christ.

Moms have a challenging but deeply significant job. In the day-to-day struggles of raising kids, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. What are you trying to accomplish in the long run? Mary, the mother of Jesus, provides us with a great example of how to view the parenting task: it is a role to be treasured as we participate in the mental, physical, spiritual, and social growth of our children.

The early church practiced radical generosity. They gave sacrificially to one another and to the mission of the gospel. Instead of causing them stress, their generosity brought them a greater degree of joy and happiness. This morning, we will look at the power of generosity, and why the Scripture calls us to practice radical generosity for the sake of the mission of the gospel.

When Christ ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples a mission to accomplish. He instructed us to spread the message of His love to every nation, until the day He returns. He did not leave us alone, though: He gave us the power of His Spirit to help us accomplish the task. What are you doing to participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, here and around the world?

We all need hope. But in the face of a world filled with sin, death, tragedy, and suffering, we find ourselves struggling to maintain our hope. After Jesus died, His disciples also struggled to keep their hope alive: if the Messiah was dead, then their future was lost. But we know the whole story now! Jesus rose from the dead, defeating every enemy and restoring our hope. So where do you place your hope? Will you fix all of your hope on Jesus, trusting Him to provide you with eternal life, everlasting joy, and peace with God?

Barabbas was a convicted murderer, waiting execution. He was guilty, and he deserved his punishment. But he received an unexpected pardon. Jesus went to the cross instead of Barabbas. He went free because Jesus became His substitute. Barabbas' story is also our story: we are guilty of crimes against God, we deserve eternal separation from God, but Jesus took the punishment that we earned. The good news is that we have been set free because Jesus became our Substitute.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, He did not leave His followers alone. He sent the Holy Spirit, who draws people to Jesus, washes away our sin, reminds us of what is true, and gives us the power to obey God. Will we believe and obey His voice?

For most of us, our mental image of the good life does not include doing menial service. We don't mind serving others as long as doing so is not inconvenient or humiliating. But Jesus set a different pattern for us. He served His disciples even when it was inconvenient, and He even served His betrayer willingly. Humble service is one of the most powerful ways to reflect the love, strength, and sacrifice of Jesus.

A few days before His death, Jesus cleared out the Temple court. He knocked over tables, scattered coins everywhere, and used a whip to drive away the animals and their merchants. What made Him so angry? We see from this passage how deeply Jesus cares about worship, and how much He wants everybody to have the opportunity to worship His Father. Do we share Jesus' concerns? Do we make room for worship and help draw others into worship?

The greatest antidote to discontent and anxiety is to remember God's character. We see God's loyal love reflected in creation, in history, and in the free gift of salvation. Psalm 136 reminds us, over and over again, that His love endures forever.

In Mark 3 Jesus explains the defining quality of what true disciples of God must do, prompting us to ask the question, "Are we living as false followers or faithful followers?"

We are designed to live in community. Come explore what biblical community looks like and how God uses it to impact the world.

Romans 8:28 is often used to comfort those in the midst of trial, to encourage them that everything will work out alright. Is this an accurate understanding of the passage? What does it mean for Christians to affirm that God will work all things together for good?

Does God promise parents that if we raise our children properly, they will grow up to be God-fearing adults? How do we respond to those whose experiences do not match that expectation? Proverbs 22:6 is one of the most commonly quoted verses about parenting. We will examine its meaning and how to apply it properly.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says that if God's people will humble themselves, pray, and stop disobeying Him, then He heal their nation and bless it. Does this promise apply to the United States? Does it apply to the church in the United States? As we continue our (Mis)Understood series, we will examine whether God has promised to respond to our prayers by giving us material prosperity and national revival.

Do not judge is one of the most widely quoted phrases in the entire Bible. But does it mean what we think it means? Is it ever acceptable to judge people? If so, when, and for what? As we begin our (Mis)Understood series, we will shed some light on this widely misinterpreted verse.

Living in authentic community within the local church makes us more like Christ and marks us as Christ followers to the world.

Living in authentic community within the local church makes us more like Christ and marks us as Christ followers to the world.

The world often feels chaotic and out of control. We long for a leader who will fix our problems and give us hope for the future. Jesus came, in fulfillment of God's promises, to be that leader. He is the perfect King, who will overturn the curse of sin and death and establish God's kingdom forever.

As we sing Christmas carols, exchange gifts, and gather with our families, it's easy to lose sight of the power of the first Christmas. Christmas is a story of God's Son entering our world and becoming a Man. It's a powerful reminder that God loves us, God understands us, and God is saving us.

Our relationship with money is a reflection of our relationship with God. When we are worried and anxious about money, or when we hoard it greedily, we demonstrate a lack of trust in God's provision. But when we are content, we are free from money's control over our lives. And contentment leads us toward generosity, which has great benefits, both now and for eternity.

Christ follower's lives should be characterized by constant joy, yet our lives don't seem to be marked by a perpetual unfading joy, but rather fear, worry, and anxiety. In Philippians 4:4-9, Paul will give the antidote to anxiety, how the Church can practically overcome her worry.

Unresolved conflict threatens the unity and the mission of the church. Reconciliation is difficult, but necessary, if we are to fulfill our mission as representatives of Jesus Christ. But how can we resolve conflict in a way that is honoring to Jesus?

The world we live in is full of darkness. Many people live like they are God's enemies, and even Christians can be swept up in the darkness and sin of the world. But we are citizens of God's kingdom. How can we remain focused on the things of heaven when we are surrounded and tempted by the things of earth?

Paul encourages the church of Philippi to keep their eye on the prize and helps them continue towards the goal of knowing Jesus.

There is no way to be good enough to earn God's approval. God does not accept us on the basis of our works, but only on the basis of our relationship with Jesus. The spiritual life is a matter of trusting the grace of God through Jesus Christ, from beginning to end.

Is your life worthy of imitation? Do you reflect the character of Jesus Christ and lead others to follow Him more closely? Timothy and Epaphroditus understood that their lives were meant to be Christ-like examples for others to follow. Will we also seek to lead lives that reflect Jesus Christ and are worthy of being imitated?

When we understand and believe the gospel, it motivates us to respond in gratitude. Once we know Jesus, we are called spend the rest of our lives learning how to be more like Him. As a result, our thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions will change as we increasingly reflect our Savior.

We are all selfish sometimes. We fight for our own rights, and we pursue what makes us happy at the expense of other people. As followers of Jesus, though, we are called to surrender our rights for the sake of the gospel. We are commanded to have the attitude of Jesus, who surrendered His rights for the sake of God's glory and our salvation.

Believers public expression of their faith must be grounded in the gospel.

How do you respond when your circumstances are not what you hoped for? Do you lose your sense of joy and purpose in life? In the face of hardship, will we grow bitter, or will we focus on what God is doing through us? As we study Philippians 1:19-26, we see that what happens TO us is less important than what God is doing THROUGH us.

How would you feel if you were on a team that couldn't lose? You would be bold and fearless, willing to take risks, because you would know that the outcome was certain. For those who know Jesus Christ, we know that we are on God's winning team. No opposition or sin can stop the progress of the gospel. Nothing in the universe can thwart God's plan to bring men and women to know Him. As a result, we can boldly and fearlessly share the gospel, no matter what the circumstances.

Often our prayers are rooted in fear or selfishness. But when Paul prayed for the Philippian church, he prayed for something surprising: that they would grow in love. He understood that when are full of God's love, we will have a deeper understanding of who God is, and what He wants for us. As a result, we will become more and more righteous, living lives that are pleasing to Him. Will we pray this year to be increasingly filled with the love of God, given to us in Jesus Christ?

When you hear the phrase, "the good life," what comes to mind? We chase after the good life, but we often find ourselves lonely and unfulfilled. But when we pour our lives out for the gospel, we can find the meaning and the community we are longing for. Will we agree with God's definition of the good life, and pursue it according to His design?

The book of Philippians challenges us to pour out our lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Compared to His glory and grace, our small desires, self-righteous works, and earthly loyalties are of very little value.

We are called to help people find and follow Jesus. That sounds like a daunting task! After all, we often feel inadequate and ill-prepared. But God has promised to be with us as we share the good news of the gospel. He designed the mission, He chose us as His messengers, and He goes ahead of us to pave the way. Will we be faithful and obedient to His call?

We all face the temptation to be lazy worshipers, to give God half-hearted or begrudging offerings rather than the best we have to offer. But worship is a wonderful privilege, intended to be a joyful response to God's generosity and love toward us. How can we arrange our lives so that they are full of joyful and whole-hearted worship?

God has designed us to find significance and value in Him alone. When we attempt to draw identity from anything else we will be driven to discouragement, but even then hope can be found.

God has proclaimed that He is abounding in loyal love and faithfulness. We find freedoms in life when we intentionally press into the secure, loving, faithful, daily relationship that He offers.

You're never too young, too old, or too far away from God to begin a life of faithfulness. Josiah became king over Judah at eight years old. Through the life and process of Josiah's kingship, we can learn how to replace idolatry with worship, becoming more and more obedient to the worthy calling God has given us.

Pain and tragedy is a reality for every person. Ezekiel illustrates to us that when Christians respond to pain and tragedy differently than how the world expects, we get the world's attention. We can redirect our pain towards a purpose.

There is a pattern repeated throughout Christian history: God appears, God forgives, and God sends. Isaiah 6 illustrates this pattern for us as Isaiah encounters God during national crisis and mourning.

At times it is difficult, perhaps even frightening, to live everyday life on mission. David demonstrates through the illustration of God as our Shepherd that we can confidently seize opportunities to live a life on mission and engage in spiritual significance in everyday interactions.

God calls fearful, doubtful, and insecure people to be his agents of redemption in this dark and sinful world. He wants to use us for His purposes, despite our inadequacies and anxieties. Will we boldly obey and proclaim Him, even when we do not feel adequate for the task?

It's easy to start a race, but it's much harder to finish it. The same is true of Christian life. Too many people give up or simply drift toward apathy when the going gets tough. God's servant Caleb refused to quit, though. He trusted God's promises and pursued God's path to the very end. Are you and I on a trajectory to finish our lives well, faithfully pursuing Jesus until the very end?

Sin is destructive. It ruins communities, defames God, and destroys lives. But we can find a path to restoration if we confess and seek forgiveness from our gracious god.

The grace of God is powerful. Much like strong seasoning, it only takes a little bit to influence an entire culture. A few faithful followers of Jesus can make a big impact on the world around them. How, then, can we make the most of every opportunity to reflect and share the good news of Jesus Christ?

God's plans are often difficult to understand, but we can always trust His character. He knows what He's doing, even when we don't. The unusual conquest of Jericho reveals God's faithfulness, holiness, and mercy, and paves the way for His fame to grow throughout the nations.

If you've ever felt inadequate to do what God is asking, the book of Joshua will encourage you. God often gives us tasks that are beyond our natural ability, but then he provides everything we need to accomplish His work. Even better, He graciously rewards us for our obedience.

There are many voices in our culture enticing us to find our value in things that are poor substitutes for God. Hannah found peace, not from having her desires fulfilled but when she placed her desires in God's hands.

Most of us believe in generosity. But believing in generosity is different from actually being generous. How can we become generous, giving what we have to God with open hearts and open hands? We become more generous by learning to give consistently, sacrificially, joyfully, and wisely.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We are rich! Of course, we normally don't think of ourselves as rich because we measure our wealth only in comparison to people who have more than we have. But compared to the rest of the world, we are rich, both materially and spiritually. And because we are rich, God will hold us responsible.

Some investments simply don't work out - they decline in value or disappear altogether. In fact, from the Bible's point of view, all earthly wealth will ultimately lose all of its value unless it is converted into something of eternal value - PEOPLE. God loves people because people are made in His image, and they will all live forever, with Him or apart from Him. So invest your life - your treasure, your time, your talent - in helping people find and follow Jesus.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

Sometimes we can learn as much from the questions Jesus asked as we can from the statements He made. In John 20, after He rose from the dead, Jesus asked His friends three questions: First, why are you weeping? Second, whom are you seeking? Third, have you believed? The answers to those questions will reveal our hearts and shape our eternal destinies.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the crowds praised Him as their King and Messiah. But they did not really understand who Jesus was, or what He came to offer them. They thought they needed deliverance from their earthly enemies; they really needed salvation from their sin. Their real problem was not the Roman government; it was the wickedness in their own hearts. That is our problem, as well, and that is why Jesus came. He offers forgiveness and salvation on the basis of His death and resurrection to everyone who believes in Him.

Eternal life is a free gift that God will never take away from those who have trusted in Jesus. You and I can worship and serve God in freedom, knowing that our relationship with Him is secure.

Our time is the most valuable resource we have been given, because it is irreplaceable and limited. God calls us to use our time in ways that honor Him and further His purposes in the world.

All sin is inherently addictive! Therefore, all of us need to know how to find hope and victory against the bad habits and sinful addictions that will, if left unchecked, destroy our lives. Discover both biblical principles and practical steps to aid in your fight for faithfulness.

Fear and anxiety are unavoidable in this precarious world. While some of us struggle with these only periodically, many others suffer daily with full-blown panic attacks and anxiety disorders. So how do you find hope and healing when fear and anxiety invade your life?

Sadly, following Jesus doesn't spare us from the discouragements of this life nor protect us from the possibility of depression. But there is good news. We can find hope even in our darkest moments. Here's how.

Loneliness touches all of our lives. So, how can we find genuine, enduring hope in the midst of crushing loneliness? And how can we help others struggling with loneliness?

How do we deal with the reality that some people have greater opportunity to hear the gospel than other people? What about babies, or those who are incapable of understanding the gospel? What does the Scripture say about God's fairness and justice in saving men and women through Jesus? Can we trust Him?

The concept of hell is probably the most unpopular doctrine in Christianity. And yet, Jesus talked about hell quite a bit. What does the Scripture say about hell? Who goes there, and why? What is it like? And how can it be avoided?

Have you ever looked around you and thought, "The world should be better than this"? If so, you are really longing for heaven. When Jesus comes back, heaven will come to earth. We will have perfect bodies, perfect relationships, perfect surroundings, and perfect occupations. In the meanwhile, we place all of our hope in the promise of God's kingdom, and we share the good news that heaven is on its way.

We often focus on heaven as being a mysterious place in the future, but much of our life, ministry, and relationships are shaped by our understanding of heaven.

Death is always a source of grief, and it always raises tough questions. Where do people go when they die? Is death permanent? Are heaven and hell real places? The Scripture tells us that death is our enemy, but Jesus has defeated it. Although we grieve, we can grieve with hope. Those who believe in Jesus can have assurance that they will live with Him forever. Not even death can defeat God's people, because Jesus has overcome it.

Death is always a source of grief, and it always raises tough questions. Where do people go when they die? Is death permanent? Are heaven and hell real places? The Scripture tells us that death is our enemy, but Jesus has defeated it. Although we grieve, we can grieve with hope. Those who believe in Jesus can have assurance that they will live with Him forever. Not even death can defeat God's people, because Jesus has overcome it.

Our world is broken, full of sin and sadness. We need a righteous and perfect leader to save us. The good news of Christmas is that God sent us a King to save us and to lead us into a perfect future. This Christmas, let's pause and worship our King and submit our lives to His authority.

We are in the midst of a spiritual war, a fight to remain faithful to Jesus in the midst of a hostile world. The good news is that God has provided everything we need in order to win. He calls us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that the war has been won in Jesus Christ.

God created human beings for work, and He cares about our work. He cares more about our character than about our position, and He will reward those who faithfully represent Christ through their work, even when it is difficult to do so.

Why do we sing during our worship services? What is the point? Is it just filling time before the message or does it serve a greater purpose?

Parenting is a difficult and exhausting task, but it's also a deeply rewarding and eternally significant task, as well. The relationship between parents and children works best when we keep in mind the most important goal, that children learn to trust and follow Jesus.

Marriage can be wonderful, but it can also be challenging. However, God intended our marriages to be a reflection of the relationship between Jesus and the church. As each partner fulfills his or her role in marriage, the world gets a glimpse of the love of Jesus.

At important moments in their history, the people of Israel paused to remember God's faithfulness and prepare for what was ahead of them. This week, we pause to thank God for His faithfulness to Grace Creekside and to look ahead with joy to all that He has in store for us.

If we know Jesus, we are called to run from the darkness of sin, and to walk in the Light of Christ's love. Instead of sin, God wants us to pursue holiness. The best antidote to sin is to flood our hearts and minds with praise and thanksgiving.

Put off old habits and patterns.

Jesus has called us to a new way of life, a life free from the lies and selfishness of sin. He wants us to walk in a way consistent with His righteousness and holiness. In order to do that, we need to daily set aside our old sinful ways and put on the new way of life we have learned from Jesus.

In light of the gospel, God's people are called to walk in unity and love, as a reflection of the love of Jesus. When we use our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ, we are contributing to the maturity of the church, so that God's people can become all that He wants us to be. Will you use your gifts for the benefit of the church?

Perhaps our greatest need is to know that God truly loves us. In Jesus Christ, He demonstrated His perfect and unbelievably wonderful love toward us. The more we understand and experience Christ's love for us, the more we are equipped to reflect and share that love with those around us.

God calls his Church to unity, not uniformity, as a witness to His multi-colored wisdom.

The gospel is the only hope for reconciliation between us and God, and between us and other groups of people. Through Jesus, God has turned outsiders into insiders, and enemies into friends. Once we understand the gospel, we will understand that our first allegiance is not to our earthly tribes, but instead to the kingdom of God in Jesus.

When we were dead in our sin, God's grace gave us life. The best news in the world is that God freely gave us eternal life through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. We only have to believe in order to receive it.

We all struggle at times with feelings of despair: the future seems hopeless, and we feel unimportant and powerless to change anything. But the book of Ephesians tells us that, for those who know Jesus, we have hope, we have value, and we have access to the power of God. The deeper we know Jesus, the more we understand that we have everything we need in Him.

God has given us every imaginable spiritual blessing. We have been chosen by God, redeemed in Jesus, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. When we understand the spiritual blessings we have been given, we will seek to know Jesus better and to help other people know Him as well.

Knowing who you are helps you plan your future. The same principle applies to a church: once we understand who we are (our values), we can better understand where we're going (our vision). In this message, teaching pastor Matt Morton talks about the values and vision of Grace Bible Church, and how the Creekside campus fits into the big picture.

Like any loving father, God disciplines His people. He loves us and knows that holiness is the best path to a close relationship with Him and with His church. Church discipline is a tool that God uses to preserve the holiness and purity of His church, to protect Christ's reputation in the world, and to restore sinners who repent.

The Scripture is a treasure, more valuable than any earthly treasure we could hope for. All too often we do not make use of it - it sits in our homes unread. How can we overcome the barriers that keep us from reading God's Word and make it a habit for the coming year?

In the midst of our pain and suffering, we often feel misunderstood, alone, and completely out of control. Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows everything about us, is everywhere with us, and has a perfect plan. As a result, we can trust Him in every situation.

Worship is so much more than singing in church on Sunday mornings. But to do it well, we need humility, knowledge, and inspiration. Discover all three in Psalm 113.

Psalm 105 praises God for our shared identity as His people because there is always potential for incredible confusion over who we are, what we need, and how we should live.

Just as our bodies need water to live, so our souls need God for life. Unfortunately, we put things (even good things) in God's rightful place in our hearts. The truth is only God can satisfy our soul's deepest needs.

Although we are tempted to envy the success of wicked people, true success is found as we commune with the living God.

We live in a world that is constantly in rebellion against God. But God's kingdom will prevail, and God's King, Jesus Christ, will reign forever. He will destroy all rebels and establish His throne over the entire world. The question for each of us is whether we will submit to God's one true King, or whether we will rebel and face the consequences.

God is greater than anything we fear. He is always with us and promises salvation to the one who trusts Him. For that reason, He is our courage when we're afraid. For the person who trusts God, there is nothing to fear.

For better or worse we'll be on the internet and social media till death do us part. So we must learn how to live online as followers of Christ, and as parents, how to train our kids to do the same. Discover biblical principles and research-based practices to guide your online life.
[PARENTAL WARNING: This sermon may not be appropriate for very young children. It is, however, appropriate and necessary for all children who are on social media or the internet.]

We have a crucial need. There is a profound solution and a gracious response.

The path of righteousness to blessing and life, but the path of wickedness leads to destruction and death. Which way will you choose?

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples, but we often feel ill-equipped and afraid to obey. A few simple principles can help us effectively share the gospel and make disciples in our sphere of influence.

Every area of our lives is intended to reflect the character and love of Jesus. Mothers have an opportunity to demonstrate His character through everyday faithfulness to the work God has placed in front of them. Even the small and unnoticed tasks of parenting matter when done for God's glory.

Jesus commanded His disciples to go into every nation on earth and make disciples. The Great Commission applies to every Christian; it is not optional for those who know Jesus. We are called to share the gospel, and teach others about Jesus. The good news is that we are not alone: Jesus promised to stay with us and give us the power we need to finish the task.

The Gospel is a story that's too good to be true, except that it is true. Join us as we look a the reality of the resurrection.

We all deserve death because of our sin and rebellion against God, but Christ died in our place. Now He offers us righteousness in place of sin, life in place of death, and a relationship with God in place of alienation. In response, He calls us to trust Him, rejoice in the life He has given, and follow in His footsteps.

The world's economy operates according to merit, but God's kingdom operates on grace. Grace is surprising, and even scandalous, to people accustomed to relationships based on merit. Grace is unearned, unfair, unlimited, and unparalleled. Thank God that He does not give us what we deserve, but instead provides us with eternal life, and so much more, on the basis of His grace in Jesus Christ.

If we love God, we will want to obey Him. All too often, obedience to God feels like a chore. But Jesus explains to us that obedience ought to spring from loving God and loving others. Love is at the heart of God's Law, because He loves us, and wants to know us. How, then, can we grow our love for God and love for others?

We all desire greatness. We want to be important, respected, and significant. We are tempted to manipulate our circumstances in order to achieve earthly greatness. But Jesus says that greatness in His kingdom can only be found through humble service. Will we follow the example of Christ, who willingly became a servant for the sake of God's kingdom?

Jesus is fully God and fully man. We ought never to believe that His humanity diminishes His deity, or that His love diminishes His holiness. Jesus is everything that God is. However, He allows us to approach Him to receive eternal life, and a relationship with God. We are called to approach with confidence, but also with reverence.

As Jesus lays out the Lord's Prayer and tells us to pray "Thy Kingdom Come", by praying this we are anticipating, representing, and proclaiming the future Kingdom of God.

Christ's response to Peter's belief was to call him (and us) into a new way of life.

The leaders of the nation of Israel rejected their Messiah, because He did not meet their expectations. You and I have the choice to accept Jesus as He is, or to reject Him. Will we accept and trust Jesus, even when He does not meet our personal expectations for who He should be?

Our Father's love knows no limits. As He has forgiven us, and because He has forgiven us, we can forgive others. And as we forgive, others experience the love of our Father through us. Let us then learn to forgive.

When Jesus returns He will turn the world upside down. What the world values now will not be valued then; and what the world dismisses now will not be dismissed then. Discover what to do now so you can have a life worth celebrating when Jesus returns.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the hardest portions of Scripture to understand. At its heart, though, the Sermon on the Mount tells us that we are nowhere near good enough to enter God's kingdom on our own. The good news, however, is that Jesus is good enough and gracious enough to get us in.

Jesus' character and nature demonstrate that He is uniquely qualified as the Messiah. The question of Matthew's gospel is, "Will we accept Him as our King and submit to His terms in order to enter God's kingdom?"

Matthew's gospel presents Jesus as the One True King, the Sovereign over all. Will you follow Him, or will you give your allegiance to another? Will you follow Him, or will you choose to rule over your own life? He promises us fullness of life, a life that can be found in no other.

Prayer is difficult for most of us. We don't always believe it makes a difference, and our prayer lives are troubled by guilt, distraction and pride. But prayer matters, because it is our primary way of communicating with God. Will we make the decision this semester to simply show up in prayer and persevere, even when it is tough to do?

We live in a cycle of business but God created us for more than what we can produce. Join us as we look at how to create healthy cycles in the life God gave us to live.

We live in a cycle of business but God created us for more than what we can produce. Join us as we look at how to create healthy cycles in the life God gave us to live.

Angels were sent to deliver the good news of the Savior's coming and His arrival. There is great significance in the way in which God used these splendid creatures to announce the Messiah. Yet the angels, even in all of their glory, point us to the One who is greater - the One we are to worship.

We have heard the Christmas story so many times, that we run the risk of losing our wonder at Christ's birth. But to the shepherds who first heard the good news about Jesus, the story was anything but boring. This Christmas, let's respond to Christ's birth like those who heard about it first, with a sense of wonder and worship that God would become a man to save the world.

Mary and Joseph were an ordinary couple, who had a baby in a small town called Bethlehem. From a human perspective, Jesus' birth was insignificant and unremarkable. But God often chooses ordinary people, in ordinary places, to accomplish extraordinary work.

Mary and Joseph were an ordinary couple, who had a baby in a small town called Bethlehem. From a human perspective, Jesus' birth was insignificant and unremarkable. But God often chooses ordinary people, in ordinary places, to accomplish extraordinary work.

The Incarnation of Jesus reminds us that God understands us completely, loves us unconditionally, and saves us graciously. As we celebrate Advent, we remember that every grief and pain is overcome by the presence of God with us in Jesus Christ.

The call to Christian unity requires breaking down walls and great effort.

In the face of this stressful election season, we can avoid both panic and fatalism by grounding ourselves in the truth of God's Word. God sits above our human politics, but He cares about the government. We are called to faithfully represent Him in the world, but to recognize that He is ultimately in control of the world. We take those truths into the voting booth and into our community as we engage in every day acts of ordinary faithfulness.

If you follow Jesus long enough, you will eventually experience the loneliness of discipleship. Some people will oppose you, some will desert you, and a few will stay with you. You can be faithful to Jesus, though, because Jesus is faithful to you. He is true to His people, His mission, and His promises.

In Paul's final benediction to Timothy, we will see what it means to live a life of legacy by making Jesus known to humanity through evangelism and discipleship.

Despite the chaos of our world, we can trust that Jesus is always present, and always more powerful than the chaos around us.

We live in dark days. The Bible is clear that the world will be full of sin and darkness until Jesus returns. God's people will face persecution and hostility. Nonetheless, we carry a bright light, which is the good news of Jesus. Let's pray for those who are persecuted, provide for their needs, and prepare for the possibility of persecution.

Holiness makes us useful to God. We are commanded to run away from sin and pursue the righteousness of God, because pursuing holiness allows us to more effectively share the gospel and make disciples. Does your life reflect the righteous character of God?

Worthless words are a sickness, but God's Word is the cure. We are to avoid foolish arguments, and speculations about matters of secondary importance. Instead, we want to be grounded in the Word of God, so we can know and serve Him well.

Endurance in the faith is difficult, because it seems like there are so many good reasons to quit. But endurance is worth whatever it costs, because the gospel is true, and Jesus has promised us an eternal reward.

Making disciples is a task worth all our attention and all our energy. Draw your strength from Jesus, invest your life in the task, and do not get sidetracked.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a priceless treasure worth defending, even if we must endure shame or suffering to do so.

Fear is the enemy of faithfulness, but God's Spirit can vanquish our fear.

Like every organization, the values of Grace Bible Church determine what we believe and do. We are a church that values the gospel of grace, the Word of God, and people. As a result, we desire to teach God's Word, and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to men and women in this community and around the world.

Are you saved? How do you know, and what does that question even mean? As we look deeper at one of the most important topics in Christianity, we'll discover that salvation is bigger, older, and freer than we ever could have imagined.

The Church is Christ's body, the only organization that He has specifically commissioned to represent His character and purposes in the world. When the Church is faithfully worshipping and proclaiming Jesus Christ, it is the most spiritually powerful organization in the world.

Eternal life is a free gift that God will never take away from those who have trusted in Jesus. You and I can worship and serve God in freedom, knowing that our relationship with Him is secure.

Angels are powerful spirit beings, created by God to worship and to serve Him. They remind us that God is great, that God loves us, and that we are in a spiritual war that God will win.

We're studying theology because God wants us to love Him with all our minds along with our hearts - because learning about God leads to knowing God, and knowing God is the goal of life. Today, we're focusing on The End Times, specifically how all Believers can embrace truth and experience hope.

We're studying theology because God wants us to love Him with all our minds along with our hearts - because learning about God leads to knowing God, and knowing God is the goal of life. Today, we're focusing on The End Times, specifically how all Believers can embrace truth and experience hope.

The purpose of sanctification is that God's people would be set apart to bring glory to Him and be a blessing to others.

What is the Bible and why is it worth your time? How do we know our Bibles are reliable if we don't have the original manuscripts? Are you really supposed to take the Bible literally? Why do we have these 66 books and not others? What do you do when you don't understand the meaning of a passage?

Knowing God is foundational to what we believe, how we live and who we worship. By studying His attributes, we are drawn into a deeper understanding and appreciation of who God is. This, in turn, stirs our hearts to worship and transforms our lives.

We are all living in sin, and we are all dying from sin. Although we were designed to reflect God's holy character, sin has damaged our ability to do so. Apart from God's intervention, we all face spiritual and physical death as a consequence of sin.

We human beings are beautifully made, but we are also badly broken. We were made in God's image, designed to reflect and to represent His glory. Sin, however, has deeply damaged us, and the gospel is the only remedy.

The Triune God is unlike any other god. He is personal; He is relational; He is giving, sacrificing, and serving. He is love. He is Father, Son and Spirit - three persons and One God, all delighting in one another, and loving their creation in a manner far beyond any love we have ever experienced in this world.

The Triune God is unlike any other god. He is personal; He is relational; He is giving, sacrificing, and serving. He is love. He is Father, Son and Spirit - three persons and One God, all delighting in one another, and loving their creation in a manner far beyond any love we have ever experienced in this world.

The Holy Spirit is God, and the Holy Spirit gives life. When Christians allow themselves to be filled by the Holy Spirit, they reflect the perfect character of Jesus Christ.

There is nobody else like Jesus. He alone is fully God and fully man. Because of who He is, He can offer us salvation, He can understand our weaknesses, and He can help us in our struggles.

We must think about God accurately in order to worship Him correctly. Theology is not merely for dusty old academics. Theology is for every Christian who wants to know God, because our thoughts about God determine how well we worship Him, obey Him, and proclaim Him.

Treasure your God-given role as a mom, and pray for your children to grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.

God manifests Himself in light, He dwells in unapproachable light, and He is light. When Jesus testified that He is the Light of the world, He was revealing a critical truth about Himself.

Just as a branch can only bear fruit when it stays attached to the vine, we can only live in a way that pleases God when we remain closely connected to Jesus.

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep, provides for His sheep, and protects His sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the perfect representative of God's good and loving heart toward His people. Will you and I trust our Good Shepherd to meet all our needs?

Everybody is invited to God's house, but Jesus is the only Way to get there.

We are all hungry - for food, for joy, for relationships, and for abundant life. Jesus is the Bread of Life, and He alone can satisfy the deepest hunger of our hearts, to know God and to live with Him forever.

Jesus is the only One who can conquer death and provide us with eternal life. Do we live as if the Resurrection is true? Does the power of Christ's Resurrection change how we live? If Jesus is who He claims to be, then He changes everything.

The root of fallen human nature is in wanting to have its own way. Christ has come and revealed the very character of God Himself: humility that is self-sacrificial in love. Christlike humility is the key to perfect community.

God has created us to need one another. Satan knows this and seeks to isolate us from the community of believers. We must press in with one another as our fellowship with the people of God is critical for our growth and transformation through the power of the gospel.

Only God can satisfy our need for lasting significance.

Governments have their place, and governments have their problems, but God is on His throne. God has delegated limited authority to earthly governments, but they can never replace or overthrow Him. We do not need to panic or rage about our government, and we cannot rely upon the government to solve all of the world's problems. We can trust God, however, because the entire world is under His control.

Money, money, money... we think about how to make it, dream about how to spend it, and worry about how we might lose it, all because we believe money can buy us the satisfaction and security we crave. But money is a false god. It will leave us empty and broken if we worship it. So discover how to enjoy your money as a gift without worshipping it as a god.

Work is a blessing, but it can feel like a curse. Our work is one of the primary arenas in which we reflect the nature of God and in which we are transformed into the character of God. But when we begin to despise work, or conversely worship work, it becomes a source of frustration rather than fulfillment. Is work, for you, a blessing or a curse?

Pleasure is a good gift, but it is a disappointing deity. God made pleasure, and when we use it well, it draws us closer to Him. However, when we turn pleasure into a god, it will leave us feeling hollow. It might even destroy us.

Wisdom has value, but its value is limited. Wisdom can prolong our lives, cultivate success, and draw us closer to God. Wisdom cannot save us from death and sin, or provide us with a solid foundation for lasting significance; only Jesus can do that.

Nothing on earth can bear the weight of our need for eternal significance. When we try to find meaning in the fleeting and inconsequential pursuits of human life, we will be disappointed. The only solution is found in the power and wisdom of God.

God has been at work in exciting ways during the first few months since we launched our Creekside campus. Moving forward, what is the role of the Creekside campus in sharing the gospel and making disciples, both here in College Station and around the world?

Jesus used a parable to teach us to persistently come to the Lord in prayer. God is our Heavenly Father and we can come to Him about anything. We need to just ask!

Most of us have heard that we are to "make disciples", yet many of us don't really know what that means, how to do it, or even why. This message seeks to clear the confusion and show practical ways to carry out the Great Commission.

Most of us have heard that we are to "make disciples", yet many of us don't really know what that means, how to do it, or even why. This message seeks to clear the confusion and show practical ways to carry out the Great Commission.

The Christmas season does not always feel as peaceful as it should. In the midst of anxiety, chaos, and the darkness of the world, the coming of Jesus provides us with the hope of real and lasting peace.

Every Christian has the opportunity to leave a legacy that will last for eternity. Paul's speech to the elders of Ephesus shows us the attitudes and actions that will allow us to make an eternal impact in the lives of others.
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The greatest antidote to discontent and anxiety is to remember God's character. We see God's loyal love reflected in creation, in history, and in the free gift of salvation. Psalm 136 reminds us, over and over again, that His love endures forever.

God often changes our plans for His purposes. Sometimes this results in uncomfortable circumstances but hold firm to the mission in which you have been called. Press through with joy and confidence that the Lord is sovereign and He is at work.
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There are no ordinary people, and there are no random circumstances. Every person is eternal and in need of Jesus, and He has commissioned you and me to share the good news.
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Grace is worth fighting for, because it is our only hope for eternal life.
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Remain faithful to the gospel, whether people respond to it with praise or with scorn.
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In Christ, everybody has equal access to God. Those who know Jesus are not primarily defined by our race, ethnicity, economic status, or gender, but instead by our relationship to God through Jesus.
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The gospel has the power to transform even the hardest hearts and the most hopeless sinners. God's Spirit can provide us with new perspective, a new identity, and a new mission in life. For additional sermons in this series, click here.

God calls unlikely people in extraordinary ways to go to unexpected places.
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When we display Christ-like character under pressure, we demonstrate the reality of the gospel.
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When Satan attacks the infant church from within its own members, God moves swiftly to protect His people and the purity of the gospel message.
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God's plans for our lives are better than our own. When we trust Him and submit to His plan, we will find that He uses our lives for His purposes in ways we cannot anticipate or even imagine.
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We want to proclaim and guard the gospel of grace. Faith in Jesus is the only requirement for a person to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
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The Holy Spirit builds the church and gives us the power we need to fulfill God's purposes. Will we listen to His voice and obey His direction for our lives and for our church?
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Acts is the triumphant story of our God winning the world for Jesus Christ through common people filled with the uncommon power of His Holy Spirit. Acts is a story that has not ended. Acts is our story, as God invites each of us to find eternal significance and supernatural confidence through participation in His unstoppable plan.
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We live in world filled with distractions, but God's Word provides priorities to keep us focused. We are called to love God, to love others, and to fulfill His Great Commission. Keeping our eyes on those priorities will allow us to lead lives of eternal impact.

We live in world filled with distractions, but God's Word provides priorities to keep us focused. We are called to love God, to love others, and to fulfill His Great Commission. Keeping our eyes on those priorities will allow us to lead lives of eternal impact.

Effective evangelism begins by seeing people like Jesus sees them. Although we are often selfish in our approach to others, Jesus is always selfless and loving. His conversation with a troubled Samaritan woman demonstrates some key principles to assist us as we attempt to reach a dying world with the good news of Christ.

Each of us has been called to the great commission and have been fully equipped to fulfill our unique rolls.