We need strength and love to cope with life, but often we look for it in the wrong places. The good news of Christmas is that God’s might is revealed in the tenderness of a shepherd who gently leads His sheep.
Isaiah 40:9-11 // [outline]
Sometimes our circumstances are too bitter for us to hope that things will ever be different. This message shows how God provides for our comfort and how we can welcome His involvement in our lives.
Isaiah 40:1-8 // [outline]
Finances are a source of stress for many people, but God promises to provide. This message considers that promise and the attitude toward money that gives peace and security.
Philippians 4:14-20 // [outline]
We live at a time when we have more than ever but feel more dissatisfied just the same. Satisfaction can seem like it’s always just around the corner. This message looks at the secret of contentment and some of the lies that keep us from it.
Philippians 4:10-13 // [outline]
There’s more to worry about than ever before, but most of our means of coping with worry either don’t work or make things worse. This message looks at how to let go of our anxiety and lay hold of God’s peace.
Philippians 4:1-9 // [outline]
Fog and uncertainty can bog us down and keep us from moving forward. But God is not finished with us. In today’s message we look at the help He gives to press on in the life He calls us to through the images of the athlete, the imitator and the citizen of heaven.
Philippians 3:12-21 // [outline]
As we continue our study of joy, today we consider the exhausting pursuit of the credentials that people look to for confidence before God and others. Many people try to affirm their worth through morality, religion or success, but the Bible calls us to a different path that involves laying down our credentials to receive something far greater.
Philippians 3:1-11 // [outline]
Sometimes, the Bible feels too abstract. We read what it says but still don’t know what it looks like. This message shows us what God can do to change a person’s life by looking at the changed lives of two first century disciples. They help us see that God isn’t just about platitudes but power to change.
Philippians 2:19-30 // [outline]
Discontentment affects different people in different ways. Sometimes our frustration is with the world. People and circumstances feed our complaints. But sometimes, our biggest complaints are against ourselves. We’re not content with who we are or what we’ve done. We never measure up. This message looks at how to harness the power God gives us to change and move from discontentment to joy.
Philippians 2:12-18 // [outline]
The path toward true greatness requires rethinking what it means to be great. We can do this by laying hold of the help and example of Jesus who was greatly honoured, precisely because He was willing to humble Himself.
Philippians 2:1-11 // [outline]
Trials are an unavoidable part of life. But they’re all the more painful when we don’t see them coming. For God’s people, the Bible describes both salvation and suffering as gifts of a gracious God who loves us. Understanding God’s purpose in trials can give hope and strength in the face of our challenges.
Philippians 1:27-30 // [outline]
Many people face death with fear and regret. But the Bible presents a way of living that results in hope, confidence and even anticipation in the face of death. This talk presents a clear path for anyone to examine their life in light of Scripture and find the confidence that God provides to face death.
Philippians 1:19-26 // [outline]
When difficulties hit, it’s easy to blame God and ask why He allowed them. But it’s only as we start asking what His purposes in our suffering might be that we begin to grasp God’s good plan for us.
Philippians 1:12-18 // [outline]
Gratitude changes people’s lives, but how can we get it? We tend to rest our feelings of thanks on comfortable circumstances but God can build gratitude in us as we reflect on what He’s done and anticipate what He’ll do. Our gratitude grows as we move from spectator to participant in the purposes of God.
Philippians 1:1-11 // [outline]
We need courage for many things in life, but perhaps nowhere more than in the area of parenting. It takes courage to trust God’s wisdom for our children, especially when others are steering us in other directions. But it’s that wisdom that can lead them into a life of blessing.
Sometimes we lack confidence. Other times, we’re so confident we take on battles we were never designed to face. Discerning between the world’s battles and the Lord’s battles helps us to know when to dig in and when to walk away.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The only fight which is lost is that which we give up.” Too often we don’t have the courage to persevere because the task feels too big and our resources feel too small. But often God deliberately aims to make us feel overwhelmed in order that we would trust Him and see the victory that only He can bring.
Judges 7:9-25 // [outline]
Most of us have things we would like to accomplish but find ourselves held back by fear. But God is at work in our lives to move us to trust Him and follow where He leads. As we lay hold of His promises and trust in His victory, we find the courage to step out in confidence.
So often we pursue public victories, but they seldom come before we face our private battles. God’s grace gives us the courage to face our demons and deal with issues that would otherwise keep us from effectiveness.
Judges 6:25-32 // [outline]