Key Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 John the Baptist isn't included in the nativity, but he's a big part of the Christmas story. He was chosen by God to prepare the way for Jesus in the world. He did this so well, Jesus called him the greatest man who ever lived. Today, you and I are called to prepare the way for Christ in the lives of others. We represent …

Key Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 We often miss out on God's plans for us because we feel unworthy or we're simply unwilling. When an angel appeared to Mary, telling her she was chosen to bring Christ into the world, she was stunned. How could God choose a nobody like her to do such an incredible thing? While Mary knew her inadequacies, she also knew the…

Key Scripture: Mark 3:13-19 Description: Christmas is the perfect holiday. Lights shining, music playing, and everyone looking so jolly in those well-staged social media posts. With everything and everyone around us so perfect, is it any wonder we feel like we don’t fit in? Our fears, faults and failures make us feel defective - like an outsider, a…

Key Scripture: Acts 28:23-31 One day, we will stand in the company of the great men and women of faith who have gone before us. Theirs is an example of what it means to follow Jesus with uncompromising conviction and unwavering devotion. It’s easy for us to let the cares and concerns of this life distract us from following Him with our whole heart.…

Key Scripture: Acts 27 Life is full of storms. We sail along with clear and sunny skies until the wind suddenly changes and we find ourselves holding on for dear life. When seasons of hardship come, how do we keep our lives from falling apart? How can we hear and trust God’s voice in the midst of trial and difficulty? Even when we can’t understand,…

Key Scripture: Acts 21:1-14 We all want to make sense of suffering. When things get hard, we want to know why. Why would God allow something so horrible to happen to me? There's a common fatal flaw in our thinking that God would never want us to suffer, yet Paul's life and words indicate He isn't nearly as concerned with our comfort as we think He …

Key Scripture: Acts 20:17-38 The need for Christ-like leaders in the Church has never been greater. Too many of us come to church, we listen and learn, but we don't grow. We need leaders of character who are willing to live as an example of what it means to follow Jesus every day. We tend to celebrate spiritual gifts and spectacular exploits more t…

Key Scripture: Acts 19:21-27 We’ve done away with the statues, but idols remain a significant part of our lives. We devote ourselves to people and things, seeking from them what only God can give. Money is one idol that remains firmly entrenched in our society, as well as our hearts. Greed and covetousness are the new normal in a country that celeb…

Key Scripture: Acts 19:11-20 We all face problems that make us feel powerless: financial hardship, physical struggles, family issues, fear, and an uncertain future. So many things in life seem beyond our control. We are also spiritual beings who fight against a spiritual enemy who daily wreaks havoc in our lives. While we should be aware, we have n…

Key Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33 God has a plan for your family that is anything but typical and far better than anything you can design yourself. While every person's circumstance is unique, His Word provides us with answers to every question and strength for every situation. No matter what you're going through or what challenges you're facing, yo…

Key Scripture: Colossians 3:11-17 According to research, 40% of families in the U.S. are blended families, and more than 60% of them will ultimately fail. While the stepfamily isn’t God's original design, it can still become a family according to God’s design. Just like most blended families, the early Church was made up of very different people wh…

Key Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4 Typically, the parent - child relationship can be one of the most challenging we have, yet it is also one of the most rewarding. We read in the Psalms “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” Yet so often it can feel more like a curse. S…

Key Scripture: Ephesians 5:21-33 The typical marriage is a daily tug-of-war between two people trying to get their needs met. At first, attraction and infatuation cloak the selfishness in our hearts. Inevitably, however, unmet expectations pile up and the avalanche of disappointment crushes any hope of a “happily ever after.” God designed marriage …

Key Scripture: Genesis 2:22-24 In today's world there are endless sources of advice and tips for the dating scene. Some of the advice may be good, but it’s typically geared toward finding “the right one,” and based on a worldly, cultural philosophy. All of it falls woefully short when compared to God's Word, and when God’s Word is used to build a f…

Key Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-20 We all want more than the typical family. We want an extraordinary family that's marked by unconditional love, respect and fighting for each other. So, why do we end up with the same old family that's marred by unmet expectations, regret and fighting with each other? God has a different plan for your life and for yo…

Key Scripture: Acts 17:1-34 Like it or not, we all have to make decisions. Do you ever wish you could find a way to always make the right one? Life is composed of a series of decisions, which is why it’s so important to have a plan for making wise choices. This is something many people never consider, yet the Bible isn’t a story book but a guide. I…

Key Scripture: Acts 16:25-34 Life isn’t fair. This world can beat us up and hold us captive. Our natural tendency when we go through trials is to focus more on ourselves, but peace comes from fixing our eyes on Christ. Peace comes when we worship. Peace comes when we're no longer trying to escape our trouble, but finally discover the true freedom t…

Key Scripture: Acts 15 It’s easy to lose sight of what’s most important. We tend to make minor issues major and miss the major issues entirely. We get caught up in our rights as Christians and concerned with everything others are doing wrong. What’s most important to Jesus? The unity of His Church. As we face disagreements and potentially divisive …

Key Scripture: Acts 14:1-28 As followers of Jesus, we are all called to share the good news of the gospel. However, it is not always easy and isn’t always well-received. During those times, we can get discouraged and want to quit. God’s Word reminds us that we’re not alone in our discouragement. Even though the apostles and early Church believers a…

Key Scripture: Acts 13 The only life without limits is the one God has called you to live. His calling will never be first and foremost about you and will always serve to accomplish His purpose of redeeming the world to Himself. As you live out this calling, you’ll run into conflict from those who oppose the gospel and try to dilute Truth with diso…

Key Scripture: Acts 12:1-19 Do You Feel Like A Prisoner? It’s Easy To Live As A Captive To Sin And Addiction, Stuck In A Jail Of Bitterness, Anxiety And Fear. But Jesus Came To Set Us Free. He Can Break Every Chain And Open Every Iron Gate That Keeps Us From Moving Forward In Our Faith. He Wants To Wake Us Up To The Reality Of Life With Him – A Lif…

Key Scripture: Acts 10:1-48 The truth of the matter is that we are not as impartial as we would like to believe. We all have our preferences. We have comfort zones when it comes to interacting with others, and are less likely to connect with those outside our circle than with those who are like us. It is easier to talk to an old friend than to make…

Key Scripture: Acts 9:1-31 The Apostle Paul’s story reminds us that Jesus can change anyone. His redemptive power is unstoppable. There isn’t a wall of pride He can’t break through nor a heart hardened by sin He can’t soften. We must not write off those He wants to write in to His story of redemption. This includes you. Who you are isn’t determined…

Key Scripture: Acts 8:1-40 Have you ever been so excited about something, that you’ve taken it a little too far? When we’re passionate about something, it’s easy to get carried away. Our faith in Christ should carry us away to places we’ve never been. It should carry us to do things we’ve never done: approaching the unapproachable, loving the unlov…

Key Scripture: Acts 6:8-7:60 Faith is more than words. We say we believe in Jesus, yet so often we fail to exercise our faith and do the things he has called us to. It’s like buying fitness equipment we believe will help us get healthy, then using it primarily as a coat rack. Any worthwhile training achieves results only by exploring the limits of …

Key Scripture: Acts 6:1-7 Every church has problems. In fact, the more people a local church has, the more problems it will face. It’s easy to feel overlooked, neglected, like you don’t matter. How we respond to hurt and disappointment is very important. We must be eager to give grace and careful not to tear the church apart with gossip. How the ch…

Key Scripture: Acts 5:12-42 A Life Without Limits Is A Life You Can’t Control. The Power Of The Holy Spirit Isn’t Safe And Cannot Be Contained Within The Confines Of Our Comfort And Convenience. He Leads Us Into Situations That Are Risky And Difficult, Calling Us To Go Where We Don’t Want To Go And To Give Up What We Want To Hold Onto. But It’s Onl…

Key Scripture: Acts 4:32-5:11 The early church set an incredible example for the church today. They were united, sacrificial, loving, and truly spirit filled, demonstrated as they met the needs of all who were in their midst. They gave with no expectation of reward or recognition. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case with us. We tend to have h…

Key Scripture: Acts 4:1-31 Sharing the message of Jesus is something we’re all called to do. For many, however, doing so can be intimidating and we feel inadequate to share or unable to share effectively. At these times, we must be bold in our faith. The word boldness means "to pour forth all” - like pouring water out of a cup until it’s completely…

Key Scripture: Acts 3:1-26 Don’t you hate it when plans change? If you want to follow Jesus, you’d better get used to it. The plans He has for us aren’t the plans we’d make for ourselves; they are immeasurably better! When we’re crippled by sin and the suffering life can bring, it’s easy to lose hope. In those moments, we must remember that the gre…

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Key Scripture: Acts 2:42-47 Do you ever get distracted? In a world with so many options, it’s difficult to be truly devoted to anything. Church is no exception. There are so many different kinds of churches to choose from and each of these churches has so many different activities to occupy our time and attention. While these things are meant to en…

Key Scripture: Acts 2:1-41 When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, He changed everything. When He comes into your life, He changes everything in you. So many things in life serve as constant reminders of our faults, fears and failures. It seems we’re always coming up short and we’ll never be good enough. In fact, we’re NOT stronger than we think…BU…

Key Scripture: Acts 1:12-26 God is always moving. His kingdom is always advancing. Nothing in heaven or on earth can stop the forward movement and progression of God. No government, no law, no evil, no earthly power, no philosophy and no person on earth can stop God’s will and purposes from being accomplished. God is the great “I am” and His power,…

Key Scripture: Acts 1:1-11 We all have our limits. Some limitations are self-imposed, due to our past failures or lies we believe about ourselves. Other limitations are due to the finite nature of our humanity. Yet Jesus made it clear that His followers can experience a life without limits – a life of faith where “nothing will be impossible” and we…

Key Scripture: John 12:12-19 Palm Sunday. The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. “The Triumphal Entry.” But have you ever wondered what made it so triumphant? After all, didn’t they crucify Jesus at the end of the week? Many people at that time sided with Jesus for the same reason some Pharisees and others sided with Rome. They thought Jesu…

Key Scripture: Colossians 3:18-4:18 The reason most of us come to church is to get help with our relationships. Our marriage is struggling, our family is failing, and people are constantly disappointing us. God’s Word is clear: The Truth of Christ and good news of the gospel is our only hope for a changed life and healthier relationships. Why, then…

Key Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17 Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay the penalty for our sins and to give us new life in Him. This new life includes a new way of thinking. As followers of Christ, our mindset is different than it used to be. Why? Because our mind is no longer set on worldly things that are here and now. Instead, our minds are se…

Key Scripture: Colossians 2:1-23 Truth isn’t popular. Our world prides itself in being “inclusive” to all truth, yet all truth is exclusive by nature. Jesus claimed to be the exclusive Truth and the only Way to God. To call Him just another great religious teacher is to seriously misunderstand Who He is and what He said about Himself. He came to pa…

Key Scripture: Colossians 1:15-29 The only Truth that can change lives and change our world is the Truth of Jesus Christ. He is the perfect expression and visible representation of God to us, the One who made all things and holds everything together. As we get to know Him more, we become more like Him; as we become more like Him, we become less lik…