How many cliche terms have you heard referencing the beginning of a new year? New Year, New You or others. How much time have you spent planning out the changes for your new year? Have you ever reminisced about the good God has done in the previous year before making plans for what's next? Join us as we reminisce 2023 while dreaming about what's next.
Do you get tired of being asked what you want for Christmas? As kids we assumed stuff under the tree would make us happy. As we get older we look for bigger stuff or more expensive stuff which leads to storage problems. Given enough time the day hits us that no purchased gift can really bring us joy when we are broken inside. This is where God does His best work. He didn’t send us Jesus to give us what we
want but to offer what we needed most: Peace
Christs birth all the way to His ascension to heaven was predicted hundreds of years before by prophets. We can ask "what is the likelihood" of such happenings but it is more relevant to look at the history of and how each of these prophecies was fulfilled in real life.
When Jesus was born why did God announce the news of the Saviors birth to the Shepherds first? Pastor Brian shares insight into the importance of shepherds hearing of the Saviors birth as well as offering first hand insight into the landscape of Bethlehem and how it played a role in sending a message of salvation to the world.
The "Wise Men" brought 3 Types of Gifts (Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh) to honor the arrival of Jesus. So what is the symbolic meaning attached to each gift and how can we have better insight into Jesus being our ultimate Prophet, Priest and King?
What significance does The Star have in the story of Christ coming to earth as Savior of the world? How do the Rich Rulers or Magi play into the story and how does this all pertain to us today? Listen as pastor shares how Gratitude has always lead to Giving throughout Christian history.
Have you ever heard of a 501c3 or non-profit ask individuals to stop giving because they had too much? How about a church? Ever seen a pastor stand up and tell the congregation that giving is no longer wanted because there is too much to distribute? Scripture tells about a time that deep gratitude led God’s people to give to the Lord so sacrificially Moses had to tell them to stop giving.
Have you noticed every time there’s major conflict in the middle east our hearts get nervous? Some Christians are quick to say this means Jesus return is imminent, as if it wasn’t already. But isn't the return of Christ supposed to be good news for believers? As we are reminded of the imminent coming of Christ are we challenged to share Him with others or are we just wrapped up in fear and anxiety of what "the end" will look like for us?
Praising and thanksgiving go hand in hand. It’s impossible to praise God without being thankful and just as impossible to be thankful without praising God. So how can we practice continued gratitude according to scripture. Pastor Marc shares practical applications from scripture of how we can consistently practice gratitude.
Have you ever felt overlooked or wondered if anyone is noticing you? Psychologists actually believe now that we suffer from something called hurry sickness which is defined as a behavior pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiousness, or an uncomfortable feeling in which someone feels chronically short of time, and so tends to perform every task faster and to get flustered when encountering any kind of delay.
Have you ever come to Sunday and felt so exhausted you considered skipping the fellowship of believers? Maybe you have considered stepping away from Sunday gatherings to gain more personal time during your week. Pastor Brian shares from Mark 6 that if you don’t make time for your wellness you will be forced to make time for your illness.
Every year, about 2.7 million church members drop from church membership. One of the main reasons is attributed to church members leaving as hurt and wounded by other church members, not God. The church is composed of flawed people, so hurt will inevitably occur so what should I do if the church hurt me?
What sets Christianity up as a relationship versus all of the other religions that are observed in the world? Can we know without a doubt that Jesus is God's son and that he not only gave his life but also raised from the dead? And how do the disciples play into giving proof that the gospel is true? This week pastor shares 4 evidences that the resurrection really happened.
Maybe you grew up going to church and God became more of a lifestyle than a relationship. Watching other Christians live a seemingly worry free life with no signs of doubt ever obvious. Then as you grew and the doubts began to come you tried to convince yourself there is no room for doubt here. Facing doubt alone can be discouraging but God intended for us to be surrounded by believers who can help us as we navigate our questions and doubts.
"Doubt Your Doubts" sounds like an "oxymoron" when it comes to a believers Faith in God. How is doubting my doubts even possible and can it help me grow in my spiritual walk? Pastor Marc looks to the Psalms to offer a path of dealing with our feelings by praying through them.
Doubt can often bring turmoil in a believers life but how can doubt be necessary? Could our Christian "lifestyle" be a contributing factor to our doubt? This week our guest speaker, Chad Minter, shares how scripture can point to the necessity of doubt in order to lead to spiritual growth!
Maybe you grew up in a home/church that considered doubt to be a reflection of a weak relationship with God. Maybe in turn this has lead to the belief that doubt is a sign of unbelief. While doubt will always be an issue we deal with, the truth is that Church should be a safe place to deal with doubt. After all, doubt is an opportunity for us to grow in our Faith!
Are we doing our part to pass down the goodness and favor and mercy of our God to the next generation? While Gen Z and Gen Alpha are considered the most connected generations to date they are also the most disconnected generation. But could this be a result former generations not communicating well and keeping God's truths silent?
Marriages have been full of disappointment when spouses realize that working to change their spouse is impossible which often leads to separation and divorce. Much like marriages, individuals feel that if they could change those around them to be more like themselves that life would be easier. This has been true throughout history but Paul has a very different take on the change that needs to take place in order to be able to make a friend. In the midst of persecution that often lead to death, Paul still encourages individuals to love their persecutor.
How do you know when a person has changed? I mean truly changed! We have all faced situations where we have lost trust in a person or persons and when they come back and say, "I'm different now. I have really changed", we proceed with extreme caution. Pastor Marc shares how scripture can help identify true change in others as well as ourselves.
Hearing from God is more than waiting for a thundering voice. Many times we miss what God is saying because we are too busy to listen.
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This week Pastor Marc shares the history and practice of fasting.
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To support Restore and help us reach more people with the gospel click here:
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Have you ever felt your prayer life isn't making much of a difference? Maybe it seems like you are closing your eyes and wasting time as your mind wanders while you try and talk with God. Our prayers are too often so easy that we can't know if God answered our prayers and sometimes we are praying for God to work in others rather than dealing with us. Jesus had opportunities to speak to individuals Faith while on earth and His teachings on prayer are perfect.
A restaurant or department stores primary goal is to create a mentality of consumption in order to draw people in for a profit. From sharing how an item will change your life to how a certain food dish will satisfy your hunger we are surrounded by consumerism. This culture of consumerism can easily transfer into the church and deter us from servitude that Christ calls His followers to.
"The Church" has impacted this world in ways that are often overlooked. Why does the churches impact get a bad wrap or overlooked for its impact? Have we lost our salt and light impact on the world? What causes the church to stop being "The Church"? Pastor Marc shares scripture and history of the church and its impact on the world and a big part is community!