A Sure Hope

God is often referred to as the “God of Israel”, but, as Pastor Dave will clarify today, He’s not only their God; He’s never been that limited. He’s the God over all nations and, in fact, the entire universe. Israel was chosen to be an example of a nation that serves Him and a blessing to all other nations. 

When traveling, it can be pretty neat to go with a tour guide  -  someone who has been there before and can show you the way. In today’s message, Pastor Dave tells you that Jesus is your guide through life. Everything that’s ahead of you, He already knows about because He’s gone there before you. Will you trust Him?

Castle walls would provide a place of refuge in times of war. Outside the walls were perilous dangers, but within, there was peace, safety, and rest. In Pastor Dave’s message today, he wants you to know that God is your refuge in your time of need. In Him, you can find protection from the perils of this world.

Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman that pledges to forsake all others. There’s a husband and wife, and no room for anyone else. Anything beyond that would be unfaithfulness. In today’s message, Pastor Dave teaches you that that’s how your relationship with Jesus should be: completely devoted to Him alone.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says that all of the Scriptures testify of Him. This is something incredible to think about, considering that the Old Testament was completed hundreds of years before Christ’s birth. Join Pastor Dave today as he shares with you this Psalm that clearly speaks of Jesus.

To the onlooker, the clay being formed into a pot on the wheel may look like a beautiful work of art. But the potter will often see things differently. Many times, the potter will squash the clay and start over again. Today, Pastor Dave wants you to know that sometimes God will start over with the work that He’s doing in your life.

In our culture, being self-made is highly praised. We love the stories of those who pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and elevated their status in life. In today’s message, Pastor Dave teaches you to humble yourself before God and give Him praise and glory for all that HE has done in your life.

When life gets hard, what do you do? Do you go vent all your feelings to everyone who will listen? Do you roll up your sleeves and take matters into your own hands? In his message today, Pastor Dave tells you there’s only one place you should go, and that’s to God. Whatever trouble you're facing in life, take it to Him.

In baseball, they always say to “Keep your eye on the ball.” It’s hard to hit a target when your eyes are focused elsewhere. If you don’t keep your eye on the ball, you’re bound for a swing and a miss. In Pastor Dave’s Message today, he encourages you to keep your eyes set on Jesus. Don’t look to the left or the right.

Feelings can be convincing, can’t they? They tell you things aren’t going to change, that you’re stuck. But the truth is, God is alive, and He’s not absent from your life. Today, Pastor Dave reminds you that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is remind yourself who God is and trust that He’s still moving in your life.

Have you ever just felt off in church and couldn’t really explain why? Like nothing’s hitting the way it should? What our souls are craving isn’t more distractions or routines, it’s Him. Not just listening to worship but feeling God. Today, Pastor Dave reminds us that worship isn’t a warm-up; it’s where we connect and commune with God. 

Hurt people hurt people. It's a sad fact of this life. We all have relatives, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances who let us down or intentionally try to cause us harm. The good news is, Jesus knows and cares about our pain. Today, Pastor Dave will remind us that Jesus is human too and is always there for us.

One of our jobs as Christians is defending and taking care of each other. Like warriors on a battlefield, we're stronger together. God gave us the church so that we wouldn't have to face this dark world alone. Today, Pastor Dave will challenge us to help carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

When we're walking through suffering, we can either turn to God or turn to the world. The pleasures of the world look attractive, but they never give lasting peace, joy, or stability. Today, Pastor Dave will remind us that the Lord is the only One who can truly transform our situation and fill us with the glory of His Spirit.

Before Jesus, you and I were sinking in quicksand. We were helpless to save ourselves and were heading quickly toward a terrible death. But God rescued us and placed our feet on the solid ground of His Son! Today, Pastor Dave will remind us of how much God has done for us and our unshakable foundation in Him.

It all comes down to one question: Are you with Jesus? When God judges humanity, that's the one thing He's evaluating. Do you belong to Jesus, or not? Today, Pastor Dave will remind you that today is the day of salvation! If you haven't made that commitment to the Lord yet, what are you waiting for?

Think about eternity for a second. Trillions and trillions of years worshipping the Lord and doing His will, free from sin and pain! We simply can't imagine how glorious it will be because our lives on Earth are so brief. Today, Pastor Dave will remind us that our time here is like a handbreadth and that our focus should be on eternity!

When you experience a period of trial or testing, to whom do you turn for help? In today ’ s message, Pastor Dave illustrates how David called out to God, confident that God would listen. We share in that same assurance and hope, which is defined as faith. We know that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

How should we respond when we sin? Today, Pastor Dave says the way David addressed his sin may be why he was described as a man after God ’ s own heart. Although everyone makes mistakes, confession and repentance lead to God ’ s forgiveness and restoration. Persisting in sin can destroy relationships.

God ’ s character should inspire deeper love within us. In today’s message, Pastor Dave emphasizes God ’ s character by highlighting David ’ s testimony of the Lord ’ s faithfulness to His promises. He also reminds us of God ’ s righteousness, justice, and love. The magnitude of God ’ s attributes is compelling.

The justification of sin by the wicked is often rooted in a rejection of God’s truth and a lack of reverence for God. In today’s message, Pastor Dave examines the mindset of the wicked, noting that such individuals disregard all aspects of God and regard themselves as the ultimate source of truth. They exhibit no fear or respect for God.

The other day, I heard that Red Lobster is bringing back bottomless shrimp, and I was ecstatic! Better than bottomless shrimp, though, is bottomless joy from our Heavenly Father! Pastor Dave reminds us that this joy is truly endless, overflowing, and always accessible. And you know the best part? It’s freely given! 

When I was young, I had a fear of the dark. My parents reminded me that I was never alone and whenever I was afraid, I could pray for God to protect me. Pastor Dave reminds us today that God is always before us and behind us, protecting us at all times, no matter the threat. We can trust God today and call upon Him for comfort!

Fear is something that we tend to, well...fear. But the fear of the Lord is different; it’s something that is actually good for us. In today’s message, Pastor Dave teaches us that just as the ability to feel pain can prevent great harm for us, knowing the fear of the Lord is helpful to our understanding of who God is and who we are.

If you’ve ever felt that you’ve made a mistake that you feel you can’t confess for fear of judgment, then congrats – you are just like everyone else! The good news is, just like David, we can trust that God will always be there for us, no matter the news. As Pastor Dave shares with us, we can praise the Lord at all times.