Come To The Table

The first question Pastor Mark asks today is are you about the Father’s business? Are you doing the things you want to do or the things he has called you to do? And the next question is if you are about the Father’s business, are you doing it in his way and his timing? Or are you racing ahead or falling behind? Pastor Mark reminds us today that when we do our own thing or even the Father’s thing b...

The early church walked in the power of the Spirit, and they fulfilled what it was God called them to do. They became his witnesses through Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. It wasn’t without hardships, but they moved in faith and accomplished the mission they had been given by Jesus. What about you? Jesus has called and empowered you to be his witness as well! He put his Spirit inside...

Today Pastor Mark is diving into the baptism of the Spirit, and that’s a baptism that only God can give you. It’s an extraordinary, other-worldly experience that empowers you to follow Jesus and be his witness with boldness. When you are baptized with water, you are making the decision to follow Christ and let the world know. But when God baptizes you with the Holy Spirit, it’s all about what he i...

Luke recorded everything that Jesus began to do in Luke and Acts. But if he began his work then, it is continued after that! Jesus continues to speak, to move, and to make all things new as he works through his church in the present day! He wasn’t finished speaking when he ascended to heaven. Since he wasn’t finished speaking, Pastor Mark reminds us that he is still speaking to you today! He works...

Do you sometimes feel like you’re really walking in the Holy Spirit but other times you’re really walking in you? Which one works out better for you? Today Pastor Mark is going to begin following the story of the early church. The early church was filled with the Holy Spirit and spread throughout the known world with incredible speed. People who were previously fearful lost all fear when the Spiri...

Pastor Mark gives some unique details today about the tabernacle – the temporary and mobile place of worship that was set up for the Israelites. It was God’s dwelling place among them – a place of worship and sacrifice and renewal. It was created by men but with God’s instructions…and those instructions are incredibly detailed! Today’s message may seem tedious, but, as you heard Pastor Mark say a...

Have you ever been in one of those awkward services where they’re asking for a “free will” offering – but they don’t stop asking? You might find yourself feeling guilty if you don’t give. But are you REQUIRED to give in those situations? Of course not, and Pastor Mark will be telling you why today. Pastor Mark talks about the difference between tithes and offerings today, and what it looks like to...

Today Pastor Mark will be touching on a bit of a sore subject…tithing. Anytime money is mentioned, opinions and feelings instantly flare, don’t they? But don’t go into this message expecting to have someone tell you that you HAVE to give to the church – not at all! Pastor Mark will simply be laying out what Scripture has to say about giving, and what that means for you as an individual follower of...

Moses had many incredible encounters with God. He met Him at the burning bush, on mountain tops, in the tabernacle – and he was changed every time. That quality time spent in the Lord’s presence had an effect on Moses that others could see, and today Pastor Mark will tell you exactly what that is…and how you can have it too. The more time you spend in the Word and in prayer, the more you’ll know G...

In case you’re wondering, God already knows what’s in your heart. In fact – He knows what’s in your head too…how does THAT make you feel? Pastor Mark wants you to remember this today as he talks about spending time in the presence of God – un-masked, heart fully exposed to your Creator. It’s scary – but maybe less so since God already knows it all! Because God is faithful and good and kind, you do...

There’s a reason God asks you to spend time with Him again and again – once isn’t enough to sustain you! Think of spending time with the Lord as eating and sleeping – you can go for a time without these things, but eventually, you need to nourish and rest your body. The same is true for your soul – you can’t survive forever without regularly replenishing with spiritual nourishment and rest. Today...

Saying you’re a Christian and actually living as if you’re a Christian are two very different things. Many people SAY they believe in Jesus – but can you see evidence of Him in their lives? If they look the exact same as people who DON’T believe in Jesus…then are they really? Are YOU really a Christian, if this describes your life? It’s a hard thing to think about, but it’s necessary today! Pastor...

God is good. That seems too simple a statement to make about the Creator of the Universe. The one who knows all things and is all things and is more powerful than all things. But that immensely great Deity loves you! YOU! He is kind and caring, and so faithful. He is good, even when you are not. How incredible is that? We Pastor Mark shares today some of the aspects of God’s character that we can...

There are two ways to read the Bible when you think about it. You can read it to see what God has to say, or you can read it to justify what you say. Pastor Mark will talk today about the dangers of using it for the latter part of that. But – you see this happen frequently! You see it with politicians, trying to support their policies. You see it on social media and in conversations with both Chri...

The meeting place Moses set up with the Lord was not within the borders of Israelites camping space. Moses went out away from the people to spend time with God. And as Pastor Mark will share today, it wasn’t mandated that he do this alone. In fact, all were welcome to join Moses in seeking the Lord! But the people simply didn’t go. Think about your own opportunities to encounter the Lord. It may b...

Jesus is found throughout the Bible – not just in the New Testament! It’s a fascinating thing to study. You can discover the Savior of the World as far back as the Garden of Eden! You’ll see Him mentioned today too – as Pastor Mark just described. And in fact, we read in the book of John that Jesus was with God at Creation! What an incredible God we serve, who would plan our Salvation before the w...

Your salvation is yours. It’s what YOU decide – are you going to follow Jesus, or are you going to follow the world? That decision can’t be made by anyone else – not your parents, not your Pastor, not anyone! It’s up to you. You can’t rely on another righteous person to take care of it for you. As you listen today, you’ll also discover that your actions are your own responsibility too. When you ch...

Giving to the church or giving to charity is something beautiful – it’s an honor to have the ability to share what you’ve been blessed with! And it’s a way to thank the Lord for His goodness! But there are times when giving is done with poor motivations. And in fact, some churches and pastors aren’t being honest about their intentions. They promise wealth in return for your investment. Pastor Mark...

When you spend every day with the Lord, you get to know Him well. You read about Him in the Bible, you sit and talk with Him through prayer, and you discover the joy of being in His presence. Each moment you take to fellowship with your Creator is valuable! But…when those sweet encounters start to get farther and farther apart or disappear altogether, do you notice you lose the sense of God’s pres...

In today’s message, Pastor Mark will continue to talk through the garments of the priests, the sacrifices at the tabernacle, and much more about the specifics of how the Israelites were to worship the Lord. These specifics may not be things we practice today, but the principles of worship established in these chapters of Exodus are still applicable. One principle is what Pastor Mark just described...

When you want something amazing, you don’t want to experience just a tiny bit of it right? Think of a giant delicious cake – someone tells you it’s all for you! But you only take a small crumb…that’s not enough, is it? You want to truly experience all the goodness that cake has to offer. An experience with God is going to be even greater than that – so don’t ask for just a crumb! In his message to...

The Bible tells us again and again that being a follower of Christ makes you unique. It sets you apart from the rest of the world – because really, you become a citizen of Heaven when you give your life to Jesus! You’re no longer bound by the sin that the world is filled with. But – you do still live in this broken place. So how do you navigate a world that’s not your final home? Pastor Mark will...

You may find parts of the Bible tedious, and…well, boring. Today’s message covers a passage that many would say is exactly that! But – as you’ll learn from Pastor Mark – the details of the tabernacle are anything but boring! In fact, there’s a lot we can learn simply from the individual pieces being described here in the book of Exodus! Pastor Mark will be detailing the furniture of the tabernacle...

The Bible tells us something you may find profound – there’s only one way into Heaven. There are plenty of arguments people will put up to refute this, but Scripture is clear – Jesus is the only option. Nothing you can do will be good enough! Today Pastor Mark will be describing the Tabernacle, something God asked the Israelites to build that would be a place of worship. There were very detailed s...

Jesus said again and again who He was – He’s everything we need! He’s the water when we’re thirsty. He’s the food when we’re hungry. He’s our shelter, our comfort – and He’s the ultimate strength that’s needed to do what He’s called us to do. He’s our guide, our protector. He’s all things to us, and more! In today’s message, Pastor Mark will talk through the elements of the tabernacle, the place G...