Come To The Table

You cannot do anything to satisfy the requirements necessary for entering heaven and having intimacy with God. He is perfect, and even the most righteous person still will have sin in their heart on some level. Of course, most of us likely don’t think of ourselves as very righteous. We are more likely to look at ourselves as being too wicked for God, and that’s true. On our own, we are. But, as we...

The Bible CLEARLY states that there’s no way to Heaven except through Jesus. Period. Nothing in the law can save you, and that means that nothing you do or don’t do will save you! In this teaching, Pastor Mark will be reminding you that the reason Jesus came was to save us. He didn’t have to – we could have kept right on trying to do our best and follow Biblical law. But God didn’t want that. He w...

While we’d like to think we have the power to get to Heaven, that simply isn’t true. Jesus even talked about it in His time on earth– the only way to get to the Father is THROUGH Jesus! Sounds great to say that, right? But are you following through with that statement and actually living like Jesus has rescued you? As you’ll learn from Pastor Mark in this teaching, the law is no guarantee for Salv...

There’s a common misconception regarding confrontation that causes many to see withholding a correction or rebuke as more loving than giving it. Sometimes, even when you know you need to say something, the fear of conflict prevents you from addressing the issue. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will challenge us to be honest and upfront with those we love when we see them engaging in behaviors that w...

There are many things we fight over in the Church that just aren’t worth the time, effort, or broken relationships – but when it comes to the essentials, it’s worth the fight. It takes discernment to identify what falls into that category, but ultimately, we should operate under the guidance of God’s grace. Fighting over an issue should not automatically mean fighting against an individual. As Pas...

We’re very fortunate to have the right to speak our faith freely without any legal consequence in our country. You may experience ridicule, and in some cases, standing up for the truth of Christ could cost you a job or position, but we don’t have to fear arrest or death as a result of sharing our faith. While it’s hard for us to fathom the amount of pressure that Christian martyrs have faced throu...

We spend far too much of our energy and resources on trying to get the approval and favor of other people. Not only does it cost us emotionally and financially, but it also costs us spiritually. As Pastor Mark will remind us in this message, there’s only one place we should be looking for that approval. It’s infinitely more valuable to have God’s approval than that of men. Sadly, you likely find y...

You can get saved anywhere at any time. The same is true of baptism – though it’s helpful to have some water nearby. Baptism is expected of Christians, but there are some misunderstandings of this sacrament that Pastor Mark will clear up in this teaching. God won’t check for Baptism certificates as you go through the pearly gates; That’s not what it’s all about. Baptism is intended to push you dee...

The Bible has been greatly misunderstood throughout the centuries--from the Pharisees and their predecessors all the way through modern-day. Many look at Scripture as a rulebook for how to live life, but, as Pastor Mark will explain in today’s message, that’s not an entirely accurate view. The commandments and laws contained in Scripture are impossible for us to keep. You may succeed in some ways,...

As Pastor Mark will point out in this teaching, there was a time when God spoke to only a select number of people – the prophets. These people weren’t perfect, but they had dedicated themselves to listening and obeying God as He spoke to them through Scripture and supernatural revelations. Today, we no longer need to depend on a few people to receive the truth of God and interpret it for us. God h...

Have you ever seen a commercial for a product whose main selling point is that they’re better than their competitors? It’s convincing when a testimonial is given from someone who used to use the other brand, but now that they’ve tried this brand, they’ve seen how much better it is. If they’d never tried the other brand, we wouldn’t trust their opinion nearly as much. Paul’s testimony was more effe...

None of us enjoy correction or rebuke. Most of us will try our best to avoid being on either side of it. There’s a good reason God gave us that hesitation. It’s vital that you take the time to really think about and, more importantly, pray about an issue before you confront someone. It should only be done out of love. As you mature in your faith in Christ and He transforms you from the inside out,...

Rebellion and resistance to correction are characteristics of an immature believer. When an authority figure or a peer comes to you with correction or accountability, your first reaction may be to get defensive. The excuses start flowing. Or sometimes you try to turn it around on them and start pointing out their flaws. How should a mature believer handle those moments of confrontation? As Pastor...

The days in which we are living are challenging. We have two options. We can either use the turbulence of our circumstances to grow our faith or we can use it to grow our fear. We may not have much power in this world, but we do have the power to choose between these two things. In this teaching, Pastor Mark will encourage us to choose faith in the midst of trials. Instead of staring at a televisi...

Dying for our faith is generally not something we have to worry about in this country. As much as popular culture may have moved away from the values and virtues that characterize the life of a Christ-follower, things simply haven’t reached that point yet. It is hard for us to put ourselves in the shoes of our spiritual predecessors who faced the very real threat of death simply for believing in J...

The world is full of sights and sounds and the next big thing. All these things have the power to pull you away from what really matters, and what really matters is Jesus. Jesus asked Peter if he loved him more than all the sights and sounds and things. This challenged Peter, and it should challenge you too.

Before Jesus’ death, Peter claimed he would never deny the Lord. For those who know the story, you know he did deny Jesus—three times—and his decision crushed him. Jesus knew he would do this, and yet He still loved him. When Jesus returned, Peter was restored and made new. Maybe you’re wrestling with a mistake that you’ve made in the past. Jesus wants to restore you! In this teaching, Pastor Mark...

When boredom strikes, our hearts are quick to look for excitement. Sometimes, this searching can lead us to places and things that are not good for our souls. When you’re tempted to find pleasure in all the wrong places, be still before the Lord and ask Him to help you. As you’ll hear in this teaching, it is only in Jesus that you find true satisfaction.

Peter didn’t always make the right choices, and sometimes he took his eyes off of what mattered. When it seemed that Jesus was nowhere to be found, Peter fell back into his old habits. It wasn’t until he saw Jesus on the shore that he realized he wasn’t where he should be. He was called to be a fisher of men not of fish. The Lord designates some areas as off-limits to us because He knows they are...

It’s easy to want to go back to your old life when the new life God calls you to gets hard. The temptations can be challenging to resist, but when God calls you out, He calls you to something lasting, to something better. As you walk with the Lord, don’t allow doors from the past to remain open. Ask God to help you close what should be closed, and open what He has for you. Pastor Mark will remind...

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. You can probably point to an event in your life in which waiting constituted the biggest part of a given problem. It’s not a new thing—you can see it in the lives of the disciples too. As Jesus walked with them, Jesus taught the disciples about patience, teaching them that although waiting is hard, patience really is a virtue! As you wait on the Lord, do...

When life hits you with hard things, it can be difficult to believe God is present, but sometimes, it’s the hard things that help you see God more clearly. So, rather than be embarrassed by the scars in your life, allow them to bring you closer to the Lord. If you’re wrestling with doubt today, ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you in a powerful way. Pastor Mark will be reminding you in this message...

Doubt pops into our lives at the strangest times, and it can be confusing. But in today’s message we’ll learn that we’re not alone. Thomas, a disciple of Jesus, doubted too! Be encouraged. It is not uncommon for a believer to experience doubt, but we shouldn’t live our lives in it. When we live in doubt, we can miss out on the amazing things God has for us. So take your questions to the Lord and l...

How can you overcome sin? Many believers struggle with this, finding that even after years into their faith journey, they still fall into the same temptations on a regular basis. God has so much more for you. The Holy Spirit is much strong than sin and the forces of evil that draw you towards it. In this teaching, Pastor Mark encourages us to invest ourselves in our faith. Even in the midst of gre...

If you sometimes struggle with doubts about God and the Bible, you are not alone. Even the most well-known and respected leaders of our faith have had doubts. Questions and skepticism can shake us to the core, but the only answer that matters is the Bible. The Bible is living and active. When approached with an open heart, it will transform your life. Cling to the Word of God, in and out of season...