Life Together

Through the Beatitudes, Jesus challenges His followers to take their relationship with God to the next level. //Pastor Tom

Jesus knew what today's great communicators also know.  The first words spoken to a group are important.  The opening words set the tone for everything that follows.  Look at the first statement Jesus speaks in the Sermon on the Mount - and see how His opening words are essential to start and continue a relationship with Christ.  // Pastor Tom Murray

Pastor Tom Murray.  There was tension between the religious elite and John the Baptist when Jesus arrived on the banks of the Jordan River.  Jesus took a side when He was baptized in water.  In life's big and routine decisions, we also have an opportunity to stand with Jesus.

Backsliding is becoming entangled in a sin from which God has previously set you free.  Returning to your Heavenly Father is the prescription for restoration after a backsliding diagnosis.

It would be foolish to stand in front of a mirror for 30 minutes, look at your messy hair, unbrushed teeth, snot in your nose - and do nothing about it.  It is even more foolish to hear or listen to God's Word - and not take action based on what your Heavenly Father speaks to your mind and heart. // Pastor Tom Murray

You cry out in desperation and distress, "Lord, help!"  As God is faithful to hear our petition, may our desire increase to give Him praise.  Pastor Tom teaches from Psalm 107.

We may settle for peace on the outside while enduring torment on the inside.  Kind words can be used to cover up jealousy, envy, bitterness and frustration.  Join the conversation about the remedy for these emotions that can lead to hatred.

These are two questions people have been asking for centuries as they consider their desires and life direction.  We wrestle with the questions as we consider our own future.  See how God responded when a discouraged, defeated community asked: What do we do?  Where do we go? // Pastor Tom Murray

What we say to the next generation has a direct effect on their spiritual trajectory.  Intentionally, regularly tell the next generation what you want them to remember. // Pastor Tom

Ron Diaz laid unresponsive in an emergency room hospital bed. "He died for three minutes," a nurse told his wife, Mia.  With her husband clinging to life, Mia prayed boldly for God's restoring power.

Live like your days are numbered - because they are. God gives life.  Be intentional with the precious time He gives this side of eternity.

The stakes are high when there is an opportunity to share that Jesus gave his life to rescue people from evil.  The Apostle Paul tells believers that this is a message we must communicate clearly, compassionately, and correctly.  // Pastor Tom Murray

A passionate marriage is often easy to start and challenging to sustain.  Find lasting joy through pursuing qualities that flow through the Song of Solomon like commitment, desire, faithfulness, physical attraction, and friendship.  Pray for these qualities to grow in couples you know.

There are life situations that bring on confusion, doubt, frustration and anger.  God offers tangible evidence to demonstrate that He is not absent in the crisis. God displays that He cares deeply about your circumstances and restoration.  // Pastor Tom

When we first walk through the doors of a church, it is usually easy to express why we made the choice to show up.  Over time, we can lose sight of the reason we are in a community of Christ followers - increasing the risk that we will walk away from our valuable faith family.  See how God desires to speak to you and work through you in your church. // Pastor Tom

Experience freedom from the futile cycle of trying to be good enough for God - and the fruit that comes through allowing the Holy Spirit to lead, counsel, advocate, comfort and help you from the inside out.  // Pastor Tom

Worship Pastor Dan Wootton shares this teaching about God's love through the lens of the Law of God vs. Law of Man.

Our Heavenly Father offers to equip you to thrive in a world permeated with the consequences of sin.  There is a peace, confidence, and endurance in Him that brings joy - even in the face of life's most difficult problems and trials.

We often have areas of our life that we declare as "off-limits" to changing - responding with pride and stubbornness instead of humility and submission.  Allowing God's Word to speak into the those attitudes and actions feels inconvenient.  Yet, when we give God permission to challenge us in every area, we move toward the full life and freedom our Heavenly Father desires for us. // Pastor Tom

The source of a complaint is when what's actual is less than what's expected.  Frustration festers when complaints go unresolved.  We have likely expended far too much energy pouring out complaints to those who have insufficient authority to bring a resolution.  Psalm 142 gives an example of how to effectively bring our complaints to our Heavenly Father - taking our complaints to a confidence that...

God's undeserved favor, love, kindness, help, and spiritual empowerment is called grace.  Yet, crowds were divided when the leaders of the early church spoke about grace.  There are many today who are inclined to reject God's grace.  When we understand what our Heavenly Father is offering, we realize that grace is more than just needed - it is virtue worth pursuing everyday.

Since the beginning of the movement we now call Christianity, outsiders have been asking the question, "what should we do about the Christians?"  If you are a Christ follower, you probably have someone in your life who is skeptical, critical or possibly even hostile toward your faith.  The leaders of the early church give us a great example for responding to those who wish Christianity and Christi...

Stressed.  Overwhelmed.  Anxious.  Burnt-Out.  There's a good chance that in areas of your life, you would use one or more these words to describe what you're going through right now.  We face the choice of pressing forward or giving up.  We face the choice of pushing back from or pressing into our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Through an event in David's life, join the conversation abou...

By default, we are drawn to the material over the spiritual - the perishable over the eternal.  Jesus challenged the motives of the people who were following Him.  He is challenging us today.  Jesus compels us to lift our eyes off the temporary and set our hearts on what is most important.  // Pastor Tom Murray

God sees you not just as you are today, but as He has created you to be.  Jesus prepared Peter, Andrew, James and John for the famous, and often misunderstood moment when He called the fishermen to drop their nets.  // Pastor Tom Murray