LifePoint Church

Do you ever find yourself forgetting the blessings of God? Whether life is really good or you are in a difficult situation, we all find ourselves looking in all the wrong places for the things that God promises to His children. In this Psalm, David gives us a song of praise that we can sing to God no matter what comes our way. It’s a song about the strength that He puts inside of us, the deliveran...

Do you ever have difficulty dealing with anger? More than a dozen or so Psalms express anger while crying out for justice and revenge. These Psalms are categorized as imprecatory. Psalm 109 is the longest and most detailed in its description of vengeance with words like, “May his days be few; may another take his place.” Let’s consider the role that anger plays in our lives, our relationship with...

Psalm 51 reminds us of the gravity of sin. You and I may think our sin is small, but it is severe. What we perceive to be the slightest sin is infinitely severe before God. It is a defiance of God, and it destroys you and others. That is not an overstatement: recall that according to Genesis 3, sin and death entered the world through one sin. A piece of fruit was eaten, and condemnation came to al...

In the midst of chaos, it’s sometimes hard to see the best way forward. We often find ourselves clamoring for relief and desperately seeking refuge. During the distress, nothing is more desired than the safety of home - although during such times we struggle to verbalize that desire. Today, we find a song reminding us that God is our shelter – our home. He is our refuge and without us even realizi...

Cycles of positive and negative experiences define our journey through life. To make progress, we need to learn how to keep moving forward and remain faithful whether we’re on top of the world or it feels like the world is on top of us. Psalm 40 reminds us how to feel gratitude in the middle of grief and cultivate qualities that result in faithfulness and progress in every situation. Support the s...

The first song in the Book of Psalms provides an orientation to the entire book and teaches us what life looks like when everything works properly. However, we quickly learn (and many Psalms remind us) that life doesn’t always progress according to plan. This first song also gives us a new perspective to view all of life—the successes along with the disappointments—in vibrant colors we never could...

Jesus left heaven to come into our world and serve us. (Mark 10:45) He is our example, and, therefore, as we follow Jesus, we should be serving others. When we serve together as a unified church family, the world sees a powerful witness for the love of Jesus. (John 17:23) In August, we will have an exciting opportunity to send that exact message to our community. Support the show

Whether or not we’ve considered it carefully, we all have a connection with money that is far deeper and more important than receiving a regular paycheck or carefully balancing our accounts. Money can cause us significant pain and conflict. Money can also help us reach goals and enjoy life. More than likely, you have some complicated thoughts and feelings around money. That’s why we’re looking for...

Rarely is the path to peace clearly lit. It’s not always easy to see a way through conflict, injustice, and violence without creating more suffering in return. Yet, Proverbs provides us with a light to make wise choices which can lead us to an inner sweetness and a more beautiful world. Support the show

The life you are leading…the choices you are making will make a difference in the lives of the generations that follow you…children, grandchildren, children you can’t quite imagine yet. Your life, your family life is creating a ripple that will continue extending far beyond you. So, what story are you writing in your family life? Support the show

How can we as Christians in the United States help people in need around the world? It's easy for us to make a list of all the ways we can go to other countries, especially third world countries, and solve many of their problems. But can we really solve their "problems"? Are we even asking them what they actually need from us? There's no lack of scripture exhorting believers to...

Have you found yourself working hard doing research on a purchase or planning a trip only to eventually see your decisions prove less than you imagined? Decision-making can be a complex and anxious experience depending on the gravity and consequence of the decision. When you include the desire to do God’s will and the desire to use wisdom to avoid pitfalls, the stakes feel high, and some decisions...

Do you think of sexuality as more of a problem or a privilege. Consider how a biblical view of sexuality reveals it is a good-news, gospel-kind of privilege to be a woman, to be a man, and to enjoy the sexual part of our human experience. Our sexuality requires both form and freedom to maximize our pleasure and avoid pain. Your sexuality is a mysterious, wonderful, and powerful gift from God for h...

Have you ever done something with good intentions only for the best of your intentions to explode into fire and ash? That is why we all need to keep growing in wisdom. Life is complex. To live successfully, we want to master the ways that people think and communicate, the ways that life rocks and rolls, and the general principles that create predictable responses in most situations. We all want to...

What would cause someone to be dunked under water while lots of other people watch and cheer? Jesus chose to be baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, at the beginning of his ministry. We continue following Jesus' example in baptism as well as his command to baptize others. Let's explore the significance of this unusual practice and celebration this weekend. Support the show

New possibilities, new opportunities, and new hope--all rising from new life in Jesus, that is what Easter is all about. Jesus Christ rose up and walked out of a tomb to begin God's new creation work. Together, we join him in this new creation and explore this most significant moment where Jesus rose from the dead. Let's rediscover Jesus as our Living Hope! Support the show

Jesus’ three stories in Matthew 25 pass on his mission to his followers and offer a glimpse of his coming Kingdom. Our task is to live today with growing awareness and confidence in the coming of his kingdom and to bring into our reality the values of that future day. How can we take our next step into faithfully following Jesus today while recognizing all that tomorrow holds for us? Support the s...

Salvation is a free, unconditional gift. We receive that gift through faith in the work that God already completed in Jesus Christ—his life, death, and resurrection. This gift can’t be taken away or lost and is all about God’s work for us. The Scriptures also teach that we can receive rewards for our faithfulness with the good gifts and opportunities God gives us in life. These rewards can be won...

What does it look like for us to continue Jesus’ mission and faithfully watch for his return? As Jesus faced the end of his life, he also talked about the end of this age (or as we might think of it, the end of the world) and charged his followers to be faithful until the conclusion of history when Jesus returns to establish his kingdom. In the first of three stories Jesus told in Matthew 25, we d...

Jesus must have frequently shocked and sometimes scandalized his original audiences. Today, when we take the time to listen to his words in the Gospels, how could we avoid being surprised? Mark carefully sequenced narratives about Jesus and teaching from Jesus to help us understand what a Jesus-following looks like. As we conclude this portion of teaching through Mark’s Gospel, we come away surpri...

Following Jesus will lead us into situations that will test our faith. Jesus told us to expect troubles in this world. But trials still catch us by surprise. They can leave us confused. Thankfully, we can trust God in the difficult times because we know they are opportunities for our perseverance, our character, and our hope to grow stronger-if we persist. And in the end, unimaginable glory awaits...

On our journey with Jesus, it’s all too easy to focus on the steps we’re taking and lose sight of the one we’re following. When this happens, we’re in danger of constructing a rigid religion instead of enjoying the revolutionary relationship Jesus invites into. Following Jesus liberates us from legalism while giving us the tools to receive His love and grace daily. Support the show

Part of growing up in Jesus means realizing that Jesus is the primary actor in our lives, and we learn to react or respond to what he has done. Through Jesus’ words, healing a paralyzed man, and then partying with sinners—we find Jesus taking bold, unexpected actions that demand a response. This weekend let’s discover how we can respond to Jesus’ bewildering actions. Support the show

Why should we follow Jesus with our lives? One of the big questions Mark tries to answer in his Gospel stories about Jesus is also a question every one of us ask. This weekend we’re exploring a few reasons Jesus is worth following. Along the way, we will also realize that following Jesus isn’t about self-improvement, self-realization, or self-care but involves self-service and sacrifice to expand...

No choice in life makes a greater difference than our choice to follow Jesus. This one decision influences and casts a new shade on every other decision. Whether you are considering following Jesus with your life or are looking for your next step to follow Jesus, we are wise to consider what Jesus' path really looks like and includes. This weekend, we're finding the first steps to follow...