One City Church

Presidential elections are weeks away, and the tension keeps growing. It's a confusing time, we are all desperate for change but who do we trust, who to believe, who to vote for? We need to reorient our hearts and focus back to Jesus, the King of Kings. The change that we seek and desire for this world and country flows from our allegiance, loyalty, and devotion to Jesus.

We continue to go through the book of Matthew and today we focus on chapter 4: 12-17. The great mystery of God work causes us to wonder what is he up to when things don't go our way. Naturally we want to seek control and try to right the ship of our lives, however our response needs to lead us to retreat and allow Jesus to engage in our hearts.

Living in the Presence of God is one of the great mysteries of our faith, however it is how we are intended to live our lives. However this at times feels impossible. Let's talk about one of the biggest hindrances that often times holds us back from living the abundant life that Jesus promises.

In Matthew 4: 8-11 we come to the third temptation and final temptation  that Jesus faces in the wilderness. In the previous verses we see how the devil tempts Jesus at his weakest point, but also in the second he tries the strength of Jesus' faith. In this third temptation the devil has nothing left but to try and entice Jesus to measure God’s favor in His life by focusing on the success of h...

Jesus’ second temptation attacks his faith. The devil believes that Jesus’ strength comes from his ability to recite scripture, he fails to see that Jesus’ faith is rooted in his heart.

Being still and silent is difficult for most of us, but it is essential for us as followers of Jesus. In the silence and solitude is where God's deep work is done in our hearts.

In Matthew chapter 4 the first few words we see the Holy Spirit leading Jesus to the wilderness. The Spirit doesn’t lead Jesus into temptation, but it does lead him to the wilderness where he will be tested and tried.  Which raises the question: If Jesus is the Son of God, what is the need for him to be tested?

Is there another way? Doubting is not a bad thing, it becomes harmful and dangerous when we hold on to that doubt and we begin to rationalize it ourselves. Doubt is meant to be taken to God. It is a vehicle that is meant to draw us closer to God.  Keeping the doubt to ourselves, ultimately sets us on a path where we debate and question if God's Love for us is true.

God speaking into our lives is not a mystical event that is reserved for a chosen few. It is something that is to be expected because he is close and personal to every single one of us. The closeness and interactions we see between Jesus and his Father, we can also experience if we desire it.

With 11 words God spoke into he heart of Jesus and gave him what his human heart needed. Gods words carried more than a message, it was a loving embrace that allowed Jesus to experienced God's unconditional love. In a fraction of time, God gave Jesus what man will spend his entire lifetime searching for, the love of the Father. In God we find an unconditional love which gives us a firm underst...

Today Sheila a family member of our church shares with us what it looks like for the Holy Spirit to be our Helper.

What is the meaning and purpose behind our suffering? today we take a look on how following Jesus and experiencing suffering is an integral part of the journey. Most importaly in our suffering we can experience the love of the Father in a way that is personal, comforting and consoling.

The Holy Spirit is one of the aspects of our faith that is oftentimes misunderstood. Mostly because of its mystery, but if we allow ourselves to embrace this gift in our lives we will be able to discover the wonder of God through the mystery of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is it that allows Jesus to relate to us? Today we uncover that because Jesus choses humility over power, influence and wealth, he is obedient to the will of the Father and he is led to be baptized. Jesus' humility leads him to be in the same place as the sinners whom he is here to save. Jesus doesn't come to get baptized because he is repenting of sin th...

God's love for humanity is a passionate foe that is fueled by his desire for everyone that is in relationship with Him to embody his Character. for us to be able to look at this world with eyes of compassion, and act with justice and righteousness in this world.

What comes to mind when you hear the word repentance? How does this word make you feel? For most people repentance can make us feel uneasy and uncomfortable but repentance is so a good thing for the human soul. Today we learn how repentance is the key to being able to live in the Kingdom of God and an essential part of a follower of Jesus. .

In the conclusion of chapter 2 in the book of Matthew Jesus is a child, and when chapter 3 picks up with Jesus as an adult. There are 18 years unaccounted for in the life of Jesus. This time frame is known as the hidden years of Jesus, but what exactly took place there?

As we close out this chapter in the book of Matthew, our beloved family member Matthew shares with us his heart and the Hope that Jesus brings to all of us.

All sin is destructive, but what exactly does it destroy? Sin destroys all of our relationships. When we focus on fixing our sinful behavior it comes at the expense of our relationship with God. We must focus on our relationship with Jesus our behavior will overflow from our hearts.

the Bible doesn't have a comparison between what sin is considered better or worse, the truth is that all sin is destructive. But there is a pattern in which temptation becomes sin. And in every stage, if we are willing we have the opportunity to meet Jesus.

The second character that we come across in the second chapter in the Gospel of Matthew is King Herod. King Herod isn't just added to the story for historical context but for what he symbolizes: the human condition. King Herod illustrates the sinfulness that exists in the human heart. The main point of King Herod is not that he is the villain (although he did some horrific things) but what  he...

Since the beginning Gods heart and mission has always been to save and redeem his most prized creation, humanity. The magi represent the extent to which Gods love is able to reach. God's love is expressed through his grace. Grace is missional, and as a church that's why we exist.

How is it that the Magi, people who are considered to be the lowest of the low because their worship to false gods and idols end up being one of the first people to stand in front of Jesus?

Today Ian a friend of our community shared with us what intimacy looks like by being vulnerable with God and Others.

The Will of God is one of the hardest things to explain, mainly because we do not know what it is. We all want to do it, but have a hard time understanding what it is. How was Mary able to step in to allow the Will of God to be fulfilled through her? How did she have the confidence to accept God's plan for her life that was anything of what she could have dreamed of for herself? Today we talk...