Pea Ridge Audio Podcast

Our God doesn't merely exist ... He is present and active in our lives. And when we begin to live out that truth, we walk in confidence knowing He has set us free from fear and He is with us as we carry out His mission.

The record of Joseph's life shows how God was moving to accomplish His great plan of redemption. It also gives us practical truths that we can apply in our own lives, such as what it looks like to pursue "God dreams." What dream has God given you?

Jacob's name meant "heel" or "deceiver," and this was an identity he lived up to until God met him and began to transform his life. Through Jesus Christ, God does the same thing for us today. Can you sense Him working in your life? How is He calling you to respond in faith?

"Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1, NLT) As we follow our purpose of making disciples, we can know with assurance that God will provide what we need for the journey ahead.

Sarai's servant Hagar had been deeply hurt. Alone in the wilderness, she received assurance and comfort from the Lord, and called him "the God who sees." He sees our hurt and our pain, and He responds. We are not alone.

God told a man named Abram to leave everything he knew and go to a land that God would show him later. Along with that command came a purpose and a promise. Through Jesus, God has given us a command to go, a purpose of making disciples and a promise that he will be with us to the end of the age.

Our God is a Creator of good and a Destroyer of evil. He sent judgment upon the earth through a worldwide flood, but saved the human race and the animal kingdom through one man and his family. Then, He gave a sign that He would never again destroy all life on earth. Our God keeps His promises!

We are made in the image of God our Creator, which means we are not meant to be alone. Though sin has separated us from God, He has pursued after us by making a way for us to have a relationship with Him. The richness of His grace is found on the same pages that show us the consequences of disobedience.

After giving instructions about building healthy relationships within the household, Paul concludes his letter with a reminder that believers are in a spiritual battle that requires spiritual armor. Gage Ross shares that victory will only come when we are prepared to face the enemy ... when we are ready in Christ.

Paul was not married, but God still chose to inspire him to share what it takes to have a marriage that reflects the relationship between Christ and the church. When a husband and wife both give of themselves to the other, they experience what it truly means to live as one.

As believers, we are commanded to imitate God and love in the same way that Jesus loved us and gave himself for us. When our actions and words are consistent with this, we will shine the light of God's love into the lives of others ... and we will truly be people of light.

Put off the old and put on the new ... is living out our faith really that simple? Like most things related to faith, it might be simple but not necessarily easy for us, because of our human nature. The good news is, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and the community of believers God has provided through the local church.

If you have placed your faith in Christ, then God has given you a spiritual gift to be used in service to Him! Don't play the comparison game and long for the gifts you see in others. Instead, discover your gifts and seek how the Lord wants you to use them to build up His kingdom!

Those of us who believe in Christ have been given the privilege of displaying the wisdom of God to this world. It's amazing that God has chosen to use us in this way, and it's part of His mysterious plan of redemption that has now been revealed. We must highly value one another as vessels of His presence, because the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us!

Through his completed work on the cross, Jesus tore down the walls of hostility between Jews and Gentiles, and between all who believe. Any walls that still exist are of our own making, and we need to do what's necessary to tear them down so we can be joined together into a dwelling place for God in this world.

All of us are born into this world with a selfish nature, and as a result we stand against God. But God, who is rich in mercy, has loved us by sending Jesus to die so that we could experience new life both now and forever. When we place our faith in Christ, we become God's masterpiece as that faith leads to a life of good works.

Our lives should be characterized by faith in Christ and love for one another. As we grow in these relationships, we fulfill God's purpose for us as the full expression of Christ in the world.

As our church begins a new journey through the New Testament letter of Ephesians, we discover that God's purpose for mankind is redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote that we who believe are chosen by God from the foundation of the world, and this truth is meant to encourage us rather than confuse us.

We cannot follow Jesus alone, though our human nature is to try. He created the church so we could live life in community. We need to be "all in" – meaning we need prioritize life within this community so we can develop Christ-centered relationships that help us grow. It's through these relationships that we can instruct one another in the ways of God.

Only when we are open and honest with one another do we experience true fellowship. While living authentically feels risky and goes against the ways of our culture, it is biblical and plays an important part in our walk with Christ.