Risen Church NC

Dueling Kingdoms: Told You So - 1 Samuel 10-12 by Risen Church NC

While it was never God's perfect will for Saul to be Israel's king, God was more than willing to bless and guide him. Refusing to defer the glory to God and humble himself, Saul set out on a path of self-destruction. Listen as we learn about Saul's downfall, a reign that was quickly disgraced through foolish, short-sighted decisions. We discuss the difference between putting God first and putting...

When his father sets aside his duties as king and takes the day off, Jonathan steps up to the plate and is determined to protect God's people. Unsure of what he should do, he turns to the Lord and puts all of his trust in Him. Listen as we discuss what it looks like to fully rely on God and be willing to obey Him even amidst uncertainty.

Dueling Kingdoms: Well Spent - 1 Samuel 15 by Risen Church NC

From our ears to our hearts, there's often a disconnect between we've heard and what we feel able to do. When it comes to hearing God's Word, we all have had intentions of following through, yet somethings frustrates our hearts again and again. In this message, we talk about the importance of clearing our minds and giving priority to God's promises and guidance. If our minds are preoccupied or dis...

Many things in life leave us broken and can make us bitter, but what if God has a plan and intends all along to make us better than before? Listen as Job's story inspires us to take heart in the midst of all uncertainty and find hope in God's promises.

In one of Jesus' most dramatic sermons, He addressed how serious it is for us to continue in sin and what great extent we ought to go to in order to overcome it. His proposed solution is intentionally extreme, meant to make all of us pause and consider how detrimental it is to remain out of God's Will. Listen as we discuss the nature of sin and how it causes all of us struggles in various ways. We...

With every new year comes unknowns and unpredictability. We often wonder and worry over what we cannot be certain about. However, there is far more that is known and predictable about any given year than we may realize. Every January, a new cycle begins, with much of what we've experienced before set to repeat. Having been there and done that, we have the wisdom we need to face whatever comes our...

God intended on building a kingdom through the prophet Samuel, that would unite Israel around His Will and Way. Yet after glimpses of revival, the people chose to prioritize their own kingdom. In this message, we examine the poor choice made by Israel and how it reflects our own common misunderstandings of prayer and submission to God. We'll see how the people took the bait of worldly looks and po...

Christmas changed everything History bears witness to the indisputable mark that Christmas and the birth of Jesus left on this world. There's just no denying just how significant a day that first Christmas was. The question is, do our hearts bear witness to a similar impact? Has Jesus and the reality of Christmas changed us?

Christmas explains so much about God. It brings clarify and understanding to His approach throughout history and adds context to what may guide His decisions over any of our lives. The finer details of the Christmas story, particularly those God selected to be front and center of it all, are meant to underscore the nature of the salvation He brought into the world. In this message, we discover the...

The romanticized version of the Christmas story that we all know so well is accepted by most as the picture of peace. We sing songs about how that first Christmas night was filled with an otherworldly peace. Indeed, it seems as if Heaven and Earth became one for a small moment of time. In reality, the story behind Christmas was anything but picture-perfect. Every person in the story faced so much...

There are many verses and passages in the Bible that direct our attention to the skies above as proof of the wonder and glory of God. The ancients were especially in tune with the stars believing that something was being communicated by God through the many celestial phenomenons. In this message, we zero on a particular group of people who spent many centuries tracking the stars, hoping to hear a...

Nothing sweeps over our world quite like the Christmas season. The Spirit of Christmas is unlike anything, utterly dominating and overshadowing anything in its vicinity. Many generations have come and gone, where some wondered if Christmas would remain such a powerful force. Of course, it has persisted and proves unstoppable. In this message, we discuss why Christmas' continuation and ever-growing...

The Christmas season brings a sense of wonder and joy along with it, unrivaled by every other time of year. It's often said that Heaven draws closer to Earth every December. In this message, we learn how this might very well be the case. However, the true intersection of Heaven and Earth may surprise you. Listen as we discuss how Christmas parties could resemble Heaven more than any other scene on...

The short book of Habakkuk is unlike any other book of the Bible. It also stands out in contrast to all the other prophets. In it we get to read a back-and-forth conversation between Habakkuk and God, as the prophet brings his concerns before the Lord. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining - with the nation of Israel especially feeling the effects of the world's brokenness. Now facing invasi...

In this message, we hear the Bible command us to give thanks to God, no matter the circumstances and detached from feelings. We discuss how this may fly in the face of human nature, but how it also offers us the ultimate freedom and powerful perspective. Listen as Psalm 100 and King David show us the the true heart of worship and how our lives can be transformed through giving thanks.

In this message, we take a broad look at Revelation and seek to understand how God will reclaim and restore the earth one day. We focus on the Enemy's tightening grip on this world and how God will use a revived nation of Israel to overcome evil once and for all.

The Bible contains many prophesies, most of which have already been fulfilled. From the promise of a Savior, to the story of Ancient Israel, God's Word proves trustworthy time and time again. There are in fact many prophecies that are yet unfulfilled, that give us a glimpse at what is to come in this world. This message shows us what's in store for the earth and how God has a definite plan to rest...

In part two of "Whole Heart", we hear from Jesus on how we might experience the fullness of God in our lives. After commanding us to "seek first the Kingdom of God", He makes it clear that God wants our whole heart so that He might make us whole and complete. Listen as we discover how committed Jesus is to restoring us and empowering our lives, and embrace the challenge to be as committed to Him a...

This is the first of a two part study on God's desire to make our hearts whole. In this message, Jesus reveals to us that our hearts are compromised and weighed down by so much from this world. As uncomfortable as it may be to hear, Jesus doesn't mince His words and shows us the only pathway forward... Listen as Jesus reflects our hearts back at us and offers us a way to be untangled and set free.

God's choice way of evangelism has always been through inspired people sharing how their lives have been transformed. While the Gospel is based on objective truth, Gospel witnessing has always, also leaned on our own personal testimonies. Ultimately, Jesus does the same work in all of us, but our individual circumstances allow for unique opportunities to tell others about Him. In this message, we...

Who is Jesus? This is the question that matters more than anything when defining our faith and sharing it with others. In this message, we discover how God worked across generations to set the stage and prepare the world for its Savior to arrive. Jesus came to take on sin and death, and bring redemption to all people. Knowing who Jesus is, what He did, and what He wants to do in all of us is essen...

As Christians we are expected to be ready to share our faith at any given time. We are all well aware of this imperative. We've heard countless messages on the Great Commission and about evangelism. This series isn't another reminder of why we must do this, but all about helping us narrow in on the story we have to tell. In this message, we trace our faith back to its earliest stages and observe t...

"Make Us Like All The Other Nations" Israel made this infamous request to Samuel and to God, after years of deflecting God's calling over them. He desired for Israel to be a light unto the world, unlike all the rest to hopefully make Him known. In this message, we relate Israel's request to the desire of our own fleshly nature and discover their one in the same. We hear how the Bible calls us in a...