Word of Life

Imagine a drowning person was rescued by the Coast Guard in a life-endangering mission, and on the ride back to shore, the person decided to throw themselves back overboard – all because they were confident the Coast Guard would save them. As Pastor Richard will warn in today’s message if you’ve been accepted into the family of God – rescued from the destruction of sin – why on earth would you jum...

Grace is not a free pass to do whatever you please because you know that Jesus loves you. This is a common doctrine floating around the Church today. As Pastor Richard will clarify in today’s message, Scripture makes it clear that living in sin is not acceptable after you’ve received Jesus as your Savior. To continue in the sins He died to save you from is a mockery of His great sacrifice, and thr...

As believers, our mission and the way we live our lives should reflect the love and grace that’s been extended to us in Jesus. This selfless way of living will attract attention – some good, but often it won’t be. As Pastor Richard will point out in today’s message, the Christian way goes directly against the agenda of a world bent on serving self to the point of destruction, and that underlying t...

The calling of God on your life won’t always make sense to you or the people around you. Well-meaning friends and family may ask you to reconsider your plans when you follow His will. With grace and kindness, you may need to remind them that when Jesus is with you, you don’t need to be afraid. As Pastor Richard will point out, you very well may face persecution or death, but you’re called to a pur...

Many believers, and entire church denominations, have compromised on the truth of the Bible for the sake of loving others. But we don’t have to choose between the two. In fact, as Pastor Richard will remind us in today’s message, when we compromise on the truth our Creator has given us, that’s the opposite of love. When we truly love our neighbors, we’ll share the uncomfortable, life-giving truth...

We have a distinct and challenging call as believers. We’re called to live in this world while not letting it soil our hearts and behavior. We’re called to live in a way that reflects the grace of God while also maintaining a stance against sin and its destruction. As Pastor Richard will point out in today’s message, many will take the Gospel as an offense. When you live with integrity, loving oth...

We live in a broken and confused world. Ideas have been made popular that directly contradict God and His design. As Christians, we aren’t in a place to decide what people should or shouldn’t do – but God, who created all of this and called it good, is in a position of authority and His Word is the main source for understanding His design. Today, Pastor Richard will remind us that we need to live...

God has given each one of us the gift of grace. Whether you’re a social butterfly who can strike up a conversation with a park bench, or if you feel awkward and intimidated by interacting with people, you have the same calling to share the love of Christ. The way you share it may look different, but as Pastor Richard will challenge us in today’s message, we can confidently live out this mission wi...

Humility is crucial in any healthy relationship. This applies fully to the Church. All too often, we pride ourselves on being right. We’ll allow the pettiest debates to drive rifts between us and other believers. As Pastor Richard will challenge us today, we need to be peacemakers. Being willing to say “I’m sorry…” even when you know you’re not the only one at fault can do so much more for the Kin...

The calling of God on your life won’t always make sense to you or the people around you. Well-meaning friends and family may ask you to reconsider your plans when you follow His will. With grace and kindness, you may need to remind them that when Jesus is with you, you don’t need to be afraid. As Pastor Richard will point out, you very well may face persecution or death, but you’re called to a pur...

As Pastor Richard points out in today’s message, each one of us wants companionship. We want someone who will stand with us even in our darkest moments. This may be a point of pain – you may be lonely and feel like you don’t have that person. For others, you have a friend or spouse, but they’re only human and they will let you down. The good news is that Jesus desires to be a friend closer than a...

What do you have to have in a church? We tend to approach church in a very consumeristic, self-centered way. We want high-quality, energetic music that tugs at our emotions. We want preaching that’s engaging and dynamic, hitting on all the current issues in a way that’s challenging, but doesn’t push the wrong buttons. As Pastor Richard will challenge us in today’s message, the Church isn’t meant t...

You will never be beyond the reach of God’s love as long as you walk in this world. You may be on a spiritual or emotional mountain top right now, or maybe you’re at the lowest of lows, but He is right there with you. As Pastor Richard will remind us in today’s message, God’s love is always more than adequate. He can pull us out of any sin that plagues us. He will not give up on you – all you have...

How can we remain stable in such an unstable world? The culture shifts by the day. When you focus on the world and set your hope on things like the stock market, bank accounts, political figures, celebrities, or even friends or family, you’ll find yourself very unsteady. Those things, while not all bad, will have ups and downs, but as Pastor Richard reminds us today, our Savior is steadfast, and w...

When you’re welcomed into the family of God through Jesus, you become a sibling in a vast and diverse family. There’ll be people in this family that surprise you. They may speak a completely different language or have a completely different wardrobe. Their background may be much more colorful than yours. They may hold different political views, but ultimately, as Pastor Richard will remind us toda...

For people who have rejected God or at least ignored Him, the Gospel doesn’t make sense. Once Jesus breaks through the wall that sin builds around your heart, suddenly you gain an understanding that goes much deeper than intellect. As Pastor Richard will point out in today’s message, that’s the power of the Gospel. It reveals truth to our hearts where sin and the Prince of lies have deceived us in...

As Pastor Richard points out in today’s message, each one of us wants companionship. We want someone who will stand with us even in our darkest moments. This may be a point of pain – you may be lonely and feel like you don’t have that person. For others, you have a friend or spouse, but they’re only human and they will let you down. The good news is that Jesus desires to be a friend closer than a...

When you share the Gospel with others, don’t be afraid to tell them your story. How you went from broken to healed. How you went from God’s enemy to God’s ally. In today’s message, Pastor Richard teaches that some stories of conversion are radical, and some are mild… but all are powerful. Your testimony can give others hope. It can let them know that just because they’ve run from God in the past,...

What happens when you pour water into a cracked and broken vessel? Well, the water will spill everywhere and make a mess. A container can only be effective if its pieces are properly joined together, and the body of Christ is the container for God’s presence on Earth. Pastor Richard teaches you today that when there is disunity and conflict within the Church, His presence will begin to fade and li...

Even though God had made a way for Gentiles to be accepted into the nation of Israel, many foreigners were left on the outside looking in, seeking after the knowledge of the one true God, but being shut out from religious teachings. But Pastor Richard reminds you today that there is no secret privilege that prevents you from having a relationship with Christ. The barrier between man and God has be...

Make no mistake, God didn’t send Jesus to save you because you’re some big important person! No, in fact, in the face of eternity, you are just a speck of dust, a puff of vapor in the vast cosmos. But Pastor Richard reminds you today that you are much more important than what the world can make you feel like. In fact, your life is valuable enough to God that He sent Jesus to this world to die in y...

Have you ever gotten a food stain on a white shirt? Things like coffee or tomato sauce can deeply stain a piece of fabric within seconds, leaving a permanent mark that is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to erase. Pastor Richard reminds you that holiness has extremely high standards: you are either sinless and righteous, or you are sinful and corrupted. Without God’s intervention, even the...

Is there anyone in your life that treasures you? Anyone that makes you feel special, or wanted? Well, if you don’t have someone like that in your life, Pastor Richard wants you to know that Jesus wants you and desires you. In fact, you make up part of the Body of Christ, and you are being prepared for a great wedding feast to come in the last days. The Church is Christ’s inheritance, the bride awa...

When you share the Gospel with others, don’t be afraid to tell them your story. How you went from broken to healed. How you went from God’s enemy to God’s ally. In today’s message, Pastor Richard teaches that some stories of conversion are radical, and some are mild… but all are powerful. Your testimony can give others hope. It can let them know that just because they’ve run from God in the past,...

When you are thinking about following Jesus, it’s tempting, and common, to think that you have to get your act together first. You might think, “I’ve gotta sober up and reconcile all my burned bridges before God will accept me.” Today, Pastor Richard teaches that this isn’t true. All you need to do is have faith in Jesus, and He will take care of the rest. If you’ve been waiting to get cleaned up...