Morning Meditations with Pastor Ryan Hayden

Being a part of a local church means you have a job to do, and when another part hurts, you hurt, too.

So much of Christianity today is acting like the world with just a twist of Christianity, but we need to get back to just being Christians.

The name "Jesus Christ the Lord" has a great deal of significance, and each part of the name tells us something about Him.

We shouldn't go to church just so we can get something, but rather so we can give something.

The gospel is not a to-do list. It is the good news of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for your sins, and all you have to do is believe it.

Being in possession of the gospel means that God wants us to give it away to others (Rom. 1:14-15)

The end of the book of II Samuel appears strange on the surface, but it offers us a preview of God's perfect sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ.

Just because you've fallen in the past doesn't mean God is through using you.

These are two things that every Christian should be saying to everyone they meet.

The normal way that people should find Jesus is that someone they know who is already a Christian brings them to Him.

Despite his popularity, John the Baptist recognized his purpose: To prepare people for the coming of Jesus.

We can be tempted to make it all about ourselves, but we need to make much of Jesus Christ.

In just a few words, John the Baptist described who Jesus was, why He came, and what He did for us.

John the Baptist was a unique man with a unique role, whose life's mission was to humbly point people to Christ.

The only way we can know the person and nature of God is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is God's undeserved favor, a gift with no strings attached.

Jesus is not only our Savior, but He is our way of understanding the nature of God.

In these few verses, John explains why Christ came and what He did.

What is your mission in life?

As strong as darkness gets, it has no power against the light.

In Christ, we find life, everlasting life, and true freedom.

There are many religious groups that teach that Jesus is not God, but that goes against the clear teaching of the Bible.

The world is trying to conform us to its image, but we are called to resist that conforming pressure and be transformed by God's power.

Both the Old and New Testaments teach the general principle that you should submit to the authority God has placed over you.

Ask God for wisdom, and He'll give it to you. It is something no one can take away from you.

Many people start well and show so much potential, but they turn their back on God and their lives end in shame.

If there is an Almighty God who is just, righteous, and good, what use is there in fighting against Him?

Wise people are diligent and smart with their money, so they don't waste what they've been given.

Longing for the good old days is an act of discontentment. We need to focus on what God has for us here and now.

Constant anger is the mark of a fool.

Very often, the advice we need to hear is not the advice we want to hear (Ecc. 7:5-6).

It is good to be reminded of our own mortality because it will motivate us to change some things and consider what's after this life.

If you live for money, it will never satisfy you, but if you keep money in its proper place and live for God, it can be a great blessing.

Government corruption exists everywhere because people are corrupt, but God will set everything right one day.

We need to focus on raising our children to be leaders in our communities.

We are the light of the world, and light is meant to be seen.

We can remind people that, no matter what they're going through, there is still a good God who loves them.

No matter how bad it gets, God is still good, and He is still worthy of our praise.

We should be careful of what we say, especially to God.

No matter where you are in life, you should never stop learning.

We need the companionship of others in life, especially other believers.

We will be taking next week off. We will return the week of July 13.

Life is about more than getting all you can.

When we only look at the surface of this world, sometimes it looks like bad people win, but one day, God will bring justice.

Success will bring on the envy and hatred of lazy people with self-destructive habits.

In a world without God, life can be so unfair and unjust that it's almost unbearable.

God has put a yearning in our hearts for something eternal, not just the temporary things of this world.

We all go through various seasons of life, but they are a part of the greater story that God is writing in our lives.

Everything we do in this world will be left behind when we die, but everything we do for God will last forever.

One thing happens to everyone, so what's the answer?