Word of Life

The Good News of Jesus Christ is simple, straightforward, and for everyone! In today's message, Pastor Richard encourages you to make a decision to follow Christ. Step one is to repent. Acknowledge that you're a sinner in need of a Savior and turn from your sin. You can't do it on your own! God is merciful and loves you so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross to pay the debt that you can't pay. Accept this as truth and be saved today!

When farmers leave one of their fields fallow, it's to let the soil rest and recover its fertility. To ready a fallow field for planting, the soil first needs to be broken up. Our hearts can be like a fallow field that needs the soil softened up, so that new seeds can take root there. Today, Pastor Richard urges you to make yourself open and receptive to God, so that His word can become deeply rooted in you and produce abundant fruit.

One of the characters in the novel 1984 argues, “War is peace; freedom is slavery; ignorance is strength.” In a similar vein, Isaiah says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness”. Sounds a lot like our times, doesn't it! Today, Pastor Richard tells us how Israel and Judah forgot and disobeyed God, and yet He continued to call them back to Himself. Know that He will do the same for you. 

Imagine this: it's your second day on your brand-new job, and your boss wants you to do the work your co-worker has been doing for FIVE years! Well, that's not fair, is it? You cannot hold the same standards for two different people when they're in completely different stages. Today, Pastor Richard talks about how your convictions may be different from those of others. Your job isn't to make everyone else follow your standards, but to build them up.

I think we ALL can relate to judging our fellow Christian friends for some of the choices they make. It's important to remember that their walk with Christ isn't ours, and that we can't control everything they do. Today, Pastor Richard discusses the importance of encouraging your new believer friends in their walk with Christ when they fall short, instead of judging them when they may be struggling. How can you encourage your friends today? 

Today, Pastor Richard discusses the similarities between Hosea's time and our own, as well as Paul's day. In Ephesians, Paul exhorts the Church not to follow after the world, but to walk as children of light and expose the world's dark deeds. We are to be salt and light and be transformed into the image of Christ. Therefore, trust and live in Jesus, immerse yourself in God's Word, and get involved in a community of faithful Christians.

The news today is unsettling, infuriating, and tragic. There are many different viewpoints in the world around us, and everyone thinks that their's is the right one. So what's missing? How can we know what's true? Today, Pastor Richard describes Hosea's time, where the knowledge of God no longer governed the behavior of individuals or the nation. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Even so, God's love was present then for them, as it is now for you.

Gomer, the adulterous wife of Hosea, had a faithful husband and multiple children, but she was not satisfied with her life. She wanted to cheat on him and pursue her previous lovers, whom she thought would fill her soul with those things that were lacking in her life. But God promised to thwart her, so that she would seek but not find what she craved. Are there things in your life you crave, hoping they'll fill a void only God can fill? 

God told the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute, an unfaithful adulteress. Now, why would He do this? Because that's how God felt about His people, whom He dearly loved. For they had turned away from Him to other lovers, to idols. The Church in the New Testament is likened to the Bride of Christ. And like a faithful husband, Jesus longs for your affection and to be your first love. When you look at your own life, is Jesus number 1 in your heart?

It's natural to be skeptical when you hear a prophecy or the interpretation of it. They often aren't crystal clear in their descriptions, using metaphors and symbolism that can be misinterpreted. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, the prophecy we find in the book of Daniel has been proven throughout the centuries, and when we approach it in faith and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, its truth can be made clear.

I think we ALL can relate to judging our fellow Christian friends for some of the choices they make. It's important to remember that their walk with Christ isn't ours, and that we can't control everything they do. Today, Pastor Richard discusses the importance of encouraging your new believer friends in their walk with Christ when they fall short, instead of judging them when they may be struggling. How can you encourage your friends today? 

Faith in God is essential to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy. He's no match for our God, but that doesn't mean he's not clever. His attacks come in subtle, unrelenting ways that can be easy to dismiss, while doubts start to build and we find ourselves compromising on our values. Today, Pastor Richard will encourage us to reinforce our faith through the Word and time in prayer, as well as surrounding ourselves with fellow believers.

The world we're living in grows riper by the day for the anti-Christ. There's already been a lot of speculation about who it might be and where they might come from. As we head into the final days before our Savior's return, Pastor Richard will encourage us to take heart. We can trust that Jesus will return for us before the time of this evil ruler arrives. We need to be aware, actively warning the lost around us of what's to come.

How do you pray? How often? This is a heavily underused gift that God's given us. As Pastor Richard will challenge us in today's message, prayer is as necessary as the breath we breathe as believers. It can come in multiple forms, and there are times when you will not have access to the words to express your heart. In that moment, trust in the Spirit, who can give you the words, even at times in a form that you don't comprehend.

We've been given an amazing gift in being able to talk with the God of the universe. He spoke our world into existence and breathed life into our lungs, and He desires for us to use that breath for His glory. As Pastor Richard continues our study of the book of Daniel in today's message, he'll explore some of the ways that we can interact with our Heavenly Father. There's no set formula, but rather many ways we can approach God in prayer. 

Most of us have not experienced visions like those we find described at various times in Scripture. Perhaps one of the reasons God doesn't use this means of communicating with us is simply that it would overwhelm most of us. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, even for Daniel, a prophet designated by God to speak to humanity on His behalf, the vision he sees in today's passage was more than he was ready for.

Israel is a nation run by humans, susceptible to sin, including pride and hatred. To stand with Israel, as Pastor Richard will explain in today's message, is not to pretend they're perfect. Scripture makes it clear that this chosen nation, called to be a blessing to others, has not always lived up to its calling. But that doesn't change God's promises or design as laid out in Scripture, and we need to be vigilant in prayer as we watch God's plan unfold. 

Faith in God is essential to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy. He's no match for our God, but that doesn't mean he's not clever. His attacks come in subtle, unrelenting ways that can be easy to dismiss, while doubts start to build and we find ourselves compromising on our values. Today, Pastor Richard will encourage us to reinforce our faith through the Word and time in prayer, as well as surrounding ourselves with fellow believers.

Faith in God is essential to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy. He's no match for our God, but that doesn't mean he's not clever. His attacks come in subtle, unrelenting ways that can be easy to dismiss, while doubts start to build and we find ourselves compromising on our values. Today, Pastor Richard will encourage us to reinforce our faith through the Word and time in prayer, as well as surrounding ourselves with fellow believers.

The stage is set for this moment described in Biblical prophecy. Of course, with all the unrest in Israel, it's hard to imagine a peace deal that would allow for the temple to be rebuilt. While it's easy to spend a lot of time trying to connect dots and make predictions, ultimately, we can't know the future. As Pastor Richard continues our study in the book of Daniel today, we'll be reminded to keep our focus on our mission as the Church.

When you look at the chaos of this world, with wars, natural disasters, and divisiveness everywhere, it's easy to be overwhelmed. It can feel hopeless, but if you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you have reason for hope and joy. This world, in its broken state, is not our home. Our home is with Christ, and as Pastor Richard will encourage us in today's message, Jesus promised to return for us, and He will follow through.

Far too often, we write prayer off as the least we can do. While we're called to go out and share the Gospel and glorify Jesus with our daily lives, prayer is not a small part of that. Jesus – who was one with His Father God – made it a priority to spend time in prayer regularly. As Pastor Richard will challenge us in today's message, in times when we're not sure what we can do to serve God and others, prayer should be our first resort.

God doesn't need any of us. His care and concern for humanity come completely from a benevolent, loving heart. He desires a relationship with us and to restore us to the holiness He designed us for. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, the forgiveness and redemption that God offers reflect how good He is. They point to a gracious heart, not because He needs what we have to offer or because we've earned His favor.

Once again, Pastor Richard will remind us of the profound significance of fulfilled prophecy and how this builds our faith like no other. Imagine knowing a person who could tell you where a person would be born, in what town, and even which family that person would be born into! It's ASTOUNDING, when you really think about it! As you listen today, focus your attention on the power behind fulfilled prophecy and the future to come in Christ's kingdom.

Faith in God is essential to stand strong against the attacks of the enemy. He's no match for our God, but that doesn't mean he's not clever. His attacks come in subtle, unrelenting ways that can be easy to dismiss, while doubts start to build and we find ourselves compromising on our values. Today, Pastor Richard will encourage us to reinforce our faith through the Word and time in prayer, as well as surrounding ourselves with fellow believers.

As we walk through life with Jesus, we can sometimes forget the blessings we already have while chasing after what we want. When we become so focused on our own desires and needs, we may overlook the many gifts God has given us. That's why, in today's message, Pastor Richard encourages us to stay rooted in the Word of God and always remember that, although God doesn't grant us everything we ask for, He will always provide what we truly need.

In the last edition of Word of Life, Pastor Richard shared with us numerous prophecies that have been fulfilled in the book of Daniel. And today, as we just heard from Pastor Richard, you'll hear WHY this is so important. When a prophecy is fulfilled, it bolsters your faith in ways few things can. Faith is hard. But when a prophecy actually comes to pass, it becomes a little bit easier to believe in this beautiful God that we can't see.

Prophecy is one of the most amazing elements of the Bible. If you stop and think about it, it will truly blow your mind! There's never been another document on earth that had historical declarations about things that were going to happen…and then, THEY ACTUALLY HAPPENED!?!?!?!?! As Pastor Richard takes us through the eighth chapter of Daniel, you'll hear a few more of these divine confirmations in the form of prophecies fulfilled.

THAT is the hope we have as followers of Jesus Christ. As dark as this world is not, we look forward to a time when Jesus returns for His people and initiates His glorious reign here on earth. Studying prophetic texts like Daniel can be discouraging WITHOUT keeping in mind that we won't be here AND we will be with Jesus.

Tribulation isn't a word we use often in our American vernacular. This is more of a “bible” word. Pastor Richard just introduced us to an even more fine-tuned look at the idea of tribulation, and that's the “GREAT TRIBULATION”. You'll learn today that you DO NOT want to be someone who is here on earth during this awful time in the history of mankind. You want to be with Jesus in heaven during this time.

There are MANY prophecies in the Bible. And MANY of them have come true! As Pastor Richard has been leading us through the book of Daniel, we are learning about some prophecies that HAVE NOT yet been fulfilled. One of them is the one Richard just mentioned a moment ago…this “ten-horned empire” that is understood as an organization that is led by ten kings.

As we walk through life with Jesus, we can sometimes forget the blessings we already have while chasing after what we want. When we become so focused on our own desires and needs, we may overlook the many gifts God has given us. That's why, in today's message, Pastor Richard encourages us to stay rooted in the Word of God and always remember that, although God doesn't grant us everything we ask for, He will always provide what we truly need.

As followers of Jesus, we should be characterized by our love for others. One of the clearest indicators of that love is our generosity and hospitality. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, those characteristics don't come naturally to all of us. We live in a world that discourages these traits and promotes a self-centered existence. Our lives should look different. When we step into serving others, we'll find deep joy.

Do you believe what Pastor Richard just said a moment ago could be true in your life? Could you be like the Apostle Peter or Mary, the mother of Jesus? As Pastor Richard just said, YES…YES, you can! You'll learn today that walking the talk of Christianity is the best way to be a powerful witness for God's kingdom. Do the things you say God says to do…and people will line up to learn about the Jesus you serve.

If you want to be an effective witness for Jesus, a great place to start is how you treat others. Are you a jerk on Facebook? How about at the 4-way stop…do you ALWAYS go first? Today, you'll learn that like Daniel, you can have a HUGE eternal impact not by stirring things up, but by being a living testimony of the grace of God. Your character can lead the way for the story of Jesus.

Right now, the grace of God is on FULL DISPLAY. We see the unrighteousness and what appears to be a lack of justice in our world. But, there's coming a day when the justice of GOd will rain down on the earth. Pastor Richard reminds you today that the very breath in your lungs is a gift from God, and it's important to be thankful to God FOR the life that He's given you.

Like BELT-TA-SHAZ-ARE, we can have that same attitude. We can forget who we are and where we came from. We can forget the lessons that we've learned from the elders in our lives. Pastor Richard will remind you today to LISTEN to your elders and HEED their warnings. They haven't lived the years they have without gaining some understanding that you don't have.

We've all been in conversation with people and heard them say, “When I get to heaven, I'm going to give God a piece of my mind!” People say this, not realizing who they are talking about or to. As we just heard a moment ago…the breath that is used to utter such nonsensical words comes from that VERY GOD!!! Today, Pastor Richard will remind us how important it is to REVERE God and respect Him.

As followers of Jesus, we should be characterized by our love for others. One of the clearest indicators of that love is our generosity and hospitality. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, those characteristics don't come naturally to all of us. We live in a world that discourages these traits and promotes a self-centered existence. Our lives should look different. When we step into serving others, we'll find deep joy.

There's a real problem with entitlement in our culture. We like to point fingers at certain groups of people or a specific generation, but we find this issue across the spectrum of economic, ethnic, racial, religious, and political statuses. Instead of looking at this world through the lens of what it owes us, Pastor Richard will challenge us as believers to look at how we can serve others and serve God in gratitude for the incredible grace He's given us.  

God doesn't need anything we have. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, anything good you possess came from God. He already has all of it and more. You can't add anything more to His Kingdom. So, why does He want us to give of ourselves? It's about our hearts. When we loosen our grip and give these gifts back to Him, He sees the humility and gratitude in our hearts, and that brings Him pleasure as our Father. 

When we allow our pride to rule in our hearts, we're continuing a sinful tradition that stretches back to the very beginning of mankind's brokenness, and even further. As Pastor Richard will point out in today's message, this sin was at the heart of Satan's downfall. He wanted to be like God. He wanted to have power and position over his own existence, and he grew tired of submitting to God. This pride only ever leads to destruction.

That's a challenging truth. Our faith shouldn't be dependent on how God responds. As Pastor Richard points out in today's message, many in the faith hold to a “name it, claim it” view of God. They believe that all they have to do is say what they want, coupled with the name of Jesus, and God will answer by giving them exactly what they ask for. True faith will trust God, even when He doesn't answer in the way you hoped or expected.

It's sad the state of things in modern business culture. It's not necessarily new, but it's become the norm. If you aren't willing to step on others or bend some rules in order to get that promotion, or if you're not willing to spend the time – sixty plus hours a week - you just aren't “cut out” for certain lines of work. As Pastor Richard will challenge us in today's message, we need to stand up and refuse to bow to this culture of idolatrous greed.

As we approach the end times, folks will be on a quest to build empires that stand the test of time. We're talking about some serious influence over other countries. But have you thought about how all those things will just fade away and disappear? Don't you wonder how that would happen? In today's message, Pastor Richard shares insights on how the second coming of Jesus will signify the conclusion of all mighty and proud nations.

There's a real problem with entitlement in our culture. We like to point fingers at certain groups of people or a specific generation, but we find this issue across the spectrum of economic, ethnic, racial, religious, and political statuses. Instead of looking at this world through the lens of what it owes us, Pastor Richard will challenge us as believers to look at how we can serve others and serve God in gratitude for the incredible grace He's given us.  

Not everyone has the same personality types and skillsets. Some people may be fantastic singers, and some may be… well, fantastic listeners. In today's message, Pastor Richard teaches that your call may not look the same as someone else's, but it is incredibly important. Your call to leadership may be a call to be a spiritual leader in your home. Your call to mercy may be a call to act mercifully to the students you teach. Whatever it is, do it well.

You may be facing a difficult situation, and you're going to God in prayer, asking for answers. But sometimes, you might find yourself pondering why it feels like God isn't responding to your prayers. How often do you allow patience, a fruit of the Spirit, to take the wheel? Can you be ok sitting in the waiting period? Today, Pastor Richard shares a heartfelt reminder about the beauty of waiting for God's timing. He knows the perfect moment to take action!

Have you ever found yourself pondering how you can serve Jesus through your education or job, only to have those thoughts slip away? It's a common struggle, isn't it? That was definitely true for me! But as soon as I fully committed to Jesus, it felt like God took care of everything. All I had to do was put my trust in Him and wait it out with patience. Today, Pastor Richard is here to inspire you to serve God with everything you've got! 

Have you seen how the kids are these days? They're all about this so-called “trend.” When something goes viral, it's like a wave that everyone just has to ride! Have you ever thought about how living by the world's standards might actually distance you from your Creator? In today's message, Pastor Richard is here to inspire you to ditch the ways of the world and deepen your relationship with Jesus. That's the only thing that matters!

Restoring something that's broken is truly an art form in itself. And you know what? God has an amazing way of taking broken people and transforming them for His purpose. Paul is the perfect example of that. He once hunted down Christians, but then God turned his life around completely. Today, Pastor Richard shares a powerful message about how God has the ability to mend your life, even if you feel lost or broken.