Word of Life

When you're a child, it's hard to wait… From an early age, you're dependent on Mom and Dad for everything, but as you grow older, you become more patient. Believe it or not, it's the same way with God. When you become a Christian, you're told to wait on the Lord, but how do you do that when you're a spiritual toddler? Today, Pastor Richard tells you that spiritually maturing takes time and that the only way to grow in Christ is by reading His Word and trusting in God.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where both parties gain something? Sometimes we approach our relationship with God in a similar way, thinking, “If I do this, it can serve God's purpose.” However, God isn't interested in half-measures; He desires your complete dedication—one hundred percent commitment. Today, Pastor Richard encourages you to trust in God and remain committed to Him, rather than relying on your own understanding.

As Christians, we sometimes lose sight of how wonderful God truly is. In every storm or season of hardship, when we stumble and find it hard to get back up, Jesus is there to lift us. That's why in today's message, Pastor Richard reminds us that even when our journeys are tough, Jesus will always be by our side. If we let Jesus into our lives and allow Him to work through us, there is nothing we cannot achieve through Him.

It's easy to judge other people's sins when it's obvious that they are an alcoholic or dealing with a divorce or anything that's external. What about the internal sins? The ones you're dealing with that nobody else sees? Today, Pastor Richard will encourage you that you need the love of Jesus, no matter the sin or struggle you're dealing with. It's not a game of comparison. It's realizing that you need Jesus just as much as the next person. 

Living a life without sin is something that every Christian strives for, but will never be able to achieve. Why? From the very beginning, you were born with sin in your heart. Adam's sinful nature has been inherited by every person who walks the earth. It's impossible to be a perfect person when you are destined to be a sinful one. Today, Pastor Richard will remind you that Jesus died so that you can be forgiven of all of your sins, past, present, and future. 

Have you ever felt a calling in your life? Are you exhausted from carrying the burdens of this world? If you're feeling weary and restless about your past, present, or future, then know that God has placed you exactly where He intended you to be. In today's message, Pastor Richard wants you to understand that God is inviting you to return to Him. All God asks is that you make Him the Lord of your life and that you obey His Word.

In this world, we are faced with countless choices about what to eat, wear, watch, or listen to. At times, our journey with Christ often mirrors this process. Sometimes we recognize what God has prepared for us but hesitate to take action, waiting for something we think is better. That's why in today's message, Pastor Richard encourages you to align your life with God's vision instead of trying to mold His plan to fit your expectations. 

Let's face it, we have it pretty good in life. The problems we encounter are, for the most part, first-world problems. We get stressed out over things like bad cell coverage or getting stuck in traffic. But aren't those things of relatively little consequence? In today's message, Pastor Richard expresses to you the weight of living a life expectant of Jesus's return. Are you living in a way that you're ready for Jesus to come at any given moment?

There's so much news being reported today that you can hardly keep up with it all. Every headline reads as if it's of the utmost urgency, but is it? How do you sort through what's true and what's fake? How do you know what to believe? Pastor Richard challenges you in his message today to believe God's Word. God cannot lie, and His Word speaks to every aspect of your life. Will you trust Him? Will you believe what He says in His Word?

It can really drive a person crazy to only see part of the picture, but if we're honest, we can only see what's right in front of us. None of us knows with absolute certainty what tomorrow will bring. In his message today, Pastor Richard encourages you to trust God, because even when you can't see past your current trial, God knows what He has stored up for your future. God's plan for you isn't a short-term plan, but an eternal one.

Living a life without sin is something that every Christian strives for, but will never be able to achieve. Why? From the very beginning, you were born with sin in your heart. Adam's sinful nature has been inherited by every person who walks the earth. It's impossible to be a perfect person when you are destined to be a sinful one. Today, Pastor Richard will remind you that Jesus died so that you can be forgiven of all of your sins, past, present, and future. 

Why do we have to deal with death, loss, and sickness when we serve a God who could easily get rid of all the pain? Today, Pastor Richard will encourage you that God puts you through trials so that you will rely more on His grace, His mercy, and His power. If he answered every single one of your prayers all of the time, then why do you even need Him? He lets you suffer because it reminds you of your need and dependence on Him. 

Sometimes it can be easy to look at the depravity of the world around us and wish that God would just rain down His judgment already. But the truth is, we can't always see the big picture from our vantage point here on earth. Today, in his message, Pastor Richard urges you to trust God and His timing, knowing that His plan is still unfolding. God's desire is to show mercy, the same mercy He's shown you; He desires to show it to the rest of the world.

Have you ever seen people camping out in tents before the big grand opening of a store? Well, they do say, “the early bird gets the worm.” Personally, I don't have the patience to spend all night waiting out on the sidewalk like that. But I guess it's worth it to some folks. Pastor Richard shares with you in his message today that it's always worth it to wait on God. God will always come through on His promises when you wait for Him.

Have you ever been surrounded by your emotions? It feels like there's no way out of your pain or sorrow, like you're in a box and you can't get out! In today's message, Pastor Richard says the Lord feels your emotions like a parent to their child. When you're feeling heavy emotionally, remember that the Lord's with you. He is in the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. He loves you and is walking through all your emotions with you. 

Have you ever noticed how in a volleyball game, the players constantly encourage one another? Even if a player plays poorly, they still choose to encourage one another. Like volleyball players, we need people to build us up! Today, Pastor Richard says we all need watchmen in our lives to lift us up when we're feeling down. Community is an important aspect of a Christian's life! We must surround ourselves with those who point us back to Christ!

In the movie Lilo and Stitch, Lilo adopts a destructive alien named Stitch. After being adopted, Stitch slowly learns empathy and love by doing good works. Today, Pastor Richard says we must always do good works, not for a reward from God, but so we can reflect who God made us to be. Like Stitch, you're born with flaws and a tendency towards sin. You should strive to constantly glorify the Lord in all you do! Give God all your life today!

Why do we have to deal with death, loss, and sickness when we serve a God who could easily get rid of all the pain? Today, Pastor Richard will encourage you that God puts you through trials so that you will rely more on His grace, His mercy, and His power. If he answered every single one of your prayers all of the time, then why do you even need Him? He lets you suffer because it reminds you of your need and dependence on Him. 

Have you ever tried to open a lock without the key? You can rattle, kick, or shake it, but it will most likely never open unless you have the correct key. Today, Pastor Richard will remind you that God is the one who holds the key to your salvation. You can try and brute force your way into heaven, but it won't work because you don't have access without first going through God. If you're looking for a hope and a future, God holds the keys to unlocking it. 

As Christmas comes around, children will start to behave well, so they're guaranteed to get gifts from Santa! But wouldn't it be better if they always acted well, so there was no worry about whether they would get presents or not? Today, Pastor Richard says we must always live like God's going to return tomorrow because we never know when He will! You must be bold for the gospel because you never know if tomorrow is your last day on Earth.

You were made for a purpose. God put you here on Earth for one reason: to glorify Him. That doesn't mean that you won't be sinful and go against God, but you must remind yourself daily that you were made in His image and made to glorify Him. People will always go against God's design, but today, Pastor Richard reminds us that God will reign, and the Earth will be restored to its intended design. What an awesome promise you can rest in!

Humility opens your heart, like a window letting in God's grace. In today's message, Pastor Richard reveals the call to stay humble in heart, never losing that raw admission, “I need a Savior.” Your righteousness always falls short, but Christ's perfect righteousness, gained through faith, guards you forever. Forget comparing yourself to others. Are you embracing a humble heart, relying solely on Christ's flawless righteousness?

Prayer in Jesus' name isn't a blank check; it's a lifeline to God's heart. In today's message, Pastor Richard recalls where Jesus tells His disciples to ask in His name, the name of the Savior who gave His life to redeem us. It's not about tagging His name onto any wish, but aligning your heart with His love and purpose. When you pray with that focus, God moves to help you.

Stumbling blocks clutter the heart like debris in a runner's path. In today's message, Pastor Richard mentions the call in Hebrews to cast off the sins and weights that snare you, and to return to God. Those habits or distractions you know too well? Clear them away and set your heart to pursue Him earnestly. It's about preparing the way, like charting a course. Are you ready to remove the obstacles holding you back from God?

Have you ever tried to open a lock without the key? You can rattle, kick, or shake it, but it will most likely never open unless you have the correct key. Today, Pastor Richard will remind you that God is the one who holds the key to your salvation. You can try and brute force your way into heaven, but it won't work because you don't have access without first going through God. If you're looking for a hope and a future, God holds the keys to unlocking it. 

God wants you to have the kind of faith that challenges itself! If you have faith that God is going to provide for simple things like this week's groceries, you may not experience much growth when the Lord follows through. But Pastor Richard encourages you to have faith for something bigger in life. Believe that God is going to fulfill the dream that He has placed on your heart, so that you can give the glory to Him when He makes it happen.

Modern idols seduce just like ancient ones, luring hearts into age-old sins. In today's message, Pastor Richard explains how submitting to convenience and self-will, as described in Isaiah, mirrors the idolatry of lust and sin that has been present in humanity from the beginning. Society boasts progress, yet spirals back to these practices. Are you recognizing the idols pulling every which way at your heart in today's world?

Life can hum along like a calm day, blind to the storm on the horizon. In today's message, Pastor Richard compares the end times to Lot's day, when Sodom's people lived carelessly right up until fire fell. Scripture urges believers to stay sober, alert, and vigilant. Some are ready, others aren't. Where do you think you are? The call is clear: turn your heart towards God. Are you living alert, with your heart fixed on Christ's impending return?

There's something about jumping into the pool from the high dive that really gets you; If you get up there and you just go for it, then no problem. But if you stand up there and start thinking about it, then the longer you stand there, the harder it gets to jump in. In his message today, Pastor Richard warns you about waiting to get right with God. The longer you put it off, the harder your heart will become. Don't Hesitate. Commit yourself to Him now!

Do you have a personal budget? Some kind of means to track how much you have to spend on the different things you need, or want. If so, then you know that you can't just take your whole paycheck and spend it on whatever you feel like. You need to buy the essentials first. In today's message, Pastor Richard shares with you an invitation from God not to waste your life on worthless things, but to come to Him, because He has everything you need. 

I don't know about you, but I certainly remember receiving my fair share of discipline growing up. Well, if I'm being honest, there were probably a handful of things that got missed. But you know what? As much as I hated it then, I understand that it was for my good. In today's message, Pastor Richard relates the discipline of a child to God's discipline in your life. If God is chastening you, it's because He loves you, and He means it for your good.

God wants you to have the kind of faith that challenges itself! If you have faith that God is going to provide for simple things like this week's groceries, you may not experience much growth when the Lord follows through. But Pastor Richard encourages you to have faith for something bigger in life. Believe that God is going to fulfill the dream that He has placed on your heart, so that you can give the glory to Him when He makes it happen.

God's forgiveness is a truly mysterious thing! It's not a loan that you need to repay over time, or a gift that takes time to take effect. When you are forgiven by God, it's instantaneous! Pastor Richard draws an example today from the story of David and Bathsheba: when David was called out on his sin, he repented to the Lord. It wasn't several days later when forgiveness arrived; forgiveness came at the very moment of repentance.

It's completely unheard of for a convicted criminal to have someone step in and take his punishment in his place. You might hear of someone paying a fine for someone else, but to actually go in and do time, or even face the death penalty on behalf of a guilty party, that's completely unheard of. In his message today, Pastor Richard reminds you that that is exactly what Jesus has done for you; He died in your place for the sins that you committed.

Have you ever been in a spot in life where you didn't know where to go or what to do? That can be a really difficult place to be when you feel like there's no hope. But do you know that sometimes that's right where you need to be? In today's message, Pastor Richard shares with you that you can cry out to God, and HE will help you. When you find yourself in a place of despair, God will hear you and He will answer your cry.

Isn't it fun to look through old family photos? To take a trip down memory lane? To see where you came from and what you've gone through to get to where you are today? Pastor Richard encourages you to consider where you are in your walk with Jesus today. Do you remember where you came from? Do you remember what your life was like before? If you haven't started on your journey with Jesus yet, today could be the day to remember!

You know, knowing what to say is important, but knowing when to say it is equally important. You can just spit out random compliments to others, but isn't it great when your compliment is just what someone needed to hear in that moment? In his message today, Pastor Richard explains to you that Jesus speaks to you exactly what you need to hear at exactly the time you need to hear it. He is the perfect Word in season for your life.

Babies love to be held, and so wherever the mother goes, the baby wants to go with her. But sometimes, the mom needs to put the baby down to take care of something, and what happens? The baby cries as if she has been completely abandoned. In today's message, Pastor Richard asks if you ever feel like that with God? Is there ever a moment when you don't feel close to God and start to panic? Be encouraged, He's still right there!

God's forgiveness is a truly mysterious thing! It's not a loan that you need to repay over time, or a gift that takes time to take effect. When you are forgiven by God, it's instantaneous! Pastor Richard draws an example today from the story of David and Bathsheba: when David was called out on his sin, he repented to the Lord. It wasn't several days later when forgiveness arrived; forgiveness came at the very moment of repentance.

Sometimes, the world likes to slap a label on you, calling you a bad person. Just remember, you can find comfort in knowing that God sees you as righteous when you genuinely repent and seek His forgiveness with an open heart. It feels as if sin has never even crossed your path. But have you stopped to think about who deserves all the credit? Today, Pastor Richard shares how Jesus has washed you clean and made you righteous in the eyes of God!

Have you ever felt completely abandoned in life? Perhaps you've been going through an extremely difficult season, while everyone around you seems to have it easy. Well, in his message today, Pastor Richard wants you to know that you're not alone. Even Jesus knows what it was like to suffer with no one else to feel His pain. He knows what you've gone through and even what you're going through now, and He wants to comfort you in your tears.

What if you never checked the messages on your phone, but then you complained about no one ever reaching out to you? That would be odd, right? It's not that they never reached out, it's that you never listened. In today's message, Pastor Richard assures you that God IS speaking to you. Are you listening? Are you spending time in the Word of God? Are you opening up the pages of Scripture to find out what God has to say to your heart?

Some people are really good at planning. Not only do they have their day mapped out, but they've got the whole year and even five to ten years lined up. They know where they want their career to be, what house they want to live in, and how many kids they want to have. Today, in his message, Pastor Richard encourages you to surrender your plans to God. God knows what lies ahead, where you can only guess and hope for the best.

It's easy to look at the failure of others and shake our heads. There's a phrase that says, “My sin always looks worse on somebody else.” The truth is that all too often, we're quick to judge others but aren't willing to deal with our own sin. In today's message, Pastor Richard urges you to look at your own heart to see what God may want to deal with. Don't be so calloused that you won't allow God to work in your life.

There are a lot of goals that many of us give up on because of the hurdles that we'd have to overcome to achieve them. Whether it's hours of training involved to be an elite athlete, or the years of schooling to earn that degree. Sometimes we just have to curb our expectations. In his message today, Pastor Richard shares with you that eternal life is attainable for you! Jesus has already done all the work; all you have to do is trust in Him.

Sometimes, the world likes to slap a label on you, calling you a bad person. Just remember, you can find comfort in knowing that God sees you as righteous when you genuinely repent and seek His forgiveness with an open heart. It feels as if sin has never even crossed your path. But have you stopped to think about who deserves all the credit? Today, Pastor Richard shares how Jesus has washed you clean and made you righteous in the eyes of God!

A savvy businessman is always on the lookout for opportunities to strike a deal that works in his favor. It's easy to rationalize your choices and missteps by pointing out the good you've done, isn't it? But do those really stack up to what God expects? Today, Pastor Richard encourages you to let go of the negotiations with God. Rather than trying to explain yourself, why not embrace the truth that you need Jesus to save you from eternal separation? 

With all of the various sources of information we have today, you have to stop and consider who and what to listen to. So many people want you to listen to THEM, but how can you discern the truth? In his message today, Pastor Richard warns you that there are so many people out there who think they're wise, but in God's eyes, they're nothing but fools. Keep your eyes on God, and let His Word be the lens through which you view the world.

When you plant a seed, you can't just stick it in a pot of soil and expect it to grow; you've got to water it and give it sunlight. Without the water and sunlight, that plant will never come to life. Today, in his message, Pastor Richard expresses to you that without the Spirit of God, you will never truly experience life. The good news is that God pours out His Spirit on those who come to Him. Are you ready for the outpouring of God's Spirit in your life?

In a new relationship, it's easy to feel “in love,” but over time, couples often lose that affection they once had for each other. It's sad to see when a couple moves from being inseparable to insufferable. Today, in his message, Pastor Richard challenges you to ask yourself if you've become weary of God. Were you once so in love with God that He was all you could talk about, but now, He's more of an inconvenience? May it never be so!

We've all experienced some kind of failure in our lives, but should we let our failures define us? What if that first time you fell off your bike, you never got back up again? It takes resilience to keep moving forward. In his message today, Pastor Richard encourages you not to dwell on your past failures but to move forward as you grow in God's grace. Don't let yesterday's failures hinder what God wants to do in your life today.