Celebrate God's Covenant
by Sermon Recap on August 25th, 2025
In Deuteronomy 26, we're reminded of the profound importance of celebrating God's covenant. The passage calls us to rejoice in God's provision, remember His redemption, and respond with humble obedience. As we reflect on Israel's journey from slavery to the Promised Land, we're challenged to consider our own spiritual journey. How often do we pause to truly celebrate what God has done in our lives? This message invites us to shift our focus from the mundane celebrations of the world to the transformative power of God's faithfulness. It's a call to rest in His covenant, finding joy not in our circumstances, but in the eternal promises secured for us in Christ. As we go about our week, let's ask ourselves: Are we living with the same sense of awe and gratitude as the Israelites bringing their first fruits? Our greatest reason to celebrate isn't in worldly achievements, but in the unshakeable truth that as God’s New Covenant people our names are written in heaven.   Read More
6 Practical Steps to Take to Connect/Reconnect at Church
by Cara Erickson on August 21st, 2025
Reconnecting at church doesn’t happen by accident—it takes prayerful intention and faithful action. Building on the heart work from part one of this series, this article offers six practical steps to help you engage more deeply with your church community. From bringing your desires honestly before God, to showing up consistently, serving alongside others, and investing time in relationships, these steps create space for connection to grow. Along the way, we’ll also consider common obstacles—like busyness, past wounds, or unrealistic expectations—that keep us from experiencing the richness of life in the Body of Christ. If you’re longing to feel more connected at church, these insights will encourage you to pursue relationships with humility, patience, and hope rooted in Christ.  Read More
Why You May Be Feeling Disconnected at Church
by Cara Erickson on August 21st, 2025
Seasons of disconnection in church life are more common than we often admit. You may feel unseen, question why you even show up, or wonder why others seem to have “their people” while you don’t. This article invites you into honest self-reflection on those feelings—not with condemnation, but with hope rooted in Christ. Exploring both the root issues of discontentment and the biblical call to love God first and love others as an overflow, it challenges us to examine our expectations, repent where needed, and realign our hearts with the Lord’s abundance. Through Scripture and practical wisdom, this piece aims to help you move from isolation toward deeper joy in God and His people, preparing the way for tangible next steps to reconnect with your church community.  Read More
Everyday Faithfulness
by Sermon Recap on August 18th, 2025
In Deuteronomy 23 and 25 we're reminded of the profound importance of faithfulness. Without faithfulness, we can’t prioritize the pursuit of justice according to God’s covenant expectations. We're challenged to consider how our vows and promises reflect God's character, and how unfulfilled commitments can breed injustice in our communities. This message encourages us to examine our hearts and ask: Are we living up to the promises we've made to God and others? Are we reflecting God's faithfulness in our daily lives? As we contemplate these questions, we're drawn to the ultimate example of faithfulness in Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf. This truth offers both comfort and motivation, inspiring us to strive for greater faithfulness in our own walk with God.  Read More
Holy Living for Holy People
by Sermon Recap on August 11th, 2025
In our exploration of holiness, in Deuteronomy we are shown the profound truth that God alone makes us holy. We're reminded that as God's chosen people, we're called to live distinctly from the world around us. This isn't about rigid rules, but about reflecting God's character in every aspect of our lives. From how we dress to how we conduct business, our choices should demonstrate our set-apart status. The fascinating laws about mixed fabrics and crops serve as powerful metaphors, urging us to avoid 'mixing' worldly values with our faith. As we navigate our modern world, let's consider: How can we maintain our distinct identity as God's people while engaging meaningfully with our culture? This message challenges us to pursue holiness not out of obligation, but as a joyful response to God's love and grace.  Read More
Merciful Justice
by Sermon Recap on August 4th, 2025
In a culture often polarized between cold legalism and relativistic ethics, the need for a justice that is both firm and compassionate is greater than ever. This blog post explores how the ancient truths found in Deuteronomy provide a blueprint for living out both justice and mercy in our daily lives. Far from being outdated laws, these Scriptures call God’s people to embody His character—marked by fairness, compassion, and integrity. Through practical examples—from financial dealings to upholding human dignity, administering discipline, and practicing personal responsibility—we see that God's justice always considers the vulnerable and elevates the downtrodden. Ultimately, we’re reminded that we are recipients of divine mercy through Christ, and as such, we are called to reflect that mercy to others. This post invites readers to live with intentionality, extending God's just mercy in a world desperate for both.  Read More
Compassion in Daily Life
by Corey O'Grady on July 27th, 2025
In Deuteronomy we don’t just find commands to punish the wrong doer but also commands that direct us to live with compassionate care for others everyday. We're called to protect the vulnerable, provide for the poor, and preserve our environment – not as burdensome tasks, but as reflections of God's character. As we consider these teachings, we're invited to examine our own lives: Are we protecting those who can't protect themselves? Are we generous with what God has given us? Are we good stewards of the world around us? This message reminds us that our compassion isn't just about following rules, but about mirroring the heart of a compassionate God who has shown us undeserved grace through Christ.  Read More
Dying to Rest
by Corey O'Grady on July 23rd, 2025
In a culture that glorifies hustle and productivity, true rest often feels unattainable. We keep striving, believing our worth hinges on what we achieve, yet even our greatest accomplishments leave us restless and weary. This article explores the biblical concept of rest, showing that rest is not found in finished to-do lists but in the finished work of Christ. Drawing from Genesis, Hebrews, and the words of Jesus, it reveals that God’s rest is not about recovering from exhaustion but delighting in what is complete and sufficient. Through practical steps like Sabbath-keeping, evening surrender, and rejecting perfectionism, readers are invited to embrace a rest rooted not in their performance but in Christ’s perfection. It is a call to lay down burdens of self-reliance and receive the deep, unshakable peace only Jesus can give—a rest that declares, “His work is good. His work is enough.”  Read More
Marriage Matters
by Sermon Recap on July 21st, 2025
In Deuteronomy 24:1-5, we're challenged to view marriage as a sacred covenant that reflects God's relationship with His people. The passage delves into the complex issues of divorce and remarriage, reminding us that while these were permitted under Mosaic law, they were never God's ideal. We're encouraged to see how even these difficult laws were designed to protect the vulnerable, particularly women in ancient Israelite society. The text draws fascinating parallels between earthly marriages and our spiritual union with God, emphasizing His unwavering faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness. As we reflect on this, we're called to approach our own relationships with the same grace, commitment, and joy that God shows us. This message challenges us to be not just providers or leaders in our relationships, but also bringers of joy and happiness, mirroring God's own character in our lives.   Read More
Who is Jesus?
by Cara Erickson on July 15th, 2025
Foundational concepts of Christianity explained concisely and clearly.  Read More
The Purity Principle
by Sermon Recap on July 15th, 2025
Drawing from Deuteronomy 23, we're challenged to confront the purity problem” that plagues humanity. God desires to dwell with His people, but our inherent impurity creates a barrier. This dilemma isn't just ancient history - it's a reflection of our own struggles with sin and unworthiness. The beautiful resolution comes through Jesus Christ, who provides the purity we cannot achieve on our own. We're reminded that God's desire for our purity isn't about cruel restrictions, but about enabling a close relationship with Him. This message invites us to embrace the purity Christ offers and to live it out in our daily lives, both in our worship gatherings and our everyday interactions.  Read More
Why Would I Want to be Saved?
by Cara Erickson on July 10th, 2025
This blog post explores the sobering yet hope-filled reality that the Bible teaches about eternity. It outlines the two possible outcomes after this life: eternity in Hell or eternity in Heaven. Hell is depicted in Scripture as a place of unending torment, where God’s holy wrath is fully poured out and residents experience both physical and mental anguish forever, knowing they rejected Christ as Lord. In contrast, Heaven is described as a place of unimaginable beauty and joy, where God dwells intimately with His people, wiping away all pain, mourning, and death, and making all things new. Ultimately, the post emphasizes that salvation is not merely about avoiding Hell or gaining Heaven, but about receiving God Himself – being welcomed into His presence to know, worship, and enjoy Him forever.  Read More
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