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Living without a clear direction leaves us feeling fractured, constantly wasting our time and energy on things that ultimately do not matter. When the story of Jesus sets our focus, everything changes, transforming how we speak, work, and relate to the people around us.  Drawing from the final chapters of Romans, we examine how knowing our true aim gives us the courage to speak up, the clarity to make hard choices, and the peace to navigate a chaotic world. We consider how our daily habits, calendars, and resources often reflect misplaced priorities rather than a genuine devotion to God. By anchoring our lives in the gospel, we stop chasing random distractions and start investing in what truly lasts. May we find the steady focus and deep peace that comes from letting Christ direct our steps.

If we set the standard for our own Christian life, most of us will set it somewhere comfortable—high enough to look like we’re trying, low enough that we know we can reach it. This week in Romans 15, Paul raises the bar to where Jesus set it: bear with the weak, stop living to please yourself, build others up, welcome people the way Christ welcomed you, and pursue unity across every difference. It’s a high bar. But here’s the thing—God doesn’t just show us the bar and walk away. He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us reach it.

We often struggle to know how to treat one another when our personal convictions and freedoms clash. Whether we judge others for what they do or look down on them for what they avoid, division easily creeps into our relationships. The Apostle Paul addresses this exact tension in the book of Romans by showing us that our faith is not about policing the plates or habits of the people around us. Instead of using our liberties as a weapon or an excuse to divide, we are called to lay down our preferences for the sake of love. True strength in the family of faith means carrying the burdens of others rather than crushing them with our opinions. May we learn to pursue peace and mutual upbuilding in a world that constantly tries to pull us apart.

The night is almost over. The day is coming. So why are so many of us still sleepwalking through life? This week in Romans 13, Paul sounds an urgent alarm: wake up, put on the armor of light, and stop making provision for the flesh. It's not just about what sins to stop—it's about what you're still feeding. Whatever habit, app, relationship, or environment keeps your flesh supplied is what needs to go. The life God has for you is better than the one you've been sleepwalking through. Time to wake up.

It's easy to be kind to kind people. The real test comes when someone gets under your skin. This week in Romans 12, Paul calls the church to something completely countercultural—a genuine love that blesses those who hurt you, weeps with those who weep, refuses to repay evil for evil, and leaves vengeance in God's hands. It's not weakness. It's the most powerful thing a believer can do. Don't let evil overcome you. Overcome evil with good—and watch what happens to the world around you.

God could have made every believer great at everything. He didn't—and that was on purpose. This week we wrap up our series on spiritual gifts with the final two: leading and mercy. Leaders cast vision, organize, and guide people toward a destination. Those with the gift of mercy run toward the hurting and stay until everyone's okay. Both are essential. Both are needed. And here's the thing—the closer you get to Jesus, the more all of these gifts start to shape who you are. Don't get so focused on finding your one thing that you miss the one thing: following Him.

God didn't give you a spiritual gift to sit on—He gave it to give away. This week we continue our series on spiritual gifts with two more from Romans 12: encouragement and giving. Whether you're the person who always knows the right thing to say, or the one who quietly looks for ways to be generous, your gift is needed in the church. God gave first, and He invites us to do the same—determined, planned, and cheerful. Whatever your gift is, the King of Kings made you uniquely for it. Use it.

God gives every person unique spiritual gifts not to keep hidden, but to give away for the building of His church. When we refuse to use these gifts out of fear, busyness, or doubt, we miss out on the energy and joy that come from serving alongside our Savior.  We examine the specific spiritual gifts of service and teaching found in Romans 12. Service allows us to practice the truth by meeting the practical needs of others, while teaching helps us explain and understand God's word more deeply. Both gifts are vital for the health and growth of the body of believers, yet each comes with its own unique hazards like burnout, overcontrol, and impatience.  We invite you to discover how God has wired you to contribute to community. Step out of hesitation and let the Holy Spirit use your unique abilities to impact our city and build His kingdom.

God didn't just save you from something—He saved you for something. This week we kick off a new series on spiritual gifts, starting with an honest question: do you know what yours is? Some of us don't know. Some of us know but aren't sure what to do with it. Some of us know and are sitting on it anyway. Pastor Jeremiah opens Romans 12 and introduces the seven gifts God has given the church—not to collect, but to use. We dive deep into the gift of prophecy: what it looks like, where it thrives, and what to watch out for. You are gifted, you are needed, and there's a place for you in what God is doing here.

What captures your mind shapes your life—and what shapes your life reveals what you actually worship. This week we land on one of the most pivotal passages in all of Romans: the moment Paul shifts from doctrine to daily life. After eleven chapters of what God has done, he asks one question—now what will you do with it? The answer is a living sacrifice and a renewed mind. Not conformed to the pattern of this world, but actively, intentionally transformed. What you fill your mind with matters more than you think.

In just three verses, one of the shortest psalms in Scripture maps the path from restlessness to rest. This week we sit with Psalm 131 and trace three movements of a soul finding peace: rejecting pride, resting in God, and living with hope. Pride—in our hearts, our eyes, and our pursuits—is what keeps us striving. But the weaned child doesn't strain or demand; it simply rests in its mother's presence. That's the picture David paints of a soul at peace with God. Not passive. Not defeated. Just deeply, quietly anchored.

Blessed isn't just a feeling—it's a direction. Psalm 1 opens the entire book of Psalms with a simple but searching question: which way are you headed? This week we walk through three tests that reveal the trajectory of your life—where you're walking, where you're standing, and where you're sitting. The person who is truly blessed isn't just avoiding the wrong things; they're deeply rooted in the right One. Like a tree planted by streams of water, a life grounded in God's Word doesn't just survive—it flourishes.

One of the most anguished cries in all of Scripture—and Jesus quoted it from the cross. This week we open Psalm 22 on three levels: as David's personal cry, as a prophetic picture of the crucifixion written a thousand years before it happened, and as a mirror for our own moments of feeling forsaken. Feeling abandoned by God doesn't mean He has left—it often means He is forming you. And if He got the cross right down to the last detail, He's got your future right too. Jesus cried "It is finished" so your story could begin. Are you living like it has?

It's easy to wonder if God is paying attention—to your specific life, your specific struggles, your specific story. Psalm 139 answers that question with overwhelming clarity. This week we look at four reasons we know God cares about the details: He knows you completely, He is always with you, He personally created you, and His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand. You are not a number. You are not overlooked. And the God who knows every detail of your life is working in all of it—to correct, encourage, heal, and bring you home.

Has God given up? Abandoned His people? Lost control of the story? Romans 11 answers with a resounding no. This week we see three movements in God's unfinished work: His grace preserving a remnant when all seemed lost, His mercy expanding to include the nations, and His wisdom so vast and unsearchable that the only right response is worship. God hasn't dropped the thread. He never has. From him and through him and to him are all things—and that changes everything about how we trust Him with ours.