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Life is complicated and often confusing. There are always soo many opinions of what should happen and how. Oftentimes, life feels like a challenging maze with multiple paths to reach the finish line. This is true in the life of the people of God as well. There are often contradictory opinions and ideas about who God is and how things should work. We need discernment as much as at any other time in history. We need supernatural wisdom to understand what is happening and to make good decisions.

In 1 John 3:10-23, John draws a clear line between the children of God and the children of the devil, revealing that love is what sets them apart. Through Cain and Abel, we see how faith and love mark God’s children, while unchecked anger can grow into hatred. Even when the world hates us or our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and in Christ there is no condemnation. His command is simple: believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another. This is the evidence of a transformed life.

No two families are exactly alike. Not only does every family have a unique family name, but they also each have their own characteristics, values, and behaviors. This is true of the children of God also. The family that has been adopted by the Lord through the finished work of Jesus and the power of the Spirit should look, act, and move through the world in very unique ways. This weekend, we’ll discover what makes the children of God distinct and how our identity as His family transforms the way we live.

What does it mean to remember what matters most? In 1 John 2:18-27, we discover that remembering isn't passive, it's an act of faith. This Sunday we'll explore three calls to remember: Remember the Holy Spirit who lives in you, Remember the truth from the beginning that anchors your faith, and Remember your anointing that equips you for every season. Join us as we unpack why God's Word treats remembering as something urgent, intentional, and deeply tied to His love for you.

Every single human lives from their heart. The heart, that control center of our lives, cherishes and values things. Our behaviors are the fruit of the affections and longings of the heart. But an important and probing question must be asked, “What do you love?” Jesus invites each one of us to let His Spirit search our heart to understand where our affections lead us. It is important that the love of our hearts lines up with God’s purposes and plans for our lives.

God is love and He calls us to LOVE Him and LOVE others! He calls us to test our walk with Him by our love for one another. He also promises to transfigure and transform us into these loving agents of His light as we daily walk alongside Him. In 1 John 2:1-11, John invites us to examine our own hearts as we continue to be sanctified in His love. He is for us!

“The greatest of these is love.” That is how the apostle Paul ended his famous chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13. In this Year of Transfiguration, we realize that Jesus wants to transfigure each one of us into love so that we would be ambassadors of His love everywhere we are. So this weekend, we are beginning a brand-new series called “Love Amplified.” We will be learning how the Holy Spirit inspired John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, to lead into loving upward, inward, and outward more profoundly.

In a culture that praises social influence, wealth, and getting ahead, God desires the exact opposite. He wants a humble and contrite heart that desires holiness. When this happens, God can use us to show His glory, and bring rain to a dry and parched land.

The Great Co-Mission isn’t reserved for pastors, missionaries, or a select few—it is a calling for every follower of Jesus. Because the need is urgent, we are each sent to carry the good news of Jesus wherever God has placed us, trusting Him to work through our obedience. At the heart of it all is God’s love for the world, a love that moved Him to send Jesus and now moves us to go, pray, give, and share. When we say yes to God’s mission, He can use ordinary people to make an eternal difference.

We have been on quite a journey together this summer through 1 Peter. Our Life of Faith series has shown us, in very practical ways, how to be the people of God in a hostile world. We have learned truths and seen realities that, if we remember and integrate them into our lives, will forever change us and the people around us. As we bring this series to a close, Peter gives us three very important things to remember.

As we begin to close out our series through 1 Peter, we see in today’s passage the apostle speaking directly to those who lead the church. He provides a necessary reminder that leadership in God’s kingdom is rooted in humility and grace. In a culture that often rewards power, influence, and self-promotion, the call for servant leadership that reflects the heart of Jesus couldn’t be more timely. Whether you find yourself leading others, in a season of answered prayers, or walking through uncertainty, today’s message will encourage you to lay down every worry and every burden and cast your cares upon the One who sees you and cares for you.

No one likes to suffer. For most people, we do everything within our power to avoid any sort of suffering. But whether we like it or not, suffering happens. For the church in the times of the apostles, oftentimes they were suffering because they believed in Jesus. Religious persecution of the earliest Christians was very common. But how should a follower of Jesus deal with this type of suffering? Peter gives us a master class on how to respond when life is messy.

What does a life of faith look like after we choose to follow Jesus? Peter reminds us that following Christ means taking on His mindset, leaving behind the old life, and learning to love, serve, and live with purpose. A life shaped by Jesus is not only believed internally, but lived out practically through prayer, hospitality, and fervent love for one another.

Our lives are a continual classroom. Our circumstances, whether pleasant or deeply painful, present the most profound learning lessons for us. We must keep the Bible in our right hand, that place of strength, to help us understand and interpret the lessons. That is exactly what the Apostle Peter is doing in his letter as he sought to help the people of God understand the challenges that they were facing.

People should know that we are followers of Jesus. Our faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit, should be visible to anyone who cares to look. There is no such thing as covert Christianity. The evidence of the transfiguration of Jesus should be on display everywhere in our lives. There is no more graphic picture of this than in a Christian home. The way a family devoted to Jesus functions is so much different than that of a family that doesn’t believe in Jesus.