Oftentimes, when we go through struggles, our first instinct is to turn to the people in our lives - a friend, a family member, someone we trust. And while those relationships can bring comfort, they were never meant to replace where we go first. There is Someone who calls us to come to Him in every situation, and His name is Jesus Christ. So today, Pastor Bill encourages you to seek the Word of God and the comfort that Christ provides, turning to Him first above all else.

One of the hardest things for us as followers of Christ is accepting what Jesus wills for our lives. We know He has the power to do anything, to perform miracles, and to give us what we want, yet sometimes He allows us to go through pain, hardship, and storms. That’s why in today’s message, Pastor Bill encourages us to pray without ceasing, seeking to align our hearts with God’s will. Not our will, but God’s be done. And no matter the outcome, may He be glorified through it all.

Every good scientific discovery begins with a question. Does a bowling ball fall faster than a tennis ball? How deep is the Mariana Trench? What determines the traits of a child? Discovery starts with discussion. In today’s message, Pastor Bill encourages you to have a discussion with yourself to discover where your spirit lies. When all is said and done, will you find yourself sitting at the feet of Jesus? The beautiful thing about scientific questions is that they always lead to action.

We become those with whom we spend the most time. That’s why it matters who we let our kids be around, or which coworkers we gravitate towards at work. When we hear constant negativity, we become more negative. However, when conversations are uplifting, we become that way as well. In today’s message, Pastor Bill asks the question, "If you are who you hang out with, does that mean you look like Jesus or the world?” Have there been changes in your life because you follow Jesus?

When we were growing up, we were always taught phrases like “actions speak louder than words” or “don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.” In a nutshell, these sayings challenge us to put our beliefs into action. In today’s message, Pastor Bill challenges you to do the same exact thing. People will know what you believe by the kind of fruit you produce. Will they see sweet fruits of kindness and compassion, or will they see nasty fruits of bitterness and anger? What kind of fruit are you producing?

Growing up, my parents always had us kids write out a Christmas list so they knew what we wanted. While it rarely worked, I notoriously put one extremely high-ticket item on there. It never hurts to ask just in case, right? Today, Pastor Bill teaches that when you pray, do it completely out of faith. After all, you’re talking to the God of the universe. No ask is too big, but be okay hearing “No” for an answer. The most important thing isn’t about what you asked for, but rather that you believed God could deliver.

Every year, right around the time the flowers start to bloom, I get nasty colds. And, as much as I’d love for them to never happen again, they’ve taught me a few things. First off, I need to wear a mask when I cut grass to protect my lungs. Second, I need to make sure my car stays clean so pollen doesn’t ruin the paint. Today, Pastor Bill teaches that sometimes sickness leads to lessons, so while God can heal everything, there’s no guarantee that He will. Next time you’re sick, ask God what He’d have you learn.

If I could make people obey my every command, it might be nice. It would put me first in line at the register, my spouse would cover all the chores for me, and my kids would clean their room the first time I ask. But, unfortunately, that’s not how the world works… and honestly, I’m kind of glad. I’d miss out on all the connections and would never see love acted out. Everyone would behave like a robot. Today, Pastor Bill teaches that God doesn’t just want mindless obedience… He wants your heart.

There’s a phrase that goes, “love the sinner, hate the sin”, and that phrase is extremely relevant in today’s message! As we see in the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, Jesus did not excuse or endorse her sin. But what Jesus did was show mercy and forgive the woman’s sins. Pastor Bill teaches you today that you can show mercy to someone without endorsing the sin that they committed in the first place. We cannot confuse Jesus’ mercy with apathy or the endorsement of sin. 

When you make a mistake, and someone calls you out on it, would you rather they react in anger or with mercy? Pastor Bill reminds you today that the way you treat others is the way you will be treated. If you want to be shown mercy, then you should show mercy to others when they make mistakes. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore the harm that they caused, but you can correct someone while still showing mercy to the person who made the mistake. That’s how Jesus treats us when we sin!