Conflict is inevitable in every relationship, especially in marriage. In Song of Solomon 5, we see that even the most passionate love stories encounter moments of hurt and misunderstanding. The honeymoon phase fades, and real-life challenges arise. The bride’s initial rejection of Solomon’s romantic invitation creates a moment of offense and separation, a reminder that the ones we love most have the greatest power to wound us.

What happens next is key, Solomon chooses forgiveness over offense. Instead of allowing hurt to build a fence between them, he tears it down with grace and love. This teaches us that the success of our marriages depends not on avoiding conflict, but on how we resolve it.

Key Takeaways:

1). Conflict is inevitable: Every relationship will face moments of misunderstanding and hurt.

2). Offense builds fences: Unforgiveness creates barriers that separate people from each other.

3). Forgiveness tears down fences: Choosing to forgive restores intimacy and connection.

4). Thankfulness heals hearts: Reflecting on the good in others rekindles love and friendship.

The way you tear down a fence is through forgiveness and thankfulness. Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

This message isn’t just for married couples. Whether single, dating, or building friendships, these principles apply to every relationship. Forgiveness and thankfulness are keys to healing, restoring trust, and experiencing deeper connection.

Join Pastor Phil Hopper as he shares lessons from the Song of Solomon on forgiveness and thankfulness in marriage.

God views sex in marriage as something sacred. Not only is sex in marriage sacred, but it’s something that should sizzle. The foundation for sacred sex that sizzles is friendship and trust.

Four things every man wishes his wife knew:

1) My sex drive is powerful, persistent, and normal.

2) Sex is how I bond with my wife emotionally and feel intimacy.

3) Sizzling sex reassures me of my masculinity and gives me confidence in every area of life.

4) Real sexual fulfillment for me is impossible unless I can sexually fulfill you!

Four things every woman wishes her husband knew:

1) The most powerful sexual organ in my body is my mind. Sex for a woman is 90% mental.

2) For you to satisfy me as my lover begins long before we get in bed. Being a great lover is a lifestyle!

3) I need time to warm up.

4) Affection is to me what sex is to you—and the one empowers the other.

How to improve your sexual intimacy and experience sacred and sizzling sex in marriage…

1) Process - Talk openly, honestly, and compassionately as a couple.

2) Practice - Get lots of practice and have patience with each other.

3) Pray - Pray together for God to give you a satisfying sex life!

Intimacy is born out of trust and transparency. When you foster these things with your spouse, you will experience sacred and sizzling sex!

Join Pastor Phil Hopper as he shares lessons from the Song of Solomon on love and intimacy in marriage.

Looking for hope and clarity this Mother’s Day? Author and speaker Heidi St. John joins us to talk about the ministry of motherhood and God’s original blueprint for the family.

Our world is in a battle over identity, family, and truth. But Scripture reminds us that children are a heritage and reward from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5), and that motherhood is not secondary, but it is a sacred ministry, woven into God’s beautiful design for humanity. From the beginning, God created male and female in His image (Genesis 1:27), giving unique dignity and purpose to femininity and motherhood.

In this message, Heidi St. John unpacks how God’s heart is to restore the joy, beauty, and strength of women, because femininity reflects His heart in a beautiful way. To God, the ministry of motherhood is sacred, not secondary. Heidi identifies how the enemy’s lies have distorted God’s design, but also how, through Christ, we can reclaim the narrative and build a generational legacy of faith, love, and truth (Psalm 145:4; Proverbs 17:6).

The ministry of motherhood:

Embrace God’s design

Protect and defend the innocence of children

Purpose to create a generational legacy

You’ll be encouraged to embrace your God-given role, whether as a mother, grandmother, spiritual mentor, or supporter of families. Discover how to protect the innocence of children (Psalm 82:4), honor marriage, and stand firm in a culture at war with God’s design (Ephesians 6:12-13).

Vance Pitman, the president of the Send Network, joins us to share a message on the eternal Kingdom of God and how the church can prepare the way.

The Kingdom of God is God’s sovereign activity in the world resulting in people being in right relationship with Himself. As we read about the early church, we see that church planting is a part of spreading the gospel.

In the Book of Philippians, we read Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. Paul’s primary purpose for writing was to thank the Philippians for their ongoing support through prayers, finances, and encouragement. They were equipping him to advance the kingdom of God and plant churches through their support. The letter stands as both a personal thank-you and a call to live out the gospel with joy, humility, and unwavering faith.

3 Truths from Philippians about church planting and the Kingdom of God:

Truth #1 – When God births a church, it’s always about something bigger.

Truth #2 – When God births a church, He invites us to join in His kingdom activity.

1) Every church should cultivate a heart for the kingdom by praying.

2) Every church should prioritize the kingdom by sending.

3) Every church should invest in the kingdom by giving.

Truth #3 – When God births a church, it’s for His glory.

If you are a believer, you have a role to play in advancing the Kingdom of God! Learn how you can apply these truths from the Book of Philippians to your life today.

As the Bride of Christ, the Church has been eagerly anticipating His return for over 2,000 years. Song of Solomon 3 describes the return of Solomon for his bride which foreshadows the coming of Jesus. He came first as a shepherd, but when he reappears, he is a majestic king.

Like Solomon, Jesus came first as a Shepherd. But He will return as a majestic and triumphant King for His bride, the Church. The excitement that Solomon’s bride felt at his return is the same excitement the Bride of Christ should feel as we long for Jesus to come again.

The three stages of the Hebrew wedding mirror the relationship between Christ and His bride.

1.) Betrothal

Just as the bridegroom signed the Ketubah and promised to return, Jesus has promised to come back for His Bride. We are currently in this betrothal stage, called to remain faithful and ready.

2.) Consummation.

The bridegroom’s unexpected return to carry his bride home is a vivid picture of the rapture, where the Bride of Christ will be reunited with the Bridegroom. Only the Father knows the day or hour.

3.) Celebration.

The wedding feast symbolizes the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where Christ and His bride will rejoice together. We are living in anticipation of the great celebration that will happen when Jesus comes again for His bride.

Jesus is coming for his bride very soon! We know it’s soon for three reasons:

1) The Jews are back in the Land—prophecy fulfilled in 1917.

2) Israel is reborn as a nation—prophecy fulfilled in 1948.

3) The Jews are back in Jerusalem—prophecy fulfilled in 1967.

As the bride of Christ, we need to be ready by working and watching for the return of the Bridegroom! We must keep our lamps burning, living the abundant life—fully awake, alert, and filled with the Spirit.

Join Pastor Phil Hopper as he explores the prophetic beauty of Solomon’s return for his bride and its connection to the rapture and the Bride of Christ.

Can we trust the evidence for the resurrection? How can we know that Jesus really died and rose again? Is there hope for seeing our loved ones again in heaven?

This Easter, Pastor Phil Hopper shares his story of how he questioned the evidence for the resurrection after the death of his father. In his grief, he wondered how he would know for sure that he would see his dad again in heaven.

The evidence for the resurrection is found throughout the Bible, from the Hebrew prophecies in the Old Testament to the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ disciples in the New Testament. Many people say that Jesus got lucky or just happened to fulfill all the prophecies made about Him. But He is the only man in history who fulfilled all 61 prophecies about the Messiah.

Jesus came as the sinless Son of God and took all our sins on Himself on the cross. Easter is about how Jesus sacrificed His life so we could be forgiven and have a relationship with a holy God. We take communion in remembrance of His sacrifice and what it means for us.

It’s one thing to believe that Jesus lived; it’s another thing to believe that He died and rose again. He is alive now, and we have evidence for the resurrection because of the eyewitness accounts of those who saw Him die and rise again.

The apostles were changed by what they saw. Throughout the centuries, many have died for a lie they thought was true. But if the resurrection wasn’t true, these men wouldn’t have died for it, because nobody knowingly dies for a lie. They gave their lives to preach the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, and He came, died, and rose again. They believed in Jesus and were willing to die for their faith.

Do you believe in Jesus? Have you trusted in Him? Trusting in Him means redemption. He has extended the invitation for salvation to us, and He is waiting for us to accept.

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Fear, anxiety, and insecurity are enemies of marital intimacy. We all carry shame and insecurity as the fallen sons of Adam and the fallen daughters of Eve. To cover up those insecurities and shame, we wear “fig leaves” that become patterns of dysfunction in marriage.

God can redeem you, redefine your marriage, and renew your relationship. The love story in Song of Solomon can help us take a personal inventory of our fears and anxieties. When we are honest with our spouse, we are better able to exist in marital intimacy where we are more fully known and fully loved.

Three things to remember to love and be loved well:

1.) You don’t need to get married to be loved—you already are!

No one will love you better than Jesus! You will never love well until you rest in God’s perfect love.

2.) Your mate is not meant to complete you—only complement you.

God gives you a mate to complement who you are but not to complete who you are. If you look to your spouse to complete you, you will begin to compete.

3.) Marriage is more for your sanctification than your satisfaction!

Sanctification is the process of God making you become more like Christ. It is in the community of marriage that you’re healed from your sin.

The number one thing you can do in your marriage is pray together every day.

Jesus is the ultimate lover of your soul. Only as you rest in God’s love will you be able to give and receive love. Until you rest in His love, nobody else’s love will ever be enough.

Join Pastor Phil as he shares lessons from the Song of Solomon on how to guard against the patterns of conflict caused by insecurity, fear, and anxiety.

Clayton King joins us as we are back in the Living Your Love Story series. Song of Solomon 7 and 8 detail how Solomon and his bride stayed in love for the course of their marriage.

Falling in love is just the beginning. Walking in love for a lifetime is the real treasure. How do you walk in love and keep the fire alive in your marriage?

1.) Stoke the flames.

2.) Keep flirting.

3.) Find the time for fun.

Join Clayton King as he shares practical tips for how to walk in love and keep the fire in your marriage!

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● Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey: https://alife.livingproof.co/

More information on our sermons: https://livingproof.co/sermons/

Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://livingproof.co/

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The A-Life means giving our treasures to God. You can’t live life abundantly if you’re not learning to live generously.

Jesus talked about money more than any other subject. He said that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. He knew about the idolatry of money that has gripped people across human history. The problem is not with having money, it’s with your money having control over you!

Worldly treasure is temporal, but heavenly treasure is eternal. The eternal souls of men and women are heaven’s treasure. People are what heaven treasures. The way you break free from idolatry and captivity to money is by giving generously to kingdom priorities.

How do you lay up treasure in heaven? By investing your energy, opportunities, abilities, and money for the things that last eternally. When you begin to treasure what God treasures, you are laying up treasure in heaven. You can’t take your money with you, but you can send it on ahead. When you live generously and give your money for kingdom priorities, you turn your dollars into destinies.

Your treasure doesn’t follow your heart. Your heart follows your treasure. You naturally begin to love what you give to. You begin to value that which you serve.

4 principles for giving and living generously:

1.) God should get our first and best.

2.) God gets our first because He is the owner of all that we have.

3.) Giving our first and best demands faith. It should feel risky.

4.) When we bring God our first and best, He will take care of the rest.

Jesus will one day reward us not for what we had, but for what we gave. When we choose to give our treasures to God and live generously, our hearts will eventually follow.

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● Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey: https://alife.livingproof.co/

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Do you believe that everyone matters to God? When you believe something, it impacts the way you live. We say what we think, but we do what we believe.

The abundant life is a life of service and compassion. It’s a life that says nothing else matters until people know that they matter to God. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the teacher of the law was wrestling with the question, “Who do I have to love in order to do enough to satisfy the commandment to love my neighbor?”

Both the priest and the Levite in the story were fully aware of the man’s needs, but they had a depraved indifference. We see two types of hearts in the parable of the Good Samaritan:

1.) A closed heart.

The priest and the Levite had closed hearts toward the need of the injured Jew. They moved away from him when he was in desperate need of compassion. If your faith causes you to move away from people in need, then you have a worthless faith.

What’s in your heart that is keeping you from missing God’s heart for people? Are you putting things in your heart that are going to help you move toward God’s heart? If you want clean hands before God, then get your hands dirty by loving people and stepping into the mess of their lives.

2.) An open heart.

Heroes are made because they are moved with compassion and service. Compassion is not so much a feeling as it is a choice. The Good Samaritan understood that everyone matters to God. He saw a need, met the need, and made a difference. His compassion had more power than his prejudices.

Compassion is love in action. Our job is to extend it to a watching world. Jesus became the greatest neighbor to the world. He became the Great Samaritan, and it cost Him His life. He calls us now to care for all those who are neglected and in need.

● Connect with us on Social Media ↴

Facebook:

/ abundantlifels

Instagram:

/ abundantlifels

● Connect with Pastor Phil ↴

Facebook:

/ philhopperkc

Instagram:

/ philhopper_kc

Web: https://livingproof.co/resources/books/

● Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey: https://alife.livingproof.co/

More information on our sermons: https://livingproof.co/sermons/

Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://livingproof.co/

#AbundantLife

#Sermon

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