The New Year often brings with it aspirations, resolve and hope for new goals and accomplishments in various areas of life. We look to be better, more productive and successful in the way we live our lives, including in our spiritual growth. The place to begin that endeavor is in prayer. Here we look at the example of the apostle Paul for what we should pray for in the new year ahead.

Weddings are joyful occasions. The bride and groom spend a great deal of time preparing for that day and looking forward to it with eager excitement. And when the day comes, there is a great celebration. Jesus came into this world to prepare his bride for a great wedding day. And when he returns, that day will be one of great rejoicing for those who belong to him. We continue our Christmas in Revelation series looking at the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. But that first Christmas was anything but peaceful. What could not be seen on that silent night was the heavenly battle that was being waged to by Satan himself to destroy this newborn King. Listen as we continue to look at Christmas in the book of Revelation and see the cosmic conflict that reaches its climax at Jesus' arrival.

One of the things that makes Jesus utterly unique and attractive is that he embodies the perfect blend of diverse qualities. He is tough and tender, he is strong and gentle, he is majestic and meek, he is sovereign and a servant, he is just and merciful. Indeed in his birth he is God incarnate, deity clothed in humanity. Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent that in the vision John is given of Jesus on the throne of heaven. Listen as we look at Jesus, the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, the child upon whose shoulders all government would rest and whose reign as King would see no end (Isaiah 9:6-7). The coming of Jesus as a child that night in Bethlehem, marked the arrival of the long awaited Messiah of whom the prophets spoke. Christmas is a time where we not only look back upon Christ’s coming, but where we also look forward with eager anticipation to his return in ultimate triumph and victory over sin and death. The book of Revelation helps us to see in a new light, the impact and importance of the One who was born in that manger two thousand years ago and to give us assurance of his continued sovereign rule as the King whose final advent we eagerly await in expectant hope. Join us during Advent for our series: Christmas in the book of Revelation. This week: The Revealing of the King.

Thanksgiving is a time when we are reminded of and give thanks for the many blessings of God's grace in our lives. Such grace goes hand in hand with a knowledge of the source of that grace, Jesus Christ. We conclude our series in 2nd Peter looking at how we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ through his Word.

A new bride goes to great lengths to prepare herself for the special day when she walks down the aisle to meet her bridegroom. She wants to be at her best. God's word says the day of Jesus' return will be like a wedding day for believers, when he will come to gather the Church, His bride, to be with him for eternity. Until then, how should we prepare ourselves to be found by him on that day? Listen as we look at 2nd Peter's call for us to prepare for heaven by pursuing holiness.

Countless predictions about when Jesus will return and when the world as we know it will come to an end have come and gone over the ages. In fact, so many have "cried wolf" over this event, it is easy to dismiss God's promise and live our lives as if there really is no final judgment on the horizon. God repeatedly warns against such complacency and ignorance and reminds us of how to live in light of the promised return of Christ.

It's easy to identify an enemy combatant when they are dressed in the uniform of the opposition. But great damage can be done if the infiltrates our own ranks, disguised as an ally. God repeatedly warns against those in the church who would lead God's people astray, calling them wolves in sheep's clothing. Join us as we look at Peter's warning against the deception and danger of false teachers in the body of Christ.