Bret Hammond

You Have One Job; Acts 1:6-11 by Bret Hammond

The Easter without an Easter; Mark 16:1-8 by Bret Hammond

Praise Points to Promise; Mark 11:1-10 by Bret Hammond

John 17 records Jesus' last prayer in this world. It's not a prayer for a pain-free death (he wouldn't get that). It's not a prayer for a death surrounded by his loved ones (he wouldn't get that either). It's a prayer for you and me that we would be one.

If our unity was such a priority that Jesus made it his last prayer, shouldn't it be a priority for us? Shouldn't it be seen in how we relate to each other, treat each other, and love each other?

John 17 records Jesus' last prayer, and then John 19 records his final words, "It is finished." There's no second prayer, no better prayer, no other desire from the heart of Christ than that you and I would be one. This prayer is his heart for us. It needs to be first in the way we relate to each other.

Bringing Glory in His Promises; John 17:9-19 by Bret Hammond

You bring God glory by trusting his story.

Deep Faith Cares Deeply; James 5:13-20 by Bret Hammond

It's been a wild ride of a week! Sub-zero temperatures and piles of snow all around. Then, today the promise of 39°. That sounds absolutely balmy!

James would remind us to be patient as we wait for the changing of the seasons (James 5:7). His advice of patience applies both to seasons of the year as well as seasons of difficulty and disappointment. "You also, be patient," James writes, "Establish your hearts" (James 5:8). It's patience that promises growth. It's patience that trust for better days ahead.

I don't know how many times I've heard it said, "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise!" Are you making it to church this Sunday? Can I count on you to be there? "Lord willin' and the . . . " well . . . today it's more like, "Lord willin' and the pipes don't freeze!"

That familiar saying does have its origin in the Bible, you know. In James 4:15, we're told that rather than trust in our plans, we should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." James confronts the reality that far too often, we trust our plans for an uncertain future instead of the promise of our certain God.

What Causes Quarrels? James 4:1-10 by Bret Hammond