As hopeless as our circumstances might seem, the God of revival and hope will bring life from death through the power of his Word and Spirit.

Scripture: Daniel 9:1-23

When faced with dire circumstances - ones of your own making, what do you do? Deny responsibility? Dig in your heels? Denounce any involvement or wrongdoing? ... Daniel models a proper response when, in confession, he makes a desperate plea to The One who can change everything.

There are some passages in the Bible that are just difficult to understand. However, that doesn't mean we should ignore them, but rather work to understand what God is trying to communicate. The picture of God in Ezekiel is one of those passages and it is well worth all the effort it takes to see the sovereign mercy of our God.

Scripture: Isaiah 40:12-31

When we are going through difficulty we are often confused about what God is up to or wonder why God seems silent. This text reminds us that God is not the hands-tied, finite God we tend to make Him out to be but rather can be trusted because nothing can thwart the promises of our God who made and rules and reigns over all things.

Jonah 4:1-4:11 | It's easy for us as believers to become calloused to the spiritual needs of those around us. At other times we wonder how God might use someone as broken and messed up as me. This less known ending to a popular Sunday School children's story reminds us of God's great grace for both those who don't know him and for those struggling to serve him well.

Scripture: Malachi 1:6-14

When the exiles returned from Babylon they had ceased to worship idols but that didn't mean they had begun to worship God rightly. The same heart issues that caused them to turn from God had simply come out in new ways. God calls us to give him our best, not because he wants the gift, but because we value him above all things!

Scripture: Ezra 5:1-2, Haggai 2:1-9, Zechariah 1:1-6

Have you ever found yourself becoming apathetic about serving Jesus, believing the glory days are over? A couple of obscure prophets will help shake us out of apathy and remind us about what remains and what's to come.

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:17-19

One of the biggest obstacles to faith is suffering, injustice and oppression. Yet it is most often in the midst of suffering, struggle and hardship that God meets us and gives us hope as we respond in the right way. In fact, it is often the people who have gone through the greatest suffering who have the strongest faith as they testify to the presence of God with them, strengthening and comforting them in the midst of their pain.

Scripture:: Amos 5:18-27

Through the prophet Amos, God calls his people to a lifestyle of faithful worship. More than a song or a service, this is an act that is made possible through the transformed heart that Christ offers every believer.

Scripture: Psalm 67:1

Chilliwack's median household income places us in the wealthiest 1.2% of people in the world. Of all the G7 countries, Canadians have the highest percentage of consumer debt. We have extravagant wealth, extravagant debt, and as followers of Jesus we have encountered the extravagant gospel. But has it resulted in extravagant generosity on your part? Are you being shaped more by the gospel or the culture when it comes to materialism?