Chestnut Mountain Church

We live in a world where we're being watched. How we act should show the world what we believe and why we believe it. If we don't understand why we believe what we believe, it will be easy to give it up when things get difficult. In 1 Peter 3, Peter writes what we, as a Christians, are to do when suffering comes. Even in the midst of suffering, as Christians, we have a hope. This hope isn't something we just wish for, but this hope is a confident hope. A hope that is eternal. Listen to this full message in the fourth part of our In The Word series as we unpack 1 Peter 3.

In 1 Peter 2, Peter writes that Christ left behind an example and a purpose for us. God placed Jesus as His Cornerstone to build His spiritual House on. As followers of Christ, we are living stones and are on display as a brick on the Cornerstone. There is a lost world watching us as Christ followers. Does your brick bring beauty to the God's House or does your brick look like it doesn't belong? Does our behavior match our belief? Does our walk match our talk? Does our confession match our character? Listen to this full message in the third part of our In The Word series as we unpack 1 Peter 2.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter writes to the ones he is writing to not to be discouraged for the trials and persecution they are seeing. Instead, they should be praising God because they have a living hope. In 1 Peter 1, Peter reveals God's Promises, the Reality of Life, and the Challenge Moving Forward. God's promises that we have a living hope through His Son, Jesus. The reality of life when the fires, trials, and tribulations of life come, we have a hope as Christians that we can cling to. The challenge moving forward is how we will respond when the trials of life come our way. Listen to this full message in the second part of our In The Word series as we unpack 1 Peter 1.

We often ask the question as to why we should read or even study the Bible. We should study the Bible because it is the Word of God and God wants us to know Him. The Bible is not just another book, but it is the Word of God. His Word remains forever. God gave us His Word for relationship not for religion. God wants to be in a relationship with us. He wants to walk with us. Walk with Him and be close with Him. Studying the Bible allows us to get to know God and start walking with Him. Let's take a walk with God. Listen to this full message in the first part of our In The Word series about why we should study the Bible.

The Bible says that everything we have and see is all God's. In order to get our hearts right around the idea of generosity, we must first understand that everything is God's. In Luke 19, we see the colt owners give all they had because the Lord was in need of it. By giving up their colt, they were paving the way for Jesus to make his entry into Jerusalem. Their giving was contagious as the disciples gave up their coats and then the people gave up their coats as well to line the streets with coats and palm branches to pave the way for Jesus' entry. For us, we get to a be a part of the mission that God has called us to as well. If the Lord has need of it, we must give it. God is inviting us to be a part of His story. You never know the impact and legacy that you're giving and generosity may bring. Listen to this full message in the fifth and final part of our No Way series about the legacy of giving.

The Bible commands us as Christians to go and share the Gospel with others. As followers of Christ, we only go when and where God leads. God put Hosea in the middle of a no way situation when God told Hosea to go and marry Gomer. Even in the midst of Gomer rejecting Hosea, God tells Hosea to continue to pursue her. This is the way God treats us as well in His endless pursuit of us. We go where God calls us as a response with a heart of gratitude because Jesus came for us. Listen to this full message in the fourth part of our No Way series about the purpose of going.

When Daniel was faced with entering the lion's den, his response was to run to his group of people. They prayed together and they stood together. When Shadrach, Eschach, and Abednego refused to bow and worship the King Nebuchadnezzar's gods or golden image, they were faced with entering the fiery furnace together. However, they went as a group. This group of three prayed together, stood together, walked through the fire together, and came out of the fire together that God had delivered them from. In both stories, groups were a priority to be able to face the fires of life together. There is purpose in groups and building community. Listen to this full message in the third part of our No Way series about the purpose of groups.

Religion can be defined as the regular activity that you perform around your belief. Religion has caught a bad connotation in Christianity because we can tend to focus on the activity of the religion rather than the belief behind the religion. However, we as Christians should strive to be more religious because Christianity is activity produced by a relationship with Jesus. Christianity starts and begins with faith. Faith is simply trusting what you cannot see. In 2020, we are declaring that we will live by faith. Listen to this full message in the second part of our No Way series about faith.

In 2020, we have a No Way vision where we want to see God do the impossible. When God begins to give direction, we will have to say no way. While being obedient will come with obstacles, we must not allow our 'buts' (our excuses) to get in the way of our obedience to God. God wants us to see the impossibilities because He shows us who He is in the midst of impossibility. Listen to this full message in the first part of our No Way series about not letting your excuses get in the way of what God is calling you to do.

At Christmas, we often empty our pockets to show others how much we care, but Jesus emptied Himself to show us how much He loves and cares for us. He took on the likeness of man, but it all started with a baby born in a manger. While Jesus did not give up His deity, He took off His robe of glory to put on the robe of flesh to take on the likeness of men. God left His glory in the form of a baby to rescue us. What is our response to this gift?