Sometimes our perceptions of God can be quite distorted.  Some people see Him as a stern task-master who’s trying to keep them in line.  Others see Him as a kind of “Force” – distant and impersonal.  But when we read the Bible, we see an abundance of descriptions of God that show He’s eminently personal. Today, Pastor Mark describes both God’s sternness in justice and His compassion in mercy.  The characteristics that you see in Jesus during His earthly life are the human expressions of Who God Is.  You can relate to God personally, because He created you personally, and you are made in His Image.

If you’ve ever looked at a map of the modern-day Middle East and wondered where the names came from, the history can be both fascinating and enlightening.  Did you know that “Palestine” is actually just a different spelling of “Philistine”?  And yet, there aren’t any actual descendants of the Philistines living there. Today, Pastor Mark takes you on a journey through the history of the Middle East.  All of the countries and peoples you’ve read about in the Bible can be mapped onto current national boundaries.  And there are messages for you in each people-group.  Messages of family, and messages of mercy.

Who would you say that people in our culture worship?  It may be the political leaders whom they believe will make our country better.  Maybe it’s the technologists who are making our lives easier.  A lot of people worship movie stars, or rock stars, or star athletes.  Some just worship their own prosperity and popularity. Today, Pastor Mark describes an incredibly glorious creation of God.  Surely, this “being” would be happy to be in the place God had put him.  But no, Satan wasn’t satisfied.  He wanted equality with God.  You might want to thank God that He didn’t make you more awesome than you are.  It might not have turned out much better.

If you were to try to imagine the worst possible sin that any being could commit, what would you come up with?  Certainly, there have been some horrific crimes committed throughout our planet’s history.  Dictators have killed millions.  Serial murderers have taken dozens of lives.  What could possibly be worse? Today, Pastor Mark describes the ultimate sin.  And that’s the attempt to become equal to God.  It was first committed by that “being” whom we call Satan.  And he’s been tempting humans to do the same, ever since Adam and Eve in the Garden.  But you have someone more powerful than him: the Lord Jesus Christ!

It’s not hard to look around at the world and see that it’s filled with evil.  We see it internationally; we see it in our country; and we see it in our own hearts.  We might wonder: Why is God letting this happen?  Does He not care?  Is He not in charge of the universe?  It can be baffling and frustrating to think about. Today, Pastor Mark will set your concerns at ease.  Yes, God does care.  Yes, He is in control.  And yes, He will take action.  God has a plan for how He will bring His justice to the earth.  Whether or not you can know every single detail, you can know what’s of final importance: God is faithful, and His Word is trustworthy.

What an incredible day that will be when the pain of this world is gone, and we get to walk the streets of gold praising our Father in heaven. If you have ever experienced the feeling of worshipping alongside thousands of believers at a conference, you know just a little glimpse of that future that waits for you. Today, Pastor Mark will tell you about all the things prophesied in Isaiah that you have to look forward to after the events of Revelation. As a Christian, you will get to experience the glory of God and Jesus as you spend eternity living free from the heartache and pain of this world. What a glorious day that will be!

Parents, you know that one of the hardest things to do is discipline your children. The cliché saying, “This hurts me more than it hurts you,” is so true. It breaks your heart to see them doing wrong, and it breaks your heart again to punish them, knowing that their pain or anger is because of you. In today’s message, Pastor Mark teaches that the way that you feel when disciplining your child is how God feels when He has to correct Israel and the Church. He doesn’t love to do it, but He loves you so much that He does it anyways. When you feel the sting of God’s hand, know He loves you and wants what’s best.

We were not made to walk through this difficult life alone. Often, it throws us into circumstances where we need to seek wisdom from those with more experience or confide in those who are trustworthy. It’s tempting to view life as a solo mission, but it’s really better off as a team experience. In today’s message, Pastor Mark teaches that when life has gotten too challenging to tackle on your own, why not confide in Jesus? Isaiah calls Him Wonderful Counselor after all! Jesus can give you all the answers you seek, and will provide the wisdom you’re after… so trust His words.

The Day of the Lord is near. We’ve heard this for centuries, as far back as the Old Testament prophets. But someday, it will literally come to pass, and doesn’t it seem like maybe it’s getting close? Pastor Mark encourages us today that the thought of Jesus returning should bring joy to our hearts!  After all, isn’t this the reason we believe in our Savior? He came to make a way for sinners to be reunited with their heavenly Father. One day, He will return and reign on this earth. What a privilege it would be to be part of the generation that is taken up in the clouds. Each day brings us closer to this glorious promise.  

 In today’s message, Pastor Mark reminds us that Ahaz’s warning from God is the same warning to us. We need to believe God’s Word, stand firm in His truth, and trust that He will establish us. When we doubt and waver, it allows fear to enter our minds, and we make choices based on fear rather than faith. We also see in this section of Isaiah that Ahaz’s heart was far from the Lord. Ironically, God chooses whomever He wants as leaders, despite what they believe or how they live. Isn’t it the same with us, though? God can use us, despite our weaknesses, doubts, and shortcomings. Are you willing?