Noah was a man who was “Moved by Faith” to do something that was unheard of and unknown of in his day: build an ark in preparation for rain that would flood the whole earth. In his obedience he is a lasting example of how we are to be moved by faith!

Enoch was a man that pleased God; his faith please God. So much so that he never saw death. He was the first person raptured! His life is an example for us to follow. As believers our walk with Lord must be one that is pleasing, to the degree that when people see us, they see HIM -- Jesus.

In Hebrews 11, the first person God brags on is a worshipper by the name of Abel. His worship was an act of faith that proved his heart's devotion to the Lord. Worship is one of the greatest acts of faith we can ever engage in and God is seeking worshipers. Will you be that worshiper who offers God what He wants and how He wants it?

We begin a new series in a new year! This series of “Living Faith" is a call to the church to live lives demonstrating faith. Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith” and shows us how “living faith” can impact culture, communities and shape the future! Will you commit to living faith?

As II Thessalonians comes to an end, the Apostle Paul prays for the church, as a reminder of the reality that God is with us! There is no greater encouragement than to know that the one who created you is with you! As you look forward to the return of Jesus, His peace, His truth and His grace are there with you to keep you fixed on Jesus and the mission He has called you into!

As we look to the return of Jesus it is easy to get distracted. The need for discipline, both personal and corporate, is vital to remain focused and fruitful until the coming of the Lord. Today we will look at effects of idleness or disorderly and disobedient behavior within the church and how we MUST guard against it!

As the church, we must “stand fast” in the midst of the trials we face. It is a great temptation to give in to the pressures we face, however, we are called to look forward to the return of Jesus as an encouragement for us to stand fast. As we stand fast we exemplify God's faithfulness and become a light to a lost world!

God has given us a sure future and He wants His church to be confident in His ability to bring to pass His ultimate redemptive plans. We can rejoice not only in the sure future we have, but in God choosing us to be a part of His redemptive plan. As we look forward to the return of Jesus we must strive to find the balance between living for future glory and being responsible within the present!

We continue in our End Time Encouragement series with a message regarding hope in the future when our present is hard. Christians are promised hardship in life, persecution for the faith and suffering for the gospel. We must embrace this as our temporary reality and focus upon our eternal reality, the rest we have been assured in Christ's return! We must understand that suffering helps us grow in our character, it prepares us for eternity and it brings glory to Jesus when we endure it with faith. Let us hold fast to God's promises through hardship with the assurance of Jesus by our side!!

This message was originally preached as part of the “In God we Trust Series” back in August; pre-election. As the results of this election have swept our nation and exposed its fractures more clearly and even exposed deeper division in the church, it needed to be shared again, from a post-election perspective. The reason, and the reality is because other than a change of who will be in the White House, our nation remains the same: in desperate need of God’s mercy and grace revealed and the church with the same mission. We must commit to keeping “first things first.”