It’s amazing how many Christians will spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on self-help books, therapies, and experiences in an effort to find peace as they go through hardship. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use those resources – some are God ordained and can be extremely helpful – but Jesus should always be our primary source of help. As Pastor Jimmy will remind us in today’s message, Jesus is all-knowing and all-powerful and He can handle the worst of this life.

All of us experience storms in life. Some of them are of our own making, while many are completely out of our control. They can range from light rain showers to full-on category-five hurricanes. If we could avoid them, all of us would, but as Pastor Jimmy will point out in today’s message, that isn’t possible, especially if you follow Jesus. You don’t need to be discouraged though – Jesus has the power to stop the storm, as well as the power to bring you through it stronger than you were before.

It’s okay if you want to say “amen!” out loud right now! Go for it! …All of us have been offered forgiveness for a debt we could never repay on our own. We would have literally spent all of eternity paying the penalty for it if it weren’t for Jesus. As Pastor Jimmy will remind us in today’s message, this truth should fill our hearts with joy and inspire us to live lives dedicated to serving our gracious God. Don’t let your fear of men’s opinions get in the way of living out that gratitude.

Jesus makes a clear illustration in today’s passage. Sin is sin and whether yours are big and glaring or private and hidden, you’re separated from God either way. Despite this, we tend to categorize our sins, with some seen as worse than another. As Pastor Jimmy leads us through today’s study, he’ll remind us that those who have fallen the furthest into sin tend to be all the more grateful at the complete grace that God offers. It may even lead those who don’t recognize their depravity to grow jealous. 

Have you ever seen someone in emotional distress and you could feel it in your own body? As Pastor Jimmy will explain in today’s message, that’s the feeling Jesus had in today’s passage when He encountered the widow grieving her recently deceased son. He felt her pain. This was the God of the universe – He’d been around since the beginning and seen death countless times – yet He still felt the pain of it. He loved that woman and He loves you and me so much that it grieves Him to see us in pain.

Christianity is often accused of being exclusive and bigoted. Sadly, there’ve been numerous examples throughout our history and through to today that have rightfully earned those labels. But, at its heart, the message of the Gospel is one of extreme inclusivity. It invites all people to come to Jesus. He died for every single human being that’s ever lived and ever will live. Today, Pastor Jimmy will explain that Jesus wants to save all of us from the destruction of sin – which is equally inclusive. 

Every one of us will face something like that in our lives. It may be a medical issue, a relationship, a financial problem, or some other major issue – the list of possibilities is long and diverse. As we face these things, we may find ourselves wondering why God is letting us go through it. We may be at the end of our rope and crying out for a lifeline. In today’s message, Pastor Jimmy will help us understand where God is in all of this and what we can expect of our loving Creator as we face these trials. 

Jesus offers forgiveness of sin for free. His work on the cross already paid the full price for your redemption. But, that doesn’t mean following Him won’t cost you. He was upfront about this. As Pastor Jimmy will explain in today’s message, your money, time, and resources all could be invested in yourself, your family, or whatever you desire. But, when you follow Jesus, He wants all of you. That’s a steep price to pay, but it’s worth it to experience His Kingdom, both here and now, as well as in eternity.

In today’s message, Pastor Jimmy offers a glimpse of what the disciples must have been thinking as Jesus’ ministry was ramping up. These men mostly came from humble backgrounds, and this was the biggest thing they’d ever been involved in. They had stepped into the big time. But, Jesus had to bring them back down to earth. He warned them that following Him would not be easy, and it would in fact cost them everything as this broken world pushed back against His message.

Why doesn’t Jesus heal everyone who asks? During His earthly ministry, it seems like He healed people all the time, and even His apostles were given the ability to bring healing in His name. So why does it often seem like He’s silent when we request healing today? There’s no easy way to answer that, and as Pastor Jimmy will admit in today’s message, we just don’t know. Even when we don’t receive temporary healing to our bodies, we can have confidence that Jesus does bring eternal, spiritual healing to our hearts.