Love Lake Norman

What does it look like to live ready for the return of King Jesus? In week two of Kingdom Come, we unpack the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1–13, reminding us that following Jesus is more than simply knowing about Him. It's about trusting Him, surrendering to His leadership, and living in anticipation of His return. Are you ready for the coming King?

You may not know it, but you live in a kingdom. Actually, you live between two kingdoms. One is full of darkness, and trying to bend your allegiance to it every day. The other was ushered in by Jesus, and still being realized in our world today.

One of the most difficult, even controversial, parts of being a Christ-follower is the command to forgive those who have wronged you. How can you possibly do that when someone wrongs you in a really bad way? Jesus offers strength for that part of your journey too.

We all hold a lot of brokenness, and often are just trying to put ourselves back together so that no one else sees the cracks. But the brokenness is real. And outside of Jesus, there’s nothing we can do about it. The good news is that Jesus doesn’t leave us there.

What do we do when someone has hurt us so deeply that they don’t deserve forgiveness? This week, we’re reminded that forgiveness begins by recognizing the unpayable debt God has already forgiven in us. When we understand the grace we’ve received, we can begin to extend that same grace to others.

Jesus created a new way of living where forgiven people become forgiving people. The world says: “Forgiveness is something people earn.” Jesus says: “Forgiveness is something you give because you have received it.”

What are you building that will outlast you? In the final week of Be a Builder, we look at how Nehemiah and the Israelites didn’t just rebuild a wall—they allowed God to rebuild a people. When we see where God is working, step up, serve, and persevere, He can use even our imperfect efforts to make an eternal impact—and He may just rebuild us in the process.

One of the most important and underrated skills of someone on the move just might be perseverance. Perseverance can carry you through a lot of challenges and opposition. Let’s learn how Nehemiah handled opposition, and how we can too.

You can either be a consumer or be a builder. Something that is true about builders? Builders serve. They look for ways to use their unique gifts to help grow God’s kingdom. Let’s learn how to do that together.

Seeing a need is only the beginning—builders are willing to say yes and step into it. In Nehemiah 2, we see Nehemiah move from concern to commitment, facing fear, obstacles, and opposition while trusting God to lead the way. This message challenges us to consider where God may be inviting us to stop standing back, step forward, and say, “Here I am. Send me.”