Ascent - Ascent into Joy and Peace - Steve Harris, Guest Pastor 05 07 23 by New Life of Asheville

In some real sense, the cry of every human heart is: “help!”. We all need help at times in life. The real question is: where do we turn for that help? The psalmist here is reminding us that the true source of help is found in only one place. Psalm 121 is one of the most beloved psalms throughout time & history precisely because it gives us an answer to the question at hand, and because it comforts the soul of the Christ follower. We learn that the Creator is our helper. That the Almighty is our protector through the flames & trials of this life. And that the Lord will keep us from evil as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him!

Greg Koukl - Guest Teacher 04 23 23 by New Life of Asheville

The Christian life is a pilgrimage. We’re on a journey from where we are to the heart of God. For centuries, it is believed that the people of God sang these 15 songs (Psalms 120-134) as they made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God three times each year. These psalms are intended to take us on a spiritual journey closer to God. This book of short psalms begins with Psalm 120 which points us to several core truths about the journey with and to God. Things like recalling the faithfulness of God in the past, the importance of prayer when we are in distress, God’s deliverance, and His peace amidst the lies of this world and the pain inflicted on us by others. Buckle up, the journey ahead may be raw and messy at times, but it will lead us to the heart & presence of God!

He is risen! For Christ-followers, Easter is a celebration unlike any other. For non-

Christians, Easter serves as the greatest invitation ever extended. The truth is, a man who was executed by Rome 2,000 years ago coming back to life seems to many like nothing more than a far-fetched fairytale. But a deeper look reveals that believing Jesus rose from the dead isn’t an unreasonable conclusion to arrive at. More than simple historical fact, the resurrection of Jesus is an invitation into abundant life. Not just in heaven one day when we die, but right here, right now. The devil could not stop Him, the cross could not defeat Him, and the grave could not hold Him. Jesus is alive!

Palm Sunday - Rodney Howell - Local & Global Outreach Pastor 04 02 23 by New Life of Asheville

The apostle John closes this powerful little letter with a flurry of incredible promises for the follower of Jesus. We can know that we have several assurances in Christ: eternal life, answered prayers, victory over sin, knowledge that we belong to God, and confidence that Jesus is the truth. These promises unleash the Christian to live life fully devoted to Jesus and the advancement of His Kingdom in both big and small ways!

Chapter five opens with John driving home the core message of the entire Christian movement: belief in Jesus = life. This life in Jesus (new birth) leads to a supernatural desire to obey God. Obedience shifts from drudgery to delight when we experience a love relationship with our Creator. This faith in Jesus makes us conquerors in this world. Finally, John points to the three-fold testimony of the water (baptism of Jesus), the blood (crucifixion of Jesus), and the Spirit (Holy Spirit) as evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and the source of true life for all human beings.

As we begin to land the plane on chapter four, John points our hearts to some exciting truths. God has given us His Spirit. Friend, we have the same Holy Spirit inside of us that raised Jesus from the dead! This should cause us to freely confess the Son. In a day and age when professing a Christian worldview has gone out of vogue, we ought to unashamedly testify to the Son who saved us and set us free. In turn, this should cause us to trust the Father’s love, even in the face of the day of judgment. Followers of Jesus have nothing to fear in life or death! This reality frees us up to love God with all of our hearts, and to love one another like He has loved us.

The number one mark of a born-again Christian is a love relationship with God that is evident in how we love one another. The command in this section is clear: love one another. John then gives several reasons why this is so critical in the Christ follower’s life. Firstly, we love because God is the genesis of love. We can’t possibly know the source of love and not live a life of love. Secondly, we love because this is God’s greatest gift to us, in the form of Jesus. Lastly, our love makes an invisible God visible to the world in a way that points them to their Creator and brings Him the glory He deserves.