North Way Christian Community

Often, we come across the choice of either listening to a good God who loves us or listening to the lies of the enemy. Periods of waiting can be painful, but when we choose to listen when God speaks, the reward is immeasurable. When God guides, He will always provide. God wants to grow us so we can experience the level of His goodness. His timing is just as important as His direction. Will you follow Jesus’ example and do it afraid?

Often, we take God’s gifts and love them more than God Himself. They become ultimate things and we believe they will give us acceptance, significance, and security. We use the gift of relationships in our lives as an ultimate thing but end up disappointed. Only God can provide us the acceptance, significance, and security we need. When God is our ultimate source of goodness, we are free to enjoy good relationships.God is calling us to not only know about Him but to experience Him inside a relationship by tasting and seeing His goodness.

Most days of our lives are ordinary. But are we conditioning ourselves to search for God’s goodness only on the extreme days? God is good always! We can train ourselves in everyday moments by simply recognizing and responding to what God is asking us to do. We have the chance to do justice every day when we encounter something that is wrong. When we experience something to forgive, we can love kindness. Each day there is something to be honest about, which gives us the opportunity to walk humbly.

Hope in the Midst of Suffering  Suffering is an inevitable part of life here on earth. But why does God allow it? Suffering identifies us with Jesus, creates a "witness" for others to see, and produces what comfort cannot. Suffering also helps us to see what we cannot see otherwise and always produces good from the pain. Through God’s infinite mercy and grace, we have the tools and power to overcome the suffering and bring biblical hope to the surface.

Sometimes we make judgements of God's character depending on our circumstances. Our circumstances change and challenge us, but they never change God's character. Throughout our waiting, He reveals to us His goodness through the work He is doing inside of us. God grows our dependence, aligns our hearts, and builds our trust in His timing.

How often do we ignore God’s call? Why is it easier for us to ignore His call during the successful and high times in our lives? Are we doing God things with our good things? It’s important how we respond to the successes we receive from God because that will shape how we view the other times when we don’t feel blessed. Success and wealth can tempt us into giving ourselves all the credit and blaming God when things aren’t going well. But the real message of the Gospel demands more than we thought and offers more than we ever imagined.

God is sovereign and in full control. However human beings also have free will and the ability to choose. The problem isn’t that God lacks goodness. It’s that we lack goodness. But when we look at all the evil in the world or in our own lives, we start to question God’s goodness. Even though it’s challenging at times, we must stand on the word of God. Anchoring ourselves in what we do know, allows us to experience God’s goodness in what we don’t know. Visit the North Way app (Resources) for a panel discussion on today's sermon.

Who defines good? Us or God? In this sermon series “Somehow God is Good,” we will examine our definition of good and what the Scriptures teach us about God’s version of good. Throughout this sermon, Pastor Dave focuses on Romans 8:28 according to our feelings and Scripture. When feelings become our determiner of truth, we are asking to be deceived. But when all of Scripture is our lens, good is determined by the one promising it, not receiving it. 

His is risen! Jesus’ resurrection changes everything! Jesus’ empty tomb means death is no longer a prison. It’s a passageway to life. The empty tomb is also a passageway to freedom, from the debt of sin and from the sting of death. Jesus’ resurrection allows the scriptures and truth to come fully alive to us. His sacrifice opens the gateway to unimaginably wonderful existence for all of eternity. Have you stepped into the empty tomb and believed?

We all have questions for God. Why did this happen? How much longer do I have to wait? Are you there God? Even Jesus questioned His Father while nailed to the cross, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In that moment, the weight of our sin is crushing Jesus. But He is also feeling the wrath of God. In this sermon, Pastor John Reilly speaks about the truth and purpose of God’s wrath. God’s wrath is intense hatred of sin that is born out of His holiness. His wrath is never disconnected from His character, slow because we are, and is to be feared.