The main goal in reading Scripture is to grow in our relationship with God. However, true relationship with God doesn't just involve knowledge and information, it involves knowing and transformation. How can we make the pages of Scripture come to life in a way that transforms us?

The start of the year is a unique time to look back at what has happened and yet look forward towards what is to come. When we put this process through the lens of God's great plan, we gain hope and strength for present! Come and see how God can prepare us for whatever great challenges lie ahead while we reflect on the past.

We hear the story of the Shepherds every Christmas. Heavenly hosts, peace on earth, and praising the Messiah sounds wonderful. But if we had been waiting hundreds of years for someone to deliver us, what might our reaction be to learning that our Savior was just a baby born in poverty? And what might God's response be? This narrative sermon might raise some interesting twists on an old familiar story!

Mary's song is one of the most hope-filled and joyous declarations in Scripture. But Mary's condition put her at great risk, and created incredibly difficult relationship issues with her betrothed, Joseph. Why would God create such hardships and then declare that a blessing? Maybe it's not about us, and maybe some risks are worth taking to further the Kingdom of Heaven!

Zechariah and Elizabeth were faithful and blameless in the sight of God. But they had two strikes against them in their culture: they were not able to conceive, and they were "well-advanced" in years. How did they go from two strikes against them to hitting a home run? God shows us once again, it's never too late when God's involved!

If ever someone deserved a reward for their faithfulness, it would be Simeon. Though he'll see the baby that will change the world, he knows he'll never live long enough to see that baby as an adult. What can we learn from his reponse? It might change how we view our role as God's ambassadors while renewing our faith in God's plan!

Frustrated Christians tend to fall into two categories. They've either given up hope because things aren't going the way they think it should, or they burn themselves out trying to make a difference on their own. What if there's a third option that invites God's Kingdom and keeps us renewed and on task?

Paul takes no prisoners when it comes to joy, despite being in prison himself. What can we learn from his absolute 100% approach when he says we should ALWAYS be joyful and give thanks in ALL things? Can we really do that? Why should we consider his approach?

The idea of giving back to God is not new. But how much, and what should we give? We can learn a lot from Moses' request of the Israelites and their response as a generous culture. From motives to methods, there are valuable lessons for us today!

How much would you extend yourself if you knew the odds of people thanking you for what you've done would be 1 in 10? This lesson from Jesus' ministry teaches us somethign special about gratitude and the role it plays in our relationship with our Savior, AND with each other!