Psalms is a collection of 150 ancient Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers that come from all different eras in Israel’s history. While there are many different types of poems in these collections, they can all be sorted into two larger categories of either lament or praise. Poems of lament express the pain, confusion, and even anger of the poets about the horrible things happening around them or to them. They draw attention to what’s wrong in the world and ask God to do something about it. There are a lot of these lament poems in the book, which shoes that this is an appropriate response to the evil and tragedy we see in the world. Lamentation can play an important role in the journey of prayer.

While these lament poems make up much of Books 1-3, you can see that praise poems are occasionally woven in as well. These are poems of joy and celebration that draw attention to what’s good in the world. They retell stories of what God has done in the lives of his people, and they thank him for it. In Books 4-5, praise poems outnumber the laments, culminating in the 5-part hallelujah conclusion.

The shift from predominately lament psalms in the beginning of the book to predominately praise psalms in the last two sections of the book tell us something about the nature of prayer according to the Torah. Hoping for the Messianic Kingdom as the book teaches us to do will create a lot of tension as we look on the tragic state of our world or our own lives. The Psalms teach us to neither ignore pain, nor to let it determine the meaning of our lives. Biblical faith and prayers is always forward looking, anticipating the day when God will fulfill his promises and praising him for this ahead of time. The Torah and Messiah, lament and praise, faith and hope, this is what the book of Psalms is all about.

Psalms is a collection of 150 ancient Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers that come from all different eras in Israel’s history. While there are many different types of poems in these collections, they can all be sorted into two larger categories of either lament or praise. Poems of lament express the pain, confusion, and even anger of the poets about the horrible things happening around them or to them. They draw attention to what’s wrong in the world and ask God to do something about it. There are a lot of these lament poems in the book, which shoes that this is an appropriate response to the evil and tragedy we see in the world. Lamentation can play an important role in the journey of prayer.

While these lament poems make up much of Books 1-3, you can see that praise poems are occasionally woven in as well. These are poems of joy and celebration that draw attention to what’s good in the world. They retell stories of what God has done in the lives of his people, and they thank him for it. In Books 4-5, praise poems outnumber the laments, culminating in the 5-part hallelujah conclusion.

The shift from predominately lament psalms in the beginning of the book to predominately praise psalms in the last two sections of the book tell us something about the nature of prayer according to the Torah. Hoping for the Messianic Kingdom as the book teaches us to do will create a lot of tension as we look on the tragic state of our world or our own lives. The Psalms teach us to neither ignore pain, nor to let it determine the meaning of our lives. Biblical faith and prayers is always forward looking, anticipating the day when God will fulfill his promises and praising him for this ahead of time. The Torah and Messiah, lament and praise, faith and hope, this is what the book of Psalms is all about.

Psalms is a collection of 150 ancient Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers that come from all different eras in Israel’s history. While there are many different types of poems in these collections, they can all be sorted into two larger categories of either lament or praise. Poems of lament express the pain, confusion, and even anger of the poets about the horrible things happening around them or to them. They draw attention to what’s wrong in the world and ask God to do something about it. There are a lot of these lament poems in the book, which shoes that this is an appropriate response to the evil and tragedy we see in the world. Lamentation can play an important role in the journey of prayer.

While these lament poems make up much of Books 1-3, you can see that praise poems are occasionally woven in as well. These are poems of joy and celebration that draw attention to what’s good in the world. They retell stories of what God has done in the lives of his people, and they thank him for it. In Books 4-5, praise poems outnumber the laments, culminating in the 5-part hallelujah conclusion.

The shift from predominately lament psalms in the beginning of the book to predominately praise psalms in the last two sections of the book tell us something about the nature of prayer according to the Torah. Hoping for the Messianic Kingdom as the book teaches us to do will create a lot of tension as we look on the tragic state of our world or our own lives. The Psalms teach us to neither ignore pain, nor to let it determine the meaning of our lives. Biblical faith and prayers is always forward looking, anticipating the day when God will fulfill his promises and praising him for this ahead of time. The Torah and Messiah, lament and praise, faith and hope, this is what the book of Psalms is all about.

The letter to the Philippians, written by Paul, gave news of Paul’s work, plans, and hopes. But it also teaches us today about the dangers of placing our confidence in anything but Christ and the joy that is found in Him that can sustain us through any challenge. Dr. Carl Laney writes,“Paul knew that a heart filled with joy was better able to endure through difficult times.”

Our goal in this series is to connect and reinforce in people’s minds that being a Christian means in some way participating in the life of Jesus. Through every aspect of our lives, whether joy or sacrifice, it can be used for God’s kingdom and in that there is joy. And as we serve, we are deeply transformed through the Spirit’s work in us. There is an invitation to partner with Christ, will we accept that invitation from Jesus?

The letter to the Philippians, written by Paul, gave news of Paul’s work, plans, and hopes. But it also teaches us today about the dangers of placing our confidence in anything but Christ and the joy that is found in Him that can sustain us through any challenge. Dr. Carl Laney writes,“Paul knew that a heart filled with joy was better able to endure through difficult times.”

Our goal in this series is to connect and reinforce in people’s minds that being a Christian means in some way participating in the life of Jesus. Through every aspect of our lives, whether joy or sacrifice, it can be used for God’s kingdom and in that there is joy. And as we serve, we are deeply transformed through the Spirit’s work in us. There is an invitation to partner with Christ, will we accept that invitation from Jesus?

The letter to the Philippians, written by Paul, gave news of Paul’s work, plans, and hopes. But it also teaches us today about the dangers of placing our confidence in anything but Christ and the joy that is found in Him that can sustain us through any challenge. Dr. Carl Laney writes,“Paul knew that a heart filled with joy was better able to endure through difficult times.”

Our goal in this series is to connect and reinforce in people’s minds that being a Christian means in some way participating in the life of Jesus. Through every aspect of our lives, whether joy or sacrifice, it can be used for God’s kingdom and in that there is joy. And as we serve, we are deeply transformed through the Spirit’s work in us. There is an invitation to partner with Christ, will we accept that invitation from Jesus?

All of us are on a journey. Walking through life making choices each and everyday. The Apostle Paul or Saul was traveling on the right road for the wrong reasons. Jesus meets him on the Road to Damascus and radically changes his life. Along this transformative journey, there are multiple people who along with Paul have to put their faith in God in saying “Yes” to what God is asking them to do. Pastor Shane shared his personal journey of someone who, despite a troubled past, found purpose and faith through a transformative encounter with God. It highlights the power of saying "yes" to God, even when the path is uncertain. Drawing parallels with the Apostle Paul's conversion, it emphasizes the importance of humility and obedience. Pastor Shane shares how this "yes" led to unexpected adventures, including ministry in an RV community, demonstrating the impact of faith in action. God is inviting us to consider our own "yes" to His perfect calling. And when we do say “Yes,” it leads to meaningful change and community impact like we could never imagine.

The letter to the Philippians, written by Paul, gave news of Paul’s work, plans, and hopes. But it also teaches us today about the dangers of placing our confidence in anything but Christ and the joy that is found in Him that can sustain us through any challenge. Dr. Carl Laney writes,“Paul knew that a heart filled with joy was better able to endure through difficult times.”

Our goal in this series is to connect and reinforce in people’s minds that being a Christian means in some way participating in the life of Jesus. Through every aspect of our lives, whether joy or sacrifice, it can be used for God’s kingdom and in that there is joy. And as we serve, we are deeply transformed through the Spirit’s work in us. There is an invitation to partner with Christ, will we accept that invitation from Jesus?

Death is not the end of the story for Jesus of Nazareth. As the firstborn of new creation (Col. 1:15, 18) and the heir of all things (Heb.1:2), he is showing humanity that death is not the end of our story either. It’s a brutal and mysterious part of our story, but in the light of Christ, we can believe that our life does not end in earthly death. God’s love carries us through, and death loses its sting in the face of Jesus’ resurrection promise. This is the indestructible life we celebrate on Easter Sunday, the life of Jesus!

Three days after Jesus’ execution, two women from among Jesus’ disciples find out that the tomb’s stone has been moved—the seal is broken, and Jesus’ body is gone. An angelic man says Jesus has risen, and he urges the women to tell the other disciples. Jesus is alive and heading north, and he plans to meet his disciples in Galilee.

Jesus meets with his followers, showing them his wounds and letting them touch his resurrected body. According to Luke’s version of the story, when Jesus first sees the disciples, he asks them if they have any leftovers to share. They give him some fish, and he chats with them over a meal (Luke 24:41-43). Jesus passed through death and returned to life as a walking, talking, living human being who was hungry for some leftovers—he is the firstborn of humanity in the new creation. And he tells his disciples that he’s going to give them the same divine power that sustains him, so they can go out and share the good news of resurrection and the unending love of God’s Kingdom with people throughout the world.

Embark on a transformative four-part journey with us as we empower you with the skills and insights necessary to foster lasting connections in your relationships. This series of teachings provides a comprehensive framework for establishing robust foundations in your relationships, focusing on self-awareness, effective communication, trust, intimacy, and spiritual connection.

We all have various types of relationships in our lives—from friends and family to loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors. Through active engagement and the implementation of practical strategies, participants will gain the tools to nurture fulfilling and enduring relationships. Each week builds upon the last, culminating in a hands-on practical workshop led by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Corrine Brodnicki, following the church service. Lunch will be provided with free registration. Join us and enrich your relational journey!

Death is not the end of the story for Jesus of Nazareth. As the firstborn of new creation (Col. 1:15, 18) and the heir of all things (Heb.1:2), he is showing humanity that death is not the end of our story either. It’s a brutal and mysterious part of our story, but in the light of Christ, we can believe that our life does not end in earthly death. God’s love carries us through, and death loses its sting in the face of Jesus’ resurrection promise. This is the indestructible life we celebrate on Easter Sunday, the life of Jesus!

Three days after Jesus’ execution, two women from among Jesus’ disciples find out that the tomb’s stone has been moved—the seal is broken, and Jesus’ body is gone. An angelic man says Jesus has risen, and he urges the women to tell the other disciples. Jesus is alive and heading north, and he plans to meet his disciples in Galilee.

Jesus meets with his followers, showing them his wounds and letting them touch his resurrected body. According to Luke’s version of the story, when Jesus first sees the disciples, he asks them if they have any leftovers to share. They give him some fish, and he chats with them over a meal (Luke 24:41-43). Jesus passed through death and returned to life as a walking, talking, living human being who was hungry for some leftovers—he is the firstborn of humanity in the new creation. And he tells his disciples that he’s going to give them the same divine power that sustains him, so they can go out and share the good news of resurrection and the unending love of God’s Kingdom with people throughout the world.

Embark on a transformative four-part journey with us as we empower you with the skills and insights necessary to foster lasting connections in your relationships. This series of teachings provides a comprehensive framework for establishing robust foundations in your relationships, focusing on self-awareness, effective communication, trust, intimacy, and spiritual connection.

We all have various types of relationships in our lives—from friends and family to loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors. Through active engagement and the implementation of practical strategies, participants will gain the tools to nurture fulfilling and enduring relationships. Each week builds upon the last, culminating in a hands-on practical workshop led by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Corrine Brodnicki, following the church service. Lunch will be provided with free registration. Join us and enrich your relational journey!