Have you ever met someone that seemed to be happy when it didn't make any sense? Or even though they were sad, there was a calm control about them? The Bible talks about a joy that goes beyond our circumstances. This joy is rooted in none other than the Godhead. It is a joy found in the person of Jesus, in His life, death, and resurrection, and built up in us through our time in the presence of His Holy Spirit. So if you want to be the sort of person that seems to be in good spirits no matter what, it starts with time spent with THE Spirit of God. Be encouraged, step into praise, prayer, and meditation on Scripture and grow in Joy and you enjoy God's Christmas Presence.

Hope can be a funny thing. Have you ever hoped for something that didn't come? Maybe it was an unrealistic hope. Maybe it was a promise made by a human that didn't follow through. Few things are more crushing. But hope in the Bible isn't in people or things. Biblical hope is in a person, but that person is also God, and His name is Jesus. That hope is trustworthy and infallible. One day He will make all things new and take away suffering in His Kingdom restored to earth. He began that work some 2000 years ago and that is why we celebrate the gift of His Hope that comes with His Christmas Presence.

The world wants us to believe that chaos is normal. That there is no hope, and that we need to seek out peace desperately from the brokenness of things. But our God promises a peace that is not temporary. God’s perfect peace is a whole peace. One that cannot be shattered or broken. A peace that cannot be disturbed or interrupted. God provides for us a peace that will guard us against the chaos of the world. What do you need God’s peace for today?

Do you feel overwhelmed by the pace of life? Are you stressed, frantic, rushed, or hurried and harried? That's the normal way of life in the USA. But an ancient Jewish rabbi offered a different way of life. What's more, He offered to be with us to help us live His way of life forever. That rabbi's name is Jesus of Nazareth and His yoke is easy and His burden is light! Pastor Matt Kladnik begins our Advent series looking at a group of gifts that we receive in the presence of Jesus. At Christmas, God came to be present with us in the person of Jesus. As we take time to be intentionally present to God in this season, we receive the presents of His Christmas Presence. We begin with a look at the Rest that Jesus provides.

Have you ever felt blindsided by tragedy or difficulty in life? Sometimes the storms of life come at us Without Warning. They reveal things about what we believe and who we trust. The Gospel of Matthew contains a story of Jesus calming a storm. In it, the disciples respond one way, but Jesus reminds them that He was the power to lead us through the choppy waters of life.

How do you feel about your relationship with God? In Isaiah 6 we see Isaiah come face to face with his own inadequacy, but when he names it something radical happens. He's met with grace! A burning coal purifies him and gives him the right to stand before the King. In response he declares his willingness to be a representative of that call to the nations. What will your response be to the mercy and justice of a loving God?

Pastor Ryan begins a series of one-off sermons leading up to his time away and the Christmas season with a look at the invitation of the Lord to come back to him time and time again.

Pastor Ryan concludes our journey through the book of Jonah with a call to Reflection. Both a call to reflect on our lives and the state of our hearts, but also a call to reflect God's Heart of Mercy to the world around us. The truth is, we've all been Jonah. We've all wished someone would get what they deserved instead of mercy. And yet, God still has mercy on US as well. And in turn we learn to love as He first loved us. We learn to shine with His light and reflect His goodness and compassion to a lost and dying world.

The book of Jonah continues with Jonah's repentance and obedience to God's instruction. But what exactly does it mean to repent? Repentance requires three parts: humble contrition, desperate dependence, and a change of course. True repentance requires us to not only acknowledge our faults, but also to turn away from them. True repentance is our part to play in salvation. God does the rest. So how long has it been since you truly repented; truly cried out before God and turned away from your sins? He's right there waiting for you, and His love for you never changes.

Have you ever felt lost in a mess of your own creation, unworthy of rescue? We all mess things up time and again, and it can be easy to feel like we deserve what we're getting. We recite platitudes like "I made this bed and now I must lie in it." But when we look at the second movement of Jonah, we get a different picture. Jonah had landed himself in the belly of a great fish. While the pagan sailors were praying to their gods in the storm, Jonah didn't even pray once. And yet, when he does finally turn to the Lord, reflecting on His Heart of Mercy, we see the Lord deliver Jonah even though he didn't deserve it. The fish spits Jonah onto dry land and he is Rescued.