Dr. John Neufeld begins a series on Christ's return by examining the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. When the disciples ask Jesus about the temple's destruction and the end of the age, He warns them of "birth pangs" - signs that will continue throughout history but don't signal the immediate end: false messiahs, wars, persecution, and apostasy. Rather than predicting timelines, Jesus calls believers to endure faithfully until the gospel reaches all nations.

The Best Is Ahead: Looking ahead, some of us are fearful. But for the believers who have put their confidence fully in Christ, we know with certainty that our best days are not behind us and certainly our best days are not the ones we are living now. Our best days lie in the future, when Christ will return to gather his elect. Join Dr. Neufeld for this 5 message series in the study of Matthew 24. 

What will heaven be like? That’s a question may people ponder. And with some people experiencing glimpses of heaven when they have been close to death, we hear descriptions that exceed the boundaries of our imagination. Pam Farrel shares her vision of heaven as a result of a medically-induced coma, while expert John Burke backs up her experience with his near-death experience research and stories. It’s a fascinating discussion—full of hope and wonder—that you don’t want to miss!

Not nostalgia, not tradition, not trees. Grace is what continually draws us into celebrating Christmas, year after year. Giving is what makes Christmas great. It’s a wonderful feeling to give a gift without expecting anything in return. This is a good way for us to understand God’s grace—His gifts come with no strings attached.

There are days when it’s wise for us to stop and look and listen. We scrutinize our lives, examine Scripture, and spend extended time in prayer as we gain a clearer sense of what God is doing in our lives and what He has for us in the future. As the new year rolls around, take some time for reflection and renewal. Start today.

From the Series: Time to Reflect and to Renew

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Looking back with gratitude and looking ahead with hope isn’t about pretending life is easy—it’s about trusting God in the middle of the hard parts. This devotional reframes familiar promises by reminding us that God often speaks hope into uncomfortable, uncertain seasons. Real faith isn’t polished or pain-free; it’s forged when we choose trust, gratitude, and hope even when circumstances feel unresolved.

Highlights

• A comfortable life isn’t the norm for God’s people—Scripture consistently shows faith growing through hardship.

• We often celebrate biblical victories while overlooking the suffering that shaped them.

• God’s promises are frequently given in seasons of waiting, captivity, or uncertainty—not ease.

• Hope and faith are spiritual disciplines that require intentional choice, not feelings.

• Gratitude helps us recognize God’s faithfulness in the present, even when the future feels unclear.

• Trusting God’s character allows us to move forward with confidence, not fear.

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Full Transcript Below:

Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Ahead with Hope
By: Peyton Garland

Bible Reading:
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Christianity is always easier when it’s comfortable, right? When there’s no church drama, your marriage isn’t bumpy, or the children aren’t in a rebellious season. When everyone’s health is clear, the savings account is full, and the boss is flexible. But when are all of these life avenues simultaneously smooth? When is life ever not life—the chaos, the calamity, the confusion? When we read Scripture, did any of God’s people have it easy? Moses didn’t, Esther didn’t, David didn’t, and Jesus certainly didn’t. 

I believe that our pursuit of a comfortable life is the reason we gravitate towards certain Bible verses and willingly cut out the remaining context. We don’t mind discussing when Moses parted the waters, when Esther was crowned Queen, when David defeated Goliath, and when Jesus resurrected. But we too easily neglect when Moses died in the wilderness, when Esther risked her life for her people, when David’s sin caught up with him, and when Jesus was nailed to a cross to carry the sins of an ungrateful world. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is another perfect example of our desperate pursuit to polish the Christian experience. Glancing at this isolated verse, y

Here is the foundational promise of God, fulfilled in Jesus and the gospel. It all comes from God and his initiative. Abraham is the recipient, as we are recipients in Christ. This blessing is meant to go to the world—and so our missionary mandate is found here. The folly of Abraham here reminds us that the blessing rests on grace and not merit.

Our freedom comes with a great responsibility to uphold what's right.

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