True North

Sometimes it’s hard to separate the message from the messenger. Perhaps someone you don’t particularly like tells you something that you know is true and important. Or maybe a friend says something that’s right, but you don’t appreciate the way they said it. What should you do? Today, Pastor Gary reminds us that we need to listen to the message, regardless of from whom, or how, it’s delivered. Be sure that you are hearing every message that comes from Christ as He speaks to you in many ways.

There are a lot of things in this world that are clamoring for our attention – all the time. We get emails, we get bills and ads in the mail, and there’s the never-ending barrage of media and social media. Would it be possible to be so overwhelmed with these things that we miss what’s most important? As Pastor Gary shares today, not only can we miss the point, but we usually do. During Jesus’s life on earth, many people missed His point completely. So, pay close attention to what He’s saying to you.

A lot of things have been accomplished that people once thought were impossible. From getting an airplane to fly, to getting people to the moon, many amazing things have been done by the human race. But what about the impossibilities in our personal lives? Many wonder, “How could God possibly forgive me?” Today, Pastor Gary shows that Jesus did the seemingly impossible to forgive you, by dying for you on the cross. And you have the privilege of passing that on to others.

Most people in Western countries have heard that a person named Jesus existed. From the manger scenes and the crosses displayed on churches and around peoples’ necks, there are some general ideas about His life that they’re familiar with. But today, Pastor Gary emphasizes that knowing facts alone about Jesus is of no value. Unless you understand and believe Who He is. He is the only way to God, and He Himself is the One who created you as a human being. And there’s much more!

Many people will go through their entire lives thinking that there’s plenty of time to give their life to God. But the reality is that no one knows when their time is up. And when you come to the end of the line and meet God, will you still have time to make things right? In today’s message, Pastor Gary urges you to give God your life NOW, instead of waiting to let God into your heart. Accept Jesus Christ into your life today because there will soon be a day when He will return for His family, and that day is closer than you think.

In the Bible, God created Adam and Eve. One day, Satan came into the Garden of Eden and convinced both of them to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And when they did that, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s only commandment to them, and sin entered the world. Sin is what separates us from God. And when someone dies with sin in their heart, they’ll face eternal separation from Him. But today, Pastor Gary reminds you that God gave the World Jesus so that all who believe in Him will have everlasting life!

When life gets you down, and your troubles seem to pile up, isn’t it amazing to know that there’s someone by your side? In today’s message, Pastor Gary wants to encourage you to lift God up in every circumstance. Even when your future feels uncertain, the Bible teaches that you must trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. And when you submit to God and let Him into every area of your life, you can trust knowing that God will stay true to His Word!

Jesus knows what it’s like to face human sorrow. Not only did He deal with death and tragedy during His time on Earth, but He also endured the worst of human suffering when He faced the cross. Pastor Gary wants you to know today that you can place all of your grief and sorrow at the feet of Jesus. He will take those burdens and bear them for you so that you can live a life of freedom and joy in Christ. You aren’t meant to handle all of those burdens and grief on your own. Let Jesus share the load.

Sin is an all-or-nothing game. Either you are guilty of sin or you aren’t. Well. Pastor Gary reminds you today that it is the sin of all mankind that put Jesus on the cross. But yet, Jesus chose to go to the cross willingly, so that you would have the opportunity to be forgiven of your sin, and be restored to a relationship with God. When you take the time to meditate on that truth, you begin to see just how important it is for you to share the message of the Gospel. Forgiveness is available to all who call Jesus lord.

Every church on the planet is made up of humans, and the fact of the matter is that humans are flawed beings. We are bound to mess up and hurt our neighbors, even if we don’t mean to. But Pastor Gary encourages us today, because even though we are part of a body made of imperfect people, Jesus is at the head, and He is perfect. Christ’s perfection cancels out all of the division and discord we find within the Church, and He makes His bride into something greater than the sum of its parts.