Risen Church Nc

To put a wrap on what it means to truly be transformed by the power of Christ, Paul gives us one last word about doing for others just as Jesus has done for us. Having received so much from God, those remade in His image will give so much to and for one another. There is no better way to describe or characterize Christianity in practice. In this message, we hear how Paul's words are rooted in Jesus' own words from His most famous sermon, and in line with the entire Biblical standard.

David experienced life's highest of highs and lowest of lows, yet through it all He never lost faith in God. Perhaps the height of His confidence in God came at his lowest personal and professional moment. After suffering the breakdown of his family and facing an insurrection led by his own son, David was ready to leave it all behind. Empty handed, exiled from his own kingdom, David's faith was rock solid. On the brink of losing everything he had dreamed of and prayed for, David retained a peace that was beyond understanding. David had an unshakeable hope. In this message, we take one final look at David's life and chronicle how his later years saw many heartbreaks and disappointments. Through it all, David exemplified how we all should face these seasons of our lives, and showed us how we might remain hopeful.

Romans 14 continues with the theme of sanctification, in that it calls us to examine and evaluate our motives and ambitions. Paul wants us to consider the decisions that we make and the stances that we take, in light of how they contribute to the greater Kingdom of God and how they build up the body of Christ. This chapter is a true intersect of individual liberty and communal responsibility, as Paul helps us navigate what glorifies God and what is good for us all.

What makes a nation great? The Bible actually contains a whole book that exclusively covers this topic. Long ago, God made it clear how a nation could become great and remain great. Originally meant for Ancient Israel, this prescription could be applied to any nation wanting to reach its full potential. In this message, we discover that America's founders signed-off the Declaration of Independence with a statement of intent, suggesting how exactly they would use the freedom they were seeking. Their desire was in line with God's outline in Deuteronomy. If a nation wants to be great it must be totally dependent on God and have a population that lives in dedication towards one another. Listen and learn how we might continue to remember what God has done for us and be good stewards of the freedom God has given. Learn how a life of faithfulness to God and kindness towards others is the secret to any nation's greatness.

In this sobering conversation about the recent news concerning abortion, we discuss: - Does God judge an entire nation for the sins of some of its people? Does He sometimes prolong judgement in order to save sinners?(Genesis 18) - Why did God spare Israel for a similar - or perhaps worse - outbreak of sin than was seen in Sodom? (Judges 19) - The Bible makes clear that all life is precious, valuable, and sacred to Him. No measure of complication voids this truth. (Psalm 139) - God requires that His people declare how valuable all life is by ministering to the weakest and most vulnerable in society. The Bible has tons to say about God's heart for mothers and children, especially. (Deuteronomy 10) - A nation that doesn't seek justice for and keep an outstretched arm towards its most needy people stands guilty before God. No amount of worship compensates for serving those among us who are marginalized. (Isaiah 1)

Romans 12 makes the case that our duty as Christians is to follow the path of Christ, focusing on serving and loving one another. We are taught that the sanctification and transformation process will cause us all to raise others above ourselves, looking out for their best above our own. This flies in the face of our nature of self-preservation and self-promotion. It will cause us to decide if God's Kingdom or our own kingdoms are more important. This line of thought leads us into Romans 13, where Paul brings into view the kingdoms of this world and the role they play in our Christian lives of love and service. His commands are extremely contrary to our own wills and will seem completely unreasonable to most. However, if we've committed to a life of building up God's Kingdom and bringing as many under His love, then it will not be challenging at all. Together these two chapters offer us a way of escape from the pull of this world, wherein "winning" and "being in power" is most important. It puts in perspec

David's rise from shepherd boy to prince of Israel happened suddenly and took the nation by storm. He was beloved like none other in his generation. What once was a secret between the prophet Samuel and his family soon became a forgone conclusion: David was destined to be Israel's next king. Like any rising star, David became enraptured by his assumed destiny. From his musical skills, war trophies, and favor under Saul, it would have been hard for even the most modest person to dismiss the hype. David seemed too blessed and important to fail. However, just as quickly as he rose to fame, he saw it all unravel and taken away. King Saul turned on him and soon after, the whole nation. Within days, David went from prince to pauper, from hero to fugitive. The next chapter of his life would be spent on the run, making a series of selfish decisions as he attempted to cling to his destiny. Yet, it was during this dark episode wherein David realized that God had a greater plan for him. In the aftermath of tragedy,

Romans 12 calls all Christians to a transformed and sanctified life. In this message we breakdown the transformation process and begin to understand what our lives will look like as we grow in Christ. It should come as no surprise that this chapter deals heavily with themes of loving and serving others, resulting in our lives looking more and more like Jesus.

David is remembered and celebrated as a man after God's own heart. He received this compliment from God Himself, when early on in his life, he made seeking and following God his ultimate desire. In this message, we talk about the desires and motivators that all of us are driven by, and how so often we are left disappointed by where they take us. We hear about God's desire for us and how this should convince all of us to pursue Him with our whole heart. Hear from David about how fulfilled and blessed our lives can be when we desire the God who desires us. His entire life story is one that proclaims the goodness and favor of God, but it all began when he was just a kid with a harp, worshipping His Good Shepherd.

Romans 12 is the beginning of the final section of the book, which is all about Sanctification. We've learned about why salvation changes us and how it leaves us different, but now we will begin learning about what we should do as saved people. Paul launches quickly into practical teaching, showing us how following Jesus will impact our daily lives and influence us at our core. We see how the local church is supposed to facilitate this process in every Christian. Together, we can encourage each other and discover how we might put to use God's gift of grace.

After two thorough studies on the nature of salvation, the Apostle Paul gives a final word about the heart of the matter. In this message, we talk about how salvation is completely a product of God's grace. We get saved by grace. We are saved by grace. We will always be saved by grace. We don’t earn grace. We can’t fail grace. We never outpace grace. Otherwise, grace wouldn’t be grace.

There's no denying that there is a fire spreading across our world. This fire consumes everything in its path. Wildfires often are ignited in dry and parched lands, and spiritually speaking, our land is devoid of God's presence and power. All throughout history, such distance from God has led to extreme violence and perverseness. There are countless examples of societies being overcome by these kinds of fires, from 2000 BC to today. The Bible calls on God's people to neither ignore those caught in these flames or become judgmental. We are called to take on these burdens, and be compelled by them to do our best. The prophets in the Old Testament led the people of Israel to respond in two ways when their worlds were aflame: REPENT and LAMENT. In this message, we learn how taking on a posture of repentance and lamentation can bring healing on our land, one person at a time. We learn how to identify what we can do better and why we should intercede for those stuck in sin or suffering from others' sin. We hea

Whereas Romans 9 is all about God's sovereignty, Romans 10 is all about Human responsibility. In this chapter we see that these are indeed two sides of the same coin. God makes a choice for us, but we must also make a choice for Him. He initiates, but we must respond. And if we do respond, God will hear and He will save. Always.

Salvation belongs to and comes only from the Lord. Romans 9 is a thorough study on how God's sovereignty is at work in our salvation.

Jesus' ascension to Heaven's Throne doesn't mark the end of His story or His followers' hope, but rather a new beginning. When He sat down, a new reign began over all creation. All of the earth no longer has to settle for bondage under the beasts that deceive and distract us. When we look to Jesus, we find peace, power, and purpose that's not of this world, nor limited by this world's weaknesses. In this message, we consider how Jesus' reign changes how we process our world's brokenness and burdens. We find comfort and are compelled to bring as much of Heaven to Earth as possible. The Ancient of Days is our anchor in these days. In Him we find the courage and boldness to not bow to the kingdoms of this world, but seek His Kingdom and realize its values and ideals while we wait.

The story of Samson reflects God's desire and ability to change a life that is dedicated to Him. However, it's also a story of God's patience and mercy, as Samson was far from a perfect man. There were blatant moral blind spots in his life, and after flirting with disaster again and again, his poor choices finally caught up with him. Satan set a trap for Samson, and being led by his unchecked lusts, he fell headlong into it. He found himself drained of his power, robbed of his vision, and bound in chains. The once shining star, Israel's heroic leader, was captured in shame, and the whole nation suffered as result. This is what sin will do to us all. Satan tempts, then traps, and takes away our capacity and ability to enjoy life as God intends. However, God's grace was greater than Samson's sin, and God did not forsake him. In Samson's final moments, he brings his sorrow and shame to God, and prays for redemption. More than just confessing his wrong, He trusts that God was always right and clings to Him

Within all of us, there is a tendency to drift away from God. Through salvation and the gift of God's Spirit, we can be restored to God and find New Life in step with Him. If not for the Spirit's lead however, we all inevitably and helplessly fall away. The story of Judges features the nation of Israel drifting from God, even though they had ample reasons to trust Him and worship Him. God raised up deliverers in this generation to bring the people back to Him and to help reestablish their connection with Him. While the judges were pictures of Jesus, they also are pictures of Christians. Yes, they acted as saviors for their people, but they were still sinners themselves. If not for their reliance on the Holy Spirit, they would never been able to help the nation. In this message, we look at the story of Samson and see how his life was changed by the Spirit of God. We observe how joyful he was when he remained in step with God. The goal of this conversation is to cause us to see how vital the Spirit is in

In this introduction to our study on Samson, we take a look at the world that he was born into. In the Judges' era, Israel's faith had wavered and the whole nation felt the effects of this breakdown. God was actively working to redeem His people though, lovingly disciplining them and repeatedly rescuing them. He was looking for a faithful few through which He might perform wonders for and thru. In this message, we are introduced to Samson's parents, who felt as unworthy and unqualified as could be. However, they dared to believe that God was indeed able to change their story and bring a breakthrough.

In our last look at Romans 8, we wrap up our conversation about the new heart we have in Christ, and move on to what is our ultimate Christian Hope. Paul pivots from talking how our salvation changes our behavior, to how it effects our response and perspective amidst this world's brokenness. He shows us how even this world's fallen and fragile nature is actually, actively being reinterpreted and reframed by Christians who put their hope completely in Christ. This hope affords us an exclusive opportunity to see even the worst days in a different, redemptive light. In Christ, we cling to the promise that all things are being worked out for good.

In part two of our Romans 8 study, we continue to talk about our newfound life in Christ. In some of the most rich and transformative verses of all Scripture, hear the Apostle Paul's plea that we take hold of all that has been deeded to us now that we are heirs of God.