Northwest Christian Sermons

Life is difficult. We all face challenges all the time and for some, it seems like the troubles never end. The Book of James gives us some insights into how we can confront the difficulties of life and how followers of Jesus need to adapt when life doesn’t go our way.

This week we begin a walk through of the most practical book in the whole New Testament. A short letter entitled "James". While it is short it is very, very powerful, convicting, and even life-changing. You can't read this book without being impacted, which is just what God is planning in this series!

God has called us to an incredible mission. We are calling everyone to participate and to choose to focus in 2020. We will celebrate all that God is calling us to do together, as one big family We Choose Focus!

We want our lives to be better and more fulfilled in this new year. Our world tells us that this fulfillment is found in things like jobs, and houses, and success. We know that real fulfillment is found only in Christ, so we want to make sure we share that truth in a more focused way in 2020. This year, everyone is going to share their faith with one person!

This life was not meant to be lived in isolation. We are created for relationship and we need to make sure those relationships are strong and vibrant. This year, we are all going to commit to focusing on Godly relationships by getting more connected here at church. We want everyone in a group!

It's hard to believe that 2019 is almost in the books. In just a few days it will be 2020 and with the new year comes some new ideas and new hopes and new dreams of what God is going to do in all our lives. This week we will celebrate some of what God did in 2019 and we will also look forward to what we hope God is going to do in this new year. It's going to be an amazing opportunity to begin turning our focus toward Him and His plans for all our lives!

Obedience is hard. In fact, sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world. Our nature and emotions and even our intellect, at times, rebels against the concept of obedience. Joseph was called by God to obey, even when it was hard. He was asked to obey even when it didn't make sense some times. That obedience made all the difference in the world!

Sometimes everything seems to go our way. The kids are good. The bonus comes in bigger than anticipated. The Falcons actually win a game. Those days are sweet. Sometimes, though, life throws us a curve ball. We end up taking detours that we never intended to take. Those moments can become dead ends on the journey or they can end up on the highlight reel. It all depends on how we respond to those unexpected detours.

Preparation is vital to success, so the saying goes. Many of us would agree and have seen this axiom proved true in our own lives. Long before God sent Jesus to that manger in Bethlehem, He prepared His people and even prepared culture to be ready to receive the long-awaited Messiah. The question for us today is this: Are we as prepared for Christmas this year?

When you’re a kid, it seems like Christmas will never arrive. Time seems to slow down this time of year. You decorate and sing and wrap gifts, all in anticipation of that special morning but every day seems to drag on. For children, Christmas is a season of joy but it’s also a season that requires a lot of patience. Since the beginning, God’s people have been told to wait and trust and sometimes it might have seemed like an eternity, but God never failed to show up!

If you're a follower of Jesus, you have been given a mission to go and share the Gospel story and change the world. That all sounds easy for missionaries and pastors, but for us "normal people" it can seem like an overwhelming task. Fortunately, God has given us a pathway to make this seemingly impossible mission - Mission Possible!

Relationships are hard. Relational conflict is even harder. When emotions are run high, that submission thing we've been talking about feels a lot like losing. Why does it often feel like we need to choose between losing the conflict or losing the relationship? Is there a better way to look at things? What if it's all just a simple case of mistaken identity - both theirs and yours?

Family is hard and messy, to say the least. There is no perfect family. There are no perfect parents and there are no perfect children. We can all learn ways to move forward, however. No matter what our family looks like. As we continue to dig into Ephesians 6, God gives us some guidance on how to navigate the tricky waters of family relationships.

This week we will wade into Ephesians 5:22-33 yet again to try and understand these difficult words of the Lord. Jay will get very specific and very practical about what in the world it means for a wife to submit to her husband and for a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church. It may be difficult but it is good!

Sometimes culture and Scripture clash. Ok, let's be honest...most of the time culture and Scripture clash. Especially when it comes to today's topic. As we continue our journey through Ephesians 5 and 6, we come to part 1 of 2 outlining what that Bible says about the roles of Men and Women in relationships and in life. Buckle up, it's going to be quite the ride!

Submission is a dirty word in our culture. It conjures up images of restriction, confinement, subjugation. Most of us live according to the William Earnest Henley poem that calls on us to be "the master of my fate, the captain of my soul." So then how do we reconcile the biblical call to submit in a modern, 21st Century context? Maybe, if we understood what REAL biblical submission actually is, instead of restrictions we might find freedom!

Good relationships are worth fighting for, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Sometimes having a good relationship with a person is the hardest thing to achieve. Sometimes we're part of the problem...at least how we respond and react and how we behave. The Bible says that in order to have incredible relationships we need to pay attention to what is controlling us and causing our reactions and responses. It's what's on the inside that counts!