Reveal Gathering

When the world asks who are you, how will you respond? If God knows who you are. Do you know? Oftentimes, we find ourselves identifying with characteristics in which we are not. Through Christ alone, we are a new creation and beloved children of His. You are free through the Son.

From the midst of Earth's dust, God breathed life, and created out of it, us in His image. Only God can take the broken humans that we are, to be embodiments of His grace.

In accordance with the church, 2021 is a year of spiritual revival. Seen all across the world, people go out to the ends of the earth to spread this gospel. Growing up in Portland within our church, Bryan Ciupei answered that call, planting himself in the mission field of Romania. Seen in his testimony, God worked a personal revival within Bryan, in order to prepare him for God's will. If we want to see a spiritual revival in the world around us, we must first experience one within ourselves first.

Our faith in Christ has made is into a new Creation. The free grace received in our lives transforms our depraved souls into a child of God. Yet, with a new identity comes a new calling. Seen in Christ's parables in Matthew 25, Jesus makes a clear distinction between the one who utilizes the talents and oil given by God and the one who assumedly takes it for granted. For what we do with what God has given us for His Kingdom, can be used to proclaim the good news to the whole world.

The prophesied promises and law all point to Jesus. While visible to all see the birth of a child in a manger, Jesus' birth holds a mystery about God's Kingdom. It was prophesied that He would come, but it wasn’t in the way the Israelites expected.

Did you lose hope in this year? When the enemy tells you you have nothing left, God wants to remind you that you still have a voice. Do not let the devil silence your voice or suffocate you. Open your mouth in praise and faith, for your voice has power. Just as Paul and Silas in prison, lift your voice and watch the presence of God respond.

When you contemplate about God's blessing, what comes to mind? In Psalm 145, David proclaims God's goodness and faithfulness to every living thing. God’s blessing will always be there for you. If you want God’s blessing in your life, you need to first, give Him thanks in all circumstances, live in His will, and pray without ceasing.

In a world full of temptations, deceptions, and distractions, it's easy to grow spiritually complacent. With complacency, comes a lethal risk of seduction to sin departing from Christ. The Word of God warns us to practice self-discipline and hold onto the truth of the Gospel. We do this by remaining humble before God in obedience and putting our confidence in Christ alone.

From the beginning of the Old Testament until this moment in Christ's ministry, all of Scripture pointed to the deity of Jesus. But is He is who they say He is? As Christ followers, we all have personally experience His grace everyday in our lives. Yet, far too many people in the world are still lost in the wild, searching after their own desires. In your wilderness, will you rediscover Jesus when face to face with Him?

Peter, the disciple of Jesus who firsthand saw Christ's ministry, rejected following Jesus at his weakest moment. Oftentimes, we see Peter in our actions, fall into the trap of dismissing Christ. Yet, just as Peter is to be like a rock for the church, so too can Jesus take us and spread His Kingdom. A command stands in the way, pick up your cross and follow Him.

All movements of faith in the Kingdom of God began with one thing: A Prayer. As we close out our series on James, we see that James reminds believers that the lifestyle of the kingdom is marked with a posture of prayer, thanksgiving, and worship. As we live out our faith, the Holy Spirit will meet us and accompany us with power to accomplish God’s Kingdom purposes. And we see that power starts with prayer.

From the start of his letter, James writes about the development and growth of our faith. Through our actions, we are to show our love for God and to people. Yet within our faith and works, what fruit are we producing? Are we manifesting Godliness or worldliness?

A direct reflection into our hearts is seen through the words we speak. Yet James teaches us that, at its core, the tongue is wicked. Just as Jesus redeemed our souls through His saving grace, so also are the words of our heart reclaimed. In order to tame the tongue, an authentic change of heart is required. Only by the transformation of Jesus, can purified speech steer you from death onto life.

In every chapter, James calls the reader to live out their faith. To live a verbal, shallow faith is not what Christ died for. Jesus, on that cross, took up our sin, so that we all may live as one in Him, and to do works for others. To live out your faith is to actively love and serve.

Created in His image, we are all image bearers of our King, Jesus. The walls we build up around ourselves are the very thing Christ tore down on the cross. Only in Jesus, are we all one. In a world full of growing division & hostility towards one another, the church must be the beacon of hope displaying true unity and equality for all.