Drawing Near to God
When life is hard we must purposefully seek the Lord, knowing he is responsive to our pain and that he will give us the hope and courage that we need.
Vindication
Interacting with Earthly Governments
We must understand the proclivities of earthly governments, and when given the opportunity we must insist they do what is right for the people’s sake and for the good of the church.
The Right Thing
Obedience to Christ often comes down to whose reputation you care about the most. When God calls us to stand up for what is right, speak up for what is important, or be counted with his children the price will usually be debited from our reputation. On the other hand…
Victories & Vindication
Our prayer lives ought to be an exercise in bolstering our confidence in God’s plan, power and purposes amid this seeming chaotic world.
Rejection
Rejection hurts. And unfortunately our Christianity increases the likelihood that we will encounter it more often. Part of the cost of “taking up our cross” and “following Jesus” is the harsh reality of “bearing the disgrace he bore” (Heb.13:13). As Jesus himself said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (Jn.15:18). It is a vain hope…
Injustice
Unfortunately, this side of heaven we will all experience a lot of injustice – much of it personal. In this fallen world we can count on being falsely accused, mistreated, misquoted and maligned. Fortunately, none of it escapes…
Injustice & Vindication
The world is filled with injustice. Our lives at times seem to be filled with it too. While we should always seek to pursue justice for the sake of the One who embodies it (Ps.97:2), there are many times when equitable solutions are not attainable this side of heaven. Thankfully, God has promised…
Vindication
The “problem of evil” with which we intellectually grapple and are personally burdened will one day be a distant memory. God will “take his great power and begin to reign” (Rev.11:16). The world’s attempts…
The Fear of Rejection
Because our alliance with Christ will be tested with some sort of persecution or difficult, we must resolve ahead of time to be loyal to him knowing God will provide real-time strength and support.
Dealing with Mean & Demanding People
We need to consider the relative unimportance of our pain and loss associated with standing for Christ, and focus instead on the conversion of our opponents.
When You’re Ridiculed for Christ
We must allow the benefits of standing with Christ and his people to overshadow the painful relational consequences that will inevitably come from doing so.
When Nothing Seems Fair
Though we experience a lot of painful inequities in this life we must replace frustration & complaining with a trust in God’s justice and a focus on his incomparable benefits.
A Time for Severity
Sin is too costly to deal with gently. We must always deal with sin severely in our own lives.
An Upside Down World
A message from the verse-by-verse preaching of Pastor Mike through the Book of Revelation