Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks

Date: July 1, 2018

Series: Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks

Topics: Courage, Doubt, Encouragement, God's Mercy, Healing, Hope, Restoration, Suffering

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At some point in life, every believer will go through seasons when they feel bruised and beaten down by trials. During those times, discouragement can cause our spiritual fire to dwindle and almost burn out. How wonderful to know that Christ has promised He will never break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick! He comes to the weakest of us with mercy and grace, gently lifts us up, and lovingly restores us to himself again.

You Fell, But You’re Not Finished

Date: November 1, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

We often discover the truth about ourselves at the very moment we feel most confident. Our commitment to follow Jesus was sincere, yet we fell so easily when trials came! Shame whispers that we’re finished, that we’ve exhausted God’s patience, but God doesn’t abandon us when we fall. He restores what is broken and uses our wounds to deepen our faith. As we learn to depend less on our own strength and more on His, even our worst failures can become opportunities for spiritual growth and a renewed calling to strengthen others.

Choosing to Love Like Jesus

Date: October 25, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Ask ten people to define love, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. Some spend a lifetime searching for its meaning, but Jesus has already shown us exactly what love is. He knelt and washed the feet of the very men who would abandon Him that same night, and He did it because He truly loved them. Love is more than a feeling; it is a choice to put others before ourselves, expecting nothing in return. Jesus not only demonstrated this love; He commanded His followers to love others the same way, promising that all who do will be blessed. The question is, are we loving others the way Jesus has loved us?

Some Gems From Romans 6 – Part 2

Date: October 18, 2026 | Speaker: David Cannon

Romans is packed full of goodness. It would take months to cover it all. In this short series, we’ll take a quick look at some of the priceless gems found in chapter 6 alone. Join us as we mine some of these beautiful treasures found in this powerful letter of God’s truths.

Some Gems From Romans 6 – Part 1

Date: October 11, 2026 | Speaker: David Cannon

Beware of Religious Conmen

Date: October 4, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Every year, elder fraud in America costs older adults more than $7 billion. What’s even more shameful is that some of the people swindling them are religious conmen who claim to speak for God. Sometimes the greatest threat to our faith lies inside the church, not outside its walls. Jesus warned His followers to beware of anyone who uses religion for personal enrichment by preying on the vulnerable. There are many of these false teachers in churches today. Do you know how to spot them?

Losing Your Life to Find It

Date: September 27, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

What comes to mind when you hear the word glory? Maybe fame, or a throne, or a crown. But when Jesus spoke of being glorified, He was speaking of His death. True glory is found in sacrifice, not in strength or triumph as the world defines it. When we fight to protect our honor, our reputation, our plans, we may find our hands full, but our lives will be empty. Real life begins as we surrender our will to God and seek His honor above our own. Jesus laid down His life to give us life, and He calls us to follow His example by living with open hands and surrendered hearts.

Wanting Jesus on Our Terms

Date: September 20, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

One of the saddest moments in Scripture is when Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem, knowing the very people He’d come to save would reject Him. They wanted a Savior who would deliver them from the Romans, not one who would deliver them from their sin. And people today aren’t so different. Many want Jesus to grant their wishes and fix their problems, but they don’t want Him to rule over their heart. They come with a list of demands, not a life laid down. Have you accepted Jesus for who He truly is — Savior and Lord of all?

No One Is Beyond His Reach

Date: September 13, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

During the most stressful week of His life, just days before the cross, Jesus stopped to spend time with the most hated man in town and brought him to salvation. He wasn’t focused on Himself; He was committed to seeking and saving the lost right to the very end. And Jesus is still seeking people today—the lost, the broken, the hurting, and the overlooked. He comes to us with mercy, not condemnation, and no one is beyond His reach. He knows us, loves us, and calls us by name. The question is, when He calls, will you respond?

Delayed But Not Forgotten

Date: September 6, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

You know what it’s like to pray with urgency and hear nothing but silence in return. You know the ache of wondering if God even heard you and if an answer will ever come. Those delays do not mean you’re forgotten. God is working on a timeline you cannot see—not just to fix what was broken, but so that He will be glorified through the process. There will be times in life for all of us when we simply have to say, “Lord, I don’t understand, but I still trust You.” He will prove, in His own time, that He was never far away, and that His timing was perfect after all.

Living by Faith – Part 2

Date: August 30, 2026 | Speaker: David Cannon

Scripture teaches that faith is the only means through which God’s grace is available to us. We even read how it’s impossible to please God without faith. Needless to say, faith is crucial, and God says his righteous people will live by faith. So, what does it mean to live by faith? Join us as we take a look at what Scripture says about faith and how living by faith might look for us today.