Free from the Need to Earn God’s Love

Date: July 8, 2012

Topics: Encouragement, Forgiveness, God's Love, Grace

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Some people grow up without ever hearing their father say, “I love you,” and consequently they spend their entire life doing everything they can to try and earn his love. Often, we as Christians do the same thing with our heavenly Father. We feel like we have to meet certain standards and do enough good things in order to earn God’s love and acceptance. If you are living that way, you are believing a lie! The Bible says we are already fully loved and accepted by God because of what Christ has done, and there is nothing we can do to make God love us more. Come discover what the Bible says about God’s amazing love for you, and learn to live in the freedom and joy of that relationship!

The Tragedy of Willful Blindness

Date: August 2, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Someone once said, “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” It’s easy to agree with that until it turns and points directly at us. Most of us walk through life convinced we can see things clearly, but everyone has blind spots—places where pride, traditions, or assumptions keep us in the dark. Having our spiritual eyes opened requires a work of the Holy Spirit, humbly asking God to shine the light of His truth into our hidden corners. Only He can open blind eyes. So the question isn’t whether we can see. It’s where we might be refusing to.

Mercy for the Accused

Date: July 26, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

If we measure our goodness against the sins of others, it’s easy to pass judgment. But if we measure ourselves against the holiness of God, we’re not the judges we imagined ourselves to be. We’re the accused! When a sinful woman was brought to Jesus, He refused to condemn her, because her sentence would be paid in full on the cross. Since we’ve all been shown that same mercy, shouldn’t we be just as quick to extend it to others? Only the one without sin has the right to throw stones, and none of us qualify.

The Thirst Only Jesus Can Satisfy

Date: July 19, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

When we’re physically thirsty, we know that a cool glass of water will quench that need. But when we’re spiritually dry, we often look in all the wrong places, trying one thing after another to quiet the longing inside us. Eventually, we realize that the things we pursue simply cannot fill the ache within. Then we hear Jesus speak these life-giving words: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” Have you ever laid aside everything else and come honestly to the One who alone can satisfy your deepest yearning? Jesus offers more than temporary relief; He offers the living water of forgiveness, peace, and eternal life. Come to Him today, and let Him refresh your soul.

Faith Beyond the Mountaintop

Date: July 12, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

We’ve all had mountaintop encounters with God where the world fades away and His presence is so real that we want to stay there forever. Those are moments of sheer glory, but if we’re not careful, we can spend our lives chasing the next spiritual peak instead of learning to trust and worship Him in the valley. The truth is, faithfulness isn’t formed on the mountaintop. It is forged in the ordinary routine of daily life. So keep your eyes fixed on Him, your ears attentive to His voice, and your feet committed to following Him through the highs and the lows.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Date: July 5, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Everyone has an opinion about Jesus. Some dismiss Him as a myth. Others see Him as nothing more than a great teacher, a humanitarian, or a revolutionary. Still others place Him alongside figures like Gandhi, Confucius, or Socrates. But Jesus asks a far more personal question: “Who do you say that I am?” It is the most important question you will ever answer, because your response shapes not only how you live today, but where you will spend eternity. Have you confessed Him as your personal Savior and Lord, or are you still delaying life’s most important decision?

Living by Faith – Part 1

Date: June 28, 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.

Starving in a Land of Plenty

Date: June 14, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

How is it possible to live in the most well-fed nation in history and still be starving? Surrounded by abundance, we carry an emptiness nothing in this world can fill. So we chase after the next thing, convinced that just one more success, relationship, or experience will finally calm that gnawing ache, but it never does. The hunger in our souls is actually pointing us to the One who created us, and He invites us to come to Him and discover what we’ve been searching for all along. Only a real relationship with Jesus can satisfy. Everything else just leaves us wanting more.

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Date: June 7, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

There are times when the need in front of us far exceeds our resources—the bill, the grief, the calling that seems miles beyond us—and we’re forced to admit that what we have is not enough. But those are the very moments we discover the tender heart of Jesus, who sees our hidden struggles. He invites us to bring Him whatever we have, no matter how inadequate it feels, and watch as He blesses it in ways we never could on our own. The question is not whether what we have is enough, but whether we’re willing to trust Him and place it in His hands. When we reach the end of our sufficiency, we discover that God’s provision has only begun.

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Date: May 31, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

A prominent religious leader fights through the crowd and falls at Jesus’ feet, begging Him to come quickly and heal his dying daughter. But on the way, Jesus stops to help an outcast woman, and during that delay, the little girl dies. The father is shattered, but Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” And what seemed like a tragedy turned into an even greater miracle when Jesus raised his daughter from the dead! Do you feel like you’ve been waiting on God while everyone around you gets their answer? He’s calling you to trust Him and discover that His timing is always right.

When Obedience Leads Into the Storm

Date: May 24, 2026 | Speaker: Phil Pike

We often assume that if we obey God, life will go smoothly, but sometimes the fiercest storms come when we’re faithfully following Him. In those dark seasons, when fear, disappointment, and unanswered questions press in, we may even wonder if God cares at all. But what we need most is not always that our problems get solved overnight; it’s remembering that suffering helps us see God more clearly than comfort ever could. Trials will either make us bitter or make us better, and that choice is ultimately ours. The deeper question in suffering is not simply, “When will this end?” but, “Will I come through this more like Christ than I was before?”