Doesn't that truth leave you profoundly in awe of God? There is nothing at all that we've done or can do to earn the love of God. Actually, we've earned His wrath and judgment, but He still loves us. Today in his message, Pastor Ricky will unwrap that great mystery, why would God still love us? The Bible says that you were God's enemy. You had turned your back on Him and yet God chose to come and enter human existence and die on a cross for you because of His great love for you. What an incredible mystery.
Grace For All - Its Alive Its Alive, Part 1
Do you ever find yourself questioning if people really are that bad? There's got to be some people who are good enough, right? The gap between us and God isn't really that wide. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky is going to dispel that notion. The Bible says that there's none good enough on their own, but that truth should bring you more hope. It’s by God's grace alone that you're saved. There's nothing that you can do to earn God's favor. You don't have to strive for perfection. God has filled that gap.
Grace For All - Sovereign Grace at the Bottom of It All, Part 3
Have you ever imagined people coming to be led into the gates of heaven? You probably have that picture of Saint Peter like an eternal bouncer checking the list to see if people should be let in or not. Have you ever thought that that picture was kind of harsh and unmerciful to those that are turned away? Well in his message today, Pastor Ricky offers up a different way to look at that scene. You were running towards hell, but God graciously invited you to come with Him. With arms wide open, God chose you to be with Him.
Grace For All - Sovereign Grace at the Bottom of It All, Part 2
Do you sometimes think of God's grace as meeting you halfway and saving you? It's easy to think that you aren't really all that bad or deserving of death. Maybe you were just struggling to tread water a little and God pulled you up and saved you. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us of the incredibly powerful truth that we did nothing to deserve God's salvation. You had nothing to do with your own salvation. You were completely destitute and dead in your sins. It's God that brought you from death to life.
Grace For All - Sovereign Grace at the Bottom of It All, Part 1
You probably don't equate yourself with God, but do you sometimes forget just how different He is? In your mind, do you try to attach human qualities to God that don't really belong? He's infinitely different from us. In his message today, Pastor Ricky will impress on you just how completely distinct God is from us. His ways are higher and His knowledge is so much deeper. You can't even begin to grasp the mysteries of His love or justice and grace. It’s important to remember that God is God, and we are not.
Grace For All - Consider Me Underwhelmed, Part 2
As Christians, how often do we truly bless others? It's one thing to say bless you to a panhandler on the street, or to someone who has just sneezed, but it's an entirely different thing to say in the name of the Lord. In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to be proactive in blessing others just as Paul did almost everywhere he went. You need to see every moment as an opportunity to bless the Lord. The more you sing His praises and raise up blessings in His name, the more fruit you'll bear.
Grace For All - Consider Me Underwhelmed, Part 1
In your faith journey, do you ever take time to simply rejoice in the Lord? Do you take time out of your day to praise His name, or do you just save it for when you attend church? Today Pastor Ricky explains that you need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord in everything you do. The more you rejoice in His good tidings, the more of a witness you can be to the rest of the world. It's important to be serious about who you are in Christ but you also need time to let your hair down and simply rejoice in the Lord's greatness.
Grace For All - Grace in the Mundane, Part 2
As a Christian, when you're going about your daily routine, do you ever lose sight of the Lord? Do you ever turn on the autopilot and focus only on getting the things done that you don't want to be doing? Today Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to treat every moment as an opportunity to serve the Lord. There's always going to be those parts of life that are mundane and seemingly not a mission field but those are the exact moments where God wants to use you. Let Him do mighty things through you.
Grace For All - Grace in the Mundane, Part 1
In your walk with Christ, have you ever gotten so caught up in your own story that you forget what God's done in your life? Ever get so focused on what's going right, or what's going wrong, that you forget about God's promises? Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you must never forget about the free gift that God has given to you, His grace. You don't deserve it but He offered it to you for free so that you might be saved. Live your life as a sacrifice to Jesus just as He did for you.
Grace For All - When Real Christianity Turns a City Upside Down, Part 2
Sometimes a life of faith can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Maybe you've been there, trying to live your life and fit in while also not straying too far from your faith in the process. You want to be seen a certain way by your peers and your friends and you think that your faith is just a little too far outside the lines of the picture in your mind. Today Pastor Ricky says that he knows how that feels and that you need to be careful. Your faith in God isn't something that can be customized to the ways of this world.
Grace For All - When Real Christianity Turns a City Upside Down, Part 1
Have you ever visited a church or any other event that just seemed to have it all together? From the moment you walked through the door, everything seemed to be in its place and the atmosphere, from the people to the paint, was inviting and sending all of the right signals. Well, today Pastor Ricky says it's not about the paint color or the worship style but the heart of the people that creates the atmosphere. A heart for Jesus creates an environment that stands out in this world in the best way.
Thy Kingdom Come - Deliver Us From Evil, Part 2
The Lord's Prayer teaches us so much about the character of God and the hope of redemption that we have in Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation not only is our past sin forgiven but we're also given a hope for a life free from sin. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, as long as we live in the flesh, we're subject to the temptations of this world. But when we allow God to lead us, He'll not lead us into temptation but further into righteousness and freedom.
Thy Kingdom Come - Deliver Us From Evil, Part 1
When we pray the words ‘deliver us from evil’ we may picture God as an armored tank protecting us from the external forces of evil that surround us. While God certainly does offer that kind of protection, there is another danger lurking that we often overlook. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, all of us are born with sinful desires, like ticking time bombs in our hearts. We need to be alert and aware of these desires and be ready to run to Christ as soon as they rear their head.
Thy Kingdom Come - Forgive Us Our Debts, Part 2
Have you been hurt by someone? Maybe they harmed you or someone you love in a way that just seems unforgivable. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through the Lord's Prayer, we're challenged to do the impossible. It won't be easy, it won't feel as good as revenge does in the moment, and it'll take a lot of prayer and the Holy Spirit's helping hand but forgiveness is vital for all followers of Christ. We've been given an immeasurable grace and we need to extend that same grace to our debtors.
Thy Kingdom Come - Forgive Us Our Debts, Part 1
Most of us have opened a bill and found ourselves in a mild state of shock over the debt it contains. Medical bills, tax bills, loans, whatever it was, it may have felt insurmountable in that moment. Imagine if a benefactor walked up to us, took that bill, tore it up, and declared that they would take care of it. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that is exactly what Christ has done for us. He took our debt of sin, a debt we could never pay, and He paid it with His own life on the cross.
Thy Kingdom Come - Give Us Our Daily Bread, Part 2
We tend to take great pride in our self-reliance. Whether it's a physical need or desire, or a spiritual one, we prefer not to ask for help until it's absolutely necessary. While this may seem like an admirable characteristic, it doesn't fit well in the life of a believer. As Pastor Ricky examines the Lord's Prayer in today's message, we're reminded of God's great providence and our dependence on Him. We may manage to get by on our own for a little while but before long our strength will run out.
Thy Kingdom Come - Give Us Our Daily Bread, Part 1
Our culture strongly encourages hoarding. Whether it's food, money, or possessions, we never want to be without. Some have such a fear of not having that they even buy things that they have no intention of using simply because it's a good deal. In today's message, Pastor Ricky compares that mindset to our approach to prayer. We can't hoard God's blessings and guidance. As Jesus taught us to pray, we need to depend on God for our daily sustenance, both spiritual and physical.
Thy Kingdom Come - Your Will Be Done, Part 2
We only get one chance to live a life that glorifies God. Bringing Him glory is at the backbone of living within His will. As we walk in the flesh, in this temporary existence, we have free will. We have the choice to live for self or to live for Him. As Pastor Ricky leads us through our study of the Lord's Prayer, he challenges us to surrender ourselves fully to the will of God. Will we use our time on this earth to make a name for ourselves and accrue earthly treasures or will we live for Him?
Thy Kingdom Come - Your Will Be Done, Part 1
When we pray, “Thy will be done”, do we really know what we're asking? The answer is not as simple as it may seem. As Pastor Ricky continues to explore the Lord's Prayer, he asks the question, “What is God's will?” We often think of His will as a secret map directing us on every life decision that can only be deciphered through years of study and prayer. Often times His will is much more straightforward than that. He doesn't withhold it from us but instead offers to lead us as a Good Shepherd.
Thy Kingdom Come - Your Kingdom Come, Part 2:2
Whose kingdom are you advancing in your life? Are you praying for the Kingdom of God to come while making decisions and living a life focused chiefly on bringing about your own kingdom? It's a common error for many believers. In today's message, Pastor Ricky emphasizes the importance of praying for God's Kingdom. Even if we find ourselves stuck living for ourselves, praying this way from the heart will lead us toward a life that reflects the desire for that Kingdom over our own.