Teaching Pastor Geoffrey Turner speaks of the Hope of Heaven within our Overcoming Discouragement series. He breaks down Revelation 21:1-8 and highlights how heaven is revitalization. Revelation, written by John, speaks to a new heaven and a new earth. Currently, we’re living on the old earth and those in heaven are in the old heaven. When Jesus re…

The second sermon within the Overcoming Discouragement series, Pastor David McQueen shares encouragement by knowing Hell is Defeated! During Jesus’ ministry, He spoke on hell at least 33 times. We know that because of sin, every human is destined for hell, a forever place of torment where people pay for their sins apart from God. But John 3:16 tell…

Teaching pastor Geoffrey Turner introduces a new sermon series, Overcoming Discouragement. He points out how we often have a focus problem, where we focus on the wrong thing, the “problem” or area of concern. Rather we should have an eternal focus that can transform our present reality. Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth spoke of the discourage…

Pastor David McQueen wraps up the sermon series over the Book of James and discusses how community is a nonnegotiable necessity for an abundant life. James, half-brother to Jesus, encourages us to persevere to the end so we may become mature and lacking nothing. At the end of his letter, James tells us one final facet for a life that lives more and…

Teaching pastor Geoffrey Turner speaks on the power of prayer and looks at what the book of James has to say about our prayer life. Prayer often plays a relatively small role in our lives and it’s easy to underestimate the importance of prayer and its potential impact on our daily lives. James 5:13-18 gives us a big overview of the importance of pr…

Pastor David McQueen continues through the book of James, breaking down James 5:7-11 over patience in suffering. James, brother to Jesus, tells us to wait like the farmer for the precious fruit of the earth, begin patient about it. The Father wants everyone to reap a harvest of precious fruit with our lives. God is bringing about the harvest, but f…

Geoffrey Turner challenges us to look carefully at how we are walking and to seize the day. When the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he told them to “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-17. We don’t want to look up and wonder where the time wen…

Geoffrey Turner discusses healthy conflict. Conflict is inevitable. We often experience conflict in unhealthy and negative ways by withdrawing, escalating, negatively interpreting, or invalidating. Proverbs 18 speaks a lot on conflict. While conflict is inevitable, unhealthy conflict is avoidable. Paul says in Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as i…

David McQueen shares how we can be confident and secure in SAVING faith! The crux of Christianity is wrapped up in one word: Save (Luke 19:10). Different from Paul writing about faith from God’s perspective, the book of James, written by the half-brother to Jesus, addresses faith from a human perspective. James 2:17-19 tells us how faith without wo…

Geoffrey Turner explains how we consciously or unconsciously form opinions when immediately seeing someone based on surface level attributes. These formed opinions leave us showing favoritism or partiality. The book of James highlights this judgement as sin and explains how partiality opposes the gospel and blocks its spread. As believers, we have …

David McQueen highlights how James 3:6 is a warning of how our words, the language we use, can set a fire of destruction in our lives. Words wield a power greater than we can imagine. In verse 8, James tells us that no human can tame the tongue. But in Luke 18:27, Jesus tells us what is impossible with men ispossible with God! Jesus came to do for …

James 1:19 tells us to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. James wants us to know to be quick to hear, not just to hear. Hearing is an active process, not a passive action. Being quick to hear changes our relationship with God and with others. We miss out on the life God has for us when we don’t hear Him. We cannot truly walk in rel…

Everyone is tempted by something. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 tells us that no one is immune to temptation. But it also tells us that God is faithful, He will not let us be tempted beyond our ability and He will always provide a way of escape. James 1:14-17 also tells us that we are all tempted by our own desires. Desire however, is not the problem. How…

Heavenly wisdom is guaranteed if we don’t doubt (James 1:5-8). Wisdom is having the faith and courage to apply the principles of God’s Word to our lives. It’s the ability to go beyond merely surviving each day to building a life of abundance. While earthly wisdom says an individual determines what is true for themselves, heavenly wisdom encourages …

God uses trials to increase faith in our lives (James 1:1-4). The book of James – written by James, the half-brother of Jesus – makes it clear that God wants us mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4). That maturity produces abundance in our lives. At the beginning of the book, James establishes that part of maturity is learning to fi…

Living God’s way will come at a cost (Matthew 5:10-12). Scripture is clear that all who desire to live a Godly life in Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). When we align our hearts, desires, choices, and actions to Jesus and His kingdom, we stand in direct opposition to the world and culture around us. We begin to spiritually stink (2 Corinth…

God goes to extraordinary lengths to bring peace to our chaos, to heal our brokenness. Part of our response to how God works and moves in us to bring peace is to testify to what He has done, to share with others how He has brought wholeness (Psalm 107:2; Mark 5:18-20). Another part of our response is carrying the peace God has given us into the cha…

Blessed homes do not wish for peace; they make it (Matthew 5:9). Every person experiences conflict in their relationships; it is inevitable, especially in our homes with those we are closest to and spend the most time with. Even mature followers of Jesus can have disagreements and struggles (Acts 15:36-40). It is a reality that if we are pursuing J…

A pure heart is a vital ingredient to a blessed life and home (Matthew 5:8). In fact, the condition of our heart – that place of our desires, emotions, choices, and motives – is so important that we are taught to guard it above anything else (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus is clear that those with a pure heart not only receive blessing, but they will see Go…

Christ-centered homes are blessed (Matthew 5:6). Though most people desire happiness (or blessing), it seems exceptionally elusive. Experiencing circumstances that are consistently pleasant and a life relatively free from trouble is nearly impossible. In contrast, Jesus teaches that blessing has more to do with being on the right path than good cir…

Surrender to God imparts resilience (Matthew 26:36-39). We daily navigate the chaos and uncertainty of the world around us, leaving many hopeless, worried, and anxious. Jesus experienced a similar struggle, saying to some of His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Despite this menta…

Communion connects us to the resurrection power of Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:17-30). The practice of communion is a great equalizer and unifier. It reminds us that we all need a savior, regardless of our socio-economic status, nationality, race, or history. We take communion together simply as a community of the forgiven. When we engage in it,…

Jesus gives us a clear guardrail on the narrow road that leads to abundant life: beware of false teachers (Matthew 7:15-20). Jesus gives this warning because He knows how susceptible we are to the teachings and influence of false teachers. When we embrace false teachers and their ideas, we begin to make small, subtle decisions that eventually lead …

Carefully examining our lives and minimizing distractions protects us and acts as a guardrail on the narrow road that leads to abundant life (Ephesians 5:15-21). One of the primary tools the enemy uses against us is distractions, which often lead us to choosing what is good over what is best. We know with confidence that we are prioritizing what is…

Growing in both grace and truth acts as a guardrail on the narrow road of following Jesus (Mark 8:14-21). Jesus warns His followers to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod (Mark 8:15). Jesus is saying that there are small, subtle yet sinful ideas and beliefs that can carry significant influence in our hearts and run us off the…

The fear of the Lord is a guardrail keeping us on the narrow road (Matthew 10:17- 30). Though we are created for relationship with God and with others, sin has drastically affected our God-given desire for acceptance. If we are not careful, we will want human praise more than praise from God. Without guardrails, we will seek the approval of others …

God’s abundant blessing as we live generous lives is tied to our hearts (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus makes it clear to His followers, when He highlights a poor widow who gave all she had (two copper coins) into the temple treasury, that the amount of our giving is significantly less important than the condition of our hearts when we give. In seeking to l…

To be truly Christ-like is to excel in generosity (2 Corinthians 8:7). Jesus is (and has been) generous beyond what we can imagine. Out of His incredible love for us, He set aside His heavenly place to enter our sinfulness and messiness so that we could know Him and have eternal life (John 3:16; Philippians 2:5-8). Though He was rich, for our sake …

We cannot outgive God (Acts 20:32-35). Though it seems upside down from what is normal in our culture, we find provision and abundance when we embrace firstfruit generosity with our finances. From Malachi 3:10, firstfruit generosity means tithing 10% of our personal profit or income to the storehouse (e.g., your local church where you go for spirit…

Every follower of Jesus is a tool – used in tandem with other Jesus followers – to be the church and reach people for Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Or as Paul wrote, we are the body of Christ, made up of many parts. Each part as God’s workmanship has a significant role to play, created intentionally to accomplish good works. When any part does no…

Saved people serve people (1 Peter 4:7-11). The call for all Jesus followers, even at the end of the age, is not to simply hang on and survive. We are challenged to serve, to use a portion of our time, talents, and skills to give to others. In fact, Jesus taught His disciples that the greatest among His followers is the one who serves (Luke 22:24-2…

Found people find people (Acts 1:4-8). The world is desperate for all that Jesus offers, and it is our responsibility as His followers to be a witness to the people around us. If we truly care about them, we cannot keep the good news of all that Jesus has accomplished for us to ourselves. Even if being a witness looks weird, makes us uncomfortable,…

It is more blessed to give than receive, especially in friendship (Acts 20:35). The research is clear: good relationships keep us happier and healthier. It is what Paul modeled and taught the elders of the church in Ephesus. We are not just blessed but more blessed (i.e., doubly blessed, blessed squared) when we give of ourselves for the sake of ot…

God wants to give us a supernatural power to have joy (Luke 2:8-11). At the birth of Jesus, an angel of the Lord appeared to nearby shepherds and proclaimed to them good news of great joy concerning the Savior of the world. Christmas – the coming of Jesus – is meant to bring us immense joy. His birth reveals God’s heart for us, that the King of Kin…

Faith is believing that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do (Hebrews 11:1-3). Like in the movie The Polar Express, the presence of doubt is real and affects everyone, especially when it comes to the birth of Jesus and who He is. We struggle to believe fully in Jesus because of skepticism, pain, and disappointment. …

Christians live not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). Like Paul quoting the storytellers of his day (Acts 17:28) to share the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom, movies and television today often echo elements of the story. It is these elements that stir God-given desires within us, like the desire for love and acceptance, the desire to see good…

What kind of soil are you (Mark 4:2-9, 14-20)? God is sowing the seed of His truth, and how we respond to that truth – the kind of soil we are – determines whether a harvest is produced or not. That harvest is the abundant life Jesus promises to those fully surrendered to His reign and rule in their lives (John 10:10). Some people are disinterested…

When it comes to Jesus’ return and the end of the age, we must be prepared for both suddenly and to persevere (Matthew 25:1-13). With the current Israeli war in Gaza, many people are wondering and asking: is this the end? Jesus was asked the same question by His disciples. He warms them strongly to be sure that no one leads them astray, and that no…

Our words matter (Proverbs 18:21). The Bible is clear: the tongue has power to bring life or death. The struggle, however, is that even though our words are powerful – like a rudder of a boat, a horse’s bit, or small spark that starts a forest fire – the tongue is untamable in our own strength (James 3:7-8). On our own, we are powerless to use our …

Judge not, that you be not judged (Matthew 7:1-2). These words of Jesus are often culturally understood to mean that we should never say or believe that another person is wrong. Jesus, however, had a different concept in mind in this part of His Sermon on the Mount. To judge is to hold a final verdict in our minds about another person’s worth or de…

Unforgiveness produces torture; forgiveness yields freedom (Matthew 18:21-35). When we become followers of Jesus, we are forgiven a spiritual debt we could never pay. It is because we have been forgiven much that we can and should forgive others. When we refuse to extend forgiveness to someone, it is a significant act of dishonor against God and ag…

We were made for a transformed life with a renewed mind and changed beliefs (Romans 12:2). We all have lenses, or belief systems, that shape how we see the world and how we live. Those beliefs often come from our life experiences, from our family history and what was said or modeled in our home, from significant hurt and trauma, or from what we hav…

More comes as we recognize lies and replace them with truth (2 Corinthians 10:3- 6). We are at war. It is an unseen battle that plays itself out in our physical world. It is a battle for our minds, for the way we think. What we think matters immensely because our thoughts determine our choices and actions. Therefore, the enemy’s primary weapon to s…

More is found as we hear and follow God’s voice (John 10:1-10). Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and each of us as His followers – as His sheep – can and should know His voice. Hearing the voice of God, however, is not automatic; it is something we must learn and grow in. The primary way God speaks to all people throughout history is through the Bible. …

In Christ, everything changes (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). In Him, who we are – our identity – is transformed. In Christ, we become new creations and are adopted into His family. In Him, we move from being spiritual orphans and slaves to being His sons and daughters, heirs to His inheritance. In Christ, we begin a journey into freedom and healing that …

Freedom is rooted in what Jesus did and not what we do (John 19:29-30). Contrary to the common belief of our culture, we cannot generate enough power or strength to get free. Instead, freedom comes when we plug in to and yield to what Jesus did on the cross. When we connect and yield to Jesus, the message of the cross affects our lives directly and…

Freedom is found as we trust the Father’s heart (Matthew 6:9; John 14:6). Jesus came to restore us to our Heavenly Father, to see and know His goodness. When we want to know what kind of Father God really is, we do not look to our circumstances or even to our earthly father. Instead, we discover what kind of Father God really is when we look at Jes…

Freedom is a promise that must be possessed (Galatians 5:1). While many people have embraced the lie that real change is impossible and carry an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, Jesus came to set us free. The freedom He offers us is the ever-increasing ability to become more and more like Him, to live as God designed us to live. That promise of …

Geoffrey Turner closes out the Coffee Cup Christianity series in week five by providing context around Joshua 1:9. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with youwherever you go.” Often, we make decisions based on a risk-reward analysis, from financial decisions to…

Week four of the Coffee Cup Christianity series, David McQueen provides context around Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This common verse is often quoted for its promise of prosperity and hope, which many equate to monetary pros…