Romans 13:11-14 and Matthew 5:14-16 emphasize the call to live honorably and let our good deeds shine as a testament to our faith. We also see through Jesus' example, how Christ brought light to those in darkness through healing, prophecy, and loving the outcast. We can use those examples to be proactive in our approach to living out our faith, and…

We are all in the process as followers of Jesus of a metamorphosis of sorts. However, at some point we have to get out of the cocoon. If you ever want to fly and find the freedom to soar with Jesus in the Spirit, have courage to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ" and fly! Join us in Chapel Hill as Senior Pastor Matthew Bollinger con…

We all have a voice to use. Even if you feel like you don't have a specific outlet for your voice, you have been equipped and empowered to use yours in a variety of different contexts. Join us in Mooresville as guest speaker Cory Meade shares some Biblical examples of how to (and how not to) use your voice. For more information, visit riverlifefell…

Beginning with Genesis 1, God establishes light's ability to overcome darkness as He declares, "Let there be light." Jumping to John 1, we see that Jesus is the true light of the world, and we are called in Matthew 5 for be a light ourselves, shining in a world filled with darkness. Despite the presence of darkness, light will always prevail. As Ro…

The Father is serious about a "sound mind" and we need to take it seriously in love & grace. This message is being emphasized across the Body of Christ in the U.S. right now to remind us and prepare us. Remember these lyrics from the old hymn: "On Christ in the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand..." How is your foundation? Is it b…

Why is Elijah important for us today? Elijah lived in a time of significant spiritual and societal upheaval, much like our own, marked by widespread idolatry, moral decline, corrupt leadership, and a divided nation. Just as God had an answer in Elijah's time, He has one for today. Elijah's life is a pattern for how God prepares us for the "Elijah A…

Hebrews 12:1-11 establishes that divine discipline plays a vital role in our spiritual growth. We see God's corrections as signs of His live and commitment to our development as His loved children. Looking at the word "discipline" in the Greek, we also gain insight into practical steps for training for the race of life, drawing parallels to the tra…

Every follower of Jesus carries the Presence of God through the Holy Spirit, and each person plays a critical part in reflecting Christ to the world. By the Spirit, God is uniting us together in love, revealing Christ to the world, and building His church. Join us in Chapel Hill as special guest speaker Mark Andringa unpacks this with us. For more …

Elijah changes the destiny of a nation (1 Kings 17), and God is calling people today to shift the destinies of individuals, families, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, states, and nations. The prophetic is "a light shining in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19). The Holy Spirit seeks to raise people who don't just talk about the darkness but bring the l…

Hebrews 11 delves into the "Hall of Faith" and its inspiring examples of Biblical heroes. Before diving into these legendary figures, we must first revisit Hebrews 10:35-39, reflecting on the initial fire and boldness we felt when we first embraced Jesus, despite trials and persecution. We are encouraged to remember the promises of God and to live …

In addition to the freedom Jesus released to us through the Cross, He also gave us abilities to equip us for our unique ministry assignments in the marketplace. To be fully effective, we must reject pretense and insecurity, and instead know and own the "facts that matter" of our life's testimony. Join us in Chapel Hill as Dr. Noah Manyika unpacks t…

It is easy to be disenfranchised or angered by the way of the world. However, Jesus came to reveal the glory of God on Earth today. The prophet Isaiah declares that the whole world is filled with the Glory of God. Let us set our eyes on that truth rather than allowing the world to corrupt and distract us from God's goodness and glory. Join us in Mo…

Chapters 4 through 10 of Hebrews as we uncover how Jesus surpasses all human High Priests before him. Unlike them, Jesus serves without the limitations of weakness. His sacrificial offering, culmination in his death and resurrection, grants us direct access to God's mercy and grace allowing us to come boldly into his presence. Jesus not only fulfil…

God uses suffering as a handmaiden for sanctification. In the midst of suffering, we learn to get to know Him more, and we learn that we are not alone. Join us in Chapel Hill as guest speaker Carole Peele with Ignite Movement shares keys for walking through suffering and experiencing God's sanctification. For more information, visit riverlifefellow…

It's easy to declare, "God is good all the time," when life is smooth, but what about during war? How do we perceive His goodness when the stench of death is in the air? How do we trust in His goodness when we face the possibility of our death? Even when surrounded by our enemies, knowing that the Lord is with us right here and now is all we need. …

Hebrews 4:14-16 extends an invitation to us, to come without fear or shame into the presence of God, not only despite, but in the midst of our shortcomings. Jesus himself is our Mercy Seat and meets us when we are vulnerable and exposed and provides us with mercy and grace. If you've ever wrestled with feelings of unworthiness or struggled with hid…

Understanding the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues with biblical clarity can empower us in utilizing the gift of tongues to glorify God. Depending on someone's background or experiences, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues sometimes is not experienced in its fullness in a believer's life. Join us in Chapel Hill …

In our walk with God, we encounter resistance on a daily basis from the world as it tries to pull you away from what the Lord has for us. Surviving in this fallen world requires persisting. Sometimes, we need a reminder about our blessings and about how important the presence of the Lord is in our lives. Join us in Wilmington as Cory Meade continue…

What kind of house we build for God is a question asked in the Book of Isaiah and again in the book of Acts. Particularly in this season, what kind of house we set our course upon to build for God is important. Christ being the cornerstone is central. As we demonstrate the heart of humble servant and gain more understanding of the commitment and lo…

"Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came up to him and said, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'" (Luke 11:1 NLT). Prayer should be birthed out of relationship with the Father. In the gospels, you see Jesus demonstrating this and teaching his disciples as well. Join us in Mooresv…

Jacob famously wrestled with God, demanding a blessing from Him. In life, we can often experience moments of wrestling in the midst of moves of God, and it can feel like God is leaving us in the dust. As we reflect on an amazing year at Camp Morley, we look at Jacob and God struggling together, and what happens when we persist with God. Join us in …

In Mark 12:28-34, Jesus quoted the Shema, one of only two prayers specifically commanded in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). The first word of the Shema is "Hear." In Hebrew, "Shema" means hearing, understanding, and obeying. When the prayer begins with "Hear, O Israel," it calls us to attentiveness and action. The Holy Spirit seeks those who…

While encounters with the Lord are transformative, and highly valuable, they won't sustain us by themselves. As seen in Hebrews 3:3-35, the Israelites hardened their hearts and turned away from the Lord on multiple occasions even after seeing miracles for over 40 years. The author of Hebrews leverages the Israelites' experience to remind us to not …

In a society that has a tendency towards individualism and isolation, God has given an invitation for the church to learn to live together in community and to prioritize connection over division. There is a gift for hearts when we learn to live connected rather than disconnected. Join us in Chapel Hill as guest speaker Andy Squyres unpacks a revela…

There are many voices worldwide, but too many are just echoes. You were made to be a voice in your generation, not an echo. You'll never find your authentic voice by chasing trends, imitating others, or letting culture or the devil define who you are. God shouts His truth but whispers His secrets. To find our genuine voice, we have to bend to hear …

We know that God is good (Ps. 119:68, Luke 18:18-19) and that he loves to give us good gifts (Jam. 1:17, Matt. 7:7-11). We also know that we are God's beloved children and heirs (Gal. 4:6-7). With those truths we can communicate with our loving Father, asking Him with boldness and confidence for the things that are in our hearts and those which we …

Understanding the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues with biblical clarity can empower us in utilizing the gift of tongues to glorify God. Depending on someone's background or experiences, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues is sometimes not experiences in its fullness in a believer's life. What if there is an inv…

The youth of RiverLife recently returned from Camp Morley. The theme this year was Unveiled: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord," (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV). There are four veils which were removed by the sac…

The voice of the Lord is powerful! As believers, we all have the ability to hear His voice as we see in John 10, where Jesus says, "My sheep hear My voice and they follow me." As we grow in an understanding that we can hear the voice of God, we can also begin to grow and move in the prophetic. The purpose of prophecy is to release edification, exho…

The world is waiting to see the children of God be revealed, so those crippled by life can leap up, walk, and praise God so that they may enter the temple with us. In order for the children of God to be revealed, they must know who they are, know what they know, and what they are capable of walking out. Join us in Chapel Hill as special guest speak…

Wisdom is having life skills and making sound decisions to navigate life effectively. It involves thinking ahead of time and being prepared (Proverbs 6:6-8). There is heavenly wisdom for our finances, time, health, and spiritual lives (Proverbs 21:20). In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus talks about the future and reveals how we can be better prepared for …

Prayer is and will always be relationship-based. It is through relationship with the Father that we can make prayer intimate and meaningful. We see this invitation by Jesus in Matthew 6:9. Join us in Wilmington as special guest speaker Pastor Marlin Mogusu shares a message about the heart of prayer. For more information, visit riverlifefellowship.c…

In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus teaches about the end times, the need to be ready for His return, and the final judgement. He emphasizes the importance of being watchful, faithful, wise, and compassionate as we wait for His second coming. In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, Jesus gives us the key to living in the end times: Live in the wisd…

"So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household," (Eph. 2:19). You carry a revelation of God that others need to hear. Go and spread the good news. Join us in Mooresville as special guest speaker Jim Hill shares about his mission to Mongolia and our profound authority as emi…

In order to move in the purposes God has for each of our lives, we need to receive the revelation that God has for us that comes when He speaks from His small, still voice. There are three keys that can help us move forward with God. These keys are aligning with God, dealing with our fears, and coming out of the cave. Join us in Chapel Hill as spec…

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), is a well-known verse in the Book of Proverbs. It may be one of the most misunderstood. The word "fear" is hard to overcome because, in our human experience, fear is associated with adverse situations. The second part of the verse gives us the answer. Wisdom flows from seeing God for …

As we carry the Kingdom of Heaven into this world we're reminded that we do so as citizens of Heaven (Phil. 3:20, Eph. 2:19). It should be common for us to feel like outsiders in a land where our primary citizenship does not lie. While we are recognized as a people that don't belong to this world, and sometimes hated for it (John 17:14-21), we are …

"...Elisha proclaimed, 'This is the Lord's arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.' Then he said, 'Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.' So the king picked them up and struck them against the ground three times. Bu the man of God was angry with him. 'You should have st…

At the very center of the Gospel is the proclamation that Jesus made in Luke 4: "I have come to heal broken hearts." That mandate that Jesus declared over himself is also true of every believer. The Holy Spirit is the healer of our broken hearts and the result is that we become healers of the broken hearted that we encounter in the world. Join us i…

In order to effectively live our lives and walk out out callings, we have to learn how to rely on Grace in our daily lives. We have been invited to participate in the work of the Kingdom, but as we see from many examples in the Bible, its very easy to fall out of Grace in this work and into striving. When we are striving, and attempting to work out…

Fatigue is one of the greatest enemies to our spiritual life! As they say, “Never make major life decisions at 2am!” Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke…

The Bible mentions the phrase "Tree of Life" ten times: three times in Genesis, four times in Proverbs, and three times in Revelation. In Genesis and Revelation, it is called "The Tree of Life." In Proverbs, it is "a tree of life." However, when Proverbs calls wisdom "a tree of life," it doesn't mean that wisdom is "The Tree of Life." When Proverbs…

As we partner with God to do his kingdom work, we are qualified as we let him work through us. We need to be careful not to get caught up in Comparison Culture, which is so prevalent in our society. Comparing our ministries and callings to those of other people is a trap that is all too easy to fall into. Join us in Wilmington as special guest spea…

In John 13, Jesus replied, "You don't understand what I am doing, but someday you will." This is usually how prophecy works. Have you ever received a Word that you didn't understand? Looking back we can recollect what God was trying to communicate, but upon receiving new communication from Jesus we can feel confused and even confounded. However, th…

The path of wisdom is delightful, as its rewards are far greater than silver and gold. Wisdom represents an abundant and prosperous life. Its rewards encompass all aspects of life, such as physical health, emotional well-being, healthy relationships, spiritual growth, and finances. The Holy Spirit resurrects our souls and will resurrect our finance…

Being successful in our callings is not just about preparing and finishing well, it's also about how we continue our walk. We can look for inspiration from Paul to help with continuing in our callings even when we encounter challenges. We can be encouraged to not get tired or give up (Gal. 6:9-10), can rely on his mercy every day (2 Cor. 4:1), can …

In John 6, Jesus made three key statements leading us to his 2nd Passover. During this Passover season, those statements are important for each one of us. Find out what the statements were and what God is saying to you, today. Join us in Chapel Hill as Senior Pastor Matthew Bollinger continues his series on receiving a sound mind by expanding on Je…

The Book of Proverbs teaches us that Wisdom is like a path, and when we seek to walk that path, we discover that Jesus Christ is its essence. Any path devoid of Christ leads to a dead end. Thankfully, God has shown us the path of life in Christ and offered us the beauty of this path. Wisdom is a promise for those seeking it (James 1:5), and Wisdom …

Throughout the Old Testament, the Biblical Authors use the image of the grapevine and fig tree as a symbol of prosperity, safety, and blessing. One of the things Jesus came to do on this Earth was bring the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. Though it was not a physical location, we as believers still have access to the Kingdom of Heaven now. As the …

Passover started April 22nd. What does Passover have to do with a Sound Mind? Everything! Jesus is our perfect Passover Lamb. He is without blemish/sin; He was despised and rejected; He was betrayed and executed; His blood was shed in order that Death would pass over you and I! Jesus grew up eating the Passover. He understood the symbolism and spir…