Wray Nazarene

Welcome to this season of Advent.  This week we look at how God is our true and sustaining hope and how he strengthens us in this time of waiting.  Our text is Isaiah 40:27-31

We continue our series in Nehemiah and this week focus on chapter 5.  There is a special testimony given by Ray Tucker at the beginning regarding the role church has played in his life. It fits well with the direction of the message this week where we discover that the internal problem Nehemiah is dealing with is really not the problem.

Pastor Curt challenges us to to be devoted to prayer to be properly connected to God.

This message is a continuation of the part 1 and we look at how despite the distractions and the oppositions we must keep the main thing the main thing.  We also discover that we are called to be ready and be vigilant for the opposition around us.

Pastor Chris shares a message from Psalm 77 about allowing our disappointment with God to move us to a deeper relationship with Him.

This week we look at Nehemiah 4.  We discover that opposition is beginning and builds against Nehemiah and the Jews and what their response to it was.

This week we learn that there is a place for everyone to join in the good work God has called us to.

In week two of our series we discover that Nehemiah's response to the stirring of God was the right one.  We are challenged to follow in similar footsteps to properly respond to the leading of God inner own lives and the life of the church.

We are beginning a new series out of the book of Nehemiah.  In week one we see how God stirred Nehemiah's heart and what his response was to the movement of God in his life.

Pastor Chris Rose gives a message on this 4th July about the true freedom that is available to each one of us.

In John chapter 5, Jesus encounters a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years and asks him this important question.  We discover how this seemingly simple question has great implications for the paralytic and for us today.

We begin a new sermon series - "Questions From Jesus".  This series begins in John 20 after the resurrection of Jesus with Mary Magdalene at the tomb where Jesus asks Mary 2 important questions.

In week 3 of our sermon series, "New Mercies", we look at how procrastination effects our lives.  We look at the life of Saul in 1 Samuel 9 and 17 and discover how procrastination affected his relationship with God.

In part two of our series we discuss the invitation God gives us to change and what should be the motivation for the change in our lives.

We begin a new sermon series entitled "New Mercies".  This four-week series explores the difficulties of change in the Christian life. Through understanding procrastination, sanctification, and the power of cultivating spiritual habits, we see the life-giving process of change in the Christian life.

This message is titled "What Time Is it?", and comes from the text of Ecclesiastes 3:1-14.

Pastor Curt Lapp gives this week message that challenges us in this new year to become the people and the church that God calls us to be.

Pastor Chris Rose gives us a challenging message about setting ourselves up to be all God desires us to be going into this new year.

 This is the final message of our Advent Series.  This week's message focuses on how we have to understand God's concept of love to be able to respond to others in love.  God's expressed love toward us allows to begin this process.  God's expressed love toward us allows us to understand his concept of love, when then compels us to love.

Our scripture passages are Mark 12:28-34 and Mark 15:11-32

The Father's joy and desire is for all to come to know him.   

Does His joy match your joy?  Can you give a reason for the hope you have?  Who could you share it with?  

The scripture passages for today are: 

Matthew 28:19-20 

1 Peter 3:15

1 John 4:19

God CHOOSES to work out his purposes and plans THROUGH us…and those plans, his purposes, always involve people.

Our scriptures for today are:

1 Corinthians 13:7

Proverbs 22:6

Exodus 20:12

Philemon 1:7

Romans 13:10

Jesus' purpose and mission was to set us free and live in a new identity.

How has Jesus changed you?

How has your identity changed?

Our scripture passages for today are:

Luke 4:18

2 Corinthians 5:17

Romans 15:13

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus modeled joy for us.

Can you think of some ways that Jesus did that? 

What was the source of Jesus' joy?

 What is the source of your joy? 

Is there something hindering your source of joy today? 

 Our scriptures for today are: 

Hebrews 12:2

Mark 4:19

John 7:38

Why is joy so important? What does joy reveal about us to others? 

Our scripture passages are: 

Philippians 4:4 

Psalm 47:1 

James 1:2-3

What is joy?   We often lose our joy...What happens when you run out of Joy?  

Our scriptures for today are: 

Psalm 105:43 

Luke 2:10 

Acts 13:52 

Romans 15:13 

2 Cor. 6:10 

Philippians 4:4-7

How are you doing today? Are you full of peace or has busyness taken a hold of your life?

Our scripture passage for today is Luke 10:38-42

Today we talk about the things that stand in the way of us experiencing the peace Jesus wants us to have.

Our scriptures for today are:

Luke 7:36-50

Luke 19:1-10

Today we talk about Jesus as our mediator, the bridge between us and God, the one promised through the prophet Isaiah.  Jesus as our mediator allows us to experience eternal peace because of His forgiveness.  

Our scripture passages are: 

Isaiah 9:6 

John 14:27

John 16:33

Psalm 32:1-5

Why is peace so important?  What is God's desire for peace?  Does our lives reflect God's peace in us? Our scriptures for today: Romans 14:17Psalm 46:10

John’s message prepared people for Jesus’s arrival, which would bring peace.

The world longs for salvation—for the coming of peace, when all is made right in our lives and in the world.  During Advent, we are called again to bring the foretaste of the Prince of Peace’s salvation into our areas of influence.

This week we are challenged to engage in the pathway to peace, participate in the work of peace and lastly, live in peace.  Our passage this week comes from Luke 3:1-7

Here is the advent devotional for day 7.  On Sunday we focused on the theme of peace and our devotionals this week will continue our focus on peace.  I'm praying you are encouraged! -PB

Scripture passages for today are:

Genesis 1:31

Psalm 4:8

Psalm 34:14

Matthew 8:23-27

In today's devotional, we talk about the source for our hope.  We discover how our earthly hope differs from the hope we have in God.

Our scripture passages come from Romans 8:28-31 and Lamentations 3:19-26

"This is our Day 2 Advent Devotional podcast.  I'm praying that you encounter God in significant ways during this time!"  - PB

Why Hope?  What makes hope so important for us as followers of Christ?  What does God want us to understand about hope?

Our scripture passages are:

John 1:14

Ephesians 2:8

1 Peter 1:3-5

Luke 1:18-25

Today we look at the meaning of advent and also talk about hope.  Today's scripture passages are Hebrews 6:11-12, 10:22-23, 11:1, and Luke 1:5-17

Take your time and engage with your family through this time.  - PB

We begin this series understanding the the intent of advent and how this is an important part of celebrating the birth and expected return of Christ.  At Advent and Christmas time, we tend to focus on the birth of Jesus, but we miss something significant if we don't look to his return.

This week we look at the importance of hope and learn the importance of understanding the proper spiritual practice of hope.  God is a God of hope who calls us to look beyond the circumstance and trust again in his promises.  Our scripture passage is Luke 21:25-36