Aim at joy and you’ll miss it. Joy happens while we are busy serving others, in the quiet of a forest, or in the prayer of thanks for another day of grace from Jesus. In this sermon, Dr. Mark Foster looks at joy as described in the Bible from the prophet Ezra through the words of Jesus and the actions of the early church. If you need joy, this message is for you.
We long to find peace in the midst of struggle, and not only as individuals, but in our communities and world as well. We are called to be people of peace in a chaotic world. The good news is Jesus makes peace in this life possible. Dr. Mark Foster explores the Bible's teaching and how to live a life of peace.
The season of Christmas lays bare the deepest longings of our heart, and in a world of violence, division, and suffering, we’re desperate for hope. In the 8th century BC, the prophet Isaiah spoke of the birth of a ruler who would establish peace and rule with justice and righteousness, and who continues to give us hope today.
Though we're familiar with the word, we don't think much about what it means to say "amen" at the end of a prayer. When we say "amen" to God's will in our lives, we may fear losing control, but we gain immeasurably more by allowing God's loving desires to be realized in us.
For some moments, "Wow" is the only word we can muster. Yet we find it difficult to stop and notice the beauty of the world around us. When we practice stillness with God and cultivate our sense of wonder, we can experience the glory of God that suffuses the world and gratefully pray, "Wow!"
We all want to be more grateful, but it's often difficult. Yet when we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God, we can't help but feel grateful. And as we develop a rhythm of thanking God, gratitude fills us with joy and changes the way we experience the world.
“Help” is a complete sentence and perhaps the most concise and effective prayer in the world. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom.” A new life starts with surrender when we say, “Here, God. I can’t, but you can. Help."
It's easy to hold on to what we have in order to feel secure. But God is the source of all our gifts, and when we are generous with those gifts, God uses our generosity to change our hearts and the world.
It's easy to fall into the belief that we can find happiness in jobs and achievements, but when we seek fulfillment in those things, we find them unfulfilling and empty. In Philippians, Paul teaches that knowing Christ is of highest value, and when we live for him, we find a fulfillment the world cannot offer.
The things we worry about compete for mastery of our lives. When put God first, we are free from worry. When we trust God, we are free to leave the results of our obedience to our loving, merciful, glorious savior, Jesus.
