JOYFUL PREPPERS For the third week of Advent, we focus on how we can experience the real joy of Christ. Happiness and joy are both responses to stimuli in our lives. Happiness is circumstantial and fleeting; it comes and goes. Joy is lasting and not based on circumstances, but on truth. A few years ago, a […]
A BOLD CLAIM FOR PEACE Isaiah 9 tells us that the Messiah will be called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, ”You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.” In order to truly experience peace, we must keep our focus on the Author
Who Wins, Who Cares As we begin the Advent season, we also conclude our journey through 1 Peter. The first week of Advent focuses on hope. As we complete 1 Peter, we look back through the book and see a consistent message of hope. In 1:3, Peter tells us we have living hope through the
https://www.belovedchurch.com/messages/a-name-to-be-proud-of/ Unsurprisingly, suffering is not a popular topic to preach in the modern church. Suffering, trials and challenges are spoken about frequently in the Bible. No one wants to suffer, but pain in this life is unavoidable. We will experience loss, people will hurt us, and we will be faced with trials. This truth is
THE END IS NEAR Verse 7 starts with a sobering statement. “The end of all things is near.” Although we don’t know the day or hour that Jesus will come again, we do know that it is imminent. This truth should transform the way we live. No longer can we live as if we have
https://www.belovedchurch.com/messages/to-live-for/ YOLO is a popular phrase today—’You only live once.’ While this is true, its interpretation differs for the world and for believers. For the world, yolo means to live for immediate pleasure, prioritizing personal satisfaction over everything else. For the Christian, however, the understanding that we have a limited time on this earth drives us in a
https://www.belovedchurch.com/messages/2968/ The idea that we should live a life free of struggle is a relatively recent one. We should expect to have trials and challenges. How we respond to these reveals our character and our values. If we are Christians, our responses should be like Jesus. Jesus did not repay evil with evil or insult
EYES FOR ME The recent passages have been addressing specific relationships within the framework of a Christian life. Peter now shifts his focus to all believers. First, we are called to love one another. We are to be like-minded, sympathetic, compassionate and humble. As believers, we should look to the example of Jesus. How did Jesus
https://www.belovedchurch.com/messages/centered-marriage/ This week’s passage is both familiar and controversial. In modern society, calling for a wife to be submissive to her husband can be a challenging message. This passage has also been abused by men in the past in order to subjugate women. Peter’s purpose here is not to demean women or elevate men. In keeping with
https://www.belovedchurch.com/messages/suffer-in-good-company/ In verse 18, slaves are told to submit to their masters, and not just the good ones. It is relatively easy to submit to a loving spouse or a great boss. It is much more difficult to be Christlike in the face of an angry teenager, a screaming tyrant or cheating significant other. Our responses