Each day we cross another finish line, with an evaluation of how we can live and serve others and the Lord better. It's like running a race with a finish line - a few minutes to a few hours. But there is a final end of life finish line as well that we all must pass through. It's the one that really counts. What are the personal and Biblical prepara…

When people don’t get what we think they deserve, we consider that to be an injustice and we are offended. But there would be no hope for humanity if God gave us what we deserve. In spite of the fact that we are all sinners, God gave us what we do not deserve: grace, his love and salvation. (Based on 1 Timothy 1:3-17.)…

Being skeptical about anything that we cannot detect with our senses may seem logical, but it cuts us off from comprehending the mysterious nature of God. It takes the wisdom of faith in Jesus for us to see the wonderful treasure we have in him. (Based on Col. 2:1-15.)

God created us to live in community. We need other people and other people need us. And as we live our unique life in an interconnected and interdependent web of relationships, people are blessed, lives are enriched, and God’s kingdom grows. (Based on Philippians 1:1-11.)

The greater our need the more we appreciate a gift that meets that need. A meal is more satisfying when we are hungry. A financial gift has greater value when it wipes out our debt. In the same way, Jesus’ gift of new life is dearer to us when we realize that, without it, we were dead. (Based on Eph. 2:1-10.)…

We celebrate events and accomplishments that are important to us. For a Jesus-follower, life in this world with all its challenges can seem dour. What helps us to persevere is our focus on the celebration to come at the end of time. Because of Jesus, and his death and resurrection, we already know how the story will end! (Based on Rev. 21:1-7.)…

When life gets hard and our strength and energy are depleted, it is easy for us to get discouraged and consider giving up. But then we remember that we are not running alone, nor are we running in our own strength. Our hope is in the Lord, who renews our strength. (Based on 2 Tim. 4:1-8.)

The driver of an F1 race car needs to shut out all distractions and have a laser-sharp focus on their race for them to have any chance of success. And it is the same with us as we run the race of our life. We are attuned to our surroundings so we can navigate them successfully, but our focus is on Jesus, who both begins and completes our race for u…

For those who work in potentially dangerous situations, their training is paramount, for training well is what enables them to automatically respond appropriately in such situations. It is the same for us who follow Jesus. Trials and tribulations are inevitable in this life, but when we train for those eventualities with the gifts that God has give…

Becoming an F1 driver is a rare and daunting task. The only way to have a hope of accomplishing such a thing is to see that as your desired future and work wholeheartedly toward it. It’s our vision that coalesces our energy, resources, and attention in a drive toward our desired goal. Having a vision for the one and only life that God has given us …

When we encounter someone who looks, thinks, or acts differently than us, our natural tendency is to distance ourselves and look down on them. In doing so, we forget what we share: we are both lost and broken sinners who need a Savior. That Savior has come to us, his name is Jesus, and in his power and grace, we reach across the barriers that separ…

All of us have said, thought, or done things that fill us with guilt and shame which pulls us away from God. But with the forgiveness we have in Jesus, and the courage of the Holy Spirit within us, we go deeper into Jesus’ love and love others with the love that he has first given us. (Based on John 21:15-25.)…

When we insist on things going our own way, we are often blind to the negative impressions we make on others and the way we negate any influence we may have with them. By his example, Jesus reveals true leadership to us. He humbly took the lower place to lift us up to a higher place: rich, full, abundant life with him forever. (Based on John 13:1-1…

When the fast pace of life and other forms of stress take their toll on you, how can you get relief? When you get weary, what does a good rest look like? Let’s explore what Scripture tells us about entering God’s holy rest. (Based on Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13 & Matthew 11:28-30.)

Throughout life, there will be times when circumstances threaten to overwhelm us. Our optimism dims and our mood can darken. In such times, we need help from outside ourselves, we need Jesus. He has the power and the authority to make all things turn out for our good, and when we trust in him to do that, our perspective takes on a whole new, and mo…

Sometimes the Christian faith is characterized as a set of propositions that people need to agree with if they want to go to heaven. But this is inaccurate. The key feature of Christianity is a relationship of love with a God who redeems, transforms, and reorientates our life so that we become new people living in a new way in a new realm. (Based o…

The brokenness and evil in the world can overwhelm us, especially when it impacts us on a personal level. But the Lord has promised us that a day will come when he will make all things right, including us. Therefore, based on the Lord's goodness and his promises to us, we move forward with confident hope. (Based on Micah 7:8-10.)…

Subject: The 144,000 and the Redeemed in HeavenSpeaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Revelation 7Date of Delivery: July 14, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

Sometimes we observe situations where non-Christians behave like Christians while Christians are functioning like they have no faith at all, and we are perplexed. Why does that happen? A softness toward the spiritual side of life is needed for us to be open to the movement of God, and God softens our hearts through faith. (Based on Jonah 1:1-3.)…

Subject: Seal JudgementsSpeaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Revelation 6Date of Delivery: July 7, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

By default, a human heart is filled with pride and places itself at the center of its universe with all else revolving around it. When a life, with its perspective and priorities, is disordered like this, it will eventually implode. It is far better to see the desolation of our life apart from God, look to him in faith, and let him build us up in a…

Subject: God is Eternal and in ControlSpeaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Rev. 4&5Date of Delivery: June 30, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

Rae-Anna H was part of WGLC before moving to Japan (Osaka) as a missionary. Her focus is discipleship in the area of purity among Christian singles - discovering God's heart regarding sexuality, how to walk in His ways, and how to support singles in their desire to honor God with their sexuality. She will be sharing on the topic of "Discipleship Li…

Speaker or Performer: Rev. Mike AdamsDate of Delivery: June 23, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

In ancient times, people would cover themselves in ashes when grieving the loss of a loved one or a calamitous change in their circumstances. But our gracious God promises to replace the ashes of our grief with a crown of beauty, a miraculous turnaround that happens because of Jesus and what he does for us. It’s faith in Jesus that we are celebrati…

Subject: Today we examine the final three churches of Revelation 3.Speaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Revelation 3Date of Delivery: June 16, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

The lives of the rich and famous are the ones that get attention and admiration, and are imitated by the masses who consider their ordinary lives as dull and worthless. But Jesus' presence in the world proves that God has infused the ordinary with the extraordinary and, with him, the ordinary rhythms of life take on eternal significance. (Based on …

Subject: We examine the comedenations and warnings for the first four churches.Speaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Revelation 2Date of Delivery: June 9, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

Being able to retain information is knowledge, but knowing how to use knowledge well is wisdom. But which of the many sources of wisdom will we trust? As people of faith, we look to the Lord for the wisdom we need, for he has proven the trustworthiness of his wisdom through his love for us. (Based on Proverbs 3:1-18.)…

Subject: Central to chapter 1 is John's awe-inspiring vision of Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, symbolizing His eternal existence and omnipotent authority.Speaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Revelation 1Date of Delivery: June 2, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

Two people can receive the same gift, yet one is thankful, and the other is not. Why? The thankful person appreciates the gift and the giver because they know that things could have been otherwise. Life in this world with God is a gift, but how will we respond to that gift? Let's remember that things could have been otherwise and recognize the grea…

The biblical image of a shepherd and their sheep is a powerful metaphor for the God-human relationship. We are weak, defenseless, and prone to go astray, yet our Lord faithfully provides, protects, and blesses us. Trust and love bind us together in a relationship that rests on the Shepherd's faithful lovingkindness. (Based on Psalm 23 & John 10:11-…

As we live our lives in this world, it can be hard for us to believe that an invisible spiritual realm exists and has an impact on our lives. It takes Spirit-empowered faith to believe and see this. Thankfully, God gives us the Holy Spirit and faith so we can live in the fullness of life--with both our body and soul--that God has for us. (Based on …

When a problem arises, our first response is to deal with the surface issue, but often there is a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. When they are identified, these deeper issues can be very challenging because attempting to solve them requires us to take risks or make sacrifices that we would not normally do. Only with faith in God can we ta…

Sometimes we face challenging opposition as we do what God calls us to do. Ideally it would be otherwise, but we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in a broken, hurting world where evil strives to counter the good things God wants to accomplish in the world. But our faithful God is greater than evil, and he will provide the direction, discernmen…

It is common for us to have our heart pulled in two different directions by the various things and people we love. But having a divided heart will prevent us from giving our lives fully to God and living the wholehearted life that he wants to give to us. Thankfully, God heals and strengthens our divided hearts through the gracious generosity of his…

In the deepest, darkest moments of life, we always need to choose whether we are going to live by faith in God or by faith in ourselves? It is important that we choose to live by faith in God for that is our only hope for the better future that we seek, and the turnaround to that better future can sometimes happen very quickly. God has done this th…

When the destructive power of evil attacks and leaves us in desolation, it is easy for us to become discouraged and disconsolate. But God never lost hope for us and for his creation. God the Son, Jesus Christ, entered into our desolation and made it his to give us new life with a new purpose as one of his people in this world. Therefore we have hop…

We think, speak, and act in the short-term reality of the present, yet our life spans years of human history and leaves an impact that is eternal. What view should we take as we live our lives? A short-term view of the world can result in momentary happiness or dismay. But a long-term view of God at work in human history reveals that he has been at…

We humans tend to assess a person’s suitability for greater things based on their appearance. God does not. Instead he looks at our heart. And God is not looking for perfection or performance. It’s our brokenness and frailty that qualifies us for God’s grace and acceptance. (Based on 1 Samuel 16:1-13.)…

Loss and disappointment can leave us feeling empty with no hope of every being filled again in sight. Helpless and hopeless, we need someone to come and bless us with lovingkindness, redeem us from our desperate situation, and restore us to fullness. And the Good News is that we have Someone who will do this for us, the ultimate Redeemer, Jesus. (B…

Facing a great challenge in weakness and inadequacy goes against our nature. Our overwhelming preference is to have strength in advance before we engage. Yet God calls us to live in a different way--by faith and not by sight--trusting in the God who calls us forward to bring us victory through our weakness. (Based on Judges 7:1-8.)…

Fear is part of life. There are many things that could be real or imagined threats to us. But we need to face our fears or they will crush us. Where do we find the courage we need to face our fears and live life with confidence? In our Lord God who promised to be with us wherever we go. (Based on Joshua 1:1-11).…

Living a self-directed life is like assembling a complex piece of furniture without the instructions. The end product will not be as functional or beautiful as the manufacturer intended. Our affections need to be focused on the epitome of greatness, goodness and love: Yahweh. And when we love him with all our heart, soul and strength, we want to li…

The ability to feel fear is something that God put in us to help protect us, but he did not intend that it control us. When fear is directing our thoughts, feelings, and actions, it can negatively impact our health and keep us from stepping into the abundant life that God wants to give us. But how do we overcome our fears? By remembering that the L…

There are times in all our lives when we come up against challenges that are too great for us to handle. We are helpless and it seems like things are hopeless. But then God steps in and rescues us in a surprising way: a defenseless lamb gives up its life to save us and set us free. (Based on Ex. 12:1-13.)…

A common misconception about life with God is that everything is awesome once you begin your journey with him. It isn't. In fact, following God can lead you into times that are harder than anything you have ever experienced before. But it is in those hard times that we are drawn deeper into our relationship with God and we are then better prepared …

Subject: Comparing the theological similarities of the Ark in Genesis to the storm in Mark 4, and it's implications for us today.Speaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Mark 4:35-41, Genesis 8Date of Delivery: January 28, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church

It is easy for us to become so preoccupied that we live as if God has nothing to do with our lives. We may say that we believe in God, but we rely entirely on natural forces to make our way in this world. And with a "head down" perspective, we miss out on better knowing God and what he is doing in and around us. Thankfully, God does come into our o…

Subject: Satan used the same tactics Jesus as he did with Adam and Eve. He uses the same tactics on us.Speaker or Performer: Pastor BobScripture Passage(s): Genesis 3, Matthew 4:1-11Date of Delivery: January 21, 2024Von Walnut Grove Church