Ken

Growth in the natural world is all about looking forward. A tiny sapling becomes a large oak tree by growing slowly over time. An infant grows into a child, who eventually becomes an adult. Hope is the same way – it looks forward. When a person has hope, they can imagine a better future. Hope is what allows you to look past your present circumstances and see through faith a better future. Without out hope, you can feel stuck in a relationship or stuck in your job. To live a life that matters requires having faith-filled anticipation. “True faith is never found alone; it is always accompanied by expectation. The person who believes the promises of God expects to see them fulfilled. Where there is no expectation there is no faith.” – A.W. Tozer Our text is a short chapter from the longest book in the Bible. Most of the poems in the book…

Hope is the same way – it looks forward. When a person has hope, they can imagine a better future. Hope is what allows you to look past your present circumstances and see through faith a better future. As Christ-followers, we should live with a sense of anticipation.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Need a Speaker or Presenter? Interested in having me speak for your church, conference, or organization? Follow this link to learn more. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here.

God may never ask you to build an ark, become a pastor, or to find a cure for cancer. But he does want something for you. He has a narrative for your life. Here's how I'd like to frame our conversation: Discovering your purpose is about finding something to live for. Our first passage comes at the end of a discussion about people and their place with God. Prior to Jesus, we were spiritually dead and off track. But because of his great love towards us, God took action and offered us the chance to be made alive in Christ. How did this happen? Jesus paid the price on cross. You don’t earn favor with God – you receive favor from God. It’s why Paul will write these words: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…

This is part of our series, "Your Life Matters." The main point of this message is this: Discovering your purpose is about finding something to live for.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Need a Speaker or Presenter? Interested in having me speak for your church, conference, or organization? Follow this link to learn more. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here.

As a kid, you might have heard, “You are what you eat.” Well, not really – not in the sense that you are your next meal. But that next meal will influence your physiology. If you keep eating the same foods over and over, they will have an impact on your body. Here’s the good news: At any time you are free to change what you eat. In 2017, I made the decision to essentially become a vegetarian. Or as Jon Shaw -- our Connections and Missions Pastor -- likes to say, I became a hippy. I started with the Daniel Fast and liked how I felt. Then I decided to stick with being a vegetarian. Technically, I’m an ovo-pescatarian. When I’m in Chicago eating a deep dish pizza, I’m for as much meat as possible. I could think about eating healthier and why it’s important. I could study up on healthy diets…