Church

Most people want a life that is meaningful and fulfilling. This is especially true of Christians. Yet many people are frustrated in their Christian experience. Their spiritual life seems like a bunch of false starts and hard stops. Unfortunately, it often feels like a constant struggle - more burden than blessing. Here’s what I’ve observed over the years: The more we try to live the Christian life by our own power and effort, the more we fail at it. This only leads to self-condemnation, hopelessness, and exhaustion. A healthy Christian life cannot be lived apart from the control and influence of the Holy Spirit. Our passage for this month is Romans 8. It’s about how to move beyond a performance-based relationship with God to one that is guided by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul will describe two basic ways of looking at life. 5 Those who live according to the flesh…

This time of year brings a lot of introspection. Whenever one thing comes to an end and another begins, we have a natural tendency to evaluate and reevaluate. End of the year, end of month, end of a season. Many people will approach these first few weeks of 2019 in a well-intentioned but misguided way … trying to find or redefine themselves. As a Christian, your identity is not simply discovering who you are … but who you are in Christ. As a church, we are starting 2019 in one chapter of the Bible. If you can truly understand this one chapter, it will transform your year. That chapter is Romans 8 but to understand it, you need to back-up one chapter. In Romans 7, Paul is describing a common tension that characterizes both Christians and non-Christians. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do…

None of us grew up in a perfect household. Even the best of parents had arguments, disagreements, and tensions. Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the assurance that God is in control of all things. True, lasting peace – the kind that transcends all understanding – is only available from God.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.

When the angels announced birth of Jesus 2,000 years ago, they did so by promising this: “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14) I’m not one to argue with a sky full of angels, but for many of us we don’t experience all that much peace. We sing Christmas songs about peace and wonder if it’s just a fairy tale. We wonder if life isn’t more like Humpty Dumpty … Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again. Deep down – most of us wish for a different ending. That doesn't always happen. From my vantage point, I see an uncertain world that doesn’t always have a happy ending. We don’t have to travel out of state or out of country to experience brokenness – all too often it happens too close…

While the baby in the manger didn’t appear to be a Mighty God, he certainly was – and still is. The miracle of Christmas wasn’t the first or last miracle God would perform. He is still a Mighty God who has the power to transform our lives today.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.