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In his great mercy, God has given us a new birth into a living hope! That is good news! When the believers in the first century received Peter’s letter, they must have been filled with joy, despite the suffering they were facing. How are we called to live as we await the return of Christ? The hope we have in Jesus is not a vague wish; it is a certain expectation! In this portion of Peter’s letter, we discover four ways to live for Christ: Gird our minds, pursue holiness, choose reverent fear, and remember past redemption. If you ever wonder what your worth is, remember God chose to redeem you through the blood of His Son, even before the creation of the world! You matter!

The Holy Spirit has good gifts to give believers so we can help one another. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to address some issues they were having. One of the problems they faced was chaos in their worship services. People were using spiritual gifts for their own benefit. Through his writing, we discover the importance of being united in the midst of diversity. As the human body has many parts that form one body, the church is filled with various gifts to complete the whole. The most important thing is love. Without love, none of the gifts matter. The only way to show the kind of love God calls us to show is to know the kind of love He showed us. Small Groups are the best environment for us to use our gifts and grow in our love!

God has more in store for us than we can ever imagine. All believers are invited to receive the Holy Spirit. On the first Pentecost after the Resurrection, the Father fulfilled His promise by sending the Holy Spirit on the Jewish believers. But the promise of salvation and the Spirit wasn’t just for the Jews; it was for all people! Philip went to Samaria and shared the good news with the people of the city. When the Apostles came, they laid hands on the believers, and the Holy Spirit was given. Through this moment we see that God has more of Himself to give to believers than the initial sealing of the Spirit at the moment of salvation. We can receive the Holy Spirit by presenting ourselves, asking in faith, and choosing obedience. Experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit today!

This message will encourage your faith to find peace and comfort in the Lord. The Holy Spirit is the presence of the Lord and by inviting Him into your decision-making, you will have a peace that passes all understanding. The Holy Spirit is our advocate, promised by Jesus himself. He is the promised Comforter, Helper, and Counselor. When you and I feel afraid, Jesus says “Do not be troubled”. The Holy Spirit will come and comfort you in every moment you need. When you feel abandoned, as the disciples did, Jesus says, “I will never leave you”. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, you and I can be fully comforted and at peace. The peace the Spirit brings will go beyond anything the world has to offer. Welcome His promised presence today by surrendering to Jesus.

You may have heard a prayer that ends like this: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” This prayer acknowledges a single God with three distinct expressions of who He is. So who is the Holy Spirit? He is God — the personal presence of God! Scripture helps us begin to understand God’s beautifully complex identity by giving us symbols that reveal who the Holy Spirit is: Wind, Oil and a Dove. In this message, you will be reminded of how much you need the Holy Spirit to live a fully-alive and empowered life. And He is not just “out there” somewhere — God has given the Holy Spirit to live in you when you hear the Gospel of Jesus and believe!

In this message, you'll hear from a young couple who has been married for just a year, and another couple married for almost 40 years. The common theme? Commitment. Intentionally. Christ at the center. No compromise. Protect your circle. Hard times will come, but with God at the center, your marriage will thrive through the toughest circumstances in life. What's the secret? Put each other first. Live the way of Jesus: "I am second."