We wanted to create a space where we could update you on news from around the church, information on upcoming events, follow up to a recent sermon.
Often you will find thoughts on a Sunday message or event stories from our life together as a church.
We have the privilege of leading a multi-generational, maturity-diverse congregation. Like you, we want God to be glorified in our congregation and community through our homes, workplaces, and campuses....
As we are preparing individually for what we pray will not happen, we are also preparing for the church as to schedules and safety precautions. We will be sending you updates along the way as to our Sunday schedule and serving those in need as the weather service determines the track. As of 11:30 AM on Wednesday, our weekend service is still planned. In the meantime we...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, In Revelation 3:7-13 Jesus commends the Christians of the church in Philadelphia for their patient endurance. Jesus says they have kept his word. Scripture is filled with calls to endurance. Endurance conjures up images of things like marathons and other endeavors that require sustained effort. In the Christian life we have need of endurance. I hope the foll...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, After the service last Sunday I had a brief and cordial interaction with a man. He asked me the following question, "When do you believe the book of Revelation was written?" Immediately I knew where the rest of the conversation was going. There are two primary dates that different Christians and scholars believe the book of Revelation was written. It's only a...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro! I referenced an article entitled, "Stop Saying 'I Feel Like' during the sermon from 1 Corinthians 13. It's worth a read. In 1 Corinthians we see that love is "behavioral" before it is sentimental. That is counter-culture to our day, is it not? Of course love includes sentiment, and there is nothing wrong with that, but we all know how prone our sentime...
Keep ReadingHey Metro, have I ever told you that you are such an encouraging church? Well, you are! Actually, it's been my experience since the day my family moved here, but the response to the message I preached on April 10 on the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit from Galatians 5 is a message from which I received encouragement on steroids from so many of you! Your encouragement promp...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingWe don't hear or use the word homily in churches like a few generations ago would have. A homily is similar to a sermon, but it is a commentary that follows a reading of Scripture, often emphasizing one larger, inspirational theme. In that sense it is different from a typical, expositional sermon that we typically hear from this pulpit. Christmastime was a particular ...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Welcome to our online devotional for our Philippians series. This devotional is intended to be a simple way for you to go a little deeper in our study, and to remind yourself from week to week what the Holy Spirit is illuminating to you. It would also make for a great conversation over coffee with a friend! Taking a little time just once per week to review wh...
Keep ReadingPhilippi was a city along the famous Egnatian Way. The road is considered by some to be the first World Wide Web, because it linked Rome to all its colonies. The city has a storied military history, with names like Marc Antony, Octavian Augustus, Brutus, Cassias, the latter two guys were the assassins of Julius Caesar. Before them there was Phillip of Macedonia. He was G...
Keep ReadingLast Sunday I preached from 1 Peter 2:11-12. Peter writes, "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." A friend of m...
Keep ReadingGood Afternoon Metro, Consider the following by John Piper..... "The obstacles we face making Christ known are great with the anonymity of neighborhoods created by mobility; the entertainment industry that keeps people saturated with the world and numb to spiritual things; a thoroughly God-ignoring culture; a medical technology so advanced and so available that people...
Keep ReadingGood afternoon Metro. As part of my preaching and planning time this week I have been reading a book called, "Preaching" by Timothy Keller. In it he shares an overview of the entire Bible in a brief amount of space. It reminded me of some themes from Aaron Law's message on our security in Christ. I have been affected by the simple, yet powerful reminder of what we have bee...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, I was informed recently by my 16 year-old daughter that I have "Dad-body." I had never heard of this, so I asked for an explanation. "Dad-body", at least from the perspective of a 16 year-old, is the condition that plagues many men in the mid-section. In short, my daughter is telling me that I have a little extra in the mid-section, even though I am generally...
Keep Reading"and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:5 Good Morning, Metro. I hope your week is starting off anchored in the great news that you are justified by faith in Jesus alone, and so you enjoy peace with God, a permanent position in grace, and a sure hope for the gl...
Keep ReadingGood Morning Metro, We studied Ephesians 4:32-5:2, where the Apostle Paul provides a picture of what the community of the local church can be like when the gospel of Jesus Christ is on display in and through the lives of his people. I read a blog post on community, and found it both encouraging and challenging to me, because I could identify with some of the themes. May...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, "We are significant players in each other's gospel narrative, and it is in relationship with one another that we experience the fullness of God in Christ." by Milton Vincent Implicit throughout the New Testament is the encouragement and support of other believers in our walk with the Lord. The Apostle Paul seemed to always be praying for others. And he reall...
Keep ReadingWe studied 1 Thessalonians 2, where we read of a depth of love and mutual affection between Paul and the Thessalonians. It's preserved to inspire us to pursue the same kind of love for one another, made possible only through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Real, biblical love for one another is not easy. We are in a fight. Sin, namely our pride and selfishness, Satan, who is o...
Keep Reading"But as you excel in everythingin faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for yousee that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that y...
Keep ReadingSelfless! "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15...
Keep ReadingAttention Men! This past Saturday morning I was at our monthly men's breakfast (please see church web page for more info on our Men's Ministry!). Steve Gray taught on some lessons from his life from the book of Nehemiah. I was so refreshed and encouraged that I wanted each guy to have access to what he taught. His outline is a simple discussion starter for us as men. Prin...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, We have access into the grace in which we now stand. Church, may the love of God be poured out in your hearts this week! Scripture Reference Romans 5:1-5 ...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here is a review of Sunday morning. Scripture Reference 2 Peter 1:3-4 Main Point The gospel contains all that I need for life and godliness. "The mere fact that God tells me to stay inside the gospel at all times must mean that He intends to supply all of my needs as long as I am abiding in that place of luxury." Milton Vincent Discussion What do you...
Keep ReadingSo, have you made plans to go see the Grand Canyon yet? I hope that we all came away Sunday morning with this realization; no matter what we ever see in creation that inspires worship and awe, it doesn't compare to the glory we can experience when we get a glimpse of God! Take time to reread 2 Corinthians 3:7-4:6 this week. Note the progression from the glory that God gave...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Inside of the gospel I have all the protection I need from the powers of evil that rage against me. What a promise! Oh I need to not only know this, but appropriate this in prayer, in thinking and in living. I see a connection with every stumble in my life; a failure to live inside the good of the Gospel. Let's remember Metro, that Jesus battled Satan's temp...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here is a review of Sunday morning. Scripture Reference 1 Corinthians 1:20-24 Main Point Outside of heaven, the power of God in its highest density is found inside the gospel. "Indeed, God's power is seen in erupting volcanoes, in the unimaginably hot boil of our massive sun, and in the lightning speed of a recently discovered star seen streaking throu...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here is a review of Sunday morning. Scripture Reference Colossians 1:21-23 Main Point God did not give us His gospel only for our conversion. He offers it to us everyday as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness. "The wise believer will make sure he is positioning himself in the spot where God's gracious gifts are...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here is a review of Sunday morning. Scripture 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Main Point The New Testament teaches that Christians ought to hear the gospel as much as non-Christians do. "Re-preaching the gospel and then showing how it applied to life was Paul's choice method for ministering to believers, thereby providing a divinely inspired pattern for me to f...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here's a review from Sunday morning. Scripture Reference: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 Preaching Points: We aren't meant to be alone A three-fold cord is better than one or two (Crowd, Cell, Core) Discussion Ideas: Describe a time when a small group helped you through challenging circumstances. What are the obstacles in building relationships to the depth th...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Here's a review from Sunday morning. Scripture Reference: Matthew 28:18-20 Preaching Points: Make Disciples Jesus Has A Promise Discussion Ideas: Share a story of someone who discipled you and their impact on your life. What are some misconceptions about discipleship we can have? In what ways do you see the need for discipleship in your own life? How ca...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro, I hope you have had the opportunity to take some time to remember that moment in time or season of your life where you encountered Jesus for the first time, and you knew he called you out of your old life into a new, transformed one! Can you relate to St. Augustine, who said, "You were always presentstrewing the pangs of bitterness over all my lawless...
Keep ReadingWe "began" our conclusion of Exodus this past Sunday. We rehearsed 5 characteristics about God we have seen while in our series. Which one or ones ministered most specifically to you? Was it, 1. God is a Promise Keeper Or was it, 2. God's Promises Often Take Us to the "School of Faith" to Forge Our Trust How about, 3. God is Holy Or, 4. God is Compassionate Finally...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro Life Church! I don't know all that the day ahead holds for you and me, but I do know this; since we were together Sunday morning we are two days closer to the return of Jesus Christ! I do know that right now Jesus is preparing a place for us, and in His Father's house are many rooms. If it wasn't so he wouldn't have told us so! How can we get so full o...
Keep ReadingOn Sunday we studied John 14:1-6 together. Jesus was about to go to the Cross, and He knew the disciples were troubled. After three years of being with Jesus literally everyday, they were facing a future, that to them, seemed very uncertain. He said to them, "Don't let your hearts be troubled." Why did Jesus say that? Because He knew He was going to prepare a place for the...
Keep ReadingGood Morning Metro! I hope the grace and mercy of Jesus is a cause for awestruck wonder in your heart as you begin this day! It is for me! Thinking back to the message from Sunday and its application to my own life, I am simultaneously perplexed and strengthened over this reality; for all my years as a Christian there is still so much I want to see in my growth in the Lor...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, Ken Sande's blog post is very helpful and my thoughts are that it would also be to you. Have a blessed day in the Lord! Aron A Common Lust by Ken Sande...
Keep ReadingSo Metro, how did you spend your Sunday? Did you "work?" Did you avoid certain foods? If you did, why did you? Did you find someone under a pile of rubble? Did you get them out? Ok, seriously, Exodus 20:8-11 calls upon God's people to keep the Sabbath, to keep it by remembering it and setting it apart (holy), because God worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th. How should ...
Keep ReadingJethro was quite a father-in-law. He observed Moses for one day doing a good and sincere work; however it was an unsustainable work. He was essentially caring for all of Israel with little to no help! Exodus 18 shows us a precursor of equipping the saints for works of ministry and on a more basic level, it shows us a picture of discipleship: one person encouraging and hel...
Keep ReadingHello Metro, On Sunday we studied Exodus 7-10 together. The plagues are a fascinating, challenging and powerful display of the character of God. The plagues teach us that God is sovereign over all things. The plagues teach us that God is a just God. He didn't arbitrarily inflict punishment on Pharaoh and Egypt. They brought it on themselves. Nor was hardening Pharaoh's ...
Keep ReadingIn studying Exodus 4 and 5 I find a lot of similarity between Moses and myself. I don't mean that I relate to his calling or that I have a pretty cool staff that can do some pretty cool things. I mean that I relate to his selective listening, his faintness of heart, and his "why me?" attitude. I don't mind a good fight of faith; it's just that I only want it to go one rou...
Keep ReadingDear Church, I don't know the final total of our mission offering, but I do know through conversation and my email inbox that the LORD stirred many hearts on Sunday. Specifically, several members have communicated their desire to either get the gifts God has given them in greater service, or they want help discerning the gifts God has given them. A monetary offering is w...
Keep ReadingOf the woman who put two small copper coins in the offering Jesus said, "She put in more than all the others." How is that possible, when there were people who put in far greater monetary amounts? That is what the disciples were wondering, and so Jesus told them. Those who gave "more" gave out of their abundance, but the woman with her two coins, gave all that she had. In ...
Keep Reading1. We approach it biblically; that simply means that to understand Exodus we need to see it in relationship to the rest of the Bible. Right at the outset Exodus looks back to Genesis, because they are connected. When Jesus rose from the grave and walked on the road to Emmaus he explained how Moses and the Prophets pointed to him! So we want to see Exodus in the context of ...
Keep ReadingMeet the Ruiz family. A few family members began attending Metro two years ago. At the start of this year a few more family members began to visit. Since January 6 different family members have placed their trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins! Family members, the Chin home group, and the preached Word have all been used by God to draw one family member ...
Keep ReadingHello Metro Family! If you were not able to be with us on Sunday, we encourage you to listen to the sermon on Noah. As an additional resource, to help us think about engaging with people, please view the following video. ...
Keep ReadingGood Morning Metro! I hope the steadfast love and mercy of The Lord is encouraging you in your day. I don't know all the ways the Holy Spirit was speaking to our church family yesterday, but speak He did! We have such a tender Heavenly Father, gracious in His every dealing with us. My prayer is that there is faith in every heart for the good work that began for so many who...
Keep ReadingI can't believe we have reached the end of our series in Genesis so fast! It seems each week we have been seeing just how much of the Gospel is actually in the first book of the Bible! It would be generations upon generations before the birth of Jesus Christ, but in the patriarchal family we have seen glimpse after glimpse of God's salvation plan....
Keep ReadingWe reached the turning point on Sunday in our study of Genesis 37-50. Joseph revealed his identity and the brothers are reunited! As Joseph listened to Judah plead with him to take Benjamin's place, Joseph knew that Judah was not the same man he once was. And that led to Joseph revealing his identity. More than reveal himself, Joseph forgave his brothers! How, in light of ...
Keep ReadingJoseph's story is helping me to see that God is at work in the hardest places of my life, even if I canĆ¢ā¬ā¢t presently see the outcome. Joseph's story is reminding me that what looks and feels like a pit to me is a kiln in God's purposes, where He is shaping me more and more into His image. He is growing me in those places. Joseph's story of looking past Egypt reminds ...
Keep ReadingWow Metro! I have been inundated with encouragement from so many of you this week. It seems the Lord is kindly drawing our hearts to Him as we begin our series from Genesis 37-50. There is so much drama and dysfunction and heights and depths in Joseph's life; what is it all there for? How is it any more than a history lesson for us? It's more than history because it isn't ...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro! Are you beholding Jesus today? Are you tasting and seeing the grace that is yours in Jesus Christ today? Remember, right now, the Holy Spirit is working in you, so that you, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed, from one degree of glory to another! Don't get stuck on what you perceive to be any slowness or stagnancy i...
Keep ReadingI hope your week is beginning by being warmed by the grace given to you in Jesus Christ! What a thought... God wants me to grow (uh-oh, that sounds like a work)Ć¢ā¬Ā¦in grace! God's good intention for me and for you is to go deeper in the experience and knowledge of what we have been given in Jesus....
Keep ReadingWalmart is running a Clearance Sale on all TV's smaller than 60 inches as part of their "A Better December" Sales Event! Ok, not really. But how is your December going as we are now one third of the way into the month? We hope our Sunday service helped to encourage you to "slow down" and receive from the Lord this December. Have you noticed how certain themes of our live...
Keep ReadingWe concluded our series on building the local church by looking at 5 pledges, or commitments. Unlike a country club or association dues, building a local church calls for each part of the body to do its part, so that the whole body is built up. That can't be accomplished simply through giving, and it can't be accomplished if the body isn't functioning properly. Take some t...
Keep ReadingHello Metro! Chip Chew our church Administrator, sent the link below to me. It seemed quite fitting in light of Hebrews 10:19-25. I hope it will spur us on, as we take to heart the call, to give ourselves to one another so that together we can be a church full of love and good works for the glory of God. Thank you for your prayers as I visit our friends in Bolivia this...
Keep ReadingWhat makes a good church? Good preaching, outstanding musicians, awesome youth ministry, good coffee, multiple and short services? Maybe a good church is one that runs a soup kitchen for the needy, supports missionaries overseas, or has a partnership with a local crisis pregnancy center....
Keep ReadingPray for opportunities and seize the moments to tell the world the reason for the hope that is in you, and pray for the grace to live in such a way that the light of Jesus Christ shines forth from you, causing many to wonder, "why are you joyful, hopeful, helpful, etc?"...
Keep ReadingA priesthood of believers, where everyone had a vision to see the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on display, by investing in other lives, was possible. And it possible now. As one of your pastors the thing that excites me the most is that I see it happening all throughout our church! This is a church filled with people who love Jesus, who know they need His grace day ...
Keep ReadingI hope you have encountered the encouragement and power of the Holy Spirit since we gathered on Sunday. As we begin our series entitled Build: Fashioning a Spirit Filled, Mission Minded Church For His Glory, I could think of no better place to begin than on the person of the Holy Spirit. ...
Keep ReadingGood Afternoon, Metro. Jesus' words to the church in Sardis from Revelation 3:1-6 are still ringing in my ears. How about yours? Why did God preserve those seven letters to the churches in Asia? Only He knows all of His reasons, but I believe one of them is clearly expressed by Jesus Himself. ...
Keep ReadingIt seems we just started our series in the Sermon on the Mount, and now we have reached its conclusion. In Matthew 7:15-27 Jesus concluded His sermon with what might be called three warnings, or three doses of healthy fear. Healthy fear is a good thing, intended to cause us to consider. That's exactly what Jesus wants us to do at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. ...
Keep ReadingIn Luke 7:7-12 Jesus beckons us into a persistence and confidence in prayer. What did He want His hearers to learn? Pray Persistently - Jesus earlier said that the poor in spirit will be blessed. We are urged to pray persistently because we are poor in spirit; we are needy. We don't have the strength and grace by ourselves to live a Christ-like life, but Jesus does! Persi...
Keep ReadingWe studied Jesus' words on Judging in the Sermon on the Mount. I left Matthew 7:6 for this blog post. Before getting straight to the verse I want to share with you about some email exchanges with Allura, a dear church member. She was seeking to share the love of Christ with women planning to abort their babies. She shared how one lady in particular was receptive and liste...
Keep ReadingWe studied Jesus' words about anxiety from Matthew 6:25-34. It seems Jesus is saying essentially one thing, which is that we have a heavenly Father who cares for us beyond our comprehension. He knows what we need and He intends to provide. But we can all confess that sometimes we face circumstances that put our trust in the promises of our loving heavenly Father to the tes...
Keep ReadingOk friends, be honest. How many of you have gone to realage.com to find out your "real" age? You have probably noticed just since Sunday how surrounded we are by advertisements, music and other forms of communication that want us to believe we will be most happy if we do all we can to store up treasure here on the earth, and fight to stay young doing it! How radical and ot...
Keep ReadingAren't they beautiful words? This is how Jesus encourages us to greet the God of the Universe each and every day! Through the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, we have been brought into a familial relationship with God. Just like in an earthly family, our Father is eager to talk with us. He wants to listen to us, encourage us, refresh us, and get our eyes on His good i...
Keep ReadingDoes it get more radical than this, friends? Does anything in the Sermon on the Mount communicate to us more the need for poverty of spirit? LetĆ¢ā¬ā¢s remember, this sermon isnĆ¢ā¬ā¢t about entrance into the Kingdom; itĆ¢ā¬ā¢s about life in the Kingdom. That life is made possible by the power of Jesus Christ! ...
Keep ReadingWe just studied Matthew 5:21-26 together on Sunday. What a passage. What a hard passage! When Jesus said our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees he wasnĆ¢ā¬ā¢t kidding! It is a hard passage, because it humbles us in seeing that what Jesus is really building in us by His Spirit are a people who donĆ¢ā¬ā¢t just refrain from external acts, but who ...
Keep ReadingThroughout church history the relationship between law and grace has been a lively discussion. Legalism and license have been tripping up the saints for centuries. Does it have to be that way? No! The Gospel is our anchor, keeping us from either error! Lets pray together for a deeper understanding of what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, and out of that understandi...
Keep ReadingBlessed are you when you are...persecuted. Are you like me? Left to my natural way of thinking, avoiding persecution is a blessing. Jesus enables us to think and live differently. If we suffer any form of persecution for righteousness' sake, and on account of the name of Jesus, we are blessed indeed! Let the words of Martyn Lloyd-Jones envision us this week;...
Keep ReadingOk, many of you at MLC aren't old enough to even know where the title of this blog post comes from. Well, long before the Partridge Family wanted to get happy, Jesus was eager for you and I to be happy. He wants that so much for us He gave a sermon on a hillside dedicated to it. The Sermon on the Mount is where true happiness (blessedness) is found. Happiness, I think, sha...
Keep ReadingI hope your week is off to a grace filled start. I had a number of wonderful interactions after the service on Sunday about relationships. They were encouraging conversations. Isn't it refreshing to know some of the backstories on the people in Scripture, and to know that they had to work through so many of the same dynamics as we do when it comes to building relationships...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro? How was your Monday? Did you feel like, Ć¢ā¬ÅMonday you can fall apart, Tuesday, Wednesday break my heartĆ¢ā¬Ā¦Ć¢ā¬Ā...
Keep ReadingGood Morning Metro, I hope your Easter weekend was a time of being built up in your most holy faith. As I shared Sunday morning, Colossians 3:5-17 isn't a standard faire Easter sermon. ...
Keep Reading"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have opportunity to return. But...
Keep ReadingWho do we expect to "be there" for us when life gets hard? Our families. And those of us in the church have the same expectation of our church family. So how do we pray for those facing terminal illness? How can we overcome the awkwardness of interacting with those going through a divorce or grieving the death of a spouse or child? How do we keep from being that person who...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Metro! So where is that place where you keep your bills that need to be paid? Some of ours are auto pay, but some still go the old fashioned way of the mailbox. Those bills are in the kitchen. I write a check and seal the envelope but sure enough, about 30 days later they show up again!...
Keep ReadingWe had a wonderful Sunday evening Thirst meeting. The Lord was so kind to provide us with numerous ministry opportunities, and it seems a great many people were encouraged, refreshed and ministered too in specific ways. ...
Keep ReadingGood Morning Metro! I hope you are very aware of the love of Christ and enjoying this fact; Jesus is in you! As we continued on in Colossians on Sunday morning I thought I would bring this reflection from Sam Storms back to our attention:...
Keep ReadingAmazing grace! We know it, but our hearts and consciences so often betray us. A confrontation with our imperfections, stumbling and sins whisper things to us that would seek to weaken our confidence in the finished work of Jesus....
Keep ReadingIf you were unable to be with us for our Family Meeting, then you missed the opportunity to hear a profound and "real" testimony of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is doing in the heart of member. ...
Keep ReadingSo I've been thinking about the times of worship at the Enduring Love Marriage Retreat, and then during our Sunday morning service. I could be wrong in my impression, but in both places there seemed to be a more tangible awareness of the presence of God....
Keep ReadingThe Message paraphrases Galatians 6:9-10 the following way (I added our church name!):...
Keep ReadingDo you have hope this morning? I pray you do, because we have every reason too! Consider the power of these words from Hebrews 6:17-19:...
Keep ReadingAl Pino served us all through Luke's account of Jesus' teaching on mercy. Mercy depicts love as few things can. ...
Keep ReadingGood Morning, Friends! What a joy it is to awaken to knowing that we have every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ!...
Keep ReadingActs 19:20 says, "So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily." As we studied this passage on Sunday I hope this verse in particular ministered to you. ...
Keep ReadingHow good it is to awaken today to the knowledge that our God reigns, and yet He wants to use you and me in fulfilling His purposes....
Keep ReadingSo how is your week going, friends? I hope that Hebrews 10:19-25 has encouraged your hearts....
Keep ReadingI hope Acts 14 refreshed your soul in knowing that even though there are trials along the way, your life and mine will ultimately be a testimony to the triumphant power of the grace of God! ...
Keep ReadingWell, I think I topped myself with the most mispronounced words to date this past Sunday! But through that, I hope the passage from Acts 13 encouraged your soul that the promises of God, all of them, always prevail! ...
Keep ReadingDear Metro, Thank you to all of you who were able to join us at the Family Meeting on Wednesday, September 5th. It was a wonderful meeting filled with many expressions of God's grace at work in so many people's lives. ...
Keep Reading"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD you his saints, For those who fear him have no lack! ...
Keep ReadingDid you think about what you woke up to this morning? It starts with an "M". That's right, mercy! I thought I'd give you some "Old English" today to encourage you as you get into your week....
Keep ReadingGood Morning, friends. Have you had any situations since Sunday to tempt you to anxiety? ...
Keep ReadingGood morning, friends. What a blessing it was on Sunday to hear so many of our friends pray their personal prayers of trust in the Lord, our Keeper!...
Keep ReadingOkay, I don't typically blog twice in the same week, but a few stories have come up that I think will encourage us all to pursue our brothers and sisters when they find themselves in the wilderness. ...
Keep ReadingHere it is, Monday morning, and I am finding Psalm 63 ministering to my soul. As I was praying this morning about the present (including our hopes of having settlement on our home in Casselberry this week!) details of my family's life, I was taken back into the past and to God's faithfulness to us....
Keep ReadingWe began our summer series in the Psalms with Psalm 131. It reads,...
Keep Reading"What does it mean for God, through the Holy Spirit, to do beyond what we could ask or imagine? Below is a quote from this weekends sermon. May it inspire you!...
Keep Reading"I sometimes think that we live in fear and call it wisdom. But we live in fear - fear of the negative influences of the world. We live as though we have far more to fear from the "world" than they have to fear from us. ...
Keep ReadingThis past Sunday we studied Acts 9:1-31 together. In the message we looked at how Saul, later named Paul, never moved on from his conversion story. Here is how he reflected on his conversion in 1 Timothy 1:13-16:...
Keep ReadingI have heard from many dear members of Metro about the message, "When Neglect and the Gospel Intersect." Wow,...
Keep ReadingWe have been hearing a lot in these early chapters of Acts about the boldness of the early church. So far we have seen it primarily through the Apostles, ...
Keep ReadingI read Acts 4:32-5:11 again this morning. I was stirred again by the life the early church was enjoying, all because of Jesus!...
Keep ReadingI'm guessing a blog on earwax removal was not what you were expecting. ...
Keep ReadingI'm still thinking about that key word in the passage from Acts 2:42-47...devoted. There really is no replacement for the time and intentionality that it takes to build a community that is devoted to one another. ...
Keep ReadingThis past Sunday we studied Acts 2:1-41 together. What a passage! How kind of God to not leave us as orphans, to send the Holy Spirit so that now, everyday, Jesus is with us!...
Keep ReadingIf you were at our Family Meeting last week, then you got to hear Greg and Espy Travassos share a bit about themselves. ...
Keep ReadingLast week in our Alive meeting and this past Sunday in our first message in our Acts series we have been talking about thirst. In his book, "Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health," Donald Whitney begins the book with a chapter on thirst. May the following excerpt encourage your thirst today!...
Keep ReadingI don't know about you, but hearing the account by Dwight L. Moody of what happened in his heart as he devoted himself to studying love really encouraged me to devote myself to the same study. ...
Keep ReadingI must have heard four or five humorous remarks right after our Sunday service about "courtesy notices". If you were unable to be with us it was an illustration from the sermon - "Walk in Love"....
Keep ReadingThis past Saturday we had a men's breakfast. We looked together in 2 Peter 1:3-11 at what it means to make every effort. After the meeting I received an email....
Keep Reading1/15/12. That may be just another date, but I left this past Sunday morning in faith that the Lord had met us in a profound way, as we looked together at his encouraging and challenging words to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:1-7....
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