Expounding the Word

Today, Pastor Chris speaks about a topic often misunderstood in the Scriptures: demons. He explains that they are evil. They are sometimes the driving force behind what may seem neutral, so you must be on guard. If there’s something you know you ought to avoid, you'd better do it. Evil is out to destroy and devour you, and it will use any means possible because you’re an image of God. But the good news is that, if you’ve pledged allegiance to Jesus, then the One inside you is stronger than the one in the world.  

When we think of "worshipping other things," we often imagine ancient statues or golden calves, but modern-day "idolatry" is usually much more subtle. It’s anything that takes the primary place in your heart—the thing you rely on for your identity, security, or happiness instead of God. It’s what you think you can’t live without or what you think of first thing when you wake up. Today, Pastor Chris challenges you to check the altar of your heart. Are you offering sacrifices to anything other than the One True God? 

Have you ever heard someone talking loudly on a speaker phone at the grocery store? You wonder why that person thinks they’re entitled to share their conversation with strangers! Entitlement means you think you’re owed something, that you inherently deserve privileges or special treatment regardless of the circumstances. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that as a Christian, there’s no entitlement. You’re owed nothing, but Jesus wants to give you everything.

We’ve all been there—taking the "shortcut" that ends up taking twice as long because we didn't just do it right the first time. Doing something halfway often creates a false sense of progress while leaving a mess for our future self to clean up. Today, Pastor Christ tells you that Jesus didn’t take a shortcut. It’s not like He was tortured a little, and then partly died and partly rose again. He was stripped, beaten, and fully died and fully resurrected. Are you taking shortcuts in your faith, or are you all in? 

The war between will and weakness constantly rolls through our heads. We desire, and are even willing to do things, but we just don’t do them. It could be going to the gym, or reading consistently, eating healthy, or spending time with God. We let our procrastination get in the way of our willingness to accomplish things in our lives. Today, Pastor Chris will show you that willingness isn’t enough; it takes discipline to not let your weakness take over and keep you from doing what you are willing to do. 

How often do you use your creative bone nowadays? With the busyness of the world, you sometimes lose that creative spirit. The more you go with the motions of everyday life, the less creative you become. What if I told you that doesn’t have to be the reality, and YOU could be creative every day!? In today’s message, Pastor Chris shares that the message of the Gospel remains the same, but how YOU share it with others gives you the opportunity to think of new ways to stretch that creative muscle. 

When we do something “good”, we tend to expect some type of reward. It could be a simple “thank you” for holding the door open for someone, finding a lost wallet and returning it, or even helping someone in need. When we think of doing good, we subconsciously want a reward, but are you willing to do the right thing and get nothing in return? In today’s message, Pastor Chris shows you, through Paul’s example, that material things are worthless compared to the reward you have in a relationship with Jesus. 

Have you ever had a calling you were drawn to, but stopped pursuing? Could it be because you were nervous about the backlash you would receive? Could it be because someone talked you out of it, or because you were worried about failing? The heckling from yourself or others is just a distraction to keep you from being obedient to the call that God has placed on your heart. Today, Pastor Chris sheds light on these distractions and points you to listen and follow the call that God places in your life. 

Have you ever gotten into a heated argument over something small, only to realize later it really didn’t matter? Maybe it was the thermostat, what movie to watch, or where to eat. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that those kinds of things aren’t worth the conflict—especially with a fellow believer. Not every disagreement needs to become a battle. Sometimes the wiser, stronger choice is to let it go, choose peace, and protect the relationship instead of proving a point.

Balancing on one leg isn’t easy. After a few seconds, your muscles start to shake and strain under the pressure. But with practice, you build strength and stability, learning to endure the tension. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that living as a Christian in a broken, dark world is also a balance. You can grow stronger and steadier over time, but that doesn’t mean it will ever feel easy. Faithfulness requires endurance, even when your life feels unsteady.

We all wear many hats—spouse, parent, colleague, friend—and it’s easy to let those roles define who we are. They shift constantly depending on where we are and who we’re with. But today, Pastor Chris reminds you that if you’re a Christian, one identity rises above them all. You are a beloved member of God’s family. That truth isn’t temporary or situational—it’s foundational. The real question is: is that the identity that you’re defining yourself with? 

“If only…(sigh).” It’s easy to get stuck in wishful thinking, longing for different circumstances. But as the saying goes, if ifs and buts were fruits and nuts, every day would be a Merry Christmas. Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that while you may not be able to change your life situation, you can choose your attitude. And that attitude is simple: wherever you are, as a Christian, you are called to serve the Lord right there. No matter what’s going on in your life, you’re free to serve Him. 

We live in a throwaway culture. When something breaks, we toss it in the garbage and buy a new one. But today, Pastor Chris reminds you that God doesn’t treat people that way. You may carry wounds from the past, hidden struggles, or painful memories, but that doesn’t make you damaged goods. To God, you’re not disposable. He sees you, loves you, and can heal what is broken in your life. And one day, through His power, you will be made completely whole.

If you slow down for a moment, you’ll notice the many good things God places in your life—the warmth of the sun, a quiet moment of beauty in a budding flower, the blessings of work, family, and healthy relationships. But today, Pastor Chris offers a grave reminder: there is also unseen evil that wants to destroy those gifts God gives you. Don’t ignore the danger. Remember who God has made you and the good things He intends for you, and keep your focus on Him.

Usually, going to extremes doesn’t end well. Ignoring all your homework and then pulling an all-nighter rarely works. Living on junk food and then trying to cut it out overnight often leads to splurging later. But today, Pastor Chris says there’s one area where radical action is necessary—sin. Instead of tolerating it or managing it, you must deal with it decisively. If something is causing you to stumble, cut it out of your life. Are you willing to take that kind of drastic step?

Today, Pastor Chris reminds you that as a Christian, you have real freedom in Jesus Christ. You are free to live in His forgiveness and to enjoy the good things God has created. But that freedom also raises an important question: is it helpful? Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Even good things can begin to control you if you’re not careful. So ask yourself—are you enjoying God’s gifts, or are those gifts starting to master you?

In today's message, Pastor Chris explains that when two believers fight their case openly before unbelievers, everyone hears it, and no matter who wins the lawsuit, both have already lost. The real loss is the public shame brought to the name of Christ and the poor witness given to the watching world. Paul calls it an utter failure right from the start. The mere fact that you're airing grievances publicly shows you've already missed the mark. That's not how Jesus taught us to treat one another.

Do you ever feel tempted to take a dispute with another believer straight to public courts or social media instead of handling it privately? In today's message, Pastor Chris explains that Paul was shocked and dismayed when believers dragged their conflicts before unbelievers rather than resolving them among the saints. Doing so creates a poor witness and damages the testimony of Jesus, because it shows the world that Christians can't even love or settle differences with each other, let alone non-believers.

In today's message, Pastor Chris explains that the call for believers is not to pull away from the world. That approach would actually be harmful because it would keep your light away from those who need it. Jesus Himself prayed for His followers exactly this way: “Father, do not take them out of the world, but keep them in it while protecting them from the evil one.” You are meant to stay right in the middle of the world, living among people who need to see God's love and truth through your life

In today's message, Pastor Chris explains that love demands action when you see real danger approaching someone vulnerable. Staying silent or doing nothing would not be love at all. You and your church have a responsibility to stay alert and aware of harmful ideas or influences that could enter your life or community and cause serious damage. Bringing or allowing those destructive philosophies to go unchecked is like inviting danger right into a place meant for safety and growth.

Paul’s heart offers a reflection of the heart of Christ for His followers. It’s the heart of a good shepherd and a loving father. Paul, as a representation of Jesus, isn’t a dictator who demands obedience for his own enrichment or empowerment. As Pastor Chris will point out in today’s message, Paul desires for the Corinthians to live in obedience because he loves them. He doesn’t want them to experience the destruction that sin brings.

We’re highly intelligent as humans. It’s a God-given blessing that has enabled endless innovations that have strongly impacted our lives, for good in some cases, but sometimes, not so good. As Pastor Chris will remind us in today’s message, when we come to Christ, we need to submit our intellect to Him. We don’t just throw reason out the window, but we trust that if Christ is leading, we can follow, even when it doesn’t make sense.

What an appropriate image of the Church. If you’ve ever been in an ancient Cathedral, it’s an awe-inspiring experience. Many of these beautiful monuments have stood for centuries, and took decades or, in many cases, centuries to construct. The Church, as a universal collection of believers, has been under construction since the moment that Christ commissioned it two thousand years ago, and each one of us is an important part.

All of us were babies at one point. Apart from Adam and Eve, every single human who’s ever lived went through the same process of growing up. In today’s message, Pastor Chris will remind us that every believer goes through a “baby” stage as well. Sadly, some struggle to leave that phase. At some point, we need someone like Paul – a loving, but firm and direct leader – to point out our complacency and push us to grow in Christ.

A gift of the New Testament, given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the ability to be in a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, which dwells within us, is our compass. He guides us in our everyday life through both our victories and struggles, pointing us to the right path. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that as Christians and believers, we all have the Holy Spirit helping us, making known to us the things that God wants to reveal.       

Have you ever sat among the congregation and felt like a spotlight was hitting you the entire time the pastor was preaching? Feeling like every time you looked up, his eyes met yours, and it was clear that he was speaking to you. Completely wrecked on the inside, you leave the church trying to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions overcoming you. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us how God uses man to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit and how He works in our hearts.     

God doesn’t see earthly position and status. He doesn’t care what our background is, how big our house is, what kind of car we drive, or how much money we make. God puts us all even at the foot of the cross.  When we put our trust and faith in God, He welcomes us as a son or daughter into His home, and He doesn’t have favorites. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that fancy words and flashy shows are not necessary to receive and share the gospel- His simple yet powerful message of love.             

The way that Christians put their faith and trust in something they can’t see may seem foolish and unwise to those who don’t believe the story of the cross. God’s word tells us that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength”. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that worldly wisdom and knowledge are not the same as spiritual wisdom and knowledge. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the ability to share in His wisdom.      

The gift of the new covenant is that of the Holy Spirit dwelling within all who choose to believe, making none of us more spiritual than the other. Too often, we allow our preferences and ideas to cause division among friends, family, and even Churches. In doing this, our pride destroys fellowship. It’s not only silly-it’s sad. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that Jesus is the only one we are to give all the glory to. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is what joins us together and saves us from ourselves.  

It’s just like humanity to overthink everything. To let our minds run wild, picking apart our thoughts until we’re so lost that we can’t differentiate between truth and self-sabotage. The enemy loves to work here, whispering lies,  affirming our excuses and self-righteousness. One of the enemy’s favorite tactics is to cause division, and he’ll jump at the chance to do just that. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that when we’re left to ourselves without the Word of God, we tend to think the worst.        

God has given us everything that we need to live out this messy life with grace and peace through Him. We are not perfect, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot escape the fact that we fall short. How blessed are we to be given such a gift as Jesus Christ, that we may be forgiven in all areas in which we fail. We can’t earn God’s love, and the beautiful part is that we can’t lose it either. Today, Pastor Chris teaches us that no matter how often we stumble and fall, our God is faithful to the end.         

Light is meant to drive out darkness, not the other way around. As Christians, we are called to be set apart; to let our influence speak Jesus into society. Humans, in their sinful nature, are pulled toward acceptance of those around them. We long for fellowship, all the while forgetting about the perfect fellowship we graciously share with Jesus. Today, Pastor Chris reminds us that we can’t live both set apart and of the world, challenging us to question which we allow to influence us more.    

Having biblical knowledge and understanding of who Christ is is so important to knowing God! It isn’t everything; we can obviously get caught up in just knowledge and forget about the relationship. When we know who God is based on what His Word says, we can begin that relationship and know ourselves better! Knowing God’s Word can be the first step to knowing God! In today’s message, Pastor Chris will encourage you to read your Bible more, in hopes of knowing your creator better!

The impact that the Word of God can have on your life, and the lives of others, is so far beyond words! In today’s message, Pastor Chris will challenge you with some hard questions and give you some ideas to ponder. If you only had a couple of minutes or a few verses, how would you explain Jesus? Could you properly share the love of Christ using your current biblical knowledge?! I’ll tell you this: more understanding of the Bible will never hurt your chances of sharing God’s love!

Christianity is about Christ, but it is also about the walk of serving others in Christ's name. That is obviously difficult, because there are difficult people and situations in this world… which is why we NEED Christ all the more!!! In today’s message, Pastor Chris will highlight the blessings of Christianity without sugarcoating the absolute difficulties. Even though it will be hard, it is still vital that you seek the Lord and obey where and who He calls you to selflessly serve!

Jesus didn’t only perfectly model this, but He commanded us to do the same, and that is to serve! The Bible says Jesus came to serve, and we can clearly see that He did that so well! The Bible also says, we’re to serve, we’re to have a generous servant's heart! In today’s message, Pastor Chris will encourage you to serve someone today! Sacrifice your time, your finances, or even your patience, and serve someone in need! If you look around, you will easily find someone in need of your Christ-like service!

Whether you have a lot of hair or no hair, God knows how many strands you’ve ever had and how many strands you have now! God knows the number of hairs on every single person's head…if He knows such a tiny detail of your physical appearance, think of the intricate details He knows of your heart, your mind, and your soul! In today’s message, Pastor Chris will remind you that you are known! You are known on such an intimate and deep level by your creator, Jesus Christ!

Unfortunately, culture is incredibly influential, and we’re naturally inclined to follow. The important Christian differential is that we’re to follow God, not the world and its ever-changing culture. In today’s message, Pastor Chris will point out that God designed us to be like sheep, to follow our loving shepherd. But like a sheep, you can be easily influenced or deceived; you can follow people, things, or new cultural norms. It’s your duty as a Christian to go against society and go towards the Lord!

Imagine you're on the Titanic as it's sinking into the ocean. What would have to happen for you to be safe? Would knowing that there is a lifeboat be enough? Would believing that the lifeboat could save you be enough? No! You have to actually get on that lifeboat! Today, Pastor Chris will show you that it's the same with Jesus. You're either on board with Him... or you're not. Praise God that He has provided the perfect lifeboat through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and it has room for everyone!

Have you ever felt like you were the only person speaking up for the truth? Modern culture tells you to be accepting of all kinds of lifestyles and to let other people pursue “their truth.” The apostle Paul definitely knew what it was like to speak the truth, even when it was unpopular. Today, Pastor Chris will share with you Paul's experience on trial, as he advocated for the gospel when no one else was on his side. Jesus calls you to fight for the truth in every situation, and the great news is that He is always with you.

If you're a Christian, the Bible is full of wonderful promises that are custom-made just for you! One mind-blowing truth is that the perfect righteousness of Jesus is yours now! Your spiritual bank account went from being trillions of dollars in debt to having enough money to fill the whole universe! Today, if you've been born again, Pastor Chris will encourage you to live more like Jesus. If you haven't made that decision yet, think about it as you listen to this message! Jesus is waiting with open arms, so run to Him!

It's pretty unusual for you to want to be found guilty, right?  You don't want to be guilty of something minor, like choosing to embellish a story. You definitely don't want to be found guilty of something major, like a crime! But there's one thing you should want to be 100% guilty of: belonging to Jesus. Looking at your life, would the people who know you say, “That's definitely a Christian?” Today, Pastor Chris will show you that the most important thing in your life is being guilty of following Jesus. 

In today’s message, Pastor Chris describes how God arranged the right person, the right place, and the right message to deliver Paul from danger. God is sovereign over every detail of your life. He has people you have not yet met, circumstances you cannot predict, and protections already in motion that you may never see this side of heaven. Even the small frustrations you face, being late, missing an exit, or hitting an unexpected delay, can be the exact things He uses to shield you from danger.

Today, Pastor Chris explains the clear biblical truth that every single human will die and be resurrected. The Bible teaches that no one escapes this; every soul will rise into an eternal, glorious body. The difference lies not in whether you rise, but in where that resurrected body goes. Jesus Himself said not to marvel at this, because the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth. There are only two options. You know what they are. There’s no third one. So which will it be?

Today, Pastor Chris describes the road to Damascus where Jesus confronts Saul with the words, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” Saul’s immediate response is raw surrender. He doesn’t argue, doesn’t negotiate, doesn’t run. Jesus answers with simple direction: “Go into the city, and I’ll tell you what to do.” No full blueprint, just the next step. That’s the Christian walk you’re called to live: place your faith in Christ, bow to Him as Lord, and ask daily, “Lord, what do you want for me?”

Have you ever been put on the spot by someone asking, “Who is God to you?” Today, Pastor Chris challenges you to have an answer ready. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart first, then always be prepared to give a clear answer to anyone who asks for the reason behind it. It’s not always about having every answer, but being able to articulate who Jesus is to you personally. Why His death and resurrection changed everything, and why His presence gives you unshakable hope even in chaos.

There’s so much we can learn from the Bible, especially in the Book of Acts. But if there’s one thing Pastor Chris wants you to understand, it’s this: God is good, no matter what you face. In this world, you’ll encounter storms from your own actions, spiritual battles from the enemy, and tasks from God that may feel difficult at times. That’s why He gave you His Word, to remind you that you’re never alone, and that God has always been faithful to those who choose Him. Today, place your faith in Christ.

When we spend our entire lives in the world, it’s easy to adopt a worldly mindset; in fact, it’s the mindset we’re born into by default. But when we give our lives to Christ, everything begins to change. Our hearts change. Our standing with God changes. And while so much happens immediately, there’s still work to be done. That’s why, in today’s message, Pastor Chris encourages you to adopt a heavenly mindset. Because when the world tells you one thing, the Lord and His Word remain the ultimate authority.

If you knew that today was your last day on Earth, how would you choose to spend it? Would you revisit your favorite activities one last time, or would you prefer to be with the most important people in your life? Life in this world is not guaranteed, and at any moment, the Lord could call you back home. That’s why Pastor Chris reminds you that a life lived with Jesus is a life well spent. Following Christ is the best thing you could ever do. And when you accept Him into your heart, your eternal life begins right there and then.

We live in a world where almost anything we want is available at the touch of a button. And in a world driven by materialism, it’s easy to forget that there are things in life beyond our control, things we can’t understand or figure out on our own. That’s why, today, Pastor Chris reminds us that Jesus is real and that trusting in Him means choosing a life of faith. And it’s through that faith that we discover this truth: when we trust in Jesus, He is always with us, through every storm, guiding us every step of the way.