River of Life - Cold Spring

Do you have a preschooler or younger? This weekend we will continue our journey into the Easter Story! We will take a look at what happened when the tomb was empty!Our Adventure Book in our Parent Toolbox will give you all the information you need! It will provide your child curriculum, activity pages, and a guide for you as a parent to become the teacher! We have a great opportunity to be our families spiritual leader and our River Kids team is devoted to equipping you as the parent. This service will be engaging, fun, and bible based!

Thanks for doing us again! We have Kyle Curran, our youth pastor, bringing a message of staying alert, and letting go of past hurts, trauma, and actions that cause us to live in the vicious cycles we can so easily find ourselves in. If we are not careful, the decision to follow into darkness can become second nature to us and ultimately become OUR nature. Enjoy this week, and be praying with us!

The most important day of the harvest is the day you choose the seed. “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” - 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NLT)The Parable of the Bags of Gold - “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ - Matthew 25:14 - 30 (NIV)Faith does not maintain, faith multiplies!

Part 1 Recap - “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessing, will be saturated with favor.” -Proverbs 11:25 (Passion)1. This House Is Anointed2. This House Is About Others3. This House Needs Your HouseNow What?4. This house is where miracles happen."Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a little oil.” -2 Kings 4:2 (NIV)“Do not despise the days of small beginnings” -Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)"Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting the jars aside as they are filled.” -2 Kings 4:4 (NLT)"She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring." - 2 Kings 4:5 (NIV)- It’s in the House of God where we see multiplication - where miracles happen. It’s where God uses your little or just enough. "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!" -Malachi 3:10 (NLT)"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness," -2 Corinthians 9:10 (NKJV)"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." - 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV)5. This house will be a house of overflow."When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and there will be enough money left over to support you and your sons.” -2 Kings 4:7 (NLT)"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," -Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)Don’t turn your back on God before your miracle is complete.

Mother's Day is the day set aside to appreciate and love the women in our lives who have had a meaningful impact in our lives. Mothers come in various ways throughout our lives: mentors, nurturers, boundary makers, and the list goes on. But to fight for their kids, and to love to the point of giving their own life, this role isn't just for moms, it's for all who have made Jesus their Lord and desire to pursue loving God an others the way he showed us here on earth. May this message encourage you to pray more earnestly for your children, but also for the next generation!

When Jesus asks a question in the Bible, it is easy to assume those around would make every effort to listen. He asked more questions then He answered, and often these questions caused many to be silent. A question He would often ask is what the person wanted, but He wasn't concerned about wants... He was concerned about needs. What is it that we need is what should drive us... and when we realize we need what the world cannot give, where do we turn? Tune in for this series!

We are in part two of our series, talking about the beauty, and pain, of sacrifice. Sacrifice comes in many forms, and it is often easy for us to assume sacrifice can only be associated with pain or sorrow. Scripture talks of a "sacrifice of praise," something we assume means through music or singing. In this way, a sacrifice doesn't seem to heavy, but again, sacrifice requires us to remove the comforts of our life in order to walk through the discomforts of life and to experience the growth that comes along with it. What if we praised not JUST in a building on a Sunday morning, but in our every day life outside of those walls? How would that sacrifice look for you?

If you're familiar with the story of Zacchaeus, then you remember he was a little man who climbed a tree to see Jesus. What's missed in this song is the heart behind WHY he wanted to see Jesus: a repentant heart who was desperately seeking to right the wrongs of his past. So many of us can relate to this feeling; the guilt of our past needs to be dealt with. Zacchaeus was willing to give 50% of his funds to the poor and pay back four times more than what he had taken. A beautiful story of sacrifice... from a heart desperate to know Jesus. Our desperation can lead us to want to atone for what we've done, but only Christ can do that. His freedom is available to us today!

The week after our Easter celebration is full of heightened feelings of freedom, redemption... and things back to normal as we remember them. The disciples were so used to ministering with Jesus with them... but time came where they had to learn to live this life He has called us to through the Holy Spirit. It's much easier to follow the teaching of someone when they are tangibly their, but we are easily swayed when the Spirit of God speaks to us and we need to learn to discern His voice. View this message as a "what's next" now that Jesus is alive and with the Father!

We are living in some very trying times! When it comes to multitasking, we can find ourselves prioritizing out the things that matter, and making the thing that do not paramount. However, are we preparing the church for when Christ comes to receive His bride? This message is a hard look at where we are, and what we consider to be important. We hope this gives perspective on how to reframe our perspective of what is MOST important!

A big challenge we have in this life is knowing who or what to follow. Next, HOW should we follow? Christ had many followers... until his teachings were either too hard or too offensive. The message of Christ isn't easy, especially in a world that demands comforts and rights. Can you follow Jesus if it means taking up your cross and dying to yourself? Find out how to live your life in Christ effectively with this message!

Home is where we lay our head, and our full attention to keep safe. Often we are putting up barriers and ways to maintain our security, and rightly so considering the world we live in. It is easy to assume we are safe, but what little leaks and broken windows still remain as we live in what the world wants us to believe is security, and slowly becomes a false sense of security? it's time to reevaluate our home protection... not physically, but spiritually.

It's not a matter of "if" we will have difficult seasons, but "when." And it's not a matter of when we will be ready, but how we will be ready. We live in a very broken world, and it is important to us as humans to find a place that, not only can we survive in, but thrive. Our time is so valuable, and how we spend it is just as important how we steward everything else. But when loss comes, it's easy to take our eyes off of faith, and onto control. If you are in this season right now, then this message is for you!

We are finishing up a quick sermon series called "Lies of a Love Song." We all enjoy the anthems of love, and often we see and hear them used in some of the biggest moments of life. But there often can be a negative attachment to the songs we hear, and this is caused not by the song, but the hurts that we experience in this life. One of the hardest actions we can do for others isn't to love them... but to forgive. We hope this message gives you tools to overcome the hardest act of love we can do...

Love is in the air! Or...at least that is what we are told during the month of February. Valentine's Day is a time when we show just how much we love others, but it can also be a routine of actions we've done for many years without much intention. With divorce rates higher than they've ever been, how can culture maintain a day specifically meant to celebrate love. Perhaps it's time to consider what lies we've been hearing around us, and choose to tune in to what is true.

We love being the body of Christ. It is led by the Creator of the universe, the One who knows our innermost being. However, it can be easy to assume that we only have a single role, rather than to accept that perhaps we can operate in roles that either we never imagined...or even ever wanted to. But serving the church is such a selfless act, and the more you do it, the more you see how God is actually your strength. We hope this message encourages you to serve more His church, and ultimately, the world around you.

We were very honored to have Willie Robertson, one of the stars of the show Duck Dynasty, speak to our community this past weekend! He shared some amazing stories of family, business, and ultimately what has changed his life, Jesus Christ. Listen to his story, as well as his challenge!

Praying is the greatest thing we can do to come against darkness, empty fear, and release control. Prayer is a two-way conversation, even if words aren't involved. intimacy with the Lord is a beautiful reality that we often choose to live outside of; when we choose to live in our reality, we will always fall short. How is your intimacy with the Lord?

We are launching a new series on the need for prayer... but not the ways we expect to. Needing to pray isn't going through a list of needs and grievances before God, it's asking Him to come into your every day life and to change the way you are by the work of the Holy Spirit. If we only ever talk to God with needs, we miss the whole point of a beautiful relationship with our Creator, one that He has yearned to establish with His creation.

We are joined by Kendall Alfaro this weekend as we kick off the first Sunday of 2026! Aside from being a gifted and relatable speaker, he also is the National Speed The Light Director, and organization that exists to spread the name of Jesus to unreached areas. This Sunday, Kendall spoke on how we can often live life distracted. Whether it is through our phones, work, or even family, it's important we tune out to the things that aren't as important as our relationship with Jesus. Thanks for joining us!

As 2025 comes to an end, we give thanks to God for all of the amazing ways we have been a vessel for His glory... but this is also just the beginning of something incredible. We look ahead not because we want to rid ourselves of what has been, but out of obedience to a God who has proven Himself to be faithful. Thanks for joining us for 2025, and join us again as we look to the great things in 2026!

As we land on the last name for the Messiah that was prophesied to come, Prince of Peace is something many of us may have heard at some point in this season. But can many say they LIVE in peace? If He is the prince of peace, what does that mean for us who are trying to find peace. Can it be found if it is a person? We hope this message encourages you to put your trust in the one who IS peace, and doesn't just bring peace.

We are continuing our series on the names given to the coming Messiah as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6. We landed on Everlasting Father... and a message that is an interesting study on what this means. Jesus is the son of God, so how could he also be named the Everlasting Father? The supposed dichotomy is looked into specifically, but also, what does it mean for God to be a father? A Father eternally at that? We hope you enjoy this teaching this week!

We have a special treat this past weekend! As we continue our series on Isaiah 9:6, we had some special guests join us for an amazing presentation. Our kids ministry works tirelessly every year to deliver the Gospel in unique and creative ways though the Kids Christmas Musical, and this year did not disappoint. At the end, Pastor Kirby gave a teaching on how God is our Mighty God, and how we can live life with this reality at the forefront. We hope you enjoy this week's podcast!

As we begin the Christmas season, it's important for us to recognize the LORD of this season. Christ Jesus' birth is the turning point in history where man began to understand what hope and joy to its fullness could look like in this life. But we often make the same mistake Martha made when Jesus asked her who he was... She was waiting for the promise, not realizing the promise was right in front of her, sharing the same air and feeling the same emotions. To be understood is a gift that is too often withheld, and thus we discover how Christ showcased His glory; He is our Wonderful Counselor. Join us as we explore how Jesus embodies Isaiah 9:6 to the fullest!

Give thanks... in all things. Give thanks... even when it is tough. Give thanks... when you are in want. Giving thanks in this way becomes less about a reaction and more of a response; it is a choice we make, not a circumstance of the season. Our hope is that this message increases your reason to give thanks, not because of what you have, but because of how God has been so present in your life. We can give thanks in all things because He continues to reveal Himself. We hope you make this your prayer daily!

This past Sunday we had the honor of hosting Project Rescue, and organization that focuses on empowering survivors of sexual slavery and restoring hope. We heard the heart of these amazing people, how their amazing story led them to this point, and what they are doing to help those in need. We hope you are encouraged and challenged on how we can, together, make a greater impact in our world!

This life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, lefts and rights. We can be the cause of these changes, and we can be along for the ride, either intentionally or otherwise. Whether or not we are the reason for our circumstance, there is a response we all will have eventually, and that is our attitude. An attitude that is positive continues to view life from a stand point that circumstances do not make the whole of who we are...but perspective has power. If we are negative, we can find ourselves in a prison that we hold the key to, but often times we stay in this prison to let others know that someone has to serve the injustice done against us. We hope this message this week helps you to overcome negativity, not just for yourself, but for others around you.

This message may be a little difficult to listen to... because we are talking about letting go of control. Control is often the antithesis to the ministry that God wants to do. A massive, all knowing, all encompassing God should be able to handle this world and universe, and yet we place the weight of all of this upon our shoulders. This isn't what we were meant to do! We hope this message gives you the tools to let go of the things that are heavy, and instead to take on the burden that Christ meant for us... to be His image.

We are getting close to the end of the Battle Within series, and each theme represents real but often misunderstood emotions we face in this life. Perhaps the most misunderstood of all is disappointment; often times, we are disappointed without quite understanding why ourselves. The reality of this life is we often go into dreams and goal with a heartfelt conviction, hoping for the best, but what should we do an how should we respond when what we thought was going to happen... doesn't? Hopefully this message can encourage you to dive deeper into His Word and see how we can develop healthy expectations!

Sunday was a big day in history for River of Life Church! Find out more why: https://riveroflifeag.org/albany-campusThis week we are addressing a great battle than many aren't quire sure how to prepare for: fear. Fear is the greatest enemy of our faith, because fear's success is dependent on the lack of our abilities. As we face the biggest challenges in life, perhaps the first thought we have could be "am I ready for this?" or "what happens if this is the consequence?" or "what if I fail?"We hope this message encourages you to take the proverbial plunge... knowing that your Father in Heaven is ready to help you.

Knowing who you are is a greatly affected by your ethics and convictions. Our morals are often what keep us centered and established, but what happens when we go against these very things? What happens when we keep going against what we believe to be true? Shame is a prison than can be a life sentence; however, what if there was an option to receive an appeal? Tune in to this week's message to understand how this can become your reality.

One of the hardest battles we can ever face are the internal consequences of actions; whether of our own doing, or done to us. The reality is that letting go of past pain is one of the toughest battles we can face, and to try and forget is never formulaic. Perhaps we may never forget, but can we heal from the past? Are we ever able to truly walk in a new way with our past hanging on our back? We hope this message can give you the tools you need!

Let's talk about anger... a phrase you rarely ever hear spoken gently on. Anger is one of the greatest emotions we have: it can lead us to act, but it can also lead us to hurt. Scripture says to not sin in your anger... but it doesn't say not to be angry. So how do we be angry and yet be gentle? This can be a struggle, but it starts with the example of Jesus. We hope this helps you to know how to battle well!

Change in our world is often prompted by response to the forces around us. We change because we have to, not because we want to. And sometimes this change is great, but often it is uncomfortable, uncertain, and can induce fear. But what if we could anticipate change, ready ourselves, and grow into it? By the Spirit of God... this is possible. We hope this message prepares you to appreciate change, and seek to ask, "what can I do to make this effective?"

This weekends podcast is a short reflection on how we should be prepared in all ways to share the Gospel. The one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy is after us, but we can give him the tools and the advances to use against us. If we aren't careful of our play calls and remaining patient, we can allow things into our lives that will cause us to live scrambled lives instead of prepared and practiced lives. We hope you enjoy this message!

The irony of trying to find happiness in this life is that it is never fulfilling. It's something we invest for, work for, and sacrifice for, but it is ultimately a feeling, as much as sorrow and fear is. These reactionary emotions often become leaders of our lives, whereas Jesus calls us to a greater lifestyle: that of sacrifice. While sacrifice can emit emotions, it isn't dependent on it. And sacrifice can produce more in this life to ready us for eternity than trying to be "happy." We hope this message helps you to choose what is eternal.

It is easy to live our life in the world WITH the world, verses life in the world IN the world. The difference is this: Who is your lord? Is it Jesus? Is it work? Is it a relationship? To build our kingdom here on earth may last for a while, but it will inevitably fail and fade. How can we work to build alongside God for the Kingdom here ON earth?

What does it looks like to achieve greatness in life? Is it about acclaim? Is it about wealth? Is it about security? Often we find that to achieve greatness requires sacrifice... but what are we sacrificing? Are we sacrificing the wrong things to achieve the wrong goals? Where is your vision leading you, and what are you sacrificing in the process to achieve it? Want to know how to achieve it greatness?... check out this message!

We are continuing our series on James, venturing into what it looks like to not just talk the talk, but truly walk the walk. Our lives in Christ are NOT made possible by our works, however, our works flow from the life we live in Christ. We can tell if someone has been so deeply affected by Christ by the way they mirror Christ. Our challenge for you: how are you mirroring Christ?

The book of James in the Bible is from the heart of one of Jesus' disciples; His very own half-brother, James. His words are from a perspective of Christian living that is relevant even to this day. How we act, our conduct, and approach is so critical as followers of Jesus. Let's be encouraged to live out our call in a way that brings others to Christ, and not away!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is one of the most impactful and controversial events in history. The implications of such an act make Jesus and the disciples liars, or Jesus is truly God. It cannot be anything in-between. The power of the resurrection testimony has established the modern world as we know it, and to deny its credibility is a presumptuous task; we have more history of Jesus Christ than we do Julius Caesar. We hope this message by guest speaker Gabriel Zamora challenges but also encourages you to know that Jesus is the One True God, and there is plenty of evidence to confirm it!

When others talk about hearing God, we are quick to assume there is a character trait that can simply be described as... crazy. This must be how those around Noah, the man who built the ark, must have felt. But the greatest miracle of this whole story lies not in the extreme weather events... but how this man obeyed God and did what he was told. Despite the pressure from those around, and extended building time frame, and even the unknown of survival, he acted counter-culturally and saved our lineage. Sometimes us acting out fo character to the culture around us is of greater effect than the words we speak. How can you challenge yourself to live differently and obey God above all distractions?

To live free is not just a position politically, but a state of mind many are seeking. To be free is not something we should have to fight for, yet history has taught us otherwise. Christ tells us that being free is not overcoming our oppressors... it's receiving Him completely. But the challenge is not going back to our life of bondage... because for so many, it's what we know. We hope you can find freedom in Christ!

We are still navigating what it looks like to take on the character of God in spite of our own failing character. It can seem impossible to consider Jesus as fully God, fully human, but when we do so, we find the character of Christ is not something that is impossible to reflect. However, in order to do so, we need to remain in Him, in order to be the light to the world He has called us to. He laid out the perfect foundation for how to enjoy relationship with God, our Heavenly Father; we must choose to follow Him.

The story of Paul is a unique story; he literally changes names to become one of the greatest voices in Christian history. However, his journey to what God eventually calls him to is anything bout ideal; he is on the opposite side of Christ Jesus, thinking he is doing what he is supposed to be doing for the sake of God. Sometimes being out of character means that aren't quite sure what it means to be our true selves, those who are found in Christ Jesus and have repented of our old behavior. Fortunately, His kindness is what leads us to repentance. And repentance is what leads us to a life of wholeness in Jesus. Thanks for joining us for this weekend's message.

When reading the Word of God, there are often stories and characters that seem to be unbelievable. In the case of the Israelites and Balaam, there is a talking donkey that really turns out to be more than just a weird story... it's actually a promise of Who was to come. The truth of God's Word is that Jesus is our only hope, and the unlikely of characters found themselves pointing to Him generations before in the midst of what seemed like no hope. We hope you enjoy this week's message, and are hoping this challenges you to think, "am I going against or joining alongside God in His story?"

Our character has a greater influence than our actions. We all want to show others we are virtuous, but if we can't back this up with our everyday interactions, it only takes one moment for it all to fall down. Especially when we are stressed, tired, or overwhelmed. How can we remedy this? We hope this message helps to bring clarity.

We are entering into the second week of our series, Out of Character. David was a known as a man after God's own heart... who also failed. His character comes into question when we read the honest accounts of his life, but what made him wear the title so effectively? The heart of God. We hope this message encourages you to seek the heart of God daily!

We are jumping into a new series talking about the humanity of many of the Bible's characters we read throughout the narrative of Scripture. The Bible was written with the purpose of connecting us to what to do, and what not to do. It wasn't written as a rule book, but as a testament of the goodness and faithfulness of God. However, we often act OUT of character against God due to the humanity we face every day. We hope you gain some wisdom and insight in this weekend's teaching.