Video
March 26, 2023

We Have Hope

Pastor Christina Karanick

The message of the Gospel, that Jesus lived, died, and was raised to life again is not some message that we accept once and cruise onto eternity. Instead, Peter seems to make it clear that it is a message for right here, right now.

From the Bible:
1 Peter 1:3-6
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ‘

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Video
March 13, 2023

What You Have Been Searching For

Keela was unable to find purpose in this life. Keela had to take care of her mom from a very young age. Her dad was out of the picture until about age 7 and he turned out to be very abusive. Before age nine, Keela had already attempted suicide. Feeling ashamed, fearful and no purpose for living, the end for Keela seemed to be inevitable. But, then she was invited to a birthday party and her life was thrown into a tail-spin of change.
So it was a surprise when a friend told me that I didn’t have to be.
Sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce on the ground, at a birthday party of all places, a beloved group of friends told me a story that changed my life, that so catastrophically wrecked my way of thinking that I rose up from the ashes as a new person.
I asked them about heaven, more specifically if I would ever see my mom there. That got us talking, and all of a sudden, these nine-and-ten-year-old girls huddled around me and told me exactly what my heart had been longing to hear.
They told me that God loves me. Like, really loves me. They told me that my sins had separated me from God (Isaiah 59:2) and that’s why I felt trapped in a hopeless world, doing things that I knew were wrong. They told me that this sin kept me from God, who wanted me to be with Him. But then they told me that Jesus loved me so much that He died on a cross to take away the punishment for all the stupid crap that I had done (John 3:16). They told me that because of His death, I can have a relationship with the God of the universe and live with Him for all eternity in Heaven (John 14:6).
They told me that God created me with a purpose, for a reason, to be His (1 Peter 2:9). They told me that He will never leave me (Hebrews 13:5). They told me that with Him, there is nothing to fear (Isaiah 41:10).
Sitting there in that moment, I felt something in me that I had never felt before. A rightness. Hope.
Hope.
See her story on Instagram @keelahope

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Video
March 6, 2023

Forerunner: John the Baptist

Pastor Christina Karanick
From the Bible: Isaiah 40:1-11

‘The voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the L ord in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her guilt has been removed, That she has received of the L ord ’ s hand Double for all her sins.” “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the uneven ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the L ord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the L ord has spoken.” A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the L ord blows upon it; The people are indeed grass! The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. ¶Go up on a high mountain, Zion, messenger of good news, Raise your voice forcefully, Jerusalem, messenger of good news; Raise it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” Behold, the Lord G od will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His compensation is with Him, And His reward before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. ‘

https://my.bible.com/bible/2692/ISA.40.1-11

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