January 2026 Sermons

The mission of our church is “We use our resources, tangible and intangible, to minimize human suffering and enhance human well-being. This is godliness to us.”

“If you have good sense, instruction will help you to have even better sense. Tell good people what you know they’ll profit from it.”

Wisdom is knowing what to do and what not to do, based on personal experience or the experience of others, to live life to the fullest.

• Thinking clearly is to be able to examine our thoughts in an orderly way." – Unknown
• Using a list grants the ability to simplify, meaning to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." – Hans Hofmann
• Someone once said, “Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”

1) Fun interrupts the pressure to constantly improve yourself.

2) You reconnect with the part of yourself you left behind.

3) Fun teaches your brain that life is more than tasks and productivity.

4) Fun lowers your stress in a way discipline cannot replicate.

5) Fun strengthens your relationships in quiet but meaningful ways.

6) Fun pulls you out of autopilot and back into your actual life.

7) Fun gives you energy that discipline alone cannot provide.

More Info:

7 reasons you should do something today just for fun

1. Focusing on how life “should” be every step of the way.

2. Wanting to control the uncontrollable.

3. Holding tightly to the way things once were.

4. Refusing to practice self-forgiveness.

5. Endlessly settling for the default settings.

6. Resisting new ideas and lessons.

7. Constantly seeking fleeting contentment.

8. Always worrying about everyone else’s story.

9. Fearing little (necessary) failures.

10. Waiting for the “perfect” moment to take the next step.

More info:

10 Daily Habits that Often Drain 98 Percent of Our Joy in Life

1. They accept that there are differences between people

2. They live in the moment

3. They don't make other people responsible for all of their needs

4. They act rationally, not emotionally

More info:

The Art Of Being Drama-Free: 4 Simple Habits Of People Who Protect Their Peace Like It’s Sacred | YourTango

The mission of our church is “We use our resources, tangible and intangible, to minimize human suffering and enhance human well-being. This is godliness to us.”

“That evening, Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let's cross to the east side.” So, they left the crowd, and His disciples started across the lake with Him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. Suddenly, a storm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat, asleep with His head on a pillow. His disciples woke Him and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?” But Jesus replied, “Why are you so afraid? You surely don't have much faith.” Then He got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. And everything was calm. The men in the boat were amazed and said, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him.”

·        Interactions: The ways God communicates and connects through conversations, actions, and relationships.

·        Intersections: Points where God’s purpose meets our lives, creating significant moments of change or revelation.

·        Interventions: Moments when God steps in to help or change a situation, showcasing His guidance and support.

• Glorification of God: Miracles are meant to honor and glorify God.

• Confirmation of Christ's Claims: They validate Jesus' identity as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior of humanity.
• Demonstration of Divine Power: Miracles showcase the divine power of Christ.
• Alleviation of Human Needs: They address and alleviate the physical and spiritual needs of people.
• Subjugation of Evil: Miracles represent the defeat of Satan's power and evil.
• Education in Faith: They serve to teach and enlighten people about matters of faith.

No faith is required in this miracle; there is no pattern of absolute practice for miracles to happen...

God is sovereign. He can do whatever, whenever, to whomever He wants to…

 ...“His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?”

The mission of our church is “We use our resources, tangible and intangible, to minimize human suffering and enhance human well-being. This is godliness to us.”

• Suffering and Pain: Experiencing personal tragedy, illness, or loss can lead to questioning God's goodness and presence.

• Unmet Expectations: When prayers go unanswered or life doesn’t unfold as hoped, individuals may feel abandoned or let down.
• Religious Hypocrisy: Witnessing hypocrisy among religious leaders or communities can cause disillusionment with organized religion and its teachings.
• Injustice and Evil: Observing widespread suffering, injustice, and evil in the world can challenge beliefs about a benevolent and mighty God.
• Crisis of Faith: Personal crises, such as moral dilemmas or life transitions, can lead to a reevaluation of beliefs and feelings of disconnection from God.
• Conflicting Beliefs: Exposure to differing beliefs or philosophies can create cognitive dissonance, leading people to question their own faith.
• Rigidity in Dogma: Harsh or exclusionary teachings can turn individuals away from God, leading to feelings of guilt and shame rather than acceptance and love.
• Life Changes: Major life events, such as marriage, parenthood, or retirement, can prompt reassessment of one's beliefs and priorities.

• Accept What You Can't Control

• Build A Daily Grounding Practice

• Reframe Setbacks as Data
• Cultivate Selective Vulnerability
• Practice Micro-Recoveries
• Try To Maintain Forward Momentum (even tiny steps count)
• Honor Your Recovery Rhythms
• Diversify Your Identity Portfolio

Author Unknown

Lord, we will not live in a perfect world until we join you in heaven. This current situation will not be the last crisis for the world or us. Remind everyone that we cannot outrun, outpace, outdo, outsmart, or outlive trying times. It has a way of popping up even in the good and prosperous seasons in the culture, life, and the lives of those around me.

Lord Jesus, I pray for those times when the stresses of life often reach a dangerous proportion—or so it seems. We feel it in our body, mind, and spirit, and at times struggle to keep up physically, mentally, and yes, spiritually.

Some days, God, anxiety stalks like a deceitful predator, and the temptation to worry draws us in. We know better, but on some days, the challenges outweigh the truths that lie within. God, some days, our trust in You fades into the background, giving fear and concerns permission to discourage us.

Teach us to recognize stressful trials as tools for shaping, rearranging, and refining us. Through difficult times, teach patience, enlarge my faith, and help us see things we could not see before.

When an anxious thought creeps in, it helps us stop and relax, take that thought captive, and turn apprehension into a calm prayer for deliverance. Revamp our belief system, Lord. Show us a new way to handle life according to Your Way. Transform these potential sources of stress into opportunities for growth and trust.

In the name of Jesus, Amen

“Some who were present on that occasion told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices. He replied, “Do you think the suffering of these Galileans proves that they were more sinful than all the other Galileans? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did. What about those eighteen people who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more guilty of wrongdoing than everyone else who lives in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did.”

The mission of our church is “We use our resources, tangible and intangible, to minimize human suffering and enhance human well-being. This is godliness to us.”

 “Jesus told this story: “A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’ The gardener responded, ‘Sir, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it (manure) fertilizer. Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’”

• We are neither as bad nor as good as we think we are… 

• Good things happen to bad people, bad things happen to good people, and any other combination.

• Some people get what they deserve, while others seem to get away with almost everything. There is no rhyme or reason,

• As we reflect on this parable, let us embrace the message of grace. Each of us has the potential to grow and bear fruit, even in seasons of difficulty.

•  God is not finished with us and offers renewal and hope.

•  May we be like the fig tree that not only survives another year but flourishes, producing fruit that reflects God’s glory.