For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all...

When you go from nothing to something there are outlets the world encourages you to tap into. This episode challenges you to evaluate the outlets you're choosing and figure out the why. Looking at Saul who went from being a man of low status to becoming a powerful king, we share common reasons to...

09.27.24. "It's a relationship, not a religion” is something often said in Christian communities. But is it possible to live somewhere in the middle of those two words? Can we be religious and seek a relationship with God at the same time? Pastor Mike teaches that the two words truly mingle and t...

Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the LORD. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.

“Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Think of a time when someone wronged you or mistreated you. When you've come from nothing to something, this hits especially hard because you don't want to go backward. Is the satisfaction that vengeance brings enough to keep you being "something"? Often, the reasons we want vengeance are rooted ...

The fourth and final episode in the Abundantly More series reminds us that forgiveness is foundational in our faith walk. We'll examine what forgiveness is and isn't and walk through the reasons why not forgiving is not an option if we claim to be followers of Christ.

09.20.24. Even though there are meaningful, rich, and even profound sayings in the church, sometimes they do not make sense. Understanding them comes before appreciating them. And that is what Pastor Mike will help us do in this series, “Confusing Things Christians Say.” In this episode, Pastor M...

What exactly does "born again" mean? How about "a relationship, not a religion"?

Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson dissect some of the phrases Christians often say—but may not know what they mean—as they preview the next six-part TV message series, "Confusing Things Christians Say." Other phra...

Have you ever thought that you were being overlooked? There may be some truth to this, but if you think that God doesn't see you, then you're mistaken. God has handpicked you for some awesome things. However, sometimes we get in the way of ourselves. In this episode, we look at the contrasting re...

In the third episode of the "Abundantly More" series, we talk about who God is and why it is important for us to remember that he is not a small God. He is the Creator-God, who made the universe and knows the stars by name. He knows us intimately too, more than we know ourselves. Knowing who God ...

Episode two in the "Abundantly More" series reminds us that words matter. The apostle Paul tells us to build each other up, not to complain, to be grateful, and especially to bring the Word of God to the world. The blessing of doing so is not just for the other person! We reap important rewards a...

Being foolish has consequences. Most people who are fools don't know they're fools, or they are only foolish in some areas. Why be foolish at all though? Proverbs is a book dedicated to wisdom, and Proverbs 3 is C.L.'s favorite chapter. It has principles that can bless anyone who follows them and...

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat!"

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.