In this life, we face 'giants' everyday. We can encounter trouble that seems insurmountable with no relief in sight. Do you focus on the 'GIANT?' Or do you turn and focus on God? The battle is the Lord's, and He can't be defeated!

Today, we celebrate 100 years of the Lord's church at this location. Among our distinguished guests and returning members, we are blessed to have Hoyt Nelson, former preacher here, proclaim the Good News and express the glory of our Lord's church of nearly 2000 years.

In the end, it comes down to what you value most. There certainly are things of this world that we can value enough to obtain. But in your search of value that can last an eternity, wouldn't you rather have Jesus?

Is it in your nature to trust someone or something? Are you aware that trust is put in something or someone everyday, whether you realize it or not? God provides the strength we need to lay our hopes and needs on Him. Do you trust Him to provide that strength?

The apostle Paul contrasts the Christian's position to death and life. The Christian must be dead to sin in order to live for Christ. Without this, you are enslaved to sin and you are without life.

The struggle to compete is alive and well in Christianity. We have a goal, a prize, a set of rules, and a competitor. But along the way, we need to train, disciplining ourselves to run, and put aside the hindrances that our competitor, Satan, puts in our way. Are you fighting the good fight?

Much of the world is called to remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on this day. The Christian is told, in part, to commemorate this time in Christ's earthly life every first day of the week. But it is, most importantly, that resurrection of Jesus Christ that gives our faith purpose. It is the empty tomb that allows us to be buried with Him in baptism, to rise and walk in newness of life.

The central theme throughout the Bible is the priority of love in our lives. It is vital to have God's love in our life. Without that love, God cannot exist in our life. It is that theme that guides our treatment of others.

Both apostles, Peter and Paul, brought home the message of spiritual growth. "Faith" only is not enough. A faith that does not grow spiritually is not a faith at all. Let's look at the characteristics of a faith that grows spiritually.

The scriptures detail a long history of man's struggle against the temptations of evil. Satan has seemingly won a battle or two along the way, but the final victory belongs to God. Christ gave us the way to defeat Satan. How is your battle going?

What an honor it is to be wanted and chosen at a special time for a special reason. But what a blessing it is for our Father in Heaven to want all of us to be heirs of His, all of us, chosen before the foundations of the Earth were laid. It's not just an honor, it's an eternity with Him.

As Christians, we need to be "One Another People." The scriptures are replete with teaching that our relationships with one another are bound with Christian principle, together, and that relationship is a source of teaching and edification for one another.

Our lives as Christians shoud reflect the love that is shown toward us. Our first love should be that love for our Savior. Let's look at some examples of those that loved Jesus, and why they loved Him.

God's love is that amazing love. A love that is extended to us, as undeserving as we are. Let's look at some of the characteristics of that love that is spoken of at great length in the Bible.

Life on this earth is filled with troubling times and challenges that sometimes can overcome even our best efforts. Where do you turn when help is needed? What examples do we find in scripture?

No matter where you go in this life, no matter how far you think you can move from God, He will remain ever near.

For some, the simple act of baptism may appear insignificant. For others, the actual performance of being immersed in water is just plain silly. But for the believer, it represents the willingness of being obedient to a command of the Lord and the beginning of a new life in a walk with the Lord leading to salvation.

How many times do you hear someone being accused of believing everything they hear or read? There's a real danger in our faithful lives to be gullible to any idea that comes along that is not from our Father. We are warned to test the virtue of every "truth" because of the false ideas put out by non-believers in their quest to deceive.

Albeit highly underestimated by many of us, we exist as an example to someone. Our influence is exerted in some way, for better or worse, to someone. Who do you look to as an example? Who do you pattern your life after?

Although you may not have quite thought of it this way, but we are placed on this earth to be builders. We are commanded to build a church home, His church. We build homes, families, lives, and relationships, and our Lord is our only Architect of this design. We are His workers in this Kingdom and He has given us the blueprints in His Word.