Romans 5:3-5

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Hope is the life in our veins, the breath in our lungs and the courage for tomorrow. Melissa Troyer looks at our cold world as we ensure the cold of later winter and trust life will come back in the Spring and reminds us to trust life is coming.

Where do you get the perspective to praise God during tough times? Kimberli Brackett reminds us that even in the worst of circumstances, God is at work trying to make something out of our situation and we can see if we will praise God and ask for his perspective.

"Dear Father, giver of your Holy Spirit, Thank you for justifying me through faith, so that now I have peace with you through the Lord Jesus Christ......"

Are you ready for the hard chill that's coming? We can survive times of trouble, trials, and temptation if we prepare.

Where do you think you'll find real trust? Trial, temptation, trouble, and testing are in the same neighborhood with trust: we're not going to get the one we want without experiencing the ones we dont!

How do you get un-stuck? Stuck in an airport trying to get home, Phil realizes several lessons about getting un-stuck spiritually.

Does pain really serve a useful purpose? Pain is not always bad -- it is necessary to help us know where we need to change and be changed by the Father.

Are you ready for the long hard chill of winter? Phil Ware talks about the harshness of a long, cold, hard winter and the trials and troubles we must endure as believers.

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."

"And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. "

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Inspirational illustration of Romans 5:5 -- And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 5:5 -

Can hope really survive in such a tough time? There is great power of child-like hope when empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Can we keep from being disappointed by broken hopes? No matter how desperate things can seem, God has given the ability to hope in him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why do we so easily swallow the lure for the quick fix? Rubel Shelly warns us about the lure of the quick fix and reminds us that there are no short cuts to what is valuable and that perseverance is necessary for character.

Most important things require us to hang in and hang touch to get to our destination! So often we look for short cuts or ways to cut corners to get to a goal that can only be reached by hard work, perserverance, and a willingness to keep on working over time.

How can we overcome the problems in our lives? Life is filled with problems and some don't go away with just a prayer so we have to find a way to get past it.

Why intentionally face hard opponents? Phil Ware shares insight on the challenges of trials and sufferings and also on the desire and passion to have God's character produced in our lives through perseverance in times that are hard and facing opponents that are challenging.

Can you hang on till the right time? God sends us help at just the right time.

Do more than try to hang onto love. Let's God's love Hang on to you! Max Lucado reminds us to accept and receive the love God longs to give us.

God is in the room and has placed hope on a buffet platter right here, right now. Ron Rose is back at Black Rifle coffee and visiting and reflecting with others who have gone through rough times and found lasting hope.

What's good about the AC going out in summer? Sometimes God's greatest blessings are seen when things don't go exactly like we like them.

Can you still believe you can fly with broken wings? Ann Voskamp shares a powerful story about the first Sunday of Advent and butterflies and a friend with a broken heart.

"Dear Beloved, Today's verses are full of deeply significant words, but they are not hard to understand. Read them and let them fall into your..."

Can't I just keep a little of my life protected from this? Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

"Dear Precious One, Some words are simply more important than others. In the human vocabulary that We — Father, Son, and Spirit — use, one..."

It took several years for him to dig out of the hole he made for himself with his lack of appreciation for grace and his own need of it. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that not only is God's grace available in his love and mercy but also that mercy and grace is available to all, even the worst of sinners, like you and me!

Where does the power to keep hoping come from? God continually renews our hope through the Holy Spirit.

God isn't going to accept anything we offer him — our hearts, our Sunday worship, our offerings, our praise, our hopes, our private prayers, our dreams — if we knowingly remain at odds with a brother or sister in Christ. Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

Why are our relationships with God such a mess, with each other full of conflict, and with our world so destructive? James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that sin, both rebellion and missing God's goal of goodness for us, has reaped destruction on all we touch.

Status-seeking and a lust for superiority and power over others cannot be part of the Jesus lifestyle! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in online virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to have a heart for God's people and to serve them in love.

Not only can we begin the New Year as a fresh start, but we can also be made new — from the inside out — each day as we follow Jesus! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos and inviting us to continually be made new from the inside out.

What does pure religion really look like? Phil Ware continues his series connected to his blog about the his mission trip to Peru with his wife Donna and the children they touched.

Jesus isn't calling us to keep a list of do's and don'ts; he is challenging us to obey the Father from our hearts, in love. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and that he was not giving us a list of do's and don't do's, but was calling us to put into practice the way of God from the heart.

Proven love can grow strong and holy passion can send sparks into the air! Ann Voskamp writes about how much she loves her husband and why their passion still is as deep as it ever was.

The description of the Good Shepherd in John 10 aligns beautifully with Jesus' definition of serving and giving himself to bless us in Mark 10. Phil Ware continues his thoughts on becoming JesuShaped disciples, this week focusing on the horrors of the litany of spiritual abuse cases in the news and how different they are from Jesus’ definition of a JesuShaped leader and godly shepherd.

Why would you cheer against your own team? Rubel Shelly describes a better football game than the Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and this was between two high school teams, Grapevine Faith Christian and Gainesville State.

What do you do when you don't have the strength to do the next thing? Tom Norvell writes about powerlessness and how we have God with us to help us overcome.

Core to following Jesus is becoming like God in offering love, first. Phil Ware continues his series on what is core and focuses on love and what it is and how Jesus and God demonstrate it.

Rather than taking God's lavish grace for granted, we choose to offer ourselves to God and walk away from sin. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us of all that we have received from God through grace and how we must say no to sin because we have been so blessed!

How could I feel at home so far away from home? Phil Ware looks at Romans 15:7 and shares an experience from Thailand about feeling accepted and connected to people very different from himself.