Have you ever witnessed a hurricane approaching from a distance, wondering what it's like inside the storm? That's exactly what we experience when reading 1 Peter—a firsthand account from someone writing in the center of Christianity's greatest storm of the first century.

Peter penned this letter around 65 AD during Nero's brutal persecution of Christians. Rome had burned the previous year, and believers became scapegoats for the tragedy. Christians were being executed, and Peter himself would soon be crucified upside down. Yet remarkably, his letter overflows with hope and joy rather than fear or despair.

This powerful message reveals that our blessed assurance isn't fragile because it's anchored beyond this world. Peter identifies four foundations that keep our hope alive: we're anchored in Jesus Christ through the work of the entire Trinity; our inheritance is guarded by God himself; our trials actually develop and strengthen our faith; and God's Word continually reveals and reinforces our hope.

Unlike worldly optimism that depends on favorable circumstances, biblical hope represents absolute confidence in God's promises regardless of external conditions. It's not about having positive feelings about tomorrow but having confidence in who holds tomorrow. This perspective allows us to grieve tragedy without being destroyed by it and engage problems without being overwhelmed.

The message is profoundly relevant today. With increasing division, tragedy, and uncertainty all around us, we need this reminder that our hope isn't in outcomes but in the unchanging character of Christ. We don't deny difficulty—we acknowledge it while recognizing that our God is greater. Like securing our own oxygen mask before helping others, we must first drink deeply from this hope ourselves before offering it to a hurting world.

When everything looks like it's going downhill, God has never been better or doing more. There's never been a more important time to stand strong in this blessed assurance and share it with those who desperately need something solid to hold onto.

The ultimate mark of a disciple is becoming a disciple maker—someone who invests their life into others and helps them experience all of Christ in all areas of life.

• The characteristics of disciples who follow "the Way" make us recognizable as Kingdom people
• Disciples don't just know God personally, they help others know Him too
• Moving from being a cup (collecting for yourself) to a funnel (receiving to give away)
• Growing with others toward freedom rather than trying to mature alone
• Being someone's biggest motivator rather than their critic
• Sharing your salvation story helps you experience Christ's presence all over again
• The more we pour ourselves out for others, the more room we create to receive from God
• Taking someone to heaven with you is even better than going yourself

Looking for a next step? Schedule daily time with God, be someone's biggest fan this week, and share your salvation story with someone to experience God's presence all over again.

The fifth mark of a disciple is that we "live to give" – a lifestyle of generosity that positions us to experience God's miracles in everyday situations. This kingdom value stands in stark contrast to worldly wisdom that encourages climbing higher and taking more.

• God invites us to honor Him with our time, talent, and treasure
• Generosity gives us opportunity to see God do the impossible through our possible
• When we live generously, God guards our hearts from future fear
• Our generosity allows us to be living examples of Christ to everyone around us
• Like the friends who broke through a roof to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus, we can be part of someone else's miracle
• Three action steps: start slow and grow, see generosity as worship, write down what God does

"Try it, put me to the test," says the Lord. "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in."

Joy isn't just a feeling but a choice we can make daily, stemming from our connection to Christ rather than our circumstances. Brandon Gillum explains how we can choose joy through three essential components: servitude, gratitude, and wisdom.

• Servitude forms the foundation of joy, as Jesus taught that the path to greatness lies in serving others
• Satan attempts to steal our joy by shifting our focus from God to ourselves
• Joy doesn't come from success or material things but from following Christ's way of servitude and love
• Gratitude in all circumstances is God's will for believers
• Scientific research shows the brain cannot experience anxiety and gratitude simultaneously
• Starting each day with gratitude silences negative thoughts and opens our hearts to joy
• Wisdom comes from recognizing what we cannot accomplish alone and seeking God through His Word
• Reading the Bible four or more times weekly creates measurable changes in brain chemistry
• The story of the Samaritan woman demonstrates how servitude, wisdom and gratitude lead to overflowing joy
• Joy is ultimately our choice and our testimony to others

Choose joy for yourself and let others see the living water in you.

Our journey to become followers of "the Way" continues as we explore the third mark of discipleship: living to make it better. We unpack what it means to be spiritual contributors rather than consumers, fighting for unity, and using our God-given gifts to serve others.

• Making it better means living as a spiritual contributor, not a consumer
• Approaching service as an act of worship honors God with our very best
• Unity requires intentional effort as we naturally drift toward isolation
• Jesus provided specific steps for reconciliation in Matthew 18
• Every believer has received spiritual gifts designed to serve others
• We'll never accomplish as much separately as we can together
• Simple acts of kindness can become someone's miracle
• Everyday faithfulness matters more than dramatic heroics

If you want to know how you can make it better in your life, both inside our church and in our community, scan the QR code in your message notes. We want to help you make a difference because that's what God has called all of us to do.

The way of a disciple is living with all of Christ in all of life, demonstrated through how we see and serve people around us. When we love God first, we're empowered to see people through kingdom eyes rather than through the lens of our own needs.

• Looking at the parable of the Good Samaritan to understand what it means to be a neighbor
• Understanding that hurting people hurt people, but healed people bring healing
• Recognizing that people who seem "inconvenient" are part of our mission, not interruptions
• Learning from Jesus' example of stopping for the woman who touched his robe while on an urgent mission
• Discovering that true neighborly love is seeing opportunities to serve rather than waiting to be served
• Finding balance in how we help others: doing what we can, using what we have, and providing next steps
• Realizing that when we serve others, Jesus receives it as if we're serving him directly

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. God has not called any one of us to change the world, but each of us to walk into our world looking to make a difference.

We're beginning a brand new series called "The Way" about what it means to make disciples the Jesus way—exploring how followers of Christ are identified by their characteristics. The way of a disciple is defined by having all of Christ in all aspects of life, recognizable to others as being citizens of God's Kingdom.

• Before Christians were called "Christians," they were known as "followers of the Way"
• Jesus identified loving God as the greatest commandment, referencing Deuteronomy's guidance
• God's "love languages" include four specific ways we show Him love
• Loving God with complete allegiance means 100% commitment, not a halfway relationship
• Our primary identity as God's children should organize all other roles in our lives
• The third expression of love is through our decisions—representing God well to others
• Worship as the fourth love language means reorienting ourselves to God's goodness regularly
• People should be able to tell where we're from by how we express love for God
• Like finding a pearl of great value, discovering the Kingdom makes everything else secondary

The RLC Conference is coming up on August 23rd. Join us for a full day of digging deeper into God's word with many different topics about family, cultural issues, and discipleship. Register today at the Welcome Center!

What defines you? In a world constantly telling us to find identity in our accomplishments, relationships, or self-expression, Pastor Chris Durham delivers a powerful message on finding "Victory Through Identity" in the final installment of our Romans 8 series.

Our identity—who we truly are at our core—determines how we navigate life's battles. When we anchor our identity anywhere other than Christ, we build on shifting sand. But when we understand that we are children of God, accepted, secure, and significant because of Christ's finished work, we discover an unshakeable foundation that empowers us to face any challenge.

This message unpacks three transformative truths about identity from Romans 8:31-39. First, our identity in Christ is a gift we receive, not an achievement we earn. Jesus sits at God's right hand, interceding for us, placing His perfect identity in place of our flawed one. Second, when our identity is firmly established in Christ, we can bear all circumstances—trouble, persecution, danger—because nothing can separate us from His love. Finally, we fight from victory rather than for it, stepping into the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Chris candidly addresses symptoms of misplaced identity—being easily offended, inability to forgive, trying to be someone God didn't create you to be, and living with fear. He challenges us to recognize where we've anchored our identity in something other than Christ and invites us to step through the door to freedom.

Ready to experience victory through your true identity? This message provides practical steps to walk in freedom and stand against the enemy's attacks. As Pastor Chris reminds us, "Identity precedes activity"—we can't sustain godly living without first establishing who we are in Christ. Join us as we discover how to live from a place of victory!