The mastermind behind the kingdoms of man has always been our Adversary, the devil. His most sly, subtle, underestimated tactic through the ages has been to incite a spirit of rebellion in the heart of every person. The easiest route to deceiving people is through the kingdoms we call home and how they offer us an immediate semblance of comfort and…

Samson is known for the riddles he told, but his life and story are a riddle in and of themselves. He was clearly gifted and used by God, while also being blatant and defiant in his sin. God's patience and sovereignty over Samson's life is contrasted by his own casual mishandling of sacred, serious moral issues. In this message, we look at Samson's…

In this message, we discuss what Heaven will be like for those who die in Christ and who are taken up when He returns. We look at how worship and a devotion to Jesus will be a constant according to Revelation. This leads into a reflection on how we understand worship here on earth and discussion about our unity with other believers. We also discuss…

When the final kingdom of this world has fallen, after 21 different judgments are poured out - there's still more to the story.When everything this world has called good and relied on for generations has been consumed and fades away - there's still something better on the horizon.In this message, we let the words of Revelation 19 instill us with ho…

The Bible talks a great deal about strongholds of evil that are established by the devil, meant to frustrate and inhibit the work of God within the people of God. We often assume that these strongholds are built around places or groups of people, but they are actually most present within every heart. Misidentifying our true enemy has caused many of…

Satan's greatest deception and most successful tactic against Christians has always been through religion. He has constantly worked to turn the movement of God, into a museum about God, where the mission is emphasized and mood and memories are prioritized.Through religion, Satan lulls us into a state of comfortable detachment from God, where we are…

Early on in life we learn how to monitor and modify our behavior based on our surroundings. While this may quell our bad habits and repercussions, eventually it begins to enable a worse habit. Overtime, we ignore the impulses behind the actions. We may not say or do the wrong things in front of the right people, but we still carry the sinful desire…

Being a Jesus follower means we've received a brand new identity, with access to a brilliant, unbelievable opportunity in God's Kingdom. In this message, we consider the wonder of Jesus' invitation to us all and how privileged we are to be included in God's plan. In spite of who we are compared to Him, He has chosen us to be key players in His miss…

Everybody wants to be great. We want to be great in every category and on every level. Politicians promise greatness. Advertisement campaigns are all about making people feel and look great. Revelation looks forward to the final kingdom of man, which in many ways is the ultimate form of all the preceding kingdoms. Revelation 18 refers to Babylon as…

Presiding over every kingdom of man, permeating the structures on every level of society is the spirit of Babylon. This agenda has long been leveraged by the Enemy to solidify and further the separation between God and man. In this message, we look at how the beastly kingdoms have always deceived the masses with illusions of power, treasure, and pl…

In an age of multitasking, we are also prone to multi-worship - that is, split our devotion between God and many other masters. We may not bow at idols like the ancient pagans, but we certainly order our lives around vain, lifeless rulers. In this message, we examine the many idols we have elevated above God and realize that much of our behavior re…

Revelation 16 gives us a glimpse of the day on which Earth's last mortal kingdom will fall. No matter how peaceful, prosperous, or powerful any nation or empire of this world may seem, there is an expiration date on them all. In this message, we look at the series of plagues that will fall on the earth in the last days. These all serve as judgement…

Are you really following Jesus? It's one thing to say we believe or to obey certain religious commands, but following Jesus is truly measured in how we behave and live out our daily lives. In this message, we hold ourselves up to the ultimate litmus test of Christianity - The Sermon on the Mount. In this famous message, Jesus lays out a practical p…

There have been many reminders of our world's fallen, fragile nature throughout the generations. As the Day of the Lord draws near, nature and society will fracture and crack even more. All of these things should cause us to look up... for our redemption is coming soon.Par Risen Church NC

In this series, we go back to the basics (and the Bible) to discover the most essential truth about Christianity. That is, there is no version of the Christian faith where following Jesus is not at its heart. Our modern world defines Christianity dozens of different ways, with various degrees of severity and flexibility. However, according to God's…

In this message, we consider the justice, severity, and necessity of God's wrath.Par Risen Church NC

As merciful as our God is and as many chances as we are all afforded, eventually our earthly lives will come to an end. This doesn't take anything away from His grace, but points to God's sovereign plans and our finite nature. He's given us an opportunity to live for His glory and eventually, that opportunity will end. Our lives may end, but our st…

This message spotlights some of the most forgotten heroes of our faith who all experienced rejection and disappointment. God sent special revelation and comfort to them- which continues to serve as inspiration to us. Listen as we hear God's promises to raise us up from life's lowest moments and sustain us by His grace. In Christ, there is acceptanc…

In this message, we study the difference between those marked by the Beast vs those marked by the Lamb. Revelation 14 gives us a description of those redeemed by God, in contrast to those who have fallen completely away. Listen as we discuss God's image and what our lives look like when we've been restored through Christ.…

Bitterness and resentment can be like an albatross around our neck- dead weight that will only drag us down and hold us back. Of course, nobody becomes bitter or resentful because they want to. In most cases, these emotions are the overflow of other peoples' actions. We would have much rather done without the hard feelings. In this message, we look…

"God helps those that help themselves"This is an old proverb that is often repeated and even assumed to be rooted in the Scriptures. However, it couldn't be any further from the Bible and its truth. In this message, we study the life of a man who couldn't stop trying to help himself and brute force his way in life. It took decades of trying and con…

Satan has been attempting to copy and counter God since the Fall. He offers us up counterfeit, imitations to deceive people, and ultimately destroy them. Satan has long been desired to be worshipped in the place of God and has lured many to give the praise that only God deserves. In this message, we learn about his ultimate copy and what will be th…

Looming over every generation is a shadow of evil and deception. Our fallen world has been a domain of beasts- wild, unruly kingdoms with short-sighted vision and man-centered goals. In Revelation 13, John sees a vision of a world overran by a kingdom destined for judgement. Behind the nations, corporations, and institutions that lead people astray…

We can't always start over or obtain a clean slate. Most of our lives are built on top of many sins, mistakes, unwelcome circumstances - but these don't have to be the end of us. Jesus invites us to put these things behind us and walk by faith, however limited it may be. He also calls for us to identify our sin and guilt and allow Him to extract it…

Revelation gives us a glimpse at the future reckoning which will come against our fallen world and the powers of darkness that overshadow it. We even get a brief look into the Spiritual realm, where God will once and for all bring an end to Satan and every force of evil. This short passage in Revelation 12 details the end of Satan as our accuser an…

When distresses come, is your initial response to worship the Lord? There probably isn't a more unnatural suggestion, right? Nonetheless, the Bible instructs us to do this again and again. Psalm 118 doesn't just tell us to do this though, it explains why we should and the blessing that's found when we do it. In this message, we learn why God sovere…

Christians are called to seek out and set their minds on the better pathways made accessible through God's grace. Jesus has opened up to all of us a brand new way of life, whereby we walk in true fellowship with God and reflect Him to our world. In this message, we look at the most important of all the pathways laid out for us by God's Word: the Ch…

Nobody ever intends on getting lost, but we've all been there. Not just in our travels, but figuratively speaking. We've all arrived at places in our lives that are less than the best we dreamed about. As much as we'd like to hope otherwise, good intentions don't matter if we're going in the wrong direction. In this series, we discuss how if our he…

Lights in the Darkness - Revelation 10-11 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

God's warning to Ancient Israel about how they might protect and preserve their freedom turns out to be just as relevant to our generation. Listen as we hear what the Bible says about our God given freedom, the fear that always follows it, and how we might ensure the best possible future for us and our children.…

A Father's Desire - Exodus 19:1-6 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Restoring Hope: The Devil's Rampage - Revelation 9 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

The Great I AM - Exodus 3 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Restoring Hope: Silence and Severity - Revelation 8 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Made For More - Psalm 139 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Restoring Hope: The Last Revival - Revelation 7 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Before a storm rolls in, you can almost always hear thunder in the distance. Revelation 6 begins with thunder roaring from the Heavens, before going into great detail of the storm that will one day come upon this world. In this message, we breakdown the outline of the "Apocalypse" as described in Revelation 6. Ushered in by four horsemen, there is …

We have such a unique opportunity before us each and every day, living under and by the promises of God. Our place in history only adds to the blessings of knowing Jesus. Our privilege and good fortune cannot be overstated.In this message, we hear Jesus hold us accountable by reminding us of our great opportunity and tremendous responsibility. May …

In this message, we take a look at three passages that highlight our Triune God and how He is Father, Son, and Spirit. In all three, we see how we can encounter Him and be transformed through a deep, personal relationship.Par Risen Church NC

A Pentecost Bible Study - Ezekiel 37 by Risen Church NCPar Risen Church NC

Pentecost is our annual reminder that Heaven's momentum is on our side. No matter what may seem to frustrate us, the mighty, rushing wind of Heaven is at our backs and driving us forward.Par Risen Church NC

If there's one constant in Heaven, it's worship. Worship is ascribing praise to that which we consider most valuable. Obviously, there's no question that God is worthy of all the attention in Heaven. Revelation 4-5 gives us a glimpse of Heaven and challenges us to adopt a similar posture of worship here on earth.…

The third section of Revelation begins in chapter 4 and continues until the end of the book. After speaking to the things which God had done through Christ and addressing the Church, John is called up to Heaven to see what the future holds. In this message, we learn about the promise of rapture and resurrection that the Church will experience one d…

We all want forgiveness. We all want to feel forgiven, free from our guilt and shame. In this message, we look at this universal longing of every human heart and how God alone can answer it. He has always wanted us to know that He is forgiving and desires to give us peace. Jesus made the great exchange, when He took our guilt and shame, in order to…

Jesus' final word to the Church in Revelation spotlights two different congregations, on opposite extremes of the spectrum. One was persevering against all odds, while the other had lost sight of God completely. In this message, we hear Jesus encourage us to embrace all of the grace that God has for us and make the most of every opportunity. We als…

Jesus issues a stern warning to the Church about the Enemy's plot to sidetrack us from our mission. The greatest danger may seem to be from those who seek to do us harm, but according to Jesus it's something much more subtle. In this message, we talk about Satan's strategy to corrupt the Church from within, to plant seeds of compromise and turn us …

If Jesus were to speak to the Church today, what would He say?It would probably be pretty close to what He said to the Churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3. In this message, we look at His word to the first selection of congregations, bringing both peace and pressure. Our time serving as His Church is limited and borrowed. His return is certain, whic…

Every decision we make and action we take involves some kind of sacrifice. Regardless who those sacrifices are made for, there's no denying that all of our priorities are a result of a series of sacrificial choices. In this message, we once again hear Jesus call us to a life devoted to following Him- one in which we must be willing to lay everythin…

From the day that Jesus launched His Church, He has invited every one of His followers to join it and help build it. Yes, that includes every one of us. Ephesians 4 is one of many invitations from God to us all, that we would wake up to our calling and realize the role we've been given. Not only are we all called, but we are also all gifted by God.…

Revelation was given to the Church to be a timeless resource of inspiration for every generation. As the church exists in the margins of society, enduring great trials, this book is meant to always restore our hope.In this opening message, we look at the landscape of the Church across the first century and see how God was calling them to maintain t…