Grace United Family Church

The Scripture is full of the goodness of the Lord. He greatly desires to bless everybody--and he has! But the same book which reveals his blessings also reveals his warnings to his people who live in persistent rebellion against his almighty authority. The Lord gives a massive, devasting list of curses, couched as warnings to his people. But what about New Testament truth? Hasn't God taken away the curse because Jesus became a curse for us? Come with the Grace United crew as we, with trembling hearts hear God's warnings, "On Steroids" to his people as proclaimed in both Old and New Testaments.

What comes to mind when you think of God's blessings? Spiritual ones? How about material ones? How about an overabundance of material blessings? This is what the Lord promised to give to Israel. But if the Lord is the same, yesterday, today and forever, why does the Lord not promise material blessings today? A bigger question seems to be, Why does the Lord emphasize material blessings anyway? Come with the Grace United crew as we explore God's Magnificent Blessings.

The Psalmist proclaims "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" The Lord encourages, even demands his people to proclaim his goodness, and as his people, our holiness--that we are set apart unto him: called out from the world. This is especially true in a corporate way. God told his people numbering more than a million to loudly proclaim they were his--all at once! How, and where and what was this proclamation all about? How can God's people do this today? Come with the Grace United crew as we joyfully immerse ourselves into the Lord's command to corporately proclaim we are his people and he is our God.

Generosity. It's a good word. But it seems to have achieved buzzword status in the church--a word that currently means "financial resources", In that we need to give more to God. After all, we are the richest country in the world. Also, God told his people in the Old Testament to tithe. What is a Christian to do with all this? Come with the Grace United crew as we talk about developing and maintaining a generous testimony in front of the watching world.

Grace United celebrates Ten Years as a church: an ekklesia! This past Sunday, Grace United spent a lot of time in prayer, and confession of sin. And discussing some "Family Business" in relation to major issues pertaining to what is now our former denominational affiliations, The Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. It was a powerful, emotional and gut wrenching time for all who call Grace United our home church. We invite you to pray with us, and ponder the issues raised. Given the recent fallout to include pending DOJ investigation into sexual abuse allegations denomination-wide, the Southern Baptist Convention may or may no longer be the largest Protestant denomination in America; nevertheless, she still wields major influential force in our country and even on the international stage.

Grace United's Youth and Young Adult Sunday serves as an annual refreshment to the souls of the more seasoned among us. The fire and passion by which they serve the Lord is a sight to behold, and in the case of Aidan and Liam who delivered the message (both are 17 years old), we marvel at their strength of conviction about the word of God. Give a listen! You will be challenged and encouraged. To God be the glory for the youth and young adults of Grace United Family Church.

Honor. Shame. These words carry a lot of weight. Regardless of time. Regardless of culture. In Israel, the Torah is to be the "sourcebook" to discover what actions are to bring honor to the Lord and to his people. The other side of the coin is what behaviors would bring shame, not only to the Lord but his people as well. Moses speaks of 4 shameful things in Deuteronomy 25. Strange things! What do these things mean in our day, to our culture as followers of Christ? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover what shame and honor are about.

"Love is the greatest thing in the world!" So says Miracle Max of the classic movie, "The Princess Bride." How many songs, movies, books, and so much more talk about these 4 English letters? The Lord has a LOT to say about love. But the love the Lord speaks of is far and away different than what the current cultural climate says about it. What does God consider love to be? How is it to be expressed among his people and especially to him by his people? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover the amazing holy, omniscient, omnipotent love of the only true and living God.

What does the word "holy" do to your heart and mind when you hear it? Does it conjure up pictures in your mind and emotions that are unpleasant? Or is "holy" a beautiful thing? The God Christians worship is the Only True and living God. He is the high and holy One. Holiness is a high thing, repugnant to man's sinful nature. How can sinful people learn to embrace holiness and love the One who IS holy? Come with the Grace United crew we discover the beauty of, and necessity for, holiness among God's people.

When one thinks of the Law of God, holiness comest to mind. It's almost axiomtic. After all, what is religion without rules? However, God's people delight in understanding and living out holiness as God describes it. This is for a reason: that God may be exalted and glorified. Come with the Grace United crew as we discover God's "boundary markers" of holiness and are encourged to live them out.

The Torah of God means "teaching God's ways to God's people." Torah is a Hebrew word translated as "law." "Law" often conjures up a hard and fast set of rules that, furthermore must be kept perfectly or God is not pleased. For all who believe this, there is some good news! Torah is all about life. Torah is all about family. Torah is all about the proper understanding of true authority. Come with the Grace United crew as we bask in the wonders of Torah as it applies to the most fundamental elements in our lives.

Father's Day is a time for a father to . . . encourage and exhort his family in the ways of the Lord. Part of this encouragement and exhortation is to tell things "like it is," both regarding the current state of culture and the eternal truth of God through Christ. Join the Grace United crew to be encouraged and exhorted to live the ways of the Lord in a day and age where true spiritual strength, coming from God through the power of his Spirit is rarely found.

War is among the uglliest, if not the ugliest activities anybody can engage in. People don't use the phrase, "war is hell" for nothing. Imagers of God actually killing fellow imagers of God with the sanction, with the approval, with the command of one's respective government. It was no different with Israel, as the Lord commanded his people to go to war. However Moses gave instructions about how soidiers were to ready themselves in preparation to fight against their enemy. What were those instructions? Is engaging in warfare proper for God's people today? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover anew and afresh of God's dealing with warfare, from the perspective of his holiness.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Pentecost. Hundreds of people fluently speaking in languages they had never learned. Flames of fire appearing over their heads. The apostle Peter preaching a powerful message. And when he was done, about 3,000 souls were added to the church. Certainly, Pentecost was a supernatural phenomenon. But what was Pentecost all about anyway? For people to speak in strange languages? Miracles? Or was is much more? And if it was much more, what was Pentecost for? Spoiler alert! It was! Come with the Grace United crew as we disover the wonder and power of Pentecost.

The Lord's Supper is regularly served in millions of churches all over the world. Followers of Jesus remember what he has done and just as importantly, who he is. But who is he? What is the extent of his salvation ministry? Scripture tells us that Christ died for the sins of the whole world. He as the Lamb of God has taken away the sin of the world. What does that really mean? When Jesus had his last meal with his men before he went to the cross, he established the New Covenant--the fulfillment of what the Prophet Jeremiah predicted. Gloriously, Jesus gave his people 2 things: Soul rest and soul freedom. What are these amazing things? Come with the Grace United crew as we remember the incredible things the Lord Jesus has done for us.

You shall not kill. That is the Sixth Commandment. Or is it? What does God mean when he says we are not to do that? What about when one accidently takes the life of another? Is this punished in the same way as one who is guilty of premeditated murder? Is there room for the grace and mercy of God in his economy when it comes to the issue of one imager of God taking the life of another? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover what Moses teaches God's people regarding the issue, literally, of life and of death.

Those who have a working knowledge of the Old Testament know that "priests" and "prophets" are all over the pages! Priests handle the holy things of God, and prophets speak to others in the name of God. But it may come as a surprise that the Bible tells us that priests and prophets appear in the New Testament as well. In addition, there are priests and prophets the church of Jesus Christ. Today. Who are they? What is their function? Spoiler alert, prophets and priests are not what you think! Join the Grace United crew as we discover amazing things regarding priests and prophets in the Old Testament, and in the church of Jesus Christ as well.

The prophet Amos said to his wayward people back in the day, "Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Justice is a huge deal today--in all of its forms: racial, social, economic, even reproductive justice. The national discussion and the ramifications in our culture take up many minutes on all things media. But is the justice promoted today the kind of thing the Lord would approve of? Certainly, justice is his idea. But has it gone too far? Is God pleased? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover what the Lord means and how he desires to apply justice, both in Moses' day and in ours.

R&R: We normally think "Rest and Relaxation." Taking things easy. Taking a break from the pressures of life. A great thing! But did you know that the Lord has a much more grand and glorious R&R in mind for his people? And it is not what normally comes to mind. The Lord wants his people to experience joy when they -- we -- engage in his R&R. So, what is the Lord's R&R? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover incredible joy as his people experience the Lord's R&R.

What in the world is a "shemitah?" Animal, vegetable, or mineral? Or something else? Gloriously, it is something else. God told his people to practice it every 7 years. And "double your money back" guarantee, it is not what American ears are used to hearing! Or American Christian hearts are so willing to put into practice. Come with the Grace United crew as we discover and apply not only "shemitah" but perpetual shemitah!