Posts by Matthew Shorack

I have lived in the greater Seattle area most of my life. So last year when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, I was ecstatic. In 2014 the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the Super Bowl. I got my boys out of school to go and celebrate at the parade downtown. We were in the front row watching the players pass by as we cheered, danced and yelled in celebration. I still remember so many small details…

Sometimes the stress of family life, work, and ministry can cause us to feel like the walls are closing in. We don’t have to be experiencing extreme trauma to be discouraged. What do we do when problems seem overwhelming? How did the apostle Paul handle stress? 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to…

The New Testament is full of Jesus’ teachings, but who is Jesus? Is He the Messiah, man, prophet, or teacher? Is He the greatest conman of all time? Is He crazy but charismatic, or is He God? John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. If Jesus is God what does that mean…

Paul wrote to a group of Christians who had just gone through intense persecution, suffering, and pain. He shared these encouraging words. 2 Corinthians 7:11-13a 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither…

Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Tim Ballard is a federal agent who tracked down and arrested pedophiles for many years. He had been so frustrated by the inability to stop child pornography because of the red tape that seemed to protect the pedophiles more than the children. The system was broken and…

Proverbs 21:2 A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. How can we know when we’re being legalistic? God doesn’t just want good behavior, He wants our hearts. Legalism is putting our faith in what we can do for God instead of trusting in what Christ has already done for us. The Apostle Paul learned this truth in his heart. Before he knew Jesus as his Lord, he took pride in doing what…

Christians won’t suffer through God’s wrath during the Tribulation? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you…

The book of Ruth is a beautiful and powerful story for those who wonder where God is when tragedy and disappointment attack their faith. It’s a challenging story for those who wonder where God is because His silence seems deafening. It’s a story about God’s attributes for those who have lived lives of integrity and honor but start to struggle with doubt and discouragement. It reminds us that nothing of value comes without faith. So, join us for the next…

Proverbs 25:6-7 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men; 7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. Pride is an ugly sin with great consequences. Where or with whom do you struggle with pride? Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is anyone that you need to repent with before moving on from…

Jesus loves all believers including those who are struggling. He wants us to experience being free in Him, through real repentance and faith. So why are so many Christians living in bondage to sin? I believe one of the main reasons is a lack of repentance. Mark 1:15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Repentance requires humility. A willingness to…

Can I lose my faith? This is the one the question I have been asked as a pastor, more than any other. It causes so much anxiety for many Christians. 1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. What if I commit a terrible sin? What if I struggle with my faith? It’s so discouraging to live without knowing…

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to…

I wanted to focus on what God’s word says about our identity. John 15:19-20 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my…

There’s a lie from the pit of Hell. You’re alone! One of Satan’s main schemes has always been to divide and conquer. The truth is all believers are united in worship. What unites us? It’s not the law. Romans 4:13-15 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are…

Do you ever wonder if you are really saved? What does scripture say about the security of our salvation? Are there any habitual sins that cause you to doubt your salvation? In this series we are going to take an in depth look at the security Christians can have in their salvation. We will tackle those four scriptures that seem like they might question the security of or salvation if you take them out of context and don’t look at…

What connects more with non-believers, achieving prosperity or surviving adversity, emotionally and mentally whole? Philippians 1:12-14 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord…