Grace Community Church

09/06/2026

Join us this morning as Teaching Pastor, Sam Pharris, continues our chronological study of the life of Christ. Services begin at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Children's classes through 5th grade will be held during both services. Middle School grades 6th-8th meet during the 10:30 service. To watch live on youtube search "Crossville Grace".

09/04/2026

I pray for a church that has a level of boldness, that we will go out and we will speak the truth in love, that we will make the name of Jesus famous throughout Cumberland County.

09/04/2026

Day 5: Boldness in the Face of Hatred

Reading: John 15:18-27; Acts 4:29-31

Devotional: Jesus did not promise his disciples comfort — he promised them a Helper. He warned them plainly that the world would hate them because it first hated him. Pastor Jeff closed with the ancient account of the Apostle John, who continued preaching the gospel while standing in a pot of boiling oil — and whose boldness led Roman soldiers to faith in Christ. Most of us will never face that kind of persecution. But we will face ridicule, rejection, and the quiet pressure to blend in with a world that does not follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we would bear witness. Do not silence that voice. Speak the name of Jesus boldly.

Reflection Question: Where in your life have you allowed the fear of rejection or the desire to blend in to silence your witness for Christ?

Practical Application: Think of one person in your life who does not know Jesus. Commit to praying for them by name every day this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to open a door for a genuine conversation about faith, and when he does, do not talk yourself out of it.

09/03/2026

When we are not connected to Jesus Christ, all we're doing is withering and dying. There is no life outside of being connected to the vine that is Jesus Christ.

09/03/2026

Day 4: Faith That Works

Reading: James 2:14-26; Galatians 5:22-25

Devotional: Pastor Jeff made a distinction that is critical for every believer to understand: we are not saved because of our works, but we are saved unto works. Salvation is not earned by reading your Bible, attending church, or being generous — but genuine salvation will produce all of those things as a natural response to the love of God. R.C. Sproul's words, cited in the sermon, capture it well: we are justified by faith apart from works, yet justified by faith unto works. The fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness — is not manufactured by effort. It grows from a life rooted in Christ.

Reflection Question: Are the works in your life flowing from genuine love for God, or are they an attempt to earn his approval?

Practical Application: Choose one fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-25 that you feel is least evident in your life right now. Ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate it in you this week, and look for one specific opportunity to express it today.

09/02/2026

Day 3: Abiding, Not Striving

Reading: John 15:5-11; Matthew 11:28-30

Devotional: The Greek word for "abide" means to dwell, to remain, to make your home. Jesus was not calling his disciples to try harder — he was calling them to stay closer. There is a profound difference between striving for God and abiding in God. Striving says, "I must produce more." Abiding says, "I must remain connected to the one who produces through me." Pastor Jeff was honest about his own struggle with self-sufficiency, admitting he would rather work harder than ask for help. Many of us carry that same posture into our walk with God. Rest today in the truth that apart from Christ, you can do nothing — and in him, you lack nothing.

Reflection Question: Does your spiritual life feel more like striving or abiding? What is the difference in how each feels on a daily basis?

Practical Application: Set aside fifteen minutes today not to pray requests, not to read, but simply to sit in the presence of God. Practice remaining. Practice abiding.

09/01/2026

When we are not connected to Jesus Christ, all we're doing is withering and dying. There is no life outside of being connected to the vine that is Jesus Christ.

09/01/2026

Can't wait to see you!

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Playlist · Bonnie Ellen · 3 items · 2 saves

09/01/2026

Day 2: The Purpose of Pruning

Reading: Romans 8:28; Hebrews 12:5-11

Devotional: Pruning is not punishment — it is the Father's investment in your future fruitfulness. Pastor Jeff described cutting a branch from his grapevine not because it was dead, but because he could see the damage it would eventually cause. God operates with the same foresight. He is not limited to what you can see right now. He sees the trajectory of every branch in your life. The relationship that ended, the opportunity that collapsed, the door that closed — these may be the Father's shears at work, shaping you toward a harvest you cannot yet imagine. Trust the one holding the shears.

Reflection Question: Is there something God has removed from your life that you are still grieving? How might that removal be an act of his love rather than his absence?

Practical Application: Write down one painful pruning season from your past. Beside it, write any fruit you can now identify that grew from that season. Thank God for his faithfulness in that time.

08/31/2026

Have you ever tried to follow Jesus in your own strength? We can know the right things, do the right things, and still miss the power God has given us to live the life He’s called us to.
Watch “Self Sufficient Spirituality” and be reminded why we were never meant to do this on our own.

What does it truly mean to be connected to something greater than o...