Vista Community Church

As we discuss 1 Peter 1:13-25, we see that all of the demanding actions we're implored to take are predicated upon the action God has already taken in Christ.

All Christians live with a bit of a dual identity. First, we are children of God. Secondly, we are strangers in the world. Because of these identities, scripture is clear that we will face trials... it's a part of our life in this broken world. In this letter to the church, Peter writes to Christians who are going through various trials based on that duel identity. He writes to give them hope and to remind them that even their trials can deepen their faith and be a source of their joy.

First Peter is a letter written to scattered Christians, who found themselves socially excluded, out of control, and struggling to live faithfully in an unfaithful world. In many ways we're in a similar place, and are invited to see our scattering as a divine sending and not a demonic disaster.

What does a healthy biblical sexual ethic look like? We end the series exploring how not being our own helps us better navigate the confusing terrain that is modern sexuality.

The current culture tells us to live one way, but God's word clearly tells us something different. For those who have surrendered their life to Christ, God gives us direction on how we should live.

Rather than being denied, our humanity is fully affirmed when we accept that we are not our own. Christ-like self-denial is the ultimate form of self-care.

As followers of Jesus, we should be less concerned with what culture says about family, and more about what God says. So, what does God say about marriage and family?

Scripture nudges us toward understanding that true freedom is not writing your own story but joyfully accepting your role in God's story.

In this beautiful Psalm we see David mention many of God's truths, which are both convicting and comforting. It really is an astonishing truth that God is both infinite and intimate.

Psalm 8 reflects that the God of creation chooses to reveal His glory through humanity, caring for them and crowning them "with glory and honor." What is the purpose of humanity? To rule and reign with God and to bless the world in His name.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and is all about learning to love scripture. So, how do we become like the psalmist and learn to love the word of God?

Psalm 51 is one of the most clear and concise picture of repentance – mirroring the repentance in King David's life. This is something we all should learn how to do often, because we're all sinners and repentance is our way back to God.

Psalm 24 sets practical implications for us; as the psalmist prepares for the Ark of the Covenant, we can prepare our lives for Christ to return.

If we're honest, we've all had seasons where we feel unheard by God and suffer alone. David felt the same way while writing Psalm 22—reminding us that God is not silent in our suffering but that He's already spoken.

Why be good if being good isn't good for you? Why be faithful to God when God isn't faithful in return? Psalm 73 asks these questions and reminds us that God's faithfulness does not always come in the form of worldly prosperity but divine nearness.

Psalm 1 sets the book's tone by contrasting the life God blesses versus the life he won't bless. We all want to be blessed by God, but what does God's blessing look like, and how do we attain it?

Jude Austin, one of our elders, explores Christ's defenselessness and helps us break down our defensiveness to better trust in God's plan.

The future should fill the present with meaning rather than drain it of meaning. This happens when we spend time with the future in healthy ways but resist the temptation to live ahead of our time.

We relate to the present properly by attending to it with stability, attention, and curiosity instead of wanderlust, distraction, and boredom.