Topic: Hope

What To Do If You Are Losing Hope!

Are you running low on hope for someone in your life, or for yourself? In his final sermon at Compass, Dr. Mike Ladra looks at the opening verses of Matthew’s Gospel and shows how Jesus’s family tree, filled with scandalous, outsider grandmothers, preaches a message of hope: Jesus is in the salvage business. Through the story of Levi the tax collector becoming Matthew, “gift of God,” Dr. Ladra reminds us that no one is junk, that God creates something beautiful out of nothing, that becoming more like Jesus is the answer to so many of our problems, and that Jesus is the friend of even the worst sinner who repents.

How to Encourage Yourself When It Looks Hopeless

Is there someone or something in your life you’ve labeled “hopeless”? Using the story of Humpty Dumpty, Dr. Mike Ladra reminds us that even when no one else can put our broken pieces back together, God can. He shares how he went from atheist to believer while studying the evidence for the resurrection. He also tells the story of a man given no hope who clung to Jesus’s promise, “With God, all things are possible.” He shows how to take responsibility for our own encouragement, stop calling people “hopeless” and call them “challenging” instead, and decide to do whatever it takes.

How I Know Heaven Is Beyond Imagination!

Is death the end, or is something beyond imagination waiting for us? Dr. Mike Ladra looks at Paul, who was taken to heaven and afterward called his many sufferings “light and momentary” compared to the glory ahead. He shows how Jesus staked His credibility on heaven being real, and why our unfulfilled longings point to the world we were made for. He describes heaven as a place with no more death, pain or sin, where we will be made new. He closes with the reminder that heaven is not for nice people but for forgiven people, and the door is open today.

Making a Comeback When You Feel like giving Up!

Everyone loves a comeback story, and God specializes in them. Dr. Mike Ladra looks at Paul’s honest words in 2 Corinthians 1: he was so overloaded and crushed that he despaired of life itself, yet God, who raises the dead, brought him back. He shares three keys to making your own comeback: never let the facts convince you it’s impossible, stop believing every negative thought that pops into your head, and pray, asking others to pray for you and taking time to listen to God.

God Never Gives Up On Anyone!

Is there someone in your life you’ve decided will never change? Opening a new series on the Apostle Paul, Dr. Mike Ladra looks at Saul: a self-righteous, graceless persecutor of the church whom even the disciples believed could never change, until Jesus transformed him. Sharing honestly about a difficult person in his own extended family, Dr. Ladra explains why arguing with difficult people only blocks the miracle God wants to do. He shows how faith-filled imagination and persistent prayer keep hope alive, and when it’s time to step off the “anthill” and set healthy boundaries.

Finding Hope When Things Look Bad

Where can we find hope when the direction of our country looks bleak? In this message, Dr. Mike Ladra turns to a different kind of hope: hope for personal freedom in America. He shares his concerns about censorship, big tech, cancel culture and growing government reach. He argues that faith and public life can’t be kept apart, and that lawmakers should live by the laws they make. He concludes that America’s cracks can’t be fixed by government, only by returning to its Christian foundation, as believers live as salt and light.

Will My Life Ever Be Better?

Have you taken so many hits that you wonder if your life will ever get better? Dr. Mike Ladra tells the story of Tamar, a woman preachers almost never talk about. She was widowed twice, left childless and failed by the men in her life for 30 years. Then she took a bold risk that placed her in the family line of Jesus. He shows that God specializes in surprise endings, that fear and negative talk block what God wants to do, and that perseverance and honestly admitting where we need to change open the way to a better future.

The Best News Ever!

Is heaven real? Dr. Ladra gives two reasons to be sure it is: Jesus said so, and God put unfulfilled longings in our hearts that only heaven can satisfy. From Revelation 21, he describes heaven as a place with no evil, no tears and no pain. There, every sad thing comes undone, painful memories are healed, and we are made new in the presence of Jesus.