DONATE
Untitled design (13)

Riley Pate

Our Sermons

Elijah’s Dark Moment

After the dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah expected hearts to turn back to God. Instead, Queen Jezebel vowed to kill him, and the prophet fled in fear. Exhausted, discouraged, and believing he had failed, Elijah reached the depths of despair. Yet this passage reminds us that even the strongest servants of God are only human. Mountaintop experiences are fleeting, but most of life is lived in the valleys. The same God who reveals His power on the mountain is the same God who faithfully meets us in our darkest moments. Rather than rebuking Elijah, the Lord gently ministered to him through rest, provision, and His compassionate presence. When we feel alone, burned out, or unable to see what God is doing, we can trust that He has not abandoned us. He is still in control, still caring for His people, and still leading them forward. “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” ~~ Philippians 4:11-13

Read More »
Riley Pate July 12, 2026

Faithfulness of Obadiah

Though we have been seeing how bold and courageous Elijah has been, this story is not ultimately about Elijah – it is about God. As we continue in 1 Kings 18, the famine has ravaged the land for some time. King Ahab sends Obadiah, the overseer of his household, to search for water so the kingdom’s horses and cattle might survive. Livestock represented wealth and the strength of a nation, so preserving them was one of Ahab’s highest priorities. Yet here is something far more significant about Obadiah than his position in the palace. Scripture tells us that he greatly feared the Lord. At great personal risk, he had hidden one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in caves and supplied them with food and water after Jezebel ordered their execution. During these difficult years, God had seemed silent. But God’s silence never means God’s absence. He is always present. He is still sovereign. He is still in control, faithfully accomplishing His purposes even when we cannot see His hand at work. Meanwhile, Ahab had been searching everywhere for Elijah without success. Then, unexpectedly, Obadiah encounters Elijah, who instructs him to tell Ahab that he is there. Obadiah hesitates. He fears that if Elijah disappears again, Ahab will have him executed. Already living with the danger that his rescue of the prophets might be discovered, Obadiah is overwhelmed by the possible earthly consequences. Obadiah had been faithfully serving the Lord, yet fear still gripped him. How often are we the same? Even after seeing God’s provision and protection, we can become consumed with what people might do rather than resting in what God has promised. Even when everything around us appears to be falling apart, God remains completely in control. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10:39, “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it.” God’s silence does not cause His sovereignty to cease. Obadiah wonders what he has done to deserve such a fate. Was God punishing him? We sometimes ask the same question when hardship comes. We may imagine that God is waiting for us to fail so He can punish us. But that is not His heart. God loves His people. His work has always been centered on redemption, not condemnation. Elijah reassures Obadiah that he will not disappear this time, and Obadiah faithfully delivers the message. When Ahab arrives, he immediately accuses Elijah of being the one who has brought trouble upon Israel. Elijah boldly answers that he is not the cause. The true source of Israel’s suffering is Ahab and his father’s house, who abandoned the Lord to follow false gods. Then Elijah sets the stage for one of the greatest confrontations in Scripture. He calls for all Israel to gather on Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal. This was never simply a contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. It was God’s opportunity to reveal to all Israel that He alone is the one true God, sovereign over every nation, every King, and every circumstance. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it. ~~ Matthew 10:39

Read More »
Riley Pate June 28, 2026

Life of Elijah

In this message from 1 Kings 17:8-16, we explore the life of Elijah and his remarkable example of faith and obedience. When God directed Elijah to a widow in Sidon during a devastating famine, he responded without hesitation. Through the encounter with the widow and her last meal, we see powerful lessons about listening for God’s voice, trusting His promises, and putting Him first even when circumstances seem impossible. Elijah’s unwavering obedience reminds us that faith is not based on what we can see, but on confidence in the God who always provides. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”. ~~ Matthew 6:33

Read More »
Riley Pate June 14, 2026

Fight For It – Ephesians 5:22-6:4

Ephesians 5:22-6:4 is often one of the most misunderstood and misapplied passages in Scripture because it is frequently taken out of its larger context. In this message, we explore what it truly looks like to walk as Christian’s within the home and family. Paul is not giving permission for dominance, selfishness, or dishonor, but calling believers to sacrificial love, humility, and putting others before themselves. Husbands are called to walk in honor and unity, and families are reminded that the culture of Christ should shape every relationship in the home. This passage challenges our self-centered nature and points us toward the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who daily teaches us to die to ourselves and reflect the love of Christ in our homes. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. ~~ Ephesians 5:25

Read More »
Riley Pate May 17, 2026

Walk of the Believer – Ephesians 4:17-32

In Ephesians 4:17-32, we’re reminded that Christianity is not a thoughtless or empty way of living – it calls us to a transformed mind and a renewed way of life. It’s easy to drift back into old patterns, chasing temporary satisfaction through things like success, possessions, or constant distraction, but these pursuits are ultimately empty and leave us wanting more. Instead, we are invited to go deeper – to put on our new nature in Christ and live in the fullness of what He has done for us. This transformation shows itself in how we live and how we relate to others. Truth and unity go hand in hand; we cannot have one without the other. Our words carry weight, with the power to either build up or tear down, and we are called to use them to encourage, not harm. Even in moments of anger or hurt, we are reminded not to lash out, but to extend the same grace and mercy that has been given to us. Because Christ died for us, we are no longer bound to our old ways. We are empowered to walk in love, to live in truth, and to reflect His character in every part of our lives. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~~ Romans 12:2

Read More »
Riley Pate May 3, 2026

A Unified Body – Ephesians 4:1-16

In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul reminds us that we don’t live for our salvation – we live because of it. Our walk with Christ is not about earning something personal, but about living out what has already been given to us through grace. And that grace was never meant to stop with the individual. We often think of salvation in deeply personal terms, but Christ came to save a people. Salvation is not just individual – it’s corporate. It brings us into something bigger than ourselves: a unified body marked by humility, patience, and love. Paul challenges us to lay aside the divisions we tend to cling to – differences in culture, appearance, opinions, or background – and to remember what truly unites us. In a world defined by division, the church is called to something radically different. Our unity is not built on shared preferences or circumstances, but on the unchanging person of Jesus Christ. We won’t always agree on everything, but we stand on common ground in Him. Spiritual maturity is seen in how we live out that unity – choosing grace over judgment, humility over pride, and love over division. If we are known more for what we oppose than for the hope we share, we’ve missed the heart of the gospel. True unity flows from Christ and is sustained by His grace. And it becomes visible when we refuse to tear each other down, but instead build one another up as one people, called from death to life, and from darkness into light. One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ~~ Ephesians 4:5-6

Read More »
Riley Pate April 26, 2026

The Gospel of Peace

Ephesians 6:15 – and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the Gospel of peace. Roman soldiers wore specialized battle footwear – caligae – designed for stability, traction, and readiness in combat. In the same way, Scripture calls believers to be “shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace”, equipped specifically for the realities of spiritual warfare. Our footing is not found in our own strength, achievements, or attempts to create peace, but in the finished work of Christ: Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ is coming again. Every human heart senses a quiet emptiness – a persistent hum reminding us that something is missing. We often try to silence that longing through success, relationships, possessions, or status, yet the dissatisfaction remains. True and lasting peace is not something we manufacture; it is something we receive. Only Jesus fills the God-shaped space within us, bringing the peace of God that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ~ Matthew 5:9 Once we stand firmly in that peace, we are called to carry it forward. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), reminding us that those who belong to His kingdom bring the reality of heaven into the places they live, work, and serve. The enemy spreads division, tension, and unrest, but believers advance the kingdom by living out the peace they have already received through Christ. What we truly believe is revealed not merely in what we say, but in how we live. As we put on the armor of God, may we walk forward with steady footing – sandaled in the Gospel of Peace – confident that the peace we share with the world flows not from what we have done, but from what Christ has already accomplished.

Read More »
Riley Pate February 8, 2026