While encounters with the Lord are transformative, and highly valuable, they won't sustain us by themselves. As seen in Hebrews 3:3-35, the Israelites hardened their hearts and turned away from the Lord on multiple occasions even after seeing miracles for over 40 years. The author of Hebrews leverages the Israelites' experience to remind us to not …

In a society that has a tendency towards individualism and isolation, God has given an invitation for the church to learn to live together in community and to prioritize connection over division. There is a gift for hearts when we learn to live connected rather than disconnected. Join us in Chapel Hill as guest speaker Andy Squyres unpacks a revela…

There are many voices worldwide, but too many are just echoes. You were made to be a voice in your generation, not an echo. You'll never find your authentic voice by chasing trends, imitating others, or letting culture or the devil define who you are. God shouts His truth but whispers His secrets. To find our genuine voice, we have to bend to hear …

We know that God is good (Ps. 119:68, Luke 18:18-19) and that he loves to give us good gifts (Jam. 1:17, Matt. 7:7-11). We also know that we are God's beloved children and heirs (Gal. 4:6-7). With those truths we can communicate with our loving Father, asking Him with boldness and confidence for the things that are in our hearts and those which we …

Understanding the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues with biblical clarity can empower us in utilizing the gift of tongues to glorify God. Depending on someone's background or experiences, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues is sometimes not experiences in its fullness in a believer's life. What if there is an inv…

The youth of RiverLife recently returned from Camp Morley. The theme this year was Unveiled: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord," (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV). There are four veils which were removed by the sac…

The voice of the Lord is powerful! As believers, we all have the ability to hear His voice as we see in John 10, where Jesus says, "My sheep hear My voice and they follow me." As we grow in an understanding that we can hear the voice of God, we can also begin to grow and move in the prophetic. The purpose of prophecy is to release edification, exho…

The world is waiting to see the children of God be revealed, so those crippled by life can leap up, walk, and praise God so that they may enter the temple with us. In order for the children of God to be revealed, they must know who they are, know what they know, and what they are capable of walking out. Join us in Chapel Hill as special guest speak…

Wisdom is having life skills and making sound decisions to navigate life effectively. It involves thinking ahead of time and being prepared (Proverbs 6:6-8). There is heavenly wisdom for our finances, time, health, and spiritual lives (Proverbs 21:20). In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus talks about the future and reveals how we can be better prepared for …

Prayer is and will always be relationship-based. It is through relationship with the Father that we can make prayer intimate and meaningful. We see this invitation by Jesus in Matthew 6:9. Join us in Wilmington as special guest speaker Pastor Marlin Mogusu shares a message about the heart of prayer. For more information, visit riverlifefellowship.c…

In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus teaches about the end times, the need to be ready for His return, and the final judgement. He emphasizes the importance of being watchful, faithful, wise, and compassionate as we wait for His second coming. In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, Jesus gives us the key to living in the end times: Live in the wisd…

"So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household," (Eph. 2:19). You carry a revelation of God that others need to hear. Go and spread the good news. Join us in Mooresville as special guest speaker Jim Hill shares about his mission to Mongolia and our profound authority as emi…

In order to move in the purposes God has for each of our lives, we need to receive the revelation that God has for us that comes when He speaks from His small, still voice. There are three keys that can help us move forward with God. These keys are aligning with God, dealing with our fears, and coming out of the cave. Join us in Chapel Hill as spec…

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), is a well-known verse in the Book of Proverbs. It may be one of the most misunderstood. The word "fear" is hard to overcome because, in our human experience, fear is associated with adverse situations. The second part of the verse gives us the answer. Wisdom flows from seeing God for …

As we carry the Kingdom of Heaven into this world we're reminded that we do so as citizens of Heaven (Phil. 3:20, Eph. 2:19). It should be common for us to feel like outsiders in a land where our primary citizenship does not lie. While we are recognized as a people that don't belong to this world, and sometimes hated for it (John 17:14-21), we are …

"...Elisha proclaimed, 'This is the Lord's arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.' Then he said, 'Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.' So the king picked them up and struck them against the ground three times. Bu the man of God was angry with him. 'You should have st…

At the very center of the Gospel is the proclamation that Jesus made in Luke 4: "I have come to heal broken hearts." That mandate that Jesus declared over himself is also true of every believer. The Holy Spirit is the healer of our broken hearts and the result is that we become healers of the broken hearted that we encounter in the world. Join us i…

In order to effectively live our lives and walk out out callings, we have to learn how to rely on Grace in our daily lives. We have been invited to participate in the work of the Kingdom, but as we see from many examples in the Bible, its very easy to fall out of Grace in this work and into striving. When we are striving, and attempting to work out…

Fatigue is one of the greatest enemies to our spiritual life! As they say, “Never make major life decisions at 2am!” Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke…

The Bible mentions the phrase "Tree of Life" ten times: three times in Genesis, four times in Proverbs, and three times in Revelation. In Genesis and Revelation, it is called "The Tree of Life." In Proverbs, it is "a tree of life." However, when Proverbs calls wisdom "a tree of life," it doesn't mean that wisdom is "The Tree of Life." When Proverbs…

As we partner with God to do his kingdom work, we are qualified as we let him work through us. We need to be careful not to get caught up in Comparison Culture, which is so prevalent in our society. Comparing our ministries and callings to those of other people is a trap that is all too easy to fall into. Join us in Wilmington as special guest spea…

In John 13, Jesus replied, "You don't understand what I am doing, but someday you will." This is usually how prophecy works. Have you ever received a Word that you didn't understand? Looking back we can recollect what God was trying to communicate, but upon receiving new communication from Jesus we can feel confused and even confounded. However, th…

The path of wisdom is delightful, as its rewards are far greater than silver and gold. Wisdom represents an abundant and prosperous life. Its rewards encompass all aspects of life, such as physical health, emotional well-being, healthy relationships, spiritual growth, and finances. The Holy Spirit resurrects our souls and will resurrect our finance…

Being successful in our callings is not just about preparing and finishing well, it's also about how we continue our walk. We can look for inspiration from Paul to help with continuing in our callings even when we encounter challenges. We can be encouraged to not get tired or give up (Gal. 6:9-10), can rely on his mercy every day (2 Cor. 4:1), can …

In John 6, Jesus made three key statements leading us to his 2nd Passover. During this Passover season, those statements are important for each one of us. Find out what the statements were and what God is saying to you, today. Join us in Chapel Hill as Senior Pastor Matthew Bollinger continues his series on receiving a sound mind by expanding on Je…

The Book of Proverbs teaches us that Wisdom is like a path, and when we seek to walk that path, we discover that Jesus Christ is its essence. Any path devoid of Christ leads to a dead end. Thankfully, God has shown us the path of life in Christ and offered us the beauty of this path. Wisdom is a promise for those seeking it (James 1:5), and Wisdom …

Throughout the Old Testament, the Biblical Authors use the image of the grapevine and fig tree as a symbol of prosperity, safety, and blessing. One of the things Jesus came to do on this Earth was bring the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. Though it was not a physical location, we as believers still have access to the Kingdom of Heaven now. As the …

Passover started April 22nd. What does Passover have to do with a Sound Mind? Everything! Jesus is our perfect Passover Lamb. He is without blemish/sin; He was despised and rejected; He was betrayed and executed; His blood was shed in order that Death would pass over you and I! Jesus grew up eating the Passover. He understood the symbolism and spir…

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul the Apostle discusses the "thorn in his flesh," an affliction he struggled with which he apparently thought inhibited his ability to minister. He plead with the Lord to take the affliction away, but the Lord responded by saying "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." As Christians w…

Joshua's life provides amazing guidance to help us as we prepare to walk out our callings. Joshua served and mentored under Moses, was passionate about being in the Presence, let the waiting prepare him, was encouraged by the Lord to be strong and courageous, and went into his calling with the Lord. These lessons are invaluable to us. Join us in Wi…

In order to have the patterns of thinking Jesus had, you must experience the love of God for yourself. Jesus' mind was a sound mind. He had a sound mind because he had been affirmed and constantly loved by the Father. The same is available to you. Join us in Chapel Hill as Senior Pastor Matthew Bollinger continues his series on receiving a sound mi…

God the Father places a high value on wisdom and encourages His children to prioritize it. His wisdom serves as a shield of protection and a source of honor that leads to Kingdom significance. It adorns our minds with His divine beauty. However, we must be cautious as the Book of James distinguishes between two types of wisdom - one from above and …

Callings in our life can relate to really big things that God has appointed for us to do and also the everyday things that we are invited into. Ephesians 2:10 makes it clear that we were created to do good things, plural things. We also see in 1 Corinthians 7:17 that we have an opportunity to walk out our callings everyday in the circumstances we f…

The Christian Walk requires a lot from us who choose to follow Him. But, in the midst of the invitation to find God, we are taken to places far greater than we could ever imagine. Our faith does not need to only exist on Sunday mornings, but rather, we have the privilege of being able to find God everywhere in our lives. Join us in Chapel Hill as g…

We live in a time when listening to God's voice is more urgent than ever. Many things on earth are changing, and we must acknowledge that some changes are beyond our understanding. The Lord promised that if we go to Him and listen to His counsel, He will share His heart with us and make us wise (Proverbs 1:23). God has given us more than wisdom in …

The Lord wants to talk to us in the light of Resurrection Sunday about the power of a sound mind! A sound mind enables you to experience the fullness of the power of the Resurrection. There are three prayers in Paul's letters to the Church which reveal how resurrection power impacts our lives. Join us in Chapel Hill for Easter as Senior Pastor Matt…

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection reveal a beautiful invitation to a new life and purpose. His resurrected voice gives us power and reflects love, generosity, and grace, showing His desire to fellowship with us. As Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and …

As some point, everyone has to deal with fear. We all have fears and have been afraid So, whether we fear is not the question. The question is, "what do we do then we are afraid?" This message is a challenge to receive the mind that was already given to you when you were born again - the mind of Jesus. His mind is one that can sleep in a storm on a…

God is inviting us in this season to receive grace and grow in a revelation of having the mind of Christ. One of the most powerful tools that we can learn to rely on is the Presence in our lives. Join us in Chapel Hill as guest speaker Michael Pham continues the series about Receiving a Sound Mind with a message about the power of connecting with G…

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the h…

We love the idea of spending time in the Lord's Living Room. What happens when Jesus shows up in your living room? What are the expectations what we should have when the Lord shows up in our churches and in our homes? Join us in Wilmington as guest speaker Cory Meade returns to share a message on the Presence of God in our lives. For more informati…

"For God has not gives us a spirit of fear..." (2 Timothy 1:7). What is a spirit of fear? It's not talking about the demon spirit of fear. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of G…

At the Last Supper, just before Passover, Satan shockingly enters Judas while they are at the Lord's Table (John 13:2, 26-30). In response, Jesus sets aside His dignity as Lord and takes on the servant role by washing His disciples' feet (John 13:3-20). This act is explained by Luke, who tells us that the disciples were arguing about who would be t…

As we search for identity and try to understand our callings, it is imperative that we keep our eyes on Jesus as our vision (Hebrews 12:12, Proverbs 29:18). Only then can we run the race of this life that is set before us, keeping firmly grounded in Him. As we understand who Jesus is, He reveals who we are, and then launches us into our callings as…

Remember during the pandemic, 2 Timothy 1:7 was a huge message for us all? "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Our guest speaker, John Matthews, said last week "We've seen many moves of the Holy Spirit that has emphasized His Love... but now, He wants to pour out a revival of a …

The Lord calls us close, drawing us to His side - where the blood and water flowed when He was pierced. The headwaters of the River of Life were unleashed into the earth when Christ was pierced by the Roman soldier (John 19:31-34). He draws us to His side to reveal new insights about Himself and His ways. Many mysteries about Him and His ways are s…

The voice of the Lord is powerful. As believers, we all have the ability to hear His voice. Jesus said in John 10, my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. As we grow in hearing the voice of God we can also go in the prophetic. And as we grow in the prophetic we must understand that there are God given parameters and protocol. The purpose of the …

We all come into this world as orphans, with no exception. Our orphan hearts began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were deceived by Lucifer, the serpent and the first spiritual orphan. Since the devil was separated from his original home, he resents anyone who enjoys their relationship with the Father. But Jesus promised us we would not be …

Join us in Chapel Hill as guest speaker John Matthews joins us from the Gate Church in Charlotte to share his experience in an awakening and move of God. He shares the Father's Heart for Sound Mind in moves of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the role of angels in revival. For more information, visit riverlifefellowship.com To contact us: med…

Our identity as Christians is multifaceted. At the same time we are slaves to Christ and His friends, we are also sons and daughters. Our identity is also being called the Bride of Christ. The Bible refers to both the corporate and individual Church, the New Jerusalem, and us as individuals as the bride, and makes it clear that Jesus is the bridegr…