• We have all sinned—and I am certainly no exception. Thankfully, my story does not end there. As the song so beautifully says, “though my sins were great, His grace was greater.”

    If you have ever felt weighed down by guilt or condemnation, you are not alone. Even now, a Savior stands ready to meet you with grace and to restore what feels beyond repair.

  • The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy—our families, our businesses, our purpose, even our joy. When we live according to the ways of the world, we inevitably reap what the world produces, anxiety, emptiness, and shame. But when we live according to the Kingdom of God, we begin to experience His blessing, His peace, and His joy.

    Even as Christians, if we refuse to put off our old self, we leave room for destruction. For years I sought the Lord and experienced abundant blessing, yet there were still parts of my old nature I would not surrender. And in time, I bore the fruit of that compromise.

    But there is good news.

    For those who love Him, all things—even our failures—can be woven together for good. Jesus did not come to condemn, but to give life—life in its fullness—and to restore what has been stolen.

    If your joy feels stolen, your purpose distant, or your heart weary and empty, there is a God who renews, rebuilds, and redeems. He offers a peace that steadies the soul and quiets the storm. Simply call on Him.

  • This is the best—and perhaps the hardest—truth to fully grasp. I was a sinner. Now I am not. I am not a sinner whose sins have merely been forgiven; I am a new creation, made righteous and holy before God.

    The opportunity to become new, to stand confidently before God without shame or fear, is available to everyone. To be able to stand before Him and be fully known, yet fully loved—to have Him look upon you and see no stain or condemnation, only the finished work of Christ—this gift is offered freely to all.

    What does it cost? Nothing. It is a gift of grace.

    Even while we were still in sin, God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus gave His life on the cross as the payment for our sins, was raised from the dead, and now reigns in heaven. And even now, He calls your name, offering restoration, healing, purpose, joy, eternal life, and unconditional love to all who are willing to receive it.

More about the real
Deryk Rhodes

From Rhodesia, Africa to New York City to Boca Raton—from the military (yes, hard to believe for those who know me) to rising through the ranks of investment banking, to active church life—life has been a wild and deeply fulfilling journey.

In college, I felt torn between theology and business. My father-in-law once gave me simple advice: “Build your business career. When you no longer enjoy it, go into ministry.” So that is what I did. Business came naturally. I advanced quickly, and each new opportunity seemed to open the door to the next.

All the while, I was seeking the Lord. Yet I often felt the tension between banking and Bible. Not because faith and business cannot coexist, but because there were still parts of my life I was unwilling to surrender. I loved God—but I also loved what the world had to offer.

My family and I were part of a wonderful local church, but we were hungry for more. When COVID closed its doors, we began streaming Life Center Ministries in Harrisburg, PA. To our surprise, it translated beautifully into our living room. We started inviting friends over on Sundays. Before long, our house was full, and we began searching for a building. We found one—and we watched God move in extraordinary ways. Pastor Deryk Rhodes was born!

During that same season, both the church and my professional responsibilities were growing. Outwardly, everything looked great. Inwardly, I was divided—loving God while still clinging to the world. That divided heart eventually bore fruit. A painful and humbling season followed, one I would never have chosen but now would never trade.

In the midst of it, I discovered something profound: when everything else felt uncertain, the only thing that truly mattered was the presence of God. It was a call to repentance. A call to lay down the old self completely and embrace the new life He had already given me.

For years, I had searched for security, pleasure, and happiness in the world. What I found was limited security in money, pleasure that faded, and happiness dependent on circumstances. Now, in seeking God first, I have found security that cannot be taken away. I have found peace that surpasses understanding, and shame has been replaced with joy.

We are here for a whisper of time. Eternity is forever.

I once heard this illustration: imagine a rope 3,000 miles long—the length of the United States. That rope represents your existence. The first inch, colored red, represents your life on earth. The remaining 2,999.999 miles represent eternity. The question is simple: what does a wise person live for?

Today, I continue to seek Him—and to speak to anyone who desires to know Him.

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