My Story, My Song, Part 2: God Is Love // Andy Stanley
Whatever picture we have of God isn’t enough.
Whatever picture we have of God isn’t enough.
When we see God for who he is, we’re able to trust him even deeper.
Our trials, temptations, and tension shape us—and they have a way of revealing who or what we’re truly depending on.
During trials, our tendency is to ask God to change what’s going on around us. But God is more interested in transforming what’s going on in us.
The easy path is tempting, but God often does his greatest work on the hard road—where faith, obedience, and courage grow.
God doesn’t size you up and write you off—and neither should you. In God's eyes, you're invited to move forward, not remain stuck in the past.
There’s almost nothing that gets us praying faster than mayhem. Unfortunately, our prayers in these times are often hijacked by the circumstances surrounding us, and we miss out on what prayer could be. Thankfully, there is a better way to pray. We’ll unpack it in this message.
One of the things we lose when mayhem hits is our vision. We get laser focused on the trouble at hand and lose sight of the bigger picture. But there is a better way to view our mayhem, and the choice is up to us.
Mayhem seldom gives a forewarning of its impending arrival. But even though we may not know when a storm will hit, one of our best defenses is to prepare for it.
God doesn’t size you up and write you off—and neither should you. In God's eyes, you're invited to move forward, not remain stuck in the past.
Have you ever had an unexpected morning? Two thousand years ago the followers of Jesus woke up on a Sunday morning fully expecting to find Jesus in the tomb. Easter was the last thing they expected. Everything changed on that morning.
Death had the last word because death was the consequence of sin—but not anymore. Jesus, God’s final King, crushed both sin and death and invites us to reign in life through him.
As followers of Jesus, we have all wrestled with the same tension at some point: we all want to be saved, but we don't always want to submit. In this message, we talk about the difference between "Jesus the Savior" and "Jesus the King" and why it's the most important thing.
You were created on purpose, for a purpose. Without clear vision, you’ll drift into coasting, and coasting always takes you downhill.
Before inviting Peter to follow him, Jesus asked Peter to “put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” After a night of fishing with no success and despite his reservations, Peter agreed: “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” At some point, every Jesus follower will face their own “because you say so” moment. Like Peter, we won’t know what hangs in the balance or our decision. It’s better to find out than miss out. Ready to engage in Deeper/Wider? We in invite you ...
All of us face obstacles to generosity. The common denominator for our obstacles is a desire for more. The apostle Paul taught that true wealth isn't found in accumulation but in contentment. And he shows what it looks like to place our hope not in riches but in God who richly provides.
Everyone has a generosity plan, but most people prioritize spending first and leave giving as an afterthought. Jesus flipped the script on that approach with “Seek ye first” living. Embracing this financial template is a tangible expression of submission to our King.
Jesus redefined generosity—not as spontaneous or sparing, but as intentional and prioritized. His approach ensures we don’t put our trust in riches but in God who richly provides. Choosing to follow his definition of generosity results in greater impact, less worry, more joy, and more peace.
Biblical generosity is informed and fueled by the acknowledgment that God owns it all. We are simply managers. When we adopt that posture, we view everything we “own” as a potential tool to further the agenda of our King. We will give first and adjust our lifestyle accordingly. Christians who adopt this perspective as the organizing principle for their personal finances find it easier to surrender the other components of their life as well. As Jesus made clear, the number one competitor for our ...
Jesus’s kingdom is not advanced by force, but over time through transformed lives. We are invited to participate in its expansion.
The fight of faith is about becoming more like Jesus, not about defeating enemies.
People all over the world claim to be Christian, based on a belief Jesus is the ultimate king. But at times, we can find ourselves living in defiance of the very king we swear allegiance to.
The term "Christ" was originally a royal title meaning "Anointed One" or “King,” not a name. And the message of the Gospel is not just about personal salvation, but about aligning with the reign of Jesus as King.
If we re-center our faith around the arrival of a King rather than a ticket to heaven, we will discover why his arrival and his kingdom is good news for all people.
Just as the apostle Paul wrote to the Jesus followers in Ephesus, you were made for something more than yourself. You are God’s workmanship, and you’ve got something to offer God’s Kingdom.
As we wrap up this year, we wanted to revisit a message from a few months ago that is important to the life of Browns Bridge. It’s amazing what a simple invitation can do. It can lead to extraordinary things. This week we’ll look at an invitation that changed someone’s life in the first century and has the power to change someone’s life today as well.
The lineage of Jesus is full of people with stories that would make anyone blush, including the likes of King David and Lot’s daughters. But in spite of jaw-dropping choices people made, God’s purposes marched forward.
Rahab is one of a few people in the lineage of Jesus that wasn’t Jewish — she was a Canaanite. Not to mention, she was a prostitute. But neither of those things kept her from being used by God in an incredible way.
The story of Judah and Tamar is probably not one we would have mentioned if we were the ones telling the back story of Jesus’s ancestors. However, many times God’s story highlights the unlikely and the undeserving.