Jesus walks on water (Matthew 14:22–32, Genesis 1:1-2, Exodus 3:13-14) Water is often a symbol of chaos and godlessness. For Jesus to walk on water makes a statement that He is GOD, and that He is not subject to the physical laws of this world as you and I are. So on the one hand, He is transcendent over nature and evil. On the other hand, He is within an arm’s length of Peter when he falls. He is here and within reach. Peter takes the audacious step of faith to come to Jesus and walk on the wat...
Mar 18, 2018•34 min
Can Jesus really heal? Scripture teaches us that He has and that healing continues to be an active role in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to this day. In the case of the bleeding woman, she had suffered this ailment for twelve years. It cost her everything she had, and in spite of all the wisdom of the doctors of the age, she still suffered and did not get well. It wasn’t until this woman made a courageous, faith-filled step to reach out and touch the hem of Jesus’ garment that she experienced ...
Mar 11, 2018•33 min
What is it like to experience hopelessness? People who are without hope rarely press into God or make progress in life. But real hope drives a different kind of life momentum and leads to faith-filled behaviors that, in turn, drive us toward God. People need hope that they can endure a trial, find a job, beat an addiction, or heal a marriage. True hope "the hope of Jesus "never disappoints, because it is founded in the truth of Him. By: Mark Ashton
Mar 04, 2018•34 min
Jesus said we would do greater things than he would? This is very hard to believe! But it is so true. Not me personally, but the group of disciples and the church. Billions of people, mission across the world. Beyond Belief being accomplished in amazing ways! But it all happens one life at a time, one disciple at a time. When we do Jesus’ work Jesus’ way, the gospel is multiplied. By: Mark Ashton
Feb 25, 2018•36 min
John 8:31-32 and Matthew 25 Discipleship is not just about knowing and being, it is also about doing. Jesus said "You are my disciples if you hold to my teachings." Pretty simple to understand. Pretty hard to do. For example, just flip to the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Did you visit in prison? Did you feed? Clothe? Water? Care for hurting? Jesus asks you to do these things. Are you? Do you even read his teachings to remember what they are? Bible reading will be emphasized, but even more ...
Feb 18, 2018•38 min
Would you rather have Jesus beside you or the Spirit inside you? Jesus left so that we would be empowered to be disciples. You don’t just do this on your own, God gives you the power. The secret sauce in discipleship is the deeper life of the spirit.
Feb 11, 2018•35 min
Disciplemakers are always asking questions too! As followers of Jesus, we need to be good at both asking and handling questions of every area of discipleship, Jesus, and the spiritual life. By: Mark Ashton
Feb 04, 2018•1 hr 13 min
Luke 14:25-33 Discipleship is not just about learning and growing. It is about giving your whole life to Jesus. There is a very real cost to BE a disciple as well as one to MAKE a disciple. Jesus invites us to count the cost before following him. He doesn't just want fans, he wants followers. Our culture will seduce us into thinking that Jesus is optional (a mere add-on accessory), church is optional, and making disciples is optional. But Jesus asked us to forsake everything and follow him. By: ...
Jan 28, 2018•37 min
Matthew 28:19-20 When we make disciples, our goal is not to make converts, but to make disciples who make disciples. Your question should always be, "Who am I investing in?" By: Mark Ashton
Jan 21, 2018
John 13:31-38 Jesus has just finished the last supper and foot washing. Verse 34-35 are the summit of his post dinner message "They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another." By: Mark Ashton
Jan 14, 2018•42 min
Matthew 4:18-22 – Catch Men, John 21 – Have you gone back fishing? In this week, we will introduce the concept of disciples and disciple-making. We will work very clearly with the IDENTITY of a believer as a disciple/disciple-maker. We will observe Jesus as he works simultaneously on three things: Ministry to the masses, Making Disciples, training them to be disciple-makers. By: Mark Ashton
Jan 07, 2018•37 min
Have you every felt like a stranger in a strange land, tripping over things in the dark? Jesus is the light when you’re lost in a dark world. By: Jim Ratte with Mark Demel
Dec 31, 2017•27 min
We were all created for relationships. Relationships with each other and relationships with God. In our culture, we have traded those relationships for electronic devices. The effect is stunning on our brains and our souls. God designed you for intimacy with a few, not for thousands of Facebook pseudo-friends. Our electronic world has made relationships fake and made us prone to depression. The reality of Jesus is that he has designed us for perfect peace. By: Mark Ashton...
Dec 24, 2017•21 min
The key to beating anxiety is in knowing the loving Father who is present for and with you always. By: Skye Jethani
Dec 17, 2017•42 min
The world seems to be spinning out of control. Hurricanes, Fires, floods and more seem to pelt us with increasing fury. Politics is increasingly divisive. Wars and rumors of wars. In our lives, we face debt and death and deception. We’d love it if we could control our jobs and our kids, but it seems as though we are constantly out of control. One of the greatest contributors to anxiety is the fear of things going out of control. But there is one who is in control of all things. He is the mighty ...
Dec 10, 2017•34 min
The more you serve in the edge with Jesus the more prone you are to stress, the deeper you love the more prone you are to stress - yet one of the key aspects of dealing with stress is fostering a deeper awareness of God presence and activity around you. By: Wendell Nelson, Dana Herr, Jenna Drucker
Dec 03, 2017•44 min
The more you serve in the edge with Jesus the more prone you are to stress, the deeper you love the more prone you are to stress - yet one of the key aspects of dealing with stress is fostering a deeper awareness of God presence and activity around you. By: Marc Montayne, Krista Borgwardt, Stefanny Herdle Zapata
Dec 03, 2017•33 min
For unto us a child is born, unto us son is given and the government shall be on his shoulders. This is a prediction of the future! 600 years later that son would be born. By: Mark Ashton
Nov 26, 2017•54 min
We define Anxiety, discuss why it is such a big problem. Our solution to anxiety is a person and not a principle. We learn key lessons from Philippians 4:6-7, highlighting thankfulness in particular elaborating on how gratitude defeats stress. By: Mark Ashton
Nov 19, 2017•34 min
1 Chronicles 29:1-9 (Maybe 11-20) – particularly, v. 11 is a RADICAL statement for a king to make! V. 11 could be the heart of the message. V. 14 puts it all in perspective. "Its all God’s anyway." The order of giving… leaders first. By: Mark Ashton
Nov 12, 2017•32 min
David is very calculating with his armies… numbers and measuring his worth. He is finding his power, comfort and security in armies, not in God. Think of how far he has come since the encounter with Goliath. Or from the caves with his few but mighty men. David is so condemned because he has move from fully trusting in God to fully trusting in self. When we go there, God often meets us with consequence. By: Mark Ashton
Nov 05, 2017•44 min
In this passage, David commits to build God’s house and God counters… No David, I am going to build your house! And the kingdom of David will be a foretaste of the ultimate king who will sit on David’s throne for ever and ever. By: Mark Ashton
Oct 29, 2017•49 min
In light of recent events in our church family we learn from King David how to move beyond hurting to healing. By: Mark Ashton
Oct 22, 2017•53 min
David danced before the LORD with all of his might. He was undignified, unpresidential, unkingly… David was only concerned about God and his worship of God, not the onlookers. "Everything is God’s… he is the center and I will dance recklessly before him!" By: Mark Ashton
Oct 15, 2017•41 min
2 Samuel 5 – David becomes king – both Israel and Judah. His capital can’t be central Judah (Hebron)– it has be in a different area to centralize his kingship. Defensible, water source. Establishes trade. Very decisive moments. By: Mark Ashton
Oct 08, 2017•51 min
Saul in the caves. He is relieving himself in the same cave where David is hiding. David could use his strength to kill Saul and take the lead. But he is fully surrendered to the will of God – even when his life is confusing. By: Mark Ashton
Oct 01, 2017•34 min
Jonathan has just told David that it is not safe to come home. David is alone and on the run. He goes to the priests at Nob and lies about his situation. He negotiates for the holy bread and takes Goliath’s sword as his own. (Note, this implies he has no food and no weapons). He then has to go to Philistine territory (Gath) to get away from Saul and act like a madman to avoid being killed by the Philistine king. This must be the lowest of the low for David. It is before his band of followers gat...
Sep 24, 2017•41 min
David was fearless against the giant while the Armies of Israel trembled. What was the difference? David trusted God and used his advantages – speed, dexterity and a long distance weapon. We like to think of ourselves as David, but really, we are the tribes of Israel… cowering in the mountains in fear while Goliath bellows. What is markedly different about David’s ability to trust compared to his people? What happens when you radically trust? By: Mark Ashton
Sep 17, 2017•48 min
In this passage, we find a teenager who is anointed – against the odds – to become king. Why? Because God saw his heart. His heart was fully surrendered to God. He was filled with trust which led him to be a bold risk taking warrior. By: Mark Ashton
Sep 10, 2017•31 min
One of the most difficult questions for Christians to answer: Why do bad things happen? By: Craig Walter
Sep 03, 2017•20 min
