Luke 3:7-9 Do not confuse GOD’S PATIENCE with TOLERANCE. Genesis 15:12-16 God will let His people SUFFER to EXTEND GRACE TO PAGANS. We are HIS BODY. Burning Question: For America, is “the ax already at the root of the trees”? Leviticus 18:24-28 Luke 3:10-14 If it is, “what should we do then?” ● Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none. ● Anyone who has food should do the same. ● Don’t use your power for personal gain. ● Be content with your pay. RESPONSE: ● PRAY for Ameri...
Mar 17, 2021•27 min
BIG IDEA: A life of meaning and purpose is more important than a life of comfort. /In the Chat: What was your dream job when you were growing up?/ Matthew 11:1-6 Matthew 3:4-8 Matthew 11:2-3 Matthew 11:4-5 Matthew 11:6 We’re not called to a position, we’re called to GOD’S VOICE. God doesn’t call us FROM SOMEWHERE, He calls us TO SOMEWHERE. “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” - Edward Abbey...
Mar 14, 2021•41 min
The Big Idea: God’s Word illuminates our path of life. Psalm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. His WORD lights up our path. 2 Samuel 22:29 You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. Jesus is the LIGHT. John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ...
Mar 10, 2021•25 min
/Chat: What is your favorite Rocky Film?/ Series Big Idea: Christianity has been neutered by becoming civilized. We have lost our identity, our mission, and our way. “Civilized” - polite; well-bred; refined; of or relating to civilized people: easy to manage or control. “But then the worst thing happened that could happen to any fighter, you got civilized.” - Mick to Rocky in Rocky III Matthew 11:7-15 Luke 16:16 BIASTAI - violent person The Big Idea: The Kingdom of God belongs to those who storm...
Mar 07, 2021•33 min
Mar 03, 2021•27 min
Jesus never said, “If anyone wants to become my disciple, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and lead a balanced life.” Proverbs 4:20-23 Augustine said that a well-ordered heart is to love: ● The right thing ● To the right degree ● In the right way ● With the right kind of love The Big Idea: Life Transformation is an inside job and flows from a whole heart. We need “VIM” -Dallas Willard: ● Vision ● Intention ● Means Finding a strategy by asking questions like: ● How and when will I p...
Feb 28, 2021•47 min
Psalm 91 What is the bulletproof life? (v.1-2) How protection actually works: (v.3-13) Conquering Confusion: when bad things happen to good people. (v.14-15)
Feb 24, 2021•26 min
/Chat: “Tell us what your biggest food addiction is!”/ Matthew 6:1-4 The Big Idea: Real transformation will always include the death of an addiction to approval. Approval Addiction Symptoms: ● Getting hurt by what others say about us. ● Habitually comparing ourselves to others. ● A nagging sense that we are not important enough or special enough. ● Envy of others’ success. ● Trying to impress important people. /Chat: Which ‘approval addiction’ symptom do you most suffer from?/ “At issue here is ...
Feb 21, 2021•44 min
Psalm 81 V1-5 - We sing to our God!! V6-7 - I delivered you and included testing. V8-10 - This is what I ask (no other gods) - Trust me and my deliverance. V11-12 - A refusal to listen leads to a giving over to your own stubborn heart. V13-16 - The rewards of absolute trust and submission to God. Psalm 82 V1 - God renders judgement of the gods. V2-3 Why do you get this so backwards and focus so poorly? V4-5 Be aggressive for the disadvantaged. V6 - The gods of this world know nothing and God sha...
Feb 17, 2021•28 min
The Big Idea: To have a shot at transformation, I must shatter my delusional sense of self. Luke 18:9-14 This is a universal human struggle: a DELUSIONAL SENSE OF SELF. Symptoms of a Problem: ● Vanity ● Defensiveness ● Exclusiveness ● Pride Self-absorbed = How to be NOXIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. “…to some who were confident in their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else.” (v.9) PRIDE keeps us from recognizing that we are the BIGGEST SINNER in the room. The antidote is HUMILITY. Luke...
Feb 14, 2021•24 min
Exodus 6:1-9 TONIGHT’S OBJECTIVES: ● A greater grasp on the SIZE OF OUR GOD. ● Clean out our ears so that we might LISTEN BETTER. “God Almighty” - El Shaddai - The Self-Sufficient and Almighty One The Lord = “I AM who I AM” Exodus 3:14 ● THEREFORE - because of who I AM: ○ I will bring you out from under the YOKE OF SLAVERY. ○ I will REDEEM YOU with mighty acts of judgement. ○ I will take you as MY OWN PEOPLE. ○ I will be YOUR GOD. ○ Then you will KNOW ○ I will bring you to the PROMISED LAND as y...
Feb 10, 2021•21 min
Mark 2:1-12 Mark 10:45 The significance of a name. The power of friends What does your faith look like? Faith must be seen. What is your faith doing? Sin diminishes, torments, destroys, and kills. The real human issue: sin. The key idea: That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. How will you respond to truth?
Feb 07, 2021•46 min
/Chat: What team were you hoping to make it to the Superbowl this year?/ The Big Idea: : It’s time to identify our giant, run to the battle line, and engage in our victory. 1 Samuel 17:20-24 David HEARD the giant’s defiance and it caused him to rise to COURAGE. The Israelite army were AFRAID and FLED in FEAR. No one believed that David was EQUIPPED to fight the giant. There will be voices (sometimes your own) telling you, “YOU CANT.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 REFLECT on the VICTORIES God has given y...
Feb 03, 2021•28 min
“Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy...He who is alone with his sins is utterly alone.” - Dietrich Bonhoefer The Big Idea: Confession is the antidote to shame. James 5:13-20 The healthy soul is the source of powerful prayer. Shame is the universal sense of self for humans and it is the birthplace of all of our fears. We all want desperately to hide and yet we also de...
Jan 31, 2021•40 min
Genesis 40:23 Genesis 41:1 Delay does not mean denial. God can change your prison sentence into a powerful deliverance in a single night. Genesis 41:41-43 Luke 15:20-24 The Ring - The signet ring of the family reputation and fortune fully entrusted to him. The Robe - The best robe. The Royal Treatment - Killed the fattened calf and had a massive celebration. The greatest news of all time: Your heavenly Father treats you with the reward of Joseph even though you earned your prison sentence. Respo...
Jan 27, 2021•24 min
Jim Ladd, January 24, 2021 WE CAN LEARN TO LISTEN TO GOD THE BIG IDEA: I MUST LEARN TO HEAR GOD WHEN HE SPEAKS TO ME. “IN OUR DAY HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE ON TIPTOE WAITING FOR THE EMERGING OF A SPIRIT-LED, SPIRIT-INTOXICATED, SPIRIT-EMPOWERED PEOPLE. ALL OF CREATION WATCHES EXPECTANTLY FOR THE SPRINGING UP OF A DISCIPLINED, FREELY GATHERED, MARTYR PEOPLE WHO KNOW IN THIS LIFE THE LIFE AND POWER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.” RICHARD FOSTER ACTS 13:1-3 ACTS 16:6...
Jan 24, 2021•46 min
Matthew 19:26b Something that is impossible with man is absolutely possible with God. BUT, with God all things are possible! GO SELL GIVE AWAY DISCOVER FOLLOW ● What piece of your identity, security, and trust is holding you back? ● What must you give away that is impossible for you to give away? ● Are you willing to allow Jesus to help you give it away? Will you: ● GO somewhere you’ve never gone? ● SELL what is most meaningful and empowering to you? ● GIVE AWAY to the powerless or poor? ● DISCO...
Jan 20, 2021•23 min
The Big Idea: Your actionable decisions flow from your deeply held beliefs. Exodus 33:12b-14 Matthew 11:28-30 John 14:25-27 Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing! He leads me beside still waters, makes me lie down in green pastures, and restores my soul. Many Christians are making actionable decisions from a non-biblical set of core beliefs Six Calibrating Beliefs That Must Guide Our Actions: We belong to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom Our American citizenship is a stewardship issue, ...
Jan 17, 2021•54 min
Romans 8 - Life governed by the Spirit is life and peace! Matthew 6:19-34 TREASURE: ● Treasure management proceeds heart management. EYES: ● The health of your eyes determines the light in your soul. SLAVERY: ● You cannot serve two masters. WORRY: ● Worry is the indicator that the first three are misaligned Steps Forward: ● Accept reality. ● Become politically homeless: ● Trust in the Lord your God and serve Him only. ● Remain calm -the children are watching. ● Stop talking about it and only pra...
Jan 13, 2021•26 min
"Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer IT IS ABOUT TRAINING VS TRYING 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 THE BIG IDEA: Following Jesus simply means learning from Him how to arrange my life in ways that enable me to live in the fruit of the Spirit. THREE LIES ABOUT SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: Spiritual disciplines are a barometer of spirituality Spiritual disciplines are unpleasant Spiritual disciplines are a way to earn favor with God Discipline: Any...
Jan 10, 2021•46 min
1 Timothy 2:1-4
Jan 06, 2021•21 min
Ephesians 2:1-10 The Big Idea: Transformation IS possible and hope is the fuel for the process. THE FOUR “FIRSTS” IN THIS QUEST: THE FIRST PARADIGM SHIFT: God is not interested in your spiritual life. “Poiema” - God’s work of art. THE FIRST ACTION: TURN ASIDE Exodus 3 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” THE FIRST GOAL: REAL transformati...
Jan 03, 2021•50 min
The Big Idea: Jesus can offer perfect peace because He is the Perfect Priest. John 14:27 Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in PERFECT PEACE those whose minds are STEADFAST, because they TRUST IN YOU.” Hebrews 7:16-28 Perfect peace comes only through a PERFECT PRIEST. Open the gift of Jesus and His Redemptive work.
Dec 23, 2020•19 min
Big Idea: We can find security in an Everlasting Father. Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 9:1-2 John 15:4 Matthew 9:35
Dec 20, 2020•41 min
IN THE CHAT: What motivates you or helps you get up in the morning? John 11:32-35 How we exercise COMPASSION: 1. WEEP and share in the sorrow. Romans 12:15 NAS 2. GIVE of what you have. Matthew 23:37-38 3. Serve with COMPASSION. Our response: 1. Pray for God to change my heart and open my eyes. 2. Ask God to prompt my response. 3. What’s my time frame?
Dec 16, 2020•18 min
Isaiah 9:6-7 Mighty = One who magnifies Himself; bold and audacious. God = Singular, absolute. Without equal or compare God never aligns Himself with the world’s understanding of power. The Cross is both the WORK OF GOD and the REVELATION OF GOD. Philippians 2:6-11 The devices of your captivity have been SHATTERED and lie on the ground! The greatest evidence of unstoppable power is SELF-FORGETFULNESS. Ephesians 1:18-23 Response: Ask God to see and live according to God’s power and not your own....
Dec 13, 2020•38 min
Dec 09, 2020•26 min
Isaiah 9:1-7 Why do we so desperately need a Counselor? Isaiah 1:2-3 What makes Him Wonderful? He has the only accurate Perspective. What is a Counselor? He helps me see clearly and navigate wisely. THE WISE ADVICE OF THE WONDERFUL COUNSELOR: 1. Deal with the self. Isaiah 1:16-20 2. Never leave your Counselor. John 16:12-15 Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 23:1 Response: 1. Confess and repent. 2. Keep walking with the Counselor....
Dec 06, 2020•42 min
PROBLEM: SALVATION HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AND UNDERSTOOD ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM A LEGAL FRAMEWORK. 5 Things: 1. GOD IS LIGHT. ● 1 John 1:5 2. IF = HOW ● 1 John 1:6-7 3. CURRENT CONFESSION IS CENTRAL TO A LIFE WITH GOD. ● 1 John 1:8-10 4. WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHEN WE OBEY. ● 1 John 2:3-6 5. THE KEY INDICATOR OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS THE PRESENCE OF LOVE AND THE ABSENCE OF HATE. ● 1 John 2:9-11
Dec 02, 2020•25 min
Big Idea: Jesus transforms us when we submit our pain to Him. Romans 8:18-25 How should we process pain? • Pain is universal. • Pain must be processed. Our Hope in Jesus. The Glory of God will be revealed in us because of our suffering. 1. Pain must be processed. 1 Peter 4:1 2. We process pain through the hope we have in Jesus. What needs processing in your own life?
Nov 29, 2020•35 min
