When you trust in Jesus here is what happens- You are able to do God’s work in your life because he is already there willing and working the good through you… How’s that for wisdom? Philippians 2:10-16, Proverbs 14
"If you love me you will do what I want you to do. You will do what makes me happy". Try raising your children this way... Yet, this is the meaning of love for the vast majority of people today. God has another way of looking at love. "I will love you, and I will serve you by doing what is good for you, what is good according to the teachings of Jesus, whether you want it or not."
How does God work through us? With insights from Dallas Willard on job, calling, work, and life. Reflecting on what it means to be an extension of God in the world.
In a public discourse marked by lying and toxic shaming, it is refreshing to know God gives us the responsibility to bring sacred words into our relationships. We consider two key ways God uses us in this capacity: 1. God gives us sacred words to help others become more of whom God created them to be. 2. God gives us sacred words to give courage (“en-courage”) others. When God is behind words, they bring healing and not hurt.
Both Proverbs and the New Testament give us a key to influence...Share the compassion of Jesus with everyone...Share the gospel with those who are receptive Listen to how this works...
In Proverbs 6, God lists seven things we do that he hates...What are they and what can be done about this?
Using "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg and Proverbs 5:21-23 we see how habits are formed and how God can help us change our bad ones...
Seeking the truth at all possible cost, with courage and consideration is the mark of what we are about as God's people...This means saying, "No!" quite a few times... We oppose any thinking not based on reason and reality. In the ideologies being forced upon us, we are saying, "No!" quite a bit lately...
Seeking the truth of God relentlessly brings discovery of what God desires us to know about him and invites to to join him in his work together. Through Holy Spirit we have access to the very mind of God...
First in our summer series- Proverbs: Summer of Wisdom An introduction to Proverbs and the weeks ahead. We will continue to invite the the Holy Spirit to fill us with God’s presence and encounter God's Wisdom. You can be a genius and filled with knowledge but this does not mean you have wisdom. Wisdom comes from relationship with our loving Father...
As human beings, God wires us to be transformed from the moment of conception, and he wires us to be transformed spiritually by the Holy Spirit, from our new birth. What does this look like?
What does Jesus mean when he says we can be filled with the Holy Spirit if we ask? How do we ask? With insights from Light Your Church On Fire... David Housholder https://1l.ink/TRSX7XH
When we are in harmony with God we are fit together for his purpose to transform our world into his new creation. Here is how it is done...
When Jesus breaks into the world, Caesar is the absolute ruler. Little did he know someone else is coming who will take the throne for good...
Our Middle School Youth led worship for Mother’s Day. Kyra Smolik and AJ Reed speak of the real Wonder Woman from Proverbs 31.
We like to speak of equal rights, but not about equal responsibility…Can’t have one without the other Acts 10, with insight from Dr. Jordan Peterson
Can we know the truth about our life and the reality of our existence? What does Jesus have to do with this? What does Easter have to do with this? Listen
Forgiveness and new life are the order of the day with Easter. The power and authority of the Resurrected Jesus makes it possible for us to bring the things of heaven on earth. We pass the baton from those who have gone before us as we continue the race to transform all of creation.
The final part of our series, Lord, Teach Us to Pray, based on the model prayer Jesus teaches us, the Lord’s Prayer. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen... A life lived in the presence of God is life itself...
God uses Paul to begin expanding his Kingdom like never before. A large part of the world comes to know about Jesus resulting in the continued transformation of humanity. All this from the "little" man who surrenders to Jesus...
God’s Kingdom is God in action. So, as we are connected to God, as he makes his home in us, we act as God acts. The challenge of this truth is this: Whatever is acting against God is acting against us. This is evil. Evil is that which opposes God and his ways. What might that be? Part six of our series, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray", based on the model prayer Jesus gives us, the Lord’s Prayer.
This is the fifth part of our series, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray", based on the model prayer Jesus teaches us, the Lord’s Prayer. Lead us not into temptation… There’s a lot of misunderstanding we will look at concerning this teaching. We look for God everywhere and we pray he keep us out of trouble…
This is the fourth part of our series, "Lord, Teach Us To Pray", based on the model prayer Jesus teaches us, the Lord’s Prayer. Tresspasses...Sins...Debts...Transgression...Iniquities...What is it all about? Forgiveness? Have Mercy? Have pity...
Third in our series, "Lord, Teach Us To Pray" based on the model prayer Jesus gives us...The Lord's Prayer Give us today our daily bread or- Give us what we need today...You're gonna be there tomorrow
Second in our series on prayer, Lord, Hear Our Prayer, based on the model prayer Jesus gives us, the Lord’s Prayer. My experiences define me as a person... Relationship is all about shared experience... The truth is, experiences make up the substance of reality... Thy Kingdom come!
"Lord, Teach Us To Pray" is our new series on prayer, based on the model for prayer Jesus gives us…The Lord’s Prayer. This is the most famous prayer in the world. Also it may be our least thought-through prayer. Too familiar, too automatic, too rote. All prayer is a living conversation between a cherished dad and his children. We want to keep these words alive, put our thought into them, and pray in a way that is meaningful to us when we pray. We will make progress in having the model of the Lor...
A look at the Beatitudes and and who gets to be blessed in God's world...from Matthew 5
We live in an age of identity. Identity theft, identity politics, identity confusion...What gives? Jesus is attacked by Satan in the wilderness and it has much to do with identity. What can we learn from Jesus? Well, for one thing, our true identity...
At the baptism of Jesus, our identity as sons and daughters of the King is declared, as we join him at the waters. A sermon on the baptism of Jesus…
Sometimes God uses amazing miracles to draw us to Jesus. Think about the angel appearing to the shepherds on Christmas Eve, “I bring you good news of great joy!” Other times, God just uses what is there right in front of us. Then, we don’t need a miracle, we just need the facts. Or , then again, are the facts themselves miracles? What can we learn from the Magi this Epiphany Sunday? Let's find out Thank you to TC Christopher for delivering this sermon at short notice when I came down with a bug....
