The God who is Love came to deliver us from lesser loves. When our affections for created things exceed our affections for the Creator of all things we become enslaved. The God who is Love is lifting us and restoring us to our identity and destiny in the Beloved.
Being chosen in the Beloved changes every aspect of our human existence. We’ve been restored to the Godhead the source of love and life – the God of creation. Our lives have become a response and a result of His grace and lovingkindness. We must learn to live in love, from love and for love. We have been chosen in the beloved. Scripture(s) NKJV: Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 1:5,6 Ephesians 1:3-6 Message Takeaways Our praise of God is distinct from all other praise or it isn’t praise of ...
In a world filled with complexities and confusion how is one organism — the Church — to have clarity on its mission and purpose? We must look to and hear from Jesus, that we might grasp the mission and the mandate from the Master.
Love may very well be the most used and abused word ever uttered by mankind. It’s been used to describe our mothers, favorite ice creams and travel destinations. It’s been used to manipulate, corrupt and to restore. Some of us can remember our first love and some of us have experienced so much relational pain, we’ve sworn to never love again. But long before there was a mother, difficult break up or travel destination – even before the world was, there was love. God is love and love is His four-...
Graduation is always a time to celebrate the accomplishment of completing a course of studies or a program. But just as graduation is about completion, graduation is about launching out for something new. With the certificate or degree or competencies that you come away with, you now have the capacity to make change in your community, in the society and in your own life. However, a piece of paper or even reading books or passing a test isn’t enough to enable and empower you to actually change th...
In track and field, wind assistance is the benefit an athlete receives during a race as registered by a wind gauge. Due to a tailwind’s ability to enhance performance in certain events, there’s a limit to how much assisting wind an athlete may perform under if the performance is to establish a record. In life, we all need to run a wind-aided race, and there is nothing that pushes us forward like the tail-wind of a good father. The bible and empirical data prove that few things are a predictor of...
So much of our torment, anxiety, irrational fear, unresolved frustration and deep-seated anger is rooted in an unwillingness to accept our God given limits. We've not only been designed by God we've been limited by God. We can't embrace and find joy in who we are, if we're unwilling to embrace and find joy in who we are not. We have all been limited by design.
With all that is going on around us it seems normal to be fearful. The fear of mass shootings, personal phobias, car-jackings, racial unrest, economic turmoil, and even dying from a pandemic can overwhelm our hearts and minds and drive us to addictions and toxic behaviours. The truth is that our minds were not designed for fear but God can literally re-wire our brains so that we live the fearless abundant life he planned for us.
Bitter root judgements are the dead weight of the soul. They leave the heart full of darkness and we become shackled to the pain of the past. Only grace can loosen the grip of bitter root judgements.
Suffering and pain make-up 40% of all of the Psalms -- along with Job and Lamentations, they acknowledge the truth of pain and suffering in this fallen world. We’ve all experienced deep sadness and hard to shake gloom, due to trauma and overwhelming disappointment in this life. Depression or black & blues of the heart and mind can be deeper and more persistent for some of us. Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the US and the second leading cause of disability wor...
In Exodus 3, God Himself announced that not only had the cries of His people reached Him, but He personally had come down to deliver them. Yet, when Moses broadcast this message to those bond in Egypt in Exodus 6:7, scripture tells us that they couldn't hear nor believe him. This is the work of shame... a pervasive sense that even if you don't like where you are, you deserve to be there. Rather than embrace the deliverer in front of you, shame convinces you to accept the devils behind you. This ...
In Exodus 3, God Himself announced that not only had the cries of His people reached Him, but He personally had come down to deliver them. Yet, when Moses broadcast this message to those bond in Egypt in Exodus 6:7, scripture tells us that they couldn't hear nor believe him. This is the work of shame... a pervasive sense that even if you don't like where you are, you deserve to be there. Rather than embrace the deliverer in front of you, shame convinces you to accept the devils behind you. This ...
Introduction: According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness 50% of adults will develop anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD or some other mental illness in their lifetime. Generation Z (1995 and 2010 ) is growing up in an age of increased anxiety and stress. Approximately 70% of teens across gender, race and family-income levels say that anxiety and depression are significant problems according to the Pew Research Center. And this is not altoget...
Antonia was a fortress and military barrack built in Jerusalem by King Herod around 19 BC. At Antonia, three days before the resurrection of Jesus Christ the most famous public trial in human history took place. A trial with consequences reaching further than Marbury vs. Madison, Brown vs. Board of Education, or Roe vs. Wade. This was the Passover Trial of Jesus (and Barabbas). One was a notorious rebel and murderer, the other a rabbi, teacher and miracle worker, who called Himself God. This ver...
Jesus came during a time when the Roman empire was spreading throughout the world. Their military, political and social institutions dominated the Middle East, Northern Africa, Western Europe, Greece, and the Balkans. As he entered Jerusalem, Jesus was fulfilling prophecy and entering the hopes of a people who’d been waiting for over 500 years. Those present as He entered Jerusalem were looking for His Kingdom and the dismantling of Rome. But Jesus came to begin an inside job that is still going...
often believe we’ve placed our faith in Christ but ultimately discover it’s really in success, true-love, fame, fortune or the life we want to live. The culture teaches us to believe these pursuits hold the key to contentment and fulfillment in this life. It’s no surprise many of us feel lost, alone, disenchanted and even angry towards life and God. When we take good things and make them supreme things, they become idols that drive and control our lives. There’s only One who can wholly satisfy o...
For many of us, the way we define contentment is the very thing that makes us discontent. As long as we believe contentment is self-sufficiency based on having all the provision and protection we need – we will never be content. The enemy of our soul subtly deceives us into defining contentment in a way that makes us independent of our abiding need for Christ. The moment we learn our sufficiency and true contentment is in Christ and always will be -- we begin to grasp the secret of contentment....
We live in a world of discontentment – filled with people dissatisfied with their possessions, positions and conditions – convinced if I just had more, I would be content. But discontentment is an affections issue. Contentment is not found in possessions, positions and conditions. Contentment isn’t the result of having more of something or something different. Contentment is an enduring result, only when our affections are rooted in the right thing.
Jesus promised He would build His Church and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. The Church of Jesus has been built for greater works. The works of hell in the earth will not prevail against the greater works of His Church in the earth. The Church has keys to something far greater than every work of darkness. The Church has been built for greater works.
As we continue to journey in the year of Greater, we must acknowledge that greater works or doing come from a place of greater being. Apart from a life filled with and animated by the Holy Spirit, we are powerless to produce the fruit God desires and the works He has purposed for our generation. The ministry of the Spirit is essential for the believer to live Greater in 2022.
Introduction: There is an attitude of deception and pretending in this culture. We are constantly left questioning and trying to determine, “who is genuine and who is not?” Scripture: 1John 1:5 - 2:1
With His cross and His sinless, sacrificed body, Jesus gives us His peace. We are no longer enemies of God – through Jesus, God’s wrath towards our sin has been satisfied. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to teach us how to walk in that peace, live in that peace and enter into the greater work of extending that peace – a peace that surpasses.
Jesus promised He was going to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house. Every follower of Jesus has been restored to the family of God. We all have a future with Him in the new heaven and earth. But Jesus has also prepared a place in us and the Holy Spirit has come to abide in and to live through us. There is a place prepared for us and there’s a place prepared in us. Scripture(s): NKJV John 14:18-24 Connection Card: https://bit.ly/ImReadyToLiveThis Submit Your Prayer Request: http://bit.l...
Greater generosity in our lives always results in greater influence through our lives. Connection Card: https://bit.ly/ImReadyToLiveThis Submit Your Prayer Request: http://bit.ly/TPCPrayer Like and Subscribe! Streaming on YouTube & Facebook Sundays @11AM!
Jesus made this world and more specifically His disciples, the object of His greatest act of love. The Father showed Him the end He had in mind, to restore mankind to Himself and Jesus gave His all to accomplish that end. He gave a greater love and the Father gave Him the greatest power. Jesus now calls us to give Him our greatest love that He might give us a greater power to continue in His works and greater works.
As we acknowledge God’s prophetic declaration of greater in 2022, we must also recognize our need for increased surrender and humility. Like John, we too have a destiny to glorify Christ our King—He must increase, we must decrease.
We live in an ever-changing world with ever-changing circumstances. The tendency can be to anticipate what’s next, look to others who’ve faced what we face or who’ve accomplished what we hope to accomplish. But looking to do what’s been done or to mimic the choices of others rarely leads to the greater works Jesus has in mind for us. If we’re going to live as He intends, moving from good to greater, it’s going to require a different kind of faith.
Jesus came to restore us to the Father. He revealed this truth to His disciples when they asked Him how to pray and He answered – “when you pray say our Father.” We see Jesus’ intent to restore us to the Father when Simon Peter discovered who Jesus was – “blessed are you Simon Bar-jonah because flesh and blood didn’t reveal this to you but my Father in heaven.” Jesus was unveiling this truth yet again, as He prepared for the cross. If you’ve seen me -- you’ve seen the Father. Jesus came to resto...
When we place our dependency, hopes and expectations in things that are subject to change, we invite heartache and disappointment into our lives. Sadly, we often end up attributing those heartaches and disappointments to Jesus’ failure to come through for us. But Jesus does not exist as a way to give us the good life we’ve envisioned for ourselves. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life – He brings us into a life that is far greater than anyone could conceive or accomplish apart from Him....
