The Summit Church Conway: Recent Episodes
The Summit Church Arkansas
The Summit Church exists to cooperate with God in developing multiplying communities of fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Jesus called us into a community of followers. We are not alone. Jesus modeled this by living in relationships represented in concentric circles (the inner 3, the 12, the 72, and the crowd).
Jesus spent time alone with the Father and “only did what the Father did.” So how do we follow? In this message we look at the rhythms of Jesus' life and how we can structure our lives in a way to do what He did.
The call to be a disciple is the call to be with Jesus. He called us to follow Him. This has much deeper meaning than we typically realize. The term “disciple” is probably more akin to “apprentice” than we realize. The call to follow is not just a call to agree that Jesus is Lord, but to surrender our way to His way. Being a Christian is following the Jesus Way.
Following Jesus will result in hostility from outsiders. Peter starts this section with “Who would want to harm you for doing good?” The answer is, more and more people as the world grows darker. So he encourages us, when we suffer, we can remember that Christ also suffered. We must also remember that Christ is King and He has not lost control.
Following Christ impacts our relationships with others. Our marriages, our friendships, our parenting, should all look different from the world. If you are temporarily visiting a place, how you interact with others is obvious. Peter is telling us people should know we are temporary residents by how we treat others. Love is the central characteristic of all godly relationships. Kingdom relationships are identified by love, worldly relationships are identified by power.
We are to submit to authority, and live humble lives, “for the Lord’s sake.” This affects what we say about those in authority over us. It affects how we treat those in authority over us. In a politicized world, the only way we can do this is by looking to Christ, who humbled himself, and showed us what a life of submission looks like. What do we do when authority is bad? Jesus put his trust in the Father to judge justly.
Peter takes the promise given to Abraham and makes it about the Kingdom. Boundary lines and blood lines now flow through Jesus. And for all who have been brought into the family through the blood of Jesus, they now have all the rights of the family of God. Now, because we have been brought into the house of God as figurative stones that make up a spiritual temple, it matters how we live among outsiders. When they look at us, they should see Christ. Not only are we stones that make up the temple, we are a “royal priesthood, a chosen nation, God’s very own possession” all words that show our value to God, and the responsibility we now have to represent Christ to a lost world.
Because we have a new life and new hope in Christ, it is meant to change everything about us. It should affect our daily living while we live on this earth as temporary residents. Peter makes a point to say that while we are temporarily here, our lives are eternal, because the Word of God is in us and has changed us. The Word of God remains forever. Not only does Peter tell us what we should partake in, he exhorts us to abstain from any type of evil behavior.
All followers of Jesus are living as exiles in a foreign land. Much like our ancestors, we are anxiously awaiting our arrival to the promised land. While we journey to Jesus, we should “... be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” The suffering and trials we endure here are only for a moment.
Elder Blessing
By: Blake Hudspeth
As those who have been saved by grace and given a holy calling, may God fan into flame the varied gifts of grace He has given to each of you. May your life be marked with all the fullness of God. As His Spirit does the work of conforming you into the image of Jesus, may you be strengthened with power, perfected in love, and obedient through self-control. Go out in joy and be led forth in peace, in the name of Christ, Amen.
ELDER BLESSING
By: Jason Cooney
Same Spirit
Holy Spirit, you’ve been with us all along.
You hovered over the waters in the beginning, witness to the glorious work of the Father and Son in creation.
From the lips of Isaiah, the Father promised You to us, that you would never depart from us.
With Ezekiel’s voice, the Father proclaimed he would put You in us, replacing hearts prone to wander with ones prone to obedience.
From Joel’s mouth, the Father promised to pour You out on us, that our sons and daughters would prophesy, our old men dream dreams, and young men see visions.
It was you who allowed Mary to conceive our Lord.
You, Spirit, descended on Christ at his baptism, and then drove him into the wilderness, preparing Him for victory over the enemy’s temptations.
Spirit, you were with Jesus as He made lame beggars walk, blind men see, and dead men rise.
Wasn’t it You that made the lifeless body of our savior breathe again?
Then Jesus breathed You upon his disciples.
At Pentecost, You gave those same disciples words in languages they didn’t speak, to announce truths all people needed to hear.
Jesus said You would teach us all things, reminding us of the words of Christ.
You help us in our weakness, interceding for us with utterings too deep for words.
In Your presence there is freedom.
Your fruit is love, peace, kindness, and faithfulness.
You are building us into a dwelling place for God.
This Spirit dwells in you!
May He have His way with us.
May he have His way. All God’s people said... Amen.
The Story of God and His People
Genesis 1:1-4
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:26-27, 31
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good
Genesis 2:16-17
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Genesis 3:4-6
But (later on) the serpent said to the woman, “You won’t die!” 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband (Adam), who was with her, and he ate it, too.
Romans 1:22-25
Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God (gave them over to the darkness) allowing them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!
Genesis 6:5
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 12:1-3
(Even still, Long after this) The Lord had said to (a man called) Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Your name will now be called Abraham)
1 Chronicles 1:34
Abraham had a son named Isaac. And Isaac had a son named Israel.
Micah 6:4
For I (the Lord) brought Israel out of Egypt
and redeemed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
Psalm 78:10-11
But (even then) you did not keep God's covenant, you refused to walk according to his law. You forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown you.
Psalm 106:35-36
You mixed with the nations
and adopted their evil ways.
36 You worshipped their idols,
and it became your downfall.
Romans 3:9, 10-18, 23
What then? Are the sons of Israel any better off?[b] No, not at all. For all of us are in sin,
10“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The poison of snakes is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Jeremiah 31:31-34
But behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new promise with you. This covenant will not be like the one I made with your ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.
33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. For everyone, from the least to the greatest… says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a soft heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my words and be careful to obey my commands.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (which means God is with us)
Isaiah 9:2,6
(Yes) The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine…
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
John 1:1-4, 14
For In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him.4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men.
And this Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3:19-20
(Yes) God’s light came into the world, but people (still) loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
Isaiah 53:3-6
(The Light of God) was despised and rejected[a] by men;
a man of sorrows,[b] and acquainted with[c] grief;[d]
and as one from whom men hide their faces[e]
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that brought us peace,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the sins of us all.
John 19:30
(On the cross when the time had come) Jesus said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb (of Jesus). 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.
1 John 5:12
(And) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Ephesians 2:1, 3-5
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
Matthew 28:18-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Acts 1:9-11
And when Jesus had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 9:31
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Revelation 19:11-16
(But a day is coming)…When I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh[a] was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
Revelation 17:14
His enemies will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
Revelation 20:10a, 14a
and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire, Then Death itself and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire
Revelation 21:1, 3-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “(Come and see), I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”
The Gospel message is news to be heralded, not advice to take heed of. It isn’t bad news or mundane news. It’s amazing news that is so good that it must be shared. No one has ever heard an incredible news story and kept it to themselves. The message that God has come to save His people was a message the angels couldn’t wait to share with a few lowly shepherds, because they knew this news would change the entire world. This same Good News is meant to be shared today, as it is mankind’s only hope.
Joseph was a man that God used to bring blessing to his city and nation. He endured suffering and hardship by walking in faith and the result was that the city and nation were blessed! We are also called to be a people of good reputation who see the welfare of our cities. Let's lean into what God has for us as we engage the cities He has placed us in.
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise”.
God is always calling His children to take steps of faith. To step into places or seasons that don't make sense to our finite minds. Journeys of faith require us to keep our eyes on God because He's the only one who knows where we're going.
Noah had never seen rain. He didn’t know what a boat was. Yet he believed beyond what he could see, and in so doing he saved his family and generations to come. Will we be people who believe beyond our current generation? Will we do whatever it takes to see salvation come to the generations coming behind us? We can only do that by faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” If we want to live lives that are pleasing to the Father, we must live lives of faith. Hebrews 11 tells the stories of men and women who did just that. They believed beyond what they could see because their sights were set on Heaven. Everything rises and falls on faith. The first person listed in the Hall of Faith is a surprise, a man barely mentioned in the Bible - Abel. Abel pleased God because he put God first in his life and demonstrated that by his firstfruits offering.
Elder Blessing
By: Patrick Henry
Summit Church may you be reminded that without faith, it is impossible to please God. May your trust in Him grow daily. Even on difficult days of scarcity, may you trust that He is indeed providing. Our prayer for you is that you first recognize God’s desire to meet you where you are and bless you with what you need. When you talk with Him this week, begin the conversation by admitting your trust in Him and the simple fact that He provides. Be reminded today of his strength and know that He can be found. He is not hiding. He sees and He hears you. Out of His great faithfulness, He is responding. And in your seeking and discovering, let your heart rejoice.
Psalms 105:3-4
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Elder Blessing
By: Steve Graham
Jesus, when you ascended all that remained were 11 men standing in the middle of the road silently staring at the sky perplexed about what was next. They expected that you would establish your “promised” Kingdom ruling over all Israel. Instead, you handed over a different kind of kingdom that would start in Jerusalem, then extend to all Judea, to Samaria, and finally the entire Gentile world. You said to those 11 men, “As the Father has sent me, so I also send you” (John 20:21).
You deliberately and precisely made your mission the model for ours. With power given to us by the Holy Spirit you have equipped us and sent us out into this NEW KINGDOM.
Summit Church, armed with power,
Be sent to serve Him in daily life, in your workplace, your school, neighborhood, city, state, nation, and world.
Be sent to bear witness of the good news, the gospel, through your words and deeds. Keeping in mind that words without deeds have no credibility and our deeds by themselves, without words, have no eternal impact.
Be sent as bearers of His love and grace.
Be sent to live differently in this world as citizens of God's kingdom.
Church, let us never forget that we are a called people—called for the unmitigated purpose of being sent.
GO NOW………..YOU ARE SENT!
Our faith grows, and joy increases during suffering as we turn to God in prayer and praise. James instructs the church to pray with the elders. The literal and symbolic oil represents setting someone apart through prayer for special attention and care before God Who alone can heal. Not only should the elders pray for people, but so should the whole church because God answers prayer! He answered prayers for Elijah, and He’ll do it for us! Believers should pray for and help return those who wander and waiver in their faith back to God Who forgives and restores.
Our faith is tested and strengthened in suffering. God desires believers to grow in patience. Like a farmer we are to wait on the harvest of fruit that comes from the seeds of patience. We must allow the Lord to change our hearts and we must refrain from grumbling to be found faithful by the Lord, the coming Judge. We should be unwavering like the prophets and steadfast like Job . Again (and above all), our speech reflects trustworthiness in persevering faith.
God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Pride manifests in various forms. It could be slander, boasting, or hoarding. Slander dishonors God and disheartens others. In contrast, Godly speech praises God and encourages others. Boasting about our future (short and long-term) by neglecting to ask God’s will is arrogant, foolish, and evil. Hoarding the resources God has placed in our lives is also prideful. We will be judged by God for how we have used what He has entrusted us. The things of this world are wasting away, but they can be invested for eternal purposes in His Kingdom.
ELDER BLESSING
By: Pete Lee
Summit Church,
I bless you, in Jesus' name, that you would be strong through the great grace that God gives you.
That you would walk through every season of your life with a heart to please the Father in all things.
I pray that you would be blessed with a unified mind (Phil 2:2) that remembers Jesus Christ and seeks to walk in His ways, not becoming distracted by lesser things. And as you remember Jesus, you would seek to live like him, having the same attitude that He had. For even though He was God, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death (Phil 2:5-11).
I bless your words, that they would be full of life (James 4:11&12) and would point others to the One who gives life. (Psalm 34:1-3).
I bless your thoughts, that they would be pure, and would continually be turned to the Father in worship and praise.
I bless your finances, that they would be seen as a means to worship the Father. May you live out the reality that true treasure is stored in heaven, not on earth (Matt 6:19-21).
I bless your moments, each one, that they would be carefully submitted to the Lord. And may you find yourself ready to receive whatever He might bring your way.
I pray, Summit Church, that you would be blessed with the heart of generosity and humility that is formed only by dwelling daily in the presence of Christ.
Amen
There are two types of friendships – one with the world and one with God. Friendship with the world comes from sinful flesh, to be spent on earthly passions, and ends in being enemies of God. The Spirit longs for us to live for and in Him. Friendship with God comes from His grace as we submit ourselves to Him and resist the devil. Drawing near to God through humble repentance and grieving over our sin, results in being lifted by God.
There are two sources (and types) of wisdom: worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom comes from hell – it is of the devil. It is false and self-centered and evidenced by works of jealousy which leads to disorder and evil. Godly wisdom comes from heaven, operates in godliness, and produces righteousness and peace.
The tongue reveals the condition of our hearts. James’ infallible words help us with our fallible words. Teachers of God’s Word along with everyone else must be careful with their words as everyone stumbles and sins through our words. The tongue is powerful, and we must recognize our inability to tame it on our own. We must allow the Lord to transform our hearts and minds through His Word and Spirit, which will transform our words to speak the truth in love and the good news to our neighbors and nations.
We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works. The faith we profess is evident by the fruit that comes from our lives. This passage teaches us about useful faith, righteousness, works, and justification. As we see with the example of faith of Rahab, faith risks big for God’s glory. Jesus is the foundation for our justification. Faith in Him is how we’re justified. Good works display our justification by faith in Jesus.
Faith expresses itself in love. Showing favoritism expresses worldliness. Christ followers are to live in a way that does not operate in worldly systems such as favoring the rich and neglecting the poor. Believers must live in a way that glorifies God, testifies to His grace, displays the Royal Law, is aware He is the Judge, and shows His mercy.
Christ followers must not only receive God’s Word, but keep it at the forefront of their spiritual growth as they obey it. As we receive the Word which saves and sanctifies, we must keep it in full view daily and apply it internally and externally.
Trials and temptations are both inevitable. God desires to deepen our faith through both. Knowing God is sovereign over our trials helps us grow in His likeness, trust Him for wisdom, depend on Him for provision, and live in His blessings. Understanding the origin of sin helps us to overcome its deception that leads to death. Growing through trials and overcoming sin helps us to experience Him and His salvation and goodness.
ELDER BLESSING
(Jason Cooney)
As fear creeps into your mind, may Christ take those thoughts captive and replace them with all things true, honest, pure, and lovely.
When you’re tempted to speak timidly, remember you’ve been appointed to a royal priesthood. Speak with the authority you’ve received.
When anxiety threatens to overtake you, may the peace of Christ rule in your heart and steady your emotions.
If you take an uncertain step down a wayward path, may God direct your steps back to Him.
Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. His spirit resides in you. Drop the shackles. You are sent into this week as free sons and daughters of the most high King.
Amen.
(After 2 Corinthians 10:5, 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 3:15, Psalm 37:23, Proverbs 16:9, 2 Corinthians 3:17)
ELDER BLESSING
(Steve Graham)
I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, you came to this earth to destroy the works of the enemy and to make people well. You were accused, you were betrayed, and you were murdered by the will of God. When you died, you descended into the depths of death itself, into the place of the enemy, and you swallowed up death into life. By the power of God you rose from the grave. With death conquered and the enemy defeated, you came UP out of the tomb because there was nothing there any longer. You came out ALIVE. You now sit at the right hand of the Father, mediating for us.
At the cross there was a great exchange, a beauty like nothing else:
Taking our shame, you gave back honor
Taking our guilt, gave us back our innocence
Our fears were replaced with power and authority
We were once enemies, now you adopted us as sons and daughters
Burdens we leave at the cross are replaced with LIFE and freedom. Your death and resurrection freed us from the bondage of the fear of death. Death no longer has victory or sting over those of us that trust in Christ!
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
GO NOW…..BE SENT!
Elder Blessing:
(Seth Price)
May you surrender today and confess to Jesus,
that you can do nothing apart from Him.
May you submit to the Father,
who lovingly cuts away that which is lifeless and dead,
and prunes to cleanse and cultivate new life in you. (John 15:1-5)
When your desire is to take control and work in your own strength,
may you return, abide, and remain connected to the true source of life.
May you receive the love of Jesus and let it dwell in your hearts through faith.
Let it take root and keep you grounded in days of doubt. (Eph 3:17)
May you not fear in seasons of drought and scarcity,
but instead remain resilient and connected to the God of all abundance,
and never cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
May your abiding life be marked by trust,
trusting that everything flows from the presence of God.
For He has everything you need and holds all things together. (Col 1:17)
May He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13)
Father, may You receive great glory,
Jesus, may we be found as Your true disciples, (John 15:8)
and Holy Spirit we depend on You to fill us fresh today as we are sent out.
Amen.
David would not allow a pagan to defy his God. He was jealous for the God of Israel. David had to rely on the past faithfulness of God to be willing to step into the battle with his greatest enemy yet. David knew God alone would defeat Goliath. He refused to wear another man’s armor, and simply relied on his own anointing. We must do the same. We cannot try to be someone we are not; we have to step into what God has called us to, trusting that He alone is enough.
God always finds His man or woman. They are the ones that are built in the secret. They are the ones that have learned to walk in humility. They may be unassuming, barely detectable to mankind, but heaven recognizes them. To be marked by God is the greatest thing that could ever happen for an individual. David, the ruddy shepherd, could have run from Samuel, but he cooperated with God’s plan, and became anointed for God’s work.
The word steadfastness means “endurance, patience, waiting.” If we want to grow in our faith, then we must realize that everything will not be easy and difficult times will come. We must learn to worship in the waiting.
If we want to grow in godliness we have to grow in togetherness. To truly love and live together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
If we want to grow in our relationship with the Father, then we must put to death the sin in our lives.
We cannot change without adding KNOWLEDGE! We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Virtue means “excellence of character…” good works. Our faith doesn’t end with us. We must add to our faith “excellence.”
The Lord has given us all things for life and godliness. There's nothing that we need that we don't have - the promises of God to us. But we must make every effort to receive them by faith.
As we seek to live our lives in light of the Gospel, we will encounter major opposition from the enemy. To counter the attacks of the enemy, we must suit up in the full armor of God and take our position on the wall of prayer.
Relationships in our home should be a reflection of the Gospel. How do we live out grace and truth in our homes? This passage demonstrates to us a child's spiritual responsibility as well as the love and grace that parents should have in spiritual care for their children.
Paul explains how our relationships as husband and wife should be a picture of Christ's love for the church. Grace should be the banner over our homes.
As new creations in Christ, our lives should look differently than the world around us. This passage is a call to practical santification in our lives - a call to 'be imitators of God' in every area of life.
God has designed His bride to work a certain way. Everyone has a part to play, gifts to exercise, and maturity to display.
Our collective faith as a family matters. In light of all that God has done to make us His own and how He is growing us together and in spiritual maturity - we should strive to believe that He can do more than humanly possible. As a faith family we must remember our Father can do anything!
We went from strangers to being in God's family through the finished work of Jesus Christ. But that's only the start! We should grow as God's family grows.
This passage in Ephesians is one of the greatest explanations of the Gospel in all of the Bible. Not only that, but it tells us that we display the workmanship of God. We are are God's masterpiece - His church, His family, declaring His power to the world. We have been saved for something!
What does it mean to be made in the image of God? What does it mean to be a man or woman? With God as our authority, we will look at who He says we are and see that His design is good.
Additional Resources: The Image of God Article: Men and Women in the Image of God – John M. Frame
Gender Identity Article: A Biblical Conversation about Transgender Identities – Preston Sprinkle
Design implies a purpose or end. Do people have purpose? If so, how do we know? Who has authority to say? In this message, we unpack Psalm 19 and learn that God's very character and nature declare that He is a trusted authority. And when we live according to His design for us, humanity will flourish.
Additional Resource Book: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution – Carl R. Trueman