CityLight Vineyard Church: Recent Episodes
CityLight Vineyard
As we look at the first chapter of Daniel we discover how intensely they were pressured to be indoctrinated into their new culture. As exiles, how did they hold onto their identity, their moral code, and their God? And what lessons can we pull from them for us today?
Jesus calls us His witnesses. What does that mean for your life today? How can you live a life that is a testimony, that testifies, to the truth about Jesus?
In this text we see the power of a simple invitation: several times we see followers of Jesus inviting other people to "come and see" the amazing work of Jesus. Today, we can do the same. A simple invitation could change someone's life forever.
People need to see the Good News, not just hear about it. How can we, as the church, show people our faith in a way that is attractive and draws them closer to Jesus?
Do you ever feel like you are running on empty in life? God has provided three circles of sufficiency that when we lean into them we find the strength and replenishment we all need.
Exercising the habit of generosity changes your heart and causes you to be more thankful for everything!
What happens when we die? How does our sin affect our eternal destination? Jesus tells us that He not only knows the answer, but that He IS the answer. He said, “I am the resurrection.” What does this mean for our lives?
Jesus teaches us that we can do nothing without Him. And he calls us to live a life of significance that produces fruit - fruit that will last! As we learn to follow him more fully, what fruit are we leaving behind?
Jesus describes Himself as the only Way to relationship with God. The subtext is that God actually wants a relationship with us! That is incredible news! However, it can be easy to settle for something less than the loving, full hearted relationship He offers us. How can we grow to living with Him moment by moment?
Guest preacher Mark Tindal challenges us to remember that part of following Jesus is praying for and expecting the miraculous!
For many of us it is easier to think of God as an our leader or our Savior, but it can be hard to let him care for our hearts. This week we look at what it means when Jesus says that He is our Good Shepherd.
We live in a world that is full of darkness. A world that often distorts and confuses good for evil, light for darkness. How have we, because we live in this world, been affected by the darkness? Have we gotten used to it and forgotten what it means to live in the light?
Jesus says that he is the Bread of Life? For us to truly live we need to feed on who He is. But what does that mean and how do we do that?
We all usually know what we should do - the problem isn't knowledge, its application. This teaching will challenge you to do the work you know you need to do, in order to be the person you know you want to be!
In a surprising twist of a Bible passage, James tells us to count it “pure joy” when we face hardships. How is that possible? What does he mean? And how can we apply that to our lives? In this passage we learn how hardships can make you better at life!
A Christian truth that will lead you to a better life is the practice of repentance. Repentance, though, can be confusing. In this teaching we learn how God’s grace coupled with our effort will lead to lasting life change.
In relationships we often find that the easy choice now, doesn’t lead to the best outcome later. In this teaching we look at Biblical wisdom for relationships, and how often making the hard choice in the moment, will lead to the life you wish you had!
In the cross we see the incredible generosity of Jesus where he takes the worst of us onto Himself, and gives us the best of Himself as a free gift of grace.
This Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. It can be easy to think that this event is mostly concerning our eternal salvation. In reality, the good news of the resurrection is something that impacts our daily lives. Find out how!
On Palm Sunday we remember the Triumphal Entry of Jesus that marks the beginning of the Passion Week. But what does that event truly signify for us today? And in what ways do we miss Jesus’ offer of peace, similar to how the people of His time did?
A lot of the slogans you hear repeated from well meaning Christians tend to gloss over the rough edges of life and faith. Jesus doesn’t do this. The Garden of Gethsemane experience gives us a deep look at a Savior who suffered deeply. In fact, he suffered alone, so we don’t have to.
Jesus shows us how to love each other by humbling himself and washing the feet of his disciples. The question for us is, are our lives too full to actually be able to serve anyone? Are we too full of ourselves to serve those in need?
In the story of the feeding of the 5,000 we learn that Jesus not only cares about the spiritual needs of people, he cares about their practical needs as well. How, as followers of Jesus, can demonstrate the same compassion the those around us?
As Jesus describes his compassion for those who are far from Him, we are challenged to ask ourselves to do a “heart check.” Do we care like Jesus cares? Are we willing to search like Jesus searches?
Have you ever felt discouraged in your faith? Does it ever feel like things are taking too long, or the cost for following Jesus is too high? In today’s teaching we look at several short parables of Jesus that encourage us not to quit before we see the harvest in our lives!
We often relate the supernatural power of God only in the form of healing. However, as we can see in scripture, His Word brings us eternal life which is healing, restoration and redemption beyond our human understanding! Let’s dive in and see the amazing power His Word holds!
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives us a beautiful vision for what the people of God can look like. If we can be transformed by following Him and become a people of deep character, faith and love—we can truly be the light of the world.
Are you someone who tends to minimize when things go wrong, or someone who makes a big deal out of them - maybe too big of a deal? In this passage about Jesus, we learn that while sin is worse for us than we think, God’s overwhelming forgiveness is more than we could ever imagine.
Looking at the list of the twelve Apostles, one has to wonder, “What was Jesus thinking?” These twelve are so completely different from each other! However, maybe that’s the point. If God can work with them, He can work with you!
We all face temptations of all kinds in our lives. In order to resist these, we must understand that every temptation is a short cut around what God really wants for you life. And because of that, every time we are tempted, God offers us an escape route. We just have to learn to find them.
As we begin our walk through the life of Jesus, we start with His baptism. In this amazing moment, we find out a lot about His identity: the Son of God, the Messiah, the one who has been prophesied about for hundreds of years. As the story unfolds we see all the ways that Jesus fulfills identity. In much the same way we have a choice in this life: to life according to who God says we are, or to try and forge a different identity outside of God’s plan.
Throughout the Christmas narrative we see the authors of the New Testament drawing our attention to the faithfulness of God. The repeatedly show us how God us fulfilled prophecies from hundreds of years prior in the person and life of Jesus. This faithfulness is something we can rely upon as well. His faithfulness invites us to trust Him, even when we aren’t sure what’s happening in the moment.
According to the Bible, we have a lot to look forward to! The Christmas Story sets in motion a timeline where Jesus will indeed return again to earth. This time he will bring an end to all evil and suffering. What does the Bible teach about the return of Jesus and how should it shape our lives today?
One of the greatest truths that we can learn about God from the Christmas Story is that God is indeed with us. In fact, there may be no greater truth! No matter what you are facing, the fact that God is with you changes everything.
Idols seem like a thing from the very distant past. People aren’t bowing to wooden statues that much these days. But what our modern day idols are more “idols of the heart?” In what says do we make good things become ultimate things in our lives?
As we wrap up our series on Colossians, we are encouraged to be people who carry the message of hope in Jesus to all people. This is a message that changes lives, still! How can we make the most of every opportunity to share this hope with others?
When we think about family, we get a variety of feelings, thoughts, and memories. Some are good, some are painful, all seem to be powerful. What does the Bible have to say about the family who is following Jesus together? How can God use the family as a way to bring hope and love not only to our family members, but also to others in our community?
How are we growing in faith? This passage in Colossians encourages us to let go of all the extra stuff we try to add, and to keep the focus on the simple message of Jesus. As we let go of faulty thinking, sin, and whatever else holds us back we can truly lean into Jesus. And one of the greatest ways to let go of all that is to move towards faith community. In true Christian community we can grow together, challenge each other, and encourage each other!
In order to truly embody the message of the Gospel we will find it necessary to live sacrificially. If Jesus lived sacrificially, there is no way for us to truly communicate His message without doing so as well. This teaching will challenge you to see that it’s the kindness of God that invites us to sacrifice for others.
In this passage Jesus is spoken of in the highest terms. He is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Redeemer of all things. If Jesus literally has the blueprints for all of creation, certainly we can trust Him to have the blueprints for our lives!
It can be tempting to think that our spiritual growth is all about the work we put in. And while it is true that we have work to do, we cannot replace the work that God by His grace does in our lives. Can we learn to see God working in our lives, and find the fruit that comes from Him?
Why do we read the Bible? We read so that we may know Jesus better. The Word of God is meant to draw us closer to the Son of God. Knowing His Word and loving Him are inseparable realities. However, it can be easy to forget this. How can we read for relationship?
As we read the Word of God, are we reading for information only, or are we allowing the Word to transform us. Are we letting the Word into our hearts to change our lives? Are we becoming new people because we interact with God’s Word regularly?
The Word of God has been assembled over 1500 years, with 40 authors in three different languages. The key that holds it all together is that God is speaking through the words to us. We can trust this book, because God has spoken. The words aren’t meant to just inform us, but to transform us. To change us. To change our lives. And to change the world.
Have you ever wondered where the Bible came from? How did we get it? Why should we trust it? Is it authoritative? This week we tackle some of those questions as we begin our series on the Word of God!
What gets in the way of you saying “yes” to Jesus in your life? Is it time? Insecurity? Opposition? We all face obstacles and roadblocks, but how can we learn to overcome them and a big yes for Jesus in our hearts?
Often we say “yes” to many things we think are important in life. At times, these commitments take the place of the path God truly wants us to be on. We fill our lives up with so much that we tend to neglect the opportunities to serve, lead and build ourselves up in the Lord. As you listen to this teaching, ask yourself, ”What do I need to let go of so I can “fan the flame” God has placed on my heart and in my life.”
When God asks us to do something, do we lean YES or NO or MAYBE? In this teaching we talk about how to have a YES in our heart for Jesus!
The Biblical picture of the church is one of a group of people “called out” to work together towards a common goal. It is a picture of unity and diversity, where everyone has a place and a role to fill, but these roles are not all the same. Do you know what gifts God has called you to share in the church?
In this teaching, we look at three quotes from Jesus that every Christian should take some time to consider. The quotes invite us to look at our relationship with Jesus. They challenge us to grow closer to Him, to follow Him more fully, and to share our lives with Him and those around us.
We all deal with worry, stress, and anxiety at some level in our lives. There are times when it is more pronounced—stressors in our lives arise that can take away our peace and leave us feeling vulnerable. What if there were things we could do on a regular basis—“spiritual practices”—that could raise the threshold of where anxiety breaks through our peace?
Last week we talked about “What If” Anxiety - the anxiety we carry in us about things that might happen. This week we talk about “What Is” Anxiety - the anxiety we carry about stuff that is actually happening in our lives! What causes you anxiety, and how does your faith in Jesus help you?
We spend a lot time being anxious about things that haven’t even happened yet. "What if" this or that happens? In a beautiful teaching in the book of John, Jesus offers some profound insight on how to trust Him in our anxiety. How we can not only find peace but live in a place of peace that truly changes our lives.
The #1 cause of anxiety for most people is financial stress. In this teaching, we look at the book of Proverbs to find lessons we can apply to our lives to live in peace financially.
Worship was central to David’s life. As we read the story of David we learn of his desire to build God a temple to worship Him. David had a deep passion to worship God with his whole heart. Reading about Davids' passion provokes questions we are each invited to consider," How do we approach worship in our own lives? What does worship mean to us? Are we just singing along, or are we truly experiencing the very presence of God?".
There are a lot of times in life when we are waiting. Waiting to make decisions, waiting on answers to prayer, and waiting for big life moments. The word “waiting” carries with it the connotation of inaction, however Biblical waiting is quite the opposite. From the story of David, we can learn through his season of waiting in the wilderness. We will discover three questions we can ask regularly to encourage us during our seasons of waiting.
This week we look at a promise found in Romans 8. In this passage we read that, if God is for us, no one can be against us! This powerful passage illustrates the incredible work that Jesus did for us on the cross. He did the work for us, that we could never do for ourselves. And this fact, above all else, is the foundation for us to handle the hardships of life. This unshakable foundation will give us the strength and a grace that only comes from knowing Jesus.
In this teaching we look deeply at the story of David and Goliath. What is this story really about? Is it about David being a hero, defying the odds and overcoming a giant? Or is it about God being bigger than any of our problems? As we study the story, we discover the deep truth echoed in Romans, “if God is for us, who can be against us?”
David starts his story as an overlooked and taken for granted shepherd. He ends as the greatest King of Israel’s history. What changed? It was nothing he did. It was all God! God chose him and filled him with His Spirit. Just like He did with Jesus. And just like He will do with us if we are willing. In what ways can God’s Spirit empower you to embrace being an underdog?
The church isn’t a building! The church are the people of God gathered together, empowered by God and on mission for the world! At CityLight, we believe that “every piece matters.” In this message, we explore a passage from 1 Peter that beautifully explains how every believer matters. We learn how each of us has an integral mission in this life and purpose within the church.
It seems counterintuitive, but Biblical sacrifice doesn’t lead to pain and sadness, it leads to joy. The sacrifice that Jesus invites us into is an act of worship. That act of worship brings us closer to Him and works to set us free from the power of greed and materialism. It is a part of our spiritual practice that is inspired and empowered by Jesus’ immeasurable act of sacrifice on the cross.
Guest speaker, Phil Chorlian, challenges each of us about those times in life when we are faced with a decision: will we respond with faith or fear? Fear leads us to maximize the obstacles and forget about God’s provision in our lives. Faith reminds us of who God is, and encourages us to trust in Him.
Today marks the start of a new season at CityLight! God has been showing us in this new season to pray and dream and raise money for the future! In this first teaching, Christian shares about where we’ve come from and where we’re going as a church. He shares the vision for what a permanent location could look like for CityLight. And he shares the plan for how to get there!
When Jesus rose from the dead He initiated a new day for our relationship with Him. Our ability to walk with Him was changed that day, forever. As we read Jesus’ words about this relationship, we discover the incredibly offer for us to live daily both filled by Him, and hidden in Him.
Do you need a fresh start in your life? Are you stuck in a bad habit, an old thought pattern, or an unhealthy relationship? Let’s look together at the story of Peter’s three denials of Jesus, and see how Jesus offered him a fresh start. We’ll learn some valuable lessons for how we too can find a fresh start in Jesus.
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything for us. His life gives us life, freedom, purpose, and more. But sometimes we find ourselves living like He is still in the tomb. Be encouraged by this Easter message to live your life like Jesus is alive and with you!
In this teaching, we are challenged to talk to those around us about Jesus. What happens if we become lovingly bolder in sharing our faith? There are so many people in our daily lives seeking answers or trying to find something to hold onto in this world. We know God can be the answer and light that they so desperately need! Let's listen and hear how each of us, can ask God, to stretch us to reach out to those around us.
Life puts a lot of baggage on us! We have to carry other people’s expectations, stress from work, family issues, health issues, and more. As we look at Psalm 62, we find a deep source of encouragement as we learn that trying harder isn’t always the solution. Often the way through the struggle isn’t by relying on ourselves more, it’s by relying on Him. He in turn is our strength, our protection, and our path.
This world throws many punches at us and they can be a struggle! As we finish our study of 1 John, we discover that following Jesus means that we are overcomers! By His grace, strength, and power we can overcome! If you are feeling stuck, this is a teaching for you!
How strong is your love reflex? When presented with a situation where it might be difficult for you to act in love, how do you respond? As we study 1 John, it becomes vividly clear that God’s love reflex is to do whatever it takes for those He loves. When we wonder how to love someone, all we need to do is look at the cross. So how does that inform our love reflex? How can we strengthen our love reflex? And how can we learn to love people like Jesus does?
When we come to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, His light begins to dispel the darkness in our lives. At the beginning of creation God said, "Let there be light!," it is in this same way Jesus comes into our lives as the true light that casts out all darkness. The exciting part is that it doesn't stop with us! As we are transformed by His love and mercy, we become more like Him every day! We become the light that shines in the world, sharing His love and gospel message with others!
As we begin our study of the book of 1 John, we look at how important it was that the followers of Jesus would be people of the Truth. Not just people who told the truth, but people who lived according to the revealed Truth of Jesus! Much like today, John was battling against many ideologies that threatened to pull people from the true faith in Jesus. His encouragement and challenges ring true for us today! When we apply them to our lives we will see our faith strengthened!
As we begin our study of the book of 1 John, we look at the importance of the followers of Jesus being people of the Truth. Not just people who told the truth, but people who lived according to the revealed Truth of Jesus! To follow the example Jesus gave us through His life and teachings. Much like today, John was battling against many ideologies that threatened to pull people from the true faith in Jesus. His encouragement and challenges ring true for us today—as we learn to apply them to our lives we will see our faith strengthened!
What if we let Jesus into the "Now ", in the daily aspects of our lives. What if we saw the highs and lows in our lives as moments of opportunity for us to allow Jesus into those places in our lives? When we do, we are sure to see He is moving in each and every aspect of our lives. Let's listen as Brad Dunn shares from his heart how God has moved in the "Now", in his life.
Jesus invites all of his followers to "remain in Him."What does that look like, and how do we do it? In this teaching, we look deeply at His teaching on the "vine and the branches" and how it can change who we are becoming as people!
Have you ever asked yourself these questions: Does God hear my prayers? Am I just talking to the air? How do I know what to pray about? What's the point of prayer? If so, you aren't alone. Many of us have asked these very honest and sincere questions. In this message we try to address seven ways that prayer can change your life. It may not be easy, but prayer is rewarding, formative, and yes, life changing!
We all want a relationship with God that is robust and can help through the hardest times of life. We want to feel connected, inspired, and filled with His presence. Often, we want that kind of faith without putting in the real work. In this message we address three big questions often asked about how to get closer to God. We also will offer some practical advice on how to get more connected with God.
Jesus is very clear that He is the only way to true relationship with God and salvation. So what about other religions? Is it fair to claim that there is only one true religion? Is it fair that God would only provide one way to salvation? What about people who have never heard of Jesus? In this teaching, we hope to shed some light on the hope found in Jesus as we address these questions and more.
This is a question that people have been asking for millennia. This question is still relevant and one we all will ask in our lives. Other questions we also face are, What is my purpose? Do I have a calling? As we look at Scripture we'll find that God has created each of us individually on purpose for a purpose!
In the Bible there is a different kind of joy that is referenced multiple times. It is called "joy in the Lord." How is joy in the Lord different from other kinds of joy? How can we cultivate this joy on a daily basis and it all situations? In this teaching, Christian offers 10 passages of Scripture that shed light on how each of us can live in the joy of the Lord!
God cares deeply for those who are living with lack, struggling in life, or suffering from difficult circumstances. Throughout the Bible the poor, the mistreated, the lonely, have been His priority. Jesus came not just to give people the hope of salvation, but also hope today, in this life. He chooses to give them that hope through the church! How can we use what God has given us to bless, care for and encourage those around us who are suffering and struggling?
The amazing truth hidden in Psalm 16, is that no matter how low we get or how hard life gets, God has got us. Because Jesus raised from the dead He offers us a new life! With this new life in Jesus we can have full confidence of knowing God in a very intimate way. When we do, that confidence provides us with security, sustenance for our souls and the benefits of salvation.
In the story of Moses we see an incredible picture of the lengths at which Jesus will go to free us from our bondage to sin and death. The beauty of this story is that God is the main character. He is the one who brings freedom, deliverance and healing. It is a free gift of His grace, just like the work He does in our lives today. We can find peace in knowing that the work is fully done. We learn to simply receive from His love and peace in our lives.
When we read the Old Testament story of Joseph, we see a picture of the whole life and ministry of Jesus. One key theme that is evident within whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, God will lift us up! Let's listen as we study together how God lifted up Joseph. We will see how this reflects how Jesus, will in turn, lift you up.
We all face the same test, don't we? The test of whether we will choose to follow God's way for our lives or choose to go our own way. Abraham was faced with this test, Jesus was faced with this test, and we are faced (almost daily!) with this test. In the passages about Abraham and his son, Isaac, we see the powerful foreshadowing of Jesus. In this incredible story, we see how Jesus will ultimately pass this test once and for all to free us from the power of sin and death. He will invite each and every one of us into a loving relationship with Him. A Father who held nothing back in his effort to redeem us. We are both encouraged by His act of sacrificial love and challenged to do the same for others!
We could also use more power for living, couldn't we? Power to live for God? Power to live full of peace? Power to live full of love for others? Guest speaker, Pastor Ray Longwood, exhorts us to live lives set apart for Jesus. In doing so, God will fill us with His power for living!
Living in this world will drain you! Life will wear you out if you aren't careful. But God has given us a way to be refreshed, replenished, and renewed—His presence! God invites all of us to the oasis of His presence. The hard part is making time to cultivate that in our lives. Will you?
As we continue our series on how we can engage with politics in this election season, we look at the Biblical principles of justice, humility and hope. These can guide us as we engage with politics and civic engagement.
In this election season, does Jesus offer us any guidance on how we show up as Christians? In this teaching we explore the politically divisive climate of Jesus' day. We see how He and His followers chose to engage in a new way. Jesus challenges us to rise above the fray to bring peace and love to even those we disagree with most vehemently.
When we go through difficult times, often our struggles can be so consuming, it becomes hard for us to see God working. The truth is that God is working in us, through us and for us. This is one of the many ways that following Jesus brings us hope in our most challenging trials.
As we continue our series on "Bad Strategies", we are challenged to keep pursuing Jesus even when we don't see the outcomes we have prayed and hoped for. In this teaching, we dive into the story of Moses' mother, Jochebed. We see how a Mother's love continues and finds a way for her son! This is what God does for us! He is always working to see His children come to Him.
Guest speaker, Andrew Greenplate, shares the Biblical vision for how God transforms cultures and nations, one person at a time. He shares passionately about God's mission to reach those far from Him and that begins locally but extends globally!
When you face problems, do you tend to isolate from other people? How is that working for you? In this teaching, we explore the story of Elijah and how God brought others into his life to support him. In this provision, Elijah could get through the hardest part of his life. We don’t have to face our problems alone, especially as followers of Jesus. God has given us each other. If only we would use that amazing resource!
When we face the hard times of life, it can be tempting to just ignore them and hope they go away. As we look at the story of Jonah we discover that ignoring your problems only makes them worse. Can we learn, instead, to face our problem with the grace and help of God? In choosing to let Him into our problems, we guarantee we never have to face our problems alone.
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus poses a choice to all of us. Will we choose the way of Jesus? Or will we choose one of the many other "easier" paths to follow. Jesus promises us that His path, while more difficult, will ultimately lead to true life!
Jesus wraps up the main portion of the Sermon on the Mount with perhaps one of His most famous one-liners: The Golden Rule. It is so simple anyone can do it, and yet so hard, no one can do it without God's help. What if we started to put ourselves in other's shoes and treat them the way we wish they'd treat us? How would that change our relationships, our communities, and even the world?
Jesus invites us to a lifestyle of prayer. Not just a one-off prayer but a consistent, relationship-driven, full-hearted life of prayer. Guest speaker, Brad Dunn speaks about the power of prayer in our daily lives. The need for patience when we pray. The power of hearing the testimonies of others.
As we continue our series on, The Sermon On The Mount, we read in Matthew 7, where Jesus commands each of us to not judge one another. Jesus challenges us to evaluate how we look at ourselves and one another. Do we tend towards the critical, the snap judgment and the negative evaluation? Or do we tend to be like Jesus in how we view one another - with grace, forgiveness and thinking the best?
No matter what stage of life you are in, there is plenty to be anxious about these days. Yet, in the middle of the chaos of life, Jesus invites us to "not worry." How does this work? How is it even possible? In this teaching we look at several "truth anchors" in the Word. These anchors can hold us fast to His peace when the world is a storm of anxiety.
This week we interview two teenagers (Noelle and Maddie Robinson) at CityLight to talk about what it looks like to live for Jesus with an "undivided heart" as a teen. They share some personal insights that will be helpful for teens and adults alike. If you are a parent - definitely have your teens listen!!! If you are an adult - listen as much of what they share pertains to adults and faith too! Or listen just because you like to laugh!!
Jesus encourages us to store up treasures in heaven rather than focusing our energy on storing up treasures on earth. What does this mean for you? Clearly, He is teaching that there is more to life than just making money and being comfortable. It can be challenging to not be distracted by this fast paced life of consuming more. What can we do to refocus ourselves God's priorities? How can each of us learn to keep our hearts focused on the eternal treasures?
The Good Life Podcast is back! In this episode we discuss with Mandy Dunn the importance of our secret life with God and she shares some personal insights on how reading the Bible continues to be so powerful for her. She also shares some of her story of how hard worship leading is for her. And, of course, we talk about a lot of other really off topic things!
Before we practice our faith in the presence of others, we need to be practicing our faith before an, "audience of one." In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to have a robust "secret life" of faith. He stresses that God sees what we do in secret and He will reward us. He is looking to have our hearts, and not just our actions.
When Jesus talks about loving your enemies, it can be easy to dismiss it as irrelevant for our lives since most of us don't have literal enemies. What can we learn from this teaching for our lives? How can we apply Jesus' encouragement to pray for, love, and do good for those who are difficult for us?
Guest speaker John Elmer invites us to consider the "holy discontentment" God has placed inside each of us. What gets us up in the morning? What gets us stirred up in our hearts enough to DO something about it? John challenges us to use the gifts and talents God has given each of us. To use them in this world for His purposes. Listen and be challenged! Lean into who God has made you to be! There is only ONE you!
In this episode we dig deeper into Jesus' teaching about contempt, anger, and reconciliation.
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts His finger on our relationships. Where are we hurting? Where are we harboring resentment, anger or bitterness? How can we move towards forgiveness and reconciliation? Jesus emphasizes that the community of believers will be the light of the world. If we are to be that light we need to learn to love each other -- and that will always require doing the hard work. Relationships are a gift from God, but they aren't easy. In the hard work though, we will find God's grace and healing.
Listen in as Amos and Christian discuss what it means for us to be the Salt and Light of the earth - and how when Christians live by the Word of God, we really do offer the world an hopeful alternative!
What happens when the people of God live by the Word of God? It draws the world to God! The world is looking for Christians, for churches, who live by the Word of God. Who love like Jesus, serve like Jesus and live like Jesus. When we live according to His Word, we become that light that those living in darkness need. Are you living in the light?
During our new sermon series, "The Good Life", we will be releasing midweek mini podcast discussions about the text from the previous Sunday. This week's episode is a conversation with Kevin Schneider about the Beatitudes. Enjoy!
As we begin our series on the Sermon on the Mount, we tackle Jesus' incredibly surprising opening to His most famous teaching. Jesus turns our expectations upside down as He talks about how different life in the Kingdom of God is. He invites all of us to consider how we can live differently, treat each other differently, and therefore experience the life He promises.
Where have you seen God work in your life? How have you seen Him help you? What struggles has He helped you overcome? What if all of those times that God worked in your life, formed a story that would help others come to faith in Jesus? Your story could be someone else's doorway to faith. We just have to be willing to talk about it!
Jesus didn't just save us FROM something, He saved us FOR something. God has given spiritual gifts to each one of us that we are called to use for the benefit of others. Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Are you using them? Have you lost the passion for God using you? Listen to this message and be encouraged to lean in to the gifts God has placed in your life!
As Christians, we long to hear God's voice. We look to him for direction, comfort, encouragement and more. At the same time, we often struggle with doubt about whether it is truly His Spirit speaking to us or not. Listen as Christian teaches about the importance of why the Spirit speaks to us. How we need to create space for His voice in our lives. In doing so, it strengthens our relationship with Him and transform our lives!
In the Gospels, Jesus spent a lot of time healing the sick. He taught His disciples to do the same. After His ascension, the early church continued to emulate what Jesus had taught them. They continued praying for the sick and seeing them healed! If God really still heals the sick, how does that impact how we practice our faith?
In the Garden of Eden the serpent's first words were, "Did God Really Say?" To this day, doubt about whether we can trust God's Word continues to be an issue. In this teaching, we take a deep dive and look at the evidence that supports the reliability of the Scriptures. We discuss how the earliest believers of Jesus treated, what we now call the Bible, as the inspired and authoritative Word of God. If that was true then, how should we treat them now?
If you want to follow Jesus you may be wondering, "What exactly is a Christian?" In this teaching we show from Scripture, four areas of growth and formation that all Christians are invited to apply to their personal growth, in their relationship with Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we should always be in process and maturing in our walk with Him. These four areas are places of growth that each of us can continually be pursuing.
This is a core belief of Christianity - Jesus died for our sins. But why? Why did He have to die? What did His death accomplish for us? In this teaching, we tackle those hard questions. We read in the Bible how it explains and reveals the purpose for His death on the cross. The common thread that we can plainly see if His amazing love for each one of us.
When we read the Bible it can be easy to get lost or misunderstand the text if we don't read it as part of a unified story that leads us to Jesus. In this teaching, we learn of how God's amazing inspiration led many authors over hundreds of years to write this unified story. The Scriptures are powerful and life changing! When read the Bible in this context, the power of His words can bring us into a life changing faith in Jesus!
Jesus has been crucified and His body is no longer in the tomb. As two of the disciples leave Jerusalem, on the road to Emmaus, they are discouraged and heartbroken. They do not see how the death of Jesus has brought life. They can't make sense out of the events that have occurred. They feel lost, discouraged and confused. How often do we feel this same way in our own lives? How often are we headed in the wrong direction?
Maybe events have occurred (or are occurring) in your life that you can't make any sense of. Or things are not what you thought they would be. We begin to walk away just like these two disciples. Jesus, doesn't leave us on that path alone. He joins us on our path even when we are walking away! He helps us establish a firm foundation, so we can begin walking with Him again! The hope of the resurrection is that by Him alone we can obtain new life! As we walk with Him, we will be transformed and discover who He has truly made us to be!
When we read the account of Palm Sunday, we see a clear picture of the crowds being overjoyed at the arrival of, Jesus. However, their excitement is based in their expectation of what Jesus will do. When the crowd discovers that His plans are different than theirs, many walk away. Are we the same? Do we try to fit God in our plans? Do we attempt to squeeze Him into our lives? Or are we surrendering our lives into His plan?
One of the great challenges of prayer is learning how to respond when God says "no" to something we have prayed for. Do we respond by running away? Getting angry? Praying less? Or do we lean into God and his strength and comfort in those times. As we do that, we will find that even when God says "no," he still makes a way.
Whether its dealing with unanswered prayer, unmet expectations, or unfulfilled promises, there are times when following Jesus requires us to live in tension. Guest speaker Becky Olmstead shares Biblical perspective on living in this tension. How we can hold onto God's grace and find His hand at work in those times.
It can be tempting to think of prayer as just an exercise in obedience that helps us grow, but really does nothing to impact how God moves and works in the world. The Scripture seems to teach something very different though. What would happen if we started praying like we actually believed God wanted to respond to our prayers?
As we look forward to Easter, CityLight is committing to 40 days of prayer together as a church family. Scripture encourages us to be "devoted" to prayer. What does being "devoted" to prayer mean? God gives each one of us an invitation to discover what consistent and persistent prayer can look like in our lives. Join us as we lean into prayer and together we will see how God moves in our lives!
When we live in the awareness of our needs as well as our limitations, we are then free to connect with and receive from God. Psalm 23 guides us to seek God in our limitations. We can then grab onto the fullness of His rest and love for each of us. We cannot fully embrace the sufficiency of God’s grace Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 12, if we do not surrender our limitations. When we acknowledge and embrace the reality of our humanity AND the reality of God’s sufficiency, that is when we can trust His strength. That is when we can rely and lean into His sufficiency.
Sometimes it's easier to cognitively understand the truths about God's love for us. How He views us versus what we truly know and apply in our hearts and minds. You may "know" how much God loves you. But does your heart feel and know that love? Or is it all cerebral? Do we know that He is for us? Or do we think He is trying to make our lives as hard as possible? Do we truly know that he values us, believes in us and wants the best for us? In this teaching, we explore the teaching of Jesus in John 15. In this passage we see that His desire is for us to have a deep and life changing relationship with each one of us. Maybe God is inviting you into a new relationship with Him? One that is personal and demonstrates His love for you in a new and profound way.
The Bible is filled with verses concerning the power our words hold. They have the power to bring pain. Words we have the potential to remember for a lifetime. However, they also have the power to bring life. Words that can be stored up in our hearts. What if we became more intentional with our words? What if we looked for opportunities to build others up with words of encouragement? Words that we can choose to speak that could stick with that person for years to come?
If you missed our guest speaker, Mark Tindall now is your chance to hear his teaching! Mark challenges each of us to invite Jesus into our daily lives to speak to us. Whether we are driving to school, work or the grocery store are we asking Jesus to be with us? Have we taken a pause to remember He is waiting for us to invite Him into all we do each day? It sounds like such a simple question but do we ask Him to enter into every aspect of our daily lives? Mark highlights how we can simply ask and trust He will draw near to us.
As we continue our series on how to be God's miracles in someone's life, we look at the Old Testament friendship of Jonathan and David. Through the lens of this friendship, what we find is a beautiful picture of Jesus' friendship extended to each of us. We see Jesus committing to us, sacrificing for us, and loving us. And as Jesus befriends us, we are then called to be that kind of friend to others in our lives!
Jesus teaches that He is the true light of the world—the light that all of us need in the darkness we are facing. Surprisingly, He also teaches that we are the light of the world! He commissions us to take His light to a broken and hurting world! One of the easiest ways for us to do this, is by serving others. The power of serving others is that not only does it point them to Jesus, it also serves Jesus himself! Who has God put in your life to serve, so you can be the light of their world?
Today, Christine talks about how Christ was sent to earth to give us His love and what that means for our lives.
When Scripture encourages us to rejoice "always", we begin to wonder how is that even possible? The key is that we rejoice "in the Lord". God is always with us, always for us and always helping us. Because He is always present in those ways to each of us, we can find joy even in the most difficult times. We are never left to suffer alone. God is always working behind the scenes, even if we don't see it all the time. This assurance is a joy that the pressures of this life can't steal away from us.
Today, Tyler talks about the importance of finding joy in life, no matter our circumstances.
Today, Kevin focuses on the difference between the feelings of peace that are often determined by our circumstances and the objective state of peace that we achieve through Jesus.
Today, Dave shares the story behind the Hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" and how we shouldn't let our circumstances determine our attitude.
It's relatively easy to have peace when our circumstances and relationships are peaceful. But what happens when we are experiencing conflict in those areas? Is there a peace that we can embrace and rely on during times of conflict? As we study John 14-16, we will see three key ways that Jesus encourages us to increase our peace in Him. Together we will see how He extends peace to each of us especially when times are difficult.
Today, Becca kicks off the Advent week of peace and gives us insight on what the Bible says about peace and how to experience it.
Most people, even those who don't follow Jesus, acknowledge our need for hope. However, without God, what is hope? Is it possible to have true hope without Jesus? This Christmas season, let's remember the source of true hope: the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Because of His great love for us, we can have true hope in this life. No matter what we are facing our hope is anchored in Jesus.
On day 3 of our Advent series, Jared talks, and sings, about how all of our hope is in Jesus.
Today, Monica talks about having hope even in the darkest of times.
Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Isaiah 61:3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD
This week we welcome, Dr. Rob Palkovitz as he shares from his new book,
“A Place Prepared”. Rob encourages us to live our lives from a place of abundant love and acceptance in God. He challenges us to live our lives in step with the Spirit and not in our own strength. Rob calls this living from an “orphan spirit”. Instead, we can learn to live from a place of being a child of God! Each of us is fully loved, accepted and known. Living out of this truth changes your life!
At the core of our faith is the discipline of prayer. Paul encourages us to “stand firm” in our faith, and one of the main ways we can do that is by cultivating a life of prayer. Everyone can pray, but it can be easy to get discouraged. In what ways can you increase your prayer life today?
We are all being influenced by the people and culture around us. The question is, are we being influenced on purpose or on accident? Are we choosing who and what has influence on us? Or are we inadvertently following people who do not line up with the teachings of Jesus? Are we helping others get closer to Jesus? Or are we wasting our influence? In this teaching, Christian challenges each of us to pursue being and influence like Jesus. In doing so, we will influence those in our lives for His glory!
Why do we go to church? Why do we attend small groups? Why do we serve? Why should we be generous? Are we just checking boxes? Have we gotten into the routine of doing all these things so much that we’ve forgotten what’s driving us? This week we look at a powerful passage where Paul tells us simply what it’s all about: knowing Jesus. Together, let's rediscover the simple truth about why we do all of these things. Jesus doesn't ask us to follow a list of rules rather, He gives us opportunities to demonstrate His love to us and others. In doing these things, He wants to draw us close to Him. His desire is for us to have a deep relationship with Him.
What things in your life do you wish would change for the better? We all have things we wish could change. The danger in wishing things would change is we can get stuck in doing just that: wishing. Is there more we can do? In our current Philippians series, we learn that if we choose to put the work in, empowered by God's help, we will see lasting change in our lives!
A common thread throughout the Bible is to humble ourselves. When we do it leads to life transformation! This is such an important theme that Jesus himself demonstrated it with His life, death, and resurrection. Part of our growth in becoming more like Jesus is to choose to humble ourselves, make our lives about other people, and serve those around us. We all need to be like Jesus more in this area of our lives. How can you begin to grow in this area today?
Let's face it if we don't read the Bible we are not going to know how to use it in our lives! We dive into other areas of life with tenacity and a drive to get ahead. Yet, when it comes to the Bible we let the greatest tool we have SIT. We need to make time for the Word in our lives. To use it as God intended. His desire for us to see the power of His word in our lives!
We are all works in progress. At times this can be frustrating as we long to be "finished" products. But God is not in a hurry. He is faithfully working in and through each of us. Join us as we begin our study of the book of Philippians. In the study of this book we will see that not only is God not done with us yet, He is more than able to do the work we need in our lives. Don't miss this opportunity to grow in the truth of His word that each of us so desperately needs in our lives!
In our effort to follow Jesus, are we relying on our strength and ability, or are we living from a place of grace? The scripture is full of amazing promises about the grace of God and how His grace enables us to live a life pleasing to Him. Do you see God as a God of grace, kindness, love, and forgiveness? Or do you often feel like you are trying (and failing) to measure up? What would it look like to see yourself through God's eyes of grace?
As we look back at our lives we can see that on the way to some of our biggest regrets, we made some stupid decisions. The book of Proverbs details the need for wisdom to avoid the pitfalls of life. In this teaching we'll talk about the dangerous power of sin. We will learn through His Word, how wisdom teaches us to build our lives so that sin cannot thrive.
As we begin our series entitled "Pump the Brakes" we are looking at Biblical advice we can apply to our lives to avoid the major pitfalls of life. First in our series is understanding the danger of secretive behavior. Anytime we are hiding sinful behavior, even if it seems small, we are laying a foundation for worse behavior and bigger consequences in the future. While we think that keeping these secrets will protect us, in the end we learn that sinful secrets kill the keeper.
When life gets busy, we tend to let our busyness crowd out the important things in our lives. Instead of cutting back on our commitments, we cut back on things we need in our life like prayer, church, and family. We can find Biblical advice on how to better manage our lives in His Word. However, each of us must be willing to then apply His Word to our hearts. Let Him guide us as we seek Him in our daily lives.
Is the only reason we worship because God tells us to? Or is there more to worship than just obeying Him? As we study the Bible, we learn that God has designed worship to be good for us too! As we worship Him, we come into His presence and we are changed. Do you need to encounter God today? Listen, as Christian teaches us how worship can be the encounter each of us needs with God today!
As we begin our series on worship, let's start at the beginning: God is worthy of our worship! In this teaching, Christian takes us through Psalm 148. This Psalm calls all people to worship God because He is abundantly worthy. The Psalm paints a picture of both the grandeur of God and the closeness of God in our lives. This passage invites us each to remember how GREAT God is and how He moves our hearts to truly worship Him.
What happens to our faith when we feel like God has let us down? It is a very real feeling that at times, can be overwhelming. Can we lay a Biblical foundation BEFORE those times come? When we implement the foundation first, that can help us get through the questions and disappointment. If we choose to lay that foundation then when the storms come we can join God when we are hurting, rather than blaming Him. Listen, as Christian challenges us to dig deeper into His Word of life and truth.
It's easy for us to get pulled in one of two directions: either demonizing culture or becoming indoctrinated by it. Jesus shows us a different way. One full of grace and truth. How can we learn from, Jesus and respond in a Biblical way to culture?
When you say that you are "a Christian," what does that mean to you? How does being a Christian change how you act? How you live your life? How you treat others? Moreover, as God impacts your life, how do you relate to Him? How does your life reflect the character and love of God that He has shown you?
Have you ever had an experience when you felt like maybe God was speaking to you, but you weren't sure? Maybe you felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit, but then you second guessed it? You told yourself it was probably just you, just your own thoughts. In this teaching, Christian will cover practical ideas based in Scripture so that we can learn to discern when God is speaking to us!
The world we live in has a specific definition of success. But Jesus taught His followers a very different definition. How can we learn to measure "success" in our lives according to Jesus? How do we align our desires with His and stop chasing after the world's ideal? Today we cover three ways that Jesus invites us to pursue a different definition of success!
Do you ever struggled with thoughts that question your ability to do what God has placed in your life to do? Whether it is in the job He has given you, being a parent, a coach, a student or even wanting to step out in a dream He has placed on your heart. Often our inner dialogue becomes so negative, that it can be paralyzing. In this teaching, we learn how to take those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. With the power of scripture, we can invite God's Word into our inner dialogue. In doing so, we can live by His truth and live in His plans for us.
We spend a lot of our lives watching other people do things we wish we were doing. We watch athletes play our favorite sport. We watch people go on risk taking adventures! We watch romance and people falling in love. We even watch people buying houses! But God created us for more than being a spectator of our own lives! There is something inside of us, put there by God, that longs to do more than just watch other people live their lives. In this teaching, we will lean into responding to the call God has placed on your life! We will be challenged to get out of the bleachers and start using our gifts for the kingdom of God!
God created you on purpose, for a purpose. And that purpose is to be used by Him. It can be easy for life to get full of so many busy tasks, do you ever feel there you were created for more than this? That is because you were! God calls you his masterpiece, and has plans to use you in this world. You are here at this time and in this place on purpose.
We often think about how serving others helps them, but in reality, it often does more for us! Today's message includes three different yet powerful stories from our own CityLight family. They each share from their own lives how serving others has in fact changed their lives! Sometimes the very thing we need to grow in our faith and become closer to Jesus, is to serve someone else. Listen to these stories and let them inspire you!
It's hard to believe, but Jesus says that we are the light of the world! As a church and as Christians, we are called to be people of hope and healing. We are called to love in a world that is hurting and is without God. How can each of us be the light within the lives of those God has placed around us? How can we invite people into a life of freedom and wholeness that God has for them?
What if you already have everything you need inside you for God to use you right now? What if even your broken places are the very things that God wants to use to redeem and make beautiful? In this week's teaching we focus on the parables of the yeast and the seed. In these parables, Jesus, demonstrates how with God, a little bit goes a long way!
In the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin we learn that, Jesus, goes out of His way to pursue and rescue those who are wandering away from Him. As we read this text, it asks us this profound question: "How far out of our way are we willing to go for those who don't know Jesus?" Should this be part of our normal practice as followers of Jesus?
In the parable of the faithful servant we see how highly Jesus values faithfulness in His followers. How does this impact our lives? Where can we lean into faithfulness more? In our workplaces? Our families? Our friendships? Our relationship with God? Listen as, Christine Robinson, encourages us to understand the impact we can have when we choose to walk in faithfulness with God.
Jesus loves to tell parables about how the kingdom of God works. In this parable He describes the power of forgiveness. If we are to live like Jesus, we need to become generous forgivers. We have been forgiven much and it isn't too much to ask, for us to forgive comparatively little.
In the parable of the plank and the speck, Jesus teaches us that we need to see clearly the planks in our own eyes. He reminds each of us to stop focusing on the specks in others’ eyes. To do this, we need to be willing to reflect on our own imperfections. We need to be willing to pay attention to our own areas of weaknesses. This requires humility. We need to be honest about them with others who are trustworthy. Then, we need to be willing to do the work and by His grace we can see change. When we have addressed our own weaknesses, we can then lovingly walk alongside others as they seek to remove their planks and specks.
We don't want to admit it but if we are honest with ourselves sometimes, it can feel like all the sacrifices we make to follow Jesus are too much. We might not see the results and then it can begin to feel that if we don't see the results, maybe those sacrifices aren't really worth it. Do you ever feel that all the effort, sacrifice, time and the money just might not be worth it? Is what you give up to follow Jesus really having effects? Is it all actually worth it? In this parable we see Jesus' answer to those questions. To follow Him will indeed cost us. But, what Jesus so generously gives us in return is absolutely worth it. Listen to this teaching and allow the Holy Spirit move in your heart and to challenge you to see the worth in following Him.
Jesus spoke in parables both to challenge his hearers and to reveal the state of their hearts. This parable contains both. An encouragement and a challenge for each of us. Will we have ears to hear?
Does the resurrection matter for our daily lives? We know the resurrection matters for religion and morality, but does it actually matter for the hardest times of our life? Listen, as we explore how the truth of the resurrection gives us hope for daily situations in our lives!
Imagine anticipating with excitement for the long awaited Messiah to come. Waiting with joyful expectations for Him to set all things right. Instead of what they believed would take place upon His arrival, they watched as the Romans arrested, tortured and killed Him. Imagine then, a few days later, hearing some of His followers say that His body was missing! That is the dilemma we find these two disciples in as they are leaving Jerusalem. What they didn’t count on was the resurrected Jesus appearing to them! He listened to them sort through their doubts, questions, and fears. And He promises to appear in our lives in that same way. Do you count on Jesus to appear? Do you know He will walk with you through your disillusionment? He is always ready to shoulder our doubts, questions and fears that arise as we walk through life. Have you asked Jesus to appear in your life today?
What kind of hope does Jesus offer us when we are discouraged in our daily lives? Is there hope for when we are discouraged with our health? How about in our job? Or in our marriage? In this teaching we talk about how hope in, Jesus can help us not only walk through discouragement, but overcome it!
Forgiveness isn't easy - both asking for it and giving it. In this teaching Mandy and Christian share verses from the Bible to help all of us grow in the art of forgiveness.
Sometimes it is hard for Christians to set healthy boundaries in their relationships with each other. We often feel guilty or as if we are betraying our dedication to, Jesus if we have boundaries within our relationships. However, if we read the Gospels we find Jesus often setting boundaries for Himself and His disciples. We all need to assess our relationships and make sure we are keeping them healthy. What do healthy boundaries look like in our relationships? Do some of our relationships need adjustments? It's possible we need to revisit some of them? We can ask God to show us how to demonstrate His love in those relationships. He is able to provide in each relationship. He is more than able to show us how to have relationships with His loving boundaries.
Have you ever noticed that you have relationship reflexes? There are ways each of us react when we engage in our relationships. Maybe you immediately reflex a defensive answer? Maybe you shy away and stuff all of your feelings inside to prevent any type of negative interaction? No matter how your reflex shows up, it is most likely part of your daily life. Our hope is to be as healthy as possible in our relationships with each other. Romans 12:18 tells us, "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." If our reflexes are not healthy ones, we cannot be living at peace in our relationships. We are to take each unhealthy reflex we have and lay it at the foot of the cross. Only then, can we truly begin to take up His love for others. He can then transform our reflexes into ones He desires.
To communicate in our relationships we absolutely need 1 Corinthians 13 to be our guideline. Without this passage as our map to communicate, we can insert our own emotions and feelings instead of inserting love. What if we memorized this passage? What if we applied it to our conversations? What if we applied it to our relationships and how we approach one another? If we do, I know we will see growth and love like never before.
Jesus tells us that we have freely received from Him, and therefore we should freely give to others. What has God freely given you? What gifts of the Spirit? What talents? What practical resources? What if we started viewing all of that as from God and FOR others? How would that change the way we live our lives?
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Scripture tells us that it can be a trap that leads to ruin! How do we avoid that in a culture obsessed with money? Paul speaks about this plainly and tells us the remedy is for us is, to do good. That’s it. To live generously by doing good for others. This radical lifestyle can free us from the trap of the love of money!
Jesus taught a radical generosity to those in need. Why? Why does God care what we do with our money? In this teaching we explore some of the reasons behind this incredibly challenging way of life God has asked us to embody. What if radical generosity is part of God’s plan for your life?
Jesus taught that our mouths speak out of the overflow of good (or bad) that we have stored up in our hearts. So how do we “store up good” in our hearts? One way, is repeated throughout the Bible and while it seems so basic, we ALL are challenged to actually create time to make it happen. We are to fill our minds and hearts with His Word. In this teaching, we’ll look at the power of getting this application on the right course in each of our lives. Listen, as Christian offers practical advice for taking the next steps to accomplish this in our lives. No matter where you are in this journey, God wants each of us to daily apply His perfect Word to our hearts and minds.
When Jesus offers us to come follow Him, He invites us to take up His teachings as a way of life. Following our own way will lead to weariness and being burdened. Following His way, in comparison, will feel easy and light. This is the way of Jesus. Will we make the choice to follow Him?
Do you view God more as a demanding rule enforcer or a compassionate and loving Father? Does your relationship with Him every feel transactional? In this teaching, we look at the invitation Jesus offers each of us. The invitation is for us to bring all of our burdens to Him. Can you imagine? Each an every burden, He is asking to take from us. What is required of us to make this rest happen? It sounds crazy, but all we have to do it accept His invitation. When we accept this offer, we truly can rest. While we rest we can trust that our compassionate and loving Father is holding all of our burdens while we rest in His arms.
Our image of God is shaped by our upbringing, past experiences within the church, people who have influenced our lives and more. Because of that, in some areas it can be faulty. Jesus is the perfect image of God. He invites us into relationship with Him. Can we shift the distorted images we have of Jesus, to line up with who He says He is and wants to be in our lives? Our Savior. Our Redeemer. Our Father. Our Deliverer.
People often need to see us living our faithbefore they will listen to us talk about our faith. The Gospel is not only proclaimed, it is demonstrated. How can we demonstrate the Gospel message? It starts in our everyday lives, extends to the good we do in our communities and the demonstration of his power through prayer.
What if we began to talk about Jesus more often to those around us? That’s the question we are looking at during this message. All throughout the New Testament we find that followers of Jesus did not just believe the gospel, but they also shared it! They talked about how kind He is, how He saves us, how He heals us, and how He loves us. Can we learn to become people who speak about Jesus more naturally? What would happen if we did?
The power of the Gospel will not only change our lives, but it has the power to change the lives of those around us! Our invitations aren’t just invitations to church or faith - they are invitations to meet Jesus. God is working behind the scenes to prepare people’s hearts! All we have to do is extend the invitation, He is faithful to do the rest!
In this teaching, Tyler Tulowitzky reminds us of the power of the gospel! How the "Good News" has the power to change lives, break barriers, heal the broken hearted and have a new life in Jesus! This "Good News" isn't just for us though, it is meant to be shared! Listen as Tyler challenges us to share the "Good News" with others!
At times in our lives it can feel like everything is going the wrong way. Crisis, disappointment, grief, and loss can make you feel like giving up. This Sunday we read in Isaiah 61, that our hope comes from Jesus and His offer to come alongside each of us in our hurt and brokenness. If you are hurting or know someone who is, this message is for you!
In John 17, Jesus prays for all believers to be people of love and purpose. For believers to be engaged in the world they live in. At the same time, he calls them to be radically distinct from the value systems of the world. How can we live in the world without becoming too much like it? Are we ever guilty of loving the world too much? Or maybe we are guilty of, not loving the people of the world enough?
When Jesus battled the lies of the devil, what did he do? He leaned into prayer, scripture, fasting, and solitude. He leaned into the Truth as revealed in God's Word. How can we learn from that in response to lies that may creep into our thoughts about God, his Word, and even ourselves?
Jesus is very clear that we have a real spiritual enemy who wants to do us harm. One of the enemies primary ways of doing this is through lies. What lies do we believe? What lies of the enemy have crept into how we see God, ourselves, and others? And what does Jesus say about that?
We all know that work sometimes is just difficult. Work can lack meaning, we can lack motivation, we can be frustrated and people can be challenging to work with. But God is in the business of redeeming all things and that includes work! In this teaching, Christian challenges each of us to ask ourselves three important questions when our work lives are just plain difficult. We all need to be challenged by His Word and apply His Word to every area of our lives. Let's apply it to our work lives too! By doing this, we will see how He meets us right where we are and gives us exactly what we need!
What if we started to think of our jobs as if there were assignments from God? What if we began to view our careers, with the lens that God cares about the job we show up at every day? Do we give Him the opportunity to speak into our lives through our jobs? Do we give Him permission to use us at work so He can reach those around us? Whether your workplace is in your house or out of the house, paid or unpaid, God cares what we do with our time. We may not see what He is doing in the job we currently have. Make no mistake, no matter what your job is, He is wanting to use it will bring Him glory. Listen, as Christian teaches on what it looks like to pursue God in our vocations.
Do you ever struggle with knowing what the meaning is behind your job? Whether paid or unpaid, in the home or outside the home, does work have meaning or is it a necessary evil? As we explore the Biblical lens for work, can we find a deeper sense of meaning, hope, and purpose in our work?
If you feel like regret is holding you down, and holding you back, it’s possible you haven’t allowed yourself to really receive and understand God’s grace. His grace is the antidote to regret - freely given and impossible to earn. Let today be the day that God moves into your life in a new way. He can bring freedom and healing into your life in ways you never knew possible!
When we look back at our lives, we can often find two sources of regret: things we wish we had NOT done, and things we wish we HAD done. This teaching is about the things we wish we HAD done. We will explore two areas where fear and hopelessness hold us back from living our lives in a way that will leave us without regrets. By God's grace, and with his help, this is possible! Even if you feel like you can never change!
Have you ever looked at something in your life and thought, “How did I get here?” How did I end up with this addiction? How did I end up messing that relationship up? How did I end up with that moral failing? Usually they don’t happen in an instant, but rather over time - many small compromises leading up to a big mistake. Can we stop that slippery slope? In this teaching we learn from the life of Saul three important ways to avoid the slippery slope of compromise.
Do you ever say things you wish you didn't say? Or do things you wish you didn't do? Are you ever impulsive and then wonder later, "why did I say that?" As we start this series about learning to live with fewer regrets, we begin with addressing how we can learn to get in front of the impulses that we end up regretting. We learn how to target these areas and find freedom from regret!
Does God have more for you in worship? It’s so easy to get into the routine and forget the power and presence of God. In this teaching we talk about how to worship God with all of our heart, and mind, and strength. As we learn to appreciate all that God has done for us, will it expand our hearts of worship towards him?
We often forget that God is the one who has all of the resources that we could EVER need! We spin around in circles trying to find solutions to the challenges we face. Whether it be in our workplace, our relationships, our finances, etc. We race around and wear ourselves out when Jesus says," Come to Me, all you who are weary andI will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.
What if we came to God in prayer? What if we invited the Holy Spirit into those places that are causing us angst? What if we surrendered our pride and asked those we trust, to pray for us? It may be the LAST thing we want to do, but it is the FIRST thing we NEED to do!
The Holy Spirit is often overlooked or made into hype. These extremes can often make us sour, leading us to ignore the Holy Spirit in our lives. In John 16:7, Jesus said, "But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." Jesus knew that in His leaving, we would be gifted the Holy Spirit. And that gift, is one that dwells in us! We have the Holy Spirit to speak to us and move in our lives. What if we gave permission to the Holy Spirit to work in our day to day? I am guessing we would be blown away by all of the amazing ways the Holy Spirit would show up!
If you missed Mark Tindall speak last Sunday, this is your chance to hear it! Mark delivers a passionate teaching on,"Bad Religion". How the church has made a name for itself in ways that do not represent who Jesus was or is. Mark preaches from the book of Luke, chapter 11. In this passage, Jesus is eating with the religious leaders. Jesus calls them out in the ways they have made the religious laws their god. They are more concerned with upholding the rules and laws which burden their people, rather than seeking God and His love. It is the same for each of us today! We need to apply to our lives what Jesus is saying in this chapter. We need to love Jesus and show His love, while we live by the Word of God. We all should be asking Jesus to make our hearts ones that uphold His Word while we, keep our hearts soft as we seek Him each day!
Sometimes we get caught up in the rat race of life. We forget that a big part of our purpose is to "go and make disciples." In this teaching, Christian urges us to take hold of the command Jesus gave each of us, "go and make disciples". Christian highlights how important church community is within that command. Encouraging each of us to take hold of Jesus' command in our personal lives as well as with the church!. We need to remember that making disciples isn't a solo mission. We need to do that has the body of Christ. Christian reminds us to stay in community. To get involved within the church and invite others into those areas. Listen, and open your heart to ways you can be challenged and grow!
How has God worked in your life? Have you seen him be faithful? Kind? Generous?Miraculous? These "God Stories" are powerful for building our faith. But what if God not only meant them for you, but to help others as well?
In Acts 21, we read about Paul's tremendous faith in God. A courageous faith that enables him to be willing to be imprisoned and even die for the sake of sharing Jesus. How did Paul’s faith compel him to take that risk? How can we have faith like that today? In this teaching, Christine shares how we can grow in taking risks for Jesus. How we can say, "Yes!", to His invitations?She challenges us, by asking us, to grow in the area of trust with God. Christine shares honestly from her own life experiences that living by faith isn’t safe, but God is. When we take the time to be honest about what blocks us from trusting Him and saying yes when the Holy Spirit leads us, we'll start seeing our faith grow.
As we read through the middle of the book of Acts we begin to see the Apostles beset by all kinds of resistance and setbacks. We also see them leaning into God, and finding out that the He often has purposes beyond their immediate comprehension. And as they learn to trust him more fully, they get to discover that the end of the story is often far greater than they thought during the difficult middle times. This week we’ll learn to apply this hope to our lives, as we see God working in our hardships, and find hope in the truth that our story isn’t over yet, and God’s not done!
In this Acts series we are being challenged to, "GO". This teaching drives the message home for each of us as we are challenged to listen to the Holy Spirit and love on those in need. Are we open to serving those who need help? Are we willing to give of our finances when we see someone or hear of someone with a financial need? It sounds basic but it's not. It's imperative to our relationship with Jesus. The Acts passage for this week, highlights that we all need to be aware and watching for moments to reach out to those in need. Starting with me, how can I lean into this call? How can CityLight continue and grow in this area? We don't want to miss what He is doing in our midst!
We are "On Call" as we go about our day and in every aspect of life. As we are doing the mundane in our lives, are we asking the Holy Spirit to lead us? We go to the store, work, interact with our kids, our family, our friends and are we asking the Holy Spirit to give us opportunities in those relationships? In this passionate teaching, you will hear how each of us can be on call. We will see in scripture how those moments and opportunities can be the Holy Spirit leading us to the work He has already been doing!
Let's admit it, we have a radical faith! Listen to Christian preach about why we need the Holy Spirit in our walk as Christians. Are you allowing the presence of His Spirit to move in your life? To speak to you and guide you?
Many of us have experienced the telemarketer Christian. You know who I mean! That Christian who means SO well, but their approach to sharing the "Good News" is one that feels very confrontational. What if we have had it wrong all along? What if our approach is to be one of loving the person first? Not rebuking, preaching at or challenging the person. But, first seeing them just like each of us are—children of God. Being saved should make us more aware that we do NOT have it all together. Therefore, each of us needs to see those who don't know Jesus with open arms. Seeing them just like we were seen in our brokenness. Seeing them with eyes of love just as we still need to be seen with those same eyes. We all stand on the same ground at the foot of the cross. In need of His saving grace.
Michela Brownell gives practical ways we can open our hearts and homes to those around us. Whether it's in an actualhome, an invitation to coffee or a walk, she explains why it is so powerful for others when we do so. Listen to the loving and open heart of Michela as she delivers His message!
This three week series is extremely challenging. Do we make time to open our home to others? Are we seeking out those who believe, think and act differently than us and then being invitational? Not with a heart that,"We must win them over!" But, with the heart attitude that we can listen and extend a place of love and acceptance. Jesus is fully able to do the rest. He can change hearts. He can demonstrate His love in extravagant ways. Our job is to extend the invitation. We all need to be challenged in this area. Listen and then make a plan to do so in your life.
Many Christians believe that hospitality is a gift. And while that may be partially true, it doesn't mean those of us who don't embody this gift get off the hook! In Jesus' time of ministry His "home" was whatever town the Father sent Him. He relied on the hospitality of others. He challenged the boundaries of the "social norms" and sought those on the outskirts of society to go into their homes and fellowship with them! When no one else wanted to associate with the tax collectors or prostitutes, Jesus found them and asked them to invite Him in. It says in Mark 2:17, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” This wasn't just an invitation to eat and fellowship, it was an invitation to be loved. An opportunity to see what His love can do! His love can change our hearts. It can heal our hearts. Listen to this incredibly challenging teaching with an open heart and ask yourself, "How can I be hospitable to those who do not know the magnitude of His love for them?"
Often times, we keep on trudging through life. We are unaware we are in need of God to come into our situations and deliver us. In this teaching, Christian leads us through Psalm 107. In doing so, each of us can recognize we need our Deliverer to come in and lead us. Today, let your Deliverer into every space in your heart.
That slogan speaks quite a bit in three words. If you are like me, you hear that and think," Oh yes, I will! I will push myself! I will get the finish line! Even if I have to army crawl I will make it!" We apply these three words in many areas of our lives. But, when it comes to our faith....do we? Take some time and listen to this teaching. Maybe God is trying to get our attention and have us, "Just Do It" in our walk with Him.
The word "confession" can carry a stigmatism. It can feel negative. It can feel as if something huge is about to take place and not in a good way! Confession, is the opposite of these things. Confession should be seen as freedom. You have been held hostage by a wrong doing and now you have the opportunityto confess your wrong(s). Once you do, then His light can pour in and begin to heal the places that have been fractured. The Bible states," We all fall short of His glory." Romans 3:23. If this is a truth you and I hold, then confessing our sins should be a daily heart examination for each of us. In this series, we are being stretched and challenged to "Reset" our actions and aspects of our character. Confession needs to be part of each of our resets.
Ever need someone to tell you like it is? That's what you will hear when you listen to Christian speak about Saul. Once Saul was murdering and hunting down Christians. Suddenly, Saul is caught off guard and has a, "Come To Jesus Moment". Saul has a complete transformation! There are times we need those who love us and who are invested in our lives, to keep us accountable and growing in our faith. Those times require a humble heart on our behalf. To see it as love and a gift, that someone would care enough about you, to help you reset your behaviors and actions. We all need to allow those, "Come To Jesus Moment(s)", in our lives. It will allow us to reset our behaviors, so we can better serve Him and those around us.
"Self control", applies to so many aspect of our daily lives. From how we act in a traffic jam to how we react in our relationships. This fruit of the Spirit, can actually feel overwhelming as if we must manage and somehow "control" this fruit of the Spirit. If you are new to the Bible or have been a follower of Jesus your entire life, the Bible tells us that having "self control", is absolutely necessary for ourselves and those around us. Listen, as Christian explains why Jesus isn't asking us to get "control" of things or people around us. Rather, He is inviting us to apply His word to our hearts. When we apply His Word, we can then step into the "self control" He offers each of us. The self control He offers us is fully of freedom and love.
Have you ever had a "faithful" friend? That friend you can text or call and youknow no matter what, they will drop everything and run to be right by you side? They would do whatever was within their power to rush to your aid! They are consistent, loving, assume the best of you even when circumstances may say differently, they are compassionate. And hopefully they show up with food! They remain your friend in the good and bad seasons . It isn't possible for Jesus to fail you. Listen, to Christian as he describes how Jesus is that faithful and steadfast friend. He will never leave your side! He always shows up! He shows up in ways we could never have fathomed!
How do you define "goodness" or "being good"? Many of us take the word "good", we toss it and turn it until it meets our own definition. The Bible gives us a way to define what it means to be "good". To fully embrace this fruit of the Spirit, we need to look in scripture. There we will find the tools and instructions on how to live out what it means to be "good".
Gentleness seems like such a subjective fruit of the Spirit. The way I demonstrate gentleness and the way I think gentleness should be given to others, may look vastly different in the way you demonstrate gentleness. Your idea of gentleness might be, coming alongside someone who is suffering and being a friend. Maybe in your eyes, gentleness (in that same situation) means being soft spoken and peaceful. When we define gentleness with our ideas, our point of views, our opinions, we take away from the gift of what gentleness really could be for each of us. Listen, as Christian encourages each of us to challenge ourselves to be gentle like Jesus. Jesus, invites us to join in His gentleness. For us to be like Him, we have to grow gentleness in our hearts. Don't miss out on this teaching and listen today!
Are you nice? Or are you kind? Is there a difference? Listen, as Christian takes us along the journey of Naomi and Ruth. In this relationship we see the kindness of Ruth demonstrated in her unyielding love for her mother in law, Ruth. Ruth's kindness helped change the course of their lives. What can we learn from Ruth?
How do we have patience? Not just situational patience. But, how do we obtain patience so that it becomes part of who we are? Ephesians 4:2 tells us, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." In this teaching Christian will challenge you to check yourself. What is the status of your patience? Is it only situational? Or is it part of who you are? Each of us could use a fresh dose of patience in some area in our lives. So, in what area of your life could you use it?
In our current series,"Show Up Different", we have the privilege of hearing from, Kurt Attaway. Kurt is a pastor in Texas and has an MA in marriage therapy. Listen, as Kurt points out how we can show up in this life with peace. We can bring peace into our relationships, work places, schools and in our hearts. He gives insight into how we can not strive for, but step into the peace that Jesus so freely offers each of us.
Joy. One of the most challenging fruits of the Spirit could quite possibly be, joy. Joy is not an emotion like being happy or exuberant. Joy is a trait that is fostered and developed. Think about it. Do you have joy in the challenges that come your way? Do you know that even in the midst of following Jesus down the toughest roads, that there is joy for you? Part of that joy is found in our salvation. It is that security that comes when you can say, "Even if this situation never changes....I can have joy in my salvation." This teaching will challenge you to examine your joy. Is Jesus the source of your joy?
When we look at the list of the fruits of the Spirit, love seems to be the one that holds them all together. This week, as a congregation, we are going to be focusing on leading with love. In all of our relationships, and in every situation, we are asking the question, “How can I lead with love?”
We all have an important part to play in what God is doing at CityLight. Listen, as Christian shares what God has done in and through CityLight in the past year! You will hear how vital your role has been in sharing the awesome love of Jesus within these areas! We will hear about the exciting opportunities ahead and how we each can choose to be part of what God is going to do through this awesome community!
As Christians we are called to be "disciples". But, what does that really mean? If we choose to follow Jesus, as His "disciples", we are asked to "take up your cross", "deny yourself" and "follow Me(Jesus)". How do we apply this to our lives? How do we live our lives keeping in step with those commands? Listen, as Christian challenges himself and each of us, to pursue God and His call on your life.
Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection. What evidence is there for this miraculous event? You've probably heard theories against the resurrection, but what evidence do those theories have? In this teaching Josh covers several theories against the resurrection, and how we can thoughtfully respond. This teaching will strengthen your faith and encourage you!
Did Jesus actually claim to be God, or was that something that his followers added to his story over the centuries? Is his claim to divinity a modern invention that we've layered on top because of our religious hopes, or did Jesus actually think he was God? This week we explore evidence from the earliest followers as well as what Jesus actually said and did, in an effort to discern the answers to these incredibly important questions.
It's nothing new that the credibility of the Bible is constantly challenged. What could be new is your stance on the validity of the Bible. Have you had doubts about the accuracy of the Bible? Have you wondered if all your faith is resting on a book that might be wrong? Listen, as Christian digs deep and challenges us not to be afraid to discuss this topic. As Christians, we need to be ready as it says in 1 Peter 3:15; "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." Let's not be afraid to ask hard questions about the Bible and it's credibility.
As we look at the historical Jesus, there are two questions we must answer. Did he actually exist? And what did he mean by what he taught? In this teaching we will attempt to offer some ideas around these questions that will hopefully encourage you and strengthen your faith!
Do you think your past disqualifies you from a deep relationship with Jesus? Do you think the fears and anxiety you struggle with, cancel out your opportunity to be used by Him? We are the ones who put regulations and rules around people. We make it so complicated, but Jesus just asks us to come to Him. If we allow Him to, He is ready and willing to work with all of our mistakes, brokenness and our pasts. He is ready to work with all of it! We just need to be willing to surrender to Him.
The closer we get to Jesus, the more he invades our personal space. He loves us too much to leave us in our brokenness, so he will always, gently, reveal the areas of our lives that need more work. Our choice is whether we lean into that work or not.
What happens when we make ourselves fully available for God? It doesn't have to be the major events like saying yes to a missions trip or selling all of your possessions! It is living in the day in and day out life where God wants to hear us say, "Yes!". Do we respond when we feel that nudge from God to tell a co-worker, "I will pray for you". Do we sacrifice the time and money to make a meal for that family in crisis? Jesus asks each of us to say, "Yes!", so that His purpose can be accomplished through us! Christian, will challenge you to examine your heart and encourage us to say, "Yes!".
Today's culture is, arguably, obsessed with safety. We are constantly given ways to stay safe financially, emotionally and physically. Many of these are valid and true. However, has this thinking crept into our faith? Listen, as Christian preaches about what it means to follow Jesus. It was never meant to be a cushy life. One filled with so many cautions put into place that we become consumed with staying safe vs risk. How have you made your life too safe? Does your faith challenge you? Does it ask you to take risks? You don't want to miss this powerful message!
Alison Groenendyk, from Chester Springs Vineyard Church, gives a compelling teaching on prayer. Listen, as she speaks on the tension of believing in a good and perfect God and trying to understand why He doesn't always answer our prayers. Alison shows us in scripture how even Jesus prayed and wanted His "cup taken" yet, still He had to go to the cross. Her insight and wisdom on this topic is one worth listening to.
Praying for one another is vulnerable. It means we have to be transparent and allow someone into a place in our hearts. That place may be wounded, depressed, anxious, grieving, worried, stressed about your job/health/family or struggling with sin. It feels easier to just go it alone and pray on our own! In this teaching, Christian uses scripture to show us how praying for each other opens the door for the Holy Spirit. When that happens we open our hearts to His plans and the life He will bring into our situations.
In this teaching, Christian, lays out the importance of intercessory prayer. How it greatly impacts our relationship with Jesus and those around us. Christian shares scripture and the truth it holds on the subject. He shares the powerful impact intercessory prayer can have in our lives if we give it the chance. Don't miss it!
What if prayer is the most underutilized resource in our spiritual life? What if we are missing out on? We all know prayer is something that is good for us, but many of us fail to really lean into this gift. Today, we talk about some practical ways that prayer can help us grow and get closer to Jesus.
Prayer. A topic Christians discuss often. But, why is it SO important? If you are a new believer in Jesus, have been for decades or you are just testing out what this faith is all about....Prayer is for you! It is a muscle we have to exercise. Not many people enjoy those taxing workouts that push you to your limits. But, we all love the results IF we stick with it! In some aspects, prayer is like this. If you don't put the time into prayer, this expression of our relationship with God will suffer. That "muscle" won't be conditioned. Prayer is meant to draw us closer to our Father. Prayer, is where we unload all of our fears, worries, joys, victories and sufferings. It is this amazing privilege we have in this relationship. Listen with an open heart and mind as Christian challenges us all to strengthen our prayer lives.
How would you define your faith? One that's rooted and growing? One that's just Sunday morning? Or maybe your faith is something that you have not really given much attention to? You say you are a Christian, but what does that really mean to you? In this teaching, Christian challenges us to have our faith deeply rooted in scripture and truth. It is good to question and to have your faith challenged. But, we are to keep being seekers of His truth! This teaching will inspire and remind us to plant our faith in God's word.
The story of Naaman is one that should grip us. A valiant solider, second in command to the king and yet he has leprosy. On one hand Naaman has it all! On the other, Naaman is slowly dying and nothing he has can change that. Listen, as Mandy challenges herself and each of us to realize no matter how much we have, none of it can make us whole.
This powerful teaching will challenge you to come to church in expectation ! This teaching will encourage you to come to church ready to encounter Jesus! Church isn't an obligation. Church is a privilege! Do we come ready to hear from God through worship? Through the teaching? Through those around us? Listen, as Christian conveys the importance of meeting Jesus on Sundays!
Think listening to podcasts is enough? Maybe you think grabbing a live worship event online will meet your aching needs? As Christians, we are called to more. Since, the beginning of the church, meeting together has always been a priority. In fact, meeting together was often dangerous for the people of the church! Despite that fact, believers met to strengthen their faith! With Covid having forced some of us to stay at home due to health conditions or other valid reasons. Let's ask ourselves, "What keeps us from attending church?". Maybe your attendance needs to be online? Awesome! Then do that! For those that can attend in person, many of us can honestly say we don't attend because we are tired, we made other plans or we even just need the whole day without any commitments. Regardless, if you attend online or in person..... are you attending? We are called in Hebrews 10:25: "Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other..."
So let's be honest with ourselves. Let's stop making excuses and get out of the "habit" of neglecting our church attendance. We need this practice in our spiritual growth!
Church isn't supposed to be a task we fill each week or for many of us, just a few times a year. We have placed church on our, "to do" list. That is not what Jesus intended the church to be. He intended "church", to be a place where believers and non believers, could come with all of our baggage. A place we can find healing, community and to be challenged in our walk with God.
Hebrews 10:25:
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.Since Covid has hit, many Christians have become stagnant. Willing to give up meeting together because let's face it, we all have worries with Covid. If you can't or don't want to meet in person, join online. Don't give up! If you can meet in person, do so! Don't give up! "meeting together" definitely looks different in this time. However, it is still necessary for our growth as Christians. It is possibly even more necessary for those who are wanting a place to explore faith and see that their questions are met with love and hope. Listen, as we all are challenged to "meet" in ways we are able!
As Christians, we are supposed to lead lives that are, "in the world, but not of the world..." We are supposed to be present in the world around us yet somehow challenge (in love and truth) the messages we are inundated with each day. We have taken a back seat and have allowed the church to be filled with so much "world", that the church is no longer seen as a refuge or a place of worship. However, a building filled with some nice songs, mostly nice people and maybe some good deeds. This is not what Jesus intended! How can we demonstrate that His love heals? That His love leads to a life of rest in His commands? How can we portray His heart to open our arms to those in pain and lead them to His redemptive love and forgiveness? Listen, as Christian challenges us to be a church that is known for what Jesus intended.
Think you have better things to do with your time than go to church? You tell yourself, "I will listen to a podcast, read my Bible, or..." But, that isn't the same as being PART of a church family. We all need a church family. A family, that can be with us through all of the highs and lows in life. Where we can grow in the knowledge of scripture. Where we can work together to reach those in the circles of our lives and in our communities. This new series invites us to examine where we lack church family in our lives and make excuses for not investing in them. It challenges us to open our hearts to one another and let God use His family to extend His Kingdom.
Too often, we tell ourselves, " I am not forgiving that person, until they say they are sorry for what they did!" As a follower of Jesus, forgiveness is required on our part, even if the other person never recognizes their offense and asks us for forgiveness. Our forgiveness of others is rooted in the fact that Jesus forgave us! Col. 3:12-14, " Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all of these virtues put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity." It is challenging, but NOT impossible, to walk in forgiveness. With God's help, we can walk in forgiveness because He forgave us.
Feeling stuck in your relationships? Too often, we respond to those around us because of how we were raised or our own dysfunctions. We keep responding in the same ways and get stuck in relationship ruts! Listen, as Christian and Brad( his Dad), talk about generational behaviors, how to change them and how to seek Jesus in it all!
Relationships can be complicated. They take time and energy. Do we value them enough to make them a priority? Are we investing ourselves into our relationships as much as we do our jobs? Our hobbies? Our money? Let's be honest and take a real look at our relationships. Are they healthy? If not, why? Shouldn't we be investing our energy in those we love? It isn't easy to tackle relationships that are challenging and have struggles. But, maybe it's time we should. Listen to Christian, encourage and challenge us to walk out our relationships in health and in God's love and His truth.
Before we can even talk about loving each other, we need to go to the source of all love. How is our relationship with God? How connected are we? Do we know his love? And how can we draw upon his love to help us love others like Jesus does?
Where does your source of hope come from? When your job, family, friends, health, etc., are facing trials, where do you find hope? Do you sink into the fear of the circumstance? Do you find yourself overcome with what you see before you? Listen, as Christian extends an invitation to seek God's promises that He makes available for each of us. In those promises, we can find fear removed. We can take hold of hope and find peace in His Word.
This message concludes the series on Joseph, being the clay in God's hands. This is a powerful message with a live demonstration by Emily Hampson. Emily forms two pieces of pottery with her wheel and tools, demonstrating a powerful image of what it means to be the clay in God's hands. As she creates her pieces, Christian challenges us through scripture to be humble and allow God to form us. Using the life of Joseph, we see that if we surrender to His hands we too can be formed into His likeness.
In this week's teaching, Tyler shares how God meet us in our woundedness and brings us healing. We have a part to play though. We can either let our past pains make us bitter, or we can walk in healing and forgiveness and allow God to use our pain to make us better.
The world we live in doesn't like to wait for anything! If what we want isn't happening now or very soon, then we often get frustrated. We begin to wonder where God is in our lives! But, waiting is often how God shapes us into who He needs us to become. It's in the waiting we have the opportunity to become more like Jesus. Are you waiting for God in an area of your life right now? In the waiting, are you allowing God to shape you? To mold you into who He wants you to become? Listen, as Christian uses the story of Joseph to convey that waiting, is often just what we need.
Listen, as Christian takes us along the journey of Joseph. Over this four week series, we will see how God used all of the, "setbacks" or "setups", in Joseph's life. God uses them to prepare Joseph and shape him into the leader he will need to be for God's plans to unfold. How is God shaping you through the, " setbacks or setups", in your life? You don't want to miss this series!
God has a plan for your life! What do you think when you hear that? Often instead of getting excited, we think of all the reasons it might not be true. In this teaching, we'll be challenged to lean into God's plans for our life, even when we face many doubts!
Brad Dunn invites us to find where we are on our, "Road Map to Spiritual Growth". Whether you are exploring faith, a new believer or have been a believer for many years, this teaching is for you! Brad, lays out practical ways we can assess our journey and grow! Do you know where you are on your, "road map" ? Are you stuck? Are you confused? Maybe you need an invitation to grow and pursue more? Listen, as Brad, shows us through scripture, how each of us can use the map God has given us!
Listen as Mandy Dunn, shares the story of Mary of Magdalene. Mary, was once tormented by seven demons. Her life was filled with torment and pain. But, one day Jesus healed her! After that, Mary never looked back! She gave all that she had with her time and resources and followed Him! Mary of Magdalene never left Jesus' side. She was there when He was crucified and the first person He appeared to after His resurrection! Can we be like Mary? We have been given the same mercy and freedom Mary was given. Let's examine our lives and hearts and be just as sold out as Mary of Magdalene!
Listen as Mandy Dunn, shares the story of Mary of Magdalene. Mary, was once tormented by seven demons. Her life was filled with torment and pain. But, one day Jesus healed her! After that, Mary never looked back! She gave all that she had with her time and resources and followed Him! Mary of Magdalene never left Jesus' side. She was there when He was crucified and the first person He appeared to after His resurrection! Can we be like Mary? We have been given the same mercy and freedom Mary was given. Let's examine our lives and hearts and be just as sold out as Mary of Magdalene!
Christian offers hope through scripture, to stay the course of putting Jesus first. Reminding each of us as we come out of the pandemic, to not fill our lives with busy-ness. Rather, be intentional in our workplaces, homes, friendships, etc., Challenging us not to run the rat race of life, but to ask God what He has for us. As life goes back to somewhat normal, we each need to pause and seek all He has for us in these areas. Listen, as Christian challenges us to remain before Jesus with open hands, asking for His will to be done in all areas of our lives.
This powerful teaching asks all of us to take a good look at how the church has made mistakes in offering promises that are not truly what Jesus has commanded us as followers. Too often the church has taken on political causes, and in the name of Jesus, have caused hurt and pain. Are the things we "stand for" Biblical? Or are we taking on what we think should be the mindset or cause of the church. Listen to this teaching as Christian lovingly confronts the church head on. He invites each of us to examine our hearts and look closely at our motives and make sure we align them with scripture and the compassion of Jesus.
Listen to Christian, as he challenges himself and CityLight in this message! This teaching will stretch each of us and ask us to take a good look at what we think true happiness is. Together we can learn to find the path Jesus offers and the life it will bring.
Living in a post Christian culture we are faced with such statements like, " You Are Enough". In this teaching, Christian tackles this popular statement. As Christians, we need to rely on Jesus because without Him, we are NOT enough.
When culture tells us to, "Find your own truth.", it is really asking the questions,"How do I know who I am? What is my purpose?" Does this ideology of looking inside ourselves to find our identity and purpose work? Or does it create more pressure in life? In this teaching, we explore what the Bible has to say about these questions. Together we learn how to apply Biblical truths about these questions to our lives.
Mandy shares from her testimony how God has sustained her through anxiety and depression. She shares from the story of Elisha and the widow. No matter how low we feel, there is always a path from God that He has provided for us.
In a stirring account of Jesus’ battle with mental anguish, we discover some of what he offers us in our daily experience of mental health and illness. Whether our struggle is temporary, long term, or situational, in this teaching we find three ways that Jesus offers us strength and comfort.
When you hit a wall in your mental health, it can feel completely isolating and hopeless. In this lesson, Josh shares from his personal battle with anxiety, four lessons from Scripture that can practically help us find peace. These aren't a quick fix, but instead are four tools we can use throughout our lives, as we deal with the ebb and flow of anxiety.
So often in life our plans for the future get changed, or even shattered, by life. When this happens it is easy to sink into despair. One tool God provides to rescue us is his daily provision. How we choose to engage with his daily grace can profoundly affect our mental health.
Have you ever had a thought come so strongly to your mind that it just seemed to take over? This week we’ll look at Paul’s admonition to have a “self controlled mind” and apply that to our own lives today. Can we learn to think about what we think about, rather than letting our thoughts control us?
Have you ever felt abandoned by God? When pain and suffering enter our lives, they sometimes end up hurting, or even destroying, our faith. In this Easter message we look at how even Jesus felt abandoned by God, and how we find him in our suffering as he walks with us through the fire.
If you spend any extended period of time in a church, you will invariably get scars. Church is a place for broken people finding healing from a loving God. And when broken people come together, sometimes they hurt each other. Sometimes, badly. If you are stuck feeling disillusioned with Church and Christians, this message is meant to help you ask some questions that may make starting towards the next chapter of your life in faith community possible.
Many of us have been hurt or let down by friends and family this year. How can we avoid getting stuck in that pain and bitterness and instead turn the page to the next chapter of our lives? How can we, like Jesus, choose forgiveness over vengeance?
In week two of our Deep and Wide Series, we share what makes CityLight tick. What values are at the core of the culture at CityLight that we are trying to create, and that supports our vision?
This week we dive into why we exist as a church, and what your place can be in the life changing vision God has given us!
Jesus makes an outrageous claim in John. See how this claim can change your life for the better, as he enters into every present moment, with the very help you need.
Week 3 of our series is about using this day of PAUSE each week to resist the non stop flow of work and money in our lives, and rebel against the gods of consumption and greed.
So often when we think of Sabbath we think of what we CAN’T do. Instead of that, Jesus invites us to view it as a day where we GET to do things that fill us with rest, delight, and connection. What I we started viewing it that way?
In your experience, does life give you a chance to rest very often? Left to our own devices, we generally only rest when we absolutely need to, and even then, we don't do a very good job of it. What if we learned to live by the rhythms of Creation, to rest one day a week, and find a new level of peace, love, joy, and contentment with what God has given us?
Why doesn’t God make his will for us more clear? Why doesn’t he answer prayers the way we want? Why does it seem so hard to find him at times? If these questions plague you on your faith journey, we encourage you to listen to this final teaching in The Real Jesus series.
When we think of Jesus, we often think of him being God. We may think of him as being an authority figure. Or being leader. Or even maybe being a task master. But have you ever considered Jesus as a servant? That his love motivates him to serve you?
Healing can be a difficult and emotional topic. But as we look at the Real Jesus, it is impossible to get away from his healing ministry. It is the most often performed miracle. So how can that impact our relationship with him, and how we minister to others?
While Jesus was certainly many things, to the people who first experienced him, they certainly experienced him as a teacher. What does that mean for our lives? How do we experience Jesus as a teacher in our lives?
Many cultures (including ours) either inadvertently, or purposefully, remake Jesus in their own image. As we look to find the “real Jesus” we start with a discussion of whether we can even be sure he existed. And if so, why does that matter?
We've been through a lot this year. Let's take a moment to reflect on what God has taught us through the struggle, so we can build on those lessons for the future.
Why do followers of Jesus give to those in need, sacrifice, take risks, share with others, pursue peace, seek forgiveness, and live a life obedience to Jesus? The simple answer is love. It is both simple and profound. Today we talk about how love, the love of God for us, is the WHY behind the risks we take to follow Jesus.
It can be all too easy to become comfortable with what we know, and stop looking for the unexpected. Following a supernatural God shakes that up a bit though. Can we learn to look for the unexpected and unknown ways that God may be wanting to step into our lives?
Following Jesus will often require taking risks. Taking risks almost always requires us to face our fears. The invitation of God is to trust us through our fears, as we step out with him.
As a follower of Jesus do you have a “radical yes” in your heart to God? Or do you lean more towards a “no” or a “maybe?” What would it look like to live your life with a “radical yes” towards the call of God, and a relationship with God, in your life?
When money comes first in our lives, James will teach us, that WE come last. Our soul suffers, our relationships suffer, and money gets way too much control over us. He offers some practical ways to avoid this, even as we live in a money saturated culture.
The intent of our words does not excuse or negate the impact of our words. James holds us responsible for the far-reaching impact our words can have, both negative and positive. In this teaching we look at the book of James, and the strong words he has about our words!
James invites us to lean into a life of whole-hearted prayer. It’s not about being perfect, or having the perfect words to pray, but about trusting God completely, and learning to pray with hearts full of confidence in him and his word.
In this midweek refresher, Christian encourages us to be voices of unity and peace during this unsettled time in our country.
It seems to be accepted common knowledge that suffering tends to drive people from God. Why is that? James doesn’t seem to agree. Maybe our worldview is too secular in regards to suffering and God. What if a more Biblical worldview of suffering and God would actually give us more hope?
Where does our discontentment in life come from? James would argue that it comes form our desires that are out of order. Our affections and loves that are disordered, lead to us feeling stressed, anxious, and burned out. Jesus invites us, through James, to order our lives around our first love, Jesus. And then see everything else fall into it’s proper place.
Faith is easy to talk about. Harder to do. And James makes a point of asking us, “are we more than our words?”
It can be so easy to show preferential treatment to people “like you.” But the teachings of Jesus really leave no room for this. In fact, as we see in James, this kind of attitude is considered evil! This week we look at God’s heart of mercy for all people, and how that should shape and challenge how we treat one another!
Jesus offers us a life of wholeness, but when we compartmentalize our faith we become fragmented, and we miss the wholeness he offers us. The book of James is all about fully integrating our faith into our lives so that we can experience the full life of Jesus!
Have you been feeling worn down, or worn out, lately? Have you struggled with the chronic nature of the global pandemic, and the hopelessness that many of us are battling? As we look to Jesus, he offers himself as the one true place to find satisfaction, comfort, and hope.
Jesus invites all of us to "come to him" when we are spiritually thirsty, and he will give us streams of living water flowing in the deepest parts of our hearts.
Why did Jesus wait when her heard Lazarus was sick? This is a tough one, but there is a deep lesson here for us, if we are willing to hear it.
God has work for us to do, even in this time of uncertainty. Are we aware of the work he is calling us to right now? Are we pursuing it?
So often our prayer life is like a football game: a Hail Mary at the last possible moment offered up in desperation and with very little confidence. What if prayer became the first thing we turned to, instead of our last ditch effort?
This week, we hear from Geno Olison, pastor of South Suburban Vineyard Church in the suburbs of Chicago. In this interview, we cover: how to speak up about injustice in a winsome way; how to know when to speak up, and when not to; why it is important that we have a voice as Christians; and some thoughts on how and when to interact on social media with people you disagree with. His thoughts are challenging and, even if you don't agree, he will make you think!
As we attempt to engage in conversations with people we disagree with, often over issues we care deeply about, what should our posture be? The wisdom literature of the Bible teaches a sobering and challenging message.
In our conversations with friends, co-workers, spouses, and even online—are we grace givers, or fault finders? There is an atmosphere in our culture right now of a lack of grace giving. A lack of assuming the best and forgiving missteps. Instead we tend to be on the look out for ways we can prove each other wrong! Is this the heart of God for a follower of Jesus? In this talk we discuss how to battle judgmentalism and embrace a grace giving spirit.
How do we respond to people who hurt us? Disappoint us? Even intentionally work against us? What is the response that Jesus has shown us? Can his kindness towards us be a pattern of our kindness towards others?
Not only does God see the person behind the stereotype, but he sees US behind our baggage. God sees the real you and invites you to live as you were meant to live, even when it feels like life is beating you down.
It is much easier to use broad brush strokes to define each other when we disagree. It allows us to objectify the person and turn them into an argument to be won, rather than a person to be loved. But Jesus calls us to see the person behind the stereotype.
Do you feel a little shaken in this season? What does it mean when Paul encourages us to stand firm in our faith? How can we help one another?
It can be hard to understand what it means to "be called by God." Mandy demonstrates from the story of Noah how faithfulness in obedience creates a life of calling.
What happens when what's become familiar is really not good for you? Today's Midweek Refresher encourages us to take a look through God's eyes.
God's Invitation to us isn't just to know about his love, goodness, faithfulness, and more. He longs for us to experience it. In today's discussion with Christine Robinson, she shares about the beauty and accessibility of God's invitation to each of us.
In today's episode we discuss four pointers for parenting teens based on our own mistakes and experience. If you have teens, or will soon, take a listen!
You are not your worst moments. And you are also not your best moments! You have a future that is a gift from God, and identity given by grace as a new creation in Jesus. Do you know this freedom?
It isn't easy parenting young kids! Mandy and Christian offer three ideas that may encourage and help you!
So much of our identity is determined by the family we are born Into. What if we started living like it was just as Important, or even more important, what family we have been adopted into? God has reached out his love in the form of adoption to us, calling us his children, and showing us great love and mercy. Do you know this love?
We are so pumped to be able to serve our community, even in these challenging times. Check out all that we are planning!
On this episode we discuss the prevalence of guilt for parents, and how we can learn to give ourselves (and others) grace for parenting!
Maybe the most profound truth of the Bible is that you and I are loved by the eternal God. And if God thinks you are worthy of love, then who can disagree with that? Despite your weaknesses and failures, you are worthy of love in God’s eyes. And he offers it freely. Yet some still do not receive it.
As we prepare to start our new series this weekend, "Through His Eyes," take a few minutes today to listen to one truth from Scripture about how God sees you.
Do you ever feel like life Is taking you down? Like your feet are being swept out from under you? Like you aren't sure what to say or do? In today's message we study 2 Corinthians 4 and the message of hope we find there that God, in his great love and mercy, is able to make you stand, even in those times.
As we look to Jesus for how to respond to each other in a time when there is so much pain and uncertainty, we find an example that elevates the value of others, no matter our differences, and finds ways to love through humility and sacrifice.
With all of the competing voices in our heads (the past, wounding, spoken words of discouragement, culture, pressure, etc) how are we giving the Word of God opportunity to speak to us? Are we creating space for it in our hearts and minds? How can we practice this in a way that doesn't seem impossible, and instead brings life?
Authority is a hard word for us. We've seen authority used in too many abusive ways, it is hard for us to trust it in general. What is Scriptural authority, then, and how do we follow it? Also, how do we find the authority when it is mostly story?
It Is often way easier to notice specks in other people's lives than it is to notice even a plank in our own. Today you'll be encouraged to do the work to remove the plank!
We all disagree with others. Sometimes in person, sometimes online. Sometimes with our family, friends, co-workers, anyone really! Today we attempt to offer five principles to help you disagree In love!
We are adding a number of tools to our tool belt for the practice of reading the Bible. This week we discuss the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, as we learn the importance of not just reading, but meditating on the Bible.
In today's episode we interview Brie Tulowitzky, and discuss how the practice of reading the Bible has shaped our lives and continues to be a source of encouragement and strength.
Why are we doing this anyway? Why are the practices important for our growth as followers of Jesus? And why, specifically, is reading the Bible important? Plus, we cover 5 principles to keep you from making this about performance and keep it centered on grace and relationship.
HOW DO I START READING THE BIBLE?
We've had so many conversations the past two weeks about the struggle we have with finding time to read the Bible, knowing what to choose to read, understanding it, and more.
Maybe you grew up with the bible being rammed down your throat, or maybe you have no real background with the Bible, good or bad. Either way, there may be hurdles to reading the Bible for "formation."
In response, I decided to make a video that's a little longer than my normal (14 minutes!) with some basic advice on how to start reading the Bible for formation. Whether you've been away from it for a while, or never tried before, we hope this helps!
A good place to start our practice of reading the Bible is with what Jesus thought about the Bible. Your history with the Bible probably has a mixture of both positive and negative experiences. Looking at how Jesus viewed it, gives us a good starting point.
In today's episode we interview Amanda Jackson about how she dealt with uncertainty during her pregnancy with Harper, who was diagnosed with a serious heart issue in utero.
We all love to be in control, but life teaches us that is rarely possible. How can we learn to thrive in uncertainty, rather than just getting by?
Do you ever wonder if all you are doing is worth it? Today we look at one verse that should encourage us!
Many of the recorded prayers in the Bible are prayers of lament. Raw, honest, and even "in God's face" kind of prayers that reveal just how gracious God is with us. Sometimes what we need to grieve the loss we are experiencing Is this language of lament that our faith offers us.
Every week we release a short encouragement in the middle of the week. This week's centers on the fact that God has gifted you, and part of your joy comes from sharing your gifts with others!
In this teaching we discuss how resilience is a skill you can learn, not just something you are either born with, or without. We offer three ways you can develop this skill during the Lockdown so you are better prepared for "normal" life afterwards!
In the middle of hard times, we can develop a skill for finding the good, even when it's hard to find! In this teaching we discuss how to change our perspective in order to change our experience.
Have you felt frustrated with your spiritual growth lately? Here are three ideas that may help you!
For our first lesson from lockdown we are going to re-examine our "rule of life." What structures do you have in to get you to where you want to be spiritually? Are they working? Maybe now is a good time to rethink some of them!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Jesus was buried In a tomb located in the middle of a Garden. But when he rose, he turned that upside down! And he is still turning graves into gardens in our lives!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
On Palm Sunday we reflect on the suffering that Jesus endured on our behalf. And we find meaning in our own suffering, and a path towards suffering well.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
How do we respond as the Church to a crisis like this? Can we still find ways to love our neighbors?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
It can be easy to start thinking that Christianity is all about what we believe. And while belief is important, what we do as a result of that belief is what really matters.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In our first week doing LiveStream church thanks to the Coronavirus, we continued our series on Influence. This week we ask the question: "Tolerance is good - but is it enough?" Join us as we tackle this question and lean into what God's love looks like.
What happens when God's call to surrender interferes with our own desire to "be free" and "do what we want?" It can be frustrating at times, but we discuss how surrendering to God's plan leads us to TRUE freedom!
How does our desire to be happy line up with the call of Jesus to be sacrificial? And has the American ideal of happiness (such as materialism and wealth) gotten confused within Christianity's message of blessing? These are a few of the tensions we tackle in Week 2!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
An ancient blessing used of people who chose a teacher to follow was, "May you be covered by the dust of your rabbi (teacher)." The meaning was, "may you so closely follow your teacher that you are metaphorically covered by the dust from his sandles." We will be using that concept to talk about who we are being influenced by in our lives. Are we more influenced by Jesus, or by so many other voices pulling at us?
We were so honored to welcome Amos to speak to us this Sunday about the importance and power of friendship in the church and in our lives!
Sometimes life Is just hard. Pain, let down, dreams lost, relationships broken, hearts damaged, just to name a few. How does God reach out to us In this, and how to do we find hope while not ignoring this fact - that life can be hard!
As we conclude our series on the supernatural, we consider the biblical teaching on Satan. What does the Bible actually say, and how should we respond?
How can we learn to be more responsive to the Holy Spirit in our daily lives? Is this idea of the Holy Spirit just theoretical, or is it practical? In other words, what impact does he have on how we live and relate to others?
Before Jesus ascended into heaven he told his followers to wait for the "gift" of the Holy Spirit. Before their mission to the world could commence, they needed the power of the Spirit in their community. Why, today, do so many of us try to do the same thing without the Spirit? Are we living our lives unplugged from his power?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Do miracles still happen today? Did they ever? If so, what does that mean for you and how you live out your faith? We try to tackle all of these questions and more in this talk which asks the question, "Do you want to be cynical, or faith-available?"
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
(We apologize for the poor recording quality, we had technical difficulties.) In this first teaching of the series, we ask the simple question, "Is there more?" Are you someone who leans more towards an assumption that there is more? Or do you lean more towards the skeptic view of any claim of the supernatural? We'll address both of these, and ask both to take a fresh look at the supernatural.
As we turn the corner from the end of one year to the beginning of the next, we take some time to reflect and get perspective. What has God been doing In my life? What does God want to do next? During this talk we ask the question - what opportunities in the Lord are you being Invited into as we head into 2020?
In this series we've been talking about the journey of faith that God is inviting each of us on. Today we discuss the "why" - the motivation - for following Jesus and giving our lives for others. "Love is the why" behind all we do as followers of Jesus. Listen to be inspired and challenged by the love that God has for you!
Ignatius of Loyola used to tell the first Jesuits to go and "find God in all things." What if we took his advice and applied that to our lives? How would that impact the Hope with which we live our lives?
This is a slightly different Midweek Refresher. It is a 13 minute follow up to last week's teaching. We hope you find it encouraging and challenging!
On our own personal journey of faith, what lessons can we take from the people in the story of Christmas? This week we look at Mary and the faith it took for her to pursue God's vision for her life over her own. Do you know God's vision for your life?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Without really noticing it, we all have many opportunities to influence those around us in positive ways every day. How do we become more aware of those chances, and learn to harness the power of encouragement?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Rather than just dealing with the symptoms, let's get to the root of the issue here. What causes good or bad words to come from our mouths? Jesus says It has a lot to do with what Is In our hearts. In this message we'll explore some ways to find healing for our hearts and change the conversation on our lips.
Have you ever said something you regretted later? Do you struggle with complaining, arguing, negativity, gossip, or anger? We discuss in this talk the impact that rotten words can have on those you are talking to, and on yourself!
So simple to understand. So hard to do. Just listen. How good of a listener are you? Do you listen to actually understand, are do you listen so you can reply, win, or tell your own story? The book of James gives us some incredible advice for investing in each other through the simple art of listening!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
We’ve all done it more times than we can count: said something we regret. Such a small thing, such enormous power and consequences. Let’s shine a light on what we say. So much of what we say escapes our lips without a thought. This week, let’s agree to start thinking about what we are saying.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Are you paying attention to what is most important in life? Are you caring for yourself the way you should be? In this talk we cover three circles of "sufficiency" that we all need to be paying attention to so that we can thrive in life and avoid burnout!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
What does it mean when Jesus tells us to pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?" What would it look like for us to pray such a big prayer? And how can we live our lives in such a way as to be the answer to our own prayer on a daily basis in small ways?
In a recent survey, 94% of people who had prayed in the last 3 months had done so alone. According to the teachings of Jesus and his early followers, we are missing out! What happens when we take time to pray together with and for each other could dramatically change our experience of prayer and our walk with God!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Sometimes we can allow prayer to become to complicated! What if we went back to the basics of prayer - just talking to a God who loves us? What if the foundation of prayer became relationship—how would that change how we pray?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Have you ever noticed that so much of life is just not giving up? In this message, Jonathan talks about the role perseverance plays in living out the promises of God in your life. He talks about three reasons why, based on the story of the Battle of Jericho, people give up instead of pushing on to the finish line.
In the unlikeliest of places, with the unlikeliest of people, we see God's great heart that pursues us even to the ends of our brokenness and rebellion. In the story of Zacchaeus we find hope and inspiration for our lives, as we learn of God's great pursuit of us!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Solomon, the wisest man in the Bible, said that "above all else" we needed to do this: guard our hearts. But how do we do that, and who are we protecting? Discover in this message the four emotions that are warning signs that something bigger is brewing in your heart and may need attention!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
There is maybe nowhere in life that we need to consider guardrails more than the area of intimacy and sexuality. Today's talk doesn't encompass everything (as if any talk could!) but it is a start for those thinking about establishing some guardrails in this area!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus
In Part 2 of the guardrails series, Jonathan Latshaw talks about WHY it's so important to place guardrails around our friendships and associates. Often we underestimate how much influence the people around us have in our lives. Leaning on Proverbs he talks about the difference between surrounding yourself with people who live wisely versus people who live foolishly.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Nobody plans to enter into a toxic relationship. Nobody plans to ruin his or her finances. Nobody plans to struggle with an addiction. What steps do you take to make sure these things don't happen? Set up guardrails. You can tell yourself that you'll "be careful." Well, setting up guardrails is how you "be careful."
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
How do we make decisions if we are trying to follow Jesus? How do we figure out where he is leading us, when he is leading us....if he is leading us? We cover some practical ways to learn how to be led.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
How often do we stay away from opportunities to serve, be kind, or be generous, because we think what we have to offer couldn't possibly make a difference? The amazing thing about God, is that you never know when he is going to take your scarcity and make it an abundance for others!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Guest speaker Ray Longwood (pastor of The Encounter Church in Long Island NY) challenges us to be willing to let God's love stretch us and get us out of our comfort zones!
Jesus's life reflected a radical truth - that all people matter to God, even the ones that were often overlooked. By taking this to heart, the early church was know for compassion and generosity. Jesus lived it. The early followers of Jesus lived it. Now it's our turn.
Does God work through us supernaturally? Or is that something only for stories in the Bible? Maybe we've got God in a box in our lives—would you be willing to let God expand your box of how he can use you?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
One of the most basic traits of those who partner with God is that they are simply available and interruptible. If God is always working in the lives of those around us, what opportunities could we participate in if we just started being more available?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In this kick-off message of the MISFITS series, Jonathan Latshaw talks about the incredible invitation Jesus makes to all of us - especially those who feel unqualified, too ordinary, not spiritual enough, too weak or just too damaged to be of any use to God. When we look at ourselves we see ordinary but when Jesus looks at us he sees the extraordinary. All it takes is to simply respond to Jesus's invitation to follow him.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In our break neck paced society, it is almost frowned upon to ever take a break, dial it down, and rest. Do you ever feel worn down by this pace? What if you built a rhythm of rest into your schedule so you could give yourself a break? Maybe you'd even find you are a happier, more productive, and more healthy! This week we close our series on getting our life back, by challenging the status quo of "go go go" in our culture, and looking at Jesus' invitation to rest.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
What happens when you say "yes" to too many things? In reality, you aren't really saying YES to anything. What if the best way to have a big YES in your life, is to have the courage to say the small NO's?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
What if you spent your money the same way you spend your time? Would you be considered wise? Wasteful? Insane??? Time is a resource given to us by God as a gift, but we can choose to spend it wisely or foolishly. How are you investing your time?
How do you know if all the effort you are expending in life is taking you where you mean to be going? Are you living on purpose, or living by default? In this teaching we explore what it would like to know what you are aiming at life, and shaping your life around those values.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In this message Jonathan talks about how distraction can steal away much of the significant and meaningful moments of our lives.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
How much of our life journey do we spend forgetting to reach out to God? How often are we wondering, "where are you God?" What if we could have our eyes opened to the everyday, every moment reality of God's love in our lives? What if we could be truly awakened to His hand guiding us?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Waiting can be so difficult. Waiting with hope and all the while trusting God can be even tougher. In this message Christian encourages us to continue to believe in the goodness of God in the in-between times and practical ways to help us stay positive during these times in our lives.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Who are you following? How do you make your decisions in life about relationship, love, money, morality, etc? If Jesus isn't the one you are following, then you probably won't get where you hope you are going. Today we'll talk about the surrendered life, and how it leads us to true life.
Pride comes in many shapes and sizes. It harms our relationships. It keeps us from growing. Ultimately it keeps us from not accepting all that Jesus offers us. The tricky thing with pride is that it's self-deceiving and loves to remain hidden. In this message, Jonathan Latshaw shares from his own life what pride looks like and ways that you can overcome the struggle with pride.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
"Love your neighbor as yourself." It seems so simple. But really it asks us to take a hard look at our actions and our motivations. What does it really mean to love someone as much as we love ourselves?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Saying no is hard - especially to ourselves. Yet Jesus calls his followers to learn to deny themselves. Why? Why did he think this was so important? Part of the reason is that anything that is controlling us, is taking his place in our lives. When we learn to say no to ourselves, we learn to keep everything else in our lives in second place behind God.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Unforgiveness works the opposite of how we think it will. Instead of punishing the person who hurt us, it ends up punishing and trapping us. How can we find freedom from the power of unforgiveness?
Often in life, when we need to reach out the most to others, we are most reluctant to. Why is that? Why is it so hard to let others "in" when we need help carrying the burdens of our life? What if we were created by God, in fact, to need each other in a profound way that can only be found in authentic community?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In Part 2 of UNstuck Jonathan Latshaw talks about the "NOT ENOUGH" dilemma that plagues most of us and keeps us from moving forward into healthy relationships, trying new things, pursing our dreams, and being open and vulnerable. What does Peter the Apostle, Author Brene Brown, and Jesus making breakfast have to do with the "Not Enough" issue? Listen to find out!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
One of the barriers between people and faith in Jesus is, honestly, Christians and the Church. How do you deal with this barrier, if you have seen too many Christians act in ways you wouldn't want to associate yourself with?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Have you ever wondered about these questions, or had others ask you them? Hasn't the Bible changed over time? Doesn't it contain mistakes? How did they choose the books that went into it? These questions and more are dealt with in this installment of our Problem of God series.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
How can an all-good, all-loving God allow suffering? Doesn't the existence of suffering prove that God does NOT exist? Have you ever wondered this? This week we try to show how Jesus answers the problem of suffering of evil.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
One of the barriers for people when contemplating faith, is the role of science, and the modern narrative that science and faith are mutually exclusive. Is this really true? How do faith and science really inform each other? Is there a way that it can be a BOTH/AND instead of an EITHER/OR situation?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Is there evidence that God - an all powerful, eternal, infinite being - exists? Or is it just wishful thinking? We explore three evidences for the existence of God in this first teaching of our series -- where will the evidence lead you?
Sometimes we all get caught up in wanting what we want, WHEN we want it! But prayer is often more of a journey. What if sometimes our "get it now" mentality cuts our prayer life short? What does Jesus say about prayer and not giving up? What if your next prayer about any given topic, could be the final prayer you need?
The message of Christmas is the message of God's great love for you and I driving him to come to earth and rescue us from ourselves. His love is a free gift that offers us a new future in him. How will you respond to this gift?
The story of Christmas reveals God's heart for all people. He could have written this story any way he wanted - and so how we chose to write it shows us his priorities. One of the greatest things we see in the story is that God includes people of all kinds, all backgrounds, and all gifts in his story. In fact, he made room for YOU in his story too. The question is, will we make room for him?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Research shows that stressed parents raise stressed kids. With everything on our plates, how do we make sure we are taking care of ourselves, so we actually are the parents we’ve always wanted to be?
Ever wonder what on earth your kids are trying to tell you? Amanda will share practical insights on how to allow your kids to have emotions, how to validate those emotions, and how to help them express them within healthy boundaries.
If you could choose just three things to focus on as a parent, would that make your job easier? Research has shown there are three things we can always do as parents, no matter what age our kids are, that will make a lasting impact on our relationship with them
Have you ever felt weak? Powerless? Purposeless? Ashamed? If you answered yes, then it's good news! Through the Christmas story, Jesus makes it clear that he has come to rescue all humanity from insignificance and call us all into a life of love, hope, and wholeness.
In this holiday season take some time to listen to the Sound of Significance that echoes through the Christmas story!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
What is our perspective when we face difficulties? Often our perspective changes the outcomes! If we can learn to lean into God (rather than running from him) and what he is doing in the middle of our trials, we can end up growing in our character, growing closer to God, and learning more about his love for us than at any other time in life!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
It's easy to be grateful when everything is going our way, isn't it? Is that the point of gratitude? What if we could learn to be grateful even during the struggles of life? What kind of character would that produce in us? What kind of freedom would we find?
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Most of us can point to a relationship in our lives where we "saw God" through another person. Can we cultivate a lifestyle that creates more opportunity for these kind of life giving relationships? We invited a panel of three people from CityLight to share their experiences with this question.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
One of the best ways to grow our faith, to close the gap of the space between us and God, is to use the gifts that God has given us. Sometimes however we get caught watching - spectating - not using what God has put inside of us. Or we find ourselves doubting, wondering, and second guessing whether we have what it takes. The catch is - we'll never know how much God has put inside of us until we try to give it away to others!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
In the hustle of life, are we creating space to connect with God? Is it even possible? We look at the life of Jesus and see how, even he modeled the necessary life practice of creating time to be alone and build a relationship with God. We can do the same!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Believing is fine...Good are intentions are Ok...But what makes the greatest difference is what you do. We need to apply what we hear in our lives, what we are learning - without excuses. One step to getting closer to God is to actual DO what God is teaching you. In this message, Jonathan Latshaw talks about 3 reasons why we have a hard time doing what we are being taught.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
Instead of running from our fears, can we learn to face them calmly by inviting Jesus into them? Listen as two powerful testimonies are shared of people who did just that!
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
What happens when thing you feared most comes true? How does that affect your relationship with God? And where was God? Why didn't he do anything? Can faith be sustained through heartache and loss? These are a few of the questions we addressed in this emotional message, as we talked about loss and the power of hope.
Every week we send out a short 3-4 minute encouragement that follows up the talk from Sunday morning. We hope it brightens your day and encourages you to face each day with Jesus.
When Paul instructs us to be "anxious for nothing" can he really be serious? How is that even possible? And in what ways does God offer to strengthen us in overcoming anxiety and fear?
Wouldn't it be nice to have control over your thoughts, rather than your thoughts having control over you? God, through the writing of Paul, gives us some very practical advice on how to use our God-given gifts to overcome toxic thought patterns and free ourselves from strongholds of anxiety and fear.
We all battle worry in one area or another. But what does worry add to our life? How does it help? Jonathan teaches us how Jesus reveals that worry can do nothing good for us, and challenges us to live in the present, and seek his Kingdom above all else.
What does life look like controlled by fear? Let’s let it play out - what if we obeyed our fear? What will we miss out on? God says that we are not given a spirit of fear, but power love and a sound mind. So much of the life God has for us is found on the other side of fear.
In a world where individualism is celebrated as the highest virtue - where does the value of community fit in? And if we want to be part of a healthy and healing community, what part should we play?
Often the issues we need to talk about most are the ones we are most afraid to disclose. But there is healing in sharing our weakness with trusted others. God's idea of community is one where we all have people to share our struggles with, receive prayer, and find healing.
At CityLight we are passionate about creating a community that is loving and welcoming. One important ingredient is humility - the ability to put others before ourselves. Our sending pastor, Bruce Latshaw of the Barn Vineyard Church, encourages us to be humble towards God AND each other!
It is easy to have shallow relationships. Deeper, lasting, and meaningful relationships take work. Are you willing to do the hard work for relationships?
In the first message in our "One Another" series, Jonathan Latshaw talks about the power of encouragement and 3 practical ways we can be a positive influence in the lives of those around us.
We are all writing a story of our lives - are we writing the story we MEAN to write? If you could change one thing about your story - what would it be? What can you do today to make that change and live the story God has prepared for you?
God has a beautiful plan for your brokenness - but we have a choice whether we partner with that plan or become stuck in our pain.
Although we may pursue many avenues of longing in our lives, nothing will truly satisfy our longing for God. Are we creating space for God in our lives? If not, everything else will "never be enough."
God invites all of us to live outside the box of the status quo. In fact, he wants to partner with us to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Christian covers one practical way we can do this, by listening to those "nudges" that God gives us to reach out to others!
Not every dream will come true - but if that fact keeps us from ever dreaming big, what things will we miss out on? God puts dreams in the hearts of his children. But are we too afraid to actually dream them? What if the greatest life God has for you involved you daring to dream a little? Or even a lot...
What do you have that you could give to others? You may think the answer is "not much." But God has entrusted much to you - and there are opportunities for you to invest that into other people's lives that could have a lasting impact. Will you take that challenge?
Do you ever feel like you are stuck? Or that things keep going the wrong way in life? This message will inspire you to make daily choices to be an overcomer!
Can we go out of our way, to make a way, for those who are far away? This is a challenge that Paul lays out for us - how much do we really care about people who are far from Jesus? How does that inform our actions? How should it?
Jesus said of himself that he did not come to be served, but to serve. Can we as a church embody that same spirit of serving our communities?
What does it take to be an everyday hero? Is it as simple as responding to people in need? Could it be as easy as taking the time to let our faith move into action and do something rather than wishing someone else would do something?
If our giving is left till the last thing we do, we generally won't give much. We'll be left feeling like "I wish I could give more but I can't." What if we gave first? What if we made our generosity a priority? Listen as we are challenged to give first, and make our money last!
People will do anything for money. Why? Because we have grown to love it. We have grown to feel like we own it, are entitled to it, and can trust in it! There is a better way. But it requires us to give our money like we do NOT love it.
Have you ever wondered why people walk away from faith? Do you have religious doubts? When your prayers go unanswered, do you wonder if God exists? Does science make God seem unnecessary? Listen to Jonathan Latshaw share some root causes for why people walk away from faith and what we can learn from it.
We interview Dr. David Martin about the intersection of faith and science, and how understanding science can lead us to a greater love and appreciation of God.
Does God have a plan for my life? Can I know it? In this message we discuss what life looks like as we are led by God.
What is the point of life? Is there one? If so, can we know it? We take some time to look at this from Jesus' point of view - pursuing the Kingdom of God above all else.
After his resurrection Jesus found his disciples to be in varying degrees of faith, doubt, and disbelief. His love was big enough to welcome them just as they were, and invite them to find him again in his resurrection. He invites us to do the same, no matter where we are on our journey of faith.
Jesus earned the right to give us a gift we could never earn - no matter how hard we tried. The gift of life! Yet we often make it way more complicated than it needs to be. What if we just received the love and life he is offering freely to us?
Why didn't God do something? Sometimes, despite our most fervent prayers, God doesn't show up the way we want him to and it's easy to question whether he really does love us. In this message, Jonathan tells us what to look for when it feels like God forgot to show up.
Loneliness is an epidemic right now - even with social media! Listen to our panel of guests as they share heart warming, and heart wrenching stories of the power of community.
What would you do, if fear was not standing in your way? What dreams, ideas, relationships, and opportunities are sitting on the shelf because its easier to stay in our comfort zone? Jesus offers to stand with us when we step out, listen to hear more!
As we are facing opportunities in life, often self doubt gets in the way. Jesus sees more in us, than we see in ourselves. Learn how to step out in faith, and see yourself the way Jesus does.