New Life Maine: Recent Episodes
Justin Sweeney
It's interesting how most times when we think of Nehemiah all we can remember is that he built a wall. Pastor Justin takes us through Nehemiah chapter 9 where we get to read the longest prayer in recorded scripture - a prayer that serves to remind us of exactly who God is.
Pastor Tom continues taking us through Nehemiah, with a few side missions along the way.
We're in Nehemiah chapter 8 this week, and even though the wall is finished, God is still doing a work in Nehemiah and the Israelites. Fun fact: holy people don't have to be solemn and quiet. Revivals should be loud - and they begin with you.
As we continue through our series on Nehemiah, Pastor Justin takes us through Nehemiah's back and forth with his Chief Hater: Sanballat. After a vaguely threatening message comes for Nehemiah, he's faced with a choice: run and hide, or call their bluff. At this point, you probably know exactly what choice he made.
Pastor Justin is back and continues taking us through the book of Nehemiah. In chapter 4, Nehemiah's loudest critics are back - but they're doing more than just talking. Threats of war are flying, and the people are becoming discouraged. See how Nehemiah rallies the troops, and how your haters can be silenced as well.
Our Next Steps Pastor, Trevor Nataluk, takes us through 1 Peter chapter 2 and delivers a call for unity. In addition to finding your people, and striving for unity, Trevor also encourages us to take ownership in our growth.
Moving right along in our new series on Nehemiah, Pastor Justin shows us how Nehemiah began the process of rebuilding Jerusalem's city walls - and restoring Jerusalem from being disgraced. Of course, Nehemiah faced some vocal opposition, but he reminded the naysayers that he was doing the Lord's work.
It's time for a new sermon series! Pastor Justin opens the book of Nehemiah and we talk about why burdens can be a blessing. You'll also be encouraged to be the "someone" who does "something" about that situation that's burdening you and others. Bonus: We get to hear a prophetic word through New Lifer Michael Milne. This word is for you!
Pastor Tom takes the mic this week and promptly DROPS IT. There's a lot to take away from this sermon, and Pastor Tom takes exception to a few misconceptions about Jesus' work and how the Bible is used to condemn. Often, we're the ones condemning ourselves - but that's not what God wants.
In the final sermon of our series "On Mission", Pastor Justin gives us a better idea of what it takes to be a "dreamer". Even if you think that you're not someone with big dreams or visions - you can still be a dreamer who makes change happen. Pastor Justin also gives us an update on a dream of his that's quickly becoming reality: a Hope Center for the city of Biddeford.
How has this series encouraged or challenged you to live life on mission?
What kind of faith do you have? Is it any better than demons? That's probably not a question you've ever had to ask yourself before, but Pastor Justin and the book of James will get you thinking about it in this sermon. We'll also consider how much doing good deeds factors into your place in eternity.
Last week, Pastor Justin took us through the story of Elijah - but that was only the beginning. In the second half of this story, Elijah loses sight of his strengths, and is forced to wait on God through the elements. So when God asks him "What are you doing here?", Elijah can't seem to come up with the answer and needs the reminder.
Elijah was a man who just wouldn't stay down. The man was an absolute beast. But it wasn't his human strength that made him a Biblical legend, it was his deep well of faith. And even Elijah sometimes struggled to see how God would have the victory. But that's when he decided to pray pray - not just pray.
The "On Mission" series has been more impactful than we ever anticipated. It's resulted in a bunch of new ministries offered by you, through New Life, and lives are being changed! Being called a "sheep" these days is mostly an insult. No one wants to be sheep. Sheep are dumb. Like, famously dumb. So when Jesus says that he's the Good Shepherd and we are his sheep, is he calling us dumb? Not even close. But we would do well to recognize who we should be following.
Repent! Okay, that's a scary word, and it comes with a lot of connotations, all of which are negative. So let's all take a deep breath and dive into this one together. Repentance is something that both Jesus and John the Baptist preached about, and Pastor Justin helps explain how it is actually a form of worship.
Continuing in our series "On Mission", Pastor Justin takes inside a familiar story from Numbers. The Israelites had some conflicting reports on what waited for them in the Promised Land, but the bad news seemed to be the report that everyone heard - because even back then it seems that bad news is what really grabs people. But God reminds us that his strength looks great on our weakness.
Taking us through one of the more famous miracles of Jesus, Pastor Justin reminds us how we can always be used by God, even when we feel like we have nothing to contribute. Jesus feeds the (1)5,000, the disciples are baffled, and even though he had just experienced a tragedy, Jesus showed immeasurable compassion for people.
Pastor Justin continues in our series On Mission with a sermon about good habits and bad habits. It's way too easy to think that if we make one small good decision we're changed people. But it's really not that simple. Justin reminds us of some scriptures that direct us not only to be better - but to do better (in secret).
Have you ever gone sleepwalking? It can be funny, dangerous, messy, and sometimes result in getting name dropped in Pastor Justin's sermon. While sleepwalking really can get dangerous, it's a different kind of danger we're talking about today. Pastor Justin will tell us how to wake up, get up, and get dressed. Because we can't just put our clothes on over our pajamas. You know what, just let him explain it.
Pastor Justin returns from vacation with a timely reminder of a familiar story from the life of Jesus. Immediately after Jesus fed over 5,000 people with the miracle loaves and fishes, the disciples were headed to Bethsaida (or so they thought) by boat, when a massive storm arrived - along with a ghostly figure walking on the water. Jesus used the very thing that was overwhelming the disciples to make a pathway to them. There's a lot more to unpack from this story.
Pastor Trevor steps up to the podium and delivers a challenging sermon to prepare us to go out into the world and live life on mission. How do we actually get prepared for mission? By knowing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Happy Easter! Pastor Justin jokes that every preacher knows exactly what they're going to preach about on Easter Sunday, but God still revealed something new about the familiar story to us this year. What did Jesus do on his first day resurrected? Chasing down people headed in the wrong direction. Because of course he did!
As Pastor Justin continues along in our series On Mission, he takes us through the story of Moses being told that he's been chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. It's important to remember that Moses was something of a disaster human at that point. But God saw his natural flaws and knew that his "super" would look great on Moses' "natural". The fact is, God doesn't call superheroes - he calls ordinary people who are available.
The second sermon in our new series "On Mission". Pastor Justin takes us through a portion of scripture that even he admits is a passage he has typically avoided. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and speaking with some potential followers. But when they say that they have other priorities, Jesus gives them some hard truth. Everyone will take drastic measures when they are in an emergency; but how do we continue to live on mission in the absence of a crisis?
Vision Sunday 2023. Pastor Justin walks us through what the Lord has done through New Life Church in the past year, and what he believes the Lord has in store for us in the coming year as we take on the challenge to live life "On Mission".
No, Pastor Justin isn't asking if you love him - Jesus is the one asking. In fact, after he rose from the dead, he appeared to the disciples as they were fishing and got their attention in a familiar, yet still miraculous way. And once they came together on the beach, Jesus asked Peter this same question. Three times. Was Jesus just being insecure? Or was there a bigger point to be made...
In our final week studying 1st Corinthians, Pastor Justin takes us through Paul's closing thoughts in chapter 16. Paul discusses tithing, opposition, and the difference between believing in God, and loving God (spoiler alert: it's a big difference!)
What is the single most important aspect of our faith? Pastor Justin takes us through 1st Corinthians 15, where Paul makes it pretty clear: without Jesus' resurrection, nothing else matters.
Pastor Justin continues in our series on 1st Corinthians with a sermon on the gift of tongues and interpretation. This can be one of those subjects that the church avoids, but Pastor Justin helps take the fog out of the room and helps us learn more about this "spirit stuff". Is speaking in tongues meant for all of us? What is the purpose of this gift anyway? Let's dig in!
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Pastor Justin continues taking us through 1st Corinthians as we land on "The Love Chapter". Except... maybe we should look a little closer at this chapter, and not just think of it as the one we all hear at weddings. This chapter is actually busting at the seams with challenges to the Corinthian church, and us as well.
Pastor Justin continues in our series on 1st Corinthians with a sermon on unity. You've probably read this scripture before, but don't let the familiarity of it lull you to sleep - there's present day issues being addressed by Paul in chapter 12. Pastor Justin also reminds us who our common enemy is (spoiler alert: it's not people who think differently than you).
Pastor Justin takes us through the spiritual gifts outlined by Paul in 1st Corinthians 12 - yes, even the scary sounding ones. There's also a great reminder in here why we're given spiritual "gifts" and not "awards". How do you put your spiritual gifts into action?
Pastor Justin continues in our series going through 1st Corinthians. In this chapter, Paul sings a familiar refrain, though it's not always an easy one to hear. And no matter which side of the political or theological spectrum you find yourself, it's a message that will both challenge you, and encourage you.
We're back on schedule after the holidays, and Pastor Justin is picking up where we left off with 1st Corinthians. We're in chapter 10, and Paul is essentially issuing a big warning to the church - five warnings actually - about some things that stop us from growing in our relationship with the Lord. You are not finished yet!
Kicking off the New Year, Pastor Trevor guides us through some "landmarks" to help us navigate our spiritual journey.
Taking a break from the 1st Corinthians series, Pastor Justin takes us inside the Christmas story as we learn about how pretty much everyone involved was terrified. They all had pretty good reason to be scared too, so why did the angels keep telling them not to be afraid? And what does this mean for us?
You don't have to sell all your belongings and go live in another country to be a missionary - if you're really living "on mission", then you already are a missionary wherever you are. Pastor Justin continues to take us through 1st Corinthians, and in this sermon we dive into chapter 9. We'll hear about acceptance and approval, and how those are not the same thing, and how to do "adulting" better.
Moving on to 1st Corinthians chapter 8, Pastor Justin teaches us about... demon meat? I don't think I've ever had demon meat personally, but it sounds tempting. Regardless, Paul's advice to the Corinthians was to stop worrying about sacrificial meat and worry a little more about not getting a big head when you make good decisions.
Continuing in our series on 1st Corinthians, Pastor Justin takes us through chapter 7, where Paul has a message for the married people, and the single people. Being single these days is a lot more complicated than it used to be. And being a good spouse is actually a product of how you came to terms with being single. Is enjoying single life a bad thing? Did you get married for the right reasons? Pastor Justin is going to help walk you through these questions and more.
TRIGGER WARNING: This sermon contains brief mentions of sexual assault and abuse.
If you thought we got real in 1st Corinthians 5, wait until we go through chapter 6. Pastor Justin guides us through Paul's directions to the Corinthian church regarding sexual sin. It's a challenging sermon, and at times may be uncomfortable, but the message is clear: sex is anything but "just physical".
It's very possible that you've never heard a sermon on 1st Corinthians chapter 5 before. It's not an easy chapter to read, and it certainly isn't an easy one to talk about - but let's dive in together. When the church starts celebrating sin, we've got a problem. But when the church starts getting excited about judging those within the church, we've got another problem altogether. Pastor Justin helps us find the middle ground, and reminds us about who we should be judging first.
As Pastor Justin continues his sermon series on 1st Corinthians, he helps us get a better definition of a spiritual leader from Paul. He also takes us through what it means to be part of a spiritual family.
This week Pastor Tom steps up to the mic and continues our series on 1st Corinthians. We're reminded that when we're born again, we're born full of the Holy Spirit. The goal is to make it to the end of the race full of the spirit as well. What happens in between is where we need to rely on God to help us stay fully charged.
Continuing with our series on 1st Corinthians, Pastor Justin tells us about how the church needs to grow up, grow fruit, and be built up from a solid foundation.
What makes a person "spiritual"? Is it the things they do? Is it the things they choose not to do? Or is it something more? Pastor Justin shines a light on the concept of spirituality with the second chapter of 1st Corinthians. He also gives us some reminders about the church trying to enforce Christian morals on a non-believing world.
Pastor Justin opens up a new sermon series on 1st Corinthians and discusses celebrity pastor worship vs. worshipping God. He also tells us who really needs Jesus. Spoiler alert: it's all of us.
In the Old Testament, entering God's presence was nearly impossible - you had to be in the right building at the right time and be the right person. But then Jesus came, and was crucified, and everything changed. Pastor Tom breaks down how being in God's presence is simple and crucial to our walk.
Myth: All you need is Jesus. Truth: You also need community. In the final sermon from the No Offense series, Pastor Justin helps us realize that trying to get through life with only a relationship with Jesus isn't quite enough.
In this sermon, Pastor Justin dives into the story of the last supper. Jesus went around the room and humbled himself by washing his disciples feet. Peter tried to decline (classic Peter), and then reversed and requested that Jesus wash his whole body (again, classic Peter), and Jesus washed the feet of the man who he knew would betray him imminently. How do we love each other like that?
Continuing in the sermon series "No Offense", Pastor Justin talks a little about Revelation. Scary, right? Okay, not so much once you hear that the scripture is talking about love. In this case, Pastor Justin explores how loving God and others can "cool" over time, and how God is asking us to turn up the heat on our passion for Him.
What causes you to be offended? Or, to be a little more direct, who causes you to be offended? Chances are it's "who" far more often than "what". Inevitably, someone is going to offend you in some way, and if you're going to have a confrontation, Pastor Justin lays out some ways to have "godly conflict".
Continuing in the new series "No Offense", we hear from Pastor Justin on bitterness. Did you ever consider that it's impossible to love someone and be bitter towards them at the same time? When we let bitterness take root in our hearts, we start listening to the enemy instead of God.
Kicking off a new sermon series, Pastor Justin explores how easy it is to be offended these days, especially in Christian culture. What should we do when someone offends us? How do we respond? And how does Jesus factor into all this?
It's one of the oldest tricks in the book: Disillusionment. We think that if we don't see God making big moves in our lives, He's not doing anything at all. Pastor Trevor helps us see past that lie, and uses John the Baptist to drive the point home. You'll even get to hear some testimonies from New Life members!
Wrapping up the "Jesus: Friend of Sinners" series, Pastor Justin takes us inside the story of the woman who was caught in adultery. The crowd was ready to stone her to death. But then Jesus did something odd...
Pastor Tom steps up this week to talk with us about the concept of going low - how true leaders of the faith don't try to put themselves in a position of power, but humble themselves to serve.
Continuing in the series "Jesus: Friend of Sinners", Pastor Justin breaks down the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well. Just the fact that Jesus (a Jew) had a conversation with this woman (a Samaritan) broke barriers. And while she may have been preparing herself to be mocked and ridiculed for her past, Jesus instead showed the woman that He knew everything about her, but loved her anyway. The same can be said for us.
In this sermon, Pastor Justin continues to teach us about Jesus: The Friend of Sinners. This time we're talking about Matthew the tax collector, who became one of the disciples. When Matthew invites Jesus and His followers over for a dinner party, Jesus proves that the people he wants to associate with are not the same people you would expect.
Continuing to explore Jesus: Friend of Sinners, Pastor Justin breaks down the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son - but maybe that last one should really be called the Prodigal Father. We're reminded that the moment we turn to face Jesus, He is running to meet us - no matter how far away we are.
Jesus came because He cares for people who are nothing like Him and He asks His church to do the same until He returns!
Pastor Justin brings us a word about being in a hurry to seek and save the lost. Jesus was constantly interrupted in His ministry, but in His eyes the interruptions were more like invitations. In the case of Zacchaeus, Jesus invited himself over for dinner, and completely changed the tax collector's life. Was Zacchaeus some distinguished member of society? No way, in fact, he was loathed by society and regarded a crook. In other words, he was exactly the type of guy Jesus wanted to be around.
In this challenging sermon, Pastor Justin explores the idea that as Christians, we make a habit out of replacing God's influence in our lives with things that are just... good. Sometimes things that look good, feel good, seem good, are actually just a distraction, or worse, outright sin.
In the culmination of the Overwhelmed series, Pastor Justin talks about being overwhelmed by busyness. Sometimes we wear our busyness like a badge of honor, but rest is not only something Jesus needed, he demands it of us. Otherwise, we'll just keep ignoring the check engine light until something breaks down...
Pastor Justin continues the Overwhelmed series by talking about something that every single one of us has dealt with - shame. This is literally one of the oldest tricks in the book, and Pastor Justin shows how it affected some major players in the Bible. This is how we can be free from shame.
Pastor Justin concludes the Overwhelmed series by talking about the F-word... Fear. We always think we can handle anything, until a storm that's bigger than us comes along, and then it's time to panic pray.
Life is messy, y'all. If only we could keep everything separated like one of those picnic plates with the divided sections. Continuing with the Overwhelmed series, Pastor Justin introduces us to the story of the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus, and how their response to the miracle can tell a lot.
Pastor Justin continues our series "Overwhelmed" with a sermon about being overwhelmed with worry. Sometimes it can feel like we're spinning around in circles with our eyes on the ground, trying to maintain control. But we should consider looking up, and remembering that God is in control.
Our Next Steps Pastor, Trevor Nataluk shares with us about being overwhelmed by loneliness. Have you ever felt alone, or abandoned? Elijah felt that way too. Listen to how God moved in his life and how He can move in yours.
Pastor Justin's sermon from Easter Sunday 2022. Continuing with the "Overwhelmed" series, he talks about being overwhelmed by doubt, and points out that "Doubting Thomas" wasn't doubting so much as he was just late to the party.
If anxiety is the weapon of the enemy, then prayer must be the weapon of Jesus' followers. Pray until the peace comes.
Sometimes God will call you to an action that seems unreasonable. Pastor Justin makes the case that unreasonable requests result in unreasonable goodness from God.
We are beginning TwentyOne, our time of separation and consecration to the Lord. But we are not called to do it alone, we are called to have a sanctified, set apart time with God as a church family. As we go into the next 21 days know that we are going on a mission together, and that mission is to meet with God.
Every single one of us is building a life, and no one else can do it for us. What kind of life are you building and what foundation are you building it on??
Every single one of us face a spiritual bully. You may think your enemy is a person; but your great enemy is satan, and he is looking for someone to devour. He can use people, but many times he uses strongholds- the way of thinking that gets in the way of the truth who God says we are. How do we demolish strongholds in our life?
Don't be fooled by what you see. When we are focused on huge walls and closed doors, we will get overwhelmed by our own perspective. God is always calling us to see what He sees.
Time is winding up; culminating to the return of Jesus Christ. One of our responsibilities of living in the last days is to know and understand the time that we are living in. We are to be so in alignment with God that we can hear what God is saying, understand the time we are in, and know what actions to take.
The Lord intends revival for His people and nothing can stop the Word of God from being fulfilled. So what is it that God is getting ready to do?
We grow best under pressure. God is calling us to move forward and step out in what He has planned. We are crossing over into a new season; the time is now and the days are short. So what does that mean for us?
Powerless leads to hopelessness and hopelessness leads to despair. The great news is that when is comes to the Kingdom of God we are not left powerless. The Kingdom of God is not just empty words, it is a Kingdom of Power. If you are in Christ, then you have the Kingdom of God in you and you have Christ's power.
There is a Kingdom way to plow up our heart to prepare it for seed to be planted. Praise plows the hardened parts of our heart. When we begin to praise the Lord it prepares our hearts for what God has. How do we keep praise on our lips?
God has not called us to live by bread alone, but by feasting on His word. Don't stop at just hearing a story preached- search out His word to understand the secrets to the Kingdom of Heaven. If we are not seeing growth in our lives and in our hearts, it could be that we haven't guarded His words in our hearts.
Jesus doesn't care what the offense is, He expects us to forgive one another; because that's what He did for us. Forgiving someone doesn't make them right, it just makes you free. If you are having a hard time forgiving ask God for His compassion; forgiveness always begins with compassion.
The Gospel isn't just the promise that we get to go to Heaven in the future; the Gospel is that the Kingdom of God is now! We serve a God who's Kingdom goes wherever He goes. So if He is with us you can know that healing can come, salvation can come, freedom can come, etc. The question is- do you perceive it?
When we are in seasons of delay we can become situational atheists. When God doesn't meet our expectations we can still believe that He has the whole world in His hands, just maybe not our world. We can have crazy faith in one area and complete unbelief in other areas.
Being born again allows us to see and enter a world we never knew before. When we are born again the word of God comes alive, things open up that were never there before. Our view and perception of the world changes. Being born again changes us; God changes us.
Christ came to earth as man so that we might know our heavenly father, God. The life of Jesus continually points us to the characteristics of God and His love for us. What can we learn about the heavenly father through His son?
We all have heard the story of the birth of Jesus and even celebrate His coming year after year. But have you ever stopped to ask why? Why did an all powerful, omniscient God come as one of us and dwell among us?
We are not called to perfection; but we are called to obedience. When the Holy Spirit lives in you, you have a spirit inspired conscience telling you right from wrong. If we choose to not pay attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit our hearts can get darkened.
We are called to minister to people based on where they are at, not where we are at. In Acts 22 Paul shows us what it means to have a grace for people who are stuck in the sin that God took us out of.
Looking at the life of Paul- do you believe God calls us to hardship? The truth about following God is that many times He will compel us to go where we would not normally go. Will we allow Him to take us into the wilderness or will we choose to stay in comfort?
Paul is saying goodbye to the church in Ephesus as he is being led by the Spirit to Jerusalem. He knows his time on earth is coming to an end and wants to impart a message to people whom he loves. What would you say if you knew you would not see your friends again? See what Paul says to fellow believers as he says goodbye to them for the last time.
An object in motion tends to stay in motion; but in our human nature we tend to stand still. But what if God is tugging on us to move and follow Him? Ask God what are you doing and how can I follow.
We are always trying to create a recipe with God- meanwhile God is simply wanting to create a relationship. Creating a recipe reduces Him to a magic trick, but a relationship with Him creates space for revival. Are you counting on religion to save you, or are you seeking Him for revival?
We can get weary while doing good. Remind yourself why you do what you do. Even Paul had to give himself a pep talk in Galatians 6:9. God is saying to you Do Not Quit. So, how do we not grow weary?
We are called to be the sent out ones into our "marketplace". Everyone had an innate longing to seek and worship God, they just don't know who He is. Paul preached to the Greeks that their "unknown god" is in fact Jesus Christ.
When was the last time worship cost you something? Like Paul and Silas who worshipped in prison, we too always have a reason to worship. No matter what dungeon you are in - sing in the darkness.
If we don't recognize our standing before God as saints, then we'll come before the word trying to get righteous; instead of trying to encounter truth, who is a person. Jesus already made us righteous.
The question that Romans 15 tries to answer is one that is still being asked today. Do I have to look or behave a certain way to become a Christian. Christ wants us to remember that our salvation isn't by our good works, but by the grace of God. Remember, rules don't save us; they remind us of our need of a savior.
Without the Holy Spirit all we can give is a good pep talk; but with the Holy Spirit hearts are changed and lives are set free. Remember is it not us, but Christ in us!
Hearing the voice of God is natural, learned, and cultivated; but it begins with listening. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit and stepping out in the places He is leading you to?
What allowed Peter to sleep the night before he was to be beheaded? Could it be that his heart was anchored in a kingdom that is not a part of this world; a kingdom where there is nothing but peace. Like Paul said in Romans, whether we live or die we belong to the Lord. What kingdom is your heart anchored in?
In the Kingdom of God, satan's strategy is to stop the spreading of the Gospel. No matter how far someone might seem from God, know that they are not too far for the gospel to reach them. There are no hopeless situations with God.
The Gospel is not a call to religion; it's a challenge to it. Religion is man's attempt to find measuring stick to tell us if we are "good enough". The truth is we cannot attain heaven apart from Jesus. You need Jesus.
Before "Saul of Tarsus" was known as "the Apostle Paul" he had to go through a process. It is your job to cultivate your calling, and God give us the time to do it. Don't waste that space.
Jesus is still pursuing you even when you are not pursuing Him. Only the love of God could pick Saul, the most violent and murderous person, and see a leader in him. God sees potential in you, even if you do not see it.
We cannot receive something spiritual by trying to obtain it in the natural. Do we see the Holy Spirit as a power to obtain rather than a person to know? He is not a magic trick; He is the third person of the Trinity.
The core of Christian commitment is service; and this is evident when we are full of the Holy Spirit. When we are willing to wait tables in a revival, God cannot help Himself but use that humbleness for His glory.
Don't stop! Your bad news does not negate the Good News that is Jesus Christ! When the church stops preaching the name of Jesus, the church stops being unstoppable. Instead we turn into a social club, rather than a powerful movement of the Kingdom of God.
In this social media world it is so easy for us to crave human praise rather than praise from God and if we are not careful we can begin to simulate holiness. That is religion, where we forfeit the leading of the Holy Spirit in our life in order to do the good things we see other people doing. The Lord doesn't want our religion, He wants to lead us with the Holy Spirit.
A safe life is not the spiritual life. Following Christ always had social consequences, because He leaves no room for any other way to heaven except through Him. Yet it cannot be denied that those who meet Him are changed by Him.
The Holy Spirit does not conform to a schedule. When we regulate the Holy Sprit to just an hour and half a week, we’ve missed the point. He can and wants to work in the other 167 hours. What are you doing with the other 167?
The Holy Spirit didn't just show up; He had been there from the beginning and He is for everyone. But if you we can't go our own way and still follow Jesus. So if we want more, what shall we do?
In the upper room, the Holy Spirit showed up suddenly. He is predictably unpredictable. But what does it mean to have the Holy Spirit?
We see God use all sorts of people in the Bible to accomplish His work. But what are the qualities of the people He chooses? What we might see as ordinary, God sees as extraordinary.
Jesus tells His disciples right before He ascended to heaven to wait for the "promise from the father"; which is the Holy Spirit. But, why is the Holy Spirit needed in the life of a follower?
What we believe about truth is absolutely foundational to how we view Jesus. What is truth? Truth is a person.
Being a Christian is more than just mental ascent of the truth of Jesus. Jesus did not call us to be a fan of Him; He called us to be followers of Him.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead then we are all wasting our time. Jesus' resurrection changed everything; and if the resurrection is true then our response to Him needs to be different than every other person we know.
Downloading updates can be risky- and many times we put it off. We want the benefits but we don't want the risk of downloading the update. It is the same with our walk with Christ; we need to submit ourselves to Him today so we can walk in what He has for us tomorrow.
There are keys to resetting our souls that we see throughout the Bible. One of those keys is fasting. But what is Biblical fasting?
How is your soul? If you feel like you've lost your passion for Christ, it may be that you haven't lost it, but that you've left it. What would it look like if we allowed God to break our heart all over again?
Do you ever wish that you could have a hard reset button in your life; where you can just begin again? God wants to reset your life- but it’s not a do over button- it’s instead an opportunity set our minds and thoughts on things above.
Crowds do not host the presence of God. Crowds come and go. We are to be gathered around a community of believers who will carry us where we need to go; to the feet of Jesus.
Holy ground is not holy because the ground is holy; it's holy because of the awareness of the presence of the Lord in that place. We are called to turn aside and be aware of the presence of God.
Luke 7 recounts the story of a party crasher. It is a good indication of what it means to host the presence of Jesus. Our love should not be obligatory; it should be out of a passionate pursuit.
Jesus tells us in John 15 how spiritual growth should look like in the believer. We are responsible to produce fruit in our life and use that fruit to sow seeds into the next generation. But we find there is a correlation between abiding in Him and producing fruit that lasts.
We have been called to follow God. That means when He moves, we should move. He will take us through places we have never been through, so saturate yourself in His presence so that He can lead you.
Revelations 2:4-5 tells us about drying up and turning away from Christ. When we are not saturated in Him we will dry out. What causes you to drip dry?
How do we host the presence of God? First and foremost we must make room in our lives for Him. His desire is to draw near to us, but are we giving Him that opportunity?
Acts 2 talks about how the new believers responded to the day of Pentecost and the next steps they took in the gift from God.
God is the ultimate gift giver. He gave us the gift of new life. Let's take advantage of all that we have through Jesus Christ who died on the cross.
God has set purpose before us, so let us not grow weary as Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9. But how do you battle weariness?
In the Parable of the Lost son it is interesting that the parable starts with the sentence "there was a man with 2 sons". We focus on the son who lived a life of rebellion, but Jesus was making a point that there are two ways to be separated from a father; through rebellion or through religiousness.
Peter reminds us that Jesus is returning - but at a time when we will not expect Him. Because of this we can get lulled into a sense of living our lives as though we have a tomorrow. He admonishes us to live holy and godly lives so we can be found spotless and at peace with Him.
In 2 Peter 2, Peter warns us of false teachers who are the enemies counterfeits to God's truth. While God loves speaking identity and destiny into us; He also wants to warn us of what can be deceptive to us.
As we go through 2 Peter 1:12-21 we see Peter telling us to remember the good news of Jesus Christ. We can forget things, we can get distracted, and sometimes the good news gets drowned out. But let us always remember Jesus is alive!
Every healthy plant needs to be pruned in order to bear fruit; the same applies to people in their walk in Christ. God prunes us to get us to grow. The adversity you encounter in life is what He will use to strengthen us inside.
We are living in a world that is more divided than ever. Our tendency is to look for hope... this can be hope in a person, an idea or a political party. What we need to remember is our hope is in Christ.
There is more to life than what meets the eye. We are to cast our concerns onto Him. He wants to carry them for us so we will be free to walk in His fullness.
There are three different types of suffering in life; suffering for doing evil, suffering that we all go through, and suffering for righteousness sake. We will all encounter suffering either through our actions or through going after something.
Life is short and Peter tells us in chapter 4 what we should be doing with the time that we have on this Earth.
We are to love when it's hard and be joyful in the midst of tribulation. We are to live a life that is so full of Jesus that it will make people ask us why we are the way we are.
1 Peter speaks to husbands and wives about how to honor one another. Wives get 6 verses of explanation; husbands get one verse with a threat. See how you are faring according to Peter.
Peter penned a letter full of some hard truths. We were born to be like Christ, even under unjust authority. How are you responding to the authority over you?
When you are grounded in your acceptance from God then the rejection of man loses it’s hold on you. Where are you getting your identity from?
We all have an expiration date, but the Word of the Lord is forever. We, as the bride of Christ are to prepare ourselves; He works with us, but we are to co-labor with Christ.
It seems as though bad news abounds these days. But what are we looking at? Are we looking to the news to determine our faith or are we looking to God to see the good in the bad?
As we come back to our in person services let's define normal as God defines "normal"; us trusting in Him. God will lead us into the unexpected, so let's not look back but look forward.
There is a commanded blessing with unity. As we come back together God does not want us to just be in a building, He wants us to be one body.
Jesus modeled time and time again how to love others. He first reached beyond societal boundaries which gave opportunity for Him to reach hearts. Identities become new when we encounter Jesus.
Jesus took the time to sit with people which gave Him access to minister to their hearts. As believers we are to be reconcilers, let's sit with one another as we share our hearts.
Jesus leveled the playing field for all of us, and now is the time to rise up with a message of HOPE!
Jesus ends the Lord's Prayer talking about the kingdom, the power and the glory. Prayer allows us to be used by the Holy Spirit to bring God's kingdom, God's power, and God's glory to a world in need of a savior.
Temptation is a call to war; it can be something you succumb to, or it can be something that makes you stronger.
Jesus is adamant that we forgive one another; what happens when we hold unforgiveness in our lives?
There are two overlapping kingdoms: The kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. Which one are you seeking?
Jesus wasn't just teaching a prayer to recite and memorize; He was teaching the heart of how to approach God.
Sometimes following Jesus requires the hard work of application not just consideration.
The story of Easter is not worth telling apart from the resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then He's not God; just a delusional man. Either none of it is true or all of it is.
The wise men traveled so far to worship the king of the Jews. As we look at this story, there is so much we can learn about what worship looks like.
In this "The God I Never Knew" episode, Pastor Justin talks about the three major Jewish holidays fulfilled.
The Holy Spirit is a hotly contested person of the Trinity. some people are weirdly all about Him and others stay very far away. This new series asks the question, who is the Holy Spirit and what does He want to work out in us?
We are called to be in community with one another. We were meant to encourage one another, give hope to one another, and speak truth to one another. We are called to spur one another on!
We are called to carry one another's burdens. God's goal for everyone is restoration; not condemnation. don't ever stand in the way of that. But rather, realize that you have a role in helping make that happen.
Biblical compassion always has the freedom of people in mind. Jesus had compassion on people; so if we live in Him, we should have compassion for one another.
Forgiveness for one another is extremely important to our salvation. Jesus uses the parable of the servant and master in Matthew 18 to help us understand the power of forgiveness and the curse of un-forgiveness.
Encouragement means to give support, confidence or hope to someone. This can seem like an inconvenience, but our act of inconvenience can bless another persons life. Let's be people of encouragement.
There is one repeated phrase that stands out in the New Testament - "One Another". God is trying to drill into us that we are supposed to "one another" each other. For Jesus it boils down to one word. Love. Love one another.
The society we live in is undergoing massive change. Old maps, we are told, cannot take us to the destinations of the future; or can they? How can we, the people of God, be effective in this new society?
Jesus is more concerned with your wholeness than your brokenness. Are you walking in what Jesus has called you to or are you staying close to what He has delivered you from?
Satan is never happy about your freedom. So do not be surprised when you go through struggles as a Christian.
In Philippians 1:12-26 we find the Apostle Paul in a jail cell. What can we learn from the Paul about being in a situation that we would not choose?
Churches have Sunday gatherings in all manner of styles and forms around the world. It’s good on occasion, to ask the question, “Why do we go to church?”
We have been blessed to be a blessing; it is meant to be spread, given and shared. As we close out our series on what it looks like to live a blessed life, we look to Jesus and His statements on our identity: We are salt and light.
1 Thessalonians 5 states that we were called to rejoice and be thankful. When we begin to loose joy in our life we may be lacking in thankfulness. Go ahead and put some thankfulness into any area of your life and see how it makes it better.
Proverbs 3:9 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops". We were never meant to gather and hold; we were meant to receive and release. Let's live like Jesus and live a blessed life.
It all has to do with the heart when it comes to generosity. Today we are looking at three mindsets that we can have regarding generosity.
God wants to bring a new level of freedom to our lives. Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ so that we can live in His freedom and walk in newness of life. For many the enemy has robbed you of your freedom of choice. Get your "NO" back.
We all go through seasons of delay in our lives. They can cause us to question our faith in different ways. Today we are looking at the story of Lazarus being revived from the dead. What can we learn about walking through seasons where God doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough or at all?
Satan would make us think that our failures disqualify us from our destiny. But if we read the scriptures we see Jesus speak redemption over lives. We have not sinned too much or gone too far. Failure does not negate our future. All we have to decide is, do we love Him?
Thomas the disciple gets a bad rap in the scripture this morning. Some even think that his first name is “Doubting” because of it. As we pick up from the scripture last week on Easter, lets drill down on what faith looks like in the face of doubt. What if Thomas’ nickname ought to be “Honest” Thomas?
Today we celebrate with believers all over the world on this Resurrection Sunday. Easter changes everything. Christianity rests on this reality and choosing to not believe in the resurrection removes all of the power, hope, and meaning from the Gospel. Who is it YOU are looking for?
Everyone can hear God's voice. But we can drown out the voice of God with our own voice and the voices of others. Let's learn to be a people who will be still and listen.
The story of Elijah should be an encouragement in our prayer life. Elijah was just a man who believed God big and, in turn, he saw God move in big ways. Let's stand on God's Word and believe Him for big things!
God loves to bless those who love Him, and all of His promises are "Yes and Amen" (2 Corinthians). But just because something has been promised to us, it doesn't mean we fully possess it. Faith calls us to see what we cannot see.
We all have insecurities. We all have questions that we wrestle with; questions of worth. But anyone who wants to be first must be the very last. We are called to be the greatest servant of all.
If you are following the rhythms of Jesus, it is important to realize that we need to withdraw to receive focus and be reminded of why we are doing what we are doing. Like Jesus, this allows us to move beyond our personal pain to minister to a world in need of Him.
Sometimes Jesus will led you into an experience you never thought you'd do. We might be fine taking the long way around to avoid things, people or situations in our life, but Jesus likes lead us straight through them.
Jesus never leads us in giant leaps; but rather small steps. He won't move us forward until we've obeyed what He's already asked of us. We will walk through the account in Luke to see what Jesus does in our life where He can get to a place with us to say "come follow me".
The joy of 3D is you're not just watching something, you are participating in it, something you can be a part of. The same thing applies to our walk in Christ. The vision that God is unfolding in our midst is not something we are supposed to spectate or watch, but something we are to participate in.
Are there levels of Christianity? Many of us live like there are. Jesus asks us in John; are we going to be a fan? Or a follower.
Do we equate following Jesus to going to church? The truth is you can go to church and still not follow Jesus. The two are combined, but they are not synonymous. Stop going to church; start being the church.
Throughout scripture we see that Jesus had zero tolerance for hypocrisy, but had unlimited grace for the honest sinner. How can we be a people who are humble and honest with Him, knowing our desperate need of a savior?
In Revelation 2, we see Jesus speak to the Church in Ephesus about their great deeds, but that He has one thing against them; they have forsaken their first love. We can be busy doing the right things and still neglect the most important thing. How do we get back on track?
In Revelation 3, John writes to the church in Laodicea about the perils of believing they were okay in the Lord, but in reality being lukewarm. Distractions and self-sufficiency can cause us to follow in their footsteps. So how do we get over spiritual "meh" and reignite a spiritual fire?
Helen Keller once said, "Far worse than being blind, is to live without vision". In the beginning of a New Year, far better to pursue a visionary plan for our lives than to let life drift.
Another year is closing. Christmas is in the rear-view mirror. We are conditioned by culture to look ahead- make resolutions! Most of us can't recall what we resolved last year at this time for one reason: Life happened!
When hearing the voice of the Lord there can be a sense of unbelief. But there is a difference between wanting more evidence and wanting more explanation. What can we learn from Zechariah and Mary about expecting the promises of God?
Jesus says in Luke 7:28 that “among those born of women there is no one greater than John (the Baptist)”. What is it that made John the Baptist so great? One thing that marked his life was humility. Even when he found himself discouraged living in the “already but not yet”, he continued to stay the course and not quit. This is what made him great!
Many of us have heard the story of Mary and Martha having Jesus over for dinner. This story is brief and yet packed with perspective from Jesus. What can we learn from these two sisters about preparing for the presence of God in our lives?
Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” In all of our guarding we are to guard our heart the most. The condition of our heart affects every aspect of our life, and if we are not grading our heart, we are leaving ourselves open to attacks from Satan. So how do we stay on guard?