Gravetop Church: Recent Episodes
Gravetop Church
Love God • Love People • Make a Difference @gravetopchurch To give or learn more, visit https://www.gravetopchurch.com/
In this message, we explore Joseph and Jacob's reunion, showing how it's never too late for redemption. Discover how hope can restore what's broken and bring healing to your life.
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Our apologies for the audio quality. We experienced technical difficulties with the audio during the service.
In this message, we explore the challenge of self-forgiveness and how past mistakes can hinder our journey in Christ. We'll use Paul's writings to find guidance on understanding our hearts, moving forward, and fully embracing our new life in God's grace.
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The focus of this message is on the transformative power of forgiveness, especially during personal trials. By examining the prodigal son's story, the message highlights how forgiving others frees us from bitterness and leads to genuine happiness.
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This message takes a deep dive into the missions we set for ourselves, using David’s biblical story as a backdrop. It shows how our actions and readiness to embrace opportunities can make a huge difference in achieving our life’s goals.
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In this message, we’ll explore the challenging reality that life's most turbulent storms often come without reason. We will talk about the essence of enduring faith, highlighting how true devotion is tested and expressed through worship during times of agony, ultimately leading to spiritual growth and redemption.
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In this message, we explore Hannah's story, a woman whose deep sorrows were misunderstood by those around her. We'll see how her faith in God transformed her tears into blessings, showing us that in our loneliest times, God understands and provides beyond our expectations.
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In this message, we examine the story of Jacob and his journey from struggle to success by taking intentional steps of faith. Explore how investing faith in challenging times can lead to unexpected blessings, showing that trusting in something bigger can turn curses into blessings.
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In this message, we explore Ruth's transformation from loss to redemption, highlighting how her loyalty during a crisis shaped her future. We'll discuss the importance of principles over feelings and how tough times can lead to unexpected blessings.
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In this message, we explore the challenges and spiritual implications of stepping into a new unexpected role with courage. Learn how Joshua's faith and readiness, guided by the stories of his past, equipped him to embrace his destiny and lead with confidence, offering key lessons for our own surprising moments of promotion.
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In this message, we discuss making mistakes and feeling lost, using Jonah's story to explore redemption and self-discovery. We talk about overcoming shame and rediscovering purpose through God's mercy.
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In this message, we dive into Esther's extraordinary journey from adversity to triumph, showcasing the power of resilience and purpose. A must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration to navigate life's challenges with courage and find opportunity in chaos.
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In this message, we explore Easter's core message: Jesus' resurrection, a testament to God's love and power to revitalize. We discuss overcoming doubts, experiencing personal renewal, and our collective role in extending this transformative power to others, highlighting Easter's profound impact on faith and action.
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In this message, we explore the powerful journey of embracing challenges as pathways to purpose, inspired by Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. Learn how facing our unique trials with courage and choice can lead us to discover the profound significance of our lives, inspiring us to pick up our crosses and pursue our destinies with relentless faith.
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In this message, we explore why it's hard to see God's power in our lives and discuss how overcoming doubt and embracing faith can lead to witnessing miracles, emphasizing that God's power is accessible to everyone willing to believe and receive.
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In this message, we focus on enriching our circles of community through lessons from Jesus’ life, emphasizing the impact of holiness and perseverance through trials on our faith and personal growth.
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This message explores how the birth of Jesus exemplifies blessings that exceed our expectations, urging listeners to embrace patience and faith amidst life's uncertainties. It reassures us that while the journey to God's promises may be unpredictable, the outcome is always more profound and fulfilling than we could imagine.
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Exploring the depths of agape love through 1 Corinthians 13, this episode examines how unconditional love challenges and enriches our relationships, urging us to love beyond conditions. We delve into the transformative potential of agape, highlighting its central role in personal growth and spiritual fulfillment.
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Main Idea: Family can mean a lot of different things to people depending on their upbringing and current circumstances. It can feel like a safe place to some and like a place to keep your guard up for others. For some people’s current place in life, it is because of the support of their family, but for others it’s possible despite their family. But what is true no matter the family is that we all have some type of family.
Today we’re going to talk about love in regard to our families. We’re going to unpack reasonable levels of stewardship for our part in our families. We’re going to learn what it means to accept our family members for who they are. And we’re going to look at our time and attention being the most valuable thing that we’re able to give to our families.
This is so important to talk about because no matter who you are or what your upbringing was like, family is something that we all either get to experience or have to experience. But so often we either don’t fully appreciate what we do have or we have a hard time peace in adulthood because of what we had. There is a greater peace and purpose that we’re able to find when we realize our pivotal role in loving our families.
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- There’s No One Like Family [YOU ARE A STEWARD OVER HOW YOU TREAT YOUR OWN FAMILY]
One powerful aspect about family is that they are unique to you as an individual. Out of the billions of people in the world, you got these ones. It’s easy to write off your level of responsibility over them because of how familiar we become with them. But consider that God designed the family in a way that no matter the role, the family members are responsible over each other in the way that they treat each other according to their roles.
(Ephesians 6:1-4)
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- Family Can Be Complicated [YOU’RE ABLE TO ENJOY YOUR FAMILY ONCE YOU’RE ABLE TO ACCEPT THEM]
One of the most common obstacles to overcome in regard to family relationships is our expectations for the different individuals and their roles to us. Whether it’s wishing that your parents were more like this or that your kid was more like that, we become most frustrated when it seems like these different family members don’t change. But at the end of the day, it’s not your role to control them or what they do. They are their own person and they have to learn to make their own decisions because you will never truly be able to do that for them.
(John 21:21-22; John 13:34-35)
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- Time For Family Time [THERE’S NOTHING MORE VALUABLE THAN YOUR TIME]
While we can get caught up and even overwhelmed by all of the different ways in which we can love, help and appreciate our family, the most important and valuable thing that you can ever give them is your time. No amount of gifts, favors or gestures can compare with the simplicity of time spent. And at the end of our lives, that time spent will be all we care about.
(John 9:4-5; Proverbs 27:1; Colossians 4:5; Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
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*Apologies for the sound quality on this specific message. There were unexpected technical difficulties in the recording.
Main Idea: The saying, “people do crazy things for love” proves true as romance shows itself to be one the most powerful forms of love. This type of love can easily become heaven or hell for people depending on the circumstances. It can change a person’s life forever just as much as it can also destroy a person’s life forever. Romantic love is an essential life experience that we must learn to understand so that it doesn’t overpower our judgment and decisions.
Today, we’re going to learn to understand our physical nature and our desire to be embraced. We’re going to unpack what this love looks like in a practical way for single people, unmarried couples and married couples. And we’re going to talk about our need to nurture and protect this type of love in our lives.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because many Christians feel really confused about this subject and can quickly make it super weird as they try to navigate it. It has commonly become a life experience that makes believers afraid and even unnecessarily guilty because of the taboo culture about it within American churches. So many have made bad romantic decisions in efforts to please either God or church leaders but end up bitter and resentful as they have to live with the consequences.
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- I Have Needs [GOD CREATED US AS SEXUAL BEINGS]
The topic of sex has always been somewhat dogma within American church culture. While the rest of culture has seemed to embrace it to the fullest possibilities, churches have somewhat stood their ground at being, maybe not silent but quiet on it. The most that we tend to hear is that it is bad unless you’re married. But the Bible gives so much more meaning and deeper complexity to some of our most inner-most desires and questions about sexual desire.
(Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:18-25)
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- Guard Your Heart [ROMANCE CAN BE LIKE HEAVEN OR HELL ON EARTH]
While American culture continues to throw off all barriers to sex, it is an overwhelmingly dangerous path. Not just because of the biblical connotations to sexual immorality but because of the simple fact that your sex life will often determine your future life. If you think carelessly about it now, it will wreak havoc on your life later. Your body, your heart and your mind will become prisoner to the person or people you let tie their soul to yours.
On the flip side, if you were to guard your heart and consider sex and romance to be meaningful and even sacred, you will be able to make sound life decisions with a clear head and conscience. You could choose to be with the person of your dreams whom you waited for rather than a person you settled for when you felt desperate.
(Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 6:27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20)
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- Keep It Simple [APPRECIATE AND FOSTER THE LOVE THAT YOU DO HAVE]
We often feel confused or simply insecure about our romantic life. We get afraid of the responsibility of choosing a life partner so we attempt to put all on God to tell us what to do.The best advice I believe that the Bible conveys to us in regard to relationships is the concept that we all have the freedom of choice. Scripture talks about instances in being married, single, engaged, etc. and leaves people with the choice to do what they believe they ought to do within moral reason.
(1 Corinthians 7:1-28)
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Main Idea: Love can be incredibly simple in one instance and overly complex in the next. We are commanded by God’s Word to love others to the best of our ability, and passages like 1 Corinthians 13 tell us that love is the greatest thing that we can ever aspire to. Yet, we as Christians often want to move onto more intelligent or spiritual sounding things. We check off love as we feel ready to move on while neglecting the many opportunities to actually show love to someone throughout our days.
Today, we are going to tap into love by focusing on the interpretation of the Greek word: Philia. This word refers to love in regard to friendship or brother love. We are going to learn to understand the essence of this type of love and how it is an entry level form of love for us to evolve in. We’re going to look at some practical ways in which we can show this type of love to others as Christians. And we’re going to unpack whom we ought to be showing this kind of love towards.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because we often fail to recognize beautiful opportunities to love others even through basic friendliness. We have become so busy in our lives that we skip some of the foundational principles of our faith as we try to build castles of sand through our religion. Without love, we are wasting our efforts and time.
(1 John 4:7-21)
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- Brotherly Love [EVERY PERSON DESIRES TO BE LOVED]
People typically give special allowances to their family members. We will move things around in order to make time for a family member who is in need, or we will even drop our plans for the day if there was a family emergency. While I’m not necessarily suggesting that we treat every stranger with that kind of importance, I am saying that we should take a small piece of that kind of love to share with other people.
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- Really Love Them [LOVE IS AN ACTION AND A CHOICE]
Love is so much more than a flutter of the heart. Love is not merely an ideology or even a lens of perspective of how to view people. Love is able to be clearly seen and felt through our actions. Whether it’s as simple as giving up your seat for someone else or giving your last taco away to someone who is hungry, love is a tangible exchange that our souls can feel.
(Romans 12:9-18)
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- Who’s My Neighbor [LOVE THOSE WHO CAN’T LOVE YOU BACK]
Sometimes the notion of “love everybody” can come off too broad or overwhelming to where we end up not necessarily changing the way that we behave towards people. Rather than seeing each person as an opportunity to show love, we end up just trying to work on ourselves to become more patient or polite. While that is still positive to do, we must understand that a slight general increase of positivity isn’t really the essence of love that we’ve been talking about. Rather than trying to love everybody, you should try starting by loving somebody.
(Matthew 5:46-48)
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Main Idea: So much of modern Christianity has become about what God can do for the person instead of what the person can do for God. We have become ME-centric as we compartmentalize scriptures and sermons into the box of self. But the most powerful and consistent message of Jesus is actually about showing God to others rather than having to see Him for yourself.
Today, we are going to talk about how every born-again believer in Christ is called and chosen to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. We’re going to unpack the parable of the dinner feast and learn what it means to be invited. We’re going to examine the path of being the hands and feet of Jesus to those around you. And We’re going to learn the difference between being empowered and equipped in our callings and how both are necessary.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because so many people are so busy playing catch up in their lives that they have excused themselves unwittingly from the most significant part of their lives. They live trapped in cycles of busyness and excuses that have left them absent from authentic purposes as they feel lost and confused about what it is they’re missing. Constantly searching for meaning and satisfaction, they miss what is right in front of them.
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- You’re Invited [DON’T MISS EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS FOR ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES]
It’s relatively common for people to get more busy the older that they get, but in our culture today, we often allow even the smallest of circumstances to be big enough reasons to excuse us from the calling and connection of God in our lives. Whether it’s the call to pray, the call to worship, the call to share Jesus with someone, the call to be generous, the call to church community, etc. we have grown accustomed to excusing ourselves from stepping out of our comfort zones and agendas.
(Luke 14:16-24)
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- You’re Special [NO ONE CAN REACH CERTAIN PEOPLE LIKE YOU CAN]
One of the major functions of the church is to prepare believers to be ministers themselves throughout their regular day lives. It’s a place for us to be equipped for the purpose of bringing others into the community of faith. Every person has their unique individual stories that God wants to use in order to reach someone who is relatively unique to that individual. There are simply people out there who would genuinely respond to Christ through your voice and story in a way that they wouldn’t to others.
(Ephesians 4:11-16)
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- You’re Chosen [DON’T THINK LITTLE OF YOURSELF OR WHAT YOU REPRESENT]
So often, we don’t give our best effort because we think so little of ourselves and that what we do won’t really matter that much in the long run. While we should resist the pridefulness of the heart, we should take pride in what we and what we represent. Each of us will give an account of our lives on the day of judgment but besides that, there is simply going to be an end to our lives one day. And the most common regret at the end of life is not to have tried more for the things and people that mattered.
(Matthew 22:10-14)
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Main Idea: While holiness is more of a pursuit rather than an arrival, it is often neglected or belittled among Christians. It seems like a vague concept reserved just for priests and ministers with no use among ordinary believers. But this process of sanctification is a lot more tangible and useful than what people typically think.
Today we are going to unpack what it means to pursue holiness in a practical way and how it is able to empower us in our walk with God along with our daily lives. We’re going to talk about different spiritual practices that put us on the path to sanctification. We’re going to examine what the combination of devotion and discipline looks like. And we’re going to learn about how this path activates a spiritual power that amplifies your effectiveness in spiritual and life instances.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because so many believers would experience a deeper power and peace in their lives and walk with God if they were to take sanctification more seriously. They would feel more confident in their faith and witness supernatural moments as they started to walk in a new level of holiness. It’s not that it saves you (we are only saved by grace in Jesus) but it empowers you.
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- Trinity Beings [HOLINESS IS ABOUT PURSUING GOD IN MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT]
We typically imagine the idea of holiness to be an unclear path of enlightenment or special practices that are beyond our capabilities or understanding. But the path to sanctification is actually simply involving God in all areas of your life and putting Him first. It is even able to be categorized into the three parts of our personhood: our mind, our body, and our heart. When you realize that you are simply choosing to honor God through these 3 areas of your life, it becomes a lot simpler to understand and practice.
(Mark 12:30; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Galatians 5:22-24; Matthew 6:33)
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- Make It Important [YOU MAKE TIME FOR WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU]
What typically happens to so many people after they start their faith and sanctification journey is they simply just fall off with what they started off doing. Their beginning had passion and determination but then life gets busy and they slowly start laying down the different things that they had picked up. While it can be understandable that life changes and things become harder, we all make time for what is important to us. At the same time that life seemed to have changed so did the level of importance to faith. But you must understand that being a disciple to Christ entails being disciplined in our devotion, regardless of how our life or feelings have changed.
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
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- Becoming Super [SANCTIFICATION AMPLIFIES THE SUPERNATURAL ABILITY IN YOUR LIFE]
The Bible talks about God bringing us from glory to new levels of glory. What we see currently is only a shadow of things that God can show us and take us to. When you embark on this journey of sanctification, you will see an amplified effectiveness of God’s work and Spirit in your life. You will carry a different kind of power and favor as you feel and experience the Spirit of God working on your behalf. It’s not that God all of the sudden cares about you more now but rather you increase the level of connection to His Spirit that is able to work through you. It was always there but you become more sensitive and in-tuned to it.
(Mark 9:28-29; James 5:16)
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The Speck In My Eye pt. 2: Repentance
Main Idea: As simple as repentance should be, it can quickly be misconstrued into either a complicated series of never ending hoops to jump through or an allegorical idea that is never actually practiced. The essence of repentance is rooted in humility and self-reflection, and it is a necessary step in our faith when navigating an authentic relationship with our Creator.
In today’s message, we’re going to unpack the heart and application of repentance. We’re going to learn the meaning and journey of what repentance is. We’re going to learn how to recognize when repentance should take place. And we’re going to examine our humanity in regard to repentance and how we don’t have to live in a state of constant fear or insecurity.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because so many people feel either confused or unnecessarily afraid by the topic of repentance. There is so much value in taking a look at the things in our lives that are not life giving while also understanding a sense of reasonability to things that don’t bring about death.
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- Changing Directions [REPENTANCE IS MORE OF A JOURNEY THAN A LIST]
The word repentance means to simply change your mind and direction. While you may have been on a path that leads to darkness, repentance is simply realizing that you want to change directions and acting on it. It is not a series of ever growing checklists that you have to constantly “repent” of. It is more of a journey that is leading you closer to God, and each person’s journey looks different and incredibly unique. It isn't a performance of perfection but rather a journey to the light.
(Romans 3:19-20, Romans 6:1-16)
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- 2MM Shifts [SMALL DECISIONS CAN MAKE BIG CHANGES]
In the same attitude of turning away from darkness, we have to also recognize that certain things can inadvertently drag us back to the places that we left behind. The pursuit of righteousness and living in the light isn’t always an easy decision. You have to be mindful of the tenacity of evil and the devil. You can’t be ignorant of your own subconscious either. You have to learn how to be transparent with yourself and honest when you recognize certain temptations that are enticing you to inch back to darkness. And in the same way, you should be open minded to the certain things that inch you closer to the light. Recognize the little things that benefit your faith and feed those things.
(Hebrews 12:1-2, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 16:6)
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- You’re Human [DO YOUR BEST AND FORGET THE REST]
The biggest mistakes that we can make with the attitude and choice of repentance is to believe that our performance saves us or changes our value in comparison to others. Do not mistake your lifestyle of repentance as a gateway to superiority. Our greatest acts of holiness are described as being like filthy rags unto God’s holiness. Everyone is still human and everyone’s journey is different. We were all dead before Christ and are all newly alive. Don’t compare your old casket to someone else’s.
(Luke 18:9-14)
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Main Idea: With each new year, people often consider things that they can change about their lives through resolutions in hopes to better themselves. It’s the one time of the year in which the majority of people are collectively opening their minds to a version of humility that recognizes unhealthy behaviors. Ironically, this mental processing that happens each year shows that our subconscious admits to being wrong but continues on by either choice or impulse.
Today we’re going to talk about the essence and practicality of humility. We’re going to start by breaking down our common deflection process of criticizing our neighbor. We’re then going to take an honest look in the mirror to recognize and admit our flaws as we determine the person who we want to become. And at the end, we’re going to analyze forgiveness and how it is a direct tap to the level of our humility.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because pride is the devil's trap that leads us farther away from God and healthy community. Time and time again, the unchecked pride of an individual has led them down a path of self-righteousness and isolation as they become their own demi-god. As they expect other people to bow down to them, they don’t even realize their self-destructive nature tearing away at the few meaningful relationships they have left. Humility is not only the solution but a commandment of God.
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- In Plank Sight [IT IS A PROUD AND HARD HEART THAT DEFLECTS BLAME ONTO OTHERS]
While it seems like a common defense mechanism, deflecting blame or responsibility onto someone else reveals the pride of people’s hearts. We settle in different states of either toxicity or mediocre living when we refuse to look in the mirror. And the more that we try to point the finger at someone else, the more that should be reflected on by the person pointing.
(Matthew 7:1-5)
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- Walk The Plank [IT’S EASIER TO LOVE OTHERS WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU’RE IMPERFECT TOO]
Unless you’re incredibly photogenic, most people hate to see themselves in photos, videos or even audio recordings. We quickly pick apart every little flaw we feel insecure about as it feels cringy to see the reflection of yourself. It only makes sense that we feel subconsciously similar to our character traits and personality flaws that aren’t up to par to what we want them to be.
(James 4:6-10)
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- Nail It To The Plank [FORGIVENESS IS THE QUICKEST PATH TO HUMILITY]
One of the most humbling things that a person can do is to forgive. Especially when the forgiveness isn’t deserved. It’s a complete act of humility to give up a sense or opportunity of being justified. While it is one of the quickest paths to humility, it can also be the most difficult one. Our world is full of pride, evil and pain. Nearly all of which is delivered by the hands of people in our lives. But forgiveness isn’t as much about what you’re giving to that person as it is the freedom you’re giving to yourself.
(Luke 6:27-38)
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Main Idea: So much of what we do in our world today is driven by our desire for more. It seems as though we never have enough as we continue to reach for the next level in our life. With that inner drive innate with so much of our humanity, many of us feel like we’re in a constant state of lack. Some more than others. While to lack often feels like a handicap to our lives and dreams, it is also able to be one of the best teachers about perspective.
Today, we’re going to analyze how experiencing lack can help you to recognize what you do have and clarify what it is that you really want. We’re going to talk about how lacking something can actually create opportunities you wouldn’t have known about if you had everything that you needed. And we’re going to unpack the creativity and spiritual power that you’re able to tap into when you start rearranging what you have because of lack.
The reason that this topic is so important is because so many of us give up when we experience the obstacles of lacking something unnecessarily. We would be able to experience so much more breakthrough and innovative success if we were to not allow the lack of certain things to be the excuse of why we gave up.
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- Open Your Eyes [NOT HAVING WHAT YOU NEED HELPS YOU TO REALIZE WHAT YOU WANT]
Sometimes it’s in the moments that we feel like we lost everything that we find clarity to what we really want in life. It’s when all of the pleasures and distractions are gone that we actually are able to best find meaning and a renewed centeredness. While moments like these can impart a renewed sense of purpose and determination, you still have to be the one to open your eyes to what it is you really want.
(1 Samuel 22:1-2)
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- Look Around You [INNOVATION IS MAKING IT WORK REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU LACK]
So many of us give up before we start because we think that we don’t have the resources or means to start. We often imagine that there is only one way to go about achieving certain things, and when we initially think that we can’t do it that one way, we disqualify ourselves from trying. But the most successful people in the world are those that didn’t let the lack of anything stop them from achieving something.
(1 Samuel 21:10-15)
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- Don’t Give Up Yet [NEVER ASSUME A RESULT WITHOUT ADDING THE POWER OF GOD TO IT FIRST]
It can be incredibly discouraging during times of lack, especially when you feel like you can’t get out of that state. It’s in those kinds of moments that our faith and character seems to be tested the most. It’s easy to almost believe that you’re cursed or are destined to fail when it feels like what you keep trying to do isn’t working. But when we relentlessly get back up and turn back to God again, as it refines the core of who we are, it also positions us to see extraordinary breakthroughs.
(1 Samuel 30:1-6)
—
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Main Idea: We live in such a busy type of society where we unknowingly rush through time even though time itself is the most valuable thing that we have in this world. Even in times like the holidays or special occasions, they seem to go by in the blink of an eye. Memories are one of the most precious things that we have yet in the moments that they’re experienced, we don’t recognize how special they are.
Today, we’re going to talk about living in the present. We’re going to use the life of Mary from scripture to understand valuable intrinsic lessons about appreciating time. We’re going to talk about not letting worry steal your peace the moments you’re living in. We’re going to unpack the reality of how temporary the present is in regard to the future. And we’re going to learn how to appreciate the seemingly ordinary moments that we have now.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because life passes by quicker than anyone anticipates. If we don’t learn how to slow down to appreciate the present, we will be full of regrets at the end of our lives. While everyone has seasons of being too busy, the best way to go through life is simply learning how to live in the present even in the busyness.
—
- Unnecessary Distractions [NOTHING IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE PRESENT TIME]
We have grown so accustomed to being distracted in our days that we often neglect years of our lives and give it all up to wasted time. The terrible thing is that most times we don’t realize what we truly had until it’s gone. Whether it’s time spent with our kids or our parents, or whether it’s time in our youth or time to ourselves. We have sacrificed it all for the sake of being distracted or too busy. Every single day, hour, minute and second that passes by is time that we will never get back. We need to learn how to wake up and live in the present moment.
(Luke 10:38-42)
—
- Unknown Tomorrow [TOMORROW ISN’T PROMISED, SO ENJOY THE PRESENT MOMENTS]
A lot of things in life seem like they will never necessarily change. Or the thought of certain things changing seems too grand for us to imagine so we just settle to not acknowledge it. But the sometimes harsh reality is that everything will eventually change. Sometimes for the better and sometimes in a way that causes us remorse. This is another reason why we have to learn how to appreciate the present moments that we live in.
(John 11:1-3)
—
- Unexpectedly Special [SOME OF THE MOST SPECIAL MOMENTS IN LIFE ARE THE ORDINARY ONES]
Our time is limited, and I think the most valuable thing that we can take away from that is to look for special opportunities to make ordinary moments seem extraordinary. You don’t have to wait for something seemingly significant to happen to create a special memory. All it takes is slowing down and paying attention to the present.
(John 12:1-8; Matthew 6:33-34)
—
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Main Idea: While we naturally would try to avoid any type of pain all together, it is one of the best teachers to humanity. It’s almost like God’s redemptive quality is intertwined within our DNA and consistently uses pain for growth, but at the same time, our brains are still hardwired to initially look at pain as bad.
Today, we’re going to examine the topic of pain by categorizing and expounding on three types of pain. We’re going to talk about the moments in how unfair the unique pains are that we are individually experiencing. We’re going to unpack the pain that comes from the process of healing. And at the end, we’re going to talk about pain used for a purpose.
The reason that this topic is important is because pain is unavoidable, yet we are typically surprised when we are faced with it in our lives. So many people feel like they’re being picked on by God while going through these different pains while, in actuality, God is the One helping them to endure the pain. When we focus on the power and potential of God to redeem pain, we can find the strength to overcome these struggles.
(Ecclesiastes 7:3-4; Romans 8:18; Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 12:11-13)
—
- Unfair Pain [GOD KNOWS WHEN SOMETHING IS HARDER FOR YOU THAN IT IS FOR OTHERS]
One of the most beautiful aspects about God is the fact that He holds the nature of understanding. Meaning that He knows how things work and function. He also knows why certain things are the way they are. Which means that He knows you to the core of your personhood and identity. He knows when things are genuinely unfair for you, and He knows when something is harder for you than for someone else.
(Genesis 37:23-24; Genesis 39:19-20; Genesis 41:39-40)
—
- Pain Of Healing [HEALING FROM PAIN CAN OFTEN FEEL MORE AGONIZING THAN THE PAIN ITSELF]
For some reason or another, most people view the concept of healing as being similar to that of peace. But the reality is that sometimes the process of healing can be more painful than that of the original pain. Healing from wounds is necessary in order to have the freedom of mobility in your life again, but it’s easy to settle in a state of emotional handicap rather than enduring the pain that comes from putting pressure on the wound.
(Genesis 42:24; Genesis 43:30-31; Genesis 45:1-4)
—
- Pain For Purpose [GOD CAN REDEEM ANY PAIN INTO A MEANINGFUL PURPOSE]
With the perspective of experience, we are able to see nearly every pain that we face as something that was able to help us grow as individuals. It’s so powerful to see the redemption of pain in our lives that it often seems like it was for a reason. While the Bible doesn’t necessarily say that all pain is on purpose, it does lead us to believe that God can turn any pain into a meaningful purpose.
(Genesis 50:19-21; Matthew 11:28-30)
—
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Main Idea: While the word “sacrifice” is thrown around a lot among Christian culture, it’s often not applied in our lives as Christians. The most that we invoke sacrifice is in modular efforts of repentance, financial giving or becoming the best version of yourself. Isn’t Christianity more than this? The most spiritual form of personal sacrifice is seen in laying down oneself for others.
Today, we are going to examine the unexpected gift that sacrifice can be. We’re going to talk about the difference between sacrificing for oneself and for others. We’re going to unpack the idea of how sacrifice actually gives you more control in life. And we’re going to talk about aspects of reaping what you sow when it comes to sacrifice.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because in our world, we’ve made everything revolve around ourselves. Even when it comes to the topic of personal sacrifice, we perpetuate it in a way that only benefits us. Examining this topic from a biblical perspective can help us to shift our attention back onto God and His people.
' “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. ' -John 15:12-13
—
- Reward Mentality
[IT’S NOT REALLY SACRIFICE IF YOU’RE THE SOLE BENEFACTOR]
Most people perform a mental equation in their heads of costs and rewards before committing to any level of sacrifice. And the farthest that many go in regard to sacrifice is the kind that only benefits them. That kind of sacrifice is more so personal discipline rather than the spiritual kind. When we only weigh our actions on the scale of personal reward, we often take faith to see God move out of the equation.
(Acts 7:57-59; Acts 8:1-3)
—
- Realize Control
[SACRIFICE IS THE REALIZATION OF CONTROL THROUGH COST OF SELF]
At first glance, the idea of sacrifice can feel like you’re giving up control while in reality it is actually taking control instead. When you position yourself as the catalyst to the change you want to see, you end up taking control of the wheel of life and situations. It of course comes at a cost, but learning to endure the sacrifice for a greater cause brings intrinsic value to your soul that is often greater than the pain that came through the sacrifice itself.
(1 Corinthians 9:16-27)
—
- Reap What You Sow
[THE RESULTS OF SACRIFICE ARE GREATER THAN THE PAINS OF SACRIFICE]
The most meaningful thing to consider about this idea of sacrifice for others is that it invokes you to trust God for the process, outcome and reward. You inevitably add God to what you’re doing by the way you have faith for your sacrifice to be useful. We may sow the seeds but God causes them to grow. These kinds of acts of faith are pleasing to God, and the Bible talks about how he rewards faith like that.
(2 Corinthians 11:23-29;Galatians 6:7-10)
—
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Main Idea: So many people spend their whole lives wondering what their purpose in life is and feel like they never found it. While we chase things like cultural superiority, mood therapies and money, we are still left feeling empty and unfulfilled. The closer we draw to the end of each year and eventually the end of our lives, we struggle with the question of whether or not our life was meaningful.
Today we are going to talk about the unexpected gift of servanthood and how you are able to find your purpose and fulfillment in life by serving others. We are going to unpack the counter productiveness of living a selfish life. Then we are going to talk about how your purpose is found in putting others above yourself. And at the end we’re going to learn what passion looks like in a practical way when finding your calling.
The reason that this topic is so important is because so many people are aimless but hungry in regard to wanting to do something great or significant. Too many people settle for mediocrity and a mundane life because they’ve run out of ideas on how to be satisfied with their life. Tapping into this idea of servanthood can literally save your life, and it can help you to find the joy of living again.
—————————————————
- [A SELFISH LIFE IS AN UNFULFILLED LIFE]
Purpose in life can be summed up in the idea of having something to live for. It doesn’t take long to realize that the satisfaction that comes from material things is always only temporary. It feels even more draining if you try to chase the comparison game. You can also truly lose yourself to over-indulged mood therapies because of how insatiable all of the things of the world are. The first step to leaving an unfulfilled life is by leaving a selfish life.
(Luke 5:1-8)
—
- [PURPOSE IS FOUND IN SERVING OTHERS]
The moment that we see ourselves as servants of a greater purpose is the moment that we begin to feel and see meaning to our lives. Just like that of a mother’s realized purpose at the birth of their child, so is the person who sees themselves a servant of others. Being a “servant” of others doesn’t mean that you are some type of slave who waits hand and foot on the whims of strangers. It means that you provide a significant service or solution to a particular need.
(Luke 5:9-11; John 4:31-34)
—
- [PASSION IS NOT WAITING TO BE GIVEN PERMISSION WALK IN YOUR PURPOSE]
The biggest mistake that people make once they find their purpose is their hesitancy to act because they feel like they have to ask permission. Because they feel unqualified or insecure, they wait for someone else to either do it first or to tell them what to do next. Passion is simply jumping into the waters of opportunity because you wanted to.
(John 21:4-8; Matthew 10:39)
—
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Main Idea: One of the biggest controversies in regard to the Christian faith is the contents and validity of the Bible itself. The statement, “the Bible was just written by man” is a common attack on the sacred texts, and even many believers have felt confused about certain passages of scripture themselves.
Today, we are going to cover a broad scope when it comes to making the Bible make sense. We’re going to start by first examining the accuracy and reliability of the Bible. Then we’re going to look at the use and applicability of the Bible. And at the end, we’re going to unpack the spiritual purpose of the Bible when it comes to our faith and the world.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because many believers are unaware of pertinent information in regards to the very scriptures that they rely on for truth. Not only does it leave their own faith in a vulnerable position, but they are left completely unequipped to handle reasonable discussions about these spiritual writings that they hold so dear to their hearts. People end with arguments and hate instead of edification and redemption. At the end of the day, you should always know why you believe what you believe.
- Accuracy
[THE BIBLE IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT AND ACCURATE TRANSCRIPTIONS OF ANCIENT TEXTS]
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The first thing to get a grasp on is the fact that the Bible is one of the most consistent and accurate transcriptions of ancient texts in history. While the Bible is a compilation of 66 different books that have over 40 different authors, these different writings were originally scribed over the span of more than a thousand years. With so many factors that could stain its consistency, it doesn’t contradict itself, and in fact has been used to reveal pieces of history and archaeological findings. Its reliability has proven itself time and time again, not only with history, but even with prophecies about future events that came to pass.
- Applicability
[EVERY PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE SHOULD BE READ WITH THE INTENTION THAT IT WAS WRITTEN FOR]
(Luke 10:25-26)
It can be incredibly dangerous to pull certain scriptures out of context to assert a predetermined idea. Which is why you should do your best to consider the purposes of each book and who the authors were talking to and about in their writings. It is unethical to manipulate and use a stand-alone verse to affirm your own pre-determined philosophy or idea.
- Accountability
[THE BIBLE IS A TOOL TO HELP GROUND AND GROW YOUR FAITH]
(Hebrews 4:12)
When accepted as an accurate spiritual resource, the Bible is able to be one of the most life giving and powerful tools at your disposal to navigate both your spiritual journey and your secular life while in this world. From parenthood to deep perspectives on morality, it can help you to stay grounded in your spiritual journey and basic walk in life. It is God’s gift to humanity and it’s able to be guiding light amongst confusion. We all have been wrong before, and the Bible helps to give clarity and accountability in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of our lives. To ignore it in your life would be a disservice to yourself. Reading it doesn’t give your eternal salvation, but it does give you a constant blessing of spiritual nourishment and practical knowledge.
—
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Main Idea: Worship of God seems simple enough, yet many feel confused about what exactly worship is. Not only do most people not understand the practical aspects of worship and how to actually “worship” God beyond just singing a song, they also don’t really understand why we should worship in the first place.
Today we’re going to unpack different ways to worship and why they’re meaningful to our lives and faith. We’re going to look at the story of Job in order to better understand the struggle of worship. And we’re going to talk about the uniqueness of each individual’s worship and how it relates to their walk with God.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because you should always know why you do what you do. While there is a blessing in having a simple and innocent heart to worship God, there is also strength for endurance to be found when you better understand the methods and purpose of worship. Life is full of ups and downs, and what we talk about today will help motivate and equip you in the path of genuine worship when you’re going through a storm.
—
- What Is Worship
[WORSHIP IS MUCH MORE THAN A SLOW SONG]
(Romans 12:1; Matthew 25:34-40; Colossians 3:16-17)
While singing unto God is definitely a common method of worship. You are able to worship God in nearly every way of your life. Worship is about acknowledgment, dedication and heart. The reaction to our worship is often a strengthened connection to our Creator. When you start involving God with the different parts of your life, you can quickly see how even small decisions and actions are able to be acts of worship unto Him.
—
- Agony Of Worship
[TO WORSHIP WHILE IN AGONY IS TO TRULY WORSHIP]
(Job 1:1-22)
The choice to worship God is always meaningful and good, but there is something special about choosing to worship God despite the anguish you may feel in your heart when you’re going through a dreadful season. It’s in those difficult moments that our decision to worship feels tested. But when you worship anyway, you make a monumental mark for your faith and its growth.
—
- Unique Worship
[NO ONE ELSE’S WORSHIP IS LIKE YOUR WORSHIP]
(John 4:23-24)
Because God is understanding, He knows each individual to their core being. He literally understands how and why each person behaves and thinks the way that they do. Which means He sees every individual’s process in which they choose to worship despite what they’re feeling or going through. He sees their heart and distress as they call out to Him with such personal uniqueness like that of a Father for His many children. No single person’s worship is the exact same as someone else’s.
—
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Main Idea: The question of “how do you get to heaven” is one of the most meaningful questions a person can ponder on. With so many different ideas as to what the answer could be, Christianity propagates that the only way to heaven is through Jesus. But there are so many questions that are still attached with the simplicity of that kind of answer.
Today, we are going to talk about the idea of how one can get to heaven. We’re going to talk about why we believe Jesus to be the only way and what His purpose was on the Cross. We are also going to unpack different denominations of Christianity and how they each see the path of salvation differently. And at the end, we’re going to talk about specific evidence that affirm why we believe Jesus to be the Savior He claims to be.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because many Christians have a difficult time explaining why they believe Jesus is the only way to heaven, and they don’t necessarily know why they believe that either. Not only do people lose the opportunity to hear the Gospel but many of the believers who couldn’t answer the questions end up abandoning their own beliefs. When tested, they realize their faith is built on sand rather than bedrock. You should always know why you believe what you believe.
—
- Case For Christ
[IF JESUS ISN’T LORD, HE WAS A LIAR OR LUNATIC]
(John 14:6; Hebrews 10:10-12; 1 Peter 4:18; Hebrews 11:6)
The moment in which Jesus declared that He was the only way to be connected to your Creator, he eliminated every other possibility. If He is not the single only way to be connected to God in Heaven, then He would have to be either a liar or a lunatic. This piece of doctrine is something that you have to make peace with first before going onto anything else as a Christian.
—
- Legal Standing
[YOUR BELIEFS AND DOCTRINE HAVE TO MAKE SENSE]
(1 Peter 3:15-16; Hebrews 10:24-25; James 1:26-27)
While your faith in Jesus is the first step to finding which way is up, there comes a lot of differences in opinions as to what your next steps should be. This breaks down into practical application of your faith through lifestyle changes, religious practices and sacraments. While some thoughts and beliefs can be compartmentalized into denominations, others are simply on whims and worldviews. At the end of the day, you should know why you do what you do.
—
- Logical Evidence
[YOUR FAITH DOESN’T HAVE TO STAY BLIND]
(1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:3-9)
The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation to our faith. While many people have different personal reasons as to why they came to Jesus in the first place, the resurrection is what matters most at the end of the day. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then everything that we believe and do is meaningless. While it takes a level of blind faith to believe that this miracle could happen in the first place, our belief in the resurrection is greatly affirmed by historical and archeological accounts outside of the bible. On top of that, using objective reasoning, you can come to rational conclusions about the resurrection being an actual event, so much so, that Christianity would still exist today even if the books of the Bible were never written and assembled.
—
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Main Idea: One very necessary key element to our faith is the fact that we believe there to be a creator to our world, but at the same time that there is a sense of perfection to life being able to exist, it is also accompanied by so much pain and chaos. Some of our biggest doubts and hesitations in our faith come down to the moments in which terrible things happen without explanation.
Today we are going to talk about our world and how it was made perfectly but was made broken. We are going to cover some key creation and world events and unpack different theories and explanations. We are also going to talk about the birth of sin and what the effects were to this world and the life inside it. And at the end, we are going to talk about the perspective of not everything happening for a reason as we cover the power of redemption.
This topic is so important because we must learn how to better give an explanation to what we believe in and why. This is one big topic of many that often goes unanswered and causes many people to abandon their faith unnecessarily. The bible, history and science gives ample evidence for us to dive into and can provide some answers to what many people have been wondering.
—————————————————
- Creation Events
[IT TAKES MORE FAITH TO BELIEVE IN NOTHING THAN TO BELIEVE IN A CREATOR]
(Genesis 1:1-5)
The more that you try to find answers in the world without God, the more questions you end up having. But when you search for these same answers with the perception of a Creator, you end up getting closer and closer to a satisfying truth. Nature, science, history and archeology all point to intelligent design and the Bible offers supplemental explanations to the connection of these things to God as the Creator.
—
- The Birth Of Death
[SIN ERODES AND DESTROYS EVERYTHING]
(Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 6:5-12; Romans 3:23-26)
Most people struggle with the concept of our world being created through intelligent design because of the fact of so many imperfections. Sayings like, “God doesn’t make mistakes” have come across like self-defeating arguments when faced with things like death, disease, disorders, pain, genocide, war and etc. Knowing that the world was made perfect but not impenetrable is key to understanding how our world works and how it is affected by sin.
—
- Redemption Of Chaos
[NOT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON]
(James 1:13; John 3:16-17)
—
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Main Idea: There are so many things that seem black and white in the Bible, yet there are so many other things and situations that seem like gray areas in our culture and lifestyle. Lucky for us, while the Bible doesn’t give an answer for every unique and specific circumstance, it does give enough applicable principles and examples that we can use to gain better understanding. The bottom line in today’s message is: It’s important to know why you do what you do.
In this message, we’re going to talk about the difference between being innocent and ignorant when it comes to certain spiritual situations. We’re going to unpack what really matters when it comes to being the church. And we’re going to learn how to independently make spiritual decisions for yourself.
The reason that this topic is so important is because there is so much confusion when it comes to aspects of spiritual warfare to the point of certain things being seen unnecessarily as taboo. We as believers have to come to a place where we can critically think for ourselves so that we don’t waste parts of our lives on things that are either not edifying or just tearing one another down.
(Romans 14:1-23)
—
- Innocent Worship
[OTHER THAN BLATANT SIN, IT IS UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG]
Until the end of time, believers will feel divided about these gray areas of life and whether certain things are right or wrong. Whether it’s Halloween or Christmas, eating or fasting, tattoos or clothing, and so on, there will always be someone that feels differently about it than you do. The most important thing to hold onto amongst all of our differences is that not one person is more superior than another. We are all simply trying to do our best to please God in our lives, and that simply looks different from person to person and culture to culture. And again, I’m talking about gray areas of scripture and faith, not blatant sin.
—
- What’s Important
[WE’RE CALLED TO BUILD EACHOTHER UP, NOT TEAR EACHOTHER DOWN]
The Bible consistently calls us to love one another within the church. Instead, our communities are consistently filled with divisions, envy and efforts to be made more superior than one another. Rather than getting lost in the details of fruitless and speculative arguments with one another, we can make room for grace to step past our differences. If we believe in Christ’s death and resurrection, then we have been brought from death to life, so we should rejoice with each other. Perhaps, even listening to the reasons why someone believes differently than you could actually cause you to edify one another in your perspectives.
—
- Own It
[YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND FAITH]
One of the most powerful gifts that the Holy Spirit has given each of us is a conscious with different unique convictions. To know that all things are permitted but to each individual might be a unique calling to do something supplemental to their faith is truly beautiful. That the Holy Spirit may lead one to fast and another to feast, yet both lifting up praise to God. The only way to tap into your own individual convictions is by tapping deeper into the Holy Spirit. As you pray more, read more, worship more, fast more, give more, and etc. you will find your unique identity in Christ with specific convictions that are meaningful to you in a way that no one else can understand. It’s just between you and your Creator.
—
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Main Idea: While it’s hard enough to find the bravery and courage within your faith to get into the fight of spiritual warfare, it can be even harder to get back up after feeling knocked down. Whether it’s from being exasperated from an ongoing battle, being discouraged after not seeing the victory you were necessarily praying for, or feeling impotent after giving into temptation, the Bible urges you to get back up again.
'As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ' -Micah 7:7-8
Today, we’re going to unpack the moments after a fight that we feel like we lost. We’re going to talk about the moments that we get knocked down and how you’re not the only one. We’re going to analyze the power of grace and how to access it in our weakest moments. And at the end, we’re going to talk about carrying the presence of victory even after we feel like we lost.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because so many believers think that they are the only ones who experience losses and feel too discouraged to get back up again. People disqualify themselves through their feelings of unworthiness and guilt unnecessarily, and they give up on being a vessel for God’s Kingdom because they feel like they don’t deserve to be used by God anymore. Today is all about understanding the power of grace, regardless if you feel like you’ve won or lost a spiritual fight.
—
- We All Fall
[BECAUSE WE ARE IMPERFECT, WE CLING TO JESUS]
There is this constant battle within us and outside of us. One between our flesh and our spirit, and one between our faith and the devil. While people commonly understand that nobody is perfect, we wrestle with this philosophy personally in the moments that we feel like we lost certain battles. We disqualify ourselves from the possibility of being used by God because of the feelings that come afterward. Feelings like impotence, guilt or insecurity. But we shouldn’t let our feelings determine what we can or can not do.
(Philippians 3:8-9; Romans 7:21-25)
—
- We All Struggle
[EVERY WEAKNESS AND STRUGGLE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAN ON GOD’S GRACE]
Jesus didn’t fulfill His mission on the cross to simply turn bad people into good people. His death and resurrection was to bring us from death to life. And this new life that we’ve been given is so much more than how much sin can I avoid. We are called to bring others out of death as we ourselves are able to tap into the source of life itself. Every new struggle and weakness we realize within ourselves on this journey isn’t a sign that we suck and should just give up but rather is a new revelation and opportunity to lean into God’s grace even more.
(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
—
- We All Choose
[YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE CHOICE TO CARRY THE PRESENCE OF VICTORY]
Every day we are given a choice to carry the presence of God with us. And with that presence is also the Spirit of Victory. Whether it’s for ourselves or someone else, we are able to carry that victory solely because of what Jesus has done and not by our own merit or performance. Most of the days that we struggle with the choice to carry it are usually the days that we are going through a spiritual battle without even realizing it.
(1 Corinthians 15:54-58; 1 John 5:4-5)
—
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Main Idea: Part of a Christian’s duty is to cast out devils. Plain and simple. But many believers shy away from the idea of them being able to do something so seemingly supernatural, and some people simply ignore the possibility of there needing to be any formal spiritual deliverance. But the truth is that there is a real spiritual world that we’re connected to. There are many people that are spiritually trapped and attacked by the devil, and God has called us to, not only be to freedom ourselves, but to be instruments of freedom for other people too.
Today we are going to talk about what really matters when it comes to acquiring the authority to cast out devils. We’re also going to unpack different ways the enemy latches onto and attacks people. And at the end, we’re going to learn to understand what different levels of freedom can look like for individuals.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because while many Christians agree with the idea of spiritual warfare, hardly any ever have had any real experiences of actually fighting against the demonic. Yet in scripture we see Jesus literally send out the disciples to set people free from demonic oppression. Why is it that we seem to not witness these kinds of spiritual fights commonly in our gospel sharing experiences? I believe that part of it is because we are more concerned about being church classes and attendance than we are about individual freedom. The other reason is because most people feel like they wouldn’t even know what to do if the opportunity arose.
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- Representation
[NOTHING DEMONIC CAN STAND AGAINST THE BLOOD OF JESUS]
(Acts of the Apostles 19:11-16)
What’s so meaningful about this story is the fact that with simply the name of Jesus, these people were casting out devils from people who were in bondage. But when they faced a seemingly higher level demon, they were not properly protected against it because they were not actually represented by the blood of Jesus. So we see that there is power in the name of Jesus and protection under the blood of Jesus.
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- Demonic Interference
[THE DEVIL CONSTANTLY TRIES TO INTERFERE AND SABOTAGE THE GODLY]
(1 Thessalonians 2:17-18; 1 Peter 5:8; Mark 5:2-9; Luke 11:14; Luke 4:1-2)
The devil is constantly at work against us. For Paul, he admits that the devil even succeeded in preventing him from visiting the church he planted. Not only does the devil work to prevent us from being a blessing to someone else but he works to prevent us from receiving a blessing as well. This whole story demonstrates how necessary and powerful prayer is in our lives and that when we are innocently praying for something specific to be able to happen, we may be battling against the demonic without even realizing it. It also shows us that your blessing and especially your calling won’t just come so easily but that you have to fight for it in the spirit.
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- Bold Authority
[YOU MUST LEARN TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS AGAINST EVIL]
(Matthew 10:7-8; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18; Luke 11:20; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Matthew 12:43-45; James 4:7)
In our westernized church culture, we typically focus mostly on ourselves, even when it comes to freedom and deliverance. But Jesus consistently commands us to look out towards others; to love others; to heal others; to deliver others. I think the biggest explanation for our hesitancy is in the fact that we are insecure and doubtful of God’s power working through us individually. Despite whatever way you may see yourself, God has called you to set the captives free.
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Main Idea: A lot of people disqualify themselves from having their part in spiritual warfare because they think that they are not ready for that kind of battle. They feel ill-equipped and simply unprepared. But the truth is that preparing oneself is a lot simpler than most people imagine. You don’t have to be “special” in order to take hold of the authority of Christ as a believer.
Today we’re going to unpack how a believer can practically and spiritually prepare themselves for spiritual warfare. We’re going to learn specific purposes and methods of prayer that anyone can use. We’re going to familiarize ourselves with the aspect of pursuing holiness and how it affects our faith and life. And at the end of today’s talk, we’re going to look at the power and necessity of being connected to a faith community.
I think that it is important to emphasize that in all that we talk about today in this message, we are focusing on the aspect of becoming spiritually prepared to become a dragon slayer. We are not talking about salvation or requirements of it. We believe that one is saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone and that all of our works are counted as garbage in comparison to simply knowing Christ. Today is about being prepared to fight the spiritual battles that come after you experience salvation.
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- Spiritually Minded
[PRAYER IS THE SECRET SAUCE TO PREPAREDNESS]
When we follow the witness accounts of Jesus through the Gospels, we see that Jesus consistently withdrew Himself to private prayer, and these moments of Him going up to a hill or mountain to pray were typically sandwiched in a timeline with miracles before and after. One could think that you wouldn’t necessarily need to pray more after seemingly being activated in such a supernatural way, but it was because of His consistency in prayer that He was always prepared for a miracle to happen.
(Luke 5:16)
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- Holy Ready
[THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS ACTIVATES POWER AND LONGEVITY IN YOUR FAITH]
No one necessarily becomes “holy” until we are made perfect in heaven. Until then, we are credited righteousness by our faith in Christ. We clothe ourselves in His holiness while knowing that it isn’t of our own works, nature or initiatives but His moving through us. But the act of pursuing holiness is what activates the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. It’s through that kind of lifestyle that you are able to actually tap into the same resurrection power that performs miracles and can tell mountains to move. It’s not that you become more special, but rather you become more sensitive to the power that is already available to you.
(Romans 6:5-16; Romans 6:20-23)
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- Team Up
[COLLABORATIVE PRAYER AND CONNECTION CAN DRAMATICALLY GROW YOUR FAITH]
We often underestimate the power of our communities. Even as children and teenagers, we fail to see the power of other people’s influence over our own lives at the time. Similarly, we usually individualize our faith so much that we make ourselves isolated loners that can deal with problems on our own. And while you may be able to handle life on your own, collaborating with others can cause certain battles to be one in a fraction of the time that it would take you to win if just on your own. Community has the potential to dramatically grow your faith.
(Acts of the Apostles 12:5-7; Matthew 18:19-20; Hebrews 10:24-25)
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Main Idea: The minute that you become a believer, you’re called to become a dragon slayer. In your confession of faith, you simultaneously join the army of God and enter into the spiritual fight against the devil and his demons. We live in a world that operates in both the physical and spiritual, and because the devil is always working to kill, steal and destroy we must be working to save, deliver and build up. In order to be able to do that, you should learn to understand how your enemy operates.
'Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. ' -Revelation 12:7-9
People often adopt Hollywood-like ideas of demons and the spiritual world but don’t realize that they are actually glorifying the demonic, making it out to be more powerful and confusing than it actually is. Ironically enough, even when it comes to the idea of defending oneself or fighting against these ooga-booga creatures, because of movies and classic superstitions, most people imagine that you have to use witchcraft-like practices in order to fight against witchcraft-like enemies. Thank God that it is much simpler than that.
Today we’re going to talk about understanding the enemy when it comes to the spiritual world. We’re going to expose his tactics and goals, and we’re going to learn how to identify some red flags of the demonic. And most of all, we’re going to learn about how there is nothing that we should feel intimidated about when it comes to spiritual warfare.
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- Do I Have Your Attention?
[IF THE DEVIL CAN’T DEMORALIZE YOU, HE’LL DISTRACT YOU]
(Revelation 12:10-11; Acts of the Apostles 16:16-18)
If he can’t steal your confidence in the Lord is try to distract you from your mission and calling. And these kinds of distractions can often come in very disguised packages, so you have to use a level of awareness and discernment in order to be able to expose them. When something curious comes up, you need to simply ask yourself, “what is this taking my attention from? And where is my attention going?”
- What Sharp Teeth You Have
[DON’T BE TRICKED INTO DARKNESS BY THOSE WHO HATE CHRIST]
(2 Corinthians 6:14-15; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Romans 12:21)
We’re called to bring people from death to life. We’re called to love people. We’re called to be merciful and show the compassion of Christ. We were all once dead in our lives of sin and even now, none of us are perfect. But we are not called to trample on the name of Christ to bring someone to Christ. You can not treat the blood of Christ as meaningless to glorify it. You can not defeat darkness with darkness.
- God Is Bigger Than The Boogeyman
[DARKNESS TREMBLES IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT]
(James 2:19; Romans 16:20; Luke 10:17-20)
One of the most important and powerful things to understand about the grace of God that you’ve been given is that just as you have been given salvation without being able to earn it, you have been given authority in the name of Jesus without being able to earn it. You don’t have to fret by the attempted intimidation of the devil because you have already been given the victory over him through Christ Jesus.
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Main Idea: In the moments that we realize the dreams inside of our hearts, we often follow it with our idea of what the story of fulfilling those dreams will look like. While our idea of the story seems the best way for our dreams to come true, it rarely ever happens like that. Instead, we typically go through extreme testings and trials while on the path of chasing those dreams, and many give up before they get close. But for those who endure and end up stepping into their calling often look back and reflect on how the journey was a lot different than they had originally thought.
Today we’re going to use David’s story to pull lessons of perseverance, humility and expectation. We’re going to see how he had ambition at a young age but didn’t really know what he was meant to do with it. We’re going to talk about what it was like for him to step closer and closer to his calling only to have it ripped away. And We’re going to look at how he was able to finally step into his dreams even though it wasn’t how he expected for it to happen.
The reason this topic is so important to talk about is because many of us establish expectations to our dreams that are often different from the reality of how they become fulfilled. Many people give up on their callings prematurely and unnecessarily because they think that their efforts aren’t making any progress since it seems like nothing was going according to plan. You don’t have to give up on your dream just because it seems to be going differently than you thought.
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- Keep Trying
[THE BEST WAY TO GET CLARITY ON YOUR CALLING IS BY GIVING YOUR BEST WHERE YOU'RE CURRENTLY AT]
(1 Samuel 17:32-37)
- It’s Not Over Yet
[YOU DON’T HAVE TO GIVE UP EVEN THOUGH THINGS KEEP MESSING UP]
(1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Samuel 18:2-5; 1 Samuel 22:1-3)
- Open Your Expectations
[YOU CAN KNOW WHAT YOUR CALLING IS WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO FULFILL IT]
(2 Samuel 2:3-9; 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 5:1-5)
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Main Idea: It is already hard enough to step into your calling but even harder when you consider all of the history of your mistakes and regrets. In fact, those mistakes can often stop you from moving forward because you almost feel like you don’t deserve to be able to move on. Many people over-exasperate themselves in trying to make the wrong things right by allowing it to hang over their head even after they made the right efforts to change and fix what was broken.
Today we’re going to look at the life of Jacob and how he had to overcome his past in order to fulfill his calling. We’re going to analyze the moment in which he reflected on his mistakes and decided to change. We’re going to unpack what it was like for him to put in the work to change while still having to live with the consequences of his actions along with unfair treatment. And we’re going to focus on the moment in which he finally found a sense of closure and redemption from his past in order to start walking forward in his calling.
- Reflecting On Repentance
[PEOPLE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE WRONG THEY’VE DONE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE GREATEST CHANGE IN LIFE]
(Genesis 28:10-22)
- Delayed Repercussions
[WE OFTEN DON’T START SEEING THE RESULTS OF OUR MISTAKES UNTIL WE START TRYING TO MAKE THEM RIGHT]
(Genesis 31:4-7)
- Wrestling With Redemption
[IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE GOD’S GRACE WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON’T DESERVE IT]
(Genesis 32:22-31)
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Main Idea: So many people try to do good believing that good will come back to them, but they get extremely discouraged and confused when it seems like only bad comes after. The broken expectation often changes what they believe, how they live and even the dreams they once hoped to fulfill.
Today, we’re going to look at the life of Joseph in order to connect pieces of his life to our own. We’re going to unpack what it was like for him to consistently choose to do the right thing only to have calamity attack him in return. We’re going to analyze how he survived the cruelty and jealousy of people around him. And we’re going to try to understand how he was able to not let the actions of others change who he was deep down.
The reason this topic is important to talk about is because many people hope that you can avoid bad by doing good but are slapped with life experiences that are unfair and simply cruel. While they once had dreams and the thought of reaching those dreams by doing good, they become changed before they ever were able to see their dreams fulfilled. Not only that, but they often end up adopting the ideology “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” and transform into a different person who no longer seeks the fulfillment of their purpose.
(Genesis 37:6-7)
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- Life Can Be Unfair
[INTEGRITY IS CHOOSING TO DO THE RIGHT THING REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME]
Most people have an inclination to do good in order to see good come to you. When you mix that with our desire to see our dreams fulfilled, you usually get a hope that one day, if you’re patient, you will see your dreams come to pass as long as you continue to do the right thing. But life is typically more chaotic and seemingly spiteful towards us than we expect, and we end up facing increasingly more difficult scenarios that test the integrity of our morals.
(Genesis 37:2; Genesis 39:7-12)
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- People Can Be Cruel
[THE HURTFUL ACTIONS OF OTHERS DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE]
It’s so peculiar how even as children, we as human beings have a nature to bully and hurt people unnecessarily. So often we think that it’s just because hurt people hurt people, but there are plenty of times where there is no reason or explanation for the cruelty that some people exhibit towards others. So many people are left with the question of “why is this happening to me?”
(Genesis 37:23-25; Genesis 39:13-14)
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- You Can Do This
[DON’T LET THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS CHANGE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN]
Everything that we go through in life affects our worldview and has the potential to either build up or tear down our dreams. With each new struggle that you face, you have to find the strength to endure to believe what you do matters. No matter how many times you feel like you get knocked down, you have to remember that you can still do this.
(Genesis 39:2-4; Genesis 39:20-22; Genesis 41:39-40)
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Main Idea: There are many times when people finally take the courageous plunge to step into their calling only to have it go terribly wrong, but sometimes great callings are only fulfilled through relentless tenacity.
Today we’re going to look at the life of Moses and how he made the courageous decision to step out in efforts to make a difference only for it to go horribly wrong. We’re going to talk about how to find the motivation to try again even though you lost your passion. And we’re going to unpack being steadfast in your “try again” moments while enduring harsh criticism.
The reason this topic is so important to talk about is because so many people imagine that if they were “really called” then it would’ve been easier, and they end up doubting their purpose because of how it didn’t go according to plan. Too many callings have been left because of this kind of disappointment and confusion. We all have to try again sometimes, even if the first try was a really big fi
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- What’s The Worst That Could Happen
[CAN YOU FULFILL YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE ON THE FIRST TRY?]
So many of us have different ambitions and dreams deep inside of our souls. We feel a calling of some sort, and we often struggle to uncover what it could be over years and years. When we finally feel like we know what we’re supposed to do, we then struggle with whether or not we should take the risk to pursue it. We spend so much time picking apart the anxious thoughts of “what if” while trying to map out what it would actually look like if we were to follow through with it. You may even tell yourself, “what’s the worst that could happen?” Then you finally put yourself out there. And for many, problems that they never even anticipated arise and everything seems to go terribly wrong.
(Exodus 2:10-15)
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- I’ll Never Try That Again
[HOW MANY ATTEMPTS ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE YOUR CALLING?]
The only thing more challenging than taking your first step into your calling is taking your second step back into it after being knocked down. It’s so incredibly difficult to muster up the courage, motivation and passion again a second time. For many people, getting knocked down once is enough to not try again.
(Exodus 3:1-6; Exodus 3:9-11)
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- Am I Really Supposed To Do This?
[REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE]
Stepping into your calling again is stepping into the unknown while knowing that it’s going to take more than you want to give. And with every step into it, you find opposition and criticism from people against you and people who are supposed to be with you. It’s easy to feel smothered or like you’re drowning when it seems like you’re getting attacked from all sides.
(Exodus 5:20-23)
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Main Idea: Even though everything is always changing, history is also repeating itself. Nothing is actually new, but rather goes through its cycles of generational behaviors.
This world is truly temporal and insatiable. Our cravings are never able to be satisfied by this world because it does not have the capacity or ability to satisfy or create anything new. Be that as it may, we constantly find ourselves chasing after the next answer to our problems through either our politics or culture.
Today we are going to unpack the idea of promises to change history and analyze how we are actually only repeating history. We are going to focus on the topics of politics and culture as we try to understand their patterns. And we’re going to discuss how the ultimate effect on our way of life is actually the sinfulness of our land.
The reason that this topic is so important is because we can be spared so much anguish and disappointment when we learn from the past. If we don’t understand certain patterns of history, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. While these mistakes are somewhat inevitable to be made again and again until judgment day, they don’t have to be made in our lifetime or our children’s lifetime.
(Ecclesiastes 1:4-8)
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- Politics
[POLITICS WILL CONSTANTLY DISAPPOINT US]
No governmental body has the ability to withstand time or the sinfulness/faults of man. While governments have the capacity to do good, man’s desire for power and money will always eventually corrupt it. Even when we truly find people of integrity to lead, they will eventually die or transition out. The Bible shows so much history within the nation of Israel and how difficult it was to keep integrity/godliness in the people of leadership.
(Ecclesiastes 4:13-16; Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)
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- Culture
[MODERN CULTURE IS JUST RE-RINSED HISTORY]
Culture is always trying to convince us that we are better than the people before us. And it is also always trying to tell you who you are supposed to be in order to fit into the modern movement. “Don’t be like this, be like this.”
(Ecclesiastes 1:9-11)
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- Sinfulness
[UNBRIDLED COLLECTIVE SINFULNESS WILL ALWAYS TURN INTO A MURDEROUS MONSTER]
Sinfulness has a way of always growing within society. No matter how many countries start and fall, collective sinfulness is always prevalent amongst the people or the leaders of a country when it falls. The people turn into violent mobs or the government leaders turn into power hungry oppressors because of the insatiable darkness that sin is.
(Genesis 19:3-11; Judges 19:22-26)
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Main Idea: Relationships change over time because people change over time, and it’s important to learn how to discern the moments in which you need to hold on to them or let go.
Everybody goes through different things in life that change how they see themselves and the world around them. These life changes affect nearly all of our relationships, especially the ones most important to us. It’s in these moments that we have to learn how to accept the fact that people change and decide whether or not we should continue to foster the relationships between us.
In this message, we are going to unpack the evolving nature of people and relationships so that we can better understand the moments in which people change. We’re going to learn how to practically analyze these different relationships to determine how to handle them. And we’re going to look at these relationship changes through a spiritual lens in order to capture the idea of hidden potential.
The reason that this topic is so important is because while we all go through these kinds of changes in our relationships, we often feel confused as to what to do and we don’t know when to let go or hold on. So many great and meaningful relationships are let go of that were still good, and so many sour and toxic relationships are held onto unnecessarily.
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- They Changed
[NO RELATIONSHIP IS MEANT TO STAY THE SAME FOREVER]
No relationship is exactly the same over time, and they’re not supposed to be. Some will develop and grow while others will become stagnant and stink. No matter the Relationship types: parental, sibling, friend, romantic, marital, spiritual, authoritative, etc. We must come to a realization that “changing” is a part of life and should be expected. If we don’t adapt to the changes within the relationships we have, then we will grow increasingly disappointed and frustrated as our unrealistic expectations continue to grow farther away from reality
John 13:21-25; Acts of the Apostles 9:26
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- Fair Expectations
[COMMITMENT IS GREATER THAN COMPATIBILITY]
There is just something spiritual about these specific relationships. The Bible talks so specifically to each of these roles and relationships and how to foster them. I think that it does so because of how incredibly meaningful these specific ones are to our lives. So we should learn how to accept the changes that they go through and let go of certain false expectations of them so that we can appreciate what we do have with them rather than being bitter at what we don’t have with them.
Ephesians 6:1-4; Ephesians 5:22-29 —
- Be Open Minded
[YOU CAN’T GRASP WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE IF YOU DON’T LET GO OF THE PAST]
We must keep an open mind about the relationships we have and don’t have with people. Simply put, sweet things can turn sour and sour things can turn sweet. We become so tunnel visioned with certain relationships that we forget that there are a lot of people in the world. We convince ourselves of truly silly ideas like, “I’ll never find anyone like them again” when it’s simply not true. You may even find someone who is even better for you!
Acts of the Apostles 15:36-40
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Main Idea: Having self-reflection to understand the things that have shaped our worldview and learning how to determine our future self.
When we are young, we imagine that we will never change. In our naivety, we think that we already know all that we need to know, and we think that we will be the same kind of person forever. Then one day, we look back and realize that we feel completely different than we did before because of all the life experiences we went through that changed us and our outlook.
Today we are going to talk about the aspect of changing within ourselves. We’re going to unpack the chemistry behind what creates our worldview and our types of reactions to the world around us. We’re also going to open the idea of learning how to take control of your personhood in order to determine what kind of person you can choose to be.
The reason this conversation is so important to have is because so many people feel like life just happens to them, and it happens so fast that they don’t feel like they have a moment to reflect on it. So it simply just changes them. While some changes are edifying, some are damaging. You don’t have to be the product of what you’ve seen or what has been done. You can decide what kind of person you want to be despite what has changed in life.
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- Was I Always Like This?
[ALL EXPERIENCES SHAPE YOU, BUT EVERY REACTION DEFINES YOU]
We go through a lot in life, some more than others. And we experience the good, bad and ugly life moments along the way. These different types of life experiences shape us in critical ways and shape how we see the world. I would compare these experiences to that of a radiation field. Each of these little moments of life influence us without us even realizing it. We could be right in the middle of a major life altering event that is changing our DNA, yet you don’t even recognize it at the time. Later, you don’t even know why you’re acting out with anger but it was because of the field of change you were standing in from before.
[1 Samuel 25:5-13]
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- Look In The Mirror
[SELF-REFLECTION UNPACKS THE PASSIONS AND DRIVE TO YOUR SOUL]
It was in a moment of self-reflection that David remembered what his passion really was. It wasn’t proving himself or seeking revenge. He remembered that what really mattered to him was being a man after God’s own heart. For us, we need to take time to look in the mirror and unpack what really matters to us. Consider what really sparks fire to our passions.
[Galatians 2:19-21]
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- Change What You Want
[YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE IN WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT TO BE]
For David, He consistently found himself on forked roads where he had to make the decision of what kind of person he wanted to be. In the same way, we all have those same kinds of moments that have the potential to define us. Once we decide who we want to be, life still goes on and still changes. And with all that changes around us, there are parts within us that also may change.
[Galatians 5:22-25]
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Main Idea: Learning how to reflect on major life changes with an optimistic and realistic perspective for the past and future.
Changes are inevitable, yet they always take us by surprise. We imagine that we’d simply know what to do when the time comes, and then when the life altering change happens, we’re left with the question, “what do I do now?”
Today we’re going to talk about the reality of change in our lives and how to hold realistic expectations with them. We’re going to learn when to adapt and when to hold steady. Our goal in this message is to eliminate (or at least, decrease) the stress that comes from major changes as well as the imposter syndrome.
The reason that this topic is important to talk about is because everyone feels like they are the only one who is struggling with the changes of life that come. No one should feel less about themselves while going through dramatic changes because no one else is exempt from feeling the struggle.
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- The Despair of Change
[TRANSITIONS IN LIFE ARE ALWAYS THE HARDEST]
While we are naturally resistant to change, it is one of the very few things in the world that is guaranteed to happen. In fact, some argue that the only thing consistent in the universe is change itself. Being that as it may, some changes are definitely harder than others. The most difficult ones are usually the ones that directly alter our way of life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
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- Live In The Moment
[BALANCE IN LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE]
The idea of “finding balance” is nice and seems like it would work on paper but many people are left feeling more exhausted and burnt out trying to achieve it. We think there is a perfect equation of time and energy management that we can solve if we are just disciplined enough. It sounds good when you say it but it simply doesn’t work when you actually try it because “balance” is an oversimplified solution to our very complex and complicated lives. There simply is not a “one size fits all” approach to life’s problems or situations.
Matthew 16:25-26
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- Grow From The Change
[DO YOUR BEST TO LEARN FROM LIFE WITHOUT BECOMING JADED]
Certain changes can not only be hard but hurtful. It’s easy to not fully recognize the emotions or subconscious beliefs that are created after dramatic changes. These suppressed feelings and ideas become staples in our core memories that shape our defenses and behaviors in efforts to be more prepared for the next unexpected change. It often leaves us jaded and subtly bitter.
1 Corinthians 13:11-13
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Main Idea: Learning how to specifically lead someone to Christ along with guiding them in their next steps. The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20.
Two of the best experiences to have as a Christian is leading an individual to know Christ themselves and helping to lead someone along in their faith journey through discipleship. Sadly, many Christians miss out on these amazing opportunities because they think that these roles are only for the pastors and ministers to fulfill. Nothing can be farther from the truth!
Today, we are going to talk about the Great Commission. We’re going to unpack the command itself and what it means to us individually. Then we’re going to break down what it looks like practically. And we’re going to end by talking about how to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading.
The reason that this topic is so important is because so much information is either assumed or not clear. Without being clearly equipped, it’s easy to feel intimidated or unqualified to be able to fulfill Jesus’ command and God’s calling on our lives. And when we’re not activated in our faith through the Great Commission, it’s easy to feel dry, dull and cold in our faith. And when your faith is cold, it is likely to die out.
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- That Means You
[YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO SHARE JESUS WITH SOMEONE]
Truly, nothing is stopping you but your own fears. It’s okay to feel nervous. That’s just you recognizing that sharing your faith is something meaningful to do. Just stop belittling yourself in order to count yourself out from making a difference. If the once legion possessed man was able to change the hearts of the towns for Jesus with just his experience with Jesus, then so can you. Even if all you have is your story, that is enough to plant the seed of the Gospel in someone else’s heart.
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- The Simple Gospel
[THE GOSPEL IS SIMPLY ABOUT EXPERIENCING GOD IN YOUR LIFE]
Christianity isn’t about being a religion, it’s about having a relationship with your creator. That relationship is fostered through specific experiences and practices that we are able to have and live out. Knowing these specific experiences and practices will help you in leading a new believer to grow in their walk with God.
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- You’re Not Alone
[THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK]
The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ promise to be with you always. It is our aid and counselor in the moment of need. Whenever you are struggling to help someone, call on the Holy Spirit to intervene and make things clear. Don’t think that there is a perfect way to do something or help someone. The Bible is full of instances that varied from one another yet were all still acceptable and made a difference.
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Main Idea: Learning how to endure and stay focused on your calling by having a grasp on your emotions and trusting God with the outcomes. Paul. (Acts 14:8-20)
When you allow yourself to become activated in your faith through servanthood, you will begin the journey of ministry. That journey is a roller coaster of ups and downs, wins and losses, praises and criticisms. Learning how to create stability in your emotions and faith is critical in being able to endure these kinds of trials and tests.
Today we are going to talk about the volatility of people and their opinions of you, and then we are going to learn how to build an emotional and spiritual foundation in order to endure it. And at the end, we are going to talk about knowing when to move on from a place or people that is no longer fruitful.
The reason that this topic is so important is because once people finally start the path of servanthood and humility, they typically feel like they are sucker-punched by the sometimes irrational reactions of others. You need to know how to brace yourself and how to discern when you need to stay or go from somewhere. If not, you will end up confused and discouraged about your calling and your faith.
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- Don’t Take It To Heart
[THE GENERAL OPINION OF PEOPLE IS OFTEN UNSTABLE]
In this story, we see people literally ready to worship Paul but in the next moment hate him so much to the point of attempting to kill him. It is a perfect display to show how incredibly fickle people’s opinions can be. They can seemingly love you one moment and hate you the next.
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- Don’t Let Anxiety Win
[INTEGRITY GROWS CONFIDENCE]
Within humility is the essence of integrity. In this scene, we see Paul’s integrity glow in the fact that he didn’t accept the people’s worship or praises and in the fact that he didn’t back down even in the face of violent disagreements. He stayed on point with his mission and calling despite the extreme polarized receptions of the people.
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- Don’t Have To Stay
[YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY IN A PLACE THAT HAS REJECTED YOU]
My favorite part about this story is the fact that Paul gets back up. And when he does, he goes back into the town that just attempted to kill him, spends the night to rest and then leaves to go to another town to do the same thing.
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Main Idea: When you give God your availability, He gives you the ability. Isaiah 6:1-10
Each of us are called to serve the Kingdom of God by ministering to people in some way, yet we typically hesitate to fulfill that calling because we feel like we are either not ready or qualified to do what God has called us to do. We feel inadequate and unworthy, so we count ourselves out from being able to be used by God to do anything significant.
Today, we’re going to talk about how God still calls us to a greater purpose even though none of us are perfect. We’re going to unpack the common insecurity of not being holy enough and look at how God actually takes away our guilty conscience. Then we’re going to talk about the power of showing up anyway, even when you feel like you’re not enough.
The reason that this topic is so important is because so many people miss out on their calling along with God’s power and presence because of this massive insecurity in our self-perception. You would experience the passion and joy that comes with God if you would allow yourself to walk by faith and not by how you see yourself.
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- You Are Sinful
[NOT A SINGLE PERSON IS PERFECT]
Romans 3:20
Even though we all know that no one is perfect, we still often feel like we are somehow more inadequate than other people. We count ourselves out as we put people like the pastor on a pedestal because we think that we are the only ones who are still struggling with sin or being a “good” christian.
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- God Is Holy
[GOD IS NOT WAITING TO DESTROY YOU]
Zechariah 3:1-2
We often think that God is waiting to slam dunk us to hell, but the way he reveals Himself in scripture is much more merciful, compassionate and patient than that. You are His dearly loved creation, and He chooses to call Himself your Heavenly Father. You didn’t decide that He is like your Heavenly Father, He did. Recognizing that He first loved you should help you to realize that He is not simply waiting to get rid of you.
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- You Are Called
[REDEMPTION IS TURNING YOUR MISTAKE INTO A CALLING]
I find that many times, God uses what is weak or painful in our lives to bring about strength and beauty. It’s His quality of redemption that empowers us sinners to become saints. And if you allow yourself to believe this truth, you’ll realize that when you simply make yourself available to God, He will give you the ability to fulfill whatever calling or purpose He has called you to.
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Main Idea: Realizing how fulfilling your life can be when it is no longer just about you.
One of the biggest questions we have as Christians is “what’s my purpose in life?” And so often we try to find fulfillment to that question by filling its void with selfish ideas and desires. We perceive that we are supposed to be “blessed” or made prominent among our peers. We end up chasing the world's concept of fulfillment through chasing vanity, fame and fortune. But Christ’s guidance to us is actually that of humility and servanthood.
Today we are going to talk about what it is to find your purpose as a christian. We’re going to unpack the concept of humility and how incredibly necessary it is for success. We’re going to look at Jesus’ command to serve others and learn what that means practically. And at the end of the message, I’m going to show you how your purpose is incredibly unique and fulfilled in the way you serve others.
The reason that this topic is so important is because many christians wander through their faith and life aimlessly and unfulfilled. Their lives are dull and boring (as well as their faith). It doesn’t take long for them to start looking back to the world of sin for temporary fulfillment. We must find meaning and purpose in our faith and life in order to access the passionate and abundant life Jesus promised us.
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- Humbly Blessed
[EVERYTHING GOOD IN LIFE COMES THROUGH HUMILITY]
(Matthew 10:37-39)
The moment that you choose to go all in for Jesus, you will realize that it is the best decision that you can possibly make. To make Him your number one priority, truly positions you to see life in a completely different way. You will truly find what you’re really looking for.
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- Find Your Purpose
[WE ARE ALL CALLED TO SERVE OTHERS]
(John 13:12-17)
We are ALL called to serve others. There is not one person who is called to be isolated and disconnected from their community. Rather, we are all called to be connected through the service of one another. In fact, I believe that we all can find our unique purposes in Christ when we obey Jesus’ command and open ourselves to servanthood.
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- Uniquely Fulfilled
[FULFILLMENT IS FOUND IN THE UNIQUENESS OF HOW YOU SERVE OTHERS]
(Matthew 10:40-42)
The more that you serve, the more that you will realize what you enjoy doing and how to specifically serve others in a way that no one else does. There are endless possibilities of ways and methods in which you can serve and minister to others. All you have to do is make yourself available.
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Main Idea: Potential Found In Pain. Demon Possessed Man.
Trauma can easily make a person feel lost in the world. It’s easy to start pushing away everyone around you as you try to push down the hurtful experience. The more and more we try to avoid it, the more and more our lives reflect that something is wrong.
In today’s message, we’re going to look at a person who had plenty of demons from his past and we’re going to unpack how he found freedom and healing, as well as look how Jesus saw potential in him even though he was lost.
The reason this message is important is because many people who are looking for healing think that the healing is the end goal. But the better ending is seeing how God is able to use you to make a difference in others by redeeming your pain.
(Mark 5:1-20)
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Trapped in my own prison.
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Scared of freedom.
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Unrealized potential.
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Main Idea: The Needed Love of Fathers.
Fathers are foundational pieces to every person’s life. Even for those who have never met their father, that role still shapes the very core of their identity and becomes a major motivator for the decisions that they make in life. Inwardly, most men feel deep within their gut the weight of responsibility they have as a dad.
The pressure often translates to men attempting to give the best of themselves to their children. Sometimes it’s being the fun, other times it’s being the guide, and sometimes it’s being the provider. Many dads get in their heads about what they can offer their kids. So much so, that some get to the point where they think that their kids would be better off without them.
Today, we are going to unpack the relationship between father and child and how that can affect their lives. Then we’re going to talk about what we as men can offer children as fathers, as well as how we can look to God as the ultimate role model as a Father.
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- Needed But Helpless [DADS CAN NOT FORCE THEIR KIDS TO DO ANYTHING]
(Luke 15:11-16)
So many times, we as fathers think that everything is riding on us in order for our children to come out okay, but you must realize that even though you are incredibly needed, your kids are still going to make their own decisions. We can do our best in guiding them and setting the example, but their lives are their own to live.
- Present And Available[THE MOST DESIRED FATHER IS A PRESENT ONE]
(Matthew 27:45-46)
There are so many things dads can do to be either better or worse. One dad is too soft on their kids while another is too hard on them. One dad spoils and another gives nothing. The list can go on and on about how to be a better dad, But I believe that one absolute that supersedes anything else that you could possibly do as a dad is to simply
- Redemptive And Compassionate [KIDS WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER DAD]
(Luke 15:17-24)
Sometimes dads make mistakes and sometimes kids make mistakes. It’s easy to allow these mistakes to cause resentment and confusion within the relationship. Years of missed opportunities and meaningful moments. We have to remember that nobody is perfect, but love covers a multitude of sins.
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Main Idea: Letting go of the pain. Esau.
One of the most difficult yet necessary steps in order to heal from trauma is forgiveness. It is so hard because it feels like you won’t ever be justified if you simply let it go. But holding onto bitterness is like drinking poison while expecting the other person to be hurt by it.
In today’s message we are going to analyze the life of Esau and examine how he was able to get unstuck from his trauma through forgiveness. We’re going to talk about how bitterness can consume you and sabotage your relationships. We’re also going to unpack how redemption is better than revenge.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because it is nearly impossible to find true healing for your soul without forgiveness. Even if we learn how to process our trauma, we will stay stuck in it if we don’t let go of the pain from it. It’s only when what caused pain is fully removed can the healing process truly begin.
(Genesis 25:21-34; Genesis 27:5-6; Genesis 27:30-38)
- Consumed by Bitterness [BITTERNESS PERMEATES INTO EVERY RELATIONSHIP]
(Genesis 26:34-35)
When we suppress trauma, it tends to leak out into everything else. It seems as though Esau tried to take out his frustrations through hunting, physical exercise and romantic relationships. While these things may help distract us from the inner pain, it doesn’t make it go away. And eventually that bitterness will bleed into whatever new relationship or hobby we find. Because at the end of the day, the pain is still there eating at you from the inside. The moment that you are triggered unintentionally by someone, you will lash out at them as if they were the ones that caused you the trauma. And this will continue to happen again and again, whether with your friendships, romantic relationships, or even workplace relationships, until you deal with bitterness by forgiving and letting go.
- Emotionally Trapped [BITTERNESS EMOTIONALLY TRAPS YOU WITH THE PERSON WHO YOU CAN’T FORGIVE]
(Genesis 27:41; Genesis 27:46; Genesis 28:6-9)
Holding onto the sense of bitterness is subconsciously holding onto the idea of revenge. You may not have any plans of actually doing something to them yourself, but you are longing to hear that something bad happened to them. You feel like you will be happy once you hear, but you end up surrendering the opportunity to be happy regardless of what happens to them. So in the meantime you end up just stuck in bitterness and unhappiness.
- Freedom of Forgiveness [REDEMPTION IS BETTER THAN REVENGE]
(Genesis 27:39-40; Genesis 33:3-4; Genesis 33:16-17; Genesis 35:27-29)
The power behind forgiveness is that it presents YOU with the power to decide to break free. Showing that when you allow yourself to forgive, you are actually liberating yourself from that person’s grasp. Through forgiveness you are able to empower yourself to live a blessed life despite your trauma.
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Main Idea: Processing your pain. David.
'He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. ' -Psalms 147:3
One of the most powerful aspects about bringing God into your life is the process of Him healing your heart. So many people go through life hurt but numb the pain by pressing it down and covering it up. Whether it’s trying to just not think about it or masking it with something else, we avoid processing our emotions. The problem is that, when left unprocessed, you will likely develop false narratives and beliefs about yourself that are unhealthy for your soul.
Today, I’m going to use David’s story to identify some common painful life experiences people go through and the narratives that come from them in order to expose the lies and show the truths. Throughout this entire message, my goal is to show you some tangible truths to process trauma and to lead you to the ultimate Healer of your soul.
The reason that this is important is because your subconscious will develop some unfair fears and unnecessary defenses in an attempt to protect you from getting hurt again. The unprocessed emotions will shape your worldview and can endanger and self-sabotage meaningful opportunities and relationships in your life if left unresolved. (Psalms 27:7-14)
- Neglected - “No one wants me.” [EVERY PERSON NEEDS TO FEEL LOVED]
(1 Samuel 16:10-11; 1 Samuel 17:28-29; 1 Samuel 17:32-37; 1 Samuel 16:19-22)
Neglect can really mess with a person’s soul. Thinking that you are unwanted by even your own family can totally alter your personality and the way that you see yourself in the world. It is a pain that can go so deep and make you feel incredibly lost. It can easily make you believe that “no one wants you.”
But nothing can be farther from the truth. God made you valuable. It doesn’t matter whether or not people around you recognize your value because they can not determine your value.
- Oppressed - “It was my fault.” [NO ONE DESERVES THE TRAUMA THEY FACED]
(1 Samuel 18:10-11)
We try to make sense of something that seemed senseless, and it can be easy to start to believe that somehow it was your fault. Your mind is trying to rationalize the chaos in an attempt to learn how to avoid the pain again. No matter how many things you can think of what you could have done differently, it still should have never been done to you. You do not have to carry the weight or burden of responsibility for someone else. You deserve freedom with your healing. You don’t have to harbor that confusion any longer. Simply know and believe that it was wrong and that you didn’t deserve that. God did not destine you for pain or abuse. He does not want you hurt, He wants you healed.
- Isolated - “I’m just meant to be alone.” [NO ONE IS DESTINED TO BE LONELY]
(1 Samuel 22:1-2)
One of the most common reactions of trauma is isolation. Our minds begin to push everyone out, good and bad alike, in an attempt to protect oneself from being hurt again. That’s when the self-created loneliness comes in, and it mixes with the trauma to create the false narrative, “I’m meant to be alone.” Thank God for His Word which always reveals TRUTH:
'Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” ' -Genesis 2:18
Being able to relate to someone in life is one of the most valuable experiences we can have. It gives us hope and helps us to see that we’re not the only ones carrying burdens. For David, it was in this kind of moment that inspired a turning point in his life. It was after this moment of being joined with other hurting people that David started to get his life back. It was after letting people into his life that he was able to find the strength to endure and overcome his traumatic experiences. And in this moment, God turned his pain into a purpose.
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Main Idea: Heretical and Questionable Teachings.
What is even more dangerous than an individual who is a wolf in sheep's clothing? A false ideology that permeates through the church and causes people to believe in deceptive teachings that are counterintuitive to the Gospel message.
Today, we are going to expose these kinds of dangerous doctrines through scripture, and we’re going to unpack what “good doctrine” looks like, and we’re going to analyze God’s perspective and heart towards these ideas.
The reason that this is so important is because many people have followed a false flag and have positioned themselves into a place that is not authentic Christianity. They live their lives according to a man made ideology as if it were instituted by God. They live in a lie while believing they live in truth. To top it off, the fruits of these pursuits are often demonic in that they steal, kill and destroy meaningful things within their own lives.
- False Flag [MAN MADE RELIGION IS MOSTLY BAD]
Understanding questionable doctrines and the dangers that come with them requires honesty, transparency and self-reflection. You should always know why you believe what you believe. When you follow an ideology that isn’t biblical, you are following man rather than God.
John 14:6; Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:17-19; Matthew 6:19-24; Matthew 10:39; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 8:1-2; Matthew 7:1-5
- Good Gospel [THE GOSPEL IS SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW]
The power of balance and absolutes are found within healthy doctrine and faith. The only way to really do that is by looking through the scriptures yourself. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and shape some of your understanding rather than relying on just another person.
Romans 11:22; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 12:1-2; James 1:22
- His Heart [OUR LIFE’S PURPOSE IS TO KNOW GOD AND SHOW GOD]
We should strive to see God’s heart clearly in order to better live out our faith in the right way. So let’s analyze God’s perspective on the main three guiding factors to doctrine: Heaven, Earth, and you.
Matthew 6:31-33; Romans 12:2-3; Matthew 6:25-26; Matthew 10:29-31
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Main Idea: False Teachers.
No one believes that they can be easily tricked or influenced. But the truth is that no one realizes it until after the fact, when it is too late. While some dangerous teachers may seem obvious at initial glance, others are so clever and manipulative with their speech, many are led astray into following a wolf.
In todays message, my goal is to give you tools to use in examinations of wolves, as well as, to teach you how to identify the red flags of a dangerous teacher. The three things that we’re going to focus on is: knowing scripture, understanding common sense, and leaning into discernment.
As a baseline of understanding for today’s message, I do not think that EVERY person who has qualities of teaching falsely or behaving badly is a “false teacher” or “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” I think that sometimes people’s personality, ego and worldview has led them into a place that is questionable but unintentional. Which is why it is so important to have accountability, transparency and self-examination with humility. Especially if one is a teacher.
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Sounds Good (message focused) [JUST BECAUSE IT RHYMES DOESN’T MAKE IT TRUE] (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
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Looks Good (person focused) [THE ONLY SHEEP EATEN BY WOLVES ARE THE ONES NOT PAYING ATTENTION] (Matthew 7:15-16) (1 John 4:1-6)
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Feels Good (feeling focused) [EMOTIONALISM IS A DANGEROUS TRAP] (2 Peter 2:1-3)
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Main Idea: The Virgin Mary.
Being a mother is probably one of the hardest jobs in the world. Not only is there a nine month long commitment just to get started, but the life of a mother is full of struggle in the midst of joy. I feel like moms are often like sunflowers. As they stand in the full heat and harshness of the sun and elements, they somehow make it look easy and beautiful.
The Virgin Mary is probably the most well known mother in history. So much so, in certain denominations and religions she is borderline worshiped and idolized. I think what is most extraordinary about her is the fact that she did not view herself as the “best” mom. In fact, i’m sure that she had days and moments that she doubted if she was even a “good” mom.
Today, we are going to unpack Mary’s story to analyze her humility and humanity. We are going to use her as an example in motherhood but also see how we all can relate and learn from her when it comes to handling insecurities in the midst of living out our purposes.
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Hidden Purpose [YOUR PURPOSES ARE TYPICALLY GREATER THAN YOUR EXPECTATIONS] (Luke 1:26-38)
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Hidden Power [YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU REALIZE] (Luke 2:6-7)
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Hidden Problems [EVERY PERSON GOES THROUGH PROBLEMS] (Luke 2:42-51)
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Main Idea: Judas, The Betrayer. (Luke 22:21)
When we think about the idea of a wolf in sheep's clothing, we typically think of the leader/teacher being the wolf, but we neglect to consider the people next to us. Today we are going to unpack the concept of wolves at our table by looking at the person Judas. We are going to use his story to learn warning signs of possible vicious “wolves” disguised as innocent sheep.
The reason this topic is so important is because so many people could avoid spiritual and social injuries if they knew they were being influenced or attacked by a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
In this talk, we’re going to look at what could have motivated him to do what he did, identify the methods in which acted upon to divide, and analyze the results of his divisive behavior.
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Superior Disagreement [PRIDE IS THE NUMBER ONE MOTIVATOR OF A WOLF] (Matthew 26:14-16; John 12:1-6; James 4:6-10)
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Smiling Backstabber [A WOLF DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY] (Mark 14:44-45; John 2:23-25)
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Self-Destructive Nature [WOLVES OFTEN CHEW OFF THEIR OWN LEG UNNECESSARILY] (Matthew 27:3-5; John 3:16-17)
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Main Idea:
As we follow the Story of Jesus to the end, we come to the Second coming of Christ and the end of the world as we know it. The book of Revelation can be an intimidating and confusing book due to the fact that it is a prophetic book about the future which reveals only parts of what’s to come.
Today, we are going to unpack the timeline of Revelation and how to understand it the best we can. We are also going to talk about interpreting the signs of the times as well as how we can best be ready for it.
While we are learning about the end times today, it’s important to remember that our mission as Christians is still the same. Share the Gospel of Jesus everywhere. No matter how soon the End is, we should have in mind that witnessing Jesus to others should be done to the very last moments of our lives. Because in the End, that’s what really matters: People knowing Jesus.
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Timelines
[TIMING IS EVERYTHING]
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Jesus given authority (Revelation 5:1-8)
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Seven Seals (Revelation 7:1-3)
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Seven trumpets (Revelation 7:9-17)
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Interlude of seeing the woman and the dragon (Revelation 12:1-17)
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3 terrors (Revelation 13:7-10) (Revelation 14:14-20)
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7 bowls of wrath
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Second coming of Christ / Battles against Satan / Satan bound 1000 years / millennium of Christ (Revelation 19:11-19) (Revelation 20:1-6) (Revelation 20:1-6)
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Judgment and new heaven and earth (Revelation 20:11-15) (Revelation 21:1-7)
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Signs
[YOU NEED TO BE SELF-AWARE IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED]
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Destroying good and promoting what is evil or sinful. Attack on the worship of God.
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Lawlessness (whatever seems good/right) Sinfulness without restraint.
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Wars and rumors of wars & Chaos with normality (everyone still living like normal).
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Ready Or Not
[TRUE LIFE CHANGE ISN’T DEPENDENT ON EXPECTATIONS]
The 10 Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13) (Psalms 119:105)
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Main Idea:
This month, we’ve been following the Christian journey. We started out at the cross, understood the resurrection, unpacked the early church’s response to their new found faith, and now today we’re going to talk about what to do when the passion for that faith seems dull.
It is so easy for us to lose passion for things, especially within our faith. We are excited initially and then become desensitized to what was once new to us. And when it feels like the passion is gone or faded, we begin to doubt the authenticity of what we experienced.
In today’s message, I’m going to talk about the come down moments of our faith and how to get through them in order to find your passion once again. Whether it’s your faith, your marriage, your job, your health, or etc. you will be able to use what we talk about today to revitalize passion in whatever area of your life that you need it back.
(Revelation 2:1-7)
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Jaded & Stubborn [IT’S HARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT FULLY FORGIVING THE PAST]
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Lost Sight [DON’T DOUBT THE AUTHENTICITY OF HOW YOU STARTED]
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Innocently & Ignorantly Hopeful [PASSION IS FOUND IN SIMPLICITY]
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Main Idea:
The book of Acts is arguably the best book to reference for theology and both the spiritual and practical aspects of our faith. Understanding what happened directly after Jesus’ Resurrection and how the early church responded to His mission is essential for our own next steps as Christians and a church.
In today’s message, we’re going to analyze the first couple of chapters of the book of Acts. We’re going to unpack Jesus’ ascension, Pentecost and the early church. As we look at these key passages, I’m going to show you how important tools and references can be used to guide you in your own faith journey.
The reason this is so important is because you should always know why you believe what you believe. My main goal in today’s message is to show you some powerful truths to build your faith and to show you where you can go to build your faith yourself.
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The Ascension [THE WORD OF GOD ALWAYS GIVES CLARITY AND DIRECTION] (Acts of the Apostles 1:4-11)
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Pentecost [GREAT THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH PRAYER AND UNITY] (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-16)
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Evangelism & The Early Church [THE POWER OF GOD MAKES THINGS SIMPLE] (Acts of the Apostles 2:38-41; Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47)
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Main Idea:
The heart of Easter is resurrection. Everything in fact about Christianity is about resurrection. That is resurrecting into our spiritual bodies for eternity and for the dead things in our current lives that God brings to life. But sometimes, the things that we need God to resurrect are the things unseen.
But why is it that we so easily forget about God’s power to resurrect? Or maybe, it’s just that we doubt His ability to send resurrection power to our lives. We know it’s possible for others but not for ourselves. In fact, most Christians today feel so confused about their own faith, that they doubt whether or not it’s okay to celebrate Easter, the very holiday that represents the foundation of their faith.
Today we are going to look at key story points of Jesus' resurrection and see how He was able to bring back to life the things that seemed to have died. But before we do, I want us to understand the symbolism of Easter and how it personifies God’s resurrection nature. God constantly uses nature itself to show us His nature.
The very creation of the earth shows this depiction of something dead being brought to life. And we continue to see God’s power and nature of resurrection all around us in His intelligent design. Just think of the life of a seed. Something that seems dead and void of possibilities but is miraculously brought to life in an incredibly vibrant and beautiful way. (Genesis 1:1-5)
- Resurrect Your Passion
[PASSION DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SENSE]
(John 20:1-10)
- Resurrect Your Calling
[GOD CARES MORE ABOUT YOUR AVAILABILITY TO HIM THAN YOUR ABILITY FOR HIM]
(Matthew 28:1-10)
- Resurrect Your Faith
[GOD HAS ALWAYS SHOWN HIS ABILITY TO BRING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING]
(John 20:24-29)--
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When we face tragedies, it’s not always necessarily for a reason. This world is broken and dominated by evil and the devil. Pain and misery may come, but it doesn’t mean that we were “meant” to endure it.
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How [SOME TRAGEDIES SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO COME BACK FROM] When we face tragedies, it’s not always necessarily for a reason. This world is broken and dominated by evil and the devil. Pain and misery may come, but it doesn’t mean that we were “meant” to endure it. (Luke 23:33-38; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Isaiah 54:17)
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Hope [THE HARDEST PART ABOUT HOPE IS THE SILENCE] Hope is the only thing that can carry you through, but no one usually talks about how difficult the silence is in the waiting. Or how testing it is of your hope when you feel like you’re seeing it taken from you. The helplessness of hope when you feel completely powerless to do anything better for it. (Luke 23:50-56; Micah 7:7-8)
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Heaven [GOD’S GOODNESS ISN’T RESTRICTED BY OUR LACK OF GOODNESS] On the day of utter darkness, paradise was promised to a dying man that had done nothing to earn it. Heaven was offered to this weak, desperate and undeserving man on the day of his disaster. And in this, we see a glimpse of God’s mercy, goodness and ability to redeem even the worst Friday into a good Friday. (Luke 23:39-46; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; Romans 8:38-39)
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There are certain moments in our lives in which your convictions and morals are tested. Times where, not only does it feel confusing but the choice itself is difficult regardless of what you choose.
So many people face these difficult choices and feel like they are the only ones struggling with the emotions and fears that come with it. It can feel paralyzing as they wonder what is the right thing to do. It’s easy to fall into discouragement or depression because of how isolating the whole experience can be.
Today we are going to unpack those moments and look at examples in scripture so that we can be empowered to do the right thing even when it is exceedingly difficult.
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Reality > Emotions [EMOTIONS CAN CLOUD YOUR JUDGMENT] (2 Samuel 18:5; 2 Samuel 18:33; 2 Samuel 19:5-7)
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Faith > Fear [FEAR CAN CRIPPLE YOUR DECISION-MAKING ABILITY] (Genesis 22:1-2; Genesis 22:7-8; Genesis 22:11-14)
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Sacrifice > Surrender [TO LIVE, YOU MUST DIE TO SELF] (1 Samuel 15:22; John 3:16-17; Matthew 26:38-39; Matthew 26:52-54)
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The more that we develop our own morality and conviction, the more you will be targeted with the criticism and attacks of others. But how do you find the balance in keeping true to your convictions while still showing grace to those who attack you for them?
Today we are going to unpack an aspect of grace and wisdom as we look at a combination of ways in which we can defend ourselves practically and spiritually. And then we're going to look at what really matters most in the end.
Since you will never be short of people's criticism and conflict, we should examine the Bible in order to get a healthy perspective on how to handle it. And what better example to follow than how Jesus handled these things! We are going to examine some key instances and derive methods to follow for ourselves.
Battle of The Flesh [ALWAYS KNOW WHY YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE]
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Common sense in the complicated. (Matt. 12:9-12)
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Called out the obvious from the obscure. (Matt. 12:33-37)
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Calmness in conflict. (Matt. 13:57-58)
Battle of The Spirit [WISDOM IS BEING BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PRACTICAL IN CONFLICT]
(Ephesians 6:10-12; Matt. 16:22-24)
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Jesus rebuked the spirit.
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Jesus corrected the person.
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Jesus gave a choice with clear boundaries.
Battle of The Heart [FORGIVENESS IS ALWAYS AN OPTION]
(Luke 23:34; Matt. 6:14-15; Luke 6:37-38)
3 Types of forgiveness:
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Understanding - Knowing that they simply don't realize the gravity of harm they are causing
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Merciful - Knowing that sometimes hurt people hurt people.
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Unwarranted - Knowing that they don't deserve it but giving it anyway.
Forgiveness doesn't mean that you have to act like nothing happened. It is simply telling God that you don't want them to be punished on judgment day. It's choosing to release that person from justice at your own hands. It doesn't mean that you can't have emotions about it. You don't have to suppress emotional pain in order to "properly" forgive. Forgiveness is about you making a clear choice. And in the same way, so is asking for forgiveness and accepting it through Jesus Christ.
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Main Idea: How do you determine what is the right or wrong thing to do when it is not exactly clear in scripture? And is there any kind of grace or understanding for peculiar/unique circumstances? While there is an abundance of clarity for most subjects within scripture, there are certain things and situations that could be considered confusing or gray areas. Today we are going to learn how to interpret what's available, how to use our motives as a determining factor, and the importance of perspective when it comes to differing opinions.
1. Interpret What's Available
[NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU KNOW]
Luke 10:25-26 ; 2 Timothy 3:14-17
2. Identify Your Motive
[MOTIVES OF YOUR HEART REVEALS THE MORALITY OF YOUR DECISIONS]
Romans 14:17-19; Romans 14:23
3. Initiate With Grace
[NO PERSON IS MORE SUPERIOR THAN ANOTHER PERSON]
1 Corinthians 8:1-3; Romans 14:1-8; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
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