Trans4mation Church: Recent Episodes
Pastor Jim Balzano
The prize you want is the pursuit that you choose. What the church pursues is what the church values. The pursuit of political power in our nation runs rampant. We, His church, are in pursuit, but it is not of the power of this world. Using the church in the book of Acts this message reminds us, His church, what we should be pursuing.
God‘s presence would lead the Israelites out of Egypt manifested by a pillar of fire, a cloud, and an angel of the Lord. As they followed His presence they would be lead out of Egypt. However, the way into the promised land was the same as the way out of the land of captivity. As we exit 2020 and head into 2021 we must remember that we leave one by the presence of God and enter the other by the presence of God.
The sons of Israel were captive in Egypt for hundreds of years until God began to liberate them. Using Moses, to pronounce judgment against Egypt God would use darkness as one of His judgments. God sent darkness over the land of Egypt, but the Bible says the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. Darkness could not invade the houses of Israel for the God who is light illuminates their darkness. This Christmas let us remember Jesus is the light that illuminates our darkness today
Jesus told Pilate He came to testify to the truth. John said Jesus came to the earth full of grace and truth. Jesus was the testimony of truth about and for God. Yet, there were those who would attempt to suppress that truth. Even today there are those who would suppress the truth of God. We, as believers, live according to the truth presented by Jesus of this amazing God, who loves us so much. This is a reminder of one of the purposes for which God took on humanity.
Peter fished all night and caught nothing. It was a night of futility, but joy came in the morning in the presence of Jesus. And Jesus came with a directive word to offset the futility of Peter's night. It is a directive word of God that will often cause us to see things on the other side that we may not have seen. As we navigate these uncertain times He still provides a directive word to His people. Allow this message to cause you to hear his directive word and see what you might not have seen
Trying times have a way of causing discouragement, frustration and overwhelming anxiety. They can rob you of sleep, steal the words from your mouth and bring a crisis of faith. Psalm 77 is a Psalm of Asaph, who found himself in such a state. What did he do? He remembered! His present situation caused him to call to mind the strength, might and power of his God. The God who gave him victory in the past would be the same God who gave him victory in the present. This message will encourage you during difficult times to say: “I will remember!” You may have a troubled present but take heart. In Christ you have an overcoming history.
Throughout the Bible, we see that living in peace is something so common and encouraged, it is part of a common greeting for followers of Christ. This message challenges the chaos and anxiety that is too commonplace today and demonstrates how to live in the peace of God.
Jezebel was in covenant with a wicked and weak leader causing havoc in the kingdom of Israel. The spirit of Jezebel still wards against the people of God but has been defeated by Jesus, the anointed. If defeated, then our adversary only has power that we give through our tolerating of it. Our culture is being run by Jezebel but we, believers, do not have to be. Stop tolerating her.
When we get a glimpse of the majesty of God it should become the master of our lives. The Bible says He is robed in majesty. What does that mean? How is He robed? What does it mean in my life as I live in this world? This message is a small dip into the endless ocean that is God’s majesty. Let it master your life.
Where is your confidence in the day of trouble? Psalm 20 says in the day of trouble Yahweh will answer. The God of Jacob will protect. Help will come from the sanctuary, and support will come from Zion. All of this caused the Psalmist to declare he would not trust in chariots and horses but in the name of the Lord. The day of trouble will come, but in the day of trouble God will help you overcome.
The song around the throne begins with holy, holy, holy because He is holy. Psalm 99 tells us to praise Him because He is holy, to exalt Him because He is holy and to worship Him at his foostool because He is holy, Our God is holy. He is above this world yet not aloof. He is distinct from this world but not distant. He is separate from this world but not separated. He reigns in holiness. This message challenges us as believers to see Him in His majesty, splendor, and holiness, causing us to worship our holy God.
In a world of ever changing culture and political pursuit of power this message reminds us, as believers, where the true seat of power exists. The throne of God is the ultimate seat of power, and we must allow it to formulate our vision. We must see through the filter of the throne of God. As we do that, the atmosphere of the throne room should become the atmosphere of the believer. The culture of the throne room becomes the culture of our fleshly temple.
Jesus said that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. The purpose and the promise of Jesus was that we would have life. Belief is that which leads us to the life He wants for us. Our belief is our life. Our life is found in our belief. Allow this message to challenge you to what you believe and what you act upon in order to live the life He purposed for you
All through scripture we see God making a way for His people when there seemed to be no way. He made a way out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, through the wilderness and into the promised land. The reason he made a way is because He made a promise. He is the waymaker because He is the promise keeper. This message will encourage you to trust in the One who makes a way because He made a promise.
We live in a day of lawlessness. There is the violation of God’s law and the violation of civil law on many levels. Jesus said lawlessness would cause the love of many to grow cold. In a day of lawlessness the love of God must not grow cold for the law of God’s love is the witness to the world of lawlessness. This message will remind us, His people, to live the law of love in the land of lawlessness.
Faith and the word of God go hand-in-hand. The message we hear or the message we read, is only valuable to us if we combine it with faith. Faith in the written is faith in the author. Faith in the spoken is faith in the speaker. Faith in the word of God leads us to the promises of God. This message will challenge you to stand upon the word of God by combining it with faith that leads to action.
A parallel story of Gideon from Judges 6 / 7 and Gregory, a young up and coming baseball player. We see how God uses the unexpected to bring about victory.
What’s does God want from His church today? What does Jesus want from the church He is the head of? He wants a kingdom witness in the kingdoms of the world. He wants the church to be a voice shaped by what he hears from the mouth of God not political parties. He wants it to be a witness of a king and kingdom not of this world.
What do you do when your system doesn’t have the answers to the problem you’re facing? What do you do when your religious system can’t fix the problem? What do you do when the world system can’t fix your situation? This message uses two people, one with a religious system and another with the system of the world, to show us where to go when our systems don’t work. At the end of the system there isJesus.
Today many people, even believers, are being overcome by the state of our country and the world. But the truth is the Bible says we are overcomers. This message reminds us who we are and how we are overcomers in the world.
In a day of change we are changeless ones because of the Changeless Christ. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, therefore we will be unchanged in a changing world.
There are God directed steps in our lives. These steps often come with opposition. This opposition is often like storms that rage against us, but this message reminds us to put our faith in the Lord over the storm.
Paul and Silas were persecuted for doing the work of God. What was their response when put in prison? They prayed, they praised and they put on the person of Christ that led the jailer to salvation. This message is a vivid reminder for us of the power of prayer and praise that will not only change our situation but the situations of those around us.
In a day and age when the talk seems to be increasing about the mark of the beast, this message reminds us of the mark of the servants…faith. Who are the faithful and wise servants? When Jesus returns will He find them? What do they look like? This message reminds us of what it means to be faithful and wise servants.
If scripture shows us anything it shows us a God who was willing to invade our natural order to bring about His divine order. Faith is the substance that connects us to the divine order of God as we live in the natural order of this world. This message will encourage you to see God’s divine order in your life through your faith.
Hebrews tells us God made promises to men and women. Some of the promises were received and some not received in this life. Yet the One who makes the promise is faithful, therefore the promises are certain. This is a day when we need to live in the promises of God through faith. Allow this message to encourage you in this day we live.
Abraham lived as a stranger in a foreign land the Bible tells us. We live in a foreign land as this is not our home. But how do we live in a foreign land by faith? What does it look like? Living in these trying times, this message reminds us of faith that causes us to look beyond what we see in the natural as we live being blessed and being a blessing.
The first message of a series entitled: Faith IS, this message reminds us the walk of believers is one of faith not sight. Living in a temporary world we have the tendency to be shaped by what we see in the natural rather than what we see through the spirit. Ours is a walk of faith founded upon the eternal promises of God rather than the temporary things of this world.
In a day when the church just stands against racism and injustice we must remember our primary calling…ministers of reconciliation. Yes, we want race reconciliation, but our primary calling is to reconcile men to God. Men reconciled to God are then brought into the kingdom of God where racism doesn’t exist. It may exist in churchgoers, but it does not exist in His Kingdom. This message reminds us, His ambassadors, of our primary calling.
"Who is my neighbor?" the expert in the law asked Jesus. Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. While the religious community passed by on the other side of the road, the Good Samaritan came to the aid of the one who fell victim to injustice. The church is called to the cause of injustice. It is called to be a prophetic witness of a kingdom not of this world but sadly has at times chose to pass by on the other side of the road. This message will remind us where we need to be and how Holy Spirit helps us.
Pastor Peter Joudry discusses the current condition in which churches find themselves and highlights two current dangers as he emphasizes the connection between Holy Spirit baptism and the second coming of Christ.
We are living in a day, and always have, when political parties attempt to woo the hearts of the people to gain power. In the quest for power there is an attempt to steal the hearts of men and women to gain power. It is the same in the spiritual realms of our lives. There is a battle for hearts between the one who would pilfer our heart and the One who wins our hearts. Let this message warn you against the political climate we are in while at the same time encouraging you to allow the One who died for you to win your heart.
Their mother came with James and John to ask Jesus to give them seats of power, authority and greatness causing a rift with the brothers. In response Jesus laid out the path to true greatness through serving others. This message, part of a city-wide sermon series, will challenge the selfish ambitions that lurk within us causing us to come together in serving each other and Him.
This message is part of a city wide sermon series many churches in our city are participating in. What is the heart of all true prayer? Why pray? Why did Jesus pray? Why did the early church pray? This message presents the will of God as the heart of all true prayer. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus prayed for the will of God. The early church prayed for the will of God and then executed the will of God. The will of God discovered in and through prayer will always make us stronger.
How should the believer be praying as we navigate the Covid-19 pandemic? How should we be praying when we see things we are uncertain of? How do we pray for our state, nation and cities as we navigate through it? Is there a prayer I can pray that accomplishes God’s purpose and guards my heart and mind? This message reminds us of what Jesus told His disciples to pray. As it is prayed it has results in the world, but maybe more importantly is what it does in our own hearts.
The Apostle Paul said he learned to be content in whatever circumstance he was in. He also said he was very well content in weakness, insults, persecution, and a number of other things. How did Paul learn to be content? What is it that enabled him to be content in all situations? This message, in a day of discontent, will remind us, as believers, where our source of content is and how it happens.
Jesus cried out from the cross: "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they're doing." The cry from the cross was for the Father to forgive them. Who is them? Religious leaders condemned Him, Roman soldiers crucified Him, and disciples deserted Him. And the sins of the world put Him on that cross including our own. His cry for forgiveness came with the corresponding action of death that paid for the forgiveness He prayed for. And the resurrection was the Father saying: I've approved of You as high priest, accepted Your blood as payment for sin and...I have forgiven. And now the cry of the believer is: I am forgiven!
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and hope was riding with Him because He was their hope. The prophesied Messiah rode into their midst as they saw the prophetic word of God coming to pass causing them to shout praises to their anticipated King. Yet their hope ran out when the plan didn’t go they way they thought. Today we as believers don’t worship the anticipated king; we worship the actual King who brings hope to our lives. Allow this message to cause hope to rise in your heart because of the King who already came and is to come again.
David said: I saw the Lord always in my presence. David understood the presence of God in his life. He understood God was the one who took him by the hand. And because of that his heart was glad, his tongue rejoiced, and he pitched his tent in hope. Like David, we believers have the presence of God in our life always through the presence of the Holy Spirit. And because He is in our lives always we don’t just pitch our tent in hope; we are a tent of hope. Paul said our bodies are a tent in this world. Because of God's presence it is a tent of hope.
There is little doubt the world, our nation and our country have been shook by COVID-19. Many are feeling anxious over social distancing, business closures, and stay at home mandates. Some are prisoners to their thoughts and a sense of dread, but this message reminds believers that we are Prisoners of Hope. No matter the situation you find yourself, even beyond COVID-19, let this message remind you of the hope that binds you to the One who captured your heart.
This message preached during the second service on March 15 was in preparation for a powerful baptism service we had. The message views multiple baptisms in the book of Acts that were a result of someone preaching the message of Christ to those baptized. The message of Christ often caused a person to say: “What should I do?” This message will remind you and challenge you to be all in for the One who went all in for you.
This is a message delivered on the day we as a church gathered to celebrate the past year and to vision cast for the next year. It’s a reminder of who we are as Trans4mation Church and what we do as Trans4mation Church.
The second message of the I Will Sing series reminds us to sing the song of praise. Believers are in a battle against a real and formidable enemy that isn’t flesh and blood. The Bible also reminds us the battle belongs to the Lord. What do I do when the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy? I sing! I sing the song of praise that enthrones God over our circumstances and invites Him into them. When the enemy comes in like a flood….sing! Sing the song of praise.
This is the first in a series of messages entitled I Will Sing. The Bible is rich with music and singing. All throughout the Scriptures we see men and women singing because of the work of God on their behalf. This message, the Song of Deliverance, is a song that can only be sung by those who have been delivered by what Jesus did on the cross. It is a song that is all about our Deliverer. It is a song of testimony of those who have been delivered from the power of darkness. Allow this message to remind you, as believers, of the delivering work of Jesus in your life and then determine in your heart… I will sing.
How do we measure the goodness of God? There are those who would measure His goodness by the goodness of their lives. Others would measure it by the accumulation of things. Yet what is the goodness of God that all men hold in common? The goodness of God that all men can sing? This message takes a look at the life of Israel in seeing the goodness of God and parallels it with our lives so we can sing about the goodness of our God.
The commodity of time is something we all want more of today. This message teaches us how we need to continue our work of being good, doing good and working hard in obedience. As we do, in due time, we will experience a harvest . . . if we don’t quit.
Jesus tells two parables about a man sowing seed. The seed of today is the fruit of tomorrow. The fruit of today contains the seed of tomorrow. What is the seed Jesus is sowing? This message will encourage you to see just exactly what the seed of Jesus is and how we become seed in His hand.
The Bible says God was looking for a man after His own heart when He found David. When He found David Psalm 89 says He anointed him with His sacred oil. I Samuel shows us the account of David being anointed with this oil from Samuel, however the oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit who came powerfully upon Him from that moment. David started with a heart after God. God then anointed the heart and life of this man of God. Under this anointing David, God’s servant, would do all that God wanted him to do.
This message reminds us of exactly who Jesus was. Though He was born as a baby in a manger, He was so much more. He was born to be king. He is the King of the Kingdom of God and we believers are subjects in that kingdom. Yet, many times our attitudes and actions are defined by the kingdoms of the world in which we live rather than the kingdom He conferred upon us. This is a message for us to celebrate the season of our King but also champion the Kingdom of our King in all we do.
All through the Old Testament we see the work of priests on behalf of God for the kingdom of Israel. Through their service to God they would serve the kingdom through sacrifices and offerings. The king’s office and the priests office were distinct and separate, but in Jesus the two offices would be forever merged. Jesus, the king and the last High priest, would serve God in a manner that would forever establish His kingdom. Let this message cause you to behold your priestly King and see how He impacts your life today.
Paul told Timothy about this grace of God in his life then burst into a verse of praise. He praised the King eternal, King immortal, King invisible and the only wise God. Paul’s King is our King. This message will cause you to be reminded of the One who is eternal, immortal and invisible yet visible. And it will challenge you to, like Paul, live in a now moment to bestow glory and honor on our King both now and forever.
Pilate said to Jesus: “So, you are a king?” Jesus gave an affirmative answer to his question and, as a matter of fact, said it was for that purpose He was born into the world. He was King. He is King - then, now and future. Many people look to Him as savior, which He is. But salvation is a result of His position of kingship. Do you see your king? Do you recognize your king? See Him for He was born to be…King
As we celebrate the launching of Hope Community Church in Lower Fairview, this message is a reminder of how the redeemed join the Redeemer in the work of redemption. The Redeemer has a plan and expects the redeemed to be part of it. When the redeemed of the Lord participate in the redemption of the Lord, the ruins are restored, and the Redeemer receives the glory.
John, Jesus and the apostles preached a message of the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In doing so they were inviting men and women to step into the realm of the King and His Kingdom. It is an invitation to step into the culture of heaven now as we look forward to its fulfillment in the future. It is more than an invitation to get to heaven when you die but also have the kingdom of heaven as you live. You’re invited...will you accept?
What do you do when the world around you seems to be crashing down? When uncertainty wants to shape your countenances? When situations are beyond your control? You look up. You look up to see the One who is sitting on the throne. This message reminds us to look up when it all seems to be coming down.
So often, we make the culture church more about hype in Christ than we do about the message of hope. Pastor Troy dives into the authenticity of our walk with Christ and how we can declare Jesus is every aspect of who we are and what we do.
Paul told the Ephesians to stand in the day of evil with the armor of God. He then told them To pray in the Spirit at all times. This message uses the story of the day of evil that came upon king Jehoshaphat to show what happens when God’s people pray. When the day of evil comes stand firm...and pray.
Exodus 14 is a wonderful picture of Ephesians 6. The day of evil had come upon the Israelites that fled from pharaoh. They would need to stand still to see the salvation of the Lord in the day of evil. And stand they did. They stood in the very things Paul told the Ephesians to stand in. And, when they stood they saw the salvation of the Lord. Then they who were commanded to be silent..burst forth in song. There’s a time to stand and be silent, but there is a day to sing and that day is now!
The one thing we can be sure the devil bows to is the word of God. Scripture shows us over and over he bows when God speaks. In our struggle with him and his dark forces we have a weapon called the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. This message will demonstrate and reveal how we first receive the sword of the Spirt then we wield the sword of the Spirit. We stand firm…in the Word.
The helmet of salvation is meant to protect us against the schemes of the devil. What does this helmet look like? What is it made of? How is it worn? This message reminds us the origin of the helmet and the substance of the helmet we are to wear in our battle with the powers of darkness.
The enemy shoots flaming arrows at the people of God, but the Bible says the shield of faith extinguishes them. This message reveals some of the arrows of the enemy and how we, through faith, stand against them.
Continuing in our Stand Firm series this message takes a look at the ability to stand firm in peace. This world is absent of peace, but it does not mean we, as believers, must be absent of peace. The Bible promises peace. Scripture tells us to pursue peace. How do I stand firm in peace when I live in a world seemingly absent of peace? This message reminds us of where our peace comes from and how we live in it.
The scheme of the enemy is to throw us down and defeat us. God’s plan is for us to stand firm. Part of the armor of God is standing firm with the breastplate of righteousness. As believers we stand firm in righteousness because we stand firm in Christ who is our righteousness. This message will encourage you to stand firm… in the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul told the Ephesians to put on the armor of God so they could stand firm against the schemes of the devil. One of the things they were to put on was truth. Truth offsets the lies of the enemy. This message will look at the lies of the enemy and reveal how we, as believers, can stand firm In truth against those lies.
The third message in the Money Box series uses Paul’s writing to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 9. In that chapter he encourages them to give and bases his encouragement in using the illustration of sowing and reaping. Sowing is a faith action. Reaping is a result of sowing in faith. This message will challenge you to be a sower because you have faith in the One who is the supplier.
This message is part two of the series entitled The Money Box. Through this message we take a look at the privilege of grace-based giving. Using the example of Zacchaeus and the writings of Paul in II Corinthians 8, this message will bring to light principles of grace-based giving that is a responsibility of all who are children of God. Allow this message to draw you into the privilege of giving for the cause of Christ.
Judas was the keeper of the money box as Jesus and the disciples ministered throughout the land. Judas, as the keeper of the money box, mismanaged the money that belonged to Jesus because he was selfish, greedy and sinful. This message reminds us that the money in our hands is, in reality, the money of Jesus. And we are the keepers of the money box. What are we doing with His money?
The Bible says fathers are the glory of the sons. This message, spoken on Father’s Day, dives into how we as men of God can live lives our children can boast in. The message challenges us to our identity and to our role as the image of God as well as fathers and husbands. Allow this message to cause you to live a life your kids can be proud of.
Many Christians live incomplete and unfulfilled lives because they do not live out the fullness of what was provided at Calvary. This message will bring you to a place of seeing the fullness of Calvary and how we can live it out. God is calling for all believers to live as not just redeemed sons but also redeemed sons who are priests of God. The fullness of Calvary is lived out in a dual destiny of sonship and priesthood.
The church of Sardis in Revelation 3 is called upon by Jesus to wake up. He was calling it to an awakening. He tells them what was wrong with them but gives them prescriptive remedies to offset their spirit lifelessness. This message is part of the city wide sermon series and will challenge you to see if your reputation agrees with your reality.
The Holy Spirit is our advocate and active resource of power for the believer today. This message shows how God, through the Holy Spirit, uses us and all of our challenges and experiences to accomplish His purpose.
This is the second message in the City Wide sermon series. The message is focused upon prayer that brings joy to the city. Can prayer be a conduit for joy in the city? How does prayer bring joy to the city? Through this message you will be reminded of who you are and the importance of praying for the city. God’s heart is joy for a city and prayer is one of the conduits to fulfilling His desire.
This message is part of the City Wide sermon series in which 10 city churches are participating. Philip went to a city in Samaria and ministered the word of God to it that produced great joy in the city. This message looks at some of the principles employed by Philip in the city as well as challenges us to take look a that joy love in our hearts. Joy in the city comes from joy in the hearts of people.
Revelation 5 gives a great picture of the throne room of God. The search was made for one who was worthy to open the prophetic plan of God for humanity. Jesus, the Lamb of God who was worthy, stepped up to take the scroll and break the seals. The picture that follows gives us not only a glimpse of who He is but also gives a glimpse to who we are as believers. Allow this message to cause you to see yourself through the throne room of God.
On Resurrection Sunday Jesus, our high priest, came back out of the most holy place after making atonement for the sins of the world. He was the approved high priest, and He was the accepted sacrifice for sin. And In doing so He removed all the limits that stood between God and man. The limitless One made a way for the limited ones to live a limitless life in Christ.
In a day and age when it is easy to get discouraged, distracted and distraught we often find ourselves focusing on the things that cause these feelings. Yet, the scripture reminds us to fix our eyes in another place far above all of these things. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. He is the unchangeable One in the midst of changing times. His kingdom is the unshakeable one in the midst of times of shaking. This message is a reminder to fix your focus.
Today’s message brings us to a realization that our struggles are not against our past, our circumstances or even against other people but against an enemy who’s purpose is to bring destruction to the believer. We can recognize the enemy based upon his character and respond to the enemy through the declaration of the word and in prayer.
The people of Israel were in a time of national repentance and a return to the Lord. In the midst of that moment the enemy came to steal, kill and destroy, but the God of heaven thundered from on high and routed the enemy. Samuel set up a stone called Ebenezer (the stone of help) as a memorial for the people. This message will remind you to look at your Ebenezer moments to set the course for the future but also to look at not just the moment of Ebenezer but the One who is Ebenezer.
This is the last message of a three part series centering on the four points of personal transformation we teach here at Trans4mation Church. This message looks at the going aspect of our lives. We were lost, we were found. Then we grow, and lastly we go. But the going is directly related to the growing. Where we go and how we go is directly related to the growth in our lives. Let this message challenge you to grow so you can go.
God’s church is a living breathing body that He Himself is the agent of growth. As individual believers we are called to a life of maturity as we respond to His working in our lives. At Trans4mation Church we believe in four personal transformational principles: we were lost, He found us, we grow and then we go. Many believers stop at being found but never grow in their faith. God’s will for every believer is maturity. This message is a reminder to each of us at times to simply look ourselves in the mirror and say: Oh Grow Up.
There are dark moments in all of our lives that can be the result of many events. Those dark times can be times of uncertainty, mourning, sorrow and heartache. The darkness tries to surround and consume people, but the Bible makes a promise…The word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. God’s word is a light to us in dark places and dark moments. This message will encourage you to go to the word of God to bring illumination to your dark times.
There are four dots in the Trans4mation Church logo. Those four dots represent the transformation path we as believers take in our life. We go through a progression of being lost, found, grow then go. Today’s message is a look at what it means to be lost, and what it means to be found. The state of being lost is a state of being separated from the nature and attributes of God, but being found is a result of His grace and our faith. Allow this message to stir the anthem of: Amazing grace…how sweet the sound. I once was lost but now am found.
God told the great Joshua to not let the law of God depart from his mouth. He told him to meditate on it day and night. If he would do that then he would be prosperous and successful in leading the people into the promised land. Success and prosperity was in the heart of God for Joshua, but he would have to achieve it through the word of God. He would have to do IT. This message will challenge you to put the word of God in your mind, in your mouth and in your hands that will then align you with the will of God for your life.
The Bible is the written word of God that contains many instructions, blessings and promises for the believer. However, the word of God without being applied through faith is of no benefit to us. We cannot apply the word of God without faith. And, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Whether you heard the word of God or read the word of God, it takes faith to act upon it. God expects us to believe His written word because we believe Him, the author of the written. This message will challenge you to ask yourself a question: “Am I applying the word of God through faith?
The world is blessed because we have the holy scriptures inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote what they heard from God. Today we have the written because they heard, but do we still hear God through the Holy Spirit? Does God still speak? Yes. Does He still speak to men through His Holy Spirit? Yes. This message will challenge you to not only read the written word of God but to also tune your ears to hear the God of heaven who desires to speak to His creation.
This is the third message in our It Is Written series. In today’s message Pastor Peter Joudry will talk about and explain how to pray the word of God. The word of God contains many promises that God wants us to pray. As a matter of fact, He wants us to remind him of His promises. However you can’t remind Him of them if you don’t know what is written. Allow this message to stir your heart to get into the Word so you can experience the power of praying His Word.
Jesus told a parable concerning the word of the kingdom as seed sown into the soil of humanity. The seed was the same in all instances, and its power was the same in all instances. But the fruit that came from the seed was impacted by the soil. The word of God sown into the lives of men and women is the seed that brings forth fruit in our lives. This message challenges us to become the type of soil where Jesus can sow His seed in order to produce fruit for His kingdom. We are the soil upon which He desires to put His word, and it is His word that is able to change the soil. Allow this message to spur you to get into the written word of God so He can write it deep within the soil of your heart.
The phrase 'it is written' is used numerous times throughout the scripture. Jesus said it followed by scripture in the wilderness when being tempted by Satan. Paul used it many times when referring to Old Testament scripture to bring about truth. This message is the first in a series entitled: It is Written! The series is to highlight the importance of the word of God in the life of believers. This message focuses on the fundamental role of scripture which is revealing Christ. All throughout scripture Christ is revealed. Jesus even used the scripture to speak about Himself to the religious leaders of the day. Philip used scripture to reveal Christ to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Paul used scripture in multiple accounts to reveal Christ to those he preached. The fundamental role of scripture is to reveal Christ. Do you know Him through what is written? Allow this message to cause you to hunger for the word of God that brings greater revelation of Jesus.
The book of First Samuel tells the tragic story of Eli and his family's end. On the day that Eli and his two sons died, the ark of God was taken into enemy territory. This prompted Eli‘s daughter-in-law to name her son Ichabod because she said the glory was departed. The reality of the situation though was God was actually restoring the glory back to Israel. From this day flesh-driven men would not be leading Israel. From this day the word of God and manifestations of God would not be rare in the life of Israel. And while the ark indeed went into enemy territory it was not because it was captive, but rather He was bringing defeat to the idols of the land. Ichabod might mean the glory has departed, but that is not what God was doing. Our prayer is that we would have a year of Ichabod. A year when we will not be governed by the flesh, the word of God would not be rare, and manifestations of His presence will not be rare. After all, this is exactly What Jesus did througj His life, death, burial and resurrection. Because of what He did we are not governed by the flesh; His word dwells within us and manifestations are normal.
A baby was born in a manger 2000 years ago who brings great joy to humanity. However it is the ability to view the birth of Jesus through the end in order to rejoice over His beginning. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus brings salvation to humanity and causes us to rejoice over His birth. Truly the end gives me joy for the beginning. If you don’t have the joy of Christmas view the beginning through the end, and you will find the joy Christmas.
The Christmas story tells of angels, wisemen, shepherds and of course a baby born in a manger. While those are all part of the story, what is the story really about? What was really born in that manger? Yes, Jesus was born, but He was born there because of God’s great love for humanity. This message is a vivid reminder of the incredible and insatiable love God has for you. Allow this message to cause a renewed confidence of God’s love to be born in your heart.
God called Abraham to a life of faith. What would that mean? What would it entail? Some people want a moment of faith that gives them a life in eternity but not live a life of faith. This message outlines some principles of a life of faith as well as some of the promises that go with it. A life of faith blesses you, blesses through you and ultimately blesses God. This message will challenge you to ask yourself: Am I living a life of faith?
Peter lived for a season with the anticipation and expectation of what Jesus said he would become. Then came that fateful moment when he denied he even knew Jesus. Following that moment he would live with the aftermath of his decision only to return to his former way of life. However, Jesus came to him in the midst of the aftermath. He came to him as supernatural God, restoring redeemer and faithful friend. Through it all Jesus not only came in the aftermath but also produced aftermath in the life of Peter. If you have found yourself dealing with the consequences and aftermath of decisions let this message encourage your heart. After all He is God in the aftermath, and He is God of the aftermath.
This is a message meant to encourage believers in this present day. This present day can bring disappointment and discouragement, but the scriptures declare a future day. It’s a future day that’s brings a revelation of the life we now live by faith. It is that future day that brings hope in this present day. It is that future day that stirs faith for this present day. It is that future day that brings joy in this present day. There is a day when we will see by sight what we now see by faith. Be encouraged in this present day!
The Bible is very clear on how much God loves us, and that love is unconditional. Yet the fact remains even though He loves us, He isn’t pleased with our sin. This message looks at what is sin, why do we sin and what are we going to do about it when we do. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery to leave her life of sin. It was after receiving love, mercy and grace she was told by Jesus to leave that life. Because of what He did we leave our life of sin so we can live the life He intended for us. When grace comes in sin needs to leave. When love is given sin needs to be released. When mercy is offered sin becomes our offering. The message to the redeemed is simple: “leave the life of sin."
Many people have said: “How could God love me after what I’ve done?” The question is faulty because the premise of God being a conditional lover is faulty. This message attempts to bring us to a place of living confidently in the love of God. It attempts to change the question from “how can he love me” to desiring to answer these questions: How can He not love me? How do I return His love How do I love what He loves How do I love who He loves?
David was a man after God's own heart and yet committed a horrendous sin with Bathsheba. The result of his sin was death. The fruit of his repentance was something God said He loved when he told Nathan the prophet to call Solomon by the name of Jedidiah. Jedidiah was a name that brought hope to the repentant David. Jedidiah was the name by which Solomon would know God loved him even though his father was a murderer. Jedidiah was a man with a God appointment. King David commissioned a priest, prophet, and protector to raise that boy to his divine appointment. This message will bring hope to those who, like David, through repentance can produce something God loves. This message brings hope to those who, like Solomon, were born with a backstory. And, this message is a call for the church to be the priest, prophet and protector to raise up a Jedidiah generation.
The Apostle Paul reminded Titus that we were once lost until God’s kindness appeared. How did God’s kindness appear? It appeared in the form of Jesus. Through Jesus we see the kindness and love of the Father expressed to humanity. Out of that men are drawn into a born again experience and a renewing process of the Holy Spirit. Paul also expressed that we then become heirs of God. What does it mean to be an heir? What does an heir look like? How does an heir live? This message, using the model of Jesus, our fellow heir, outlines what it looks like to live as an heir and joint-heir with Christ.
The answer to the question is yes. But the answer begs another question. What do you love? The fact is everybody loves something or someone. Paul told Timothy that in the last days men would be lovers of self, lovers of money and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This message takes a look at these three things men will love in the last days while challenging Christ followers to insure the divine order of love is in fact in our lives.
The writer of Hebrews tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race set before us. This message looks at 6 offices and functions of the One whom we put our eyes upon and how these functions help us run the race. One of those titles of Jesus is the Forerunner. Because He was the forerunner you and I now run with confidence the race before us. This message will help you fix your eyes on the One who ran before us so we can run for Him and to Him.
The book of Leviticus gives instructions on how God would set the priests apart from the rest of the people. They were uncommon in the midst of the common people. God intended for them to be uncommon for the common good of the people. He chose them by work of grace, covered them with blood, and anointed them for uncommon purpose. This message is a reminder for us as believers, that we have been made priests by the blood of Jesus to be uncommon people with an uncommon purpose.
Consider Jesus - Apostle and High Priest: The writer of Hebrews called Jesus the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. His function in those two offices form the confession of our lives. What did those functions look like in His life? What do they mean to us today? Through His apostolic function Jesus, the Apostle, presented the God of heaven to men of the earth. Through His high priestly function He represented sinful man to a holy God. His work in these two functions form the foundation. of our confession and confidence. This message will remind you to...consider Jesus.
God is the mosaic maker who indeed turns the broken pieces of our lives into something good. Many of us are looking for the completed picture in order to say it’s good, but the process is good. This message takes a look at what we do while the process is going on. We believe therefore we speak. We speak from the treasure on the inside joy during the trial on the outside. We speak from the future not the present. Let this message encourage you as the mosaic maker
Is in the process.
Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Life has a way of bringing things our way that are not caused by God. Yet He can cause them to work together for our good. At times these things cause bits and pieces of you to be broken. However our amazingly good Father is able to take these broken pieces and make a beautiful mosaic with His incredible love as the centerpiece. This message reminds us that we can indeed go through all things because we have a Father who is for us and indeed can work all things for good even when all things aren’t good.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says there are three things sons do in secret and hypocrites do to be noticed by men. Hypocrites means actors. Jesus clearly defines the difference between actors and sons as well as the rewards for each. This message will cause you to ask...am I an actor or am I son?
Paul wrote to the Corinthians instructions on sharing communion with one another. Communion is a time when a covenant people look back on the death of Christ when God cut the new covenant between Himself and humanity. it’s a time when we proclaim or “preach” His death until He returns. In the process we are looking inward to see if our lives honor the sacrifice made by Christ. And, it is also a time when we look forward to the moment when Christ returns and we drink the fourth cup with Him in His Kingdom. Communion is a covenant connection of a covenant people with a covenant God.
The hardest decision people make in life is good and best. It is so easy to set up for good and yes this is a possibility. What does the best look like? Is it new cars, new homes new things or the abundance of stuff? Or is it a state of being in which we live? This message seeks to inspire us to pursue the best that God has for us while avoiding settling for good, and gives insight into what a state of best looks like.
This message was preached on a Sunday when we celebrated with those who were baptized into Christ. The book of Acts shows us a pattern of people hearing and receiving the message of Christ crucified and Christ raised form the dead. When they received that message many were baptized into Christ. It was a defining moment for these new believers because it was a cutting away of the past and stepping into a new life. They are saying…I’m All In. This message will cause you to ask…Are you All in?
“Do whatever your hand finds to do.” This was part of what Samuel said to Saul who would become the anointed King of Israel. The Holy Spirit would anoint Saul, and he would become a changed man. Samuel told him this anointing came with the ability to do what his hand found to do or what was required of him for the occasion. The anointing of God is the person of the Holy Spirit who changes a person into a new person. This anointing on a person however is for a people. God gave the Holy Spirit to believers to empower them to do whatever their hand finds to do. This message will encourage you to allow Him to lead you to do what you want and need to do.
So often, Father’s Day messages are about what dad’s need to do differently or better. But today we took the approach of releasing fathers from the burden of perfection to show there’s purpose in being vulnerable. Additionally we are released to unleash our children to reach their full potential in Christ.
This message was spoken two years ago at Trans4mation church, but prompted by the Spirit of God, Pastor Jim preached it again during this service. This service deals with the hurts that come into our lives through the enemy, from others and from life. The message is a vivid reminder of the healing that comes from Jesus, our Rock and Redeemer. Dealing with hurts? Dealing with wounds inflicted upon you? Healing is found in the presence of the Redeemer.
Continuing in a series on being sons of God, this message is a reminder that as sons we are to be practitioners of righteousness. Acts of righteousness and loving one another are proof of being a child of God. This message will ask this simple question: what are you practicing? What you practice is what you are.
One of the hallmarks of sons of God is that of being forgiven. We are the forgiven sons of God. As the forgiven sons we are to be forgiving sons. The standard of our forgiveness towards the brothers is the forgiveness we receive from the Father. The Father expects His sons to forgive His other sons. This message will challenge us to not just be a forgiven son but also a forgiving son.
God's plan after the death and resurrection of Jesus wasn’t for anointed places, things or even services. His plan was for anointed people who were anointed with the Spirit of His Son. This anointing was so the sons of God could both “do” and “be” by the power of the Spirit. This message will remind you that you, believer, are anointed sons of God.
The prodigal son was an immature son who wanted the things that were for his mature years. Once having them he squandered them ending up in an impoverished condition leading to living as a servant in a distant land. The story would be sad if it ended there, but it didn’t. The pathway to restoration was paved by his decision to repent and return to the Father who would restore him. Repentance became a revelation for the son to experience the Father in an even greater revelation.
Paul clearly says we become sons of God when we come to him through faith in Christ. Nothing other than faith makes us sons. Because we are sons the Father gives us the Spirit of his Son by which we now cry out - Abba Father. This message will encourage you to raise up a cry - the cry of the sons.
This message unpacks some foundational teaching while at the same time lays a foundation from which believers live a life of acceptance and approval from God. Those who come to Him through Christ come into a state of "being" that had nothing to do with human effort. That place of being then becomes the foundation from which we pursue the "doing." Live a life of security and joy as you know who you are and how you became who you are in Christ.
Adam was the created son of God who was given image, likeness and dominion to be about the Father's business. Yet the created son was banished from the garden because of becoming a rebellious son. However Jesus, the begotten of the Father, became the redeeming son that enables believers today to again become the created sons of the father. This message will remind you of just who you are because of Christ.
Most believers know that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter. However many of us can miss the rest of the story because of failing to see the details within the story. The full message of Easter is in the details. This message combines the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus with Levitical practices found in the Old Testament to bring out the full revelation of just who and what Jesus IS. Because He IS...we are.
Jesus came into Jerusalem on what is known as Palm Sunday, His triumphal entry that would culminate in a victory not won by might but through his death. The lamb that would be slain would win the victory. Some people were looking for a rescuer but Jesus was coming as more than a rescuer. He was coming as the redeemer! On lamb selection day Jesus presented himself as the last Passover lamb that would redeem humanity. This message will encourage you to choose the Lamb!
One of the most poignant and powerful stories of scripture is Jesus in the garden before His betrayal. It was a moment of distress and anguish for Him to the point of praying for a way of escape. However it ended with Him aligning his prayer with the will of the Father. What does His Father do for him at that point? He sends Him help from the sanctuary. He strengthens Him for the moment. This message will encourage you, in your garden moment, to look for help from the sanctuary.
This, the last message in the What's Love Got to do With it series, reveals what love in action looks like. The story of Jonathan and David reveals how a person loves another as themselves. The message however isn't an attempt to get us to be like Jonathan, even though he was worthy of imitation. The message however is to point us to Christ who was the true revelation of what it meant to love others as yourself.
The Apostle Paul penned the words to I Corinthians 13 to describe what love is, what it does and what it doesn’t do. The end of it famously reads: “and these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.” Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God. He said the second greatest commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself. That pretty much sums it up…love is the greatest of these. This message charges us, as believers, to not just love as I Corinthians suggests, but rather, become love. It’s not based upon a feeling; it’s based upon a decision to self deny in order to love others.
The names have been symbolic for over a century for a feud between two groups of people. If part of it, you were to love one and hate the other for they were the enemy. It was an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. Yet Jesus tells us we are to love our enemy. The American church seems to be in an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth mentality. They mock you...we mock them. They ridicule us...we ridicule them. It's not what Jesus has in mind. This message challenges believers to be an unoffended church who loves their enemies and presents the person of Christ.
The last thing Jesus did for His disciples was to wash their feet. This act of love was to become a foundation for which they were to love others. Jesus took the vessels of a servant to express his love but in so doing He creates vessels of love out of the disciples. Having received His love they were to become his pitcher through which love would be poured out on others. This message will challenge you to allow Him to make you a vessel of love.
Moses spoke to the generation of people who were going into the promised land. He was giving them instruction on how to live. He reminded them they were a people defined as loved by God. He reminded them they were a people who were to love God. And, he instructed them to be people who loved others. Love would define them and their actions as they possessed what God promised. This message reminds us that like them, we too, are a people who are loved by God, love God and love others.
This is the last sermon in the Out with the Old / In With the New Series. The book of Acts gives numerous examples of people hearing the message of Jesus, receiving the message of Jesus and then being baptized. These men and women were people who were being changed by the message of Jesus, who offered Himself as worship to the Father in order to redeem us. Upon hearing that message, it is interesting these people who heard and received the message also offered themselves in worship to the Father through baptism. The new man cannot worship according to the old covenant. This message will challenge you to be a new man who presents himself as a living sacrifice of worship to the Father.
Another sermon in our Out With the Old / In With The New series, this message takes a look at just who is the new man that is born when the old man dies. The bible tells us that person is a son of God. One of the greatest strategies of the devil is to get you to doubt you are a child of God and what that means. These principles will remind you that you indeed are a son and will help you to think as a son. The fullness of Christianity cannot be realized outside of the knowledge of sonship.
The Apostle Paul was once known as Saul the persecutor. He terrorized the early church but then became one of the churches' greatest apostles and ambassadors. How does that happen? How did he become a new man? What happened to the old man? This message takes a look at the conversion of Paul and his writing from Romans 6 to help us kill the old man so the new man can be raised by God.
The first message in the series: Out With the Old/In With The New, this message will encourage you to rid yourself of the Tobiahs in your life. Nehemiah found the enemy of God and His people residing in the temple because the priest allowed it. The rooms dedicated for the worship of God were replaced with the things of Tobiah...until someone threw him out. This message will remind you that you are a priest and a temple where Tobiah doesn’t belong. Throw him out.
Jesus proclaimed, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The Bible also says: “God’s loving kindness leads us to repentance.” These two statements give us a foundation for repentance - God’s goodness. Seeing the kingdom of God in all its goodness and the King in all His goodness becomes the standard by which I measure myself, and find myself in need of a change of mind. Any other standard by which we repent is a faulty standard. This message will cause you to see the standard who is Jesus and His kingdom.
What is eternal life? When does it start? How does it impact my life now? These are some of the questions attempting to be answered through this, the last message in the sermon series, The Answer. Jesus was God’s plan to give eternal life to all who would believe in Him. This message will encourage you to perhaps see the concept of eternal life a little different than you may. It is a challenging but encouraging reminder for all of us to look to Jesus as the answer to life.
Death came as the consequence of sin and thereby became a shadow that lingered over humanity. The Bible says those sitting in the shadow of death had a great light dawn upon them. The Light? Jesus! Jesus was God’s answer to death as He came to destroy death and the one who had the power of death. This message helps us during this Christmas season celebrate the One that God sent to swallow up death and bring life and immortality.
Lucifer was God’s adversary who rebelled against Him in heaven who then became the adversary of man here on earth. In Genesis 3 we see the adversary tempting man to rebel against God. All through scripture we can see him working against God and humanity. What was God’s answer to this enemy? Jesus. We celebrate the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season. God sent His son into the world and He became our answer for our Adversary. This message is a vivid reminder that Jesus did appear to destroy the works of the devil.
God created man and gave him every provision he would need to serve him in the garden. With the provision came one prohibition that was meant for the good of man not to withhold good. When man took the forbidden fruit, sin entered the world with its consequences. Man had no answer for His sin but God promised He would provide the answer from the seed of the woman. Thousands of years later Jesus, God’s Answer, was born of the virgin so that humanity could be saved from sin. This message will cause you to remember to celebrate the one who is God’s Answer.
This message was shared on the day we received a special offering for our new classroom facility. The message however, is more than a fundraising message but rather it is a generation raising message. In the midst of the sermon we had some fun giving stuff away while at the same time laying out the principles of what we plan to do in that facility with our present and future generations. Using some giveaways we laid out the principles of enlightening, equipping and empowering a generation.
Our lives have many defining moments in them. Some of those moments are joyful, and others can be sad. Defining moments are simply part of life, but what can we glean from them? What and who is defined during those moments? This message attempts to answer those questions and bring out some principles that we can apply when we find ourselves at true defining moment in our lives.
The Apostle Paul had a lot to say about money and giving. The same Holy Spirit who inspired him to write on subjects such as grace, faith, regeneration, and many other subjects inspired him to write about money. Sadly, many Christians want to rely on some of those writings except when it comes to their money. The fact is giving statistics for the American church are abysmal yet therein lies a great hope. Imagine the untapped power and potential when God’s people truly begin to put “their money where their mouth is”. This is a message directed squarely at believers taking on the responsibility of godly giving and seeing the blessings of it. And at the end of it all the best part of it is that it all brings glory to God.
Ephesians 3:20 says God is able to do immeasurably more than we can think or imagine. Why is that possible? It’s possible because of the One who is Immeasurable. Only the God who IS immeasurable can do the immeasurable. And the great news is that we, a limited and measured people, can come into covenant with the One who is immeasurable, and now the immeasurable is possible for us. This message will challenge you to believe for God’s immeasurable simply because He, the Immeasurable One, is able and willing to do it in our lives.
Peter sat before Jesus and heard the words out of Jesus’ mouth: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.” I don’t know about you but I can think of a whole lot of things I would have rather heard Jesus say. Who wants to be sifted? Not me. But, the words that followed next should have been of great comfort and encouragement to Peter… ”But I have prayed for YOU." Peter was going to be sifted, but he had someone praying for him before he went through it and while he was going through it. Who prays for you matters! And is there any better intercessor in our lives than Jesus? Take heart…If you are being sifted…you are being prayed for. And the one praying is better than the one sifting!
Do you want something from God? Do you want more of God? The next question then is…What are you prepared to do that is out of your ordinary so that you can experience the out of the ordinary God? This message takes a look at the encounter of Naaman who had leprosy going to Elisha for healing from God. Elisha commanded him to do something that didn’t make sense to him and was out of his ordinary. This message will challenge you to do something out of your ordinary that just may lead you to out of the ordinary things.
A generation stood at the threshold of the promised land, God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants. Joshua would lead this generation into the promised land to possess what God had promised to his forefathers. One generation had stood in that very same place but was unable to secure the promise. God makes promises and He keeps them even if they are years later. Are there promises that God has made for your life, family, city and region that He still intends on keeping but is going to do it through you? Let this message stir your hearts to believe and receive ancient promises.
David sinned when he slept with Bathsheba and conspired to have her husband killed. The child born out of that act died. Solomon was born to David and Bathsheba after their subsequent marriage. They named him Solomon, but God sent the prophet Nathan to give him another name: Jedidiah. The reason for this name change was because God had a message for Him: “I love you.” The God of heaven would personally send a prophet to let him know how much He loved him. That’s an awesome God. Do you know how much He loves you? This message will help you see how much, in spite of every situation, God is radically in love with you.
Do you believe God can bless you more than you can ask for? Do you believe He has a plan greater than you can dream? What would happen if He did immeasurably more than you could even think or imagine? This message is meant to stir you to begin to see the possibilities of God's immeasurable for your life. Originally preached in the Fall of 2016, we believed it needed re-preached as a now word for this moment.
The expression ”I could have never imagined” or “never did I think this or that could happen”... There are lots of people living life but living it with things they can only imagine happening in their life. Yet, is it possible that some of what you can only imagine has already been prepared for you by God? Some only dream of a life free of addiction, but God has prepared freedom for them. Others can only imagine a life full of joy, peace or love but again, these have already been prepared by God. And, the great news is He wants to tell you about what He has prepared for you through His Holy Spirit.
Racism and prejudice is real. Injustice is real. However they are not new as can be seen throughout history. Even Jesus had to deal with his own disciples in this area. Our nation is being challenged on so many levels, and the church has to find its place in the struggle. This message attempts to remind followers of Christ just who and what we are presenting during this time.
There are times in our lives when we just have to take a stand and see God work for us. The people of God took a stand at the Red Sea and saw him perform valiantly on their behalf. This message will encourage you to likewise take a stand when the day of evil comes upon you.
Nehemiah told the people of God in the restored Jerusalem the joy of the Lord would be their strength. It’s an amazing statement that sometimes can only be understood when you need strength for the moments that life throws at you. In the midst of sorrow, hardship, and trial there is the presence of joy that sustains you that is almost unexplainable. This message attempts to reveal this principle in a way that will help you receive joy from the Lord that becomes your strength.
The calling of the disciples is well documented throughout scripture. Today, we follow the journey of Nathanael (a.k.a. Bartholomew) as his initial concept of anyone from Nazareth to be quite skeptical including Jesus. Through his encounter with Christ, he quickly changes his viewpoint and becomes a disciple of Jesus and a missionary to many nations.
Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a man who planted wheat in the field where the enemy also planted weeds. The wheat are the sons of God Who are planted by God in this world. This message is a call for the rising of the sons of God in this hour. It reveals what it looks like for the sons to rise and how they rise. In a day and age when evil is right alongside righteousness this message will challenge you to arise, sons of God.
You can’t see it. You can’t touch it. But, it’s there, it’s working and it’s transforming the whole. You can’t see it but you can see its effect around you. What is it? The kingdom of God. Jesus said: The kingdom was like leaven hidden in the dough that made the whole come alive. The whole was transformed by the insertion of the kingdom. It’s working in you as a believer. It’s working in your church through each of you. It’s working in our city through sons and daughters of the kingdom. It’s time…Leaven Rising.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to the exiles living in Babylon. In it God gave them specific directives on how to live in the land he had placed them. Two of those directives were to seek and pray for the shalom of the city. Often interpreted as only peace the word shalom is so much more expansive than one word. What does it mean to seek and pray for the shalom of a city? This message attempts to cause us, His people living in this land, to seek and the pray for the shalom of our city and the personal blessing that is attached to it.
James said that every good and perfect gift is given to us from God, the Father of Lights. Unfortunately God gets too much blame for the evil things done on the earth through the sin of humanity and the temptation of the devil. This message attempts to remind us of the goodness of God and the mere fact that He himself is not tempted nor tempts others to do evil. Our God is not a co-conspirator with evil. But He is the author of goodness, and this message challenges us to see Him as He is.