Reach Community Church: Recent Episodes
Heath Caddell
There are some things you can figure out on your own. You can learn by watching, listening, studying, and gaining experience. But when it comes to the deepest things of God, human wisdom can only take you so far. There are truths about God, salvation, and the cross that we would never discover unless God chose to reveal them to us. That is exactly where Paul takes us in todays text. The wisdom of God was hidden from the world, but through the Holy Spirit, it has now been revealed.
s Word does not flatter us or condemn us without hope. It shows us what is really happening beneath the surface. The question is not whether we can look changed. The question is whether we are actually becoming more like Jesus.
Most of us are more comfortable with rules than relationships.Rules feel manageable. Tell me what to do, what not to do, and how well I need to perform. Then I can measure myself, compare myself, and stay in control. But Jesus did not come simply to give us a better list of rules. He came to give us a new life and teach us a new way through our live with the holy spirit.
Most of us do not mind trusting God when the water is calm.When the wind is gentle, the plan makes sense, and the people around us agree, in those times faith feels pretty easy. But what happens when the wind changes? What happens when the thing you trusted starts falling apart? What happens when the ship you were counting on begins to break beneath you? Acts 27 is not just a story about a storm at sea. It is a story about what a faith that holds together when everything else falls apart. Because storms are coming so when need to be prepared.
the freedom to worship, speak, assemble, and pursue opportunity. Those are incredible gifts, and we should thank God for them. But this morning I want to ask a different question. What is real freedom? Most people think freedom means doing whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want. But is that really freedom? Because even in one of the freest nations on earth, people are still imprisoned every day by guilt, shame, addiction, fear, anxiety, bitterness, and sin. You can live in a free country and still not be free.
Have you ever noticed how quickly people can change? One day you're the hero. The next day you're the villain. You get the promotion... everyone congratulates you. You make one mistake... everyone questions you. Social media can make you famous on Monday and cancel you by Friday. If your identity is built on the approval of people, you'll spend your life riding an emotional roller coaster. Acts 14 shows us a man who experienced both extremes in less than 24 hours. One crowd tried to worship Paul as a god. That same crowd later picked up stones to kill him. So what kept Paul going? His life wasn't built on the opinions of people. It was built on the mission of Jesus. And that's the question this passage asks every one of us: Whose approval are you living for?
We live in a culture that wants everything to be easy, convenient, and inexpensive. We want: Fast food, Fast internet, Fast results, and Convenient Christianity. Many people approach worship the same way. We want worship that fits our schedule. Worship that doesn't interrupt our plans. Worship that doesn't require sacrifice. Worship that costs us nothing. But throughout Scripture, worship has always involved sacrifice. When Abraham worshiped, it cost him a journey and his son. When the widow worshiped, it cost her last two mites. When Mary worshiped Jesus, it cost her an alabaster jar worth a year's wages. When Jesus worshiped the Father through obedience, it cost Him His life. And here in 2 Samuel 24, David teaches us a powerful truth: Worship that costs nothing is worth nothing.
t exist. We try to fight spiritual battles in human strength, overcome sin with willpower, and live the Christian life exhausted, frustrated, and empty. But Jesus never intended His disciples to follow Him powerless. The Christian life was never meant to be sustained by your strength, your discipline, or your effort alone. Acts 2 shows us what happens when ordinary people are filled with the Spirit of God. Fearful men become bold witnesses. Weak people become powerful instruments in the hands of God. And the same Spirit that filled the early Church is still available to empower disciples today.
s looking for disciples who will follow Him no matter what He asks, no matter what it costs. Because in Him there is fullness of life.
re going to Psalm 42, where we meet a man who refuses to let his discouragement have the final word.
t just want Israel out of slavery. He wanted to dwell with them. And the question that hangs over the second half of Exodus is this: Can a holy God really live with a stubborn, sinful people? Exodus 40 answers that question.
The tension we face during this season is the same struggle that follows us all year long: we are in the habit of putting our hope in other things. We may never say that out loud, but our hearts often drift there. Advent re-centers us. It reminds us that true hope is not found in circumstances, accomplishments, or holiday expectations. It is found in Christ alone.
Jesus came to fix that problem once and for all.So the question this morning is: What sacrifice are you trusting in?
reveal that difference. One ends in captivity. The other fuels the gospel. Because when God speaks, the outcome always depends on how we respond.
a prayer. Not a prayer for comfort or blessing, but a prayer that they would grow deeper, stronger, and more fruitful in their walk with Christ. Because when the gospel takes root, it changes everything about how we live, think, and endure.
s text helps us. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5 that the way we endure is by fixing our eyes on eternity. This world is temporary. Our bodies are temporary. But our hope is eternal, our home is eternal, and our mission is eternal.
s text from 1 Corinthians 9, Paul shows us how far he was willing to go so that others might hear the gospel and believe.
s it worth to you? Today we will unpack just two verses in Romans 12 that make this bold claim. So buckle up.
It's God's desire to see us saved. That's really where we start over, and start well. Our walk with God is like a race, but it's not a sprint, it's more like a marathon. How do we keep going, so we can finish well? Come join us at Reach Community Church this Sunday as we look at an example from scripture that we can learn what to do and not do, as we walk with our God.
and to trust our sovereign God who is working all things for your good and His glory. God loves you and is calling you into a life that is full.
s people, where power stood at their gates, and where deliverance came in a way no one expected. Not through might. Not through negotiation. But through the faithfulness of God.The question is: What are you depending on to make you feel free? And are you sure it can actually deliver?
There’s a moment in every believer’s life when you wonder if your failure disqualified you. Not just a mistake—but a deep regret. A betrayal. A silence when you should have spoken. A distance you never thought you'd drift. Have you ever looked at your own heart and thought, “Jesus can’t possibly still want to use someone like me”? This story isn’t just about Peter—it’s about Jesus. About how He deals with broken people. About how love restores, redeems, and recommissions. About how grace doesn’t give up when we do. And what happens here? It’s not just a reunion. It’s a restart.
Have you ever felt like your joy was leaking? Like you're doing all the right things—working hard, showing up, even reading your Bible—but something deep inside still feels flat, restless, or empty? We live in a world that offers quick hits of happiness but leaves us hollow. We’re surrounded by people chasing after pleasure, performance, and possessions, but somehow missing the one thing they were made for: lasting joy. Jesus doesn’t just want to get you through life—He wants to fill you with His own joy. Not a cheap substitute. Not a surface smile. But a deep, abiding joy that outlasts your circumstances and flows out of your relationship with Him.
Have you ever been caught off guard by someone’s kindness—so unexpected, so undeserved, it left you speechless? Maybe it was a note you didn’t expect, a debt forgiven, or a friend who showed up when everyone else walked away. There’s something powerful about love that stoops low. It unsettles our pride. It rewrites our expectations. And if we’re willing, it reshapes how we see ourselves—and everyone around us. Today, we step into one of those moments—where love doesn’t shout or shine, but kneels quietly and does what no one else is willing to do. And it just might change everything.
Imagine walking into a feast where every dish promises to satisfy your deepest hunger, but as you reach for the first bite, you realize it's only a shadow, a faint echo of the real thing. This is the tension Jesus confronts in John 6. The crowd had tasted the miraculous bread, felt the buzz of divine power, but they were still starving spiritually. When Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life," He wasn’t just offering a meal — He was inviting them into a deeper reality, one that transforms temporary satisfaction into eternal life. But this invitation comes with a challenge: it’s not about tasting but abiding, not just knowing but consuming, not just following from a distance but being united with Him in the most personal, life-altering way possible.Today, as we dive into this passage, we’re confronted with a choice — will we settle for spiritual snacks or feast on the true, living bread that fully satisfies?
Today, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, we honor not just those with children in their arms, but also those with children in their hearts, dreams, and prayers. Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel captures both the deep sorrow and the profound joy of motherhood. Her journey reminds us that God sees the forgotten, hears the desperate, and sometimes does the miraculous. This message is for everyone who has ever prayed for a child, for those who have struggled with loss, for those who mother others through mentoring, and for those who have chosen a different path. You are seen, valued, and loved by the God who sees the hidden tears and hears the whispered prayers. As we reflect on Hannah’s story today, I want you to see that her journey points us not just to the power of prayer, but to the deeper hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like Hannah, we all experience longing, brokenness, and the need for redemption. Today, you can find the same grace and hope that transformed her
“Alright, let’s talk vegetables… or technically, fruits. This is a cucumber. And it’s a lot like us — fresh, full of potential, but still kind of… plain. Nothing wrong with it, but let’s be honest — no one’s lining up for cucumber-flavored chips. On the other hand a pickle. Same vegetable — totally different vibe. Pickles have flavor. They’ve been changed. Transformed. But here's the thing: this guy didn’t get this way by trying harder. It didn’t wake up one morning and say, ‘Today’s the day! I’m going full dill!’”……..“It got this way by sitting. Soaking. Being immersed in a new environment — day after day. That’s what changed it. And honestly? That’s how spiritual growth works too.” “You don’t become more like Jesus by gritting your teeth. You become like Him by staying close — abiding. That’s what we’re diving into today.”
Hallelujah was never meant to be tied to good days. It’s the cry of a soul that says, "My God is greater than my circumstances!” It’s the song you shout when the walls haven’t fallen, when the breakthrough hasn't come, when you're still waiting — but you trust Him anyway.Today’s message is simple and powerful: Praise is a choice. It’s not built on what you see — it’s built on who He is. It’s not driven by feelings — it’s anchored in faith. And when you choose to worship through the storm, you shake the very foundations of the darkness around you. Today we’re not just talking about worship — we’re stepping into a Hallelujah Anyway kind of life.
Some words stay with us forever — a final goodbye, a whispered “I love you,” a promise that held us up in our darkest hour. But no words in history carry more weight than these: “Father, forgive them.”They were spoken from a place of unimaginable agony — nailed hands, a bleeding brow, surrounded by mockers. And still… He prayed for mercy.But how do we know His prayer wasn’t just a beautiful sentiment? Because three days later, the stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. And forgiveness wasn’t just a hope — it became a reality, backed by the authority of the Risen King. So today, let us turn to the Word of God to shape our future. Let us come with soft hearts, ready to receive God’s invitation — to step into life in all its fullness.
Have you ever gone to extreme lengths just to help someone you love? Maybe you’ve rearranged your whole schedule, drained your savings, or driven through the night — not because it was easy, but because it mattered. Love gets creative. Faith gets bold. Desperation breaks through ceilings. As we continue our journey to the cross in this series, Father, Forgive Them, we’re leaning in to the scandal and the beauty of forgiveness — the kind that breaks barriers, rewrites stories, and reaches deeper than we often expect. Last week, we asked the question: Who needs forgiveness? And we saw that Jesus offers it to the person the world least expects — a woman with a past, and a heart that runs toward grace. Today, we’re looking at a moment where forgiveness doesn’t just walk through the front door — it comes through the roof. And what Jesus says and does in this moment doesn’t just shift the room — it rattles the entire religious system. Because Jesus isn’t just willing to forgive… He’s determined to. He doesn’t wait for us to get everything right. He honors faith that risks, that carries, that climbs — and He offers healing that starts in the soul. Let’s step into this story — not just to admire the miracle, but to meet the Savior who still sees our need… and speaks forgiveness before we even ask.
There are few words more surprising—more offensive, even—than the ones Jesus spoke from the cross: “Father, forgive them…” In that moment, bleeding and mocked, Jesus wasn’t just showing mercy—He was defining His mission. Forgiveness wasn’t an afterthought. It was the reason He came. But here’s the tension: forgiveness only matters if we know we need it. And that’s where we often get stuck. We divide the world into “good people” and “bad people.” We compare sins like they’re stains that can be scrubbed out with enough effort. And some of us—like the woman in today’s passage—know our need all too well. Others—like the Pharisee sitting next to Jesus—aren’t so sure they need anything at all. So before we get to the cross… Before we hear Jesus pray for those who nailed Him to a cross… We have to ask a deeper question: Who needs forgiveness? And maybe more importantly—do I? Let’s find out together.
Imagine standing in the wilderness, surrounded by crowds who have come not for entertainment, but for transformation. That’s where we meet John the Baptist in Luke 3. He’s not preaching comfort—he's calling people to repentance, preparing the way for the coming Messiah. His message is bold: "Turn from your sins, and bear fruit that proves your heart has changed." In todays verses, John announces a baptism of repentance, confronts complacency, and urges his listeners to live lives marked by justice, generosity, and integrity. He points beyond himself to One far greater—One who will baptize not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire. Today, as we step into this passage, we are invited to hear John’s challenge afresh: How are we preparing the way for Jesus in our own lives?
Have you ever found yourself in a season where God has spoken a promise over your life, but you have yet to see it fulfilled? Maybe you’re waiting for healing, restoration, provision, or direction, and in the waiting, doubt begins to creep in. It’s one thing to praise God when the answer has come, but what about when you’re still in the middle of uncertainty? Mary, a young girl from an insignificant town, had just received an astonishing word from the Lord. She would give birth to the Messiah. Yet, at this moment, nothing in her outward circumstances had changed—she was still an unwed teenager in a society that wouldn’t understand her pregnancy, still facing an unknown future. And yet, she lifts her voice in magnificent praise.This is the heart of faith: worshiping God not because we have seen the promise fulfilled, but because we trust the One who made the promise. When we believe in God's faithfulness, we can magnify His name even in seasons of waiting. Today, we will explore how Mary’s song teaches us to rejoice in the character of God, to trust in His perfect timing, and to proclaim His greatness—even when we haven’t yet seen how His promises will unfold.
There’s a big difference between renting and owning. When you rentsomething—a house, a car, or even a tool—you may have access to it, butit doesn’t truly belong to you. You use it for a time, but in the end, youanswer to the owner. Yet, how often do we live as if we own what has onlybeen entrusted to us? Our lives, our resources, our time—all of it has beengiven by Someone else, yet we often cling to them as if they are ours tocontrol. Jesus tells a story that reminds us of this truth: We are renters, notowners. And how we handle what we’ve been given will determineeverything. The question today is, Are we living as faithful stewards, or arewe trying to claim ownership over what belongs to God?
Have you ever tried to walk in two directions at once? It’s impossible.Imagine standing at a crossroads, one path leading toward God’s kingdomand the other toward the world. Many of us try to keep a foot on both paths,thinking we can balance our love for God with our attachment to worldlythings. But eventually, we’re forced to choose—because a divided heartcannot stand. Jesus spoke a powerful truth when He said, “A house dividedagainst itself cannot stand.” We see this principle everywhere—nationscollapse under internal strife, families fall apart when unity is broken, andeven churches weaken when division takes root. But the most dangerousplace division can occur is within our own hearts. Too often, we try to servetwo masters. We want to trust God, but we also want control. We desireholiness, but we still chase worldly pleasures. We long for peace, but wecling to worry and doubt. This internal battle leaves us weak, exhausted,and spiritually unstable. But Jesus doesn’t call us to half-hearted devotion.He calls us to full surrender. Today, we’re going to examine what it meansto be “a house divided” and how we can build our lives on a foundation thatstands firm in Christ. The choice is before us—will we be fully devoted toGod, or will we remain divided?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where justice seemedcompletely reversed—where the guilty walked free while the innocentsuffered? Moments like these leave us unsettled because they go againsteverything we believe about fairness and righteousness. Yet, at the veryheart of our faith lies the most profound and shocking exchange in history.An innocent man took the place of a guilty one, not by accident, but bydivine design. This was not just a failure of human justice but the fulfillmenof God’s redemptive plan. It was a moment where mercy triumphed overjudgment, where righteousness bore the weight of sin, and where lovewillingly embraced suffering so that the condemned could go free. Today,we stand in the shadow of that exchange. The question is—what will we dowith it? Will we see it as a distant event of history, or will we recognizeourselves in the story? The answer changes everything.
Have you ever held onto something so tightly that letting go feltimpossible? Maybe it was a dream, a possession, or even a sense ofsecurity. We like to think we’re in control, that our efforts, our good deeds,and our checklists will get us where we want to go. But what if the verything we cling to is the thing keeping us from something greater? Today,we’re going to talk about what it really means to follow Jesus—not just withour words, but with our whole lives. Jesus is more interested in our heartsthen just what we do with hands and words.
Today marks the final day of our 21 days of prayer and fasting, as well as the conclusion of our Pray series. Throughout this journey, we have heard the words of Jesus as He taught His disciples to pray, recognized the importance of withdrawing to pray, and told not to give up but to keep praying. This morning, we will seek to understand what it means to lament in prayer. To lament is to express deep grief or sorrow passionately. This is an art that has been largely lost in the modern church, partly because we do not teach or practice it. Interestingly, 40% of the Psalms are prayers of lament, and there is an entire book of the Bible called Lamentations. I believe today’s prayer topic has the potential to transform our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We must learn to bring the storms of pain, suffering, anxiety, and conviction that rage within us to the right place—God. Whether we realize it or not, we are doing something with these painful emotions. Let us learn the practice of lament.
Welcome to week three of our series on prayer. Quick questions have you been praying? In week one, we started with the Lord’s Prayer, where Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. Last week, we looked at the importance of withdrawing to pray, learning that if Jesus needed to step away and spend time with the Father, so do we. We all know we should pray and take time with God, but what about when it feels like prayer isn’t working, or life isn’t going our way? Over the next two weeks, we’ll tackle the hard parts of prayer. Today, we’ll explore what it means to pray persistently, trust God’s timing, and align our hearts with His will. Persistent prayer isn’t about wearing God down—it’s about deepening our trust in His character and promises. Let’s dive into Luke 11 and discover how Jesus calls us to "ask, seek, and knock" with bold faith and unwavering persistence.
Good morning, church family! Last week, we began our Pray series by diving into the Lord’s Prayer, where Jesus taught us how to pray. Today, we’re focusing on why prayer is so vital by looking at the example Jesus Himself set. Throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus frequently withdrew from the crowds to pray and spend time with His Father. This wasn’t just about finding a quiet place—it was about prioritizing intimacy with God in the midst of a busy and demanding life. If the Son of God, who was constantly surrounded by people and responsibilities, made space to connect with His Father, how much more should we? This morning, we’ll explore what it means to follow Jesus’ example of withdrawing to pray—how it refreshes our souls, strengthens our faith, and helps us stay aligned with God’s will. Let’s dive in and learn how withdrawing to prayer can transform our walk with God.
Today, we begin a new series called Pray. Historically, Reach has started each new year with 21 days of prayer and fasting as a way to prepare our hearts and align with God’s purpose. This year is no different. The key ingredient to the next 21 days is prayer. Over the next few Sundays, we’ll dive into the significance of prayer—something that, for many, has become a source of guilt for not doing enough rather than the incredible gift God intended for His children. For the next few weeks, we’ll focus on this transformative truth: God is our source of clarity, vision, purpose, hope, peace, and joy. If that’s true, the big question is: How do we get to this place of clarity? If prayer isn’t part of the process, you won’t experience these blessings fully. If you’re seeking clarity in your life, ask yourself, What are you willing to do to achieve it? Clarity doesn’t come without a cost. Consider a common New Year’s resolution, like losing weight—it takes effort, sacrifice, and discipline to see it through. A 2018 study by Strava, a social network for athletes, revealed that January 12 is the day most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions. Why? Without commitment and intentionality, we lose momentum. Now, let me ask you this: Is your spiritual health not far more important than your waistline? So I’ll ask you again, What are you willing to do to pursue clarity in your life? Let’s step into these 21 days with purpose, leaning into prayer and allowing God to shape our vision for the year ahead.
When God entered this world, He did so in a way no one could have expected. It wasn’t in a palace or with great fanfare, but in a small, unremarkable town, in a barn surrounded by animals, born to poor parents under circumstances that seemed questionable to others. Yet, in this humble arrival, God made His way into our world so that we could experience God with us. No longer would there be a great divide between the Creator and His creation. God chose to put on flesh to bridge the gap, offering you and me the chance to reconnect with the very source of life itself. Through Jesus, He invites us into a kingdom life filled with purpose, hope, and a future. But this invitation often comes through an interruption—an interruption meant for our ultimate good. Jesus entered this world to show us the depth of His love—His love for the world, and His love for you.
Today, we continue exploring the God-ordained interruptions that led to the birth of the Savior of the world. This week, we turn our attention to a lesser-discussed character in the birth narrative of Jesus—Joseph, the adoptive father of our Savior. While not much is written about Joseph, his role is no less significant in the story that has captivated hearts for over 2,000 years. Sometimes, being a supporting character rather than the star of the show can still lead to an extraordinary and meaningful ending.
Today, we continue our Christmas series, Life Interrupted, with another visit from the angel Gabriel—this time to a young woman named Mary. God had been planning this moment from the beginning of time. As Galatians 4:4–5 says: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."God’s purpose was to fix what was broken by the first sin. That sin stained every one of us, making us unfit for life with the one thing our hearts truly long for: connection with our Father. In fact, I would go so far as to say that every longing in your heart can be traced back to the desire to know and be known by God. This moment marked the beginning of the end of that separation. God put on flesh, walked among us, and became the final Lamb sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ. But for this to happen, God had to interrupt someone else’s life. Remember, every child of God has committed themselves to this: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”
This week, we’re starting our Christmas series called Life Interrupted. We’ll walk through the birth narrative of Jesus and see that when God is on the move, your life will be interrupted. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you’re a disciple of Jesus and your life hasn’t been interrupted, something has gone horribly wrong. Before we met Jesus, we were doing our own thing, living life the way we thought was best. But on the other side of salvation, we see how much of our life was heading down the wrong path. Jesus loves His children so much that He’s willing to completely interrupt our old lives to give us what we really need—Him! This interruption doesn’t stop at salvation; it continues as He leads us into the fullness of life. So, here’s the question: Are you ready to be interrupted?
Today, we come to a passage that calls us to examine the foundation of our relationship with God and with one another. The writer of Hebrews takes us on a journey, urging us to consider the holiness of our lives, the weight of God's presence, and the unshakable kingdom He is establishing.This is a text that challenges complacency and reminds us that the God we serve is not to be approached lightly. It calls us to see His grace not as a license for apathy but as a reason for reverence and gratitude. As we open our hearts to this Word, may we be stirred to live with purpose, pursue peace, and worship God with awe and wonder. Let us prepare ourselves to hear and respond to His voice.
Rahab the harlot would have been a part of the destruction of Jericho had she been like the rest of Jericho. They all heard of the great and awesome things Almighty God was doing for His people, the Israelites, but only Rahab responded in faith to what she heard about God. Her faith was simple, saving, and working. What about you? How's your faith? What is God revealing to you that you need to respond in faith to?
In todays text we’re invited to glimpse Jesus in a way that redefines our understanding of who He is and what He does for us. This passage challenges us to see Him not only as the Savior who redeemed us, but as our Great High Priest—one who knows our struggles firsthand, who stands with us in our weaknesses, and who intercedes for us with deep compassion. It’s a portrait of Jesus that speaks to anyone who has ever felt weary, tempted, or unsure of how to approach God. Here, we’re called to draw near to the throne of grace, to find strength and mercy in the One who is both mighty and merciful. Today, let’s explore what it means to trust in the One who doesn’t just rule from heaven but has walked where we walk and offers us His very life as an anchor for our souls.
Good morning, church! Today, we’ll be diving into a passage from Paul’s letter to Titus that speaks directly to how we, as believers, are called to live in a world that doesn't always align with our faith. This section in Titus challenges us to reflect on our conduct, both as members of the church and as citizens of the world. It addresses how we interact with others, how we display Christ-like character in our daily lives, and how we handle divisions within the body of Christ. As we explore this text together, I want us to ask: How does the grace we’ve received shape our actions, attitudes, and relationships? Let’s open our hearts and minds to God’s Word as we consider what it means to live out our faith in a way that reflects His transforming grace.
As we open to Colossians today, we are stepping into a passage that lifts our eyes to the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Here, Paul reveals the glory of Jesus in a way that goes beyond mere theology—this is a powerful declaration about who Christ is, what He has done, and the central place He holds in all of creation and redemption. As we reflect on these verses, let us be prepared not only to understand more deeply who Christ is but also to consider how this truth transforms our lives, our worship, and our relationship with God.
Faith can be a struggle because life can be challenging. Sometimes, it is easy to lose sight of what God has done and is doing because all you can see is the walls closing in. Today, we will look at a prayer written by Paul from prison. If you let him, Paul will help you live with a perspective that will help you trust in the right source who is building you into a house fit for a king. Paul allowed hardships to make him better, not bitter. Life is hard, but God is good. God is not done with you. Hang on and be patient.
Today, we delve into a passage that challenges us to reflect on the nature of our calling as followers of Christ. It’s a call to examine not only how we live our individual lives but how we contribute to the larger body of believers. This message isn't just about personal faith, but about how our lives impact and strengthen the unity and growth of the church. As we explore this text, we'll consider what it means to live in a way that honors our calling and builds up the community of faith, drawing us closer to the fullness of Christ together.
We live in a weird time and culture. Our culture has an unhealthy balance between what I deserve and what I must earn. The problem is many of us carry this imbalance into our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes, we live in the “I deserve it” world where you are baffled when you don’t get everything you want and desire. Or when things don’t go your way, you’re mad at the “Good God” who isn’t showing up. The other side of this coin is “you must earn it”, that nothing is free, and if you aren’t getting what you need, it’s because you didn’t do the right thing or pray the proper prayer. Today’s text from Galatians 3 will help clarify that the righteous of God are called to live by faith and not by the Law.
What does real strength look like to you? As Americans, it sure isn’t embracing and exposing our weaknesses. Weak is not something most people in this world walk out the door hoping to become. We have fought hard to hide our weaknesses. Many of us in the room are proud of our ability to seem strong to others when, in fact, we are struggling and insecure. Sometimes, I am good at hiding it; sometimes, I do not. Like everyone else, I want to be strong, but like most people, I do it the wrong way. Today, we will look at what Paul thinks real strength looks like.
Our country did not start this way, but we have become lonely and isolated as we have developed. Back in the day, you didn’t have a choice because, without community, you struggled to get almost anything done. Today, because of modern conveniences, it has become more accessible and easier to isolate with the feelings of being connected. Whether it is the way homes are built, the fact that most houses have AC, that we have online shopping, access to smartphones, or connected to all our friends on social media, it is pretty easy to get what you want by interacting with people. Today, we head into the Old Testament and to the book of Ecclesiastes to see what wisdom we can get on the importance of community.
Do you ever feel like a failure? How about being overwhelmed with life, and the thought of tomorrow is already stressing you out? If that is you, you are in good company. I can be one of those people, and I often find myself in the pit of despair. I call it my "chicken little" times. I would love to tell you that I could free you from all future pain and suffering. Anyone promising you that is a liar, and I don’t plan on lying to you today. I plan on allowing the hope and promises of God to show us a way through. If you are familiar with the Bible, you are aware that none of God's people were spared the struggles of life. (JOB) The question for you today is, who are you going to trust?
Today, we will tackle the most popular wedding verse to discover that 1 Corinthians 13 wasn’t just written for couples getting married. Today, we will see the importance of being rooted in the Love of God to operate in the world properly. There are so many good things that we can be ruined by doing them from the wrong motivation. We have all been wounded when we find out we were treated well, but only because it benefitted the other person. Everyone longs to be loved, but how do we know the way of Love without knowing and surrendering to the source of Love? Buckle up this way, sting a little.
Why do we keep repeating things that bring us pain? Why are we sometimes so reluctant to learn from the wisdom of others, telling ourselves that it is different for us or we can handle it better? The truth to both is that we think we are smarter than we are. People haven't changed as much as we believe they have over the last few thousand years. People are people, including us, and if we don't learn our lesson, we are doomed to repeat the same painful things repeatedly. Today, we will see how Paul tried to get the Corinthians to learn from the lessons of the exiles. God has always and will always provide a way out for you to stand under his Grace, but it will be your choice.
Last week, we spent some time in Romans 10 working through the idea that the only way to salvation and righteousness is through the finished work of Jesus. With that truth in mind, it is essential to share the Gospel because they can believe and trust in what they don’t know. Today, we continue to the next step in our journey with Jesus, building on this foundation and truth of the Gospel. Here is the big idea of today: it makes a difference how and what you build, so take care of how you build. This week, you get a reminder of the importance of a strong foundation built above the flood plain.
How did you come to believe in Jesus? To become a believer, you must first be told who to believe in. That means that somewhere in your life, you heard a compelling story about the person and work of Jesus. So much so that you put your faith in him and began your faith journey as a disciple; for some of you, that happened in church service like you are today, and for others, it was from someone who loved you enough to share the Gospel with you. Today, we will look at the first part of Romans 10 and see the importance of doing our part to know and share the Gospel.
The world around us is going crazy; over the next few months, it will seem even crazier than usual. With all this craziness, it is easy to blame this crazy world for all our troubles. It is easy to blame traffic, co-workers, spouses, kids, TV, and social media for why you are acting the way you are acting. When you get caught misbehaving, what is your typical response? If you are anything like me, we look for someone to blame. They made me do it. This has been the story from the beginning of time. Eve blamed the snake, and Adam blamed the woman God gave him. What if I told you that your worst enemy is inside you not outside of you? Our mission at Reach is to help you live like Jesus is Greater in your hearts, homes, and cities. There is a reason why hearts are at the front of the list. We can't change anything outside of us without first dealing with our hearts. Matthew 5 "In his heart" Mark 7 What defiles a person is not what goes into him but rather what comes of him. My feeling now is that work always starts inside me and not outside. Ignoring the job done on and in my heart will get us nowhere. I like the practical work my outward actions do, but if those aren't fueled by what God is doing inside me, they won't get me where he wants me.
This is the garden in which good fruit grows, the soil that God cultivates and cares for, the place where a blessing is commanded. Unity. This is the garden where we can stand before God, naked and unashamed. UnityThis is the garden where blame stops and gratitude begins, the ground in which holy longing and holy being collide. Unity
Three times in the gospels Jesus said, “My house will be called a house of prayer…” We know that even though things seem out of control in our world God is still working. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray…” What if… the church was UNITED in prayer? Would the church experience an even greater move of the spirit of God?
This week, we start a three-week series called One: The Church United, and over the next three weeks, you will get to see how much we believe in the work of “The Church” and not just one Church. Today, you will hear from me, and in the next two weeks, you will hear from two of my closest friends and pastors. We decided on The Church United because, in our current culture, you see more disunity than unity in the local Church. I think Leland is a little above average in terms of the willingness of local churches to work together. At least, that has been my experience. I decided to talk about the one thing that binds us together. The one thing that tells us how to know God, his purposes, and plans for the Church and us individually. My question today is how important the Word of God is to you. Does that importance show itself in your time spent in it? Are you allowing it to change you?
Throughout time, people have asked the question…why am I here? For us as believers in Jesus Christ, it’s really a simple answer…TO KNOW GOD, AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN!We read our bibles, go to church, listen to Christian podcasts, pray, and spend a lot of effort in getting to know God, but what about making Him known? How often do we share about Jesus with those that don’t know Him? How do we do that? We will dive into Acts 17 this Sunday and see how the Apostle Paul made Jesus known and turned the world around him right side up.
Happy Father's Day!! As we celebrate Father's Day, I want to talk about the opportunity we are given to invest in something that will outlive us, and I am not talking about our careers. The truth about those is we will quickly be replaced and soon forgotten about. Sorry if that hurts!! If you want to leave a legacy, investing in people is the best way to do that. People are the one thing that survives us. The choice you have to make is what you want your legacy to be. For fathers in the room, the first people you need to think about are those God has given you. As a father, God has given you the role and responsibility of discipling your children. They are looking to you. Now is the time to make sure that you see the right things. We have all fallen short, and you will again. This is why we need a personal, intimate, and intentional relationship with our Father in Heaven. Today's message started with something that has always stood out to me about the Kings after David.
You were not made to muscle through this world; you were not made to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. No matter how much our culture tells you otherwise. We were made for community. We were made to help each other along the way. If you are here this morning, I hope you see the need for others to help encourage you to take the next step in your faith. When everything is working correctly, this is a shared experience. You, at times, get the opportunity to encourage others; on the other side, you get to be encouraged by others. I know this isn’t a perfect world, and we don’t always get it right, but this is why we look for the truth in the word of God. This morning, we get to see how a minor player in the story gets to leave a significant legacy.
How awesome would it be to walk with Jesus in person? Life would be easier if he were always with me. I would make much better decisions and choices. He would be there when I had a question or concern to bring me understanding and clarity. Jesus told his disciples that he was leaving, but in that same breath, he told them that it was to their benefit because he would send another helper/comforter/counselor to stay by their side when he was gone. Another of the same kind of Jesus. What if I told you that you have something better than the physical presence of Jesus afforded to you right now? The question is, what will you do with HIM?
How do you make it through a typical day? How do you make it through your worst day? How you answer these question will determine the outcome. Let me confess here that I am a work in progress. I am still figuring out how to live completely in the trust of the Lord and handle every overwhelming situation with grace and mercy through the Holy Spirit. Today, we will learn from a man who faced many impossible situations. Some he navigated well, and others could have done better.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. That statement offers us so much hope. Today's text comes from John 10. Jesus will continue to open our understanding of his divinity, leadership, and the world's desire to call you another way. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He calls for us to trust, believe, and obey him. That path will be challenging, but it is the only one that will produce the fruit from the Father. His voice is calling you to come. What are you going to do?
Moms know us better than anyone else. They aren't fooled like others. They know a fake cry from a real one. They also see our potential better than anyone else. And their mission in life is to see their children succeed. They have a way of seeing the truth that is hidden. So, what does this have to do with Jesus's first miracle? A few things. First, we see a mother who knows what is hidden from everyone about her son. Second, we glimpse who Jesus is and what He came to do. Jesus is always working his Father's will to open his children's eyes.
Disciples Follow Jesus!! That is the plain and simple truth. If you are not following Jesus, are you his Disciple? Look what Jesus says in Matthew 16:24 ….“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Today, we will look at the invitation Jesus gave us to follow. We are all following something; let us intentionally follow Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our Faith. If you need Faith, it will be found and experienced as you follow.
What are you preparing for? Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Have you ever heard this before? Our active and ongoing relationship with Jesus prepares us for what is coming our way because life is happening to you, whether you are planning it or not. Today's text comes out of Luke 22 and Matthew 26. The world of the Disciples is about to come crumbling down, and Jesus is taking the time to pray, and he invites his core to watch and pray with him. Why was this so important? It is the last few moments he had with his disciples, which was one more lesson for them. Jesus is still speaking these words to his disciples. Are you listening?
Here is the question we will wrestle with this morning. Are you offered a place in the kingdom of God? Hopefully, you are thinking to yourself, of course, this is Church, a place where we are invited into the Grace of God each Sunday. The better question is, what are you doing with the invitation? The offer has been made, and many will get the invitation, but few will choose to accept the offer. Today’s text will use a parable to teach us many things. It will teach us that many will make excuses when the call comes.
We just spent the last two weeks talking about what Jesus was willing to do for us to show his love by making a way back to the Father for you and me. The question for today what does God want from us now? How do we demonstrate our love and faith for our savior? How do we love an unseen God? We love people that we can see. Hopefully, you are wearing your steal-toed shoes today because the words of Jesus will step on your toes. Are you ready?
HE HAS RISEN!!!! Last week, we talked about Luke nine and the fact that Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem, meaning he set his face toward the cross, meaning he set his face toward your freedom and redemption. Today, we will look closely at what Jesus accomplished on the cross and what he meant when he said it was Finished. The real question you need to answer today is what this means for me!!
Today, we are starting our two-week series celebrating our resurrected SAVIOR called "It is Finished." But before we get to the finished work of the cross, you must know that nothing would stop Jesus from completing his mission. His mission was the world's redemption, and there had to be a cross. Luke tells us in chapter nine that Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. Where are you going? How determined are you to get there? Where you set your focus determines your direction. Today, we celebrate with grateful hearts that Jesus set his face on the cross. He knew who he was and where he was going, and nothing would stop him from completing the job set before him. Part of the job was your salvation.
Most people in this room believe God can do great and miraculous things. God's ability isn't the hard part. Don't get me wrong, it takes faith to reach this point, but it's relatively easy to believe that God can. The hard part is this question. Is he willing to do it for you? This is where the text is going to lead us today. Let's see what God might want to say and do today if you are willing.
How do you see the Father? How you answer this question determines your willingness to interact with him. Does he care, does he pursue, does he forgive, and does he want me? I don't want you to answer those questions with just your theological knowledge because good theology matters for nothing if it doesn't affect how you live. The Gospels were the Father's way of teaching us truths about him. Religious people of Jesus' day missed it, and there is a strong possibility that so will we if we are not careful. Today, we will walk through the first fourteen verses of Matthew 18 and ask ourselves what the Father wants to say about these things.
Today, we continue our walk through the life of Joshua, a faithfullyconsistent man. We have seen that his faithfulness starts with his connection tothe presence of God. I believe that was the seed that grew him into the man weare reading about today. We also saw how important it is to have a POV filteredthrough our trust in the father. Recently, I have been challenged by the fact that Idon't live historically. What does that mean? It means I often forget that Godloves me and has historically taken care of me. Looking at my life in decades, notdays, I always see His redeeming grace. The problem is that when I choose tolive in the moment, I often forget the decade's history. Today, God wants to resetyour reminders and help us live historically.
Do you know what POV stands for? Anyone?! It stands for Point of View.POV is a particular attitude or way of considering a matter. The way you interpretwhat you see matters. You people can see the same thing and have twocompletely different perspectives. If you are married, you know exactly what I amtalking about. You can both witness the same thing and have two differentresponses. Right!!! As we continue our series on Joshua, looking about you wasfaithfully consistent. He had a view of God that was shaped by his connection tothe presence of the Father. He trusted the Father first and filtered everything hesaw and experienced through that trust. Today, we will learn that POV matters.0101
Welcome to 2024. Ready or not, it is here. What do you want out of this year? You may even have set some goals. Sadly, most of those will be forgotten by the middle of this month. I want more for you than just a better, skinnier, or richer you. I want to help you live like Jesus is better than everything else. I want Jesus to invade our hearts, homes, and cities. The real question is, how do we do that? You aren’t going to like my method because it isn’t fast, flashy, or easy. We will spend the rest of this month looking at the life of Joshua and how He took the long road of being faithfully consistent. I don’t believe he was after anything other than being a man who loved God. And as he pursued God, God did some pretty wild and amazing things with and through him.
Today, we continue our Love Showed Up series. When love shows uphope in never lost. Hope is a dangerous word when it is linked to most things. Ihope this doesn’t happen, or I hope so. Biblical hope isn’t placed on somethingthat may fail you. Biblical hope puts all its confidence in one person. Today, Iwant to take a more extended look at a text I briefly discussed two Sundays agoand wrestle with the implications. Today’s text will stretch you, confront you, andcall you to a greater level of trust in our SAVIOR. A call to follow Jesus is a call tosurrender and trust. Hope is never lost when love shows up.
When Love Shows up, forgiveness is always close at hand. When sinentered the world, people started hiding from God. Because of sin, Shame andfear control much of our life. We medicate to forget and get by, give ourselves towork, hoping to be distracted and seek value, and turn on the TV to forget. Whatif we could stop hiding from God and live in the forgiveness he offers to all whoput their faith in his completed work on the cross? Colossians says in Jesus wehave redemption and the forgiveness of sins; Psalm 103 tells us that he removesour transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west. To understandforgiveness, we have to understand a few things. First, can Jesus give it?Second, do we need it?
What does it mean to be loved? How do you know you are loved? These are questions that we will wrestle with over the next few weeks. As we enter this Christmas season, let us not get so distracted that we miss the beauty of what we are celebrating. Jesus's birth answers those two questions. Love showed up in a manger over two thousand years ago, and God made it clear how much he loves his people. You are so loved by the father that he sent his son to show you.
Who are you? How you answer this question will shape the way you live.Many of you, just like me at times, live with a lower view of yourself. Knowingyour purpose and identity will shape your future. Today, Peter will give every childof God a title that will surprise you. I want to spend our time cultivating the soilaround this truth this morning so we can grow up into it. If you are willing, thetruth is there when you ask, seek, and knock.
Life is exhausting!! Does anyone else feel that way? Do you know whatelse is exhausting living for Jesus? Why do you think that is? I think it’s becauseeverything in us believes we are smarter and know better than God. We may notsay it with our words, but we say it every day (and sometimes loudly) with ouractions. Today, we will look at the book of Hebrews and its one central point.Jesus is GREATER. If you plan on living for Jesus, you better learn to believethat. Are you ready for the truth of the word?
Veterans Day message by Terry McdowellNumbers 8:23-261 Thessalonians 4:11-12Proverbs 21:20Proverbs 6:6-11Luke 12:16-21
What is the greatest thing we can leave our kids? It is an inheritance that will last forever. Last week, we dedicated kids here at Reach. We committed with the parents to do everything we could to plant a seed of faith in them. Salvation is a gift from the Lord. It is not something that we can hand over to our young ones. But it is our responsibility to share, teach, and live the gospel in front of them. Today, I want to take a look at 2 Timothy to see what the fruit of those things has the possibility of producing.
As we enter the last few months of the year, I have a question for you. How disciplined is your life? How vested are you in becoming a better you? I know you think it's a trick question, but it's not. Everyone in this is training for something. This means everyone in this room is investing their time, effort, and energy into what they are becoming. The real question is, do you know what that is? Is it just happening to you, or are you training yourself with purpose? Paul wrote some helpful words for his disciple Timothy on this topic.
Prayer is power. Hopefully, you are feeling an increased desire for God to move in power. With everything going on in our world, you should also grow in your understanding that you are not in control. And where we are not in control, we get to turn to our Father and ask for help. This can cover your anxiety, relationships, kids, and what is happening in Israel. The bad news is I don’t have all the answers, and neither do you, but the good news is our God does and works all things to his will. Today, we will look at three prayers in 1 Thessalonians and see what we can learn to apply today.
Where does life come from? I mean the life we long to live. The one withpurpose, joy, and meaning. The one that doesn’t just benefit us but also thosearound us. That life happens as we walk with God, are rooted and built up inChrist. Today, we look for that wisdom in the second chapter of Colossians. Lord,help us pursue life in Christ.
We need each other. It isn't easy to live life without the assistance of otherpeople. Even if you live alone, you are benefiting from the work of others. If youconsume anything made or grown, you have benefitted from the work of others.Life is better when we know we are not in this alone. This life is also complicatedbecause of other people, but today, we will focus on the idea and benefits ofsharing each other's burdens.
Is faith in Jesus enough? This is a question worth wrestling with. It isn't easy inour culture to think we will ever get anything we have not worked for. I am not a goodgift receiver. It always feels weird. I'm not saying I don't like getting things; I'm saying Ifeel like I should give them something back to make it even. We can do this with God,also. Many of you have grown up believing or thinking you must earn God's love. Youmay not say that out loud, but you live like it is true. Jesus came to free you fromsomething that no law ever could. That is the argument we find ourselves in the middleof in the passage we will unpack today. Jesus is Greater; help us live like that is true.
Sometimes, pain is useful. We live in a pain-avoidant culture, and I understand why. Pain isn’t fun, but sometimes it is useful. I want to spend some time on the second letter to the Corinthians this morning. The real question is, are you willing to allow Paul to help you see that sometimes pain can lead to something much greater?
When spending time talking about serving and being the church God has calledus to be, you must look at the right source. The great thing about Jesus is that healmost always demonstrated what he was teaching. There was no do what I say and notwhat I do. Come on, parents.....(Noah asking about my driving practices) The short oftoday's message is "go low", and I’m not talking about fighting dirty in the boxing ring:)Are you ready to start washing each other's feet?
Do you understand the Grace of God in redeeming you? The length he went toshow you his LOVE? This truth is a prerequisite for what are going to talk about today.And if you don’t understand it you won’t be very interested in sacrificing to make sureothers have an opportunity to hear. Because God has not done that work just for you,He has done it also for his other children in this city. His Future children because God isworking now in this city.
Focusing on the right stuff matters!! It's easy in our day-to-day lives to let our focus drift to things that don't matter, like things that seem important but, in the long view of eternity, don't. When lived and applied to our lives, God's word will always point us in the right direction. Today's text will help us clarify what matters most.
You are not in control, and when you live like you are, you make a mess of everything. Today James drops more wisdom to live by. Hearing more wisdom won’t help you without a willingness to live it out. Hopefully, over the last few weeks, as we have journeyed through James, you have put into practice some wisdom already. Are you ready?
What a ride this has been. James is a butt-kicker, and he is done yet. Do you want to know where most of the trouble you get into comes from? The fights, the arguments, and the “discussions.” They come from the war within you. You can’t blame the world or others for what comes out of your mouth or how you behave. After taming, the tongue is going to double down, fixing the problem, and the problem has the same solution......Jesus.
Today we continue our journey through James. Each week James will confront us with the practicality of walking out our faith. Remember this line. We only believe as much of the Bible as we practice. James is a book meant to remind us to practice what we preach. Today's verses of James 2 will remind us that judging people by what we see is not the way of a follower of Jesus. Jesus lived this for us throughout his ministry. Just the choosing of his disciples was a statement. Remember this if Jesus judged you on outward appearance would he choose you?
Today we continue our journey through the book of James. The book focuses on what it looks like to walk out of our faith. We as a people tend to talk much and act little. This section of James will confront that inconstancy directly. It is one thing to be inconstant with people, saying one thing and doing another. It is quite different to do that in our relationship with God. As goes our relationship with God, so goes our relationship with the world. When we fail to live surrendered, it works its way into every piece of our life. Are you ready?
Today we begin a walk through the book of James. It will take us the next eight Sundays. The book of James was written by the half-brother of Jesus. The letter was written early, sometime between AD 45-62, most likely before 49. This is known because the letter is written solely to Jewish Christians and speaks nothing about Gentiles. Around AD 49 was the Jerusalem Council, which dealt with including the Gentiles in the church. James didn’t believe Jesus to be the Messiah until after the resurrection. It is hard to deny it when your brother comes out of the grave. James became the leader of the Jerusalem Church after Peter left. The Jewish leader also got rid of James in AD 62. The following eight weeks will be filled with wisdom to walk out your faith.
No matter what our background, where we're from, or how we've started, we have a God in Heaven that wants to give you life. Life now, and life eternal, but will you choose life? God has made the way to life through Jesus, but the next move is yours.
The power of belief. Have you ever had someone of influence believe in you? It changes your view of your potential. When you have that person in your life, it lifts you higher than you hoped. If the encouragement of a flawed person could do that much for you, imagine what the words and prayers of Jesus could do if you believed them. Today we are in the 17th chapter of John and looking at the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus.
Our text this morning starts with this phrase. Let not your hearts be troubled. Wewill spend most of our time seeing why we can trust Jesus even when our world is out ofcontrol. You can not fix everything. Truth is you can not fix most things, but you can trusteverything to Jesus. Your faith, joy, and peace are not determined by what you cancontrol. Your faith, joy, and peace come from the Father through the Son to all who puttheir trust in him. So here is my one thing for this morning. I am, so you can. Are youready?
Sight is pretty essential. You don’t understand how important it is until you startlosing it. I have had great eyesight most of my life. When I hit 45, something changed. Ilooked down at my phone one day, and it was not as clear as it used to be. Anyoneelse? Do you know what I did? I will be at the store and purchased my first pair ofreading glasses. It was humbling and one step closer to being “old.” Today we look atJohn 9 and a man born blind receiving sight for the first time and ask why this isimportant. Jesus is the cure for blindness.
Most likely, just being in the room puts you at least interested in the idea of beingborn again. So there is a lot at stake in understanding the concept. And sad, it hasbecome a confusing or at least misunderstood idea.• According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, 70.6% of the adult populationidentified themselves as Christians,• In 2020, Christians made up 64% of the U.S. population (including children) while “nones”accounted for 30% and other religious groups 6%.• In 1962 it was 93%With these numbers, you would think our world would be a much kinder, loving place sinceJesus said that you would know who my disciples are by how they love. So I think the term“born again” has lost its meaning. Instead, it becomes a blanket term for every person whoidentifies with the Christian church. Our tension this morning is, do you get it? Have you beenreborn? Our friend Nicodemus didn’t get it, and he was the cream of the crop. Jesus didn’t wantus to be confused, and He wanted us to have life. John puts it this way: 1 John 5:13 I writethese things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that youhave eternal life.
What is the responsibility for the believer when it comes to growing in Christ? Is it more God’s responsibility or is it more of our responsibility? In this sermon we will be exploring how both of those things are essential to our spiritual growth.“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”Philippians 2:12-13 ESV
Did anyone else love climbing trees when they were young? I used to loveclimbing things. I remember riding by trees and thinking that would be a great climbingtree. As a child, everything seemed possible. Somewhere along the way, we have lostthat child-like idea. Sometimes for a good reason falling out of trees is painful. Thismorning I wanted to tap into this idea of...” is it still possible.” When Jesus comesaround, everything changes. The question is, are you willing to climb a tree?
We are a people that forget. If we remembered the things we had forgotten, wewould get in less trouble and live with less stress. Recently I have been challenged bythe fact that I don’t live historically. What does that mean? It means I often forget thatGod loves me and has historically taken care of me. Looking at my life in decades, notdays, I see His redeeming grace all the time. The problem is that I chose to live in themoment and forget the history of the decade. Anyone else? Today I believe God wantsto reset your reminders and help us live historically.
Today we are still making our way to the cross. Next week we will talk about theempty tomb. Most of the people following Jesus at the time wanted an earthly Kingdom.They were not expecting their king to go to the cross. Our expectations get in the way ofmost of what God wants to do in our lives. We think it would be best if God did what wethink he should do instead of doing what he knows to be best. Well known biblicalcharacters were no exception. John the Baptist is no exception.
Everyone likes to pass a test. For some of us, just the word test gets us anxious. Does anyone still have nightmares about walking a class to find out you have a test you didn’t know about? I have had those, but my more current “test” nightmare is finding out I am preaching, but I wasn’t aware of it. The truth is every one of us has failed the test. For all have fallen short. This failure has been since our original parents. God is fully aware of our inability to free ourselves; from the beginning, he has had a plan of redemption. Last week we talked about Jesus being worth the wait through the lives of Simeon and Anna. This week we skip ahead to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. As we get closer to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, we need to know that it is worth celebrating. Jesus was and will always be worth celebrating.
Can we talk about a topic that most in the room won’t like? Well, we are, anyway!! I don’t like it either, but just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean we don’t need to talk about it. The topic is waiting. How many patient people by practice and lifestyle do we have in the room? You can raise your hand if you want, but I wouldn’t. Some of us are better than others in this area, but no one here has perfected it. Waiting is not an art I have perfected, but today, I hope to convince all of us that seeing Jesus is worth the wait. Today we will be in Luke 2 in a section of scripture I’m pretty sure I have never preached out of. In three weeks, we will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus here at Reach, and what better place to be this morning than talking about the beginning of His story?
When you hear the phrase, God sees everything, what do you think? Maybe you don’t think about it at all, or perhaps you have a large amount of anxiety because of it. If God sees everything, there isn’t much need to pretend or hide from him. The truth is He doesn’t just see the outward things you are doing. He sees through all that straight to the heart behind every action or word that comes out of our mouths. That just got a little scarier. God wants to invade our hearts and mind so that He can work from the inside out. Religious activity doesn’t save you. God does. God sees you and still offers life and redemption. 1 Peter 2:23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Today we touch on a topic that everyone in the room has dealt with in one way or another. Doubt. Life is hard, and it throws lots of curve balls at you. It is easy to struggle with doubt when you are in the middle of one of those curve balls. Thomas doubted even when all the other disciples told him that Jesus had risen just like he said he would. He told them that unless he saw, He would not believe. Peter faltered after he stepped out of the boat. So what do you do with this doubt? Today's text in Mark 9 will hopefully give us some insight. Are you ready?
How much does God love you? Does anyone else in here struggle with this? Today we will let the word tell us. Love is not just words. Love always works its way into action. The life of Jesus was God's love letter to you and me. He didn't go halfway in showing his love for us when in walked this world, and He will not go halfway now. The question today is will you listen and believe? This is critical to living life to its fullness. Imagine waking up tomorrow with no doubt that you are God's beloved!! Who wants some of that?
Today we continue with Living Jesus is Greater, our non-series series, where I preach from what we read in the One Year Bible during the last week. (Guest table is restocked if you didn’t get one last week) Jesus was a master communicator. Sometimes he spoke plainly, and sometimes he spoke in parables. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth. His parables were teaching aids and can be considered extended analogies or inspired comparisons. In the middle of two chapters where Jesus teaches about his second coming, he uses several parables to illustrate his point, and today we will walk through one of them. The key question is, will you be ready when He comes? AND HE will return. Our goal is to help as many people as we can be ready and happy when He does. Will you be ready?
Today we step back into Living Jesus is Greater, our non-series series, where I preach from what you read in the One Year Bible during the last week. (If you want one, there are some of the guest table.) Today we will take some lessons from Exodus on how we live victoriously. Do you feel victorious today? If you don’t, today is just for you. Our biggest problem we have with walking in victory is typically us. We have lost faith and trust in our deliverer. When that happens, we start fighting in our power and strength, and we are not strong enough for what we have to overcome. Our victory comes from God alone. Are you ready?
I have one question for those who participated in the 21 days of prayer and fasting. Do you want more? Ask, seek and knock, and the door will be opened. Keep going!! Today we wrap up Follow: The Art of Discipleship. Remember: Jesus didn't come to live a sinless life and willingly went to the cross so that we could identify as Christians. He did all of that so we could have a relationship with our creator. That relationship begins with an invitation to follow. And followers of Jesus are called Disciples. A disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to the Mission of Jesus. Today we are going to talk about that Mission. But to have that Mission you have to have the right Gospel. The Follow-Me Gospel. If you have another Gospel that makes following optional, you will not be motivated to be on Mission. Bill Hull says it like this "The gospel you proclaim determines the disciple you produce." Or you could say it this way, "The gospel a person believes determines the disciple they become."
Welcome to week three of Follow: The Art of Discipleship. Over the last two weeks, we have been looking at what it means to follow Jesus. First and foremost, he calls his Disciples to follow him. To be conformed to his image, to become more and more like him. Last week we saw that we should bear fruit when we abide/spend time with Jesus. People should see Jesus in us through what we do and say. Today we look at another way people will know that we follow Jesus. Jesus says it this way in John "13 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Today may hurt a little. Why? Because people are not always easy to love, and our willingness to love is not optional. It is a command from Jesus himself
How was week one? If you missed last week, we started our annual 21 days of prayer and fasting. It is when we put some things away to be more intentional with our relationship with God. So how was week one? Don’t be discouraged; nothing worth having is easy. My encouragement is to keep going when you find your rhythm, and you will be unstoppable. Today we pick back up on the idea of following God. Remember, Disciples, which God is looking for, pursue a master. The question we will tackle today is, how do you know you are doing a good job following? Do you know what you do? You look for fruit. We will be recognized by our fruits.
Welcome to 2023!! Ready or not, it is here. Maybe this is your first January at Reach, or perhaps it is your 10th. We have always started every new year with 21 days of Prayer and Fasting. I know it sounds scary hang in there; I will talk more about it at the end. The key is to change a few things to make room for Jesus. Side note that's why we are here. JESUS. Today we start a new series called Follow: The Art of Discipleship. Jesus didn't come to live a sinless life and was willing to go to the cross so that we could identify as Christians. He did all of that so we could have a relationship with our creator. That relationship begins with an invitation to follow. Everyone is following something, even if that something isn't identified. Jesus calls us to count the cost and decide to follow him. For the next few weeks, that will be our focus. What does it look like to follow Jesus?
Today starts our new series, UNTO US. Isaiah 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to usa son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall becalled Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." And 700years later, God turns his word into flesh. God shows us to what lengths he will go toright the wrong of sin and restore to himself a people separated by it. Today we look atthe all-to-familiar story of Mary's invitation to carry to the messiah. We look at everyindividual's choice to carry Christ within us. Let us be reminded today that it is still achoice we must make every day.
"It was great to have Josh Torbich, Executive Director of the Christian Recovery Center, here at Reach the Sunday. Christian Recovery Center is one of the local ministries that Reach supports. Josh's message from Mark 2, titled "Don't be a skeptic," encourages us to keep pushing forward for the redemption and restoration that Jesus offers. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it will never happen. So don't let your past control what God is planning to do in your future. Don't be a skeptic.”
The serpent did not tempt Adam and Eve to steal, or to kill, or consider falseidols. He simply tempted them…. to question God’s Word.
The church should have the greatest reason for Thanksgiving. We have been offered abundant life now and for eternity. Let us remember to Give Thanks. Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
How important is knowing that you are welcomed into a relationship with the Father? How do we get the confidence to trust the invitation, enter, and live with an assurance that changes everything?
Last week we were challenged to know the height, depth, length, and breath of God’s love for us. Not an easy task. What would it mean for you to understand and live in that truth? Today we have an even harder task ahead of us. God is going to ask his children to take that love and prove that you have experienced it by loving other people.This is one of the hardest commands. It is hard enough at times to love a prefect God who proved his love for you on the cross. It is nearly impossible to love imperfect people.
When you know you have someone in your corner that loves you, then you have a power that motivates you. Jodi, is that for me? I would not be here in this room doing what I’m doing now without her Love and support. She may not always be happy with me, but I never doubt her Love for me. She is incredible and is truly the best part of my life. Our Love for each other is limited because of our humanity, but there is one source of Love that is not limited, and if we can tap into it, it will change everything.
When was the last time you changed your sheets, scrubbed the toilets,wiped down the baseboards, exercised, getting your diet under control? This list goes on. There are always things that need to be done. The truth is many of those things will be left undone until the last minute or until you have company come for a visit. Today we look at the idea that we are called to live ready for the return of our savior. You and I are called to be awake and ready. ARE YOU READY?
Have you ever prepared for something, and instantly questioned yourself when it came time to perform? This is what the church in Acts was faced with establishing the church and fulfilling the Great Commission. We’ll take a look at what they did in getting back to the basics and what God calls us to do for our community. And just like anyone taking a new step or doing something for the first time in a while, we get to go back to basics. Acts 2:42-47
Over the last few weeks, I have mentioned the idea that God has prepared good works so that we would walk into them. So today, we dive into this idea, and I am even more excited about it because of what comes before it in the text. You are not an accident, and God has a kingdom purpose laid out for all his children. No matter what, yesterday is whispering in your ear. Yesterday is a liar, and change is coming. Do you believe that? The good news is that even if you don’t, it doesn’t mean God isn’t ready to do something big. And not just for you but everyone around you. He has and is doing the work, but the question is, are you willing to surrender to it?
Do we serve a God who answers prayers? If your answer is yes. I have another question for you. How is your prayer life? If God does answer prayer, should we be people who pray? We have lots of reasons why we don't pray enough. Most of them are weak and have their root in the idea that he doesn't answer our prayers. "The greatest Tragedy in life is that prayers go unanswered because they go unasked." Our Father is good and wants to give us good things. Today we take about the discipline of "keep asking" the Father. Do your children have a problem asking for something? OVER AND OVER again. They sure do not. And if you are a good parent, you won't give them everything they ask for. You will do that with your limited wisdom. Our Father will do the same thing but with Holy perfection. What you do with today's message could forever change your life and the future of God's people. Are you ready?
“If your gospel isn’t touching others, it hasn’t touched you.” Why does the church and this church exist? To share the Gospel. The Gospel means good news and is the best news in the world.
Everything you want has a cost. You have paid the price for everything you have now, one way or another. Good and Bad. Everything in your future, you will have to make decisions today that will determine whether you will have or experience it. So the question we will be asking today is, “Do you want it.”
Today is the only place you can experience life. Today is the only place you can experience God. Today is the only place you can change your future. Today is the only place where healing can happen!! Who in this room has something they want to be different from what it is right now? What is keeping you from that change? Nine times out of ten, we’re so overwhelmed by the size of the problem or the habit of the goal that we give up before we ever get started. The question today is CAN YOU DO IT FOR A DAY? Eating an elephant: One bite at a time. You can not change yesterday and have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but you can do some work TODAY. Are you ready??
Our relationship with God is never stagnate, it is either dying or growing. It is easy to settle into a coasting mindset. Maybe things aren’t that bad, or perhaps it is pretty good. That can be one of the most dangerous places for our faith. Do you know what happens when you stop pedaling on a hill? You start going back down. I want to talk about an idea that is pretty foreign to most people. Disclaimer is this may get uncomfortable. The foreign idea is if you are a child of God, you are called to be HOLY
Join us today as Pastor Allan challenges us to examine our lives and examine where we are lacking gratitude and thankfulness
Why can't this be easier? What, you ask? Following Jesus!!! Jesus himself, in Matthew 7, said Hard is the way that leads to life. Can I get an AMEN? If you aren't experiencing that, I wonder which way you are going. My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me!! We are called to know, hear, and obey because this is where abundant life is found, and God is inviting you into the journey. So what do we do when it gets too much? How do we press on and keep moving forward? Today we will look at the end of Peter's first letter to Asia Minor for those answers.
If you are unfamiliar with farming, you take seeds of the veggies you want to grow and plant them in rows. Then you water, weed, spray for bugs, fertilize, and if you do these things, the plants will grow into what you planted. For example, if you plant corn, it will grow corn. I know that is shocking. Do you know something? Everyone in this room is a farmer. You are sowing seed, and those seeds are producing something. The question is what are you planting.
Happy Fathers Men!! Fathering doesn’t just come in the usual way. Some of you have fathered children that were not born to you. Some men in this room are still fathering even well after your kids left the house. If God has given you the privilege of being a father, you have been given a monumental task. It is weighty, and I’m sure you feel it. Your kids are watching and learning from what they see. Does that scare you? Just for the record, this is a message for all disciples, not just the ones that happen to be fathers. But since it is fathers day, we will look at the word through the lens of fathers. So you are not off the hook if you aren’t a father.
Today Jesus poses a question that seems simple and obvious considering that you are at Church this morning. But the implication of the answer to this question is staggering. The question is not a question that we as a group answer, but it is directed to each of us. What the group thinks on this matter doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is your answer. And the power over the gates of Hell will not prevail over a life that lives out the correct answer to this question. Are you interested?
We were made to know and be known by our Father. To help us, he put a hunger/ thirst inside of us that will only be satisfied by him. Everything you think, do, and say comes from this place of quenching this thirst. Where you are RIGHT now is a byproduct of this thirst. What you do when you leave this building will be motivated by it. The problem is most of us are unaware that this is even happening. We are just letting our thirst rule us without thinking about what we are thirsty for. Today Jesus answers this question in a conversation with a woman at a well.
Do you want to enjoy the presence of God? Can you imagine what it would look like and feel like to enter into the presence of God? Can you imagine what our worship would be like? I think we think too little of God and too much of ourselves. What happened when people in the Bible encountered the living God. Isaiah: “Woe is me! For I am lost”. Most fell on their faces. Today we will look at a Psalm by David where he answers this question. Who gets to dwell with God? Who gets to enter into His presence? He will show what those people look like, act like, and talk like. They are like this only because they have surrendered to the living God. This is not a list of things to do to force God to let you in. These are things that when we are surrendered to Jesus and follow him, He changes us.
The question isn’t do we worship. The question is, what or who do we worship. Worship: To adore, idolize, esteem worthy, reverence, loving, or admiring devotion. Why is it easy to worship things in the world and not so easy to worship one who is truly worthy of it? I think it is easy to worship something in this world because you can worship on your terms and when you feel like it. Jesus isn’t just greater sometimes. He is greater always. He is looking for worshipers that will worship in spirit and truth.
Sin is destroying our world. Sin is ruining our lives, and no one is exempt from it. The good news is that Jesus is Greater than our sin. Today we look at one of the most well-known failures by one of the most famous Old Testament characters. Today we will see how to deal with our heart issues.
How your house is built matters. We live in the wrong part of the state for poorly constructed homes. We are nine days from the start of this year's Hurricane season. When the winds and rain come, how will our house hold up? If we are going to live Jesus is Greater, then your house isn't the only thing that needs to be built right. How we build our lives in Christ matters much more. So today, we will let 1 Corinthians challenge us to take seriously how we build our lives.
Your Hidden Life in Christ is the roots that keep you standing when the storms of life come.
Is it a weakness to ask for help? I'm not good at it. Not sure if it's my dislike of looking weak, stupid, or plain old lost. Sometimes it's because I'm not sure anyone can even help or fear rejection. So today, we tackle this problem. A big part of prayer is asking for help. What if I said the state of your prayer life reflects your relationship with God. What if I told you that if you changed your prayer life, you could radically change the rest of your life.
Living Jesus is Greater is not something easily mastered. I don’t expect anyone to have arrived. Loving and living for Jesus is a lifelong pursuit, and in the last few months, we walked through ways to continue that pursuit. Today we continue with yet another way, and it won’t be comfortable.
Today we celebrate an invitation to life. Often we limit the work of the cross to our future eternal life and forget all about the power of the resurrected life now. This year, we have spent much talking about living Jesus is Greater and will continue. Here is aquestion for you. Are you happy with how things are? Are the effects of sin still affecting your life and relationships? The answer is yes. Why do you think that is? You may be thinking I'm just a sinner saved by Grace. That statement can be dangerous. Because when you think you are "just a sinner,"... then it will be natural to accept that is just whoyou are and you have no power to change. The cross changed everything. Now in Christ, I am no longer defined by sin. I have been reconciled. The power of sin has been defeated. Today we will look at the power of Christ in us.
For the next two weeks, we will talk about the cross and the power of the resurrection. Today the question is why the cross? If you have grown up around the church, the cross may be something you wear around your neck or see on church buildings. Like many things we see all the time, the cross can lose its meaning or significance. When we lose sight of the meaning of the cross, we will diminish the value of Jesus, and when we lessen the value of Jesus, we will set something in His place.
I believe that some of our misunderstanding of God's goodness is because many of us hold a performance-based acceptance. Meaning your performance/personal righteousness earns God's goodness. Is that the Gospel preached by Jesus? Jesus offers life to the down and outers who had nothing to offer. He doesn't tell them to get their life together and come back then. NO....He brings life to them right there. This is what we will see this morning. Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed is all we need. Let's see if we can find some seeds.
Authority!! Living Jesus is Greater means getting the right understanding of this word. Rebelling against authority has been a part of our DNA since Adam and Eve. Being under authority is a struggle in our world for many reasons. Many of you have been hurt by those in authority, which also adds to the struggle.Today let us allow God to redeem and restore our ability to live under His Authority.
Maybe a dumb question? Do you know who you are? Do you know the answer to that question is driving everything you do or don't do? You may have missed this in our world, but identity is a big talking point. The problem with most conversations about identity is that they are based on something you do and not who you are. Everyone was created in the image of God, and our creator is the best place to look when coming up with our identity.
Who is the most important person in your life? Come on, be honest!! It’s you!! We don’t go around telling people this with our words, but we will over and over again with our actions. Living Jesus is Greater means His Kingdom purposes should be greater than ours. It’s easy to acknowledge this but again not so easy to live. Are you ready to let the Word speak to you?
Living Jesus is Greater means going to the right place when the stress and strain of this world comes against you. We all have our methods of coping. The sad part is that most of our methods are not leading to life. Yours may be alcohol, working more, working out, getting angry, pursuing distractions like social media or binge watching TV. If I left yours out just make a mental note because today we will let Paul convince us that there is but one place to run.
Prayer is the expressway to living Jesus is greater. Why? Because Prayer is a declaration that you can not, but HE can, and when we cultivate our prayer life, we cultivate a LIFE where Jesus is Greater. Are you ready?
Join as as we continue examing the idea of Living Jesus is Greater and the Holy Spirit's role in achieving this!!
I wanted to continue the conversation of Living Jesus is Greater, but today I wanted to talk about what you do with what’s in your wallet. As a disciple who chooses to Live Jesus is Greater, what you do with your money and how you view it will and is shaping your life.
God is Good..... All the time, and All the Time.....God is Good!! This is why we are willing to strive to Live a Life where Jesus is Greater. It is the resolution to most of our stress and anxiety. It is the direct path to the fulfillment of the purposes God has uniquely designed for each of us. The remaining question is, what are you willing to change and or surrender to get to this place?
Surrender!!! Surrendering to the truth of the word is mission critical. There is no Kingdom Fruitfulness without living Surrendered. This is an on going never ending process.
So far we have talked about the 700 year old promise, the invitation to carry our Savior, and today we look at the implications of what was delivered in a dirty manger and wrapped in rags. It is most likely the hardest thing to have in this season of busyness, growing debt, annoying relatives, and unmet expectations. PEACE. This is what was delivered in that manger. And if you want it, it will only be found in Immanuel.
Isaiah prophecies Immanuel and 700 years later God shows us the truth of His word. He shows us to what extent He will pursue a people, how willing He is to make a way for a broken people, and how he continues to be a promise keeper. Today we unfold what it means to a have a “God with us” and what it looks like to carry Christ within. Will you trust the out come of saying yes to Jesus.
Today we begin a three week Christmas series called Immanuel. Immanuel literally means God with us. We take for granted the value of this statement and the reality that this is even an option. God has from the beginning called his children to continued dependence on him. Even before God put on flesh he was calling his children to listen, follow, and obey.
Saving Faith, is living like Jesus is Greater. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works,so that no one may boast.” So today when we talking about faith, but know this, true Faith is always seen.
Todays look into Chapter 3 of Hebrews will tackle the very idea that “Jesus is Greater”. He is greater then anything you are facing, greater than any of your short coming or sin, and living that truth out will transform your life.
Join us as Pastor Heaths wraps up the redefined series and call us to have an eternal perspective on life!!
If we’re going to develop peace in the world, we have to let Jesus develop peace in our hearts.
Before we can create change out there God has to do something in HERE (our hearts). We can not legislate change out there.
Change is Hard!!! Can I get an amen?? Fitness, Budget, Marriage, Parenting, etc.... So, why is change so difficult? Change is exhausting. That's why dependance on Jesus is crucial!!!
We like many of the 1st century Jews were missing the life that Jesus come to give us. And if we are honest we want more. We want the kind of life written about in John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly
Jesus came so we could be reunited with God and so that He could reproduce His life in us. As we learn to be with Jesus, we become like Him and begin to do what Jesus did. This is faith, redefined. That is what the Sermon on the Mount is all about, and the beatitudes are teaching us how to be with Him so we can become like Him. Jesus came to totally redefine what it meant to have a relationship with God.
Being a follower of Jesus is not about what you do but who you are. When you learn to focus on who you are, what you do will take care of itself. This is what Jesus wants to teach us. Jesus wants to redefine what it means to have a relationship with God. Jesus wants us to focus on the condition of our hearts to transform our world.
Join us as Pastor Heath teaches us about the Sabbath Rest and we learn that resting in the Lord is trusting Him!!!
I promised you last week that we would talk about identity, and here we are. You are currently living out of an identity, whether you know it or not. Today, through the word, we will be confronted with which identity you will choose to live under. I have placed in everyone's seat a name tags. Please don't write on it. You will take this home as a reminder of your choice. So please put it somewhere that will make it home with you.
Over the next few weeks I want to share some things that God has been showing me!! Let me start with this truth!! I’m BROKE!! And no I don’t mean I have spent all my money. I mean, I still need Jesus. How about you? Are you still aware of your need? Be worried when you don’t
Join us as Terry McDowell brings us a great word about the importance of having a spiritual family. He shows what Jesus says about true family.
Join us for a message from guest Speaker Ben Goodman. Pastor Ben brings us part two of The Fear of the Lord and challenges us in how to restore the fear of the Lord in our lives.
Join us for todays sermon as Pastor Allan teaches us the importance of using the Whole Armor of God
Join us for a message from guest Speaker Ben Goodman. Pastor Ben challenges us to refuse fear and live in trust that our creator has it all in His hands
What’s important to you? Do you ever think about that? If you don’t, you will let the tyranny of the urgent determine what’s important. Do you know how you spell important? TIME? It’s not important to you if you don’t make time and take time to be with it or them. Let that sink in.
Last week we talked about Jesus setting us free!! How is your freedom going? New question for you this week. What did Jesus set you free for? Important notice… Jesus doesn’t do anything just for you. I know… That may sound mean but think about it this way. If something good happens to you it normally effects other people. Think about it on a small scale. Some random person does something unusually kind to you. So kind that for a short period of time your perspective changes. In that period of time the way you interact with people also changes. The domino effect. Today we will see that the forever purpose of freedom is kingdom fruitfulness. But fruitfulness comes at a cost. Are you ready for God to speak to you??
Today we are talking about real Freedom that comes from just one place. Let the word of God challenge you today to look deep inside and answer this question. Are you Free or are you a slave? You ready for that???
If the Son sets you free you are free indeed!!!
Jesus said many things that were hard for his listeners to believe. Over and over He raised the bar of what it meant to follow him. He told a rich man to sell everything, give it to the poor and follow him, He told a man to let his dead father to be buried by other dead people, He spit in peoples faces (healing), He said if you have anger or lust then you are already guilty of murder and adultery, He said if your hand or eye causes you to stumble then you should cut it off or pluck it out, and oh yeah He said that he was the son of God and that he and the Father are ONE. How many people in this room know that context is important. Today we are going to look at one of the must difficult things to swallow that Jesus said.
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What is the hardest thing for you to do? If you are like me, it is acknowledging when we got it wrong. God loved me so much that he gave me a wife that sees the truth and speaks it often. The hard part is listening to the truth and seeing it for what it is, an opportunity to get better. I fail all the time. Over the last two weeks, God has opened my eyes to how often I fill the need to defend myself. FOR REAL, this is a big issue for me. Not that I want to be right all the time(Truth yes, I DO), I don't want people to think less of me even when it's true. So I shade in the gray, blurring the BLACK and WHITE. The truth is my wife loves me more than anyone else on this planet. She loves me so much that she wants me to be the best version of myself. She is a lot like Jesus. He loves you so much that he does not want to leave you in the dark. Today we will be looking at the most quoted Bible verses. ANY GUESSES???? If you thought or said John 3:16, you are correct. Are you ready for God to SPEAK???
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You may have heard Greg talk about what I did last weekend and know you are fully convinced that something is wrong with me. The event started at 6 pm last Saturday and ended at 9 am Sunday. We cover over 26 miles with a 40-50lb plus whatever else they made us carry. Sandbags, water bladders, and a 30-foot telephone pole. Let me tell you you learn a lot about yourself on the road. It is one thing to sit back a watch, and it is another thing to do it. Many of us watch shows about great adventure races or obstacle course races and wonder how far I could have made it. If you are a disciple, you are on a journey, not in a club. And that Journey is not easy. To be truthful, it is quite hard. Understanding why you on the Road matters. Vision gives pain a purpose. What vision is driving you? And you know where you clarify your vision and grow your faith and trust. That’s right on the ROAD. Today we look at a conversation that happened on the ROAD and see what God wants to speak to you today.
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The seeming contradiction between faith and works can certainly lead a believer to labor in vain! In this lesson, we explore the issues with it and clarify what the writer wanted to convey.
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We are a society that, over the last 60+ years, had become more and more isolated. When there was no AC, the front porches were bigger, and there was a natural community, and you knew your neighbors. Depending on how old you are, you will have fond memories of those old days(maybe not the NO AC days:). The days of staying outside all summer playing with your neighborhood friends. There was no reason other than an illness that would keep you inside. We are trending more and more to being disconnected people. Do you feel it? Don’t confuse your social media “friends” as connections. Social media connections give you the idea you are connected but are you really? This has been ramped up over the last year, and I don’t need to explain that!! The problem with this is we are made for connection it is built into our DNA. You were created in the image of a God that exists in community. So what happens when we feel isolated but long for connection? We look for replacements to fill that hole. Some turn to Alcohol, video games, FAKEBOOK, Netflix, , Fitness, and the list goes on. Where do you run to fix your issues? Today we are going to look at Mark 5 and a story of desperation to end that isolation.
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Can we have a moment of confession? Who here (and you can raise your hand) struggles with procrastination? You can be honest. Everyone around you already knows. My truth is, it is my struggle at times. Not sure when it became an option. It was in full force when I was school age and seemed to worsen the higher grade I entered. The thought is I am in control, and I have plenty of time. A lie we believe all the time. I can fix it or do it later until it happens when we really need it to happen. Our kids say it to parents all the time. I will do it later. Think about a few things you are putting off right now. Go ahead a will give you a second:) Who’s stress level just went up a click on two on the dial? Today we venture into Luke 12 and see what Jesus thinks about it.
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Do you think God has a plan for you? I believe He does. I think you are in this room because God wants his children to know, love and follow him. Check this out: Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. The best way know his plan is to know his heart. God put me in this room and it wasn’t my plan. When you allow yourself to know his heart you will naturally want to follow Him. This morning we will dig into parts of Luke 9 and 10 and see the difference between living and acting in the heart of God.
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HE HAS RISEN!!! All of our Hope as believers rest in this one truth. The restoration of your Hope begins here. No matter the depth of your hopelessness!! Remember the disciples from last week. They were at their lowest but all that changed for them after the resurrection. A correct view of the empty tomb can lead us to a Hope Felled life.
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Today we start our two week Easter series called Hope Restored. Life without hope is a miserable existence. We have all experienced this at one level or another. Some of are still there. Where does our hope come from as believers? Our hope come from an empty tomb. The Resurrection is our hope, Jesus doing what he promised. And you know what he is still keeping his promises. Pre-warning this week is about the LOSS of hope. We can not recover what we have not realized is lost. At the end our strength, and when control as been lost: Jesus holds out a hand to deliver. The question is what are you willing to do?
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Today we will be handling a text in Mark 12 that has been used to convince people to give more. I believe in giving to your local church because, without your generosity, Reach wouldn’t be here. If the ministry of this church has blessed you, it is because people have given their time, talents, and treasures. You may not have noticed, but we don’t pass a plate here, and that is on purpose. We for the last eight years, we have trusted God to keep this church-going, and that hasn’t changed. So know now, before I start that I’m not looking for more of your money.
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We got many things from the 80's like Post-it Notes, MTV, Simpson, Seinfeld, The Gameboy and Olympic Gold in Ice Hockey!! Another thing that got reborn in the 80s was the word Poser. Just incase you don’t know dictionary.com defines it as “a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, sentiment, etc., other than his or her true one.” Any else reminded of your failed attempts to be cool?? One mine was in sixth grade. You may or may not know but I’m not known for my athletic ability. I KNOW, SHOCKING. Soccer was a big deal in my town and at the time I didn’t play but you know what was really popular. Adidas Indoor soccer shoes. YOU KNOW WHAT I’m talking about? The ones with the flap. Well I begged my broke mom to buy me a pair and the first day I wore them to school guess what HAPPENED!!! Not sure I wore them again to school. This morning the challenging text continues with Mark 11. Jesus has a problem with POSERS.
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Are you a project finisher? Is your garage/house filled with half-finished projects? My garage is an excellent place to see how my projects are going. It's where I throw everything after a finish my project but don't have the energy to put up everything:). If I were a betting man, I would say it is a struggle for most of us. Today I want to talk through this but from our spiritual side and our tendency to settle with partial healing. When we take just enough of our time with God to run out into the wild again, I believe today's text will compel you to remain until He is finished.
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Most would agree that 2020 was a year of fear!! Between the unknown of a pandemic, an intensely contested polarized presidential election, and economic strain on individuals and most small business owners... Just to mention a few things. Has this been your experience? Today in Mark 4, Jesus will challenge us with the same question He presented to his disciples. WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID??? Are you ready! Don't forget as I pray to ask God to speak.
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Authority can be an ugly word. Some hearing this have issues with any authority figure because of what they have experienced in their past. Many in authority have abused it. Today we will journey into Mark to see that many had issues with Jesus because they didn’t trust his authority. Many, if not most, of our current problems, stem from our not relying on Jesus’ authority. Today my goal is to challenge all of us to acknowledge this and ask ourselves why? Why do we at times trust we more than Jesus? Jesus didn’t come to be an added item to our over-busy lives. He came to create real life. Let’s let the word speak to us today.
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“Love is of the utmost importance, this is the reminder Pastor Allan gave us on Valentine’s Day. We get to hear how love is the most important characteristic out of all of the spiritual gifts. From 1 Corinthians 13 we hear the most eloquent ever written on love”
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We are back at walking in the word. Our intent is that you and I should be in the word, and through that, the word should be shaping our lives. Just because we are now in February doesn’t mean we are no longer fighting for clarity. Do not be afraid of conviction, be concerned of not acting on that conviction. Our best life is seen and experienced as we surrender daily to Jesus. Are you ready? Don’t forget to pray to ask God to speak to you today.
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Today we close our series Clarity. This week will be no less challenging!! Are you ready? First question? How is it going? Are you fighting for Clarity? Have you made changes that have helped you focus on what God wants to do with you this year? Today we will open up Matthew 18 and enter into a strong response to a dumb question. And if you are willing, Jesus will speak some hard truth to us today through this text.
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An ‘Aha’ Moment from 2 Kings 3:9-16 …But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says…
The Kingdom Principle of Indirection • Matt 6:33 • 2 Peter 3:1 • Eph 4: 32 • John 13:34. • Luke 6:41-42 • 2 Chron 7:14 • Luke 10:38-42
“Return to The Basics” o Fasting
o Prayer
o Read your Bible
o Confess and Repent
o Obey
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As we head into week two of Clarity, let me start with a question. Over the last seven days, did you work your reading plan, pray over your list, and contact your partner?? If no, why not? Clarity will not come without sacrifice. This week will be no different. If you aren’t willing to submit and surrender to the source of life, then you will have to conquer whatever you are up against by your power. Today we are heading into Ephesians 6 to clarify what we are up against and to see how we are called to battle. If you want God to speak to you today, ask for it!!!
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Are you feeling unsettled about 2021? Most people are!! So, where are you going to find clarity and peace? For the next few weeks, we will be circling this idea, "That God is our place for clarity, vision, purpose, hope, peace, and joy." If this is true, then how do we get to this place of clarity. That is our pursuit today. If you want some clarity in your life, what are you willing to do to get it. Clarity does not come without a cost. If you have picked out a New Years' resolution like losing a few pounds, it will cost you to see that happen. Research conducted by Strava in 2018, the social network for athletes, has discovered that Jan. 12 is the fateful day of New Year's resolutions. Your spiritual health is far more critical than your waistline. So I ask you again what are you willing to do….????
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King Solomon understood that life apart from God is simply meaningless, in this quick overview of the first few verses of Ecclesiastes we examine how there is in fact meaning in everything under the sun.
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From the beginning, God has been a pursuing God. Over the next two weeks, I want to drive that point home. Your experience may speak differently, and that shapes how you see God. God never wanted distance; He wanted a relationship. Do you believe that?? Despite what you think God thinks or feels about you, He is pursuing!!
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Today is Baptism Sunday. Today is a big deal for the people choosing to get baptized, it’s a big deal to God, and it’s a big deal to Reach. We are going to spend our time this morning talking about why this is a big deal.
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Disciples follow, listen, and obey Jesus. This is the focus of this series, to point out the obvious and encourage action. If you are watching this you have survived Thanksgiving 2020! Hopefully you walked in humility and showed the love of Jesus in your words and actions. Today we continue with the obvious but difficult part of trusting yourself completely to Jesus. Jesus thankfully demonstrated what this looks like all throughout the Gospels. Jesus trusted the Father all the way to cross. How far do you trust him.
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We love to talk about others' lack of humility (you can be honest) BUT rarely, if ever, do we like to talk about or deal with our lack of humility. We are continuing Our "Follow Me" series. So far, we have seen that disciples follow Jesus and that Disciples do what He says. Today won't be any easier for you or me. Because if we are disciples of Jesus, we are called to walk and act as he did. 1 John 2:6 "whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." Today Jesus will show us the low road of a disciple. Are you Ready??
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Not many of us like to be told what to do. Do we? There are lots of reasons for this. Most of those reasons are rooted in the thought that we know best. As we enter into week two of our new series Follow Me, we will see that listening and acting on what Jesus says is the foundation of being a disciple. When the master/teacher speaks, we are called to respond. Are you ready for it?
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Disciples Follow Jesus!! That is the plain and simple truth. If you are not following Jesus, are you his Disciple? Look what Jesus says in Matthew 16:24 ….“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Today we start a new series called “Follow Me,” and for the next few weeks, we will look at the life of Jesus to see how we follow. We are all follow something; let us be intentional about following Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our Faith. If you need Faith, it will found and experienced as you follow.
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We are in an uncertain time! COVID, Elections, Finances, and the list goings-on an on!! I think sometimes our default is to find comfort in distractions. Anyone else? When things get crazy, we Turtle:) We pull into our hard shell and hideaway. Today we will look at another letter to the early church. This one still from Paul… let's see what we can learn from it.
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Communion
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Your destination (where you are going) determines your direction. Let me unpack that a little before we get started. By the time you are watching this, the Caddell’s will be in Boone for a little getaway. Have you been to Boone? It is a great place. I may be partial. App State Class of 99, Met my bride there, and our first year and half of marriage, we lived in that great town. And to be honest, I love the mountain a LOT more than the beach!!! Don’t get bent out of shape; it shows you how much I love this church and you guys!! I’M HERE!!!! Let me get to the point. Boone was our destination, and that destination determined our direction. To get there, we had to head west. This week Paul will tell you that your destination/Citizenship should determine what you do, say, and how you live.
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What we do and what we say matters to God!! Not sure if anyone would argue with me about this. All of us have been on the giving and receiving end of this truth. Some of us have been hurt because of other's words and actions, and that hurt has shaped us for the good or bad. Our lives are a reflection of this reality. So what do with this? Paul tells us in Ephesians 4, the only question is, are we willing to listen and act??
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Who here is a fast walker? Me!!! And I don’t even know why, sure sometimes I’m in a hurry because I’m running late, but the rest of the time I don’t have a reason. You know who doesn’t what as fast as me? Most of you:) Just kidding. My beautiful wife!!! She prefers we walk together. Any other slow walker out there know how she feels? If we are to walk together, I have to choose to slow down and get in step with her. Today we will be in Galatians 5 to discover that being in step with the Spirit is our path to life and peace. Advanced warning your life in “the Flesh” will not like this.
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Have you been to a job interview lately? Do you know what they almost always ask you?? What is your greatest weakness? We all know it's coming but still don't prepare for it. Then it comes out of their mouth, and we say dumb things. We have all been there. Here are some that you shouldn't pull out of your pocket…… "Those eyes of yours."," I don't work well with people", "My biggest weakness is that I have too many strengths."," I don't like being told what to do", "I am always late", "People say I can be condescending. That's when you talk down to people." Why do we struggle so much with owning up to our weaknesses?? I think it's because, in our culture, weakness is bad and should be eliminated or hidden. Today Paul will help us understand that weakness can be our road to power.
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There is no transformation without work, but we are Americans, and we want everything now. Think about all the infomercials you have been sucked into. And I know you have… We all have…. 8-minute abs, The Ab rocker, whatever that thing that chuck Norris sells:) They sell you that it will be easy with this one thing…. How many of those items have you let go for a dollar at a yard sale and just thrown in the garbage?? Today we will dig into one of the first verses that I memorized after I got saved in 94. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” There is but one thing that will transform you…. And his name is JESUS. Do you believe it? REALLY… Because he isn’t done with you. Let’s Pray!!
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Did you know that the Summer Olympics were supposed to end a little over a month ago? That's right; they got postponed until next summer. Could you imagine the heartbreak of every athlete that has spent the last few years (maybe even their whole life) preparing for it and earning a spot in their event? Their lives are about nothing else, and it has to be because if they slack, someone more disciplined will gladly take their place. And the saddest part is that the greater majority of those going will only go home with an experience. And the ones that go home with Gold, Silver or Bronze. The value of the 2018 Olympics Gold metal was about $606. People have given their lives for the chance of taking home the Gold. I know the value of the metal isn't the reason, but I want to make a point—the value of the prize matters. Today's text will challenge you to know the prize you are running after and it's real value.
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The church is composed of various internal systems and/or attitudes. Some of them can be forgiveness and joy and humility and unity and love and so on. In today’s message we will explore the attitude of gratitude and the importance of it in the Christian’s life.
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Identity is a big deal. Whether or not you know it your identity is governing your life. What you eat, where you live, what you wear, what you think about yourself, and how you act and talk. You are right now governed my by what is at the center of that identity. The problem with most us is that we didn’t set our identity we let others do that. There is FREEDOM for you from that in Christ. Today we continue in 1 Corinthians as Paul directs the people of God on living center in the identity bought and paid for by the cross.
We love distractions!! Don’t we? Netflix, Facebook, Instagram,… and the list goes on. You know why we love distractions? Because it’s easier than dealing with real life. We can get caught up in a new streaming series or in all the worlds problems and forget about the life we have been given or the mission we have been assigned. Personal spiritual growth and Kingdom advancement is our work and life. Jesus didn’t save you just for heaven He saved you for NOW. Today’s text will show us that this distraction has been an issue in the church since the beginning.
The love of County has motivated 1.3 million soldiers to serve at personal risk and high cost to life and limb. The love of family… For the love a significant other… Love is a great motivator. God's love for His children is an even greater motivator. Today we will see how strong that love is and when we trust it and live in it, we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS. And don't worry, you don't have to take my word for it. We will let the word of God speak for itself.
The WORK of every believer is FAITH in the one who brings life. Faith alone is a struggle for all of us workers out there (Me included). The ones that live in this world where you work and you get what you are owed. Where there is a debt and that debt must be paid. We own a house or kind of own a house. Technically the bank holds the deed to it. They just let us use it while we pay them back. And you know what they expect that we do pay them back every month on time. It is hard not to carry this idea into our faith. Even if we believe that Jesus paid our debt on the cross (our debt of sin), we can look at it more as a loan than a gift. Today we will dig into the Romans 4 as Paul makes clear what work is necessary for our debt to be paid!!
“For many of us the pursuit of happiness tends to deal with what we accomplish in life but Jesus turn that idea upside down. In this message we will explore Jesus’ reality of happiness”
Today we look at one of the most famous Psalms. Psalm 23. In my reading this week, I went through Psalm 22, which is referred to as the Psalm of the cross. It is gut-wrenching, you can almost feel the pain of it. And the beauty is the opening of the 23 Psalm. The LORD is my shepherd… In the 22 Psalm, you see why Jesus is a worthy and good Shepherd. The 23rd Psalm is a declaration of what has done and is doing for us.
Have you ever been surprised by God? Maybe it surprises you that you are even in this room. I’m not sure why I keep circling this mountain of “TRUST ME” and walk in faith. But here we are again. God’s Kingdom moves forward when we trust him; miracles happen when we trust him; salvation is available for us and others when we trust him; the list goes on and on. What this morning keeping you from trusting him with everything? And I do mean everything. The book of Acts is one story after another of God’s people trusting him. This morning we will continue to see this trust uncovered. The question is, can you see yourself in the story of what God wants to do in 2020???
God uses awkward obedience to open doors. Obeying the call of God always come with great risk and great rewards. Some of you are in this room are here today because someone took a risk to share and show you the Gospel. And what Great News it is, an invitation to the table of God. Today we will see when the door to the Gospel was opened to you and me. And today at the end of service you will be invited to the table!!
How are you doing? This has been an unusual time!! (Understatement of the YEAR) 2020 will live in the history books for lots of things. Toilet Paper, Face Masks, Social Distancing, Corina (and not the beer), and the list goes on and on. (Our present is a constant reminder of how it used to be.) Remember when we use to stand in line (and not six feet apart), sit in restaurant, Spend your day in a coffee shop, get any kind of TP any time you wanted, shake hands……Today I want to spend some time looking at a ‘USED to’ that we shouldn’t long for.
Today’s sermon will be about the sanctification process of the believer and the many struggles that it represents! We’ll be going over the tendencies that we may fall under as we battle the many battles we encounter as believers.
“The Roman’s army armor used many great components which made it one of the reasons they assembled the greatest military power the world had ever seen to that point. In his letter to the church in Ephasus, Paul takes the Roman armor as an example for the armor of God which we now posses. Let’s take a look at how we can apply this armor in today’s spiritual battle”
How easy is it for you to trust God? Easy when things are good and hard when life is difficult. This season is a good testing of your trust and faith. Today I want to take a longer look at a text I briefly talked about last Sunday and wrestle with the implications. Today’s text will stretch you, confront you and call you to a greater level of trust in our SAVIOR. A call to follow Jesus is a call to surrender and trust.
You may have missed this but…..Our country is hurting, angry, and at a boiling point. You may be indifferent to it, you may be enraged by it, or you may stoking the fire. None of those will fix what is broken. Today I will try my best to humbly walk through a gospel response to this open wound our country is facing. The root of this like every other problem we face, is sin and the brokenness that invaded our world when it entered and occupied the hearts of man. And there is but one place were we find freedom to walk forward and find healing. He name is JESUS. He was and is the only man that walked in freedom and that FREEDOM allowed him to LOVE all people the same. I hope the today seeing HIS heart will help shape ours.
How is getting unstuck going? I’m sure there have been a few things that have convicted you over the last few weeks. Many of you may be overwhelmed by the number of things that may need improvement in your life. Today I would like to encourage you with a fun saying. You may have heard it before. How do you eat an Elephant? .....One bite at a time. The same is true with getting unstuck. You may not know how to get all the way out of the mud, but everyone can start with one step forward.
Are you stuck in your financial life? The lie of MORE may be the reason!! Years of bad money management and stress can make you feel stuck. This week we will be looking at the word to help us get unstuck.
Week 2: If you missed last weeks message I recommend you check it out. It will help make this weeks and the following weeks messages make more since. Last week in a nut shell!!! The key to getting unstuck in every area of our life starts with getting on the right yoke. ((((Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”)))) Healthy relationships never just happen. If your relationships are stuck in unhealthy patterns, doing nothing wont change anything.
Today we start a new series!!! And over the next few weeks, we will be talking about how to get unstuck. What does that mean? We all go through seasons of getting stuck. Where some part of our life stops moving forward, it might be our relationships (how is the stay at home order effecting that?), maybe it’s our finances, or our fitness and the list goes on. Today we deal with the most critical part of really getting unstuck. If we skipped this, it would be me just giving you tips to make things better, but the problem with that is if we don’t change the first thing, our advice will have NO LASTING EFFECT.
We may find ourselves chasing after he wrong things in life. King Solomon experienced this truth in his life as he shared it with us in the book Ecclesiastes. Today’s message focuses on the reality of the believers importance to chase after God in everything we do rather than chase after fleeting moments or satisfactions.
Since the beginning of time, God has been pursuing those that are his. You can trace it back all the way to creation. Remember the story. Adam and Eve sinned and immediately felt the separation from the Father. And what did they do? They hid!!! And what did God do? He pursued!! Some of us have experienced this in powerful ways, while others of us depending on the season we are in can doubt the truth of the text we will be covering this week. Today we will be looking at a long passage with three different parables in it. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Let the Text show you the heart of the Father!! Let’s Pray!!!
You finally have time to take a real look inside. For some of you it may be the first time in a long time. Our busy lives have a way of allowing us to ignore it. Jesus wants to speak today through this word. Here this first: Romans 8:1 (ESV) “8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” I do not come to you today to bring condemnation but hope that Jesus can cleanse you and free you from living a less than life.
We can not appreciate the cross or the empty tomb without understanding our need for it. Join us as we look at Luke 7 and a sinful woman forgiven at a dinner party, and the connection to the Resurrection.
“Trouble and suffering occurs in this world all the time, and for the believer it is highly important we recognize its purpose. Today’s sermon explores the troubles we may go through and what is it’s ultimate purpose is.”
Just because you have found favor in God’s eyes does not mean that everything will be easy. Lessons for the first part of Luke.
This week we look at the Triumphal Entry and what we can learn about worship. Key thought: If Jesus is worthy of worship in the Good times he is worthy of WORSHIP ALWAYS
Two questions today Is there a person too far gone for Jesus? And, When are you ready to be used by God? Today we will let Mark 5 to speak to both of these. Let us stop answering the “what can” and “what would Jesus” do without looking at the word first.
Our willingness to live out a life of "yes" to God determines our fruitfulness. Great message from our guest speaker, Pastor Ben Goodman.
We are all looking for wisdom. Wisdom defined:: The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. In Hebrew, Wisdom is Khokhmah: Skill or applied knowledge….Not just having information but putting that information into action. Today we will look through Proverbs to see what to walk out wisdom.
At the time Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthian church, they were emphasizing a good thing, spiritual gifts, though they were failing to look after the best. They were using their gifts apart from love. Paul makes the point that the use of their God-given gifts would amount to nothing if the Corinthians did not make love their priority. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us the importance that love and how to go about living it in our daily lives.
Today we have witnessed one of the first things God has called us to walk in obedience. To be Baptized!! This is meant to be the first of many steps towards knowing and trusting God. Obedience is the means by which our faith, which is valued above gold, grows!!! Let's look at 1 Peter 1 to see how we are to walk this out.
Where do we go from here? Hopefully, you have had a great kick start of 2020!! And might have even started some new habits that will be life and joy building. So what now??!! Now that the 21 days of prayer and fasting are ending what's next? The answer is to Begin Again again!! This needs to be your daily reminder to get back up. Today we will look at some advice Jesus gave people following HIM. These words are for all his future disciples/children in their pursuit of Greater Joy!!
Have you ever felt that it is too late, or things have gone too far, or you have missed your opportunity to get back to the Grace that you at one time loved to live in? The truth is we have all been there at one time or another. Some of us may be there right now!! Today we will look at my favorite Disciple. Guess WHO??? PETER!!! That’s right; we will be looking at a familiar text while trying to understand how big a deal it is that Rabbi Jesus willingly restored Peter even after he did what he did.
Matthew 18:19–20 (NIV) 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Happy New Year!! There is always a pinch of hope with every new year!! There is a chance that this will be THE YEAR. You fill in the blank of what that means for you. But the truth without a little (a LOT) of help we want get there. So here is the GOOD news we have access through Jesus to the greatest help we could ever get. But the question is, will you lean in and allow Jesus to help you BEGIN AGAIN? Because the truth is we aren’t that good at making those changes by our selves. ARE WE???
Week 2 of Pregnant with Promise!! After we overcome the doubt we have to do something with it. Today we will look at what the shepherds did with their promise.
For the next three weeks, we will look at the birth narrative out of Luke. We will focus on this phrase Pregnant with Promise. The birth narrative of Jesus is a promise of something future, and for the next three weeks, we will wrestle with that same promise as it relates to us personally. Mary and Elizabeth didn’t get to see any fulfillment of these promises for almost 30 years. The Treasure of belief is the same for us. We may not see the fulfillment of these promises until we see Jesus. So how do we deal with our doubts?
If you have breath in your lungs then God's not done yet!! Let Colossians 1 speak to this truth!!
James 1:2 Count it all joy , my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing.
Is it easy or difficult to trust God with your story (aka life)? All of it and not just the easy parts. Truthfully most of our stories are messing and at times, very scary!! It can be very easy to forget to put our trust in the right place. Today we are going to look at lots of examples of what it looks like to trust God with your story.
From the Bible we see that gratefulness is a very important biblical principle, Pastor Allan examines the reasons for this and also what may be the things that keeps us from living in a state of constant thankfulness.
Hear me this morning. The only thing that matters is something that no one in this room can see. Your heart. Hear this also God isn’t after your actions he’s after your heart. Do not try to please him with your actions, work your hardest at pleasing him with your heart. This is the hardest work you will ever do because it can not be faked!! Either HE has your heart or HE doesn’t. This morning we will be looking into Hebrews chapter three and the authors efforts to get you to check your heart. Are you ready?
2 Timothy 1:6–7 (ESV) 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
1 Thessalonians 2:12 "we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory."
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
John 14:6 (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
You will follow A way, live A truth, and have A life, but will it be THE Way, THE truth, and THE life? Jesus told his disciples in John 14:6 (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." And he told them this to comfort their troubled hearts. Receive the same comfort.
Are you available? Life in Christ is a life of availabilities!! God, unlike us, is never not thinking about the mission. He is always working things to His end and using us to make it happen. Remember you “are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Eph 2. When we understand this we are ready to be interrupted. Ready to be used by God for the benefit of others.
Matthew 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
When spending time talking about serving and being the church God has called us to be, you must look at the right source. Jesus is that source and the great thing about Jesus is that he almost always demonstrated what he was teaching. There was no "do what I say and not what I do". Let's see what Jesus has to teach us today through washing his disciples feet.
Acts 18:9–10 (ESV) 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Romans 8:1–4 (ESV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Ignoring our high places can lead to our destruction, loss of Kingdom gain, and pain for those around you.
Rom. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Renewing our Mind, Putting God first in our thinking changes our world.
Real or Fake? That is the question this morning!! When life is easy we can fake our way through faith. When life is good, it is easy to say praise the LORD, and He is good. But when life gets hard, overwhelming, and difficult it is no longer possible to FAKE our way through faith. The truth catches up with us. It beats us up:) Today we are going to continue our journey through the Acts of the Apostles in chapter 19 and very unusual story of some Jewish exorcists.
The joy of seeing God move normally comes with a bit of discomfort:). The question isn’t do you want to see God move, because the answer will normally be yes. So the real question this morning is, are you willing to put yourself in a position to hear him and a willingness to do what He asks.
Have you ever struggled with sin that just does not seem to go away? Do you find yourself battling against it time and time again? If you do, this message has the potential to help you fight against entangled sin. We explore the reasons why we are so easily attracted to sin and the things we tangible do to fight it.
Our world needs help!! Our community needs help!! We need help!! Where does that help come from? How do you see the Gospel change the world around us? We know from last week that without our connection to the vine we have no hope of Fruit. I don’t think there is any better place than looking at the beginning Gospel Transformation in the first community THE CHURCH had influence in.
John15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
What do you do when you get to the end of your rope? What do you do when you face what you can’t control? Let me confess here that I am a work in progress. I have not figured out how to completely live in the trust of the Lord that I handle every overwhelming situation with the grace and mercy that I have access to through the Holy Spirit. Today we will try and glean some of the how from a man that faced lots of impossible situation through his life.
The peace of God is something that's available to all believers. In our anxiety-ridden culture worry, stress, and anxiety can be a common temptation in our lives. In the this last part of our series Mastermind, we talk about the resourceful ways God has giving us not to learn how to manage or cope with our worry, but to eliminate it.
Over the last few weeks, we have looked at the idea that we will move in the direction of our strongest thought. So far we have named our stronghold and the truth that demolishes that stronghold, and focused on the need to train our minds. This week we look at another issue in getting our thinking back in line. Perhaps the framework of how we think is messed up!
To Mastermind what is happening inside your mind you must train it. That is what this week is all about.
We are starting a New Series today. Wanted to give credit to livechurch.tv for this Series. Let’s jump right in. Remember last week we talked about living in and out the resurrection. And there is no better way to do that than by reshaping the way we think. Stinking thinking is one of the biggest thefts going on in your life. And today we will start a four-week conversation on winning the war in your mind because what comes into your mind will come out in your life.
If the resurrection is true then the ramification monumental!! Let us look at the resurrection for what it is, that Jesus wasn’t a crazy false prophetic. He was proof of God’s love. His love is what we are responding to this morning. Not a religious holiday to be remembered out of tradition but as a continued proof that God Came, that he God pursues, and that He will go to any lengths to purchase you back to wholeness.
A Just and Loving God sent his Son for you, to be condemned for you and this was Gods plan from the beginning. There was no other way to be connected to the Father without Jesus taking the wrath and giving His righteousness to those who trust and believe. What does this mean for us?
What does it mean to have a God that understands you? One that has experienced pain and suffering, one who understands rejection and loss. And one that did all those things For You!!! Listen to the way Hebrews 4 puts it? "15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Let me read that again!! LISTEN CLOSELY!!! The Gospels are Jesus' declaration of who God is and how much He cares for us and how far he willing to go to make a way to him.
Since the beginning of time, God has been pursuing those that are his. You can trace it back all the way to creation. Remember the story. Adam and Eve sinned and immediately felt the separation from the Father. And what did they do? They hid!!! And what did God do? He pursued!! Some of us have experienced this in powerful ways, while others of us depending on the season we are in can doubt the truth of the text we will be covering this week. Today we will be looking at a long passage with three different parables in it. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Let the Text show you the heart of the Father!!
Today we start our Easter series. For the next five weeks, we will be journeying through the Gospel of Luke looking at what Jesus has done for you. We have an opportunity for life change because the root of that change comes from what Jesus has done for you. So today we will be looking at Jesus showing up for us in Luke 4:16-30
To appreciate the text today, you have to see yourself as Barabbas. One who without Jesus is condemned to eternal death without the power to free yourself. But Jesus knowing this did for all those who believe what they could not do for themselves.
In Mark 12 Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is. He answered with Deuteronomy 6 then added the second greatest commandment. The question for us is what do we do with Jesus' answer.
It is vital that you completely understand who Jesus is, and what he demands of his followers. We live in the most saved part of the country. Most people that you talk to in this area would say that are Christians.The problem is most of our actions don't back that up. What would our city, state, or county look if everyone who claimed Christ also followed him? Today we will be looking at Mark 8:27-37.
We were created to know and primarily to know our creator. From the moment we took the first breath we have been learning/mastering new things from learning how to get feed and changed to learning how to walk and eat on our own. Jesus came to earth so that we could know him in a more significant way. In the one year bible, you have spent the last two months reading Matthew and Mark. The Gospels are our most excellent picture of who our Savior indeed is. His teachings are ALL so that we could know him as Lord and Savior. Today we are going to spend some time on a few of his parables. First: what is a Parable? A Parable a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Jesus hid the truth about him and the kingdom in Parable for those who were willing to listen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14 (NIV)
How are your eyes? Ever lost your contacts/glasses or tried to make it to the bathroom in a new place with the lights out? The truth is without our eyes working good we would be lost, literally! If we are going to get 2019 jump-started, we need to get our vision corrected.
How's your prayer life? No better way to jump start 2019 then getting your prayer life in gear.
When you are the center of you universe it is easier to think of yourself as God than live correctly in the AWE and WONDER of God. Normally when we begin to lose the Wonder of God it is because His wonder has been replaced by something or someone else. The only way to reestablish this is to zoom out. That is what I plan to do this morning. Zoom so far out that, maybe, for the first time we will capture Wonder. Surrender to a creator God who has decided to be personal and not just personal but intimate.
Why have we lost the Wonder of how great God is? Forgetting to remember that he is our source of victory. David didn't forget that when he faced Goliath. Let us learn from David!!
Jesus our priest forever.... Hebrews 7:23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Living in and walking in unbelief robs you of your rest. "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The people Exodus saw the power of God and still let their unbelief rob them of entering into God Rest. Don't let the same thing happen to you.
COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION / OUTREACH: Community transformation happens best in the community. Our heart is to train our people to be agents of change in the places that God has placed them – in their work environment, in the neighborhoods and in their sphere of influence. We will use our community groups to share the Gospel and see lives changed in our city, our nation, and our world through practical ministry that meets people’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
THE NEXT GENERATION: We are dedicated to partnering with parents in building the next generation of passionate Christ followers who fulfill Jesus’ Great Commandment to love God, love others and reach our world. We believe our best and most effective way to do this is by equipping and growing parents to shepherd their children.
AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS: Real discipleship, training, and mentoring happen in authentic relationships. It is difficult to grow authentic relationships on Sunday morning; therefore, we will focus from day one to build community outside of Sunday morning.
THE WORD OF GOD: We acknowledge that the basis and direction of our ministry will be formed and founded on the Word of God. We believe and trust in its authority and power. This will be felt and realized in every Sunday message and every community group discussion. We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of all people, and the final authority for all Christian faith and life.
Week one of our Core Values series started yesterday at @reachcc . We focused on the reality that without the Presence of God nothing happens. So the question to you is do you want to live far off or Face to Face with God? Listen here to stay up to date.
2 Corinthians 4 tells us we are Jars of Clay. How do we cope with this reality? By having a body that is wasting away and a world that is against us while having the greatest treasure living inside of us. That was the topic of last Sunday's message.
To have empathy, truly caring about everyone around us is how we show Christ to a broken world.
The secret to being strong is embracing our weakness. This week at @reachcc we looked at this truth in 2 Corinthians 12. Have a listen
What does it mean to be strong? That is the subject of our new series. Yesterdays point was this, "We are our strongest in a Healthy Gospel Centered community." Are you connected to yours? Have a listen here....
Four Churches One Gospel. 4th annual pastor swap. Crosswinds Church, Coastal Church, The Point Church, and Reach Community Church.
Four Churches One Gospel. 4th annual pastor swap. Crosswinds Church, Coastal Church, The Point Church, and Reach Community Church.
Have you ever felt like you are imprisoned to your ways of thinking, or acting? This week at @reachcc we looked at Acts 12 and the fact that there is no REAL freedom without God. Stay connected and listen here!!
How far are you willing to let Jesus go in your life to point others to Him? Last Sunday at @reachcc we looked at John 11 and the story of Lazarus to answer this questions. Stay connected and have a listen!!
This Sunday at @reachcc Pastor Daniel brought a great message on the Power of the Indwelling Spirit out of Ezekiel 1. If you missed it here is the link to listen.
What does it mean to be born again? Last week at @reachcc we looked at John 3 and Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus to get a little more understanding on this topic. Have a listen!! #church #BornAgain #rebirth #bornofwaterandspirit
Yesterday at @reachcc!!! You weren’t designed to nibble, you were designed to feast. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper to remind us what to Feast on and what is at the center of the Kingdom of God. Make sure you get it correct.
Victory is a process!!! This past Sunday at @reachcc we looked at the book of Joshua. God made big promises to Joshua about what would happen as he faithfully followed the Lord. The only thing that stood in the way was 31 Kings!! Are you ready?
The parable of the Prodigal Son has much to teach us. Yesterday at @reachcc we unpacked a few of those in Luke 15.
When is God enough for you? This Sunday at @reachcc we looked at Psalm 73 and wrestled with this question. Have a listen here.
Easter at @reachcc we learned that for Jesus it is all about Sacrifice and for us it all about surrender. He has done on the cross what we could never do for ourself.
Do you ever get it wrong? You aren't the only one. Peter even went as far as rebuking Jesus. What can we learn from this? Check out week one of 'His Way'.
You want to hear something crazy? God uses us to prepare the way for HIM!!! That's a big responsibility but what does it really look like? Here is a look into three sections of Luke to begin that conversation.
Have you fallen asleep at the wheel? In Mark 13 Jesus warns us to stay awake in our faith. We can not sit this one out!! Have a listen to @reachcc latest sermon here.
What's the big deal about not washing your hands before dinner? Jesus was accused of not being a good teacher because HIS disciples didn't wash up before dinner. Listen to what Jesus had to say about this. Scripture always trumps tradition