BridgePointe Christian Church

<p>The start of our day sets the tone for our day. If we want our days to be filled with the strength and peace of the Holy Spirit, we need to start our days by spending time with the Holy Spirit. The simple practice of waking up 15-30 minutes earlier can create the space we need to spend time with God. And while that means less sleep for your body, it also means more strength for your soul, which is what you really need to make it through your day.</p>

<p>God created us to eat and to delight in eating. Food and drink are part of survival and celebration. They are beautiful parts of our lives. Therefore, choosing not to eat when you could is a signifcant act of self-control and sacrifice. For this reason, fasting has been an expression of spiritual devotion throughout history and across many cultures. Jesus did it and taught His disciples to do so because it brings our focus onto what we need more than food--the presence of God. </p>

<p>Jesus established His church to advance against the evil one and bring spiritual freedom to those who were once captive. The mission of the church is to lead people to Jesus, in whom they experience the life and freedom they desperately need. We can be assured that we will face opposition from the spiritual forces of evil. The church wages war through prayer in the power of God. And we know that, in the end, God gives victory to those in Christ Jesus. </p>

<p>The church is given an outward mission to spread the light of Jesus in this dark world. The light belongs to God, but He has given it to us to bring into this world. The light is seen through us in our words and actions, when we bring the Kingdom of Jesus and the beauty of His rule to the world around us. We do this in countless and often ordinary ways, as we bring heaven to earth. </p>

<p>The church is given an outward mission to spread the light of Jesus in this dark world. The light belongs to God, but He has given it to us to bring into this world. The light is seen through us in our words and actions, when we bring the Kingdom of Jesus and the beauty of His rule to the world around us. We do this in countless and often ordinary ways, as we bring heaven to earth. </p>

<p>The metaphor a shepherd and flock runs throughout Scripture to describe the relationship between God and His people. Jesus applies that directly to Himself in John 10. This picture reveals much about the love and tenderness of Jesus, as well as our total dependence on Him. The more time we spend with Him, the more we'll love, trust, and follow Him. </p>

<p>We know that a body can only be healthy when each part does what it's intended to do. The same is true with the church. Each person who belongs to Jesus has been gifted and entrusted to be a functioning part of Christ's body. Those who are part of the body must learn what their part is and choose to do it, even when it's hard, for the spiritual vitality of the whole body. </p>

<p>Scripture is full of imagery that depicts the church as a spiritual family--God is the Father, we are brothers and sisters, and we have been adopted into one beautiful and messy family. Since the beginning, there have been challenges to the unity and love that should characterize this family. For the church to be a family, our love for Jesus must result in love for one another that transcends anything that could divide us. </p>

<p>Before Jesus, the Temple was the place where people experienced the presence of God. As a result of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells in those who believe. While each believer possesses the Holy Spirit, we experience the presence of God in a very special way when we gather together, for only together are we the temple where the Spirit dwells. Our hearts long for God's presence and this should compel us to prioritize and prepare for worship with our church</p>

<p>Real hope has to last. It can't be for only a short time. Therefore, God's promises must meet our deepest and forever need in order to provide real, lasting hope. One of Isaiah's prophecies describes how God's servant will become the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world. In vivid detail, God explains that this King will take the punishment our sin deserves so that we can receive the reward His righteousness deserves. This reconciles us to God and gives us hope forever. </p>

<p>The Promised King will only bring hope to hurting people if He is able to change their reality on earth and in heaven. Isaiah describes the ways that the brokenness of this world will be healed, the wrong things made right, by the One whom God sends to save His people. The Promised King will bring justice, comfort, freedom, and beauty. He will establish a new reality of healing and hope for those who belong to Him. It is also the expectation that people who belong to that Kingdom will become agents of healing in this world that remains broken. </p>

<p>Isaiah gives beautiful descriptions of the one whom God will send to bring "the light into the darkness." This One, whom the Jews called Messiah, would be from the line of David and would become the good and perfect King that God had promised for His people. With His authority, this Forever King would establish a kingdom–a new reality–that would never end. This King is the ultimate hope for anyone living in darkness. </p>

<p>In the book of Isaiah, we see the people of Israel desperately in need of a message of hope. Just like them, we need a message of hope here and now as well. In this prophecy in Isaiah, God is sending hope in Jesus, but people must be prepared so that the receive Him as the promised hope of God. This prophecy describes how God will prepare people for Jesus through the ministry of a "forerunner," John the Baptist. </p>

<p>Every king has a cause--the advance of the kingdom. Jesus began His ministry by announcing that the Kingdom of God had arrived. He revealed that Kingdom through His life and established it through His death and resurrection. That was just the beginning. Jesus then entrusted the advance of His Kingdom to His disciples. All olf our lives should be dedicated to this cause. All of the King's resources should be used for it. If all we have is His, we should begin to think that all of it is available for His mission.</p>

<p>The heart of the Gospel is the generosity of God. Maybe more than almost anything else, God is witnessed through His undeserved and sacrificial kindness to us. We are made in God's image, which means we are created to be generous people. Even more, disciples of Jesus should embody the nature of the Gospel through our generous lives. In a world that find dissatisfaction in the accumulation of wealth, the generosity of God's people can be beautifully compelling.</p>

<p>Jesus is the King of all things. Everything in this world is under His authority. He distribute as He desires. Therefore, whatever we have is the portion the King has chosen for us. From what Jesus has given us, He expects us to return a portion to Him. This cultivates gratitude, trust, and devotion to our King. Throughout Scripture, the "king's portion" was 10%. As we live in the covenant of grace rather than law, this becomes the starting point of devotion to Jesus in this area of our lives.</p>

<p>For the people of God, this world often doesn't feel like home. It can cause us to wonder how much longer we'll have to endure. It can even make us question whether or not it's worth it to stay faithful to God. Daniel is given a glimpse of the end of all things. Through those visions, God assures every generation of His people that we have a reasno to place our hope in Jesus. Those who are faithful will floursih with Him forever. <br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.</p>

<p>It is really complicated to live as Americans and Christians. Some see these terms as a contradiction, while others think they're the same thing. Daniel models how to be a good citizen without compromising the integrity of his faith. If we follow his example, we'll be known first and most for our devotion to Christ. Beyond that, people will simply see the beauty of our quiet and peaceful lives. <br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.</p>

<p>Our lives are so brief, but we get to choose each day how we spend them. While culture teaches us to live for today, Scripture urges us to live for the Day that is coming. One day, all people will stand before the Lord and give an account of their lives. This great and final day should shape how we live every day leading up to it. We can either spend our lives building our own kingdom or getting prepared for the Kingdom that will never end. <br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.</p>

<p>Our culture repeats and reinforces the message that we are the sovereign and supreme being in our lives. Everything becomes about our "kingdom"--our happiness, our fulfillment, and our desires. That perspective cuts God out and puts us at the center. Life will never work like that. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we have the decision to repent of our pride and recognize God's greatness or suffer the undoing of the life we've built apart from God. <br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.<br><br>Resource: The book Jared mentions at the top of the message is "The Secular Creed" by Rebecca Mclaughlin</p>

<p>We live in a culture that demands our allegiance to its values, ideology, and objects of worship. There is a cost to giving Jesus our full allegiance, but it is only in that posture of devotion that we find salvation from the only thing that can harm us forever--sin and its consequences. (Matthew 10:28)</p>

<p>As followers of Jesus, we will inevitably feel the pressure of the culture around us. We'll be put in difficult spots when we don't know what to say or how to respond. Rather than responding with the weapons of this world--defensiveness, outrage, or distance--our response should be characterized by prayer, and the wisdom that flows from it. Only then will we be effective at pointing to God, even in the pressure moments we face. <br><br>Because of the unseen forces within our world, culture is not a neutral or passive influence. It is constantly applying pressure to move away from God. In order to be faithful, we must acknowledge, identify, and overcome the cultural influences that move us away from God.</p>

<p>People who belong to Jesus are supposed to be distinct. If we think, speak, and live like everyone else, it looks like Jesus makes no difference for us. Daniel provides a powerful example of how to be faithfully distinct in the midst of a culture that is moving away from God. <br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.</p>

<p>Because of the unseen forces within our world, culture is not a neutral or passive influence. It is constantly applying pressure to move away from God. In order to be faithful, we must acknowledge, identify, and overcome the cultural influences that move us away from God.<br><br>There is a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The greater the divergence, the more difficult it is for people to live faithfully for God. The book of Daniel provides a story of a young man who remained faithful to God in the midst of a godless culture. The story of Daniel shows us how to be an influence for God rather than being influenced away from God.</p>

<p>When we understand that people move toward Jesus one step at a time, we must accept that the journey might take a little longer than we expected. We need to be people of patience, who are committed to steady influence over the long haul. With patience, we are people who are prayerful, present, and purposeful in the lives of the people around us. And over a lifetime, we'll be blessed to help many people find their way back to God, one step at a time.</p>