New Song Students OKC

This week, Annie Stuemky closes out our series, "Not My Own" with a message on time being out of our control and the power of waiting on the Lord!

GLORY: Not My Own3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.PHILIPPIANS 2:3-1122 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.JOHN 17:22-23 Khabod: weightiness and worth“All glory comes from God because God is the most meaning, weighty, important, majestic, and valuable person in the universe. God is glorious!”GOD’S GLORYWho is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?EXODUS 15:11Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.1 CHRONICLES 29:11The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.PSALM 19:1The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.PSALM 97:1-6Glory doesn’t require recognition. God is glorified whether you honor him or not.JON TYSONGLORY DOESN’T REQUIRE PROOF“Our culture encourages and rewards ambition without qualification. We are surrounded by a way of life in which betterment is understood as expansion, as acquisition, as fame. Everyone wants to get more. To be on top, no matter what it is the top of, is admired. There is nothing recent about this temptation. It is the oldest sin in the book, the one that got Adam thrown out of the garden and Lucifer tossed out of heaven.”EUGUENE PETERSONTHREE GLORY TESTS (temptations)GLORY COMES FROM WHAT I DO (performance)3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”MATTHEW 4:32. GLORY COMES FROM WHAT I HAVE (possessions)8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” MATTHEW 4:8-93. GLORY COMES FROM WHAT OTHERS THINK (popularity) 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’and“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”MATTHEW 4:5-6“I suddenly realized that for the entire ten-minute period from when I had first seen my acquaintance until that very moment, I had been totally self-preoccupied. For the first two minutes before we met all I was thinking about was the clever things I might say that would impress him. During our five minutes together I was listening to what he had to say only so that I might turn it into a clever rejoinder. I watch him only so that I might see what effect my remarks were having upon him. And for the two or three minutes after we separated my sole thought content was those things I could have said that might have impressed him even more. I had not cared a whit for my classmate…”M. SCOTT PECK“Almost all problems in the spiritual life stem from a lack of self-knowledge.” ST. TERESA OF AVILA“True freedom comes when we no longer need to be somebody special in other people’s eyes because we know we are lovable and good enough.” PETER SCAZERRO22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.JOHN 17:22-23GLORY LOOKS LIKE CONFIDENT HUMILITY“Having realized the dangers of pride, the sin of thinking too much of ourselves, we are suddenly in danger of ano

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.ROMANS 12:1-215 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.HEBREWS 13:15-16 BODIES: Not My OwnLove starts when we stop trying to fit people into OUR preferences…WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM US? Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.ROMANS 12:1-2“THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF GOD’S MERCY…” “Whereas the heathen are prone to sacrifice in order to obtain mercy, biblical faith teaches that the divine mercy provides the basis of sacrifice as the fitting response.” HARRISONGOD WANTS EVERYTHING.It is best to see the body here as a reference to our entire being. Whatever we say about our spirit, soul, flesh, and mind, we know that they each live in our bodies. When we give the body to God, the soul and spirit go with it. Present your bodies means that God wants you, not just your work. You may do all kinds of work for God, but never give Him your self.David GuzikGOD WANTS YOU. EVERY SINGLE PART OF YOU.SPIRITUAL VS. NATURAL“It is so easy to compartmentalize God, regulating him to “Christian activities” around church and our spiritual disciplines without thinking of Him in the way we navigate our marriages, discipline our children, spend our money, enjoy our recreation, or even study for exams.”Peter Scazzero And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”1 Samuel 15:1-37 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves[b] and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.1 Samuel 15:7-819 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”1 Samuel 15:7-8WORSHIP GOD IN EVERYTHING19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 PETER 2:521 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!PSALM 141:1-2EVERY HEART, A CHURCH. EVERY PERSON, A PRIEST. EVERY PLACE, AN ENCOUNTER.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.JAMES 1:17 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-2014 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of HIS glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through HIS Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.EPHESIANS 3:14-19Individualistic: favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.Entitled: believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.Fundamentally, individualism is a belief that the individual is an end in themself. Consequently, individuals are obligated to realize and find the self and cultivate their own judgment, regardless of social pressure encouraging conformity.Simply PsychologyTHE EFFECTS OF A “ME” MENTALITYSelf-Concept 2. Relationships 3. Conformity 4. Mental HealthyThose from individualistic cultures have smaller and less satisfying support networks, less skill in managing both self and others’ emotions, lower intentions to seek help from family and friends for personal and suicidal problems, and higher levels of hopelessness and suicide ideation than those from collectivist cultures (Scott 2004). For both societies and individuals, individualistic cultures and cultures that are becoming more individualistic have seen rates of mental illness and suicide climb (Eskin et. al. 2020).Simply PsychologyWE SEE GOD AS SMALLER THAN HE REALLY IS AND WE SEE OURSELVES AS BIGGER THAN WE ACTUALLY ARE. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.MATTHEW 10:39For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.MATTHEW 16:25For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?MATTHEW 16:26 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,PHILIPPIANS 3:7-8You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19b-20aRIGHTEOUSNESS“Spiritual disciples are not about doing the right things in order to gain approval from God. They are about order our life in a way that reflects already being approved by God.”and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”MATTHEW 3:1723 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[g] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[h] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant[i] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[j] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[k] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”MATTHEW 18:23-35 THERE’S AN UN-PAYABLE DEBTTOTAL DEPRAVITY. In short, the reality of total depravity leaves no possibility of salvation by our own efforts. It points to our dire condition from the fall and the sovereign work of God in rescuing us. Only the Holy Spirit can change us and transform us into the image of Christ, w

This week, Maddy Brown closes out our 2023 vision series with an amazing message about living a life of sacrificial mission with boldness.

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”Boldness is given to those resisting the status quo.Get Desperate (*title of message)Holy desperation is extraordinary behavior (boldness) prompted from extraordinary needMark 5:25-34 NKJV (I’m gonna read it all..so if you wanna type it up so they can follow along…)“According to the Jewish ideas of the time, if this woman touched anyone, she made him or her ceremonially unclean. This uncleanness did not allow them to take part in any aspect of Israel’s worship.“- David Guzik“By the very law of her people, she was divorced from her husband, and could not live in her home; she was ostracized from all society, and must not come into contact with her old friends; she was excommunicated from the service of the synagogue, and thus shut out from the women’s courts in the temple.“-Morgan“When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”1) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO BOLDNESS BECAUSE OF CONVINCED FAITH2) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO BOLDNESS THROUGH DELIBERATE DECISIONS“Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.”“And Jesus immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, ’Who touched My clothes?’”3) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO A BOLDNESS THAT GETS THE ATTENTION OF GOD“Augustine long ago said of this story, ’Flesh presses, Faith touches. ’He can always distinguish between the jostle of the curious mob and the organized touch of a needy soul.“-Morgan“But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.”4) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO BOLDLY CLAIMING WHAT’S YOURS IN CHIRSTIsaiah 6:1 “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.”“Every devout Jew wore an outer robe…to signify to others, and to remind themselves that the wearer was a member of the chosen people of God.“-Barclay“And He said to her, ’Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”5) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO BOLDLY BEING IDENTIFIED AS CHILDREN OF GOD6) HOLY DESPERATION LEADS TO A BOLDNESS PLATFORMLuke 8:47 it says “now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she touched Him and how she was healed immediately.”Mark 6:56 “Wherever He (Jesus) entered into the villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the market places, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of his garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.”

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.Acts 4:29-3131 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.Acts 4:31-33HONORING OTHERS WITH BOLDNESS.32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.Acts 4:31-32 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.Acts 1:1444 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.Acts 2:44-47UNITY IS GOD’S WILL35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”John 13:35The church is not a religious community of worshippers of Christ but is Christ himself who has taken form among people.Dietrich BonhoefferIf the church is the body (of Christ) we dare not cannibalize ourselves. When we devour each other (through gossip, slander, condemnation, etc) we sink our sharp teeth into the flesh of Christ—not in Eucharistic (communion) worship, but in fleshly fallenness.Rich Villodas“My prayer is not for them (the disciples) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”John 17:20-23We pray, “Oh God, send thy Holy Spirit upon us so we’ll be united.” We might just as well repeat “Three Blind Mice.” God does not hear that kind of prayer because it has no sense in it. The Holy Ghost did not come upon the disciples to unite them. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples because they were already united, “being of one accord and in one place.” Scholars tell us that “being of one accord” is a musical term, meaning harmony. The early Christians already were one. They were in harmony with each other when they were together in one place.A.W. Tozer21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother[c] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults[d] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell[e] of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.Matthew 5:21-24 UNITY IS BORN FROM HONOR10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.Romans 6:1-6What is honor? Honor: the recognition of the value, contribution, and importance of others.“No Christian should approach another Christian directly; they should be mediated by Christ.”Dietrich BonhoefferAvoid GossipSee Jesus in Others Speak directly to each other “Don’t tell me unless you plan on telling them.”Assume the Best Remember Who’s Team We’re On Don’t Try To Be Right, Try To UnderstandUNITY IS NOT ALL OF US BEING THE SAME17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many p

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.ACTS 4:5-31 DO IT SCARED.Boldness (parresia): freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech. Free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, assuranceBOLDNESS IS INHERITED, NOT INHERENT13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.ACTS 4:13By all outward measures, Christianity – the movement of the followers of Jesus – was very weak at this early point.They were few in number.They were inexperienced in leadership.They were commanded to not fight back; they were not militant.They were opposed by institutions that had existed for hundreds of years.DAVID GUZIK13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. ACTS 4:13“Unlearned and ignorant” - that is, these men hadn’t been to a theological seminary. But the Sanhedrin noted that they had been with Jesus. How wonderful to have a life that somehow or other calls attention to Jesus.J. Vernon McGee“Let me ask you, how many atheists are now in this house? Perhaps not a single one of you would accept the title, and yet, if you live from Monday morning to Saturday night in the same way as you would live if there were no God, you are a practical atheist.”Charles Spurgeon“The chief duty of the Christian is to make their hearts glad in the Lord.”George MullerI have seen YouI've beheld Your gloryAnd I am ruinedFor there is none to compareJeremy Riddle (Psalm 63)BOLDNESS IS GIVEN TO THOSE RESISTING THE STATUS QUO, NOT TO THOSE IN ITStatus Quo: the existing state of affairs8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel, and the children of Israel went out with boldness. Exodus 14:8The idea behind the Hebrew words with boldness (ruwn yad) includes the idea of rebellion against authority. The rebellious nature of Israel was good when it was against Pharaoh and all it stood for; it was bad when it was against the LORD, Moses, and all they stood for. The trouble with most rebels is that they rebel against the wrong things.David Guzik“It made me a little envious at that moment. And since then, that I didn’t have that foundation as an atheist, or some sort of higher purpose or something. Cause in the face of that inexplicable tragedy I’m kind of flailing.” Nick WrightBOLDNESS CHANGES THE WORLD“Make ten men feel like a hundred.”Cassian Andor

LUKE 15:11-32THE GIFT OF ROCK BOTTOM21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,ROMANS 1:21,24-25Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.JAMES 1:15THE GIFT OF UNEARNED GRACE31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. LUKE 15:31THE GIFT OF A FATHER63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes. 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homesIf a child is the first person in the family to accept Christ and join the church, the rest of the family will do the same only 3.5% of the time. If the mother is the first, that percentage goes to 17%. But if the father is the first to accept Christ and join the church, the rest of his family will follow 93% of the time.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.JOHN 3:16-17HE LOVES 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.EPHESIANS 3:18-19For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,HE GIVESFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.JOHN 3:16-17HE RESTORES 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.JOHN 1:9-13

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[c] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord[d] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-18Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-318 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.2 CORINTHIANS 3:181. YEAR OF THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE2. YEAR OF FIRSTS3. YEAR OF FILLING UP4. YEAR OF POURING OUT18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.GALATIANS 5:113 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” GALATIANS 5:13-1424 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.GALATIANS 5:24-26 Egkrateia was widely praised by the Greeks long before the time of Paul. In fact, Ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates considered it[self-control] to be the foundational human virtue. Xenophon, a follower of Socrates, summarized well his teachers’ views on the subject: Shall not every man hold self-control [egkrateia] to be the foundation of all virtue, and first lay this foundation firmly in his soul? For who without this can learn any good or practice it worthily?Philip KennesonBad news: self-control is hard.Good news: the opposite of self-control is not an out-of-control person, it’s out-of-control appetites. Appetites: a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need; a strong desire or liking for something“PEOPLE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THEIR APPETITES” - The WorldTHE WORLD’S VIEW OF APPETITEYOU ARE WHAT YOU DESIRE (IDENTITY)2. YOU WILL NEVER BE TRULY HAPPY UNTIL YOU SATISFY THAT DESIRE But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.2 Timothy 3:1-3Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.1 John 2:15-17 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.Ecclesiastes 3:11"The human heart has an eternal desire that will NEVER be met and satisfied with temporal things; it can only be met by a relationship with an eternal God.”“SEEKING TO FULFILL OUR OWN DESIRES OFTEN LEADS TO SLAVERY TO THEM.”Jon TysonOur physical, emotional, and spiritual appetites that we ALL HAVE will never be fully satisfied until we jump head-first into a relationship with God.Self-Control: sacrificial stewardship of yourself for the sake of othersThen Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’and“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,“‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.Matthew 4:1-11WHAT KIND OF PERSON NEEDS SELF-CONTROL?EVERY KIND OF PERSON.We should consider the circumstances that preceded the temptation of Jesus: He was in an especially devout frame of mind before His temptation.1. He was engaged in an act of public obedience to His Father’s will before His temptation.2. He was in an exceedingly humble frame of mind before His temptation.3. He was blessed by a heavenly assurance of His Sonship before His temptation.4. He was filled with the Holy Spirit before His temptation.5. He was completely separated from the world before His temptation.Self-control is not something we grow out of; it’s something we grow into.B: BOREDH: HUNGRY A: ANGRY L: LONELYT: TIRED2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the t

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.GALATIANS 6:1It is fitting that love be the first mentioned because it [love] encompasses all of the following. It may even be said that the following eight terms are just describing what love in action looks like. DAVID GUZIKBrothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him…GALATIANS 6:1Our mission is to RESTORE.Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.GALATIANS 6:1Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.LUKE 9:1-251 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up[j]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.LUKE 9:1-2Their offense – even on behalf of Jesus – was not appreciated.DAVID GUZIKRoughness: power that is out of control; caused by the inability to see something/someone as valuable or fragile.REASONS FOR ROUGHNESS1.) MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.LUKE 9:51For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. ISAIAH 50:7Jesus hardened His face; not in the sense of becoming a hard or angry man, but in the sense of having focus, and having focus through a difficult time. They saw the flint-face of Jesus and thought it meant mean or tough. They didn’t understand that it meant focus and being more focused on love than ever before. That flint-like face will end up on the cross in the ultimate demonstration of love, not the ultimate demonstration of anger.DAVID GUZIKGod's seriousness against sin is not from a place of ROUGHNESS or anger; it's from a place of DEEP LOVE for the sinner to be made RIGHT.2.) MISUNDERSTANDING WORTHAre not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.MATTHEW 10:39-31For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.PSALM 139:13-16 Gentleness: power under controlGENTLENESS SOFTENS MY WORDSEvil words destroy one’s friends; wise discernment rescues the godly.PROVERBS 11:9“Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”PROVERBS 11:9“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”PROVERBS 18:21“A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.”PROVERBS 18:4GENTLENESS ISN’T SURPRISED WHEN PEOPLE MISS THE MARK AND HELPS THEM GET BACK UP

11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten [e]minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’15 “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. 21 For I feared you, because you are [f]an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’24 “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ 25 (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’) 26 ‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.LUKE 19:11-26vs11 "because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately "vs12 "a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return"vs13 " so he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them 'do business till I come.' "vs14 "but his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him saying: ' we will not have this man reign over us'"en ho: "in which"; to do something in which it is consistent with it; becausevs15 "and so it was when he returned having received the kingdom...he called the servants to him..."16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ Faithfulness: steadfast in affection or allegiance. Firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty.Steadfast: firmly fixed. Not subject to change. To be firm in belief and determinationCompromise: accept standards that are lower than desirable. A concession1. Compromise happens when you have a distorted view2. Compromise occurs when promise is questioned3. Compromise occurs through redefining4. Compromise occurs through impatience5. Compromise costs. Faithfulness fulfillsLamentations 3:22-23 "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."Hebrews 10:36 "for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. For yet in a little while, he who is coming will come and not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition(sin) but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."

He [Jesus] wants fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. In His parable of the sower, He spoke of seed bringing forth thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. He wants us to bear much fruit. Now the fruit is produced by the Lord Jesus using the Spirit of God in our lives. He wants to live His life through us. That is the reason I keep saying that you are never asked to live The Christian life. You are asked to LET HIM live through you. No believer can live the Christian life himself. The old nature cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit.J. VERNON McGEETHE WAY OF GOODNESS VS. THE WAY OF BROKENNESSAnd you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.EPHESIANS 2:2-10Goodness (agathōsynē): uprightness of heart and life; morally honorable, and pleasing to God; beneficial to other people10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.EPHESIANS 2:1038God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.ACTS 10:38The Lord is good,a refuge in times of trouble.He cares for those who trust in him.NAHUM 1:7 Trust in the Lord and do good;dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.PSALM 37:3Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.ROMANS 12:21“We are told to prove the goodness of God, cleave to it, do it, work it, follow after it, be zealous about it, imitate it, and overcome evil with it.”“It is quite striking that virtually all of the basic words describing salvation in the Bible imply a return to an originally good state or situation.”AL WOLTERS“The notion of good cannot be separated from the idea of the object’s purpose.” 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.GENESIS 1:31THE OPPOSITE OF GOOD IS NOT BAD. THE OPPOSITE OF GOOD IS BROKEN.The Fall broke every single part of our humanity; SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY.Brokenness: having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or working order.WHAT DOES BROKENNESS LOOK LIKE?1. A BROKEN SPIRIT4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace, you have been savedEPHESIANS 2:4-52. A BROKEN SOUL10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.EPHESIANS 2:10A BROKEN SOUL TRIES TO BE IN CONTROL4-5 The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”6 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.GENESIS 3:4-6A BROKEN SOUL TRIES TO HIDEA BROKEN SOUL TRIES TO DEFLECT“God cannot change who you are pretending to be.” - Jon TysonWHAT DOES GOODNESS LOOK LIKE?Goodness is restoring broken things back to God’s good design.GOODNESS LOOKS LIKE HELPING PEOPLE KNOW GOD.“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”EDMUND BURKEGOODNESS LOOKS LIKE PRACTICING THE WAY OF JESUS.GOODNESS LOOKS LIKE SERVING, GIVING, AND PRAYING FOR HEALING OVER PEOPLE.

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.JAMES 1:19-21 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.LUKE 6:32-36“A new study finds nearly one in two people believe they’re the best person they know.”COMPARED TO WHAT?32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. LUKE 6:32-34NATURAL KINDNESS IS EARNED NICENESS32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.LUKE 6:32-33Harshness: the quality of being unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses; the quality of being cruel or severe.IF WE SEE KINDNESS AS SOMETHING TO BE EARNED, THEN WE WILL VIEW HARSHNESS AS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DESERVEDNow the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil[a] has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.JONAH 1:1-3A pyramid of heads I reared in front of his city. Their youths and maidens I burnt up in flames. KING SHALMANESER II I pierced his chin with my keen hand dagger. Through his jaw I passed a rope, put a dog chain upon him and made him occupy a kennel. KING ASHURBANIPALHe [Jonah] goes around the city preaching a one-sentence message: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” That’s it. No three-point sermon. No cute story about his kids. No altar call. One sentence: Yahweh is going to kill all of you.JOHN MARK COMER1. HARSHNESS CAN BE JUSTIFIED10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.JONAH 3:10But it displeased Jonah exceedingly,[a] and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.JONAH 4:1-52. HARSHNESS ISOLATES US3. HARSHNESS IS FORGETFUL10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”JONAH 4:10-11Most of us want mercy for ourselves - and justice for everybody else. But it doesn’t work like that. God shows mercy to all.JOHN MARK COMERGOD’S STANDARD OF KINDNESS IS DIFFERENTKindness: compassionate, others-centered generosity. The writers of scripture defined kindness as the virtue of the person whose neighbor’s good is as dear as his own.MAXIE DUNNAM34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.LUKE 6:32-361. KINDNESS STARTS WITH GOD AND LOOKS LIKE GOD.2. KINDNESS RECOGNIZES THE REAL ENEMY 12 For we do not

PATIENCE VS. HURRY2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.JAMES 1:2-45-7 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”JOHN 11:5-7 (MSG)17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.21-22 Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died…JOHN 11:21 (MSG)“I want a shortcut to life - I was raised on the microwave and VISA and Amazon Prime and instant messaging and TV and on demand. The world at my fingertips. I want it all, and I want it all right now. But there are no shortcuts to life. You can’t microwave character. It’s more like a tree that you grow slowly, one season after another. There are summer-like seasons where you can pluck joy off the limbs, where your life is dripping with growth and abundance. And there are winter seasons, where life feels slow and empty. The best trees are the ones that stay rooted and just keep at it.”JOHN MARK COMEROUR CULTURE CELEBRATES HURRYHurry Sickness: a behavior pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiousness. 2. A malaise in which a person feels chronically short of time, and so tends to perform every task faster and to get flustered when encountering any kind of delay. 3. A continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time. Burnout: a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.Every single person has to rest. You’ll either rest because you chose to or you’ll be forced to slow down through burnout.The average age of burnout in America is 32.GOD IS NOT IN A HURRY.15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.1TIMOTHY 1:15-16“God is more concerned with your long-term character than your short-term happiness. And he’s more willing to sacrifice the one to get the other.” JOHN MARK COMERHURRY REACTSHURRY BLURS OUR JUDGEMENT29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.GENESIS 25:32-34“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” DALLAS WILLARD“For many of us, the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it. We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them.”JOHN ORTBERG Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.Hypomone (patience): steadfastness, constancy, and endurance; in the NT, it is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferingsBIBLICAL PATIENCE IS NOT WAITING, IT’S TRAINING.I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.PATIENCE RESPONDS PRAYFULLY19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.JOHN 5:19PATIENCE TRUSTS THERE’S A PURPOSE4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.JAMES 1:4 PATIENCE SEES PEOPLEBecause God will never be able to use people who are too busy for people.

This week, Maddy Brown continues our series looking at the way of PEACE vs. the way of ANXIETY.

This week, Pastor David continues our series on the Fruit of the Spirit by talking about JOY vs. DESPAIR

Galatians 5:16-26THE WAY OF LOVE VS. THE WAY OF SELFISHNESSLOVE VS. SELFISHNESS, JOY VS. DESPAIR, PEACE VS. ANXIETY, PATIENCE VS. HURRY, KINDNESS VS. HARSHNESS, GOODNESS VS. BROKENNESS, FAITHFULNESS VS. COMPROMISE, GENTLENESS VS. ROUGHNESS, AND SELF-CONTROL VS. APPETITES.DANGER O1: THE FRUIT OF A GOOD PEOPLEDANGER 02: THE FRUIT OF GOOD PEOPLE AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT ARE THE SAMEFRUIT GROWS18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident:GALATIANS 5:18-1922 But the fruit of the Spirit is…GALATIANS 5:22Fruit isn’t achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding, and sustained through connection.David Guzik5 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.MATTHEW 15:5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.ROMANS 8:5FRUIT SHOWSFruit shows US what/who were are connected to and shows OTHERS what/who we are connected to.FRUIT FEEDSThis fruit is grown IN US, but it’s grown FOR OTHERS.WORLD-SHAPED LOVEBut understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self,2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5THE FRUIT OF WORLD-SHAPED LOVE IS SELFISHNESS“We don’t worship Satan, we worship ourselves using the metaphorical representation of the qualities of Satan. Satan is the name used by Christians for that force of individuality and pride within us.”ANTON LAVEY (Founder of the Church of Satan)THE ROOT OF A WORLD-SHAPED LOVE: “I NEED LOVE.”Back in the thirteenth century, the king of Sicily, Frederick II, conducted a diabolical experiment intended to discover what language children would naturally grow up to speak if never spoken to. He thought it would be either Hebrew, Greek, Latin or Arabic. Some things are just obvious, right? So King Frederick the Great took babies from their mothers at birth and placed them in the care of nurses who were forbidden to speak in their hearing. But a second rule was imposed, as well: the nurses were not allowed to touch the infants. To his great dismay, Frederick’s experiment was cut short, but not before something tragically significant regarding human nature was revealed. As you may have guessed, the babies grew up to speak no language at all because they died. In the year 1248, an Italian historian named Salimbene di Adam recorded, with an air of scientific observation, “They could not live without petting.” The babies literally died for want of touch.Astounding! Modern medicine calls this phenomenon, “failure to thrive.” For some reason, we humans flourish under the influence of love and we gradually die without it.Modern science is now proving through controlled studies that human beings are literally engineered for love. We are made for love, as if our DNA contains the message, “You must love and be loved in order to survive.”THE FREDERICK EXPERIMENTCHRIST-SHAPED LOVETo love well in a time of selfishness, we have to be loved well.JON TYSONTHE ROOT OF CHRIST-SHAPED LOVE: “I AM LOVED.”8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 JOHN 4:8-10Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.EPHESIANS 3:17-19 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.ROMANS 5:8THE FRUIT OF A CHRIST-SHAPED LOVE IS SELFLESSNESSTherefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.EPHESIANS 5:1-2“The Biblical concept of agape love involves giving of yourself for the benefit of another, even at your own expense. Biblical love is defined by passionately and righteously seeking the well-being of another. Biblical love is an act of the will and not just a fuzzy feeling in the stomach. That’s why God can command us to love one another. Love really has nothing to do with whether you feel loving at a particular moment. It has to do with the need of the person being loved, not the feelings of the one doing the loving.” TONY EVANS

Spiritual Integrity: is the quality of being honest and having strong biblical principles, or biblical uprightness. It is a personal choice to hold oneself to consistent biblical standards.1. Spiritual Integrity is Foundational to the call on our life.Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.2. Spiritual Integrity is whole and complete.Proverbs 11:3 The Integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.3. Integrity protects transparency over image.1 Samuel 16:7 Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the Heart.Proverbs 10:9 Whoever walks in Integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths gets found out.1. Have an up-to-date personal walk with God.Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.Romans 12:2- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.2. Be accountable to the authority over your life.Hebrews 13:17- “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not grief, for that would be unprofitable to you.Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

Do YOU Know?39 Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to [m]Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”JOHN 4:39-42“We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure.JOHN 4:42“There is a difference between believing in Jesus based off of what someone has told you about Him, and you experiencing a relationship with Jesus for yourself.”42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”JOHN 4:42God is not interested in a relationship with you based off of what OTHERS HAVE SAIDDO YOU KNOW JESUS FOR YOURSELFMYTH #1: JESUS CAME TO MAKE MY LIFE EASIER.13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”15 The woman *said to Him, “[d]Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw water.JOHN 4:13-14The response of the Samaritan woman was logical, yet not spiritual. She wanted to avoid the work of coming to the well every day. It was as if she responded, “Jesus, if you want to make my life easier and more convenient, then I’m all for it. Give it to me!”DAVID GUZIKMYTH #2: JESUS DOESN’T HAVE STANDARDS15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”JOHN 4:15-18MYTH #3: I NEED TO CLEAN UP MY LIFE FIRSTJESUS SEEKS YOUJESUS EXPOSES SINJESUS COVERS ALL SINJESUS ASKS FOR ALL OF YOU

2 CHRONICLES 2:14, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” POINT 1: HUMILITY IS THE FIRST STEP IN HEALING • 1 Peter 5:5, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” POINT 2: REPENTANCE IS THE SECOND STEP TO HEALING Definition of repentanceintransitive verb : to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life : to feel regret or contrition : to change one’s mind • Acts 3:19, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” • John 16:23-24, “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. WHEN YOU PRAY AND ASK IN JESUS NAME, YOU GET INSTANT ACCESS TO THE THROWN OF JESUS, THE THROWN OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER! POINT 3: GETTING OTHERS TO PRAY WITH YOU IS THE THIRD STEP IN HEALING. • Matthew 18:19, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.” POINT 4: THE FOURTH STEP IN PRAYING FOR HEALING IS HAVING FAITH THAT JESUS HEALS! • Matthew 4:23, Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. • Psalms 103:3, “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.” • Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” • GOD DOESN’T MAKE US SICK, BUT HE DOES USE OUR SICKNESS TO GET OUR ATTENTION AND REDIRECT US, TO GET US BACK ON THE PATH. • John 11:4, But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” •Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” •Philippians 1:12, “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.”

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 1 PETER 4:7As Disciples of Jesus we are called to fill the gaps we see in life through prayer.7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. MATTHEW 6:7-8“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply.MATTHEW 6:7-8(MSG) LEARNING TO LISTEN“Prayer is conversing, communicating with God.”DALLAS WILLARDPRAYER GOES BOTH WAYSSo Jesus explained himself at length. “I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.JOHN 5:19-20GOD TALKS TOOMy sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.JOHN 10:27 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. PSALM 32:825 And in the fourth watch of the night[d] he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” MATTHEW 14:25-28 FOUR VOICESMy voiceThe enemy’s voice People’s voicesGod’s voiceHOW TO DISCERN THE VOICE OF GODGOD’S WRITTEN WORDIf you want to become familiar with the voice of God in your life then you MUST become familiar with God’s word.GOD’S SPIRITAnd I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.JOHN 14:16-17When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.JOHN 16:13 LOGOS: the written word of GodRHEMA: the specific word of God for youWhen you are reading the bible on your own, you are reading Logos, or the sayings of Jesus. At times, you get much more than the mere words. This is when you get the Rhema word. This is like Eureka for the scientist involved in an experiment or discovery. It is not that a Rhema word can come to you only when you are reading the bible. It can come to you as a revelation while driving the car, walking in the garden, or even while sleeping and dreaming. This is like God talking to you directly. This could be the word giving you a direction and peace of mind. A Rhema word brings joy and excitement along with it.“Just then three men showed up at the house where I was staying, sent from Caesarea to get me. The Spirit told me to go with them, no questions asked. So I went with themACTS 11:11GOD’S WISDOM“You don’t always need to know the mind of God when you know the heart of God.”GOD’S PEACE And let the peace from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your mindsCOLOSSIANS 3:15LOWER THE NOISE“It’s not legalism; it’s love.” It [silence] allows us to hear the gentle God whose only Son “shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice above the street noise” (Matt. 12:19). It is this God who tells us that “in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).DALLAS WILLARDUNMUTE GOD“When you stop obeying, you put God on mute.”FOLLOW THE SIGNS OTHER PEOPLE

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.1 PETER 4:7SEEKING GOD FOR REVIVALAfter his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me.He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”ACTS 1:2-5, 7-8These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky.ACTS 1:9-11When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.ACTS 2:1-438-39 Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.ACTS 2:38-42 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.ACTS 2:46-47 18-20 They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.”ACTS 4:18-20 Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both. They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter’s shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed.ACTS 5:12-16 “We don’t have to talk God into wanting to move. He’s waiting for us.” - Jon Tyson WHAT IS GOD WAITING FOR?US TO WANT HIM“Most people view Jesus as the step ladder into their destiny. He wants to kill YOUR destiny and He wants to resurrect HIS through you. You are going to discover your calling through HIS calling.” - Corey RusselUS TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father2 Chronicles 34:3 US TO TRUST HE CAN DO IT THROUGH US

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.1 PETER 4:7CALL TO PRAYERPRAYER is the first and most important thing we can do as believers yet tends to be the first thing we neglect to do.“WE’D RATHER DO THINGS FOR GOD THAN SPEND TIME WITH GOD.” Most Christians view prayer as “something I SHOULD do”, rather than “something I GET to do”. It would of course be a rather low-voltage spiritual life in which prayer was chiefly undertaken as a discipline, rather than as a way of co-laboring with God to accomplish good things and advance His kingdom purposes.” Dallas WillardWE MISS OUT ON THE POWER OF PRAYER WHEN WE SEE IT AS A CHORE.5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.MATTHEW 6:5-6Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”MATTHEW 6:1JESUS MODELED CONSISTENT, PERSISTENT, AND INTIMATE PRAYER.After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.MATTHEW 14:23It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.LUKE 6:12 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.MARK 1:35PRAYER IS RELATIONAL“Prayer is conversing, communicating with God.”Dallas Willard“It is criminal for people to gather together in the name of a God they don’t talk to.”DR. MATTHEW STEVENSON“Prayer is not the thing. God is the thing and you get to Him through prayer.”JON TYSON9 Pray then like this:“Our Father in heaven,MATTHEW 6:9It was very unusual for the Jews of that day to call God “Father” because it was considered too intimate. It is true that God is the mighty sovereign God of the universe who created, governs, and will judge all things – but He is also to us a Father.David GuzikPRAYER IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE“You are in a spiritual battle. If you are ignorant or ignore that fact, you probably aren’t winning the battle.”For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.EPHESIANS 6:12“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”C.S. LEWIS, Screwtape Letters12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 13 But for twenty-one days the spirit prince[c] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels,[d] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.[e] 14 Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”DANIEL 10:12-14 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.JAMES 5:16 PRAYER IS WHAT KEEP US GOINGCast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;he will never permit the righteous to be moved.PSALM 55:22

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.HEBREWS 12:1-11There is a danger that you will mis-live - that despite all your activity, despite all the pleasant diversions you might have enjoyed while alive, you will end up living a bad life. There is, in other words, a danger that when you are on your deathbed, you will look back and realize that you wasted your one chance at living. Instead of spending your life pursuing something genuinely valuable, you squandered it because you allowed yourself to be distracted by the various baubles life has to offer.WILLIAM IRVINETherefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,HEBREWS 12:1GOD HAS A RACE FOR ME TO RUN24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 271 CORINTHIANS 9:24-277 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?GALATIANS 5:77 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.2 TIMOTHY 4:7GOD’S RACE FOR ME REQUIRES TRAINING2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.JAMES 1:2-413 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.JAMES 1:13-15GOD USES PAIN TO TRAIN US // THE ENEMY USES PAIN TO TEMPT US3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ROMANS 5:3-4TRAINED FOR ENDURANCE // TEMPTED TO COMPARISON“Comparison is the thief of joy”THEODORE ROOSEVELTEndurance: bearing hardship; STAYING POWER.TRAINED FOR CHARACTER // TEMPTED TO CORRUPTIONCharacter: conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong.Corruption: dishonestyTRAINED FOR HOPE // TEMPTED TO FEAR“FEAR IS FAITH IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.”Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, “THROW OFF” (SANCTIFICATION)“LOOK UP” (ABIDING)“RUN WITH” (COMMUNITY)

2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.ROMANS 5:2-5 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you…16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair[d] and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.MATTHEW 6:1-6 & 16-18 THE PAIN OF SECRECY.“As believers, we are a part of an upside down Kingdom. Instead of making sure everybody sees the best parts of our lives and then hiding or masking away the worst parts of us; we are called to bring to light the worst parts of us through CONFESSION and hide the best parts of us through HUMILITY.”“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” - The Chautauquan“Hate is just as good as love. I’d rather someone hate me than not know who I am.” - Burberry ErryWE ALL HAVE A DESIRE TO BE GREAT.“I’M ONLY GREAT IF SOMEONE CARES.” - The Enemy“GREATNESS IS ACHIEVED WHEN YOU ARE SEEN, VALUED, AND APPLAUDED BY PEOPLE.” The World“What else is the praises of men but a little stinking breath? These have their reward.” - TRAPP 20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”MATTHEW 20:20-28GREATNESS IS ACHIEVED BY SERVING“God is not trying to move you from greatness to servanthood. He wants to move you TO greatness THROUGH servanthood.” - Pastor Josh“Anybody can be great because anybody can serve.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.GREATNESS IS MOTIVATED BY WHAT GOD SEES, NOT WHAT PEOPLE SEESERVE GOD IN SECRET6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time1 PETER 5:6GREATER LEVELS OF GREATNESS REQUIRE GREATER LEVELS OF HUMILITYTHE GREATNESS WE CRAVE IS MET BY BEING SEEN, VALUED, KNOW, AND APPLAUDED BY GOD.

This week, Erik Williams walks us through the PAIN of CONVICTION & CONFESSION and helps us to see that these are actually invitations from God into the freedom He's called us to.

NO PAIN, NO GAINEndure: suffer (something difficult or painful) patiently; to remain in existence…2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.ROMANS 5:2-5PAIN IS THE NORMAL AND NECESSARY PROCESS WE GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GAIN GOD’S BEST.Most every Christian wants to develop character and have more hope. These qualities spring out of perseverance, which comes through tribulation. We may wish to have better character and more hope without starting with tribulation, but that isn’t God’s pattern and plan. I would rather have God just sprinkle perseverance and character and hope on me as I sleep. I could wake up a much better Christian! But that isn’t God’s plan for me or for any Christian.Therefore we say – soberly, reverently – we say about tribulation, “Lord, bring it on. I know you love me and carefully measure every trial and have a loving purpose to accomplish in every tribulation. Lord, I won’t seek trials and search out tribulation, but I won’t despise them or lose hope when they come. I trust Your love in everything You allow.”GUZIKMATURITY IS NOT OUTWARD APPEARANCE; IT’S A CONDITION OF THE HEART.19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”1 SAMUEL 8:19-22 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.1 SAMUEL 9:1-2“We are surrounded by adult men who, in actuality, are nothing more than teenagers, still trying to find their way, hurting and abusing those around them, all while thinking it’s some kind of amusing game.” JON TYSON12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. HEBREWS 5:12-14SPIRITUAL BABIES VS. SPIRITUAL TEACHERSBabies need to be fed, teachers can feed themselvesBabies can’t handle meat, teachers can handle tough truthBabies can’t handle discomfort; teachers experience discomfort but have an understanding that it will eventually passBabies have zero concern for others, a teacher’s main focus is serving othersBabies have no ability to discern, teachers can discern what’s right and wrong; what’s beneficialTHE ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR MATURITY IN CHRIST IS YOUR, “YES.”6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 SAMUEL 16:6-7 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,[a] but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers.1 SAMUEL 16:11-1312 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 TIMOTHY 4:12And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.PHILIPPIANS 1:6 “Where is there an instance of God’s beginning any work and leaving it incomplete? Show me for once a world abandoned and thrown aside half formed; show me a universe cast off from the Great Potter’s wheel, with the design in outline, the clay half hardened, and the form unsha

This week, we got to hear from some of our students family who served in Puerto Penasco, Mexico about all that God did in them and through them!

Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. HEBREWS 13:1-8SAME FAITH.THERE’S A CERTAIN FAITH GOD IS INVITING US INTO70% of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities.86% of women use social media for purchasing advice 82% of People Trust Social Networks to Guide Purchasing DecisionsPurchase Intent Increased by 5.2x by Influencers on Twitter 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. BEING A DISCIPLE IS NOT AN EASIER LIFE, BUT IS THE BEST LIFE.“IF YOU ARE BORED WITH YOUR FAITH, I PROMISE GOD BORED WITH YOUR FAITH TOO.” - Jon TysonFAITH GOALS:SACRIFICE17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. HEBREWS 11:17-19 The discipline of sacrifice is one in which we forsake the security of meeting our needs with what is in our hands. It is total abandonment to God, a stepping into the darkened abyss in the faith and hope that God will bear us up.DALLAS WILLARDBut how nourishing to our faith are the tokens of God’s care in response to our sacrifice. The cautious faith that never saws off the limb on which it is sitting never learns that unattached limbs may find strange, unaccountable ways of not falling.DALLAS WILLARD“It’s probably not sacrifice if you FEEL like doing it.”OBEDIENCE

This week, Pastor Eman continued our series talking about the power of the word of God and why we should prioritize spending time with Jesus THROUGH His word.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. HEBREWS 13:5-826 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ROMANS 8:26-28SAME SPIRITRejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ROMANS 8:26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.JOHN 14:2WE ARE TRYING TO DO A GOD-SIZED JOB WITHOUT GOD-SIZED TOOLS. Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts (or tools), especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-2For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-2MYTH 01. YOU ARE FLUENT FROM THE STARTMYTH 02. YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL 14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.1 CORINTHIANS 14:14MYTH 03. YOU WIILL GET A DEMON11 If a son asks for [e]bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”LUKE 11:11-13MYTH 04. SOME PEOPLE HAVE IT AND SOME PEOPLE DON’T 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues,1 CORINTHIANS 14:5Why did Paul wish you all spoke with tongues? No doubt, because he knew the value of it in his own life. Paul was able, when in the spirit he spoke mysteries, to unburden his soul before God in a way beyond human language and intellect. He could pray, praise, and intercede beyond his ability to understand and articulate. Paul wanted every Christian to know this same blessing.GUZIKWHEN WE PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, WE ARE BUILT UP4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-210 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. EPHESIANS 6:10-18 WHEN WE PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, WE ARE UNIFIED At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia[a] and settled there.3 They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”GENESIS 11:6(ONE, Unified in vision, community, language) “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech,that all of them may call upon the nam

ACTS 16:16-34 It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to escape thinking God provided another miraculous jailbreak. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and comfort.In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. The circumstances said, “escape.” But love said, “Stay for the sake of this one soul.” They were not guided merely by circumstances, but by what love compelled.DAVID GUZIKFREEDOM IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF DIFFICULTYFREEDOM IS BEING WITH GODGOD USES FREEDOM TO: INVITE US INTO RELATIONSHIP33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.ACTS 16:33-344 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.EXODUS 19:3-4REVEAL WHAT IS REALLY INSIDE USREFINE WHAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BESearch me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts![c]And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting![d]PSALM 139:23-24GIVE GOD YOUR SUMMER

This week Pastor Jackson closes out our series on testimonies with four New Song Students as they share stories about the goodness of God in their life!

This week, Pastor Jackson sits down with New Song Students leader Garis Diffee to talk about evangelism and being used by Jesus to grow the family of God.

This week Pastor Jackson sits down with Hannah Williams, a three year leader at New Song Students, as she shares her story about the goodness of God in her life.

This week, Pastor Eman kicked off our brand new series with a message on the power of YOUR testimony and why you should share it!

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?ROMANS 2:1-4PURITY IS EVERYTHING. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.MATTHEW 5:8 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.COLOSSIANS 3:518 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.1 CORINTHIANS 6:18-20Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”11 “No, Lord,” she said.And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”JOHN 8:1-119 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10 SEXUAL PURITY APPLIES TO EVERYONE AND ITS GOD’S HEART FOR EVERYONE.2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.PSALM 16:2“Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”11 “No, Lord,” she said.And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”JOHN 8:1-1122 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.2 TIMOTHY 2:22WE DON’T FIGHT SEXUAL SIN, WE RUN FROM ITWE DON’T ARRIVE AT PURITY, WE RUN IN IT.22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.11 “I regret[c] that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me…1 SAMUEL 15:11WE RUN IN PURITY WITH OTHERS.Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.2 TIMOTHY 2:22

Don’t Chance it. Change it. Sovereign - God has absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure.God’s sovereign plan involves our involvement.1. We facilitate change with our wordsGenesis 17:2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.Genesis 17:4-5 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.Genesis 17:15-16 Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”Abram = father of many Abraham = father of many NATIONSSarai = my lady or my princessSarah = THE princess of a multitude Genesis 17:17 Lol. lol. lol.Romans 4:17-18 Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would doWhat is NOT in your life right now- that God has promised you? 2. We facilitate change through prayerJames 5:17-18 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].

12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.15-16 So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.17-19 Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.20-21 But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.PHILIPPIANS 3:12-21Politics: the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power. The Purpose of Human Government.The commendation of goodThe punishment of evil The maintenance of peaceThe protection of the oppressedPOLITICS IS ATTEMPTING TO SET THE STANDARD FOR MORALITY.POLITICS IS ATTEMPTING TO SET THE STANDARD FOR MORALITY AND GOD GIVES US THE STANDARD FOR MORALITY.When outsiders who have never heard of God’s law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God’s yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman.ROMANS 2:14-1615 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians,MATTHEW 22:15-1616 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.[b] 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” MATTHEW 22:16-1718 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.[c] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.MATTHEW 22:18-22DISCIPLES ARE CALLED TO BE DUAL CITIZENSYou should have more in common with a believer in another country than you do with an unbeliever in your own country.JON TYSONDISCIPLES ARE CALLED TO GIVE GOVERNMENT HONORLet every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ROMANS 13:1-2 HOW DISCIPLES PARTICIPATEVOTE“If you have the privilege of being a Christian in a Democracy, you are called to be consistent as a Christian in your voting and serving your country.”NATHAN FINOCHIOPRAYFirst of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2HUMBLE CONVERSATIONSBut avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.TITUS 3:9 DISCIPLES ARE CALLED TO GIVE GOD HOPEFor kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.PSALM 22:28 JESUS IS LORD.

16 “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” JOHN 3:16-218 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”LUKE 15:8-10IS HELL REAL?And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.JOHN 1:14TRUTH IS ALWAYS IN TENSIONAnd many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. DANIEL 12:2For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?PSALM 6:517 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.PSALM 9:1720 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.EZEIKIAL 18:20 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. JOHN 14:613 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.MATTHEW 7:13-1441 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.MATTHEW 25:41Jesus did not present this story as a parable, and in no other parable did Jesus actually name an individual (as the poor man is here named). We have every reason to believe that Jesus gave us an actual case in history, one He knew from His eternal perspective.DAVID GUZIK19 “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. 20 But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate. 21 He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.[d] The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 24 ‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’25 “‘Son,’[e] Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’27 “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.’29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’31 “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”LUKE 16:24-31GOD TELLS THE TRUTH BECAUSE HE LOVES18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.JOHN 3:18GOD GIVES YOU THE CHIOCE BECAUSE HE LOVESThe presence of this tree – the presence of a choice for Adam – was good because for Adam to be a creature of free will, there had to be a choice, some opportunity to rebel against God. If there is never a command or never something forbidden there can then never be choice. God wants our love and obedience to Him to be the love and obedience of choice.DAVID GUZIKGOD MAKES A WAY BECAUSE HE L

“A gray area is meaning that exists between two extremes. This is an analogy to the area of color that exists between black and white. Gray areas result from ambiguity and rich variations that naturally occur in language, culture, events, information, objects, environments and people. The ability to think in grey areas is a basic element of intelligence.” - John Spacey13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 1 PETER 3:13-17THIS IS NOT A SERIES ABOUT ANSWERS. IT’S A SERIES ABOUT FAITH.For we live by faith, not by sight.2 CORINTHIANS 5:7I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.EPHESIANS 3:16-17DOUBT CAN BE A STUMBLING BLOCK OR A STARTING BLOCK. JESUS CAN HANDLE YOUR QUESTIONS.“MY TRUTH"Postmodernism: the understanding/belief that there is no such thing as ABSOLUTE TRUTH. Truth belongs to the individual and is only experiential.SELECTIVE PERCEPTIONJesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. JOHN 14:6JESUS IS THE TRUTH THAT EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR“Many people had sarcastically scrawled, “Baby, don’t hurt me.” A few were philosophical and flowery, including a quote from Proust and on from Plato. But no one had a real answer. Not really. It was a simply question. Was that room as lost as I felt? Those pages showed nothing but an empty abyss, and I wondered if anyone really had an answer that would satisfy… In all our films, songs, and art, we worshiped love, but no one could define it. Really? This is it?… Years later I would read C.S. Lewis’s words that described what I experienced: “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”… I started to have a sense that there HAD to be a higher love that corresponded to my desire for intimacy.”DAVID BENNETTAnd you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.JOHN 8:32HIS WORD IS THE STABILITY EVERYONE HOPES FOR 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”MATTEW 7:24-27

Saint vs. ChristianWe are saints; meaning we are disciples and if disciples it means we believe and if we believe then were are made Holy and how we are made Holy is in accepting the message of Christ in His fullness and understanding that apart from Him we are nothing but only in Him do we find identity, strength, meaning and life.Faith. the works for the saints.The faith then that we profess is not grounded in hollow philosophies or fanciful anecdotes but rather deepened in knowledge with wisdom and spiritual understanding.Faith in Jesus not faith in faithTo have faith in Jesus means we know Him and trust Him to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life to everything that concerns us. Faith is not The Way, The Truth, and the Life Jesus is.HOW TO STAY ROOTEDSEEKIf then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1FOCUSSet your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:2SACRIFICEPut to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. - Colossians 3:5DEPENDPut on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:12-17THE HEART OF A ROOTED LIFEWhen you do these things, you will find yourself:Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.Colossians 4:2-5PrayingBeing VigilantGratefulPraying and Supporting MinistryBeing WiseRedeeming the timeSpeaking

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority;COLOSSIANS 2:9-1024 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.COLOSSIANS 1:24-29 THE POINT IS MATURITY (message title)Maturity: the state, fact, or period of being mature.Mature: fully developed physically; full grown. Having reached an advanced stage of mental or emotional developmental characteristics of an adult.JESUS IS THE FOCUS; MATURITY IS THE GOAL.Emotional Reasoning: letting your feelings guide your interpretation of reality. “I feel depressed; therefore, my life is not working out.”Catastrophizing: focusing on the worst possible outcome and seeing it as most likely. “It would be terrible if I failed.” Overgeneralizing: perceiving a global pattern of negatives is based on a single incident. “This generally happens to me. I seem to fail at a lot of things.” Dichotomous Thinking: viewing events or people in all-or-nothing terms. “I get rejected by everyone,” or “it was a complete waste of time.”Negative Filtering: focusing almost exclusively on the negatives and seldom noticing the positives. “Look at all the people who don’t like me.” Discounting Positives: claiming that the positive things you or others do are trivial, so that you can maintain a negative judgement. Labeling: assigning global negative traits to yourself or othersMind Reading: assuming that you know what people thinking without having sufficient evidence of their thoughts.IMMATURITY/MATURITY IS NOT A RESULT OF WHO YOU ARE.13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[b] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[d] in heaven.”20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord![e] This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[f] to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”MATTHEW 16:13-23Jesus exposed how Peter came into this satanic way of thinking. He didn’t make a deliberate choice to reject God and embrace Satan; he simply let his mind settle on the things of men instead of the things of God, and Satan took advantage of it. Peter is a perfect example of how a sincere heart coupled with man’s thinking can often lead to disaster.DAVID GUZIKIMMATURITY/MATURITY IS NOT A RESULT OF WHO YOU ARE. IT’S A RESULT OF HOW YOU THINK.Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.ROMANS 12:21. MATURITY IS NOT AUTOMATICTo them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.COLOSSIANS 1:27CHRIST IN YOU, not Christ (at church), not Christ (in me, Paul), not Christ (in them), not Christ (in theory). Your hope for maturity is Jesus in YOU. Maturity STARTS with Jesus in YOU. 2. MATURITY IS A PROCESS And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.2 CORINTHIANS 3:18(TRANSFORMED GRAPHS) 52 And Jesus gr

Colossians 2:1-5 “For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery — Christ. In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.” 2. Our faith is meant to be an active faith 3. JESUS PERIOD 4. Heresy means an a opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth 5. “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk IN him, being rooted and built up IN him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the spiritual elements of the world, rather than Christ. For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised IN him with a circumcision not done with hands, but by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried WITH him in baptism, in which you were also raised WITH him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive WITH him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them IN him.” 6. “Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the spiritual elements of the world, rather than Christ.” 7. Philosophy 8. Tradition 9. Supernatural 10. Gospel literally means “Good News” 11. Any gospel other than the true Gospel, is no gospel at all! 12. “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable.” 13. “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him,” 14. Faith in Jesus Christ isn’t the front door to Christianity, its the whole house 15. “being rooted and built up IN him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.” 16. Live Christmas tree—(split screen) 17. Dead Christmas tree—(split screen) 18. Tornado aftermath pic 19. Jesus is Enough 20. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” 21. “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 22. “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,” 23. “He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” 24. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” 25. Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” 26. Alternatives just don’t cut it 27. Philosophy 28. Tradition 29. “Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.” 30. “These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ.” 31. “You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” 32. It’s not Jesus plus—it’s Jesus PERIOD! 33. Supernatural 34. “Let no one condemn you by delighting in false humility and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind.” 35. “All these regulations refer to wh

GOD’S WORD IS ENOUGH. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.2 Timothy 3:16-17 For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and YOU have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.Colossians 2:9 THE JOURNEY OF FAITH.Paul wrote because there were problems among the Christians in Colossae…DAVID GUZIKEVERY FAMILY NEEDS DIRECTION. EVEN HEALTHY FAMILIES.Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.1 Peter 5:8Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.1 Timothy 4:16 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.2 John 1:8 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.[b] He is a faithful minister of Christ on your[c] behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.Colossians 1:3-14PRAY. SAY.STAY. This letter – full of love and concern, written to a church Paul had neither planted nor visited – shows the power of Christian love. Paul didn’t need to see or meet or directly know these Christians in order to love them and be concerned for themDAVID GUZIKThe fullness is in Jesus Christ. Not in a church; not in a priesthood; not in a building; not in a sacrament; not in the saints; not in a method or a program, but in Jesus Christ Himself. It is in Him as a “distribution point” – so that those who wanted more of God and all that He is can find it in Jesus Christ.DAVID GUZIKOUR VEHICLE IS JESUS.Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,To the saints and faithful brothers[a] in Christ at Colossae:Grace to you and peace from God our Father.Colossians 1:1-2OUR ROADMAP IS JESUS.15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.Colossians 1:15the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27OUR DESTINATION IS MATURITY IN JESUS.28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28