Do you remember what it was like when you first came to Jesus and started going to church? Do you remember the love and overflow of joy, to be surrounded by people who were going after God just like you? Can you imagine what it would be like if you suddenly heard someone gossiping about another fellow member? Perhaps this has happened to you. Were you surprised by this, even grieved? How can people who are supposed to be in unity talk so viciously about a fellow believer?

David Wilkerson, a pastor from Pennsylvania, moved to New York in response to the growing problem of teen drug addiction and gang violence in the 1950s and 60s. His approach was one that was wholly unique. Instead of offering condemnation and judgement, he met these teens where they were–right on the streets–and gave compassion, love, grace, and a path to freedom through faith in Jesus Christ. His book, The Cross and Switchblade documents his powerful testimony with reaching teens in the inner-city. Instead of carrying a gun or a gavel, he carried a Bible, reaching out to any who would listen…

It’s a difficult feat to live in peace in a world where anxiety is constantly barraging us with reasons to be in chaos in our spiritual and emotional well-being.  

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus…

It’s one thing to make a bold declaration for freedom when you are comfortable, when you are not going through a trial or a test. But what happens when you get uncomfortable, when things get hard, when you are forced to make a decision in the face of death? The men who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence didn’t scatter when things got difficult, they went forward with bravery and determination, even when many of them were killed, captured, their families killed or assaulted, and they lost everything in their bid for freedom…

There’s going to be a point where God asks you for your Isaac–for that thing you love most. If we’re not careful, we can start believing lies like, “God is good to everyone else but He always skips me!”; “I don’t want to pray because every time I do. My life falls apart even more!” Or maybe you’ve felt this one, “God must be mad at me, or my life wouldn’t be so hard.”

Life is short. We all know that we have a date with death in the physical. But your legacy will last long after your last breath. What will people remember about you and what will they say when you’re no longer here? What will your family and friends say about you? What will your neighbors remember…

God is returning. He has been preparing for his children to come home from the beginning. The Father is watching the road waiting for his children to come home, just as He did for the prodigal son. 

We know that Jesus is preparing a place for us to be with Him always. But are we preparing for Him? We know what it means to prepare but are we actually living it? The Bible tells us how to do this, but are there actions to back up our belief in this Word? We have been hearing for centuries that “Jesus is coming back soon!” All too often, we hear this and allow our hearts to grow casual. “Well, He hasn’t come yet, so He’s late.” Jesus is not late and heaven forbid He find us ‘sleeping’ when He returns!

Imagine being brought up in a world where you could not do what you wanted to do, or go where you wanted to go. You lived in constant fear of being killed, or your children being taken away from you. You worked your fingers to the bone, all for someone else’s gain. This is what the Israelites lived under in Egypt for 430 years. 

Sometimes we stay stuck in the comfortable, we don’t want to move forward into all that God has for us. We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable…

What would you say is the greatest need in the Church today? A great children’s program? Amazing worship? Perhaps you would say you need a pastor who can really preach the fire of God down? 

All of these are wonderful but what does this all boil down to? The greatest need is not for more programs or strategies, it’s that each one of us has the Spirit of God resting on us and working through us…

You can’t be a good leader if you can’t first be a good follower. That’s why God calls us “followers of Christ”. You don’t get to negotiate with your commanding officer on whether or not you want to get up when the reveille is played, or whether you want to dig ditches, or run 13 miles in a day. Joining the armed forces is much like a covenant. You sign your life away. 

It is no longer your own…

Several years ago I had a dream that I was in a palace garden with Jesus. We were sitting at a tea table and there were several other little girls sitting around the table. We were all around eight years old and had beautiful dresses and tiaras on. We had a great time together, just laughing and having fun with Jesus. For whatever reason, I looked to my left and saw an iron gate, where another little girl was pressing her face against the bars, looking in at our tea party. Her dress was ragged and dirty, her hair was a mess, and her face was smudged with soot. I leaned over to Jesus and asked Him who she was. He said, “She’s my daughter, too. She just doesn’t know it yet…”

All of us have questioned why we were put on this earth. What was I made for? Am I living out the purpose God destined for me? All too often, we get caught up in the specifics of that ‘calling’ and if we are doing that will perfectly or not…

In Exodus 15, the children of Israel had just witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time: the parting of the Red Sea. Isn't it interesting that a test came right afterward? In this life, we either find ourselves going into a test, in the middle of a test, or getting ready to enter another test. Testing is how God proves our faith is genuine. As we talked about last week, God is looking for veteran Christians, not rookies. God wants to know what we’re made of…

You’ve probably seen these people, the ones that are so on fire for God, serving on every team possible, and worshipping with full abandon. Then, you start to see them less and less, until one Sunday, they’re gone. Unfortunately, sometimes, you never see this person, only to find out later that they’ve walked away from their faith and passion for God. Why does this happen? What causes a genuine disciple to say “I’m out!”…

I’m sure we’ve all heard this famous phrase, “What would Jesus do?” I remember wearing a bracelet with the letters WWJD emblazoned on it, and even reading a children’s chapter book all about a girl who had to walk through some pretty hard circumstances, all while asking “What would Jesus do?” 

But a less famous question would be, “What would Jesus NOT do?” What compromise, offenses, or actions would He refuse to engage in to ensure His integrity and mission remained on track? We live in a very similar spiritual climate as Jesus did when He was on the earth. There were different people groups, oppression from different nations, and varying mindsets, but the bondage and unrest we face are very real and very much the same. Jesus was misunderstood even in His day. What would He do if He had come in our day? And would we have recognized Him…

Usually the things we are passionate about are pretty easy for others to see. For some, it may be hunting, or riding motorcycles, crafting or playing an instrument. It’s difficult to cover up what we are interested in and what brings us life and joy. 

When we are invested and passionate about something, we talk about it! Many times, those hobbies and pursuits become a part of our identity…

We fast for several reasons: to show our love for God, to press in for a breakthrough in our lives, to devote ourselves to prayer, and to increase our faith. However, we can sometimes become skewed in our outlook and we forget the reason we started. Today, God wants to do a spiritual reset. First, why does God call us to fast…