We started a new 4-week series using themes of joy found in the book of Philippians. Paul found resilient and eternal joy because he found his hope in the Lord. As we enter the whirlwind of the holiday season, let’s look to God to reorder our priorities so we don’t settle for distractions or circumstantial joy.
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused: Part 10
Second Timothy is the last book that Paul wrote before his death. As we wrap up our series on the book of 2 Timothy, we’re encouraged to finish well:
-staying faithful in our relationships
-persevering in our daily walk
-relying on Jesus' presence to sustain us to the very end
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused- Part 9
Helping people find and follow Jesus isn’t just the responsibility of a few- it’s a group effort. As individuals and as a church, we are called to share Jesus with the people in our circle of influence.
We can all be engaged in this work together by serving, giving, praying and inviting.
3 points to remember:
The Greatest Commandment:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." -Mark 12:30
How's it going with all that?
In chapter 3, Paul continues warns Timothy about being influenced by people who aren’t following Jesus. Paul urges Timothy to instead imitate the life that Paul has been developing:
This instruction is accompanied by 3 warnings from Paul:
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused: Part 6
When Paul is writing to Timothy in the book of 2 Timothy, he says “there will be terrible times in the last days.”
“The last days” refers to the period of time from Jesus’ first arrival to his return.
In a world where wickedness continues to increase, when there are hard days, how do we respond as followers of Jesus?
Ultimately, there’s no room for an “I’m better than you” mentality. Because we’ve received grace, we give grace. Because we’ve been loved, we love. Because we’ve been forgiven, we forgive.
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused: Part 5Here's a few takeaways from this message:1. Rightly handle the Word of God so you have a firm foundation and aren't led astray.2. Stop quarreling and fighting over nonessentials. Your conduct matters if you want to be effective for the Lord. 3. Want to be counter-cultural? Be kind to everyone, not resentful, be patient and gentle (strength under control). Don't destroy your influence because our hope is others will come to saving faith in Jesus.
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused: Part 4Here's a few takeaways from this message:1. As follower of Jesus we endure by relying on the grace of Jesus. 2. As followers of Jesus we endure by having the proper mindset (focus, sacrifice, discipline, conduct, hardworking, patient). 3. As followers of Jesus we endure by remembering the faithfulness of the risen Lord Jesus.4. Take comfort in this: though we may waver and fall into unfaithfulness, the Lord Jesus remains faithful to you.
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused
Part 3 of 9
Here's a few takeaways from this message:
1. Following Jesus involves being disappointed by other followers of Jesus.
2. Hold onto the truth of God's word when others disappoint us.
3. When some people disappoint you, God sends others to encourage you.
4. How can you be faithful to other followers of Jesus?
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused
Part 2 of 9
Here's 3 takeaways from this message:
1. The good news about Jesus can bring hostility- sometimes in our reputation, sometimes in our relationships. In the midst of hostility or indifference, there's still a hunger for the hope that only Jesus can give.
2. Apply the gospel to your own life when experiencing fear, timidity, or shame. The gospel isn't just for us to give away to others. We need to be reminded daily that Jesus "has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Timothy 1:10)
3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is worth it. Any possible suffering is nothing in comparison to the life God has in store for us to share with him forever because of what Jesus has done for us.
Find, Follow, and Stay Focused Part 1 of 9
2 Timothy 1:1-7
We’re starting a new series called “Find, Follow, and Stay Focused.” We’ll be looking at themes from the book of 2 Timothy.
Here’s a few questions for reflection:
Peter- one minute he's saying that he'll give up his life for Jesus, the next he's denying that he even knows Jesus.
The details of our stories may be different, but the big takeaway remains: Jesus stays consistent no matter how many times we turn away from him.
Martha's Epic Meltdown
Questions:
1. What are some next steps you could take to cut out distractions that are pulling you away from Jesus?
2. Are you trying to earn God's love and acceptance through your "doing"?
3. Are you staying busy because you're trying to avoid the Lord?
4. What ways can you grow in your relationship with Jesus so your relationship is more like a friend and less transactional?
King Nebuchadnezzar's boastful pride wrecked his life until he ultimately acknowledged God. Do you have a story like that? On the other hand, are you wrecked by hopeless fear? You may or may not be driven to the wilderness in isolation until your fingernails resemble the claws of a bird, but there's likely something you can relate to in Nebuchadnezzar's story.
Feel tired? Burnt out? Overwhelmed?Elijah did, too (even after God had used him in some pretty miraculous ways). Here's a few things to keep in mind and apply to ourselves when we're struggling:1. God is tender and compassionate to those who are struggling.2. We can tend to only focus on the spiritual, but you are a created being that has physical, emotional, and relational needs.3. God is working even when it's not obvious. 4. God can and does work through big moments but so often he is working in the small moments.5. God has a next step for you, even when you feel done.
Sometimes the people in the Bible are almost too relatable. Case in point: Moses
We’re looking at Moses’ epic meltdown and asking these questions:
1. Have you ever tried your best but everything went wrong?
2. Ever held in together only to lose it in the end?
3. What if God could give you grace anyway?
4. BONUS: Are you in the midst of a slow burn right now?
We're finishing our last message from the life of Joseph with a powerful conclusion. In looking back on the extreme ups and downs from Joseph's life, he sums it all up by saying, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..." This phrase has comforted generations of Christians and it's important to clarify what it actually means as we apply it to our own lives. "God meant it for good" doesn't mean:- what happened is good (death, financial troubles, job loss -- are not good!)- there is no human responsibility- you'll see how all the dots in your story connect"God meant it for good" does mean:- evil is under the wise and gracious hand of God- God is with his people working out his saving purposes- in all things God works for the good of those who love himWe can have assurance of the love God has for us and hold onto future hope because of what Jesus has done on the cross.
Caleb Smagacz with Hope Alive shares a message with us from the book of Nehemiah. He left us with this challenge: can we be more like Jesus and live for the sake of others?For more information about Hope Alive and the work they’re doing in Uganda, visit https://hopealiveafrica.org.
As we've read through the book of Genesis, a constant theme has been waiting. Joseph's life has been no different. When he was a kid, he had a dream about being put in a position of power. Shortly after that dream, he was sold into slavery by his brothers and then later wrongfully imprisoned. Thirteen years passed until his dream came to fruition. Yet even in the waiting, God had a purpose for Joseph. Here's 3 things to consider if you find yourself in a season of waiting:1. Waiting can make you increasingly self-focused or others-focused. 2. It's natural to want out of the season of waiting, but continue to trust God in His timing.3. Obedience and faithfulness don't always lead to immediate results, but consider the long-term possibilities.
One of the lessons we can learn from the life of Joseph is that fighting temptation is possible. Here's 5 actions to take when facing temptation:1. Be concerned with how your sin affects others.2. Call sin what it is. 3. Fear the Lord. 4. Pay attention to the warning signs. 5. Run away!Hebrews 4:15-16 explains that Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are, but he did not sin. Because Jesus sacrificed his perfect, sinless life for us, our sins have been forgiven and we are able to experience God's grace and mercy.