Claim OwnershipFCC Etown Podcast
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Hear all the stories, worship, and teaching from Sunday’s service. Want to connect with us, or learn more about FCC? Visit us at fccetown.com.
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Joseph's foresight in preparing for years of famine by saving during times of abundance offers a timeless blueprint for financial stability and generosity. Discover why saving money is not just a practical choice but an essential decision that protects your loved ones and blesses those around you. Learn actionable steps to cultivate financial peace and understand how these principles connect to a deeper, spiritual freedom.
One of the key principles that shapes our approach to money, stewardship, and generosity as we walk with Christ is the question of whose money it truly is. Similar to those moments when we were kids, and our parents would give us money to use or give us allowances to manage, the money was never really ours; we were managers. What we have, even what we earn, we earn with the talents and skills given to us and blessed into our lives by God himself. It is truly all his, and he has given us the honor of using a vast majority of it. When that becomes our perspective, money, stewardship, and generosity change.
Following the heart and actions of the Magi, we can choose to be intentional givers during this season. Amidst the hustle and bustle, it is sometimes valuable to take a journey from the east and hear our own heart and actions tuned into Christmas.
Day of Thanks is an exciting day at FCC. We set aside an entire morning of worship to celebrate all the wonderful things God has accomplished through FCC over the past year.
There is an illusion that somehow circumstances will produce permanent gratitude if I just have enough good things happen to me. That's fool's gold. The truth is, the root of joy is gratefulness. Joy doesn't make us grateful. Instead, gratitude makes us joyful.
During this series, we have declared: Consistency, Responsibility, Wisdom, Forgiving Spirit, Joy & Generosity. Any of these is a challenge by itself, but all six is a tall order. That’s why Stuart explained that we have to…
Set your mind because anything worthwhile is uphill.
Surround yourself with a NO-QUIT TEAM.
Run for something bigger than you.
Your generosity is a matter of trust that spills all the way into eternity. When we are generous with what God is doing, we trust that He will do more with it than we thought possible. However, the second half of that trust is that we also trust that he will meet our needs, take care of what worries us, and even provide us with contentment that we haven’t been able to find on our own.
Psalm 9:9 says, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Or there’s Psalm 91:2 that says, “I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Joy is findable and attainable and consistent when we remember God is for us and our constant refuge. He did everything he did and left everything he had so he could have you. There’s joy right there—for him and for you.
Sometimes people know how to push our buttons, and we don’t want to forgive them. And we know they have evil intent. And what they’ve done was intentional. And the pain is unthinkable. And you can’t help but feel the bitterness it initially caused. But you’ve been watering that bitterness daily. And when you allow that anger to fester, it grows and it takes root. And it becomes toxic to other relationships in your life. However, when we choose forgiveness, it sets us free!
Perhaps life isn’t unfolding as you had thought it would. Maybe it’s falling apart. And you need wisdom more than you can imagine. And I promise you that God wants to give you wisdom. However, another part of it is that you are hanging around fools. And you keep asking for God’s help. And maybe God is saying. No. It’s up to you to surround yourself with the right people, walking with the wise to become wise.
Who are you blaming? You don't have the power to change that person, but you do have the power to take responsibility for your life. And it's gonna be hard, and it may take time, but I promise God will meet you there. Who are you blaming?
Where do you need to take responsibility instead of casting blame? Taking responsibility is not fun. It can hurt. But it's the only way you can move forward from "why me" to "what now?"
What's one thing you can do to be more spiritually consistent? Read your Bible every day? Pray every day? This seems very simple and very small, but small things done consistently trump big things done occasionally. You can want your life to change, and hope that it changes, or you can get intentional.
Receive it with your ears, read it with your eyes, research it with your hands and mouth, review and remember with your mind, but don't miss the step to respond to it with your actions.
What are you going to do with this book? Is it just collecting dust in your life? Are you really using it? It’s not unreliable history, bad science, or implausible claims. The evidence is too strong.
The Bible is a miracle. Sixty-six books, written by 44 different authors over 1,500 years, yet it tells a coherent story. As amazing as the Bible is, it truly comes to life when we get to know the author.
Are you ALL IN for God right now? Not just when it’s easy. Not when it’s popular. But when it costs something. When it’s quiet, when no one else sees it, God is looking for Daniels. For people who don’t chase power or attention, but chase His presence. People who would rather stand alone with God than blend in without Him.
What do you do when God asks you to do something that doesn’t make sense?” You obey God when it doesn’t make sense. You ignore detractors and keep moving forward. Finally, you maximize opportunities while the doors are open. For 120 years, people had a chance to answer God’s call, but Genesis 7:16 tells us there came a time when God closed the door, and that was it. Learn from those folks and don’t miss your opportunity.
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