did you also know that when you grow in your intimacy with God, you also make yourself vulnerable as well? Wait, what? You might be thinking, “I thought the closer we got to God the more protected we were. I thought if I walked close with God, he would protect me from bad things and hard things. I thought if a person followed Jesus closely bad things won’t happen to good people.”Not so! In fact, if you have determined to invest your life in God and cultivate an intimacy with the Almighty, you’re actually asking for it.Some have called this the “Peril Principle.”
I don’t have a problem with being busy. You look at an average day of Jesus’ life; it was probably busier than most of ours. However, it also contained margin, balance, and silence. The problem I have is that we make our business and our productivity into our identity. The problem I have is that we allow our business, title, and job become the thing that gives us value. We are willing to sacrifice relationships in pursuit of a career. When this happens, the result is going to be exhaustion… burnout.
Today, I want to talk with you about Christ as our Healer. Let me share a couple of true stories with you. The first story is about a woman named Sue that I was friends with at my church in Chico. Sue discovered a lump in her breast. Second story is our friend Steve Luster, a good friend at re:new and our head greeter.
Our past experiences often shape our response to correction, causing us to hear condemnation instead of love. Through Paul's relationship with the Corinthian church, we discover that Godly correction flows from affection, not authority, and is designed to heal us, not hurt us. When we respond to God's conviction with humility rather than defensiveness, we open ourselves to the kind of repentance that leads to life, joy, and restored relationships. The implications for our spiritual life are profound: we can stop running from God when we fail and instead run toward Him, knowing His correction is evidence of His love and His desire to make us whole.
As believers, we are called to a ministry of endurance by the power of the Holy Spirit. The sermon delves into the challenges we face in life and ministry, the tools God provides us to endure, and the new perspective we gain through endurance.
Our role as believers is to be ambassadors for Christ. Christ gives us a second chance at a great relationship with God, likening it to a spiritual "reset button." This transformative message reminds us of the profound change Jesus brings to our lives and our calling to represent Him in our daily interactions.
As Christians, what we have to look forward to far exceeds any pain or struggle we face today. It is important to focus on the unseen eternal realities rather than temporary earthly struggles, and live with the confidence of our future resurrection and judgment before Christ.
God's power is magnified when we embrace our human limitations. While we often feel frustrated by our weaknesses and frailties, the Bible actually teaches that these are opportunities for God's strength to shine through us. Just as treasure is carried in clay jars, our human fragility becomes the vessel through which God's power is displayed.
The sermon focuses on how we can persevere in ministry and shine God's light in a world that often seems dark. Our ministry is a gift of God's mercy, not based on our own merit. It highlights the importance of integrity in sharing the gospel and reminds us that only God's power can truly open people's eyes to the truth of Jesus Christ.
The New Covenant, established through Christ, surpasses the Old Covenant in glory and effectiveness. This message reminds us that as believers, we are continually being transformed by the Spirit into the image of Christ, impacting every aspect of our spiritual lives.
This sermon explores the concept of Christians as diffusers of Christ's aroma. It highlights how God places us in Christ's triumphal procession and calls us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere we go. This powerful metaphor challenges us to consider how our lives radiate Christ's presence to those around us, whether they find it appealing or repelling.
Forgiveness is the path from hurt to healing. True forgiveness is not about mustering up our own strength, but rather allowing God's grace to work through us. This perspective challenges us to view forgiveness as a process of cooperation with God, rather than a solo effort of willpower.
This sermon highlights how our consistent lifestyle and message are rooted in our consistent connection with Jesus. The sermon delves into Paul's defense of his character and ministry against accusations of inconsistency, emphasizing the importance of integrity in our Christian walk. We are reminded that our words and actions should consistently point to Christ, both in public and private life.
The sermon explores the challenging topic of suffering and God's comfort. We are reminded that while suffering is an inevitable part of life in a broken world, God uses it to reveal His comfort, enable us to comfort others, and teach us to rely on Him. This message encourages us to view our struggles through a lens of faith and purpose.
This sermon explores Galatians 5:16-26, emphasizing that spiritual fruit is produced through consistent connection with the Holy Spirit. Just as trees in an orchard naturally bear fruit when properly rooted and nourished, we too can bear spiritual fruit when we remain connected to Christ and yield to the Spirit's guidance.
This sermon explores the gift of tongues as discussed in 1 Corinthians 14. We delve into Paul's guidance on how this spiritual gift should be used within the church. The sermon emphasizes that while tongues are a genuine spiritual gift, they must be used in an orderly manner that edifies the entire body of Christ. We learn that the ultimate purpose of all spiritual gifts, including tongues, is to glorify Jesus and build up His church.
This sermon explores how the Holy Spirit equips and empowers every believer with spiritual gifts. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4, we learn that these gifts are given to each of us for the common good, to build up the body of Christ, and ultimately to glorify Jesus. The sermon challenged us to recognize, embrace, and use our God-given gifts, reminding us that the Spirit not only gives these gifts but also empowers us to use them effectively.
This sermon explores the vital topic of listening to the Holy Spirit. Delve into how God communicates with us today, realizing that the Holy Spirit continues to speak to believers. The message highlights the importance of cultivating a practice of listening, discerning God's voice amidst life's distractions, and the transformative power of engaging in intimate conversation with God through His Spirit.
This Sunday is our Missions update with Jamin! Come hear about all the wonderful things God is doing through in and through our students!
This sermon explores Galatians 5:25 and its implications for our spiritual lives. It unpacks what it means to keep in step with the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that while we live by the Spirit, actively keeping in step with Him is a choice we must make daily. This process involves yielding to God's will, being patient with our spiritual growth, and winning the battles against our flesh.