90% of Life Is Relationships and So Is The other 10%
Think about the most joyful moments of your life – they probably involved relationships. Think about the most stressful moments of your life – they probably involved relationships too.
Our lives are intensely relational – at home, at the workplace, with our friends, in the neighborhood, even at church. So if our relationships are going well, life is good. If our relationships are struggling, life is painful.
This week we’ll look at a passage in the New Testament that gives us a simple but powerful roadmap for bringing greater strength and joy to our relational worlds. (more …)
A Happy Ending To A Sad Life
One of the new and growing forms of criminal activity is identity theft. Each year, thousands of people have their credit card, social security number, or driver’s license stolen by someone who uses their identity for personal gain, and in turn causes financial pain to the victim. Yet, there is another kind of identity theft that is even more damaging and prevalent: the theft of our personal, individual identity.
This identity can be stolen by our past, by our self-concept, by our culture, by other people, and even by the evil one himself. And it can lead to depression, discouragement, and deep confusion about who we are - with painful personal consequences that inevitably follow.
If you struggle with insecurity, esteem, identity, or “in-the-past” issues, there is a way to recover your identity through Jesus Christ, the One who died and rose on Easter to prove that He is Almighty and able to help us see ourselves through His eyes of grace, mercy, love and forgiveness. Learn how this works in this fascinating study of personal identity. (more …)
A Work Of Art
From the time an artist looks at the paint, imagines what he will paint, and commences the painting, he imagines one thing each time: that his efforts will yield a work of art. From the time God created us and gave us a particular personality, to the time he forgave us in Christ and gave us unique spiritual gifts, He imagined that we would be His one-of-a-kind works of art. We’ll explore all the ways we can display God’s work in us so that we present ourselves as the masterpieces of the Master Painter Himself. (more …)
About Coping With Terrorism
9-11 changed virtually everything about the way Americans live. From the way we board airplanes, to the way we view suspicious looking people, we have all been altered by the acts of terrorism that have plagued our world. What would Jesus say to us about coping with terrorism? Clearly, Jesus would condemn any level of terrorism but what would He say about how we should cope with what appears to be the newest threat to world security, terrorism. We’ll examine Jesus’ words in light of the tensions we feel from those around the world who are bent on destroying America and it’s way of life. (more …)
About Our Goverment Leaders
The way our government is operating today people are infuriated. People on the political left, on the political right and even independent voters have felt the inefficiency an ineffectiveness of our government. But what would Jesus say to us about our government leaders, the congress, the senate and even our president? We’ll look at the absolutely consistent thing Jesus says that all of us should do with response to leaders in government as well as stack up how the government is operating in light of how Jesus would operate it. (more …)
About The Current Recession
We all have felt directly or indirectly the pain of the current recession. Unemployment hovers around 10%, spending in low and debt is high, and families are struggling to work long hours when the have the fortune of having a job. What would Jesus say to us about the current recession? You would be surprised to know that He would not provide a simply economic answer. In this talk we’ll look at how Jesus sees the current recession in light of eternity (more …)
About The HIV/AIDS Crisis?
For the past 30 years, the HIV/AIDS crisis has gripped the world. While many people have contracted HIV through unsafe lifestyle practices, still many others suffer its dreaded consequences through no fault of their own. How are we to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis and how are we to respond to people who are infected with the HIV virus? We’ll examine the balanced approach that Jesus provides in dealing with HIV/AIDS by examining some similar crisis that occurred in His day. (more …)
About The Iraq And Afghan wars?
For over 5 years now the US has been involved in a war in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The wars have been fought as stated by our President, to take the fight to the terrorists. But is this fight justified and further, is war ever justified? If so, what are the conditions that would allow for war? If not, how do we defend the weak from the strong? We’ll again examine Jesus’ words to shed light on the issue of when or if it is right to fight. (more …)
About The Way We Should Live Today?
Throughout this series, we have examined what Jesus would say to us about contemporary circumstances, situations, and people. But what would Jesus say to us personally about the way we should live today? We’ll see how Jesus challenged people to change the way they lived when they were living overtly sinful lifestyles and also how He encouraged people to live when they were doing the right thing that aligned with God’s word, His will, and His ways. As we conclude this series we will be reminded again of how Jesus Christ the righteous Son of God instructed us to live today in these difficult and tenuous times. (more …)
All Things Are Possible
We have all had those days and those life events that turn out nothing like we desired. We pray, we hope, we seek help and yet things still go wrong, things still turn out badly. It’s enough to make you doubt at times the power of God, or the love of God or the existence of God. What do you do when God seems powerless? What do you do when He doesn’t seem to answer your prayers?
This week we will take at a look at a historical account that just might help you believe that with Jesus, all things are possible. (more …)
An Investment That Outlasts You
Money can do some funny things. It can sit in a bank and yet grow in size, while it can sit in our pockets and shrink in size. It can be used on an investment that has great yield or go in another that can lead to great loss. It can be spent on short-term pleasure or long term treasure. But sometimes the consequences of money are not so funny when they lead to debilitating debt, loss of security or even the inability to sustain a bare bones lifestyle.
We’ll examine the basic principles of biblical money management and examine how the funny side of money can be something to really smile about. (more …)
Anger: Learning To Cool Down Without Blowing Up
It seems like people today are irritated, aggravated, and on edge more than ever before. They have short fuses when it comes to dealing with anger. Situations and relationships heat up quickly to the point of explosion and often times the people involved are left feeling burned by unforgiveness. In this series we’ll look at ways we can “chill out” so that we deal with anger, relational conflict, and forgiveness in healthy and biblical ways. (more …)
Baptism: So You Really Want To Be Close To God
We all share a deep need to know and experience God— that He is there and that He cares.
But knowing it and actually experiencing it aren’t always the same. Often, we’re so busy, preoccupied and stressed by life that we operate as if God isn’t available. But He is. Always. So what do we do to change that?
We begin to realize that God is closer to us than we really think and we start learning to see Him in our everyday lives. We’ll examine seven proven ways to look for God and draw closer to Him. (more …)
Becoming An Anti-Atlas
Most people live in significant isolation from others. They can be around throngs of people, yet still feel alone. They can have many friendships, but possess few deep relationships. They can talk with many people, yet feel truly listened to by no one.
God never made man to exist in isolation or as an independent being but rather to dwell in community with others and with Him.
We’ll look at important principles for experiencing closeness with other people, particularly those who want to grow closer to God and deeper in fellowship with Him. (more …)
Being Free Inside
As we approach the anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, we’re reminded of how we were born as a nation— by declaring our independence from England.
While that was a great declaration that led to the founding of our great nation, not every declaration of independence is good. Sometimes we need to declare our “dependence”, especially when it comes to God. Only by living dependently on Him can we live in freedom from the inevitable human bondages of life.
We’ll examine how we can live lives of total freedom and liberty in Jesus Christ, and how we can avoid the most common thieves that try to steal our freedom away. (more …)
But I Have A Past…..
The children of Israel had it hard under the bondage of Egyptian Slavery. They worked from sunrise to sunset under oppressive and deplorable conditions to satisfy the unyielding demands of the Pharaoh. Yet just when it seemed there was no hope in sight, God raised up an unlikely man named Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Leaving Egypt was not easy and the journey through the wilderness was no less difficult, but God used the Exodus to help the Jews move forward in life.
We’ll examine this incredible and miraculous story and draw modern day principles to live by for those who are determined to move forward in their own lives (more …)
Character: Honoring God As Your Provider
:We live in a day where corruption and compromise characterize our world. Often, wrong is called right and right is called wrong. Few people seem to know which way is up… morally speaking. What we need today are people willing to take a stand for God. Elijah was one such man.
We’ll examine the life of this Old Testament prophet and discover how he operated with high character, courage to confront others when necessary, and a confidence that God would answer prayer in times of need. We’ll even see how living for God can be disappointing and how God can get us back on track. Need to take a stand in some areas of your life? Then learn these potent life lessons from Elijah. (more …)
Coming Back Stronger
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Commitment And Maturity
Another allegedly dirty word is commitment because commitment is increasingly harder to find. Our disposable culture has led to disposable relationships, agreements and follow through on our word. But commitment is essential to both stable living and a meaningful and fulfilled life. We’ll examine how living a committed life leads to maturity and contentment, and how it’s so much better than the alternatives. (more …)
Confidence: The Power Of God In Prayer
We live in a day where corruption and compromise characterize our world. Often, wrong is called right and right is called wrong. Few people seem to know which way is up… morally speaking. What we need today are people willing to take a stand for God. Elijah was one such man.
We’ll examine the life of this Old Testament prophet and discover how he operated with high character, courage to confront others when necessary, and a confidence that God would answer prayer in times of need. We’ll even see how living for God can be disappointing and how God can get us back on track. Need to take a stand in some areas of your life? Then learn these potent life lessons from Elijah. (more …)
Confrontation: Which God Do You Serve?
:We live in a day where corruption and compromise characterize our world. Often, wrong is called right and right is called wrong. Few people seem to know which way is up… morally speaking. What we need today are people willing to take a stand for God. Elijah was one such man.
We’ll examine the life of this Old Testament prophet and discover how he operated with high character, courage to confront others when necessary, and a confidence that God would answer prayer in times of need. We’ll even see how living for God can be disappointing and how God can get us back on track. Need to take a stand in some areas of your life? Then learn these potent life lessons from Elijah. (more …)
Conquering Critical People
You can’t avoid them. They’re all around you. They keep you uptight during the day and unable to sleep during the night. And the truth is they bother you and you wonder what to do. Who are these people? They’re “EGRs”, people for whom “Extra Grace Is Required”. If you have wrestled with people who are “EGRs” (and who hasn’t?) and need some help, then there’s good news.
We’ll explore biblical principles for how to deal with these people so that they can grow beyond their harmful behavior. And who knows, you may even see things in your own life that need some extra attention. (more …)
Conviction: What Do You Do With A Broken Heart
The book of Nehemiah is a fascinating journey into the heart of a great leader. From Nehemiah’s heart we see tremendous achievement. As we survey the book of Nehemiah and look at the first chapter, we’ll examine what God did in Nehemiah’s heart, that is, He gave him conviction. Conviction comes from a heart that is aligned with God’s heart. Often times God would break our heart over a matter so that we can develop a passion and conviction on that matter and make a difference in our world. We’ll look at how Nehemiah begins his leadership journey with this burden or broken heart and how he turned that into a motivation to accomplish something great for God. (more …)
Courage: Acting On Your Own Convictions
When God breaks your heart to develop a conviction, what do you do with that conviction? Well, if you are courageous, you act on it. In Nehemiah 2:1-10 we see how Nehemiah takes tremendous steps of courage to begin to act upon the burden or broken heart he experienced when he discovered that the walls of Jerusalem had were again in disrepair. With the courage that very few people demonstrate in life, he asked the very king that we worked for to help fund and furnish his journey to Jerusalem to build the walls. Amazingly, by the grace of God, the king honored his request. In this message we’ll look at how courage involves tremendous risk but when coupled with faith and God, leads to tremendous reward. (more …)
Crisis: Disapointment With God
We live in a day where corruption and compromise characterize our world. Often, wrong is called right and right is called wrong. Few people seem to know which way is up… morally speaking. What we need today are people willing to take a stand for God. Elijah was one such man.
We’ll examine the life of this Old Testament prophet and discover how he operated with high character, courage to confront others when necessary, and a confidence that God would answer prayer in times of need. We’ll even see how living for God can be disappointing and how God can get us back on track. Need to take a stand in some areas of your life? Then learn these potent life lessons from Elijah. (more …)
Crucified But Glorified
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Decision Time
The children of Israel had it hard under the bondage of Egyptian Slavery. They worked from sunrise to sunset under oppressive and deplorable conditions to satisfy the unyielding demands of the Pharaoh. Yet just when it seemed there was no hope in sight, God raised up an unlikely man named Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Leaving Egypt was not easy and the journey through the wilderness was no less difficult, but God used the Exodus to help the Jews move forward in life.
We’ll examine this incredible and miraculous story and draw modern day principles to live by for those who are determined to move forward in their own lives (more …)
Determination: Conquering Your Critics
The old saying is that “Monuments are never erected to critics but only to those they criticize.”. Every effective leader will face criticism. The job of a leader is to examine and assess each criticism that comes his or her way and evaluate if there is anything valid to the critic or whether the criticism is misses the mark in that persons life. For those times when people criticize without knowing what’s actually going on in our lives, the way to conquer a critic is to be determined in spite of their criticism. In Nehemiah 6 we see how the same people who tried to mock and scorn Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem’s work to rebuild the wall around the city, now attempt to trick and deceive Nehemiah into stopping his work. But Nehemiah refused to let his critics trick or deceive him and maintained a steadfast determination to keep up the progress of building the wall, even when fear had the potential to grip his heart. We will learn how every great leader demonstrates a dogged determination to see the project through and how that dogged determination can be a habit that we develop in our own lives. (more …)
Dirty Words
We all know that there are certain words that are so coarse or vile that we refer to them as “dirty words”. We strive to avoid using them. Unfortunately there are words that are a part of Christianity that seem “dirty” to many people because of the effort required to practice them. But the truth is, these “dirty words” are really essential words because they communicate vitally important virtues for all those who strive to please God and live a successful Christian life.
Learn the meaning of these important words and how you can add them to your daily life. You’re certain to feel “clean” when you do (more …)
Dirty Words: Bible Reading And Prayer
We all know that there are certain words that are so coarse or vile that we refer to them as “dirty words”. We strive to avoid using them. Unfortunately there are words that are a part of Christianity that seem “dirty” to many people because of the effort required to practice them. But the truth is, these “dirty words” are really essential words because they communicate vitally important virtues for all those who strive to please God and live a successful Christian life.
Learn the meaning of these important words and how you can add them to your daily life. You’re certain to feel “clean” when you do (more …)
Dirty Words: Salvation And Service
We all know that there are certain words that are so coarse or vile that we refer to them as “dirty words”. We strive to avoid using them. Unfortunately there are words that are a part of Christianity that seem “dirty” to many people because of the effort required to practice them. But the truth is, these “dirty words” are really essential words because they communicate vitally important virtues for all those who strive to please God and live a successful Christian life.
Learn the meaning of these important words and how you can add them to your daily life. You’re certain to feel “clean” when you do (more …)
Easy Come, Easy Go
Money can do some funny things. It can sit in a bank and yet grow in size, while it can sit in our pockets and shrink in size. It can be used on an investment that has great yield or go in another that can lead to great loss. It can be spent on short-term pleasure or long term treasure. But sometimes the consequences of money are not so funny when they lead to debilitating debt, loss of security or even the inability to sustain a bare bones lifestyle.
We’ll examine the basic principles of biblical money management and examine how the funny side of money can be something to really smile about. (more …)
Everybody Needs Somebody
“Not in isolation”. Those words ring true today. Too many people try to live life in isolation of others. But God never intended for people to live in isolation from other but rather in community with them.
We’ll examine why everybody needs somebody and how to get those “somebody’s” in your life. (more …)
Excuses, Excuses
The children of Israel had it hard under the bondage of Egyptian Slavery. They worked from sunrise to sunset under oppressive and deplorable conditions to satisfy the unyielding demands of the Pharaoh. Yet just when it seemed there was no hope in sight, God raised up an unlikely man named Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Leaving Egypt was not easy and the journey through the wilderness was no less difficult, but God used the Exodus to help the Jews move forward in life.
We’ll examine this incredible and miraculous story and draw modern day principles to live by for those who are determined to move forward in their own lives (more …)
Failure Vision: Seeing It Successfully
Everyone knows what it feels like to fail. But not everyone knows what to do when they fail so that they fail in a successful and productive way. Our failures are simply setbacks that set us up for a comeback… if we view them and respond to them properly. We’ll look at how getting God’s perspective on failure can set us up for success. (more …)
Faithfulness: Finishing Your Work Well
The difference between a dreamer and a doer is how long they stay in the project. A dreamer starts many projects but finishes few. A doer always finishes his work and finishes it well. The mark of a great leader is that they are a doer who is faithful to finish all that they start. In Nehemiah 6:15 – 7:3 we discover that in spite of all the opposition, all the problems, all the challenges, all the critics, and all the disorder, that Nehemiah completed the construction of the wall around Jerusalem in an amazing fifty two days. His leadership had inspired a tremendous amount of work effort and accomplishment among the people. As a result, they were able to celebrate the wall and honor God for his work through them to reestablish the capital city of Israel, Jerusalem, by building protective walls to keep them safe from enemy attack. Nehemiah demonstrated another great trait of all leaders, faithfulness. Faithfulness marks every leader because leadership remains faithful in good times, bad times, easy and hard times, trying times and smooth flowing times. We’ll look at how to measure our finishing touch ability as people who strive to grow our leadership with our family, friends and our coworkers. (more …)
Fall Forward: Rebounding Effectively
When we fail, it is important that we respond to failure in ways that help us get back up, because failure is never final with God. How do we rebound from a failure? We’ll examine the most common reasons we fail and pass on some of the most effective ways to use failure as a stepping stone to success (like the principles of perspective, perseverance, patience, procurement and presence). Failure is really a trampoline to jump on for success. (more …)
Final Coat
When we paint, a first coat is often not enough to provide complete coverage on the surface being painted. Often it takes a second or even third coat to serve as the “final coat” needed to finish the job. In similar fashion, to simply understand your gifts or consider where and how they might be used is like painting a first coat. Without actually making a commitment to use those gifts is like leaving a room without a final coat— it remains unfinished. We’ll explore the power of involvement and commitment when it comes to engaging our spiritual gifts. (more …)
Forgiveness: Chill Out, You Don’t Look That Heavy
Forgiveness is so underrated in our culture today. Most of us don’t realize the amount of weight that is put on our shoulders by a lack of forgiveness toward others, a lack of forgiveness toward ourselves, and a lack of understanding of the forgiveness God has for us through faith in Jesus Christ. In this message we’ll explore these things and more as we go through Matthew 18:21-35 and finish up our Chill Out series. (more …)
Getting Beyond Gossipy People
You can’t avoid them. They’re all around you. They keep you uptight during the day and unable to sleep during the night. And the truth is they bother you and you wonder what to do. Who are these people? They’re “EGRs”, people for whom “Extra Grace Is Required”. If you have wrestled with people who are “EGRs” (and who hasn’t?) and need some help, then there’s good news.
We’ll explore biblical principles for how to deal with these people so that they can grow beyond their harmful behavior. And who knows, you may even see things in your own life that need some extra attention. (more …)
God With Us
Just before the time of Christ’s birth, the world was well prepared for His arrival. All the cultural, sociological and political circumstances made it ripe for the arrival of the Son of God. But when He came, it was because of much more than the right worldly circumstances. He also came when He did in light of the Old Testament promises and the New Testament hope that the world needed… both then and now. He came for the ultimate purpose of pleasing the Father by bringing people into His family and helping them live with true meaning. We’ll examine how Christ came, as Paul put it in Galatians, “at just the right time” and explain how He still shows up at “just the right times” in our life today (more …)
God’s Indescribable Joy
Just before the time of Christ’s birth, the world was well prepared for His arrival. All the cultural, sociological and political circumstances made it ripe for the arrival of the Son of God. But when He came, it was because of much more than the right worldly circumstances. He also came when He did in light of the Old Testament promises and the New Testament hope that the world needed… both then and now. He came for the ultimate purpose of pleasing the Father by bringing people into His family and helping them live with true meaning. We’ll examine how Christ came, as Paul put it in Galatians, “at just the right time” and explain how He still shows up at “just the right times” in our life today (more …)
Grander Living
Having covered the great gift that we can offer others, how we engage in conversation with them, and how we tell our faith story and God’s story of the gospel, the only thing left, is for us to be inspired to actually to actually share our faith. How do we do that… by embracing a grander vision for living. When we have a grander vision for living it allows other pursuits in our life to fall away in order to focus on the priority that is nearest to the heart of God, people. When we choose to pursue the grander vision we partner with God in the most magnificent mission imaginable, finding what is lost, restoring what is broken, and reclaiming what belongs to God. We will explain the principles of grander vision living so that what is temporal gets minimal attention in our lives and what is eternal gets maximum attention in our lives. (more …)
He Took Our Place
One of the new and growing forms of criminal activity is identity theft. Each year, thousands of people have their credit card, social security number, or driver’s license stolen by someone who uses their identity for personal gain, and in turn causes financial pain to the victim. Yet, there is another kind of identity theft that is even more damaging and prevalent: the theft of our personal, individual identity.
This identity can be stolen by our past, by our self-concept, by our culture, by other people, and even by the evil one himself. And it can lead to depression, discouragement, and deep confusion about who we are - with painful personal consequences that inevitably follow.
If you struggle with insecurity, esteem, identity, or “in-the-past” issues, there is a way to recover your identity through Jesus Christ, the One who died and rose on Easter to prove that He is Almighty and able to help us see ourselves through His eyes of grace, mercy, love and forgiveness. Learn how this works in this fascinating study of personal identity. (more …)
Helping Hypocritical People
You can’t avoid them. They’re all around you. They keep you uptight during the day and unable to sleep during the night. And the truth is they bother you and you wonder what to do. Who are these people? They’re “EGRs”, people for whom “Extra Grace Is Required”. If you have wrestled with people who are “EGRs” (and who hasn’t?) and need some help, then there’s good news.
We’ll explore biblical principles for how to deal with these people so that they can grow beyond their harmful behavior. And who knows, you may even see things in your own life that need some extra attention. (more …)
Holiness And Godliness
This week we’ll be looking at two more dirty words: “Holiness” and “Godliness”. In fact, they are so dirty that the one even gave birth to it’s own phrase that we use today to describe unapproachable, conceited people: “Holier Than Thou”. Nobody wants to be around someone who is quick to remind them where they don’t measure up, but at the same time God calls us to be set apart like Him – to in essence be “holy” and “godly”. In this message, we’ll talk about how to balance the two tensions of God desiring us to be like Him and yet still relating to people far from Him. (more …)
How Little Becomes Much
With our economy in recession we are forced to learn how to get more out of each dollar we receive. But how do we do so? In this first installment in the series Wisdom and Wealth we will learn how little becomes much and look at a story that illustrates how even a person who brings in very little money can turn it into much and how the bible teaches ways in which this can be accomplished. (more …)
How To Avoid A Major Money Mistake
The source of most money problems is not what happens to us financially, but rather, how we in fact handle our finances. The most fundamental mistake people can make with respect to their money is to simply blame their financial plight on circumstances outside of their control. The wise person can weather financial storms because they have learned how to protect and manage their money so that they avoid making major money mistakes. Looking at a mythical example of what really has occurred at Lakeshore and at other churches, we’ll examine some of the biggest money mistakes that people make and how to avoid them so that you can build wealth through wisdom. (more …)
How To Be Single And Satisfied
Nearly half of all adults in America are single. Some are single because of the death of a spouse, others because of divorce, still others because they haven’t found the right person and some simply prefer to stay single. Most singles find that their state is non-satisfying so they long to find a mate they can date and eventually marry. For some until they enter this state they remain unsatisfied, disappointed, and saddened by life. In this message we will talk about how to be a single adult who is satisfied with their single lifestyle. We will provide principles on how to work through this state so that whether you get married or not, you can be satisfied no matter what. (more …)
How To Slice Your Pie
Money can do some funny things. It can sit in a bank and yet grow in size, while it can sit in our pockets and shrink in size. It can be used on an investment that has great yield or go in another that can lead to great loss. It can be spent on short-term pleasure or long term treasure. But sometimes the consequences of money are not so funny when they lead to debilitating debt, loss of security or even the inability to sustain a bare bones lifestyle.
We’ll examine the basic principles of biblical money management and examine how the funny side of money can be something to really smile about. (more …)
How To Use What God Has Given Us
The three basic laws of finances from a biblical perspective are: 1. God owns it all, 2. We manage some, 3. How we manage the money that God has given us is a test of our character, our competence, and our faithfulness to Him. In this message, we’ll take about how to use what God has given you in such a way that you pass the test of finances in your life. (more …)
Influence: Being A Leader Where You Are
After Nehemiah received permission and support to travel to Jerusalem he wisely surveys the walls of Jerusalem at a time when potential enemies would be less suspicious of him. By setting out at night with a few other men, he carefully does what every great leader does, strives to understand the problem. After he gets a full grasp of the challenge, he comes back to others and does what leaders always do, brings influence to other people to rally them around the cause. We see how Nehemiah applies his leadership influence to others and rallies the people to this great cause by giving them faith, not in themselves, but in the God who was leading this effort. In effect, Nehemiah was being a leader right where he was. We’ll learn principles on how to lead people right where we are in everyday life situations. (more …)
Judgement And Freedom
So often when we use the term “judgment”, we think of negative responses that people make about what someone else is doing. In response we often hear people say, “Don’t judge me!” But what is “judgment” and is it always a bad thing to do? We’ll examine the various meanings of “judgment” and explain how there is both a bad and good side to it. We’ll also examine how accepting the right kind of judgment can actually lead to true, deep and lasting personal freedom that is only available when we grow from it. (more …)
Living In 3D
When we understand that we can present the single greatest gift to an individual by just walking across the room, what do we do after we just walk? Effective relationally based evangelism can only happy when followers of Christ are truly engaged in the lives of people around them. How do we engage in peoples’ lives…by living in 3D. Living in 3D means that we choose to develop friendships, discover peoples’ life stories, and discern appropriate next steps based on the Holy Spirits promptings. We will explain each of these 3D living principles to help you engage the process of helping others discover the love of Jesus Christ. (more …)
Making It To The Promised Land
The children of Israel had it hard under the bondage of Egyptian Slavery. They worked from sunrise to sunset under oppressive and deplorable conditions to satisfy the unyielding demands of the Pharaoh. Yet just when it seemed there was no hope in sight, God raised up an unlikely man named Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Leaving Egypt was not easy and the journey through the wilderness was no less difficult, but God used the Exodus to help the Jews move forward in life.
We’ll examine this incredible and miraculous story and draw modern day principles to live by for those who are determined to move forward in their own lives (more …)
Marathon Marriages
Marriage, using a running analogy, is more like a marathon than a sprint. Often couples start off really well only to find it difficult to maintain marital closeness, intimacy, and oneness in the long haul. In this message we will talk about powerful principles that marriages that last engage in. Contrary to popular belief, marathon marriages aren’t marriages without problems, instead, they are marriages that know how to navigate through problems together so that no matter what happens spouses maintain oneness and unity. (more …)
Mastering Manipulative People
You can’t avoid them. They’re all around you. They keep you uptight during the day and unable to sleep during the night. And the truth is they bother you and you wonder what to do. Who are these people? They’re “EGRs”, people for whom “Extra Grace Is Required”. If you have wrestled with people who are “EGRs” (and who hasn’t?) and need some help, then there’s good news.
We’ll explore biblical principles for how to deal with these people so that they can grow beyond their harmful behavior. And who knows, you may even see things in your own life that need some extra attention. (more …)
Negotiating Needy People
You can’t avoid them. They’re all around you. They keep you uptight during the day and unable to sleep during the night. And the truth is they bother you and you wonder what to do. Who are these people? They’re “EGRs”, people for whom “Extra Grace Is Required”. If you have wrestled with people who are “EGRs” (and who hasn’t?) and need some help, then there’s good news.
We’ll explore biblical principles for how to deal with these people so that they can grow beyond their harmful behavior. And who knows, you may even see things in your own life that need some extra attention. (more …)
Nothing Can Seperate Us From God’s Love
One of the most incredible promises that God provides is that when we turn our lives over to Him by faith in His Son Jesus Christ, He declares over our lives an incredible litany of assurances. Most significantly, he promises that no matter how crazy life gets and how challenging circumstances may become, we can be assured of one thing… His love!
We’ll learn the power and the security that comes along with the knowledge that in Christ, nothing can ever separate us from His love. Learn how to rest in this infinite and incredible love in your life. (more …)
Obedience And Sacrifice
Obedience and Sacrifice are two words that our culture has deemed as dirty. Sure, we like it when our dogs are obedient to our commands (sit, speak, play dead) and when others make sacrifices for us (please, you take the last piece of cake), but it is much more fun for us to be rebellious and indulgent. In this message we will look at the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, and how he lived a lifestyle of worship based on obedience and sacrifice. We will explore how these two dirty words became the foundation for a lifestyle of worship – the kind of life that God created us to live. (more …)
Organization: Turning Your Disorder Into Order
After Nehemiah examined the wall around the city of Jerusalem and saw it in disrepair at many points around the city he demonstrates another key trait of all effective leaders. He rallies his organizational skills to turn disorder into order. Effective leaders know the value of organization and have abilities to turn chaos into efficiency. In chapter 3, through a detailed list of the gates and the workers involved in repairing those gates around the wall, we’ll look at principles on how a leader organizes the work and the people around him so that the organization leads to optimization of results. (more …)
Pain Is Gain
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Painting With The Right Colors
Having a color palette with many colors doesn’t guarantee that a beautiful painting will result. If the paint is dried out or unusable, the painting will lack quality. If the paint is applied in a careless way, the result would also be something less than beautiful. But when the paint colors are fresh, available and applied the right way, it can lead to a painting that is worthy of display in the finest of galleries. We’ll explore ways in which each of us can find places to use our spiritual gifts in the church. (more …)
Patience And Contentment
As humans we are born with an apparently insatiable hunger for more, now. Children want more toys and adults want more stuff. If we live in an apartment we want a house. If we’re single we want to be married, and once we’re married we want children. And we just can’t seem to wait for any of these things, can we? While God-given desire can be good, we all know that it can also lead to our downfall. That’s why contentment and patience are “dirty words.” In this message we’ll discover how contentment is not really about getting what we want, but changing our perspective to want what God gives us. And patience doesn’t mean forcing ourselves to wait anxiously, but it means putting our confidence in a God who knows what he is doing so that we trust his timing. (more …)
Perserverence and Discipline
Our culture is dominated by the perspectives of convenience and disposability. From razors to relationships, when we tire of something or it breaks or things just get difficult, we get rid of it. In contrast, God’s word provides a better way of living – a life marked by perseverance and discipline. Our society would call these dirty words as it’s “inappropriate” to expect people to have to work through challenges because you’re not looking out for #1 - yourself! In this message, we’ll dig into common temptations we face to give up or give in, as well as guidance from the Bible on how we can build a rewarding, purposeful life marked by discipline and endurance. (more …)
Perseverence: Outlasting Your Opposition
Every great project worth pursuing will face challenges and opposition and Nehemiah’s great endeavor to build the walls around Jerusalem was no exception. Nehemiah faces opposition from three critics who opposed his work. We’ll look at what critics try to do to leaders trying to accomplish something great, we’ll look at the tactics of these critics and then we will look at the approach of a leader to outlast the opposition of these critics. Nehemiah’s wisdom to press on with the work and to avoid, ignore, and even prepare for potential opposition from those who opposed him, teaches us a tremendous leadership principle. The principle of perseverance. A great leader will always outlast the opposition or the obstacles in his way. We will learn how Nehemiah did it in a productive, God honoring, leadership driven way. (more …)
Please listen! This podcast has moved!
Hello! This is Andy Mitchell, leader of the Wellspring team at Lakeshore Community Church.
You may have been expecting to hear some great Bible teaching, but I’m here to share some very exciting and important news.
We are now listed in the iTunes store, so if you use iTunes for your podcasts, search for “Lakeshore Community Church Sunday Service” and subscribe to this podcast there.
If you use a different program to retrieve and listen to your podcasts, don’t worry. We have an enhanced podcast feed for you as well! However, you will need to subscribe to the new feed this week to avoid missing any Sunday services.
The following directions will work for any computer and mp3 player combination:
Go to the lakeshorechurch.org home page. Click on the quick link on the left-hand side of the screen for Sunday Service Resources.
You will be taken to our new and improved Sunday Services home page. On the right side of this screen, there are two subscription buttons, a big purple one for iTunes and a big orange button for all other podcasting programs.
Click on the button you prefer and subscribe to our new and improved feed.
IPod users will find series images and a lesson summary now appear on your iPod while you listen to each Sunday message. Other mp3 players may also have access to some of these audio file enhancements.
As you explore the new Sunday Service page online, you’ll find that audio, lesson descriptions, and a link to filled-in lesson notes now appear for every Sunday service message. So if you ever miss a week at Lakeshore, you can go online and catch up without missing a beat.
Our Wellspring team is also hard at work expanding our archives of older messages. Eventually you will have access to the audio of every Sunday service in Lakeshore’s history! This will take some time, so please be patient and visit Ripples Resources if you’d like an older service in the meantime.
To repeat, this current podcast feed will no longer work. This is the last audio file that will ever be posted to this address. You must subscribe to the new Sunday Service feed this week or you will miss services starting next week.
If you need any help, please send an email to lccpodcast@googlegroups.com or call the church office and Andy Mitchell or another Wellspring team member will assist you.
Please spread the word, and if you use iTunes, leave us a 5-star rating and write a brief customer review! Thanks so much, and God bless. (more …)
Press On
The children of Israel had it hard under the bondage of Egyptian Slavery. They worked from sunrise to sunset under oppressive and deplorable conditions to satisfy the unyielding demands of the Pharaoh. Yet just when it seemed there was no hope in sight, God raised up an unlikely man named Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Leaving Egypt was not easy and the journey through the wilderness was no less difficult, but God used the Exodus to help the Jews move forward in life.
We’ll examine this incredible and miraculous story and draw modern day principles to live by for those who are determined to move forward in their own lives (more …)
Problem-Solving: Working Through Your Challenges
Another common phenomenon in the life of a leader is family issues. Sometimes those family issues relate to your immediate family, sometimes they relate to your extended family. And just about the time we feel we are making progress in other areas of our life, along come family problems. Nehemiah faced many problems among the people of Jerusalem at a time when he had just started to make progress overcoming the opposition of people outside Judaism. Nehemiah faced personal problems among the people of Jerusalem, financial problems, and oppression problems, where the people of Jerusalem were not treating each other respectfully and in accordance with God’s laws. We’ll observe another great skill of leadership, problem solving, in the life of Nehemiah on how he handles team trouble and corrects it and how he maintains team solutions to the problems that plague Jerusalem. And we will examine how these principles can help us be better problem solvers in our own lives. (more …)
Pruning That Produces
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Reconciliation: Chill Pills For Relationships
Anger left unchecked leads to conflict, many times between the people we care about most. And when that conflict is left untouched, bitterness builds up, wounds develop, and misunderstandings mount. How can we successfully navigate the stormy waters of conflict…and come out the other end without a shipwreck? In this message we’ll uncover biblical principles and discover practical tools to help us conquer conflict in our relationships while protecting and growing the relationship itself. (more …)
Rescued From An Ordinary Life
Imagine having the ability to see into the future and observe your own memorial service take place. Doesn’t it peak your curiosity to know what others would say about you and how you lived your life if given the chance? In describing you, what words would they use? My guess is that the word “ordinary” probably isn’t one of the ones high on your desired list!
If we’re honest, we all long to be rescued from an ordinary life…to be known as someone who took great risks, experienced notable success, and made memories that will outlive them.
This week we’ll turn our attention to one particular individual in the Bible who certainly didn’t have the word “ordinary” shared at his funeral, and try to catch his secret of how to live an extra-ordinary and epically uncommon life!
(more …)
Staying Free Inside
As we approach the anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, we’re reminded of how we were born as a nation— by declaring our independence from England.
While that was a great declaration that led to the founding of our great nation, not every declaration of independence is good. Sometimes we need to declare our “dependence”, especially when it comes to God. Only by living dependently on Him can we live in freedom from the inevitable human bondages of life.
We’ll examine how we can live lives of total freedom and liberty in Jesus Christ, and how we can avoid the most common thieves that try to steal our freedom away. (more …)
Surviving A Marital Mismatch
Sometimes people get married and are convinced before they get married that they married the right person, only to find out that the person they thought they married left after the honeymoon and a new person has shown up. Why is that, because most marriages go through three stages, that is, couples attract, attach and then they sometimes attack. What happens when you sense that there is a mismatch in your marriage? In this talk we’ll provide principles that will help any couple survive what they perceive to be a marital mismatch between themselves and their spouse so that they can grow into the oneness and intimacy that God desires for their marriage. (more …)
Tearing Down The Racial Walls
In the book of Nehemiah we are learning how Nehemiah brought leadership to bare, to construct the walls around the city of Jerusalem. In this message we’ll take a break from the series of Nehemiah and look at how to tear down the sinful walls of racial indifference that exists in the church by holding a joint service with other churches in Rochester. In this paneled discussion format message, we’ll talk to pastors about different biblical principles they have used to build a bridge across the racial divide so that we can all learn to be model Christians in the area of racial reconciliation. (more …)
The 2000’s: A New Millenium Of Uncertainty
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The 2010’s: What Will History Write About Us
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The 60’s: The Sexual Revolution Revisited
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The 70”s: Lose The Leisure Suit
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The 80”s: So You Want To Be A Yuppie
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The 90’s: The Need For Integrity
America is a nation that many in the world have looked up to for the better part of our history. There are many good reasons why: we are a freedom-loving people, we have helped the world in their times of need, and we have a strong Christian influence in our founding and development.
But there are some aspects to American life that need more careful examination and scrutiny.
By examining the past five decades (and looking ahead to the decade ahead), we’ll go “retro” and take a candid look at our country in light of what God says about some of the key features of each decade. (more …)
The Answer To Almost Every Question
Often the church is bombarded with many different questions from many different people with many different needs. Interestingly, the answer to almost every question is either “Jesus Christ” or “Small Groups”. While the first answer is rather obvious, the second answer may be less so. Small groups or Community Groups as they are called at Lakeshore, provide so many different needs that people have including the need for community with others, an opportunity to care for an be cared for by others, and a life changing experience of discussing and discovering truth in the bible. We will look at how small groups can make a big impact in meeting the needs of people at church. (more …)
The Blessed Man
Most of us would appreciate being known by our family, friends and others as a good, kind, and compassionate, composed and conscientious person. This is a great way to be considered. Notwithstanding, there is an even greater consideration we can aspire to and obtain, which is to be known as “Blessed”.
This week we’ll explore through scripture the making of “The Blessed Man” Note: Man used here for our consideration is not gender specific; it is generic meaning man and woman. (more …)
The Choice: Finding God In Your World
We all share a deep need to know and experience God— that He is there and that He cares.
But knowing it and actually experiencing it aren’t always the same. Often, we’re so busy, preoccupied and stressed by life that we operate as if God isn’t available. But He is. Always. So what do we do to change that?
We begin to realize that God is closer to us than we really think and we start learning to see Him in our everyday lives. We’ll examine seven proven ways to look for God and draw closer to Him. (more …)
The Joy Of Being Chosen
Can you imagine what it was like to be called by God to be the mother of and to give birth to Jesus Christ? It almost defies human reason! In God’s calling of Mary, we can learn how true joy comes from knowing that even though we are flawed, ordinary people, still God taps us on the shoulder and invites us to be a part of his grand work of changing his world. Happiness is temporary and superficial and comes from more stuff under the tree; God’s joy is deep and lasting and comes from delighting in Him and the role He gives us in the work of His kingdom. (more …)
The Kingdom: Heaven On Earth
We all share a deep need to know and experience God— that He is there and that He cares.
But knowing it and actually experiencing it aren’t always the same. Often, we’re so busy, preoccupied and stressed by life that we operate as if God isn’t available. But He is. Always. So what do we do to change that?
We begin to realize that God is closer to us than we really think and we start learning to see Him in our everyday lives. We’ll examine seven proven ways to look for God and draw closer to Him. (more …)
The Power Of The Right Color Palette
Every person has a unique set of personality traits, life-experiences and passion areas. And Christians are also given something on top of that from God: spiritual gifts. All of these factors work together to form a unique “color” to our life, the unique and important contribution our lives can make in the world. But many people don’t know the “color of their personal paint” or how to “apply it to the surfaces of life”. We’ll investigate the unique gifts each of us has and how they can be applied so that the church is a “brighter” place for God’s love to be seen and we can individually experience the thrill of being used by God to “color our world”. (more …)
The Prescence: God Living In You
We all share a deep need to know and experience God— that He is there and that He cares.
But knowing it and actually experiencing it aren’t always the same. Often, we’re so busy, preoccupied and stressed by life that we operate as if God isn’t available. But He is. Always. So what do we do to change that?
We begin to realize that God is closer to us than we really think and we start learning to see Him in our everyday lives. We’ll examine seven proven ways to look for God and draw closer to Him. (more …)
The Promise: God Wants To Be With You
Throughout all of history God has demonstrated a desire to relate to us and to be intimately involved in our lives. From the Garden of Eden all the way into eternity and all points in between God has proclaimed a desire to be with us.
If that is the case, why is it that we don’t feel so close to God? Or put another way, if God doesn’t feel so close, guess who moved.
We’ll examine how the desire of God to be with us can be satisfied when we understand how to look for Him and how to be reminded again of the benefits of being with and close to God in the everyday of life. (more …)
The Single Greatest Gift
The single greatest gift that a Christian can give to another person is an introduction to the God who created them, loves them, and has a meaningful purpose for their days on earth. When we present this gift, the single greatest gift of life, to others this is what we call “evangelism”. Evangelism simply looks for opportunities to present the good news to others so that we can make eternal impact in their lives. This occurs when we make the simple walk across the room by doing three things; being willing to enter the zone of the unknown, listening for the spirits promptings, and finally by taking the steps to just walk up to another person. (more …)
The Voice: When God Speaks, Let’s Listen
Not only is God closer than we think, not only can we find Him in our world and inside of us when we believe God also draws close to us be speaking to us. Often when people say God spoke to me we immediately assign them to bed rest until they gather their senses and come back to normalcy.
But God does in fact speak to people today. While this rarely happens audibly, it does happen through a number of circumstances and sources in our life.
We will examine how God speaks and how to listen to God speaking in our life to that we can draw closer to Him. (more …)
The people: God Meets You Where You Are
We all share a deep need to know and experience God— that He is there and that He cares.
But knowing it and actually experiencing it aren’t always the same. Often, we’re so busy, preoccupied and stressed by life that we operate as if God isn’t available. But He is. Always. So what do we do to change that?
We begin to realize that God is closer to us than we really think and we start learning to see Him in our everyday lives. We’ll examine seven proven ways to look for God and draw closer to Him. (more …)
There Is A Master Plan
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
What Are The Differences -Part 1
If you have ever wanted to understand Roman Catholic teaching in light of the Bible, you’re not alone. Many people wrestle with what it all means and how much it applies to their life today. In this thought-provoking series, we’re taking a careful look at Roman Catholic teaching from history, councils, quotes of leaders, and official catechisms and will compare them to the appropriate verses in the Bible.
We think you’ll be intrigued by the comparison and learn more about both in the process. Our promise… No Catholic bashing because we believe people matter to God. Our request… Have an open mind and then reach your own informed conclusions. (more …)
What Are The Differences -Part 2
If you have ever wanted to understand Roman Catholic teaching in light of the Bible, you’re not alone. Many people wrestle with what it all means and how much it applies to their life today. In this thought-provoking series, we’re taking a careful look at Roman Catholic teaching from history, councils, quotes of leaders, and official catechisms and will compare them to the appropriate verses in the Bible.
We think you’ll be intrigued by the comparison and learn more about both in the process. Our promise… No Catholic bashing because we believe people matter to God. Our request… Have an open mind and then reach your own informed conclusions. (more …)
What Are The Simalarities
If you have ever wanted to understand Roman Catholic teaching in light of the Bible, you’re not alone. Many people wrestle with what it all means and how much it applies to their life today. In this thought-provoking series, we’re taking a careful look at Roman Catholic teaching from history, councils, quotes of leaders, and official catechisms and will compare them to the appropriate verses in the Bible.
We think you’ll be intrigued by the comparison and learn more about both in the process. Our promise… No Catholic bashing because we believe people matter to God. Our request… Have an open mind and then reach your own informed conclusions. (more …)
What Makes A Marriage Thrive
Why do some marriages thrive while others just barely survive? The basic answer to this deep question is that marriages that thrive understand the definition of marriage and strive to live in harmony with it. In this message we’ll look at what God says about marriage and use that definition to provide foundational principles that will translate into practical help for any marriage that longs to thrive. (more …)
What Men Wish Women Knew
Sometimes women don’t understand men because they don’t understand how men think or feel. Similar to what we covered in the previous week, we will look at what men wish women knew about them. By helping women understand how men think, act, operate and what they desire; women will better be able to have the kind of relationship that lasts because they’ll act in informed ways toward men. (more …)
What Women Wish Men Knew
Because men and women are different, men struggle to understand women and women wish men knew certain things about them. Based on biblical data, we will examine some of the key things that women wish men knew about them so that men could both understand and work with women in light of who they are and develop a relationship that is satisfying. (more …)
When Loss Is Gain
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Why You’re Not Good At Everything
All people go through very difficult, painful, challenging times of grief, loss, disappointment and hurt in life. The causes are many and varied but the purpose behind them all is basically the same: God wants to use these circumstances to help us come back stronger! By looking at the life and words of Jesus Christ and others, we’ll see how God uses these hard times to do some things in our life that will actually strengthen us in the long run (and not kill us), so that we can become transformed by His power to become stronger, better people. (more …)
Your Body- God’s Locus Of Power
The New and Old Testaments contain numerous promises by God of supernatural power for His people. Isaiah 40 is a classic example where God promises “new strength” such that people experience a seemingly endless supply of strength; eagle-like flying power! Who would not want this level of power for their daily challenges and work?!?
However, many of us experience a wide gulf between the promises of God’s word and the practicality of our daily lives. We are underpowered for the stuff life throws at us, and wonder how we can get more of what God promises. We find ourselves with too much to do, with too little energy to do it, and with too little satisfaction at the end of the day.
Chip Toth of Elevate and LeadersInspire will provide a biblically driven theology along with practical actions to show you how to set-up the conditions within which the powers of God will begin to flow, and consistently increase. You will understand your stewardship role of your physical body, and, when you get it right, you will experience this “new strength” of God as well as the life Jesus promises as “abunda (more …)