Grace Community Church-Loveland CO

After pointing out how to tell between true and false prophets, Jesus goes on to describe the reality of those who claim to be His disciples, but who in fact are not. He reveals that we cannot discern a disciple based on amazing and good works they do in His name.  “In the end, there is one basis of salvation; it isn't mere verbal confession, not “spiritual works,” but knowing Jesus and being known by Him. It is our connection to Him — by the gift of faith that He gives to us — that secures our salvation. Connected to Jesus we are secure; without connection to Him all the miracles and great works prove nothing.” -David GuzakWe cannot base our citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven upon anything but Jesus--not anything we do or say or perform, no matter whose name we claim to serve—it is Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's work on our behalf by which we enter. Let us take these words to heart, submit our lives to His Lordship, rely upon His all-sufficient Grace and seek Him as our only source of Life. In Christ alone are we secure.Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 7:21-23 with Paul's words of assurance in Ephesians 2:4-10 and Romans 8:31-39

Galatians 5:13-26 tells us what type of fruit is produced by our flesh vs. the fruit that comes from the Holy Spirit. In our next section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us to beware of those who are false prophets and that we will be able to tell based on their fruit. It can be challenging to discern when we use the standards the kingdoms of this world use to determine if someone is a good leader. As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven we can grow in discerning who tells us the truth by using Jesus' standard of looking at the fruit their lives produce.  Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Galatians 5:13-26 with Matthew 7:15-20

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.1 Peter 1:3-5

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week - Jesus enters Jerusalem on His way to the cross. The disciples and the crowds don't understand, they have a completely different perspective on all the things happening in what to them is the yearly celebration of Passover. Pages 17-18 of our 40 days guide gives space for you to walk with Jesus from Palm Sunday, to the cross, culminating with Easter Monday. Carve out time this week for extra prayer, study, and fellowship with your Savior to deepen your understanding of all that He accomplished each day of this very intentional and purposeful week.

Jesus says He came that we might have life and have it to the full, that it comes through the Holy Spirit, and cannot be found any other way. (John 10:10, 6:62-64) Without Jesus there would be no way for us to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven or to have the fullness of life He offers. The way to enter is narrow – it is only through Jesus. Let us seek to understand the implications this has for us in how we live and love others. Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Matthew 7:13-14 with John 10.

Isn't it amazing how gracious, generous, and welcoming God is to us - all we need to do is ask for His help and He comes to our rescue! His Throne is a Throne of Grace, not a throne of performance, and He responds to our pleas for wisdom, mercy, and forgiveness with such care. Since we are treated in this way by the God of the Universe, we can in turn treat others with the same care we have received. Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 7:7-12 with Hebrews 4:14-16

Knowing Jesus changes the way we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. This perspective shift is necessary for living as Kingdom Citizens with Kingdom attitudes towards our self and others. God gives us wisdom whenever we ask Him and helps us to see our own sins and to know how to walk in wisdom towards outsiders. (See Colossians 4:5-6 with Hebrews 4:14-16)Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Matthew 7:1-6 with 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

In light of Jesus' words about God being our Master rather than wealth, we are next challenged to set God as our sole provider too. The result, Jesus says, is that we will no longer worry. This is only possible for us if we understand the character of God rightly. He is a good Master. He is a good Provider. He takes care of us and gives us what we need. As our trust in God's faithfulness grows, our propensity towards worry will lesson.Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 6:25:34 with Psalm 23

It can be difficult for us to keep our relationship with money in its proper place. We often are unaware of the ways we have allowed wealth to cloud our perspectives, our loyalties, our true level of need and where our hope lies. Jesus challenges us to make a choice – and to recognize again that this choice relates to which kingdom we are pouring our time and attention to, either this world or our true home in heaven. Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 6:19-24 with 1 Timothy 6:17-19

This week wraps up the section about three religious practices Jesus addresses in His Sermon on the Mount; giving, prayer, and fasting.  As we enter into our [40 days of preparation](https://www.gracecomm.org/40days), how timely that we will begin learning and better understanding the practice of fasting!  Prepare for this week's message by downloading the [40 days Preparation Guide](https://www.gracecomm.org/40days), revewing Matthew 5-7, and reading Matt 6:16-18. 

Simply put, Prayer is talking with God. Jesus contrasts what it looks like to pray as a matter of showing off or thinking you must jump thru hoops so that he will pay attention, vs. relating to God as your Father in heaven who listens and responds to you as His child.  Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special focus to 6:5-15

This week we move away from the antitheses section (You have heard, but I tell you) and into the first of 3 passages related to religious practices; Giving, Prayer, and Fasting. We will begin with giving - where Jesus warns against doing good for the sake of being seen by others rather than to please God. Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special focus to 6:1-4

The love Jesus is talking about here is something we choose, not something we feel. One of the footnotes for this passage reads: “ The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.”Our natural bent is to desire the worst for our enemies, not the best for them. We like to see them as different from us and underserving of compassion, grace or help. Justice for you and grace for me is often the posture we take. But for a Christian, it must not be this way. Love for our enemies is foundational both to our understanding of the gospel and in our call to be like Jesus.  The Holy Spirit in us is our source and strength in loving others as Christ first loved us. May it be so, Lord, all for the praise honor and glory of Jesus!To prepare for this week's message think of an enemy and begin praying for them and for your own heart posture towards them. As you read Matthew 5-7, give special attention to 5:43-48

Just like with the Pharisees, it's important to understand what Jesus is and is not saying as He interprets the law of retribution. It is wrong to think that Jesus means that evil is never to be resisted, He has demonstrated by His life a discernment in accepting insults and also in overturning tables. For most of us it is easy to stand for our rights and seek retribution when wronged. What's difficult is to lay aside our rights, allow wrong to go seemingly unaddressed and to trust God for our defense. We need the Lord's help and wisdom to discern the right thing to do and the right time to do it so that we can love each other well. Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special focus to 5:38-42

In Leviticus 19:11-12 the nation of Israel was instructed; *"You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD"*  In our Matthew passage, Jesus expands our understanding on what it means to be trustworthy in our speech and our actions. Ultimately our ability to behave honestly stems from our heart's trust in God's sovereignty, care and provision. Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special focus to 5:33-37

In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus deepens our understanding of the law against adultery. He contrasts what has been heard against what is the truth and the application of that truth. Jesus is drawing us back to the intent of the law instead of allowing it to be used as easy permission for sin. Make no mistake, Jesus' words are hard to hear and for many of us reveal sin we would rather more easily justify or explain.Remember, the purpose of the law is to show we are all guilty so that we remove any possibility of basing our relationship with God on our own righteousness or allowing our own failure to have the final say. Because of Jesus we need not shrink back from hard truths that reveal our sin, but instead draw near to His Throne of Grace, where we will always find Mercy and Grace to help us.Prepare for this weeks message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special focus to 5:27-32

This week's passage continues Jesus' long discussion where he explains many points of the law which reveal our need for His righteousness. He deepens our understanding of God's commandments revealing how much we fall short. Thankfully we have a Great Savior for our need through the righteousness Jesus offers us through His life, death and resurrection.**Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special attention to 5:21-26**

When a new year rolls around, our inboxes and social channels contain all sorts of invitations to join a gym, get out of debt, or better organize our lives.  This year, we invite you to endeavor to know and love Jesus more. Join us on Sunday as we discover practically what that looks like. Prepare for this week's message by reflecting on the character of Jesus found in John chapter 8

Christ has been born, Mary and Joseph have found a home and settled in to Bethlehem while the census is taken. Magi, Gentile kings from the east, visit them and bow in worship to the King of the Jews, presenting gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Use the Advent Guide to help you reflect on this week's message.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one & only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace & truth.  Use the Advent Guide to help you reflect on this week's message.

Shepherds are the most ordinary and unlikely people to bear witness to the King of Kings—during that time they were not even legally able to be witnesses in court! But God is not bound by the laws of the earth's systems and courts. These Shepherds unexpectedly find themselves thrust into a plot point of the Messiah's storyline, with an active role to play.When unexpected plot points enter into the storyline of our lives, the assurance of Jesus' presence and promises equip and enable us to respond with faith and take practical action steps.Use the Advent Guide to help you reflect on this week's message.

The Bible says; “God's kindness leads us to repentance” and that repentance prepares the way for the Lord. (Romans 2:4, Luke 3:3-4)Use the Advent Guide to help you reflect on this week's message.  

We get to live in the time of ‘now and not yet'. We have the full Bible and the fulfillment of Jesus' first coming. But we also are still waiting for the complete fulfillment of God's promises and Jesus' second coming.Use the Advent Guide to help you reflect on this week's message.

Some people think that Jesus came to destroy the law given to Moses in the Old Testament. The Pharisees often accused Jesus of breaking the law, especially God's commands regarding the Sabbath. Jesus was perfect, He did not come to dismiss the law, but to fulfill and free it from the Scribes and Pharisee's wrong understanding of it. Charles Spurgeon puts it this way; “To show that he never meant to abrogate the law, our Lord Jesus has embodied all its commands in his own life. In his own person there was a nature which was perfectly conformed to the law of God; and as was his nature such was his life.” This week's passage begins a long discussion where Jesus explains many points of the law. His explanations drive us all to Him for our justification as we realize how much of it we have broken.  Remember, we are not made righteous by keeping the law, thanks be to God that Jesus offers us a different righteousness, one that He earned on our behalf through His perfect keeping and fulfilling of the Law and payment for our breaking it!Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special attention to 5:17-20

These words of Jesus are a great commendation and also a weighty responsibility. Jesus didn't say we are becoming salt and light, He says His followers are salt and light. This is a part of our identity. The challenge is to live into that Identity so that God is glorified and others come to know Him. It can be scary and uncomfortable to shine light into darkness, or to have a “flavorful and preserving” influence in our culture. At times we fulfill this responsibility and at times we fail it. Jesus knew we would be tempted to lose our saltiness and dim our light. The Beatitudes scaffold us, reminding us of the upside down values of Christ's kingdom and the blessing of relationship with Him. This is the source of our strength and empowerment to shine brightly, not so that anything is made of us but that much is made of Jesus!“The object of our shining is not that men may see how good we are, nor even see us at all, but that they may see grace in us and God in us, and cry, ‘What a Father these people must have.'” (Spurgeon)Prepare for this week's message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special attention to 5:1-16

When we make and maintain peace we reflect the character of God, who pursued ultimate peace with us by sending Jesus to pay the price for our sin. When our association with and reflection of Christ's character is shown to the world, it will either bring about worship and thanksgiving to God or repulsion and rejection of God. There really is no middle ground. In this world we will have trouble, but we do not need to lose heart, for Jesus has overcome the world! And we look forward to our great reward in heaven, namely the forever presence of Jesus Himself! In the mean time we have the Holy Spirit who helps us as we get to know Jesus better through our fellowship with Him in His sufferings. > The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:15-17)Prepare for this week's message by reading through Matthew 5-7, giving special attention to 5:9-12

In our world and in our own hearts we often hunger and thirst for power, pleasure, and peace. In our quest for earthly happiness, we are left empty and unsatisfied. As we learned last week, we have things all backwards, the values of God's Kingdom are not the values of this world. A hunger and thirst for right standing with God will be satisfied – in Jesus – and will give us a peace and happiness that is eternal. Jesus was completely righteous; He was perfectly merciful and pure in heart, that is, undivided in His devotion to the Father. Since our relationship with God is the source of these blessings, and this relationship is made possible through Jesus alone, let us make it the priority of our lives. To be truly satisfied, to receive mercy and to see the face of God far surpasses any temporal happiness available to us here on earth. Prepare for this week's teaching by reading through Matthew 5-7, giving special focus on chapter 5, verses 6-8.

"A person's Identity is the set of purposes, priorities, perspectives, and principles that are held consciously or unconsciously, that guide their feelings, decisions, and behaviors." - Dr. Eric MoyerThis special session with Dr. Eric Moyer serves as a capstone to our identity series.

The gospel of Matthew presents Jesus to us as King and shows us the Kingdom of God, which as we learned in our Identity study, is our life's priority. As believers in Christ, we are citizens of this Kingdom, with Jesus as our King, and His glory as our aim. While great speeches such as; “Four score and seven years ago….” or “I have a dream…” are inspirational and worthwhile reads, Jesus' sermon on the mount are God's words declaring what His kingdom is all about and deserve our attention and study. In essence this is our Kings' Proclamation!As you prepare for this week's teaching, take some time to locate the context of Jesus' sermon by reading an Introduction and background on the book of Matthew and skimming Matthew 1-5.During this series, we encourage you to commit to reading (or listening) to Matthew chapters 5-7 daily (or at least weekly.) It will take you about 15 minutes and will greatly enhance your understanding and application of this important passage of scripture.

As we walk through the sanctification process of restoring our identities through the Gospel, we bring this transformed self into all the places we inhabit and the relationships we have with others. This truly is the foundation of the patterns of relating we have with God, the world, our work, our church, and the people in our lives. Rooting our Identities in the Gospel facilitates communities that are rooted in Gospel practices. As a church we strive for our principles, perspectives, purposes, and priorities to reflect God's as they should, for His glory and our joy!Prepare for this week's message by reviewing: John 6:63, 10:9-10, 20:31, 1 John 5:13-14, 1 Timothy 6, especially verses 11-19, 1 Peter 1, especially verses 13-21

Our priorities are Identity's choices. It has been said how you spend your days is how you spend your life. The choices we make reveal our priorities. We make time and room in our budgets for what is important to us. In the life of a believer our overarching priority is to glorify God. Bringing praise, honor and glory to His name supersedes all other priorities. Paul put it this way; “I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8-11)God's glory is a theme woven throughout scripture. Prepare for this week's message by reading: Romans 15:5-6, 13, Ephesians 3:17-21, Philippians 4:19-20, Colossians 3:16-17, 1 Timothy 1:17, 6:15-16, Hebrews 13:20-21, 2 Peter 3:18, Jude 24-25

Our purpose is our Identity's motivation. There are 2 main purposes in life: to love God and to love others. Jesus said;  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 37-39)Prepare for this week's message by thinking through the implications of these verses: Matthew 22:37-39, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:12-13, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Peter 4:8, John 13:34-35

There are tree lined streets here in Loveland with houses and families, people out walking their dogs, children playing in their backyards, looking around you might not see any difference than if you were standing on a street say in Kansas. But move a short distance and the Rocky Mountains come into view in all their grandeur and beauty, making it clear that you are in fact not in Kansas, but Colorado! When our perspective changes, our understanding of reality changes with it. A Christian Perspective is the point of view from which we observe and interpret how the principles of the Kingdom of God interact with our circumstances. When we substitute the unique perspective God has for us in place of our own limited view of things, our lives are changed.  Prepare for this week's message by studying the perspectives found in Job 38, Psalm 73, Matthew 6:25-34

Who is God? What is He like? How is the One True God we worship different from the gods of other religions? What difference does knowing God make in my life? How does knowing God affect my Identity?Understanding who the True God is and what He is like is essential for understanding what it means to worship, love, and follow Him and for understanding who we are and what our true identity is. God reveals Himself to us through His Word, the Bible. Isn't it amazing that the God of the universe has made a way for us to know Him intimately! That He has given us the true words of scripture to show us His character, His work in the world, and how He relates to His people?Prepare for this week's message by reading Psalm 86:15, Isaiah 40: 25-31, Romans 11:33-36, Colossians 1:15-20, Jude 24-25. Take some time to note what these verses reveal about God. 

What does Identity have to do with transformation? How does our new Identity in Christ help us to become more like Him? As followers of Jesus who actively pursue spiritual maturity, it is comforting to know that it is not by our own strength that we grow and change. It is God who strengthens us, creating in us the longing and the ability to accomplish His new purpose for which we have been redeemed. He has given us new perspectives, new priorities, and a new purpose. He has given us new Life - and this is the fuel for our new way of living. Prepare for this week's message by meditating on these verses: John 17:13-19, 1 Thess 3:3-8, Phil 2:12-13, 3:12-14, Prov 3:5-6, Matt 18:1-4, Col 3:5, Gal 2:19-20

When we think of the things that distinguish our character or personality, we often think in terms of what we do. We bake or teach or build.  We are honest or dishonest, we are dependable or responsible, loyal or disloyal. As Christians we are not immune to the pull of the culture that gives value to individuals based on these types of things. In Christ, however, our identity comes from a different source. Because of Christ, we have different priorities, different perspectives, and a different purpose. We no longer need be defined by what we do, what we own, what we achieve or how we live. We can instead embrace a new Identity as God's children, loved with a steadfast, eternal and unfailing love. This frees us to receive value apart from what we do, own, achieve and how we live. Living from this freedom changes everything. It is a narrow and less traveled road that really does make all the difference! To prepare for this week's message spend time reflecting on what the Bible tells us about our Identity in Christ found in these verses: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Ephesians 1:3-6, Ephesians 2:19-21, Romans 8:17, 1 Peter 2:9, John 1:11-13

Paul's letter to Philemon, a friend and Christian leader, is an appeal on behalf of Philemon's runaway slave, Onesimus, who has also met Jesus and found refuge with Paul.  While slavery was a common practice in the Roman empire, with legal support backing it, Paul's basis for his appeal is the love and forgiveness of Christ. Paul is helping Philemon learn to forgive and receive his former slave back, not as a slave but now as a brother in Christ. Paul offers to pay Onesimus' debt seeking to transform the relationship between the two men from master/slave to equals in the family of God. Jesus Christ paid our debt, transforming us from former enemies into beloved children of God.The hero of this story is Jesus whose life, death, and resurrection make us equal citizens of God's kingdom. People from completely different backgrounds—like Paul, a former Jewish leader; Onesimus, a runaway slave; and Philemon, a Gentile slavemaster—are brought together by the gospel under the lordship of Jesus Christ.Jesus helps us when we have trouble forgiving or seeing others as equal members of God's family. In light of God's love for us, we can be loving, kind, and forgiving to our brothers and sisters in Christ for the glory of God.

Priscilla & her husband Aquila, Jewish tentmakers exiled from Rome, had settled in Corinth when they met Paul. They opened their home, providing Paul with a place to stay and fellowship as fellow tentmakers. When Paul left Corinth to continue his mission work, Priscilla & Aquila went with him, eventually staying behind in Ephesus as leaders in the church there. Priscilla and Aquila helped Apollos understand the gospel of Jesus better and equipped him as another strong leader in the early church. Their friendship with Paul was deep and their commitment to the gospel was primary over their own safety and personal comfort. (Romans 16:3-4)The hero of this story is God, who used Priscilla & Aquila in the spread of the gospel and the strengthening of the early church. By supporting Paul and teaching Apollos, – two prominent ministers for Christ - Priscilla & Aquila's faithfulness was used by God to impact many. We might think the things we do to help Jesus and His church are too small to count. Every time we teach someone about Jesus, share our home or give help to another Christian, we help God's kingdom grow. Jesus takes our acts of love and multiplies them for His glory and the growth of His people. 

As a member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus would have much knowledge of the scriptures and God's promises to send a rescuer for His people. But his knowledge lacked understanding and when Jesus came on the scene his curiosity overcame his fear enough to visit Jesus at night. Jesus' answers to Nicodemus' questions led to more questions, as Jesus sought to draw Nicodemus away from the inadequacy of his intellect, proclaiming to him the necessity of spiritual re-birth. Later in the gospel of John we see Nicodemus defending Jesus before his peers on the basis of Jewish law. John gives us one last glimpse into Nicodemus with his open act of reverence in providing the hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes with which the body of Jesus was embalmed (Joh 19:39) Finally Nicodemus is willing publicly associate with Jesus, the King of the Jews.The Hero of this story is Jesus who met Nicodemus where he was at, challenging him to embrace the truth of Jesus identity and Nicodemus' only source of righteousness and rescue. Although Jesus gave Nicodemus everything he needed to believe and be reborn, it took Nicodemus time to understand and be willing to commit to Jesus in a public way. Jesus helped Nicodemus when Nicodemus was afraid for people to know he was Jesus' friend. Our own intellect is inadequate to lead us to Faith in Jesus and active obedience in following Him and sometimes it takes us time to fully grasp His character and His worth. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to show us our need and to understand His sufficiency in meeting that need. Jesus' keeps His promise to be found by all those who seek Him and to save all those who call on His name.

Mary Magdalene was among the inner circle of Jesus. Luke tells us that she and other women Jesus healed, traveled with Jesus and the 12 disciples using their own money to support Jesus' ministry. (Luke 8:1-3) After Jesus' disciples had all abandoned Him, Mary Magdalene, along with John and the other 2 Mary's, remained at the cross continuing her support to the end. (Matthew 27:55-56).  And then, Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus alive! Jesus tasked her with telling the others that He was not dead, but alive. Still Jesus' student, she obeyed her teacher's instructions and told the disciples that she had indeed ‘seen the Lord'The hero of this story is God who “delivered Mary from the dominion of darkness and transferred her into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14) Jesus called to Mary by name, opening her eyes to His presence, turning her sorry into Joy and giving her the job of telling all the others about His resurrection.We have the same Savior who calls to each of us by name and offers us His rescue and turns our sorrow into Joy! We get to share the same message that Mary did all those years ago. We get to share the hope and joy of the Gospel to everyone!

Timothy was raised by a mother and grandmother whose faith in Jesus was sincere. (2 timothy 1:5) He was privileged to travel with Paul on his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys learning and being mentored in living a life devoted to the Gospel of Jesus. Paul gives us a glimpse into Timothy's character when he says in his letter to the Philippians;” For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.” Philippians 2:19-24Timothy was tasked with leading the church in Ephesus and Paul's letter to Timothy gives us a glimpse of what he was dealing with in carrying out that duty. Paul councils him to be diligent to watch your life and doctrine closely, to be courageous in your commitment to the Gospel of Jesus,  to flee from the love of money and pursue contentment, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. (1 Timothy 4:15, 2 Timothy 1&2)The Hero of this story is God who through his faith in Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit gave Timothy power to carry out his leadership. Through his time serving alongside Paul and Paul's pastoral letters of encouragement, Jesus gave Timothy training, fellowship and support.We need help and courage to commit to the Gospel of Jesus, fulfilling whatever duty Jesus has placed before us.  Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit, the Bible, Pastors, and fellow believers to help us watch our own lives and doctrines closely, pursuing contentment, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, young men of nobility from the tribe of Judah, had been taken captive when Babylon conquered Israel. They had studied for 3 years in the king's school alongside Daniel; "to these 4 young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning" ....to the king they were found superior to all others; "ten times better than all the magicians, and enchanters in his whole kingdom." (1:17, 20) They rose to high levels of government in Babylon, set as administrators over the province of Babylon. As captives in a pagan land, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's ability to trust in God and obedience to worship and serve Him only is remarkable to be sure. The hero of this story is God, who miraculously protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the king's wrath and punishment of death by fiery furnace. God had been with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, giving them wisdom and courage as they navigated life in Babylon's culture and false religion. It is challenging to trust God and worship Him only when we are surrounded by a culture who neither acknowledges God nor honors our commitment to Him. We may never face such brutal consequences for our loyalty to God, but like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's we need Jesus to help us cultivate wisdom in navigating our current culture and to grow our trust in and love for Him. Jesus is able to keep us from falling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy! To Him be all glory! (Jude 24-25)

Jonah, a prophet to the 10 northern tribes of Israel, lived in a time of relative peace as Syria & Assyria were weakening and of spiritual poverty where worship was ritualistic and increasingly idolatrous. He was sent to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria: infamous for its cruelty and an historical nemesis of both Israel and Judah. The hero of this story is God who cared about a pagan, violent people enough to send one of His prophets to call them to repentance. God also cared for Jonah personally, pursuing him when he ran away, providing rescue in his disobedience and softening to his hardened heart. God forgave the wicked Ninevites when they repented and met with Jonah in his anger about it to inform his perspective.We too struggle with anger over God's mercy on others and justice towards us. We need God's pursuit of our hearts and perspective in our attitudes. Jesus helps us obey especially when what He's asking of us seems unreasonable and unjust. He gives us His salvation and His Holy Spirit when we repent and turn to Him. He softens our hearts towards others as we grow in knowledge of His character and priorities.

Elisha was a prophet in Israel and continued the work Elijah had begun of ridding the land of Baal worship and turning hearts back to God. As God's prophet, Elisha He was used by God throughout the land, performing miracles, helping kings, and giving God's warnings. Elisha knew God, His power, His enabling, and His protection. When the Syrian army surrounded Elisha to capture him, Elisha prayed that his servant's eyes would be opened to see God's protection and that the army's eyes would be blinded to Elisha's identity and that is what God did!The hero of this story is God who gives both sight and blindness, protection and power and answers the prayers of His servant Elisha. The reality of God's work in this world exists whether we can see it or not! Like Elisha's servant, we often can see the danger or trouble surrounding us, but are unaware of God's protection, deliverance, and presence surrounding us too. We need God to open our eyes so that we can have our perspectives aligned with what is real beyond what we can physically see. Jesus helps us recognize God's power and presence in our lives, enabling us to trust Him with the challenges we face.

When Gideon lived in Israel life was very hard. The armies and people around them took all their food, and his own people worshipped other gods instead of the One True God who had delivered them, brought them from Egypt, settled them in the land and provided for them. Gideon received a direct assignment from God to deliver the people from these armies and restore their worship to God alone. Gideon, though fearful and unsure, was tasked with standing strong against his people's anger when he tore down the alter of Bael, and with leading a small group of men couragously into battle against the large Mideonite army.The hero of this story is God who was faithful and kind to Gideon and merciful to the people who had turned away from Him.  God's instructions, plan, and action proved that it was God who gained the victory and God alone who deserved the glory. God relates to Gideon personally, assuring him that they are not abandoned and that God is still in fact with them. God gives Gideon confidence to obey these hard tasks through many reassurances of His power and presence. We can wonder if God is really with us, especially when we just aren't seeing evidence of His presence. Standing for Jesus can be difficult as we face rejection from those who would rather worship other gods. God is so kind to reassure us of His presence and power with us, giving us confidence to follow Him and to help others to do the same.

Solomon was given a very big and important job as King. On his own, Solomon did not have what he needed to be a good King. One day he went to where the tabernacle was to worship God. God appeared to him there and Solomon asked God to give him wisdom and knowledge so he could be a good king. The Hero of this story is God who was pleased with Solomon's request and gave Solomon the wisdom he asked for. God also gave Solomon great knowledge and wealth. Solomon was wise about lots of things, about plants and animals, business and running a kingdom. But Solomon did not always Love God first and use his wisdom to honor God. When Solomon used his wisdom to make himself great and he turned from God and worshipped idols, God was gracious and did not take away the kingdom. God told Solomon his heart was divided and reminded him to worship and love God first.It can be hard to use the gifts God has given us to honor God, and it can be hard to love God above all things – especially when He gives us so many good things! God is gracious to help us with our own divided hearts. He helps us to seek Him first and to grow to love Him more.

On the edge of the promised land, when the ten spies rallied the people towards discouragement, Joshua and Caleb spoke back with truth about God's faithfulness and God's power. They tried to turn the people away from fear and help them choose to trust. It didn't work and all the people rebelled, wanting to kill Caleb and Joshua. In spite of all the Lord had done, the majority of the people did not trust their God. The hero of this story is God, who was faithful to an unfaithful people and protected Caleb and Joshua. The people had experienced God's care from the moment the nation of Israel left Egypt and all through the desert. They were among those led by God's visual presence through the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. God had defeated enemies before them, provided food and water for them, and given them His promise to bring them to a good land flowing with milk and honey. When the people rebelled against God and tried to harm Joshua and Caleb, He came to their defense in His overwhelming glory!It can be hard to do what God wants when others don't understand. God is faithful to defend us and equip us to face rejection. God always shows up and we can trust Him.   

On the edge of the promised land, when the ten spies rallied the people towards discouragement, Joshua and Caleb spoke back with truth about God's faithfulness and God's power. They tried to turn the people away from fear and help them choose to trust. It didn't work and all the people rebelled, wanting to kill Caleb and Joshua. In spite of all the Lord had done, the majority of the people did not trust their God. The hero of this story is God, who was faithful to an unfaithful people and protected Caleb and Joshua. The people had experienced God's care from the moment the nation of Israel left Egypt and all through the desert. They were among those led by God's visual presence through the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. God had defeated enemies before them, provided food and water for them, and given them His promise to bring them to a good land flowing with milk and honey. When the people rebelled against God and tried to harm Joshua and Caleb, He came to their defense in His overwhelming glory!It can be hard to do what God wants when others don't understand. God is faithful to defend us and equip us to face rejection. God always shows up and we can trust Him.   

Sarah's life was full of waiting and confusion mixed with adventure and trust. In the midst of her waiting she had moments of great faith and great doubt, she laughed in disbelief at God's ability to keep His promise and laughed with faith and joy when God kept it and gave her a son! The Hero of this story is God who protected His special promise to Abraham and Sarah when their fear got them into trouble. There is no perfectly faithful human, only a perfectly faithful God. God has the power to do the impossible, nothing is beyond His ability to accomplish and He always keeps His promises! This is the foundation and source of our hope!It can be hard to trust God when we are waiting on a promise. God is faithful to keep all His promises and to intervene when we are going the wrong way. He helps us to trust, enables us to wait, and meets us in our fears and doubts. 

The Bible is full of stories, and every story tells us something about God and His character. In 1 Kings 18-19 we see that God helps Elijah through ups and downs, in Jonah we learn how God shows compassion to the people of Nineveh. Jesus' work on the cross shows us God's justice and His great love for us. (John 18-20). In the book of Acts we see how far and wide God's love and reach goes – all people of all nations are invited into relationship with God through Jesus. When Paul brings this good news to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony, a businesswoman named Lydia is the first to believe and her home becomes one of the first churches. (Acts 16:11-15) Join us this week as we uncover truths about our Amazing God through these varied stories.