Shady Oaks Church Podcast

Jesus did not come to reestablish His own throne; God is King - that was never the issue. His mission was to restore us, His fallen creation, His wayward sons and daughters. Through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, He has made it possible for us not only to be reconciled with the Father but also to be rejoined to His family and once again given a renewed purpose to fulfill humanity's original design. The invitation of the gospel is the invitation to come home. It is the invitation to lay down the burden of self-rule and once again joyfully live under the benevolent reign of the true King. Through Christ, we are welcomed back into God's Kingdom, restored to fellowship with our Father, and called to serve as His royal priesthood, faithfully representing His will upon the earth until the day His Kingdom is fully revealed.

 Every sacrifice He asks of His people is an invitation and God's method of shaping us to become more like His Son. It's comforting to see that the role of sacrifice in God's Kingdom has always been clear. The real question, though, is whether we trust Him enough to give up whatever He asks of us, knowing that His plans are always for our good. The Holy Spirit has revealed to you a particular good you've been holding onto. It could be a plan, a dream, a relationship, a hurt, a comfort, or even the urge to control your life. God has never asked for anything He wasn't willing to give Himself. He offered His best for you, and now He simply invites you to trust Him. Will you place your life on the altar once again? Will you give up the lesser good for the greater good of honoring God? Each act of willing surrender shapes you into the person God designed you to be.

The doorway into God's Kingdom is not good works, religious tradition, or personal effort. It is the new birth. Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, God forgives our sins, gives us new life, and welcomes us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior and King, the invitation is extended to you today. Turn from your sin, place your faith in Jesus, and be born again. The King has come, His Kingdom is at hand, and He invites you to become part of His eternal Kingdom.

Over the course of these two messages, we have watched God's faithfulness unfold across the centuries. When His truth became obscured, He raised up faithful witnesses. John Wycliffe reminded the Church that God's Word stands above every human authority. William Tyndale devoted his life to placing that Word into the hands of ordinary people. Jan Hus proclaimed that Jesus Christ alone is the Head of His Church. Patrick Hamilton joyfully declared that sinners are justified by grace through faith in Christ alone. Thomas Cranmer ensured that these glorious truths would be proclaimed whenever God's people gathered for worship. These convictions have become so common that we seldom consider the price that faithful witnesses paid to preserve them. Yet the greatest lesson from these men isn't how they died but their devotion. They loved Christ more than comfort, treasured God's truth more than safety, and believed that faithfulness justified sacrifice. Every generation, God looks for people who value His truth and are ready to stand with humility, courage, and conviction. Hopefully, we will also be remembered for overcoming "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony," staying faithful to Christ and His truth until the very end.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 TPT We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don't focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.

Whatever it is, paint the picture on the canvas in your mind of the established precedent in our God's redemptive Plan for how you address your situations, your circumstances, and your relationships. Now accept this as His will and His plan for you in your challenge. Declare His plan out loud and state your personal belief and absolute conviction for the outcomes our Constitutional agreement provides for us. Walk in the reality of that provision. Thank our God, glorify Him, praise Him and engage Heaven through the currency of your faith. Do not allow the lies from the defeated Satan and the kingdom of darkness to steal the victory from your faith. Results are not always visible instantly – we have to persist and hold onto and continue to believe and to declare our outcomes that are provided by our God out loud. We persist in rest. Samuel anointed David King, and Abraham was declared to be the father of many nations long before their manifestations appeared in the earth realm. These declarations are scripture and were and are real when God declared them to be so, long before their physical manifestations appeared. Let it be so Lord, In the power of the name of our unchanging Savior, Jesus of Nazareth. Amen.

Their story reminds us that God continually calls His people back to His truth. Every genuine renewal begins when His people once again submit themselves to His Word. The greatest danger facing the modern Church is no longer a lack of access to Scripture but growing indifference toward it. We own more Bibles and possess more resources than any generation before us yet having access to God's Word is not the same as allowing God's Word to shape our lives. Their testimony of these two witnesses has now become our responsibility. May we prove faithful in our generation, not merely by owning a bible, but by believing it, reading it, obeying it, proclaiming it, and passing it faithfully to those who come after us.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ came to remove what the enemy sought to steal. He restores our relationship with the Father, heals what sin has broken, and returns us to the purpose for which we were created. Then He sends us into the world to do the same for others. May we never settle for merely talking about justice. May we become people through whom God's justice is seen. May we cultivate the field He has entrusted to us. May we help others discover the purpose for which they were created. And may our lives, through the grace of Jesus Christ, truly yield much food for the glory of God and the blessing of the world around us.

Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” He is the One in YOUR boat. He is not worried. And He has never once lost anybody on the way to the other side. Jesus wasn't just a good teacher, He wasn't just a moral man, He wasn't just a prophet, He is the Lord of all creation and He went to the cross for you and me, He died on the cross, He was buried and  He walked out of the grave.  

That has always been God's way. He calls first, and then He sends. History has never been changed by people who merely heard heaven's call. It has always been changed by those who answered it. Today, the call from heaven still echoes, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" May our response be the same as Isaiah's: "Here am I. Send me."

Every generation must still answer the same two questions. The first is the question of authority. That began in the Garden when the serpent asked, "Did God actually say...?" His strategy hasn't changed. Every false religion, theological error, and moral compromise begins by questioning what God has said. Our generation faces the same temptation. Culture tells us truth is personal. Feelings compete with Scripture. Public opinion constantly changes. Even the Church is tempted to reshape the Bible to fit the culture instead of allowing the Bible to shape the Church. The issue has never been a lack of voices. The issue is deciding which voice has the final word. The second is the question of salvation. People are still searching for acceptance. Some seek it through religion. Others through success, morality, or personal achievement. Yet every one of those efforts is another version of what Adam and Eve did in the Garden. After they sinned, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. We have been sewing fig leaves ever since, trying to cover sin through our own efforts instead of receiving the covering God has provided through Christ.  

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one magnificent story. It is the story of God restoring what was lost. Through Christ, He restores our relationship with Himself and our purpose on earth. Revival, reformation, and resources: That is God's pattern. He revives a people. He reforms the earth through people. He provides for people so that they can carry out what it is He wants them to do. As we surrender ourselves to that pattern, we become participants in God's eternal purpose—the restoration of His creation through His redeemed people. May our prayer always be the prayer Jesus taught us to pray Mt 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The same battle continues today. The enemy still attacks truth, morality, and identity because his strategy has never changed. Every false religion offers a different answer to what is true. Every sinful culture attempts to redefine what is right. Every rebellious heart seeks to establish its own identity apart from God. Even within the Church, the temptation remains. We are pressured to reinterpret Scripture, accommodate culture, redefine sin, minimize holiness, and live independently of God's authority. Satan needs no new strategy because humanity continues to struggle with the same old temptation: trusting our answers more than God's. The good news is that Jesus came to restore what was lost in Eden. Where Adam failed, Christ succeeded John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  

Before we focus on our needs for provision, security, success, or even our own fulfillment, we are encouraged to seek the King's rule first. The Kingdom isn't just one of many priorities; it's the foundation that rightly arranges all other priorities. As we put His Kingdom first, our values, dreams, relationships, responsibilities, and mission all come under His authority. This means we are in a unique time, caught between the initial promise and its complete fulfillment. The Kingdom is already here, yet it's not yet fully here. Instead of merely waiting for the King's return, we are to faithfully seek it and work to expand His Kingdom until He comes. If the Kingdom was Jesus' message, it must become ours. The Church exists not only to prepare people for heaven but also to represent heaven on earth. We are citizens of another Kingdom, ambassadors of another King, and stewards of His authority. Every gospel act, whether an act of obedience, compassion, healing, deliverance, or a transformed life, shows that the Kingdom is not only here but also advancing. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

The answer to abuse is not abandonment. The answer to imbalance is not rejection. The answer is maturity. We do not need less of God; we need the fullness of God. Therefore, never forsake the power of God in your search for wisdom, nor compromise wisdom for power. Pursue the Holy Spirit, who grants power, wisdom, and understanding in fullness. The same God who created the earth through His power, founded the world with His wisdom, and expanded the heavens through His understanding continues to build His Church in the same manner today.

Jesus took our sin and shame so that we could be united back to our father. It's not a matter of if God loves you, it's whether you will respond to his open arms and his heart of love being poured out to you today. You see the father is eagerly waiting for you to come home. He's calling out to you and is more than ready to welcome you home. He's calling out to you and is more than ready to welcome you back. Today's message is very simple it's really a simple heartfelt invitation to all of God's children to please come home.

We were created for a relationship with God and a relationship with one another. One of the great deceptions of our age is the belief that we can flourish spiritually while remaining relationally disconnected. God's design has always been relationship. The gospel is not merely an invitation to receive forgiveness. It is an invitation into fellowship with God and into the family of God. As we walk closely with Him and faithfully with one another, we experience life as God originally intended and display His glory to a watching world. If God said it was not good for Adam to be alone in a perfect world, how much more do we need one another in a fallen one?

The gospel must be proclaimed. But Paul reminds us that the assignment is larger than speaking alone. The Church is not merely to announce Christ's victory. It is called to demonstrate it. Through word and deed, proclamation and demonstration, signs and wonders, and the power of the Holy Spirit, the manifold wisdom of God is made known, and the Kingdom of God advances. May we, Bethel Church, be not only dedicated to preaching the gospel but also committed to fulfilling the gospel assignment through Spirit- empowered demonstration.

Our text gives us a picture of a church devoted to one another. This is a far cry from a Christianity reduced to private belief, occasional attendance, or individual preference. The early believers did not ask, “How little can I be connected and still be considered Christian?” They expressed, by their actions, “How fully can we share life together now that Christ has made us family?” Yes, our world is different. There are churches on every corner. There are many options. People can leave easily. Preferences can dominate. Commitment can weaken. But the call of Acts 2 remains before us. The church is not merely a place to attend. It is a people to whom we belong. It is a family formed by Christ. It is a body filled by the Spirit. And if we will recover the devotion of Acts 2, perhaps we will also recover the beauty, power, unity, generosity, and witness of these first believers.

The Christian life can be understood through these three truths: Kingdom Pursuit - Our responsibility as disciples is to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness. We pursue God's purposes and reflect God's character. Kingdom Provision - God's responsibility is to provide everything necessary for the fulfillment of His will. Kingdom Possession - We live in a fallen world and face a real adversary. We must contend for the manifestation of what God has promised. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The power of God lives in you, because the same Spirit who came upon Jesus and stayed has come upon you and stayed. The power is for a purpose — to share the gospel, to make disciples, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the outcast, and cast out demons. You are the body of Christ. You are His hands and His feet and His voice in a dark world. When you walk into the room, He walks into the room. So, walk out of here today NOT as someone hoping for power, but as someone who carries it — the manifest presence of the living God.

I've learned to be still and use wisdom; be sure you're speaking the word of the Lord and not your own opinion to sound spiritual. Because if you're just speaking your own opinion there's no power in it. God is raising up prophetic voices, and you'll see more come into this region and other places as well, they're speaking the word of the Lord that's why there's been such an attack against prophetic ministry. God is bringing the real deal cause if it's the word of the Lord it will get something moving, if it's the word of the Lord it will put breath into something, if it' the real word of God the winds will start blowing and the breath of God will be released.

The Apostle Paul is addressing his impressive religious background and worldly achievements. Before becoming a Christian, he prided himself on his strict adherence to the law, his heritage, and his zeal. However, after his encounter with Jesus, his perspective completely changed. Philippians 3:7-11  7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

As we begin to worship Him, His presence begins to emerge from us and fill the atmosphere. The more we know Him and who He really is and where He really is, the more we begin to realize who we really are.

Peter's sermon reveals that the Holy Spirit is fully capable of drawing, convicting, awakening, and transforming people through the clear proclamation of Christ. Peter preached. The Spirit openly proclaimed. The Savior boldly confronted sin. Honest calls to souls were urgent. And the result was an awakening. The church was never called merely to entertain, mirror, or soften the truth to fit culture. Pentecost reminds us that God continues to transform people through the gospel of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Our task is simply to proclaim Jesus in the power of the Spirit and to trust God to do what human methods cannot.

As we have already seen, the expectation of Jesus was that believers would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. There is a distinction shown throughout Scripture between the Holy Spirit working in believers and the Holy Spirit coming upon believers in empowerment. God breathed life into us and poured out His Spirit upon us so that His Kingdom could move through us into the earth. The Holy Spirit works within believers to bring life, transformation, conviction, and growth. The Holy Spirit also comes upon believers in power for service, witness, ministry, and Kingdom assignment.

The Gospel is the proclamation that Jesus Christ is alive and that His Kingdom continues to advance as we proclaim salvation, deliverance, the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, and minister healing to the people. The Gospel Jesus entrusted to His Church was never meant to be merely informational. It was transformational and it's still transformational. Romans 1:16 (ESV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... The world does not need better presentations, branding, or polished religious experiences. It needs an authentic encounter with the risen Christ and the reality of His Kingdom. The Gospel saves, delivers, empowers, and heals. That is the full Gospel Christ commissioned His Church to proclaim.

Perhaps the greatest preparation for His return is not endless speculation about when He will come, but faithful obedience until He does. The healthiest church is not merely looking upward. It is moving outward. So may we be a people who faithfully carry out His mission. May we receive the empowerment He promised. May we remain focused on the assignment He gave. And may He find us faithful when He comes.

John 16:33: Take heart; I have overcome the world. John 10:10: I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Jesus came so that YOU may have life, have it abundantly When we die to ourselves and turn to Christ, we become the righteousness of God in Him. Not because we earned it. Because He gave it to us — freely. Now go and live your life abundantly.  

When we step back and look at the full picture, the message becomes clear. Jesus came with a purpose—to destroy the works of the devil—and He fulfilled that purpose decisively through the cross. But He also demonstrated how that destruction takes place, by doing the works of the Father, bringing life where there was death, freedom where there was bondage, and truth where there was deception. We are not called to start something new but to continue what He began. We are called to secure a victory already won, to confront darkness with light, and to participate in the ongoing undoing of the devil's work in real time. That is the mission that has been entrusted to His people.

So the question is not whether God has done His part. The question is how we will respond. Will we continue to look back to what we were, or will we step forward into what He has made us to be? Because the same God who brought you out of death has also prepared a path of life in front of you. And here's the encouragement: you don't have to create that life, you simply have to receive it by faith and proceed to walk it out for His glory.

Jesus did not just redeem you to park you. He redeemed you to restore you. Too many people settle for knowing their sins are forgiven while never stepping into what they were recreated for. They experienced the cross but not fully embraced the resurrection, the ascension, and the Kingdom. But God did not just save you from something; He saved you for something. You are not an accident or an afterthought—you are His workmanship, crafted, restored, and commissioned.

Maturity isn't about always feeling comfortable; it's about the courage of those who step out in faith, follow Jesus into the unknown, and welcome a life guided by the Spirit of God. It's a journey marked not by staying safely in the boat, but by daring to walk onto the water... not by seeking control, but by choosing obedience... not by clinging to comfort, but by living on the edge where God's work often happens.

Because when the pool comes to you—when Jesus meets you in your moment—and you respond in faith, the long wait, the years of frustration, and the weight of disappointment give way to the fullness of His saving power, bringing healing and wholeness into every area of life. Cause He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We have been restored to Christ.
We have been entrusted with an assignment.
We have been given the authority and power to carry it out. And we must recognize there is still an enemy. He is still seeking to disrupt, distort, and derail what God has entrusted. But now we are not uninformed and not unprepared. We have been told how to stand. So the charge is clear: Be watchful.
Guard what God has entrusted to you.


Jesus Calms a Storm Matthew 8:23-27 23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 25:35-37   35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  

Faith is not genuine unless it involves surrender. To truly have faith, one must let go and trust completely. If you only follow the parts of faith that you like, or surrender only to what you agree with, then you are not truly following Jesus. Instead, you are simply following your own preferences. True discipleship requires surrendering all aspects of oneself, not just those that are comfortable or agreeable. Jesus took upon himself our sins and paid the ultimate price for us, motivated by his love for humanity. All that is required from us is to surrender our old selves—our old ways, desires, and habits. When you surrender, you do not lose your life. Instead, you discover the true purpose and fulfillment that comes from following Jesus wholeheartedly.

Jesus is God with us. He's not distant and not waiting for you to get your life together before He steps in. He steps into your formless places, your emptiness, and your dark realities, and He does what He has always done— He brings order where there is chaos, life where there is emptiness, and light where there is darkness. Because He is here, He knows, and He can and will do something about it. When He speaks, light comes—and when light comes, darkness flees. So, if your life feels formless, empty, or chaotic, this is not the end of your story; this is where God works best

Paul's journey begins in Resistance, convinced of his own direction. Revelation breaks through, and Recognition dawns as his eyes are opened to the living Christ. Response leads him into surrender, and Restoration reminds him he is not alone. Redirection reshapes his purpose, Renewal prepares him in hidden seasons, and finally Release sends him into the work God had already prepared. Paul's story reveals God's work in restoring what is broken, realigning what is misaligned, renewing what feels hidden, and releasing people into their divine destiny. The same God is here today, and as with Paul, He still walks people through that journey from resistance to Kingdom purpose.

Prayer increased, unity strengthened, and truth was proclaimed, leading to noticeable changes. Violence decreased, and the atmosphere shifted. The enemy's ability to operate freely was restricted, much like establishing a no-fly zone for a church. The church does not retreat; it leads. The environment reacts to the authority of a people confident in their identity in Christ, aware of their authority, and ready to set boundaries that embody heaven's rule. The question is whether the people of God will rise, take their place, and establish what is allowed to operate within it.

Paul's story reminds us that transformation does not begin with better behavior — it begins with divine encounter. He started in resistance, convinced he was right, moving forward with passion yet pushing against God's purposes. Then revelation broke through. Heaven interrupted his certainty, and what Paul once thought was truth began to unravel. Recognition followed as his eyes opened to who Jesus truly was, and finally response emerged — a posture of surrender that replaced control

Acts 19 shows us that God is not looking for spectators, He is forming a people who advance His Kingdom. You were not born again just to stand on the court. You were not empowered just to feel something. You were not established just to know more. You were called to be engaged — to live as ambassadors of the King wherever He has placed you. So now go as citizens of heaven, ambassadors of Christ,
as a people fully equipped to advance His Kingdom wherever God sends you.

So whatever you are facing today—if you need healing, provision, clarity, or breakthrough—you can receive. But to receive, you must pray. And when you pray, you must pray with expectation, believing that God hears and responds. And if the answer does not come immediately, you must persist. You must continue praying, believing, and expecting until it does. The question isn't just whether you pray, but whether you pray with expectation and keep praying until heaven responds. Because prayer isn't optional; it's a vital part of God's plan for His people. And those who do this are the ones who see answers come.

Discipleship becomes real through our relationships, embodying truth in love, unity, and connection, with each part working together properly. We celebrate empowerment. We ask for empowerment. We receive empowerment. But then we do what Ephesians 4 calls us to do: we grow up. We get established. We learn truth. We learn love. We learn unity. We learn to function as part of the Body. And we become the kind of disciples who can carry the Kingdom mission for the long haul.

The power was present for all three. Only one experienced it. Luke tells us that Jesus is the fully wired house. The Spirit is present because of and through Him. The power is real. God has already said, “I am willing.” The core issue isn't God's ability or desire but our openness to receive. Will we, like Nazareth, foster an environment of offense? Will we, like the people of Capernaum, simply observe and judge? Or will we, like the crowd in Luke 6, actively draw on God's power as we, in faith, press in and receive? The truth is, Heaven is prepared. The power is active, and the Kingdom is near. The only remaining question is whether we will connect.

Empowerment is supernatural enablement. Believers who reject it often burn out because they try to play the Kingdom game without equipment. They love God and are sincere but lack power, and have conviction but no authority. God never intended His children to live that way. God is not the kind of Father who calls His children to play and then refuses to equip them. He empowers you. He supplies you with gifts. He equips you for the life you've been called to live.

Peter sank! But Jesus immediately reached out. He did not delay. He did not hesitate. He grabbed him. Here is the grace of God. Even when you sink, He is within reach. But here is the challenge. You do not have to sink. The storm may remain. The wind may continue. If your eyes stay fixed, you stay standing.

As awesome as the new birth is, and as important as it is to mark and to celebrate, we must be careful not to view or treat the new birth like a graduation. Rather, the New birth is more like an enrollment. It's the beginning of discovering how life works under the reign of a King. Remember, the same loving God who welcomes you is also dedicated to guiding you in truly enjoying the rich blessings of Kingdom life.  

The lesson that Jesus was teaching His disciples on the lake. The Word had already declared the destination. The storm was real, but it was never final rebuttal. Faith grows when we learn to stand on what Jesus has said, using His authority to resist whatever tries to interrupt His purpose. And like Abraham continue to walk the land until we see the fulfillment of the promise that God has given to us. The question He asked them still echoes over every assignment He gives: “Where is your faith?” Not because He is absent — but because He is inviting us to rise, stand in His name, and watch the resistance give way so the journey can continue to the other side

“Faith is caught, not just taught. Model it in your actions, involve the next generation, explain why you live this way, and give them space to practice it. When they start doing the same, your legacy is real.” Because legacy is not what you build for yourself. It is what continues when you are gone. And the greatest tragedy is not that treasure is hidden. It is that we fail to search for it And it is still the glory of kings to search it out. Search for it in people. Protect it in yourself. Speak life over it in others. Be intentional – stretch, dig, polish, if you need a different tool to get past the clay try something else. But remember you sold all you had for the treasure hidden in the field of dirt. See the value hidden in me……Remember the real treasure is HIM.