Valparaiso First Assembly of God

When we travel, we are set on a destination.  It's the focus of the trip, and you want to get there as soon as possible to do all you've planned.  We may not want to make unexpected stops or sight-see someplace that we originally intended to just pass through on our way. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem for His final week before the cross.  He was focused, He was intentional about fulfilling His purpose, and even His disciples knew the city was the next stop.  Yet, Jesus, on His way through Jericho took the time to meet a man society had given up on.  Even though He was focused on where we was going, Jesus wasn't about to pass by a life that came seeking Him. Others may have overlooked or given up on you, but not Jesus. He isn't concerned with everyone else so much that He's forgotten about you.

We have a lot of 'why' questions when it comes to God, but one of the most damaging can be when we ask, "Why should God work in my life?" We defeat faith when we doubt God's desire to work in our lives, so He can use us for His perfect purposes. We miss out on what God can do in us and through us when we don't see why He would want to in the first place.  Sometimes we don't understand God's value for each of us, and we think we are undeserving of His mercy, grace, love and plan for us. God loves you and wants to move in you, and you're the person He's been looking for!

We all wish everyone was like us, but the sad truth is this: they are not. People are people and they come in all shapes and sizes and varieties of temperament.  It doesn't take long to see that God has created us all very unique from one another.  We easily dismiss people who are different from us and even undervalue them.  We may think so highly of ourselves that everyone around us could learn something from us, but we couldn't gain anything from them.  According to God's Word, whether it's true people are beneath you, God uses them to sharpen you.  Maybe we think we serve a purpose to others, but we must see they serve a purpose for us - even if they're different.

It's easy to place blame with everyone else to avoid taking accountability for our own actions. Most people would have to admit they  will always take the credit for anything that turns out well, but if things don't turn out, somehow it isn't their fault. Why blame yourself when you can blame someone else? Here's the issue, though: how can you expect to grow unless you address areas which hinder your growth? Want to grow in your walk this year? Then it's time to accept responsibility, bring your flaws before God, and do as He instructs.

Some circumstances push us to the brink and difficulties easily wear us down. We may get superficial encouragement from the many posts of Facebook quotes telling you how strong and able you are.  Yet life has a way of proving those wrong as we come to the end of ourselves.  If we do not possess the strength to cope with life and overcome it's many difficulties, we must find strength from another source.

At the start of every year it seems people are filled with new hope, big dreams, and expectations for greatness even though it's just another day. Progress doesn't happen just because another day has dawned, so if we hope to grow we are going to have to start the year right. Although much of your growth may seem like it is at a snail's pace, there are ways to catapult your life but it takes one thing: trusting in God and giving Him full control.

It's easy to talk about the ability of God. Scripture is full of impossible miracles and sovereign moves of God, and most believers can recall many of these stories with ease.  Then, why do we doubt so easily?  Why do we struggle to believe God will work in our lives as He did with those in the Bible?  Do we think He loves us less, is less concerned, or is less motivated to work in our situations?  Rather than doubt Him, we need to be reminded how God gives to those who ask with right motives.

There are people in your life who may have launched your love for Christ, but they are not able to sustain it; that is up to you! If we are going to continue in His love we have to understand it, know it, but also experience it. There are so many forces trying to pull us from His love, so what is the formula to remain in that love?

Many times our biggest battles outside of us are caused by what is inside of us. We may think our heart is in the right place, or someone has a good heart, but the Bible disagrees. It says the heart is deceitful above all things. Simply stated: what the heart does best is what is worst. Paul says the only way to remedy what is at the center of who we are is the indwelling of Christ.  If we could understand how to get Christ within us, He could cure our heart issues.

Many times, we fail to remember our most powerful weapon which God has equipped us with is prayer. Jesus said that we do not have because we do not ask.  How true! You can think of what you need, hope to have what you need, and even have dreams about it, but none of that will help you possess it. Beyond that, there is more to prayer than just what I think I have a need for. In fact, God has given us something great to pray for, and when you do, we take our place in His eternal plan.

We've all tasted the bitter pill of defeat and failure.  We tried and failed, and all we can do is focus on the part where we failed.  When we expect perfection of ourselves, when we are not perfect, we will focus heavily on failure to remind ourselves how incapable we are.  What we forget is how capable our God is with the little we have to offer Him. We all know Peter failed to keep walking on water when he was distracted, but when he got back in the boat, he could look at the other eleven disciples and say, "At least I Tried."

Everything you've ever learned eventually needs to be tested in the real world. Many times, we find what we were taught doesn't automatically translate directly into real world circumstances.  Many times, we need to learn how to apply our knowledge in a not-so-perfect scenario and adapt to our knowledge to our situation. As believers, we can become form opinions that lack any real world applications to confirm our beliefs. Rather than have opinions, it may be time to make an impact.  We each need to do more field work by getting outside the church walls and see how effective we are adapting our book smarts to real people who are lost.

Forgiveness is a gift. It knows something wrong has been committed, but forgiveness chooses to no longer hold it against the one who committed it. Forgiveness is powerful as it has the ability to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with no hindrances and without a catch.  For those who don't know Jesus, they have never experienced the forgiving freedom He brings, but that can all change when I commit to be a message of forgiveness to the world around me.

Deep within every believer is what every person needs to possess: hope. Until we begin to view the unsaved around us as lost, confused and barren of the Truth, we will never relate to them the message they desperately need to hear. The only person who can make an eternal difference in people is Jesus, but many times we seem more content to blend in and even offer our own insufficient guidance for people's darkest issues.  The church was directed and empowered to bring a message that would inspire people to look elsewhere than this existence to an eternal God. Every person deserves to hear the message of Hope we have found in Jesus.

There are some things in life which spark your interest.  You may probe, poke around, and do some light application of something you have an interest in, but interest may never become more than that.  There are other things you're passionate about.  It's those issues or people you are earnest about because they are your priorities. As believers, we have to ask ourselves whether we are interested or earnest about our Savior?

Often we think of freedom as no holds barred.  It's up to us to determine the boundaries, what is allowed or prohibited, and we think freedom allows us to make up our own rules.  What we may have overlooked but freedom is defined by the one who grants it.  It isn't something we enjoy as we desire, but as it is designed.  Christ has freed us but to what ends? 

Sometimes it's easier for us to hear someone than listen because listening takes effort.  Hearing is acknowledgment but listening is understanding. This becomes an issue when we're not listening to what we really need to hear. Possibly the hardest time to listen to someone is when they're words go against what we want to do. It's in these times that God may be speaking to us through the godly people we've surrounded ourselves with, but we're not listening. 

Often we say how much we believe in the power of prayer, yet we refuse to give anyone the opportunity to pray for us.  We shelter our true needs with an unspoken request because we are ashamed, want to avoid criticism, or excuse ourselves as a private person.  In the book of James, we're told to confess our sins to one another, so a righteous person can pray in power and effectiveness.  We want to hide our sin, but James says to tell another believer because a true disciple of Christ won't criticize you; instead, they will choose to pray for you. It is important for us to find other believers we can trust with our failings, so they can pray with a power that brings the change we desperately desire for our lives.

It's easy to say, "I love you." Three simple words which flow from our lips so easily, but what do we have to back it up? Saying it is easy, but showing it is necessary. It's not easy to question the love of God because He proved it when He sent His only Son.  We can look at what Jesus has done and know that God has loved us because He showed it.  We have to move from feeling love to revealing love, so people can look at how we've treated them and see the evidence that we have loved them.

We all make and regret bad decisions.  When we do wrong, we want to make it right because we feel guilty, but guilt has a way of wearing off and then you're prone to make that same bad decision again. To make right the wrong we seem to consistently commit, we can't think right actions clear us when it's really about becoming different within.  Don't start thinking you can bring that kind of change to your life, thought....you're going to need some help from the right person.

One area of our lives which can keep us from the overcoming life are our own words.  What comes out of your mouth is an overflow of your heart, and hearing what you say about yourself can further the poison within you.  If the heart is overflowing from your mouth, your heart is being filled by wherever you're drinking from.  The way to correct your heart issues, is to find a new watering hole - a new fountain which can change you from within, and God has just what you need.

The nation of Israel has found out there are consequences for their sin.  Maybe they expected God to look the other way, or Moses would meet with God and smooth things over.  They thought wrong, and now they will not be entering into the Promised Land.  If we want to experience the promises of God in our own lives, we can't let anything get in our way.  We cannot allow ourselves to be hindered by hangups or lured into sin.  Even more importantly, we have to know that nothing compares to knowing Him and being with Him for eternity, so why lower our standards and lose what God has for us?

It's not difficult to understand why the Israelites could never have faith in God - they never listened to Him.  They were too concerned with how they saw themselves and what others said about them. Not much has changed today; we hear so much negativity and lack of belief about ourselves, it's hard for us to grasp how we can be overcomers even when God says so. You must listen to God and hear what He says about you.  It's time to tune out other voices which don't know the real you and listen to the One who designed you.

If you feel like you're lacking in faith, maybe you're staring at the wrong things. We are so quick to testify how good God is, how able He is, and how capable, but when something comes against us, it's all we can see.  We can't get beyond the obstacle which stands in our way and suddenly, it has become more powerful and able than God....it's all we can see! God's Word says we are overcomers, but it won't be so just because He said it, we need to see it is now part of our identity.

If you've ever watched a TV police show, you have seen someone cited for driving under the influence.  It's a major issue because something has influenced their ability to operate their vehicle in a safe manner.  In life, all of us is under the influence of something which either hampers or enhances our ability to influence our family as we ought to.  If you've ever acted out of anger, you know that its influence on you caused you to say some things you regretted.  Also, if you ever acted out of love, you can see how that influence caused you to have patience you wouldn't normally have.  The point is this - we all want to influence our family in a way which helps rather than hurts it, so how do we consistently do this?  Our final message will help you discover and implement the type of influence which will help your family stand the test of time.

Your family is important to you, so who do you turn to when you need help?  You probably have plenty of people around you who will do whatever you want, but is that what you really need?  No matter the crises, we should be turning to Jesus first. For whatever reason, we seem to go to Him as a last resort or when we think all hope is lost.  Then, we need Him to do some kind of miracle! What we need from the very beginning is a situation changing faith which seeks Him out first and as the only solution for our dilemma.

Our family is our greatest asset and probably the greatest blessing we have.  Unfortunately, when life hasn't gone as planned or people seem to change, we find it easier to ditch a situation rather than repair it.  If you need some things to turn around, how do you do it?  When life seems so be stumped with writer's block, is it possible to get life, marriage, and family back on track?  If you don't like the looks of where your family is going, it is time to begin writing a new chapter, so your future lines up with your present hope.

There's no better feeling than to get to the other side of a struggle.  You've made it!  Have you ever thought of this, though?....It matters how you seemingly got to the other side.  Sometimes the "other side" was just us jumping ship, or finding a shortcut.  If we could grasp how God is working in us through the difficulties, we may view them differently, and actually find victory once and for all.

We always view emptiness as something negative.  When we're empty, maybe we've lost something special or important to us.  While that may be true, it may be exactly what we need to do, so we can have and experience more of Jesus in our lives.  Listen in, as we discover how God works best in our lives when we empty ourselves to be filled with His presence.

We value relationships because we know we need them.  You can stand alone in life for so long, but it is much easier to face life's various challenges when you're surrounded by those who are encouraging you to press on.  Often, we look to relationships to establish in our life what we cannot establish on our own.  We need others to establish we are loved or necessary.  Relationships can be good, but they are limited, and we often expect out of our natural relationships what we should be depending on God for. You may be designed to have a need for people, but your greater design is in your need for your LORD.

It's a terrible feeling to be misunderstood. It's frustrating, sometimes embarrassing, and can even be humbling.  There will always be those people who question you, but don't let them question your commitment to what matters most - Jesus.  Jesus found Himself questioned while He was doing His Father's Will, and you will too...but that's okay. Whatever happens, though, don't be questioned for choosing convenience over commitment!

Sometimes we have problems we don't have the answers to solve.  We know what the issue is, but we may not have any idea how to handle it.  There's even times when there might be something wrong with us but we view it as normal because we were told this is how people are or you should expect nothing less from life.  There's nothing worse when there's something wrong, and someone has to tell you about it....as if you didn't know.  The church has been at fault for this too.  Maybe its time to stop beating up those who are lost because of their sin and just start showing them the way they should go.  There's more to this, so listen in....

Who do you love?  Your answer will probably focus on those you get along with and see as valuable.  That's easy love, and it is the way most of us love.  God doesn't love like that. He loves people when they are at their worst - when we would determine they are unlovable.  If God loves like this, how should this impact the way I love others?

Have you ever listened to a song from when you were younger, and you immediately felt transported back to that time of your life?  Many people do, and it is pretty common.  Hearing a song can distinguish a time in my life which I've forgotten but will immediately remember because of it.  As believers, there should be some distinguishing marks on our lives, especially in relationships, which others can observe.  There must be some things which are distinct to us, so when people catch our scent in the way we live they will automatically distinguish who we belong to.  Let's live distinctly different, so people can distinguish our most important relationship is with our LORD.

Family is a safe place: you can be who you are, and they will keep loving you.  Family is security, and no one knows you like your family.....at least you hope. There are so many things which could be wrong with you and your family is the first to spare no expense to get you the help you need.  Yet, if you are saved and your family is not, they're not sure how to "fix" you.  What happens when the people who are the closest to you don't understand the most important aspect of who you are? 

Good friends are hard to find.  How do you know who to trust?  Sometimes we merely think someone being present in our lives is what is most important, but people who are close to us are the ones who influence us the most.  That means we have to choose our friends wisely.  If we want to have a healthy relationships, we have to find those who are spiritually healthy and then we'll have found a true friend!

If you've ever dated, you've experienced the, "It's not you, it's me," line.  You may have used it or even been subject to it, but whoever said it was not satisfied with the other person even though the decision to break it off was because of themselves.  There is a lot of truth to that statement.  We take issue with people even though they are not the real problem: we are.  The problem is our wrong attitudes towards others.  If you've ever wanted someone to treat you in a way you were unwilling to treat others, then its time to understand that the problem is not other people, but you. 

Most of us don't feel victorious or even the slightest bit courageous.  Yet, God's Word describes us in a way we may not be comfortable with or identify with.  That doesn't mean God is wrong to say it, just that we lack faith to realize it.  It may seem like the battles in life are endless and even standing for Christ causes us trouble, but God's Word reminds us that no matter what we're facing....we are more than conquerors.  What does this mean for us?  What are the implications for my life?  It's huge, and it will shape this year in ways we cannot imagine if we can trust what God says and move forward in faith.

Paul says that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, but we may feel otherwise.  You may even fear being separated from Him, but should you?  Separation can be a scary word because we associate it with detachment, and Jesus is someone we cannot live without.  We each need some reassurance sometimes that what is happening to us or in our lives is not necessarily cause for worry that Jesus has left us, or is upset with us, or is punishing us.  Just because we have difficulty doesn't mean He loves us an less.

Many times in our lives, especially when facing something difficult, we focus on only one part of our reality.  That is usually the most painful aspect.  As Christians, we are prone to overly focus what is seen and live at the hands of our circumstances.  We forget about another reality - it's the one where God is for us.  Our problem: we don't see how He is for us when we're facing so much difficulty.  If you believe God is working for your good, then it is time to begin living in a new reality which acknowledges God's personal involvement in your life.

2019 is here, and most people look forward to the new year with expectation and hope, but it can't be different than any year prior if you approach it the same way you have in the past.  As a church, God is calling us out - to live and be above and beyond whatever we think we've accomplished before.  This isn't about good intentions or being able enough to make something happen that would please God, but it is about being available to Him in a way you may have never been in the past.  God is going to use someone for His glory this year; it might as well be you!

Sometimes, even the best laid plans fail.  There was something you didn't account for, overlooked, or neglected and your plan crashed and burned.  If we fail enough, we stop planning and our life easily becomes mediocre.  We may even begin to take God's plans for us for granted because plans fail.  Yet, God's plans never fail.  Don't let the experience you have with your plans keep from experiencing His!

When something doesn't make sense, we usually dismiss, ignore, or assume it isn't worth knowing.  Problem is, we do this with God's plan for our lives.  It may not make sense, at first, but rather than shut Him out, we need to ask Him to tell us more.  The plan of God for Mary's life doesn't make any sense since she's a virgin and the angel says she will give birth to a son.  Yet Mary remains open and asks to hear more.  Maybe its time you started listening to Him, so you can experience what God has in store for you.

If you're like any normal human being, you've been critical of someone at some time.  We easily rush to judgments about people or situations we really know little about even though we may have witnessed an event or think we know the person.  Mary thought she knew her life and what she wanted for it; she had a very simple plan for her simple life.  Yet, we find out God had big plans for Mary which he spoke through the prophet Isaiah 700 years earlier.  Just like Mary, if we get caught up in the monotony of life we will miss the great importance of our lives within the plans of God.

Stories can be powerful.  Through the inspiration of your imagination, they can transport you to a different time, place and even personality.  They can challenge you to become what you presently are not, or even inspire you to what you could do.  You may not look at your life as a living story, but your life is still being written.  Who is writing on the pages of your life?  If you will give Jesus the pen, He will be able to write some remarkable outcomes in your life.

 Some moments in life change your course.  We refer to such events as shaping a new normal for our life.  Graduating High School, getting married, having children, or even losing a loved one can bring about these types of moments.  We seem to focus on what negatively shapes our lives and miss one incredible event which has eternally change us.  Let's call it a "from now on" moment. Jesus gives each of us this new opportunity.....from now on.  What does it mean for you and how is it played out in your life?

Some things in life are just better together with something else.  Most people would agree chocolate chip cookies are better with milk, and tortilla chips are better with salsa.  We get the point!  There's a characteristic which would cause your living to be better together and that's thankfulness.  Now, often misunderstand thankfulness as having a reason to be thankful, but it's more than that.  Thankfulness must become a characteristic of who we are, rather than a cause and effect.

We've all been taught that bad choices have consequences. What happens when you do what is right and have to face consequences?  Do you stop doing what is right?  If you want to live your life according to God's Word, you will face opposition for doing what is right.  The way to stand against opposition is not to fight, or run away, but to rejoice.  When we encounter opposition, it's easy to get focused on the power and influence of what stands against you.  It can seem overwhelming, but when you rejoice in the LORD, you gain some much needed perspective.  If you will rejoice, it will take you on a path to an incredible payoff!

We may think people either a leader or a follower, but the truth is this: all of us are both.  We are all leading someone and following someone.  We have a responsibility to lead well, and the responsibility to find the right person to follow. Who you follow will shape who you are and how you lead!  In this message, we discover who to follow and how to be a godly influence on others.

Have you ever noticed how uptight people can be about their appearance?  They have to be color coordinated and their clothes even must be season coordinated, and don't even think about touching their hair!  Appearances do matter, but they can be so superficial when we lack substance.  Time and time again, we see Paul displaying for us a person most of us would not let many others see: he tells us his dark secrets, so we can see his error and follow God's ways.  Sometimes we aren't honest even with ourselves, and it's time we acknowledge who have been, forget what is behind and strive for what is ahead instead of being caught up with what was!

Paul's life shows us one clear fact about who God chooses to use on a regular basis: broken people.  We're all broken, but if you want to be rebellious and live on your own, He can't use you.  If you humble your broken life before the LORD, He can bring healing and restore your life for His purpose.  We may not view ourselves as broken, but gifted and Paul could relate.  He's already mentioned all his stellar character traits, but He's learned how we cannot serve God as we must through our own strength....no matter how strong we are.  Are you ready to make your life count for a purpose you cannot fulfill apart from Him?