Podcasts about blue oaks church pleasanton

Have you ever marveled at how, 2000 years later, the words and deeds of a humble carpenter from a backwoods region of a small, unimportant country in the Roman Empire, are treasured and celebrated by billions all over the world? The Gospel spreads today the same way today as it did back then: when you and I share the Good News with someone else. Next Steps I will begin to pray for unchurched people where I live. I will invest The post The Great Commission appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

C.S. Lewis noted that people who are growing, thriving and loving are the people who praise God the most. People who are stagnant, cranky and self-centered praise God the least. Join us this week as we examine what is needed to live with a worshiping mind. Next Steps I commit to gather together with the church to worship. I will prepare and participate in making his praise glorious. I will worship God with my mind and heart, for he is The post Getting Worship Right appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Our previous message was about God as the focus of our worship. But when we worship God, we benefit as well. Worship changes us for the better. And when we neglect the worship of God we suffer in tangible and practical ways. Join us as we continue our study, “The Wonder of Worship”. Next Steps I will come to worship when the church gathers even when I don't feel like it. I will work at taking every thought captive to The post Worship Changes Us appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

It can be tough to try to please everyone. Especially when it comes to highly subjective things, like our taste in music. Especially worship music. Fortunately worship isn't about us or our preferences and tastes. Worship is about God. Next Steps I will come ready to worship God in spirit and truth. I will come early and prepare my heart for worship. I will worship in a way that reflects my heart. The post Why Worship Matters appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

The vast majority of the Christians in our day are inundated with work and other obsessions that have replaced a true relationship with Jesus. Jesus' enemy is not opposition, persecution, or threatened poverty. It's over-commitment, fatigue, stress and running too fast. In this message we look at how to regain the life Jesus is calling you to live. Next Steps I will commit to live a simpler life. I will identify which idol I wrestle with most and eliminate it The post Tearing Down Idols appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Do you struggle with “FOMO” (the “fear of missing out”)? Do you consider your ability (and tendency) to do 5 things at once a virtue or a vice? Did you know that even Jesus, the Son of God, needed to rest sometimes? Join us this Sunday as we again learn from the Master of peaceful living. Next Steps I will rest on a weekly basis. I will read the gospel of John, reflecting on the life and teachings of Jesus. The post A Call to Live Rested appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Next Steps I will live in the constant care and protection of the Good Shepherd. Instead of worrying I will pray and ask God to take care of me. I will not try to get some external circumstance to bring soul satisfaction. I will schedule a time to rest this week. I will fast from noise, providing space and time for God to speak. The post Rest Your Weary Soul appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Do you sometimes find it difficult to stand up for what you believe in, especially in the face of opposition from others? If so you're not alone. Sometimes opposition can mean you're on the right path. Join us this week as we look at how Jesus often defied those who stood in the way of the Kingdom of God. Next Steps I will bring the kingdom of God to my little part of the world this week. I will consider The post Herod appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Have you ever lied? C'mon, be honest. Even one little white lie? But does it really even matter? Does it matter to God? This week we take a look at how we're doing when it comes to honesty and integrity – and what we can do about it if we have a few skeletons in our closets. Next Steps I will take off the mask and stop faking it in an area of my life. I will ask God to The post Ananias and Sapphira appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Do you have what might be called “bleacher people” in your life? These are people who stand in the bleachers, cheering you on as you run the race of life. We all need them and we can become them for others. Join us this week as we explore how. Next Steps I will identify who my bleacher people are and thank them. I will humble myself and invest in the greatness of someone else. I will pray for the person The post Barnabas | Jul 30 appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we look at a group of desperate characters who approach Jesus for healing. It's one of the most moving stories in the New Testament. We'll look at what contributes to ingratitude and some things we can do to cultivate grateful hearts. Next Steps I will learn to be grateful for imperfect gifts. I will learn to be grateful in times of worry and frustration. I will learn to be grateful by avoiding grumbling and complaining. I will express The post Ten Lepers appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

There are a number of interpretations of the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. Some think the story states contemplation is superior to task orientation. Some think “type B” personalities are judged as better than “type A.” What Jesus indicates, however, is the idea of “the one thing.” The one thing can be defined as time spent listening to God's Word. Or the one thing that can be defined as taking action on what God's Word says. The The post Mary & Martha appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

The Book of Job follows the course of resolution for Job after a series of devastating events in his life. Although Job's friends try to give him the answers to why he was suffering, it takes the many challenging questions of God to help Job realize that God is endlessly good, uncontrollably generous, irrationally loving, and he gives for no reason at all, just because it's his nature. Job listens to God, humbles himself, and is restored to a full relationship with God. The post Job appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

You've probably heard the saying, “Begin with the end in mind”. It sounds wise, but how often do you actually do it? Did you start your day, your week, your career, your marriage, your family, with a plan of how you'd reach your end goals successfully? Or are you like a ship without a rudder, being blown about by the winds of desire? Next Steps “I love you God, except…” What is your except? I will follow wisdom rather than The post Solomon appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Who doesn't love a good story? Good vs Evil, light vs dark. An unlikely Hero rising up to take on a powerful enemy. In the Book of Judges we see God calling men and women to heroic action. But the story isn't over, He may be calling you. Next Steps I will pray about what battle Jesus is calling me to fight. The post Deborah appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Joseph had to wait 13 years to understand God's plan for his life. During those years, he endured challenging experiences that could have shaken his faith and caused him to lose sight of any hope that God really cared about him, much less had something good in mind for his life. But neither God nor Joseph wavered. We will learn some lessons from Joseph this week: God has a plan for our lives, and he has a much better view The post Joseph appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we conclude our series, “The God I Never Knew” with a message on the sealing work of the Holy Spirit. Matt will talk about three occasions in life when we need to do what Jesus did — withdraw, remember and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who will assure us of who we are, and tell us that we are loved by God. There will be several occasions in life when we need to do this. The post You Are Loved by God appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

A filter's job is to let the right stuff through, while trapping impurities or contaminants that might do damage. We filter out contaminants from the air we breathe, the sun we expose our skin to, or the water we drink. But I want to suggest that these areas are trivial compared to the one area that needs filtering the most — your mind. One of the great illusions about spiritual growth is that I can form a Christ-like character, but The post The Filtering Work of the Spirit appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Have you made a mistake recently or in your past that you're not able to let go of? Maybe you think, “I don't want to walk through my life with this cloud of guilt hanging over me anymore,” but you don't know what to do. Are you holding onto sin, but you're not sure what to do to let go of it? Join us this week as we explore how the Holy Spirit sets us free from sin and regret. The post The Convicting Work of The Spirit appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we are continuing to ask and answer some tough questions about the Holy Spirit. We'll explore things like whether the gift of healing is still active today, if there is a right or wrong way to pray, and how the Spirit can show up in our day-to-day. Join us for part two as we look directly at these challenging questions about the Spirit. Next Steps I will expect the Spirit to manifest Himself in remarkable ways. I will The post Tough Questions About the Spirit (Part 2) appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? How do you know if you've experienced it? Is the gift of speaking in tongues a legitimate thing?Should all Christians experience it? Is the gift of healing legitimate? Are signs and wonders evidence of the Holy Spirit? Does life in the Spirit always carry with it good health? Is there a right way to pray and to worship in a way that will release the Spirit? Is there a wrong way to The post Tough Questions About the Spirit appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

One God, but three Persons? The Trinity can be a difficult concept to grasp, and yet when we begin to discover more deeply what the Trinity is and what it means for us, we begin to better understand the Holy Spirit. This week we start in the classroom, thinking about and studying what Scripture has to say about the Trinity . And then we'll move to real life, and consider what the implications are about the Trinity and the unity The post God's Longing for His Church appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Does the Holy Spirit speak to you? How good are you at hearing from Him? Would you like to get better? We are meant to know the Holy Spirit but knowing someone begins with communication, in all of its various forms. Next Steps I will be still before the Lord and listen. All week long, my prayer is going to be, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” I will listen for to the promptings of the Holy Spirit when The post Finding Direction appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Every minute your body is producing toxic chemicals you need to get rid of, which is one reason why you need to breathe out. You also have a constant need to receive life-giving chemicals like oxygen, which is why you need to breathe in. Join us this week as we talk about the need for what might be called spiritual breathing – how to breathe out things like worry, fear, jealousy or apathy; and breathe in life from God's Holy The post Spiritual Breathing appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Many people have a clear picture of who God the Father is. They're not confused about the person of Jesus either. But who is the Holy Spirit? What does He do? And how do we experience His presence? In this teaching series, The God I Never Knew, we remove some of the mystery surrounding the Trinity's third person. We're meant to know God the Holy Spirit as fully as we know God the Father and God the Son. This week The post The Spirit Is Power appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Next Steps I will do my own personal study to learn about the resurrection of Jesus. I will plug into the resurrection power of Jesus in my life and circumstances. I will be a conduit of God's resurrection power to people who desperately need it. I will live with the perspective that anything is possible because of the resurrection power of Jesus. The post Wow! appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Palm Sunday is not merely a day that marks our calendar as we draw closer to Easter. Palm Sunday is also a story that reveals how Jesus' 12 disciples carried a blindspot, one that challenged their faith. Join us this week as we uncover how our blindspots about God can help or hinder our faith. Next Steps I will spend time reading John 8 and John 12 as I prepare for Easter Sunday I will think about my life and The post The Last Blind Spot appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Have you ever had to point out a blind spot to someone else…but really didn't want to do it? You're sure God is prompting you to ‘speak the truth in love' but you want to wait until ‘the right time', wait until you're ready. Don't miss this 3rd message in our teaching series, “Blind Spots”. Next Steps I will say “Yes” to God even thought I don't feel ready. I will say “Yes” to God in an area I've been The post Ready or Not, Here I Go appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

If you caught last week's message then you now know you have blind spots. But what are they, and how do we identify them? The good news is that God hasn't created us to walk alone. You are part of a community that can not only sustain you when you're down but also help you see and change your blindspots. This week we talk about the tools God uses to help us to identify and tackle our blind spots. Next The post The Indispensable Mirror appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Did you know you have blind spots? No, not just in your car – in your life. The thing about blind spots though, is that we're blind to them. If we could see them they wouldn't be blind spots. Fortunately the Bible has a lot to say about how we can shine a light on those unseen areas of our life. That's what we'll be unpacking in this new teaching series, “Blind Spots”. Next Steps I will work to get The post Open Up To The Truth appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Have you ever wondered what the future holds? In Daniel chapter 7, we discover a prophetic vision that not only unveils the ultimate destiny of the world, but also reveals the character of God and the hope we have in Christ. Join us this Sunday as we delve into this powerful chapter and learn how it applies to our lives today. Next Steps I will expect opposition, danger, suffering and persecution. I will not give up in the face of The post Prophecies appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Are you a Strategic Avoider? Maybe if you don't think about it, read about it, talk about it, or look at it… it will go away (whatever “it” is)! After all, if you acknowledged it, “it” might force you to change, “it” might force you to do something you don't want to do. King Belshazzar in the Book of Daniel tried this approach in regards to looking at the plain truth of his life. This Sunday we see how well The post The Writing Is On The Wall appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week, our journey in Daniel continues! Daniel chapter 6 holds one of the most known stories of the Bible, Daniel in the Lions Den. Yet when we focus solely on the character of Daniel, we miss out on some of the important movements in the chapter. Join us this week as we explore how three characters in this story journey through failure and trials, forming their resilient faith as they spend some time in a cave of lions. NEXT The post Listening In The Lion's Den appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Has God's ‘still, small voice' ever failed to get through to you, and then what follows feels like you're being hit over the head with a 2×4? If so then you'll be able to relate to King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4. The gentle approach didn't work, so God had to shift to Plan B. Join us this week as we learn from the mistakes of a King who is not so different from us. Next Steps I will stop The post Molded Through Suffering appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Has success, prosperity and comfort made you… a little indifferent to God? After all, you have everything you need, right? Sure, you say a quick prayer when you're having a tough day but in general, you get along pretty well all by yourself most of the time. King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4 thought the same thing. Join us this Sunday as we learn from his mistake… and ours. Next Steps I will find a Daniel in my life who The post Humility appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Imagine this; you have risen to a position of power and prestige at your job. You have promises of great wealth, great adoration, and a great future. Your heart is full of hope and dreams. And then, the person who rules your country mandates that you turn from your religion and bow down to Him. You are faced with a choice, do you move with the crowd and keep all you've earned, or do you follow your God and walk The post Meeting God In The Fire appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

When we look at the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Book of Daniel, we discover God leads them to places of danger, pain, and destruction, places in which courage is the driving force. How many heroes of the Christian faith had easy lives? Maybe we need to stop praying for deliverance from the furnace and, instead, ask for God to be present as we, with courageous steps, walk into the fire. Next Steps I will honor God The post Courageous Faith appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

In ‘Not God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous', Ernest Kurtz writes, “Fundamental to the recovery process is that healing and sanity begin with a single realization that I am not God. I'm not in control of my universe. I often cannot even control myself. I violate my own values. I want to do one thing, and then I do something else.” Failure to understand that you are not God can destroy your spiritual life. Failure to surrender and accept our The post Understanding Who's In Charge appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you planned? What do you do when a relationship ends, vocational hopes die, someone wounds you deeply, or your health fails? What do you do when you're caught waiting when hope seems to be running out? The Bible is filled with stories of resilience. The journey of the Israelites across the Old Testament is a journey of resilience. Paul and his travels, documented in the New Testament, are filled The post A Resilient Life appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

It's that time of year again – new gym routines, new balanced diets, new relationship goals. We tell ourselves ‘this year will be different'. But have you got the resilience, the character, and yes, even the faith, to go the distance? The post Worship to Resilience appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

“What's in a name?” the fair Juliette famously asked her Romeo. In Shakespeare's classic tale, names kept the two lovers apart. What about Jesus' many names? Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. This Christmas Eve we explore the names of Jesus, discovering who Jesus is and how His names bring us closer to Him. The post Christmas Eve 2022 appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we are continuing our series on worship; over the past few weeks, we have talked about our posture for worship and how our mood and our worship intertwine, but one element of our worship experience is missing. The action in worship. Some of us feel comfortable being expressive, allowing large actions to flow as we worship in song. Others feel more comfortable with a more reflective stance, allowing the Spirit to move in its gentle waves. Yet all The post Actionize Your Worship appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

They sing that it is beginning to look like Christmas, but is it beginning to feel like Christmas? And what exactly are your normal Christmas feelings, your normal Christmas mood? If we were honest, we would say that our mood changes a lot during Christmas; we are filled with hope and joy but also frustration or annoyance. The beauty of the twinkling Christmas lights and the family fun of diners bring us warmth and love. But the stresses of the The post How to Be in a Great Mood appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Every week when we gather together as a church, we sing songs. Why do we do that? Why do we sing? And does what we sing have any importance to our day-to-day walk with God? Music is a part of every culture and has, for a long time, been a part of every culture. Music and our ability to sing and hear music are a part of what it means to be human. As long as there have been mothers The post Music of Christmas appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we are spending some time in Luke 1 to discover what happened before the Birth. When we celebrate Christmas, we tend to focus on Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Yet God's miracles started before the Christmas story. Elizabeth and Zechariah experienced one of these miracles, and from it, we get to see how God interacted before the Birth. Join us this week as we prepare ourselves for the Christmas season. The post Before The Birth appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Finding weapons is a theme in many biblical texts. Sometimes those weapons seem strange, such as when the Israelites were told to walk around and yell at the walls of Jericho, or when David used a small rock to slay a giant. This week we are exploring an effective and yet odd weapon for anger. With this weapon we can face any wall, any giant, and find success as we battle our anger with God's help. The post The Ultimate Weapon Against Anger appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

This week we are getting practical! Anger is often a part of our daily lives; we can grow angry when a coworker messes up a project, we can be angry at a spouse when they say something harmful, and we certainly know the anger when we see our kids making poor choices. Even though anger tends to be a part of our daily lives, our bodies are not made to live in a constant state of anger. Mismanaged anger puts The post Steps To Manage Anger appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

What makes you angry? Perhaps it is something as slight as a stubbed toe or as serious as a betrayal by someone close to you. How long does your anger last? Does your anger appear and disappear in the blink of an eye, or does your anger burn in your mind for years? Over the next few weeks, we are going to be looking at anger, examining if anger is Biblical and how we walk with our anger. The easiest The post Anger Myths appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Join us for the last week of our series on one-word life-changers, Simple Words. Each week we've looked at one simple word that can actually change your life if you allow it to. We have explored what Yes and No mean and how Help and Sorry can change our actions and perception. This week we look at a tremendous word. It's a word that can bring enormous freedom and meaning, but it's the most countercultural word of this series, Enough. The post Enough appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.

Even though words may be simple, they aren't always easy to say. This week, in Simple Words, we explore the word ‘sorry.' Sorry is one of those words that, while simple, isn't always easy to use. Sorry requires humility, vulnerability, and surrender, and too often, we find ways to avoid it. This week we are looking at the story of Ananias and Sapphira to learn not only how sorry is difficult, but what can go wrong when we refuse to The post Sorry appeared first on Blue Oaks Church - Pleasanton, CA.