"What do you have in your house?"
This question from Elisha to a desperate widow in 2 Kings 4 isn't just an inventory check—it's the question God is asking each of us today. Because here's the truth: what you have in your house can either bring you a miracle or keep you from one.

A Widow's Desperate Situation
The story begins with crisis. A widow approaches Elisha, the man of God, with devastating news: her husband has died, leaving behind crushing debt. The creditors are coming to take her two sons as slaves. She has nothing—nothing except a small jar of olive oil.

But Elisha doesn't ask what she needs. He asks what she has. Then he gives her strange instructions: go collect empty vessels from your neighbors. Not just a few—as many as possible. Then go inside, shut the door, and start pouring.

The Miracle of Empty Vessels
Here's where it gets revolutionary: Elisha tells them to collect empty vessels specifically. Not vessels with a little something already in them. Not vessels that just need to be topped off. Empty vessels.

Why? Because you can't fill what's already full.

Think about an oil change. The mechanic doesn't just add new oil to your old, contaminated oil. They drain it completely first. The old oil is filled with debris and has lost its ability to protect your engine. New oil needs an empty space to do what it's designed to do.

The same is true spiritually. The Holy Spirit can't fill us if our lives are already crowded with anger, unforgiveness, toxic relationships, addiction, or baggage we refuse to release.

You Decide the Size of Your Miracle
Notice what Elisha told the widow: "Don't ask for just a few." In other words, the size of the miracle was up to her. If she wanted just enough to get by, collect a few vessels. But if she wanted something that would sustain her family for generations, she needed to gather as many as possible.

The oil kept flowing until there were no more vessels. The limitation wasn't God's supply—it was their capacity to receive.

How many of us leave church services having received just enough to get through another week? We settle for the minimum when God wants to pour out abundance that transforms not just our present, but our future and the generations that follow.

Taking Ownership of What's Inside
Here's the hard part: we have to get honest about what's crowding out God's presence in our lives. Stop blaming your temper on your DNA. Stop excusing your addiction because of your environment. Stop holding onto bitterness because of what was done to you.

You can't change what's behind you, but you can do everything about what's ahead. Your story shouldn't be, "This is why I am the way I am." It should be, "Because of the cross and what Jesus did for me, this is why I am like I am now."

Just a 50-Cent Box
At the end of the day, we're all just pizza boxes—worth about 50 cents. The vessel doesn't give value to the oil; the oil gives value to the vessel. You don't have to be great, talented, or have it all together. You just need to be empty and available.

So what do you have in your house? More importantly, what are you willing to empty out so God can fill you with something better?

Have you ever prayed desperately for something, only to feel like God wasn't answering? Maybe you're in that place right now – waiting for rain in a spiritual drought, wondering why the heavens seem silent. What if I told you that God might be waiting for you to pick up a shovel before He sends the rain?

The Expectation Gap
Most of us have experienced what I call the "expectation gap" – that frustrating space between what we expect to happen and what actually occurs. It's that state of disappointment when reality doesn't match our expectations.

You've heard of it, right? It's like when you have high expectations for a restaurant, but leave disappointed because the experience didn't match what you anticipated. Or on a more serious note, when you're praying and believing for something to turn out a certain way, but it doesn't happen as you expected.

These expectation gaps can leave us frustrated, hurt, confused, and might even cause us to question our faith. So what's the solution? Lower our expectations?

I'm joking, of course – but that's exactly what many of us do! We start with high expectations, but after disappointment, we gradually lower them to avoid getting hurt again. That young woman with high standards for a godly husband eventually settles for "if he falls into the male category." Or after being hurt by someone you trusted, you decide never to let anyone close again. Or maybe after feeling let down by a church, you decide to never truly connect with a faith community again.

But here's what I believe: God doesn't want us to lower our expectations. He wants us to raise them.

The Three Kings' Dilemma
In 2 Kings 3, we find a story that perfectly illustrates this principle. Three Kings – the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom – joined forces to go to war against Moab. With their combined armies, victory should have been easy. But they faced an unexpected problem:
"After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them" (2 Kings 3:9).

They were in a drought, desperate and facing a crisis they couldn't control. And it's amazing how fast we become desperate for God to move when something unexpected hits our lives!

These Kings had been ruling their kingdoms without any reference to God. But now that they found themselves in a mess, they wanted God to intervene. Sound familiar? As long as things are going well, we can get lazy with church, prayer, and reading the Word. But when crisis hits, our desire to connect with God suddenly returns.

When We Can't Control Our Circumstances
Here's my personal belief: there are times when God allows (not causes) things to come into our lives simply to draw us back to Him. He'll use a broken-down car, the loss of a job, a bad medical diagnosis, divorce papers, or even a drought. He takes these things that we have no control over and uses them to bring us back to Him.

Those things you're going through that you wish would go away? They could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. Our Cody Arbuthnot's mom and dad will tell you that the accident that left him without a leg was the best thing that happened to him because it brought him back to where he needed to be.

If we never went through heartbreak or trouble, many of us would never find ourselves in the arms of Jesus. Let's be honest – the only time God hears from some of us is when we're going through something difficult.

Grab a Shovel and Dig
When the three Kings were desperate for water, they sought out the prophet Elisha. After some initial resistance, Elisha finally gave them God's message: "This is what the Lord says: Dig ditches all over this dry stream bed" (2 Kings 3:16).

Can you imagine their reaction? They were exhausted, dehydrated, and desperate for rain. They wanted Elisha to pray a short prayer and – BAM! – have the heavens open up with rain. Instead, he told them to grab shovels and start digging.

Here's the key: Only God can make it rain, but He calls us to grab a shovel.

That's not what we want to hear. We want someone to pray over our situation, and then we can just sit back and wait for the miracle. But God is trying to pry the phone out of your hand, the remote out of your hand, the pride out of your hand, and replace those things with a shovel so you can start digging.

Let me be clear: I'm not saying you can earn your salvation. We're saved by grace, not by works. But 99% of the time, before God sends a miracle, before He sends the rain, He calls us to grab a shovel and begin making preparations for the miracle He wants to send.

Faith That Keeps Digging
Real faith keeps digging when others have stopped. Real faith keeps digging when the ground gets hard. Real faith keeps digging when others are laughing at you.

In three weeks, we'll be kicking off our Christmas series called "The Worst Christmas Ever." Those four weeks will give you opportunities to invite friends to a place where they can hear a message that can change their lives. And on December 21, the Sunday before Christmas, we're going to blow it out with dance and music.

But here's the thing – don't just pray for your friends to come. Grab a shovel and dig a ditch for them. You have a relationship with people that I don't have. You can speak into their lives in ways I cannot. They expect a pastor to invite them to church, but when you as a friend, neighbor, or coworker invite them – that's powerful.

And when they say no, and you keep asking? You're digging a ditch. Every time they refuse and you persist, you're preparing for the miracle God wants to bring.

What Digging Looks Like For You
Elisha told the Kings, "I know you want it to rain. I know you need the rain. So dig ditches. Grab a shovel."
What does that look like for you?

• For the single person: God is concerned with you becoming the right person more than finding the right person.
• For someone frustrated in their job: Keep digging. Don't give up.
• For the couple ready to give up on their marriage: Keep digging.

As Paul said in Galatians 6:9, "Don't become weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap the reward if you don't give up."

Faith doesn't always make sense. Can you trust God today, knowing He's already in your future, preparing the miracle He wants to give you?

The Miracle Comes When You Least Expect It
Elisha told the Kings something remarkable: "You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle, and your other animals will drink" (2 Kings 3:17).

They wouldn't see the natural signs they would expect for rain – no clouds, no wind. They had to trust God and keep digging even though they couldn't see or feel anything happening.

And what happened? "The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was, water flowing from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water" (2 Kings 3:20).

They had worked digging the ditches with no sign of any miracle, laid down to rest, and woke up to the miracle!

Life Application: Start Digging Today
God isn't calling you to have faith to finish. He's calling you to have faith to start. Just start digging.

What does that look like for you?

• For some, digging means forgiving someone
• For others, it means repenting of a sin
• Maybe you need to ask someone to forgive you
• Perhaps you need to start trusting God with your finances
• For many, it means inviting someone to church
• For others, it means showing up and faithfully serving

Whatever it is, don't just start digging – keep digging. Keep digging even when you're tired, even with calluses, even with a sore back, even when your muscles are cramping, even when doubt or fear creep in.

Why? Because you trust in the God who holds tomorrow in His hands.

I believe God wants to send the rain in your life. But before we ever see it, we have to be obedient to what He says. What is it in your life that only God can do? What are you bearing beneath your smile and mask?

God is speaking to you today: Grab a shovel. Not only are you preparing for the miracle you've been praying for, but God will also destroy the enemy that has been wreaking havoc in your life – if you'll just pick up the shovel and start digging.

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? Going through the same routines day after day, expecting different results but experiencing the same outcomes? One person described a rut as "a grave with both ends knocked out of it." We wake up, go through our day, come home, sleep, and repeat—wondering if there's any real purpose to our existence.

The truth is, it's not just our personal lives. Many of us have settled into routine church life too. We sit in the same seat every week, sing familiar songs, hear a message, and leave feeling like nothing has really changed. We do the same thing over and over, not sensing any purpose or real meaning for our lives.

God Created Your Purpose Before He Created You
Here's a truth that will change everything: God has a pattern that has been going on since creation. He creates the purpose, then creates the person for that purpose.

In Genesis 1, God created vegetation, animals, and the earth before He created humans. Then in Genesis 2:15, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Adam was created for a purpose that already existed!

The same is true for you. Before you were ever born, before you were even a sparkle in your mom and dad's eye, God had already created a purpose for you to step into.

Look at what God told Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:4-5).

Here's the challenge: Until you are willing to get planted and die to yourself—die to your own wants, your own ideologies—you will become a person who just chases purpose, doing the same old things over and over, expecting different results.

Vision Gives Pain a Purpose
Finding and fulfilling your purpose isn't always comfortable. It requires sacrifice and sometimes pain. But here's what I've learned: Vision gives pain a purpose.

You can hate addiction, poverty, abortion, or racism—but hating them isn't enough. You have to get a vision of the changes and the purpose God created for you to step into.

Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." The Message paraphrases it beautifully: "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves. But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed."

When you catch the vision, you will sacrifice things you wouldn't normally sacrifice. You'll put up with soreness, discomfort, and pain because you see something bigger than yourself.

From Pounding Rocks to Setting Angels Free
Michelangelo once said about his sculpting process: "I saw the angel in the marble, and I carved until I set him free."

To observers, he was just pounding rocks. But in reality, he was setting an angel free. That's what many of us spend our lives doing—just pounding rocks, going through monotonous routines.

But when you catch God's vision for your life, you realize you're not just showing up to serve or being obedient in giving. You're chipping away at a rock so someone else can be set free. You're not just pounding rocks—you're setting angels free!

If you can catch the vision, you'll begin to see addicts set free, marriages healed, children feeling loved, youth taking a stand for what's right, and generational curses broken off families.

Your Next Step
Ask God for vision. Pray: "Lord, show me the purpose you created for me before I was born."

Get involved. You'll never see the vision fully until you have skin in the game. Move from the spectator seats to the starting lineup.

Embrace the discomfort. The sacrifice is worth it when you can see what God is doing.

Your purpose was created before you were. Now it's time to step into it, catch the vision, and watch as God uses your life to set others free.

Have you ever wondered if there's a difference between admiring Jesus and truly following Him? I've discovered that many of us are content with being "fond" of Jesus rather than actually following where He leads. The invitation Jesus gave His disciples—"Follow me"—is the same invitation He extends to us today. But here's the truth: following requires the death of self, while fondness only requires occasional attention.

What Does It Mean to Be a Pathfinder?
A pathfinder is "a person who goes ahead and discovers and shows others a path or way." From day one, our church has been called to take new ground, to mark out paths so that others can find an easier way to get to the cross.

Every Sunday, we are eating fruit from a tree, from a seed that was planted over 42 years ago when my parents followed God's leading to plant this church. They left a successful HVAC business, a steady paycheck, church community, friends, and family—everything they knew—to follow Jesus' leading. God didn't lay out a detailed plan. He simply gave them a promise: "Follow me. I'll make you fishers of the broken, fishers of the disenfranchised."

When they found the original property, it was surrounded by empty beer bottles and a bar across the street where underage drinking was rampant. My dad looked at my mom and said, "This is the place." They knew God's promise to make them fishers of those who had given up on church or been hurt by it.

The church started in March 1983. By November of that same year, they held their first service in the building we're sitting in today. That's how fast God was moving when people were willing to follow and die to themselves.

The Four Chairs: Where Are You Sitting?
From the outside, all four chairs look the same. But every one of us is sitting in one of these chairs today:

Chair 1: "I Don't Want To" - These are people with hard hearts who hear God's Word but refuse to apply it. They love Jesus but don't like what He says about forgiveness, relationships, or obedience.

Chair 2: "I Don't Have Time To" - These people receive the Word with joy but have no root (Luke 8:13). Any relationship minus time spent together eventually dies. They confuse being active in church with being intimate with Jesus.

Chair 3: "I Can't Afford To" - Jesus said in Luke 8:14 that some are "choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Money is the number one competitor for our hearts. Until you surrender your finances to Jesus, you're simply fond of Him. Everything good you have is because of Jesus—who gave you the ability to work for it?

Chair 4: "I Can't Believe I Get To" - These are the pathfinders. Jesus describes them in Luke 8:15 as those "with a noble and good heart who hear the word, retain it and by persevering, produce a crop." When I think about serving God, I say, "I can't believe I get to do this for people. It never gets old."

Building the Future
What we're building here isn't just about a bigger building. We're creating a facility to facilitate revival, more recovery programs, marriage workshops, and a children's ministry where families with special needs children can worship without worry. We're building people who are healthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically—people who know their true identity and purpose in Christ.

It's our time now. I hope that 20 or 30 years from now, someone will stand up and say, "The only reason I'm here today is because someone decades ago decided to pave the way for me."

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-25: "If anybody wants to follow me, he must give up all rights to himself, take up his cross and follow me."

Are you following Jesus or just fond of Him? Are you going to let fear keep you from the opportunity of a lifetime?

Have you ever worked on something and finally thought, "We're making this a lot harder than it has to be"?

I remember when my son Zion and I built a doghouse for our French mastiff, Henry. Two months later, it looked like a tiny home with different rooms! We made it way harder than it should have been. Today, Zion is a master craftsman running a company in Atlanta. What changed? He put himself in an environment of people who knew what they were doing.

Environment changes people.

The Power of Environment
Growing up Pentecostal, I heard plenty about Acts 2—the birth of the church. But I rarely heard about Acts 15, which addresses a critical question: Are we making it too hard for people to come to Jesus?

By Acts 15, revival was breaking out among the Gentiles (non-Jews). But some believers insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow the entire law of Moses to be saved. Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed, and the church leaders met in Jerusalem to settle the issue.

Peter's Bold Challenge
Peter stood up and reminded them that God had already accepted the Gentiles and cleansed their hearts through faith. Then he asked this piercing question in Acts 15:10-11:
"So why are you challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus."

Peter was saying, "Why are you requiring something from them that you don't even do yourself?"

Then James made this declaration in Acts 15:19: "We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God."

My interpretation: We shouldn't be making this harder than it really is.

What "Raising the Bar" Really Means
The Pharisees had set the bar impossibly low—like limbo, where you have to bend backward to get under. They created requirements that even they couldn't meet.

But think about Jesus' approach with His disciples. When He called Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew the tax collector, He didn't say, "Clean up your life, quit cussing, get your act together, and then you can follow me."

Jesus said two simple words: "Follow me."

Jesus raised the bar way up high, making it easy for them to step into relationship with Him. Why? Because He knew if He could get them into an environment where they were hanging out with Him, watching how He did things, learning from Him—that environment would change them from the inside out.

He didn't have to beat anything into them. The environment would do the transforming work.

The Lies That Keep People Trapped
The environment we live in has been lying to people for years:

• "If you've had an abortion, God can't forgive you"
• "If you've struggled with addiction, you're stuck"
• "If you've questioned your sexuality, God can't help you"
• "Clean yourself up first, then come to Jesus"

But that's not what Jesus did with His disciples. He invited them to follow Him—messy, broken, and all—and let the environment of being with Him transform them.

This is what our "Raising the Bar" campaign is really about: making it easier for people to meet and encounter God.

An Invitation
Maybe you've been stuck thinking you need to get your life together before coming to Jesus. Maybe you've seen Christians and thought, "No, thank you." Maybe you're waiting to quit certain behaviors before you feel worthy to follow Him.

But Jesus simply says, "Follow me."

If you'll just begin to follow Him, let Him pour into you, watch the way He does things, learn from Him—you'll be changed from the inside out. Not by religious requirements or trying harder, but simply by walking with Him in the right environment.

Don't make following Jesus harder than it has to be.

Just follow Him.

Have you ever bought something you thought was genuine, only to discover it was a counterfeit? I remember trying to sell my Land Rover on Craigslist years ago. A buyer immediately offered full price and said they'd pay to ship it. They sent what looked like a legitimate cashier's check, which my wife deposited. Two days later, our bank account was frozen. What appeared to be the real thing was, upon closer examination by people who know what the real thing looks like, a counterfeit.

This experience mirrors what's happening in Christian circles today. Many teachings look like the real gospel, sound like Christianity, but underneath lies a foundation of deception. And nowhere is this more evident than in how the phrase "God is love" gets misused.

The Hijacked Definition of Love
"God is love" appears on children's church signs, at sporting events, and even at pride parades. More times than not, it's wielded as a deflection: "If you're a Christian, you wouldn't feel that way, because God is love and God loves everybody."

Let me be clear: those are two absolutely true statements. God IS love, and God DOES love everyone. The problem lies in how we define love.

The word "love" gets thrown around in many different contexts. "I love Mexican food. I love the Tennessee Vols. I love shopping. I love sleeping in." But when I say "I love my wife," that better have a different meaning! The same word carries vastly different weight depending on the context.

I personally think the word "love" has been hijacked to mean something completely different than what John meant when he said "God is love."

The Full Context of "God is Love"
The scripture that "God is love" comes from is 1 John 4:8. Here it is in its entirety: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

But when this verse gets used as a deflection mechanism, the verses that follow never get referenced. Look what comes next in verses 9-10:
"This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin."

John says, yes, God is love. But then he immediately follows it up by defining what that love actually is: God loved you enough—even while you were still a sinner—to send his Son to take your place and die on a cross for you.

Here's how it normally gets used though: "You can't disagree with me or my choices if you're a Christian, because God is love. And God wouldn't say those things. God wouldn't believe that way. You're not a Christian."

Let's be honest—the church hasn't done a really good job at proclaiming truth mixed with love. We've been a whole lot of truth and very little love. In fact, when we tell people the truth, it's almost like we're angry with them.

I heard a story about a woman whose husband never went to church. She finally gets him to go. The pastor preaches on hell with such anger and condemnation that the husband leaves upset. The next week, she can't believe it when he says, "I'll go with you to another church." At that church, the pastor also preaches on hell, but this time the husband walks forward and gives his life to Jesus. She asks, "What's the difference?" He says, "That first pastor preached like he wanted me to go to hell, and the second one preached like he wanted to keep me from it."

While we need to get better at giving truth WITH love, we also can't let the pendulum swing too far the other way. Paul says in Ephesians 4:15, "We are to speak the truth, but we are to speak the truth in love."

Testing the Spirits: Recognizing Counterfeits
If we back up to 1 John 4:1, we find the context for John's entire discussion:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

• The Spirit of Antichrist is Already Here

John continues in verses 2-6:
"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."

As a Christian growing up in church, I would look for THE Antichrist. But according to John, there is a spirit of antichrist that is already living in our world. The problem is we're looking for one person and missing the spirit of antichrist—anything that goes against what Christ says.

John is writing to churches around Ephesus about traveling teachers preaching things that don't align with the true gospel. They were charismatic, had energy, and said things people wanted to believe.

Isn't that what the health and weight loss industry is built on? Selling us things we want to believe are true? "Lose 30 pounds in a week!" Deep down, I know that's not true. But maybe this time it is...

We'd rather believe something we know isn't true than do the hard work actually required. In church, our ears get tickled. We hear something that sounds easier than what the Bible requires, and even though deep down we know it's not true, we desperately want to believe it.

• The Spread of Deception Then and Now

Now think about this: If false teaching was spreading to the extent that Paul felt the need to address it back then—when there were no apps, no social media platforms, nothing like that—how much more is it being spread today?

All you have to do is open your phone and it's filled with information, whether false or true. With the way algorithms work, if you watch one teaching that's interesting (doesn't matter if it has false teaching underneath), you start getting flooded with more of the same. If it was running rampant back then, how much more so today?

That's why John says, "Test the spirits." Even as believers, we can be swayed to believe what somebody else is saying because we'd rather hear that than what the Bible actually requires of us.

The Devil's Ancient Strategy
We shouldn't be surprised—this is what the devil has been doing from the beginning. Spreading lies wrapped in enough truth to make them seem real, even when we really know they're not. From Genesis 3 through Revelation, the devil constantly tries to duplicate or counterfeit what God has to make us want his counterfeit more than the real deal.

When the serpent approached Eve in the garden, he didn't say, "Disregard everything God told you." He started a conversation: "Looks good, doesn't it? You ever had one? Why would God put this in the garden if he didn't want you to at least try it?"

Eve tells the serpent what God said. The enemy doesn't outright tell her not to believe God, but he sprinkles in some spiritual insinuations. Somehow, he convinces Eve to trade the genuine word of God—that she got from God himself—for a counterfeit word because her fleshly appetite wanted it.

If Eve was able to be swayed and she walked with God daily, we've got to be alert and test the spirits.

• The Devil's Four-Layer Plan

When I think about the devil's plan and how he works, I believe there are four layers to it:

1. Distraction - He caught Eve off guard (a talking snake would distract anyone!)
2. Deception - The serpent begins to deceive her
3. Distortion - He distorts the word of God to her
4. Denial - "Did He really say that?"

This pattern continues throughout Scripture. Moses dealt with it when he told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 13:4: "It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him." Moses took this so seriously that he said if someone comes along—even if they can do miracles and signs and wonders—but they try to get you to worship another god, you were to put them to death. Why? Because they were trying to incite rebellion against God's true word.

Jesus addressed it too. In Matthew 7:15-16, He said: "Beware of false teachers who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves who will tear you apart. You can identify them by their fruit, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit."

The devil doesn't come at us with horns showing and tail waving. He's the master deceiver who comes with something appealing. He slips in saying, "Oh, you love Jesus? I love Him too! You listen to Christian radio? I do too!" Then comes: "But did Jesus really mean that? I know the Bible says that, but does it really mean that?"

What he does is dress it up and use enough truth, use enough scripture to cover up the lie hidden beneath. And even though something is telling us this isn't right, we want to believe it so badly that we're willing to give up the real thing for a genuine counterfeit.

• This Continues Throughout Scripture

Second Peter 2:1-3 describes what's happening in our world today:
"Just as there were false prophets in the past among God's people, so there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them... Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money."

Tell me that's not happening today.

Paul encountered this in the church he planted in Corinth. In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, he wrote: "These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness."

How to Test the Spirits
I'm not talking about developing a cynical attitude toward everything. But John gives us wisdom: examine and scrutinize teachings to determine their genuineness. The Greek word for "test" (dokimazo) was used like a goldsmith testing coins with a touchstone to ensure they weren't counterfeit.

So when you hear a clip, a social media personality, or a podcast teaching, how do you test it? Ask these three questions:

1. What Does God's Word Say About It?
As a follower of Jesus, this should be the first place I go. When it comes to issues like sex, marriage, gender, abortion, stealing, politics, or honor—what does God's Word say?

It doesn't matter what my opinion is. Even as a pastor, my opinion doesn't matter. What matters is what His Word says. I can have lots of opinions, but they could be wrong. (Don't believe me? Ask my wife. Ask my staff. I've had to back up and say, "You know what, that was stupid. You're right, I was wrong.")

If I can just pick and choose what verses suit me, what does that say about my relationship with Jesus? Either I believe it or I don't.

2. Can I Build My Life On It?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27:
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

Notice Jesus doesn't just say "anybody who hears these words of mine"—He says "and puts them into practice." Many people hear His words but don't put them into practice.

When storms come (and Jesus doesn't say IF storms come, He says WHEN), your foundation determines whether you stand or fall.

When you hear some teaching or opinion, ask: Is this really a firm foundation, or will it turn out to be sand?

3. Who Do They Say Jesus Is?
This is the most important question in the world we're living in. The popular ideology today is "all roads lead to God." So ask: Who are you telling me Jesus is?

This was happening in the first century. A man named Cerinthus taught a blend of Christianity and Gnostic beliefs. He said Jesus and Christ were two separate things—Jesus was the man, but Christ was just a spirit that temporarily came down and indwelt him. He denied that Jesus was fully God and fully man.

If you read 1 John, you'll notice John never separates "Jesus" and "Christ." It's always "Jesus Christ." He's emphasizing what theologians call the hypostatic union—Jesus Christ is one person with two distinct natures, fully divine and fully human.

That's why 1 John opens with: "We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands." John is making the claim: He is man, but He is divine.

Listen carefully: If you deny this aspect of Jesus, you deny everything about Him.

When you look at belief systems like Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Scientology, the question can never be "Does it sound good?" or "Does it make me feel good?" or "Does it make sense to me?"

The question must be: Who do they say Jesus is?

The Bottom Line
If you get Jesus wrong, it doesn't matter what you get right.
It doesn't matter if it brings you momentary peace. It doesn't matter if it brings you temporary happiness. It doesn't matter if it gives you comfort. If you get Jesus wrong, it doesn't matter what you get right.

Only Jesus Christ was born of a virgin.
Only Jesus Christ died on a cross, paid for our sins, and rose again three days later.
Only Jesus Christ ascended to heaven.
Only Jesus Christ is coming back to judge us and the world.

What Are You Building Your Life On?
As the old hymn says: "On Christ, the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand."

So what are you building your life on? Are you mingling teachings and religions? Do you think, "I like the way this one believes. I agree with this teaching over here. I like the way they do this over there"?

The saying "all religions lead to the same God" is partly true—most religions DO lead to the same destination and deity. The problem is it's not the deity they think.

The deity behind false claims and teachings is what Paul calls in 2 Corinthians "the angel of light" and the "god of this world." Jesus calls him "the father of lies," and Revelation says he is "the deceiver of the whole world."

Satan hates you. He won't come right out and say it, but he likes to sprinkle in a little truth. He even used scripture when tempting Jesus! If he thought he could use scripture to make Jesus stumble, are we better than Jesus? We better watch out.

What he wants is to get you to buy into something, and before you know it, it has its grip on you and you can't tell what's truth and what's lies.

Don't Settle for Counterfeits
Don't settle for a counterfeit gospel that sounds good but lacks the power to save. Don't settle for teachings that make you feel comfortable but don't align with God's Word. Don't settle for a version of Jesus that fits your preferences but isn't the Jesus of Scripture.

Test everything against God's Word. Build your life on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Understand who Jesus truly is—fully God and fully man, the only way to salvation.

Remember: It appeared to be the real thing, but upon examination by those who know what the real thing looks like, it was revealed to be counterfeit.

Be someone who knows the real thing so well that counterfeits are immediately recognizable.

This past Sunday, my brother Chris took on one of the most controversial passages in all of Scripture - 1 Timothy 2:8-15. And yes, I'm the one who assigned it to him. He mentioned during his message that he was convinced I must hate him for giving him this topic. The truth is, I asked him to tackle this passage for the same reason we started our "Straight Outta Context" series in the first place: because the church desperately needs to learn how to handle difficult texts with wisdom, grace, and proper biblical interpretation.

The Problem with Taking Verses Out of Context
At WBCC, we've watched too many believers get wounded by well-meaning people who weaponize Scripture. We've seen marriages damaged by proof-texting. We've witnessed gifted women shrink back from their calling because someone quoted a single verse without understanding its historical context. We've watched men abdicate their responsibility to lead spiritually in their homes and churches.

This is exactly why we need to recover the art and science of biblical hermeneutics - the careful study of Scripture that asks essential questions: Who wrote this? Who was the original audience? What was happening culturally and historically? What does the rest of Scripture say on this topic?

What Chris Got Right
My brother did something beautiful this past Sunday. He didn't shy away from the complexity of the text, but he also didn't let it stand alone. He brought the full weight of Scripture to bear on these verses, showing how Paul's words in 1 Timothy must be understood alongside his revolutionary declaration in Galatians 3:28 that in Christ, "there is no longer Jew or gentile, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ."

He reminded us of a fundamental truth that our culture desperately needs to hear: both men and women are created in the image of God and worthy of honor. Not because they earn it, but because they bear the imago Dei.

The Challenge for Men
Chris challenged our men to prioritize prayer over making their point. In a culture where social media has turned everyone into a theologian with an opinion, we need men who will lift holy hands in surrender rather than clenched fists in argument. We need men who will lead their families and churches not through domination, but through the humble strength that comes from time spent in prayer.

The men in Ephesus were literally fighting in church services. They were more concerned with winning debates than with worshipping God. Sound familiar? Today's church men often get so caught up in being right that they forget to be righteous.

The Call for Women to Rise
But what moved me most about Chris's message was his call for women to rise up in their God-given identity and calling. As he walked through Scripture, showing Miriam the prophet, Deborah the judge, Esther the warrior princess, Mary the evangelist, Phoebe the deacon, and Priscilla the teacher, I watched women in our congregation sit up straighter.

The lie our culture tells women is that they must choose between biblical faithfulness and personal calling. But Scripture reveals something different: God has always used women in powerful ways to advance His kingdom. From the first witnesses of the resurrection to the "great army" of women who proclaim good news in Psalm 68:11, God's plan has always included His daughters in full partnership with His sons.

Why Context Matters
The specific situation in Ephesus involved women who were bringing the domineering leadership style of Artemis worship into the Christian church. They were disrupting services and teaching false doctrine without proper grounding in Scripture. Paul's response wasn't to silence women permanently, but to address a specific problem in a specific context.

When we understand this, Paul's instruction that women should "learn" becomes revolutionary rather than restrictive. In a culture where women were rarely educated, Paul was advocating for their intellectual and spiritual development.

Moving Forward Together
Here's what I want our church to understand: this isn't about taking sides in some gender war. This is about recovering a biblical vision where men step up to their calling to lead through prayer and service, and women step into their calling to proclaim the Gospel with power and authority.

We need men who pray like men - with lifted hands and surrendered hearts.
We need women who worship like women - bringing their full gifts and calling to bear for God's glory.
And we need everyone to live like Jesus - with humility, love, and a commitment to honor one another.

Have you ever seen Philippians 4:13 on a t-shirt, bumper sticker, or even tattooed on someone's arm? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It's one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, but I've noticed something troubling: we often misunderstand what Paul was actually saying.

The Misunderstood Power Verse
There is power and truth in this verse—so don't go burn your t-shirts or pay to have your tattoos laser-removed! But when I grew up hearing it, it was presented as "you got this. You can do anything you want. God's going to strengthen you."

We see sports teams with Philippians 4:13 under their eye. We use it as encouragement: "Hey guys, you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength." We use it in a sense that we have this supernatural power and authority to accomplish great things.

While I do believe that with the Holy Spirit working in and through us, we can accomplish amazing things, that's not what Paul was talking about when he wrote these words.

Understanding the Context
To understand what Paul meant, we need context:

• Who wrote it? Paul
• Who was he writing to? The church at Philippi
• Where was he writing from? Prison

When we read the surrounding verses in Philippians 4, Paul says:
"I am not saying this because I'm in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul was thanking the Philippians for sending him gifts while he was in prison. He was essentially saying, "Thank you for remembering me, but I want you to know something—I've learned the secret of being content."

The Secret of Contentment
The Greek word for "content" here is autarkeia, which means "self-sufficiency" or "independence of external circumstances." What Paul is saying is, "I've learned not to make this situation bigger than who my God is."

He's saying, "I've learned when I encounter difficult situations or circumstances, to handle them level-headedly—with Godly perspective."

Notice that important word: "learned." Paul says, "I have learned the secret of being content." The apostle Paul—writer of a third of the New Testament, hero of our faith, master church planter—says, "I'm still learning."

As Albert Einstein said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying." That's true spiritually, too. Too many Christians don't think they have anything left to learn in this life. If you cease having the ability to learn or think you've attained it all in this Christian journey, you're spiritually dying and you don't even know it.

Endurance: The Heart of Philippians 4:13
What Paul is really talking about is endurance—outlasting whatever life throws at you. He's saying that his present circumstances, regardless of what they were, wouldn't alter his faith or purpose.

Whether I have plenty of money or I'm homeless, whether I'm popular or nobody knows me, whether I'm successful in business or I'm working at McDonald's, whether I'm completely healthy or I'm dealing with a thorn in the flesh—whatever the season of my life, it's not going to alter my faith or my purpose.

This verse is not about accomplishing some great feat. It's about enduring and outlasting the things that life throws at us. It's about standing firm in our faith and in our calling, regardless of circumstances.

Putting It Into Practice:
1. Be Mindful of What Fuels You
What is fueling your soul, your mind, your heart? What's driving your thoughts and emotions?

Paul says in Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Recently, I found myself doom-scrolling through social media, and I realized I was fueling my spirit with things it was never meant to run on. So I took the gas nozzle out of my heart, hung it back up, and began to put the fuel of worship in me. I opened my Bible app, turned on some Scripture, and just listened as the Word of God was read over and over to me—because that is the fuel this body was meant to run on.

If you could just endure a little longer, if you can just stay in the game and stay in the fight a little longer, the sun is going to shine on you.

2. Don't Trust Your Own Understanding
Trying to understand all the difficult events in life would wear me out because I simply don't have the capacity. Proverbs 3:5 tells us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Some of you have minds that are reeling, trying to wrap your head around difficult situations, trying to understand, trying to get a "why" for your pain. Paul says, "Here's what you do: pray about it, give it to God, and then allow His peace to quiet the voices in your mind, to quiet your heart as you lean in and trust in Jesus."

The True Power of Philippians 4:13
That's the true power of Philippians 4:13—not that we can do anything we set our minds to, but that through Christ, we can endure anything life throws our way. We can remain content, faithful, and purposeful regardless of our circumstances.

This isn't about achieving the American Dream or winning the championship game. It's about something far more powerful: the unshakeable peace and strength that comes from knowing that no external circumstance can separate us from the love of Christ or derail His purposes in our lives.

The next time life hits you hard, remember: you don't need the strength to conquer everything—you need the strength to endure anything. And that strength? It comes through Christ alone.

Last Sunday, Pastor Austin tackled one of the most quoted—and misunderstood—verses about parenting in the entire Bible. As I listened to him unpack Proverbs 22:6, I found myself nodding along, remembering the countless conversations I've had with parents carrying crushing guilt over children who've wandered from the faith.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

It sounds like an ironclad promise, doesn't it? Raise your kids right, take them to church, teach them Bible verses, and you're guaranteed they'll stay on the straight and narrow. But if that's true, then what do we do with free will? What do we say to the faithful parents whose adult children have walked away from everything they were taught?

When Promises Become Prisons
I've sat across from too many heartbroken parents who treat this verse like a contract they failed to fulfill. They dissect every parenting decision, wondering where they went wrong. "If I had just taken them to church more..." "If I had been stricter..." "If I had been more loving..."

But here's what Austin helped us understand: this isn't a promise—it's wisdom. And there's a crucial difference.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, was giving us a proverb, not a guarantee. Think about other wise sayings: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." That's generally good advice, but it doesn't mean you'll never need medical care. "The early bird catches the worm." True in principle, but not an absolute law of the universe.

Proverbs are general principles for successful living, not fail-proof formulas.

The Context Changes Everything
When we look at the Hebrew word "chanak" (train up), it means to dedicate, initiate, or inaugurate. It's talking about starting early and being intentional. The phrase "in the way he should go" literally translates to "according to his way"—not just God's way, but the child's unique way of learning and growing.

This puts a whole different spin on the verse. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, Solomon is saying: "Get to know your child. Understand how they learn. Recognize their unique gifts and personality. Then train them accordingly."

Some kids are visual learners. Others learn through stories. Some need hands-on experiences. Some thrive with structure; others need more flexibility. The parent who recognizes these differences and adapts their approach is following biblical wisdom.

Free Will Isn't a Bug—It's a Feature
If this verse guaranteed that proper training would prevent any child from ever straying, it would eliminate free will entirely. But free will is the whole point of creation. God didn't want robots programmed to love Him; He wanted beings who could choose to love Him.

Even Jesus told the story of the prodigal son—a young man who was raised right but chose to leave. That story isn't a failure of parenting; it's an illustration of the human condition. We all have the capacity to walk away from what we know is right.

And here's the thing: even those of us raised in the church have strayed at some point. Maybe not dramatically, but we've all had seasons of doubt, rebellion, or spiritual wandering. That doesn't mean our parents failed—it means we're human.

The Weight You Don't Have to Carry
Parents, if your child has walked away from the faith, I need you to hear this: it's not your fault. You can do everything right and still watch your child make choices that break your heart. That's not a failure of your parenting—that's the reality of raising human beings with free will.

Ezekiel 18:20 makes this crystal clear: "The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child." Each person is responsible for their own choices.

I've watched parents destroy themselves with guilt over their children's decisions. They've carried weight that was never theirs to bear. Some have even walked away from their own faith because they couldn't reconcile their child's choices with God's "promises."

But when we understand that Proverbs 22:6 is wisdom rather than a guarantee, it frees us to parent with confidence while releasing us from the crushing weight of false responsibility.

Training Still Matters
Now, before anyone misunderstands, let me be clear: the fact that this isn't a guarantee doesn't mean training doesn't matter. It matters tremendously.

In our world today, other forces are training our children from the moment they can hold a device. Social media, entertainment, and peer pressure are all competing for their hearts and minds. We can't afford to be passive in our influence.

The training you provide creates a foundation. Even if your child wanders, they often return to that foundation in their darkest moments. The stories you told, the prayers you prayed, the values you modeled—these don't disappear just because your child is making poor choices right now.

A Word to Adult Children
But this truth cuts both ways. If parents aren't ultimately responsible for their adult children's choices, then adult children can't blame their parents indefinitely for their problems.

At some point, you have to own your life. You can't keep using your upbringing as an excuse for your current choices. Maybe you didn't get the training described in Proverbs 22:6. Maybe your childhood was difficult. That's not your fault.

But what you do with your life from this point forward—that is your responsibility.

The Hope in the Wandering
Here's what I love about the prodigal son story: it doesn't end with the departure. The son comes home. And when he does, his father is waiting with open arms.

Many children who wander eventually return to their foundation. Not all, but many. And even when they don't return to faith exactly as their parents hoped, the training often shows up in their character, their values, and how they treat others.

The investment you make in training your children is never wasted, even when it doesn't look like what you expected.

Practical Wisdom for Today's Parents
So how do we apply this properly understood wisdom?

Start early and be intentional. Don't wait until problems arise to begin spiritual training. Make it part of your daily rhythm.

Know your child. Pay attention to how they learn, what motivates them, and what gifts God has given them. Train them according to their unique design.

Focus on the heart, not just behavior. Rules without relationship often lead to rebellion. Your goal isn't perfect behavior; it's heart transformation.

Model what you teach. Children learn more from what they see than what they hear. Your authentic faith will have more impact than your perfect words.

Trust God with the outcome. Do your part faithfully, then trust that God loves your children even more than you do.

The Village Matters
Austin made a passionate plea for people to get involved in children's ministry, and I want to echo that. The church family plays a crucial role in training up children. When kids see multiple adults living out their faith, it reinforces what they're learning at home.

If you've been thinking about serving with children, now is the time. We need people with different gifts—teachers, encouragers, creative types, and yes, even "enforcers" to help maintain order. These children are our future, and they need you.

Freedom and Responsibility
Understanding Proverbs 22:6 correctly brings both freedom and responsibility. Freedom from the crushing guilt of believing you can control your child's eternal destiny. Responsibility to do your part faithfully while trusting God with the results.

Your job as a parent is to train, not to guarantee outcomes. Your job is to plant and water, trusting God to bring the growth. Your job is to love unconditionally while maintaining biblical standards.

And sometimes, your job is to let go and trust that the foundation you've laid will hold, even when you can't see it working.

The children who've been trained up may wander, but they rarely wander without remembering where home is. And that memory, planted by faithful parents and watered by a loving church community, often becomes the beacon that guides them back when they're ready.

That's not a guarantee—it's hope. And sometimes, hope is exactly what we need to keep training up the next generation, one child at a time.

Have you ever received a promise from God that seemed to contradict your reality? Maybe you've read Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" - while going through a devastating season of life. You look around at your circumstances and think, "God, if this is Your idea of 'good,' we need to talk."

Think about camping for a moment. Some people love it - the fresh air, the campfire, sleeping under the stars. Others of us see nothing appealing about going out and pretending you're homeless for two or three days. Now if you've got a Winnebago with air conditioning and satellite? That's a different story. But a tent? No thank you.

Or consider country music. Some people think it's wonderful, while others find it horrible. Then there's the divide between old country music lovers who think the new stuff is complete garbage.

We can look at the exact same thing and have completely different opinions about whether it's good or not. I love Taco Bell - I could eat it every day and have points racked up on my app. But my friend James will take anything but Taco Bell. When we stopped for food after a game, he said, "I'll take anything but Taco Bell." You know what we did? We pulled into Krystal's instead. I got my gut bomb, and James got what he wanted.

Whose Definition of "Good" Are We Using?
This verse - Romans 8:28 - is one of the most quoted in Christianity, and for good reason. It offers hope in difficult times. But like many popular verses, it's also frequently misunderstood. The problem isn't with God's promise - it's with our definition of "good."

When Paul writes that "God works all things to the good of those that love him," whose version of good is he referring to? Because in our humanity, we can both look at the same thing and have two totally different opinions about whether it's good or not.

Understanding Romans 8 in Context
Paul wrote Romans as his masterpiece. In it, he covers key things essential for our Christian faith - what it means to know God, how to become a follower of Jesus, the cost of following Jesus, and the good news of following Jesus.

But Romans 8 is the highlight reel. The theologian Donald Barnhouse once said, "If you're a Christian, if you were to drop your Bible, it should automatically open up to Romans 8 because you spent so much time there."

Romans 8 opens with "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Paul talks about how we can do nothing to earn our salvation, the battle between flesh and spirit, and how "the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in you" (Romans 8:11).

He tells us we've been adopted and can call God "Abba Father," making us co-heirs with Jesus. Then in verse 18, he says something powerful: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth even comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Later, he declares, "If God is for us, who then can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

Romans 8 closes with the reminder that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

All that powerful content sandwiches our verse about three-quarters of the way through: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

God's Definition of "Good"

So what is God's definition of "good"? The answer comes in the very next verse:
"For those God foreknew, he also chose to be conformed to the image of his son" (Romans 8:29).

There it is. God's definition of good for your life and my life is you and I becoming more and more like Jesus. Good isn't necessarily a comfortable life. Good isn't that we get everything we want or pray for.

If I'm being honest, we don't really know what we need. Two verses before our promise, Paul says, "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Because we don't know what we ought to pray or ask for" (Romans 8:26).

Can you imagine if God gave us everything we prayed for? Remember the movie Bruce Almighty? There's that scene where Bruce is hearing all these prayers coming in like emails, driving him crazy. He tries different filing systems, but finally gets so overwhelmed he hits "select all" on the prayer emails and types "yes," answering everyone's prayer with yes and hitting send.

Chaos breaks loose! There are more lottery winners than ever before. There's a woman running around saying, "Hey, I lost 46 pounds this week on the Krispy Kreme diet!" If everyone got exactly what they prayed for, chaos would happen in the world. We think we know what we need, but in reality, we have no idea.

When God Permits What He Hates
Joni Eareckson Tada's story illustrates this principle powerfully. She grew up very athletic - her parents and sisters were all athletic, and she was an avid swimmer. But on July 30, 1967, at the age of 17, she dove into the Chesapeake Bay, not realizing how shallow it was, and suffered an injury that left her a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down for the rest of her life.

During her rehabilitation, she experienced anger, frustration, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. She writes about being "fresh out of the hospital, barely out of my teens, sitting at our family table with my friend Steve Estes with our Bibles and sodas." Steve had heard she was having hard questions about God and her broken neck.

"I always thought that God was good," she said to him. "But here I am, a quadriplegic, sitting in a wheelchair, feeling more like his enemy than his child."

Then one night at the dinner table, Steve leaned in and said twelve words that would change her life: "God will permit what he hates to accomplish that which he loves."

I want to be clear: God does not cause bad things to happen. He doesn't give someone a sickness or disease. He doesn't make someone a quadriplegic or cause accidents. But when life shows up in those ways, God is somehow able to use them for good.

Joni, now 75 years old, has said this was the greatest thing that ever happened to her because in that tragedy, she found salvation. She says, "I would rather be in this wheelchair knowing God than on my own two feet not knowing him."

God Works All Things Together (Synergy)
When Paul says "all things work together," he uses the Greek word "synergeo" - where we get our English word "synergy." Synergy means combining different elements to produce an effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

I love salt. I salt everything - even watermelon, which my friends in Mexico found weird. But do you know what salt is made of? Two ingredients: sodium and chloride. Both elements on their own are toxic and poisonous. But something happens when they get mixed together - synergy.

The bad things we face in life - health issues, devastating losses, unexpected tragedies - on their own can become toxic and poison how we see the world. But God can take those things that are toxic individually and mix them together through synergy to create something not just good, but beautiful.

God wants to take the toxic, the brokenness, the poisonous, the pain - things that when you look at them individually, you see anything but good - and make something beautiful out of them. I don't know how he does it. I have no clue how he does it. And if I'm being honest, there are some things that have happened in our life where I'm still waiting to see how this is good.

God Is Developing Us
When you're going through the bad and can't see anything but the bad, remember: God is developing you.

You ever put something in the microwave for one minute and stand there waiting? That seems like the longest minute of your life. You're watching that timer, waiting and waiting, thinking "Come on, it's supposed to be a microwave - quickly!"

We live in a Walmart one-hour delivery world. I can place an online order from Walmart and have it at my house within an hour. I even get text updates: "Your order has been received... Your order is being put together... Your order has left... Your order is almost there... Your order has arrived."

Don't you wish prayer worked like that? You pray a prayer and get a text: "Prayer has been received... Your prayer is being organized right now... Your prayer request is on the way... Prayer has arrived."

I wish I had some kind of timeframe. I can wait if I know how long I have to wait. But here's the problem: if God gave us a timeframe, we'd find something else to do while waiting instead of staying in the process and allowing Him to produce something in us.

Sometimes we look at things that have happened in our lives - maybe there's addiction in your story, divorce, abuse, abandonment - and we're watching and waiting for God to do something. "God, this doesn't look good. I'm trying to see the good, but I just can't." You can't see it right now because you are being developed.

Here's something somebody needs to hear: what God allowed in one season might not be redeemed or able to be seen until long after that prayer was prayed. In some cases, it may not be seen by you ever - it may not become clear until after you're gone.

The development you're going through right now is not just for you. The development you're going through is going to shift something generational that you grew up with, so your kids and grandkids won't have to fight the same battles you fought. You're breaking a generational curse by choosing to stay in the development process where God is doing something in you.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. And he has also set eternity into the human heart. Yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to the end."

Life Application: Seeing God's Good in the Bad
Joseph's story in Genesis perfectly illustrates this principle. His brothers plotted to kill him (bad), sold him into slavery (bad), he was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife (bad), thrown into prison for doing the right thing (bad), and forgotten there for years (bad).

Yet at the end of the story, Joseph tells his brothers: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20).

Joseph was able to say, "All the bad things that happened to me - my brothers hating me, plotting to kill me, selling me into slavery, being falsely accused, spending years in prison - those were bad. But God was able, through synergy, to make something beautiful."

Next Steps:

Redefine "good" - Ask God to help you see "good" as becoming more like Jesus rather than just having comfortable circumstances.

Look for the synergy - In your difficult situations, ask: "God, how might You be combining these toxic elements to create something beautiful?"

Trust the development process - Remember that what God is developing in you may be generational, breaking cycles for your children and grandchildren.

Stay in the process - Don't check out during the waiting seasons. God is producing something in you during the development time.

Remember Joseph's testimony - When facing hardship, remind yourself that what others (or circumstances) intend for harm, God can use for good.

What looks like a devastating setback to you might be God's setup for something beautiful. I cannot even begin to fathom what God has done or is doing, but I know this and cling to it even when I don't understand: He is able to make all things work for the good because I love Him.

Hey, we kicked off this series a couple weeks ago called "Straight Outta Context" - looking at scriptures that have been widely misused, misquoted, and mispreached about. You know what I'm talking about? People take one scripture and build a whole theology around it.

Last week, Pastor Amanda tackled a verse that gets thrown around by Christians and non-Christians alike - it even gets used by people that don't even believe in God. Matthew 7:1: "Do not judge or you'll be judged." Man, she did an incredible job tackling that verse. Denise and I watched it while we were away, and then I actually rewatched it on Tuesday morning here at the church just so I could try to digest everything she said. It was a great message.

The Viral Trend vs. True Repentance
You've probably seen that viral trend where people say, "We listen and we don't judge." It's usually two or three people in a video, and someone confesses things they've done - typically bad things - while others just nod along without judgment.

But here's the thing - I think a lot of times we want to make all these confessions. We want to confess all of these things, but not really face any accountability for it. We want people to just say, "Yeah, okay, that's fine," you know, no big deal.

But that's not what Jesus had in mind. True repentance is more than just confessing our sins - it's a change of heart. As Christians, we recognize our sin, feel genuine godly sorrow, confess these sins, and then turn away from them to walk in a new direction.

What Did Jesus Actually Say?
Let me tell you what Jesus actually said in Matthew 7:1-6: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."

But He doesn't stop there - and this is where context matters, people. He continues: "Why worry about the speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

Notice that Jesus doesn't say we should never address the "speck" in our friend's eye. He's saying we should deal with our own issues first, then help others. We are called to judge with discernment, not condemnation.

Discernment vs. Condemnation
Listen, there's a crucial difference between these two approaches:

Discernment is given by the Holy Spirit. It's evaluating without condemnation. Its goal is alignment with God's truth. When we discern, we're testing everything against God's standards with humility.

Condemnation, on the other hand, is what Jesus warns against. It's hypocritical judgment that puts others to shame and makes us feel superior. Shame begins to push you away from God. Shame gives you a guilty verdict with no hope.

Here's the difference in the outcome: Shame leads to isolation. It keeps you in the dark. But conviction draws you closer to God. It is an invitation to begin to live in freedom. Conviction leads to restoration.

Judging by the Fruit
Jesus tells us to "judge by the fruit" (Matthew 7:16-20). Just as we can tell the difference between a sweet apple and a sour lemon, we can discern healthy and unhealthy behaviors and relationships.

When I'm looking at this lemon and I'm looking at this apple, am I condemning them for what they are? Am I making them feel shame? Am I tearing them down? No, I'm calling it what it is.

This isn't about making people feel bad about who they are - it's about recognizing what's healthy and what's not in our lives.

Don't Waste What Is Holy
Jesus concludes this teaching with something that might seem confusing: "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs. They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you" (Matthew 7:6).

This reminds us not to spend all our time correcting and judging people who haven't accepted Jesus. If they don't claim to be pursuing Jesus, if they haven't accepted Him as a savior, they don't have the same moral code as us.

Putting It Into Practice
So how do we live this out? Here's what I want you to remember:

Check yourself first: Before addressing someone else's issues, examine your own heart and actions. Get that log out of your own eye.

Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance: We need to begin to use that gift of discernment and really begin to ask Holy Spirit what He wants to do in this person's life, what He wants to do in this relationship.

Judge with the right heart: When you do need to address issues, do it with humility and love, aiming for restoration rather than condemnation.

Know when to engage and when to step back: Some relationships may need boundaries if they're pulling you away from God.

Church, Jesus never called us to ignore sin or pretend everything is acceptable. But He also didn't call us to be the judge, jury, and executioner. He called us to address it with humility, after dealing with our own issues first, and always with the goal of restoration rather than condemnation.

That's what real love looks like - not "we listen and we don't judge," but "we listen and we help each other grow closer to Jesus."

Walk into any Christian bookstore and you'll find Jeremiah 29:11 on everything from coffee mugs to wall art. It's arguably the most quoted verse in modern Christianity, and for good reason. We love to quote it: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It's filled with hope and comfort. But what if I told you we might be missing something crucial about this verse?

The Danger of Taking Scripture Out of Context
When we study scripture, the first thing we must do is study and understand the context. What was said before the verse? What was said after? Who wrote it? Who was it written to? What was the cultural climate when it was written?

We're bad about taking one verse, not looking at the context, and building an entire theology around just that one verse. That's dangerous. This approach is called "eisegesis"—reading our own meaning into the text rather than drawing the meaning out of it. Instead, we need to practice "exegesis"—interpreting scripture with scripture. Are there other scriptures that say similar things?

So let's dig deeper into what Jeremiah 29:11 actually meant to its original audience.

Who Was Jeremiah 29:11 Actually Written To?
Let's look at the context of Jeremiah 29:11. In verse 1, we learn: "This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon."

This letter was written around 597 BC to Jewish exiles who had been forcibly removed from their homeland and taken into captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar. Picture this: these people had lost everything. They were hundreds of miles from home, cut off from their families, their temple, their way of life. They couldn't worship God the way they'd always known. They were strangers in a foreign land with a foreign language, foreign customs, and foreign gods.

They were exiled because they had openly rebelled against God, were disobedient, and started worshiping false idols. God said that because of their rebellion and sinfulness, they would be under Babylonian rule for 70 years—essentially a lifetime for most of them.

Specific vs. General Promises
This brings us to an important distinction in biblical interpretation. There are two different kinds of promises in the Bible:

1. Specific promises - Made to a specific group, person, time, or place (like God's promise to Abraham about the land of Canaan, or His promise to David about his throne)
2. General promises - Backed up by other scripture and applicable to all believers (like John 3:16 or Romans 8:28)

Jeremiah 29:11 is a specific promise to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. It wasn't specifically written to you and me.

Why is this distinction so important? Because when we misapply specific promises, it creates two dangerous problems.

The Dangerous Applications

First, we might start believing God is just some kind of spiritual vending machine. "I claim this promise, pray the right prayer—bam—God's got to give it to me." This thinking leads to prosperity gospel theology where faith becomes a formula for material success. That kind of thinking suggests God exists to serve us, not the other way around.

Second, if we believe God promises to prosper us and never allow harm to come our way, what happens when those things don't happen? When we face job loss, illness, or tragedy, it becomes easy to think, "God doesn't really exist" or "God doesn't care about me" or "God loves them more than me." I've counseled people whose faith was shattered because they believed God had personally promised them something He never actually promised them.
This misunderstanding sets people up for spiritual disappointment and disillusionment.

The False Prophet and False Good News
Here's where the story gets really interesting. In Jeremiah 28, just one chapter before our famous verse, we see a false prophet named Hananiah telling the exiles they would only be in captivity for two years—not the 70 years God had actually decreed. The people loved this message because it's what they wanted to hear. It was "good news" that allowed them to avoid dealing with the reality of their situation and the consequences of their rebellion. But Hananiah was not speaking for God, and he died that same year for his false prophecy.

I'm seeing the same thing in our culture today—false teachers declaring things God never said, spreading false good news. They promise health, wealth, and happiness to anyone with enough faith. People are falling for it because they want to feel good. They want what sounds appealing and allows them to be at peace with how they want to live.

But here's what we need to understand about the real good news.

The Real Good News
The good news isn't that God saves us from our trials and guarantees us an easy life. The good news is that God saves us from our sins. And not only is that good news, that's great news!

Here's my testimony: There is nothing good in Kelly Goins apart from Christ. I fall short every time. But God did for me what I could never do. God did for me what I could never earn. And God did for me what I definitely did not deserve.

Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us and died in our place so that we could live free. That's the gospel. That's the real good news that never fails and never disappoints.

Finding Truth in Jeremiah 29:11 for Today
Now, just because Jeremiah 29:11 isn't a promise specifically for us doesn't mean there's no truth in it for us. God's character revealed in this passage is unchanging.

Do you believe God has a purpose and plan for us? Absolutely! Romans 8:28 tells us, "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose."

Does God want to bless His people? I believe He does. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:11, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

The difference is understanding that God's plans for our good might not match our definition of "good," and His timeline is often very different from ours.

Life Application: Claiming God's True Promises
Here's what I find beautiful—the verses immediately following Jeremiah 29:11 contain promises I believe ARE for all believers:

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 29:12-14).

Now that's good news! That's a promise I want—no matter what I'm going through, no matter where I'm at, I can call on God. No matter what situation I'm in, God is never far from me. As Hebrews 13:5 promises, "He will never leave me nor forsake me."

The main point is not that God delivers us from every trial. The main point is this: He will never leave you or forsake you.

When life falls apart, when you think there's no coming back, when you think you've failed God one too many times—you still have a future with God. If you are not dead, God is not done. He still has a plan, a future, and a purpose for you.

Moving Forward with Truth
This is week one of our series "Straight Outta Context," where we're going to examine other commonly misunderstood Bible verses. My challenge to you is this: next time you see Jeremiah 29:11 on a coffee mug or wall art, remember the exiles in Babylon. Remember God's faithfulness to them even in their darkest hour. And remember that while that specific promise was for them, the God who made that promise is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Start reading Bible verses in their context. Ask the hard questions. Study to show yourself approved. The truth will set you free—and it's so much better than the false good news our culture is selling.

God's plans for you might not include prosperity and an easy life, but they do include His presence, His faithfulness, and ultimately, His glory. And that's a promise you can count on.

Have you ever noticed how certain topics in Christianity seem to create more confusion than clarity? While most believers can agree on the existence of God the Father and Jesus the Son, when it comes to the Holy Spirit, churches split, theologies divide, and confusion often reigns. Is it "Holy Spirit" or "the Holy Spirit"? What about "Holy Ghost"? And what exactly does the Spirit do in our lives today?

If I took a poll asking who's still dealing with sin despite being saved, I think many of us would raise our hands. Those fleshly desires, those selfish cravings that linger in our lives—we all have them. But here's what we can all agree on: we need more of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Period.

The Enemy's Fear of the Holy Spirit
The enemy works overtime to create confusion around the Holy Spirit because he's terrified of what happens when believers understand and embrace this power. Just like he attacks our identity in Christ (because he knows once we realize who we are in Jesus, he's in trouble), he also creates chaos around the topic of the Holy Spirit.

Why? Because when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, real transformation happens. The enemy is fine with you coming to church on Sunday as long as you're just a spectator who takes it in and leaves it there. But when you get a taste of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to change how you think, act, and treat people—that's when the enemy has a problem.

Who Is the Holy Spirit?
In John 14, Jesus makes an incredible promise to His disciples: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to be with you forever" (John 14:16).

That word "helper" in Greek is "parakletos," which means defense attorney. Think about that for a moment. When you go to court, there's an opposing counsel trying to convict you, bringing accusations against you. But then there's someone representing you—your personal defense attorney.

That's what the Holy Spirit is for us! When the enemy brings accusations against us, when he tries to put shame and guilt on us, the Holy Spirit is right there as our defense attorney. And what do attorneys tell their clients in court? "Remain silent. Don't say anything. Let me work for you." That's exactly what the Holy Spirit does.

The Holy Spirit is also translated as:

• Comforter (because we'll face uncomfortable situations)
• Counselor (helping us articulate what we're feeling inside)
• Advocate (speaking on our behalf)
• Intercessor (praying for us when we don't have the words)

Why Jesus Had to Leave
In John 16, Jesus makes a statement that must have shocked His disciples: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. If I do not go away, the helper will not come to you" (John 16:7).

Put yourself in the disciples' sandals for a moment. These men had been with Jesus for three years. They'd seen Him cast out demons they couldn't cast out. They'd watched Him multiply food when they had none. They'd seen Him calm storms and heal the sick.

And now He's telling them it's better for Him to leave? How could that possibly be true?

Here's why: Jesus was sending His Spirit not just to one location, but to dwell inside each believer. When Jesus was physically present, He could only be in one place at a time. But with the Holy Spirit, He can be with each of us, all the time, wherever we go—guiding us at work, filtering our words, and empowering us for every situation we face.

The Holy Spirit Effect: Peter's Transformation
Look at Peter's transformation as the perfect example. He had the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 16:16), yet when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him three times. He knew who Jesus was, but he lacked the boldness to stand up even to a servant girl.

But in Acts 2, after receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter preached boldly and 3,000 people were saved! What changed? The Holy Spirit gave him the power and boldness he lacked before. This is the same transformation available to each of us.

The Fruit of the Spirit vs. The Flesh
In Galatians 5:16-17, Paul writes: "But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Something in you wants to be fed—either the Holy Spirit or the flesh. By your habits and actions, you're feeding one or the other. It's your choice.

The works of the flesh are evident: "Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies..." (Galatians 5:19-21). Paul warns that "those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

I personally believe Paul isn't just talking about getting into heaven—he's talking about experiencing God's kingdom here and now. Jesus prayed, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). When we're absorbed with fleshly things, we miss out on experiencing God's kingdom around us.

But when we walk surrendered to the Holy Spirit, the fruit is evident: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). These fruits aren't just feelings—they're actions meant to affect the people around us.

Recognizing the Spirit's Work in Our Lives
As I listened to Ben share about the Holy Spirit this week, I was reminded of the countless conversations I've had with believers who struggle to understand how the Spirit works in their daily lives. Many come to me confused about manifestations, wondering if they're "spiritual enough" or if they've somehow missed out on what God has for them.

Here's what I've observed over years of ministry: The Holy Spirit's work is often less dramatic and more transformative than we expect. I've watched teenagers in our youth group discover that their newfound ability to show kindness to difficult family members isn't just personal growth—it's the Spirit bearing fruit. I've seen adults realize that their increased patience during stressful seasons at work is evidence of God's power living inside them.

The beauty of Ben's message is this reminder: we don't need to chase after spectacular experiences. When someone accepts Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up residence immediately. The question isn't whether He's there—it's whether we're yielding to His influence and allowing Him to produce His character in us.

Practical Steps for Walking in the Spirit
As your pastor, I want to offer some practical guidance for those hungry to experience more of the Holy Spirit's power in their lives:

Start Where You Are: You don't need to wait for a special service or emotional moment. The Holy Spirit is ready to work in your Monday morning commute, your Tuesday team meeting, your Wednesday family dinner. Begin each day by simply acknowledging His presence and asking Him to guide your thoughts and responses.

Look for the Fruit: Pay attention to the nine fruits of the Spirit that Paul lists in Galatians 5. When you find yourself responding with patience instead of frustration, or showing kindness when you'd rather be harsh, celebrate that as evidence of the Spirit's work. These aren't just nice personality traits—they're supernatural manifestations of God's character flowing through you.

Create Space for Growth: Just as Ben emphasized the battle between flesh and Spirit, recognize that spiritual growth requires intentional choices. What you feed grows. Spend time in prayer, worship, and Scripture not as religious duty, but as ways to nourish the Spirit within you.

Trust the Process: I've counseled many believers who become discouraged because their transformation doesn't happen overnight. But I've also witnessed incredible long-term changes in people who consistently surrender to the Spirit's work. Some of the most powerful testimonies in our church come from those who can look back over months and years and see how the Holy Spirit has gradually but dramatically changed their hearts, relationships, and responses to life's challenges.

Stay Connected: The Holy Spirit works through community. Don't try to grow in isolation. Whether through small groups, serving teams, or simply authentic friendships with other believers, allow the Spirit to work in and through your relationships with others.

Moving Forward
Remember, you don't need to beg for the Holy Spirit—you need to recognize His presence and surrender to His work in your life. The goal isn't to become a "super Christian" with dramatic spiritual experiences. The goal is to become more like Jesus—and that happens as we daily yield to the Holy Spirit's gentle but persistent work in our lives.

As Ben so powerfully shared, when we allow the Spirit to have His way, real transformation happens. That transformation doesn't just change us—it impacts everyone around us. And that's exactly what our world needs to see: believers who are truly walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, bearing His fruit, and demonstrating His love in practical, everyday ways.

Have you ever claimed to follow God with your lips while your actions tell a completely different story? I know I have—and I'm not just talking about before I became a pastor. I'm talking about this past week. We say we surrender to God, sing worship songs on Sunday, but by Monday morning, the "God of me" is back on the throne of our hearts. This internal battle for control might be the greatest obstacle to experiencing true freedom in Christ.

What Is True Freedom?
We're in week three of our "Run Wild, Live Free" series, and I'm convinced that in order to walk in true, lasting freedom, it's vital that you understand who you are in Christ. Culture will try to tell you who you are, but real freedom only comes when you recognize who Jesus says you are.

When I talk about identity, I'm talking about what existed in the mind and heart of God when He created you. That's your true identity.

So here's our definition for freedom: Freedom is the ability to act and react in life as the person I was created to be. It's responding to life's challenges without shame, guilt, or regret because you're reacting as Christ created you to react.

Two essential questions shape this freedom: What do I believe about God? And what do I believe about myself?

As A.W. Tozer wisely said, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." But let me rephrase the question: Who is your God? Who do you serve?

Now, our instinct (especially here in the South) is to say, "My God is the one true God." But here's the truth—whether you consider yourself an atheist, agnostic, follower of Jesus, or somewhere in between: You are serving someone.

The Original Identity Crisis
This struggle isn't new. In Genesis 3:1-5, Satan's first tactic was getting Eve to question what God really said: "Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?"

Notice what the enemy does—he gets Eve to question God's word, and he's still doing it today. "Did He really mean that though? Come on, those are ancient writings." The enemy confused Eve enough that she began adding to what God said. She told the serpent that God said not to even touch the tree—but God never said that.

Then came the fatal temptation: "You will be like God." Think about this—Adam and Eve walked daily with the one true God in fellowship like we know nothing about, and yet somehow the enemy convinced them it wasn't enough. That God was holding out on them.

Every day we wake up and take a stroll down to the orchard. Every day the serpent is waiting there. Every day we must make a choice: Will I worship the one true God and find my freedom in Him, or will I worship the god of me and decide I can come up with a better plan for my life than what my Creator did?

Most of the time, we don't even realize we're making this choice. We've made the choice to serve the god of me so much that it becomes natural. Then we wonder why we can't completely break free—why we take two steps forward in our pursuit of freedom only to take ten steps backward.

Three Signs You're Serving the "god of me"
Let me give you three signs to look for. I've wrestled with all of them—not just before I became a pastor, but this past week. I'm not just preaching to you today; I'm preaching to myself.

1. Arrogance and Pride
The god of me has a hard time listening to the wisdom and advice of others. Why? Because the god of me says, "I'm always right. My way's the best way. I don't care what you think."

Be brutally honest with yourself: When was the last time you made one of these statements and meant it? "I was wrong and you were right." "I really should have listened to you." "I think your idea is better." "You're right, I shouldn't be doing this."

Even when we don't realize it, arrogance and pride are at play. When you cannot admit you're wrong, when someone else might have a better idea than yours, when you can't listen to counsel from people God put in your life—that's arrogance and pride.

In Ezekiel 28:2, God addressed the king of Tyre: "In the pride of your heart you say, 'I am a god; I sit on the throne of a God.'" We may not say that out loud, but our actions reveal we believe we're the ultimate authority in our lives.

2. Insecurity
This morning in prayer, I felt like God showed me something about insecurity. When you see young people posting pictures wearing next to nothing on social media, it's a sign of insecurity. Even celebrities and supermodels—it's insecurity. Because what the god of me is saying is, "I need you to tell me I look good. I need you to tell me how hot I am."

But let's make this hit home. The god of me is consumed with what others think. It needs to be included in every group text and tagged in every post. The god of me crumbles when you think, "So-and-so didn't even speak to me today. What's up with that?"

Some of you, your insecurity has already got you thinking I'm talking directly to you. Do you feel it? That's the god of me making a move toward your heart.

3. Defensiveness
Have you ever found yourself taking the slightest suggestion or small bit of criticism as a personal attack? Let me speak to married couples—it's very hard when your spouse says, "I think you ought to do something different" and not take it as a personal attack.

Years ago, Denise and I were counseling a couple whose finances were shot because they were being stupid with their money. When I suggested the wife handle their finances (since she was better with money), the husband got defensive: "Men are supposed to handle the money!" I replied, "Well, you're doing a crappy job at it." (I was three years into pastoring—I didn't know you could say it more politely!)

They left, and the next week they came back wearing concert T-shirts from a show they'd been to that weekend. That's when I knew the god of me had won—he was so defensive that he couldn't hear wisdom no matter who it was coming from.

Broken Cisterns vs. Living Water
This is really idol worship, even though we don't see it that way. Here's a great definition of an idol: Anything you put between you and God is an idol. That could even be good things.

The god of me has been the most relentless idol in my life. It's been the hardest idol for me to break free from—the God of my way, the God of "this is how I want it."

In Jeremiah 2:9-13, God brings two charges against His people: "They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

When you put yourself on the throne of your heart, you're digging your own wells that are broken and won't hold water—when God has a fresh, flowing stream right beside you.

Cisterns were important in that society because rain was infrequent. People would dig these wells, line them with bricks and mud, hoping they'd hold water. Sometimes they did, sometimes they leaked. But even the perfect ones that held water—if that water sat too long, it became stagnant and undrinkable.

When Jeremiah made this metaphor, people would have thought, "Who in their right mind would drink stagnant water when there's a fresh stream available?" Yet that's exactly what we do.

We turn to food, entertainment, careers, social media likes, money, relationships, or politics instead of looking to God. While these things aren't necessarily bad (God can use them for His purposes), the question is: Have they become broken cisterns in your life where you keep trying to fill them, thinking that's where your hope and joy come from, only to watch it leak out?

Some of you feel this way about your marriage—there was a time you were passionate, sure it would last forever. But you put your hope in your spouse and found yourself patching one leak after another.

Some of you feel this way about your kids. You had big dreams for them, but now you see the decisions they're making and wonder how you got here.

Some of you feel this way about your finances. You looked forward to paying off the house, retiring, but you've watched your savings leak out.

The Hostile Takeover Required
So what do we do? The only way to remove a king from its throne is through hostile takeover. When you study history and the Bible, when a new king conquered territory, the first thing they did was kill the old king and anyone loyal to him. Why? They didn't want it coming back to haunt them later.

If you really want to remove the god of me from the throne of your heart, it's going to require a hostile takeover. Killing the god of me will require the death of me.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus looks at the crowd and says, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

You want to serve the one true God? You've got to stop serving the god of me. You've got to give up your own way. Take up your cross—which represents death. You've got to die.

Paul understood this. In 1 Corinthians 15:31, he said, "I die daily." Every day he had to die. There are certain days that Pastor Kelly has to die not just daily, but hourly—sometimes minute by minute. Die to my pride, die to insecurity, die to defensiveness, die to anger, die to having things my way.

Jesus continues: "If you try to hang on to your own life, you're going to lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you'll save it."

C.S. Lewis put it this way: "Give up yourself and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death—death of your ambitions, favorite wishes every day... Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Look for yourself and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Christ, and you will find him, and with him, everything else thrown in."

Keep drinking from that old, stagnant well, and all you're going to find is loneliness, anger, decay, and more chains keeping you bound. But look for Christ, and you'll find Him—and with Him, everything else.

Church, it is a really good day to die—to die to self so that Christ can live through us.

Next Steps:

• Identify which of the three signs (pride, insecurity, defensiveness) is most prevalent in your life
• Ask trusted friends to hold you accountable when they see the "god of me" taking over
• Practice daily surrender through prayer, acknowledging areas where you're trying to control your life
• Replace broken cisterns with God's living water by spending time in His Word

The choice is before you every day: Will you serve the one true God, or will you bow to the God of me? True freedom is found in making the right choice, one day—sometimes one moment—at a time.

Have you ever tried to break free from something only to find yourself stuck in the same cycle months later? Maybe you've thought, "If I could just change my surroundings, my job, or my relationships, then I'd finally be free." I've been there too. The truth is, we're all addicts of some sort—all candidates for freedom.

As I shared with our church family recently, "If you're able to breathe in deep and let it out, you're a candidate for freedom. If you're alive, you need freedom." But what exactly is freedom?

The best definition I've found is this: Freedom is the ability to act and react in life as the person I was created to be.

In other words, it's the ability to respond to life's challenges—when someone cuts you off in traffic, when someone says something hurtful, when circumstances don't go your way—without being controlled by shame, guilt, or past wounds. True freedom means responding from who you really are, not from your baggage.

When pursuing freedom, most of us follow a common pattern, but I believe we've gotten the steps out of order. And order matters—just like taking medicine at the wrong time can mess you up, doing these steps in the wrong sequence keeps us stuck.

We think, "If I could just change my surroundings, I could experience true freedom." If I had a better job, better spouse, better friends... We spend enormous amounts of money and energy convinced that changing things on the outside will make us better people on the inside.

But here's the thing: the Apostle Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison—for doing exactly what God told him to do: "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I've learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it's with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:12-13).

How could he write about contentment and strength from a prison cell? Because true freedom isn't dictated by your environment. It's what's happening inside you during your circumstances.

I grew up in a church that specialized in behavior modification. The unspoken message was clear: "You can come to our church if you change first." This approach created two types of people: those who became inauthentic, playing a role in public while struggling in private, or those who got frustrated and walked away from faith entirely.

The problem with starting with behavior? You're trying to change the outside without addressing what's happening on the inside.

These are the mental maps formed by past experiences that influence how we navigate life. Maybe you've been hurt and created a mental map that says, "I'll never trust again" or "I'll never be vulnerable again."

Mental strategies can be powerful when born out of vision, but when they're born out of pain or disappointment, they can paralyze you and keep you chained to your past.

Beliefs are different from thoughts. We have thousands of thoughts racing through our minds daily, but beliefs are deeper—they're the soundtracks that keep playing over and over, affecting what we do, how we feel, and how we think.

Beliefs like "I'll never be good enough," "I'll always be alone," or "I was born this way and I'll always be this way" will keep you from walking in the freedom you were meant to experience.

What if we've been starting at the wrong place? What if true, lasting freedom begins with understanding our identity?

Who you are is what existed in the heart and mind of God when He created you. Coming to the understanding of who you are, who God created you to be—I believe that is the starting point that can change everything in your pursuit of freedom.

Here's what Scripture declares about you: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This isn't just feel-good religious talk. This is God's declaration about your identity.

I've witnessed this transformation firsthand in my brother Kasey's life. After a 20-plus year addiction that led to 43 months behind bars, Kasey found freedom.

When I asked him about the keys to his breakthrough, he pointed to four things:

1. Desperation for change (not just desperation, but desperation for actual change)
2. Surrender to God (admitting he was the problem)
3. Accountability and self-awareness (allowing people to be mirrors for his blind spots)
4. Consistency (practicing these things daily)

Now, every time I see him with his wife and children, every time I watch him serve in ministry, I'm reminded of Jesus' words in John 8:36: "If the Son sets you free, you are free through and through."

The word "saved" appears about 106 times in the New Testament, almost always as the Greek word "sozo," which means "saved, healed, delivered, rescued, set free, made whole."

Salvation isn't just about avoiding hell—it's about being transformed and made whole right now. We've diluted what Jesus actually came to do for us.

As Dr. Neil Anderson says, "The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity."

Remember your true identity daily. Remind yourself: I'm completely accepted, I am totally secure, I'm deeply confident, and I am who God says I am.

Stop letting others define your worth. Here's a simple illustration: If I had a hundred dollar bill, I could wad it up, stick it in the toilet, do everything to it, and there'd still be a line of takers. Why? Because what was done to that hundred dollar bill doesn't define its worth.

The same is true for you. Things that were said to you, done to you, do not define your worth. Your past does not define your worth.

Embrace your freedom in Christ. Freedom isn't the absence of something—it's the presence of Someone, and that is Jesus.

Maybe we've gotten it backwards. Maybe our pursuit of real transformation needs to start with our identity—knowing who we are in Christ and what He says about us. Because when we get convinced that this is who God says we are, everything else begins to line up.

Salvation isn't about behavior modification. It's about allowing God to replace your old identity with the new identity He's given you.

Freedom isn't about what you've been set free from. Freedom is about who you are being set free to become.

You are who God says you are. And He says you're worth everything to Him.

Have you ever felt trapped by your past mistakes? Or perhaps you're struggling with negative thoughts about yourself, feelings of inadequacy, or the weight of shame? Maybe you're battling an addiction that seems impossible to overcome. I have good news for you today: you were meant to live in freedom.

This week, we kicked off our new series "Run Wild, Live Free" by exploring what true freedom looks like for followers of Christ. And let me tell you, it's not what most people think.

Jesus made a profound statement in John 8:32 that many of us have heard before: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." When He spoke these words to religious leaders who thought they were already free, they became indignant, responding, "We've never been slaves to anyone!" (John 8:33).

But Jesus wasn't talking about political freedom. He clarified in John 8:34, "I'm telling you the truth. Everyone who sins is a slave to sin." This is a hard truth to swallow because none of us like to admit we're slaves to anything. We prefer to think we're in control.

Here's what I've learned in my years of ministry: we can become slaves to three primary things, and I'll bet you recognize yourself in at least one of these:

Many of us are slaves to bad decisions we've made and the brokenness we've left in our wake. I'll be honest with you - I personally struggle with shame and guilt from things I've done in my past, even today.

The Apostle Paul understood this struggle well. Before his encounter with Jesus, he was responsible for imprisoning and killing Christians. Can you imagine wrestling with that kind of past? That's why he wrote in Philippians 3:13-14, "One thing I do, I forget what is behind me and I press on toward the high calling of God."

Some of us are slaves to wounds inflicted by others - emotional, verbal, or even sexual abuse that was no fault of our own. The painful memories hold onto us and keep us captive.

Let me share some sobering statistics: One out of every four girls will be sexually abused before age 18. One out of every six boys will experience the same. In a room our size, these numbers mean many of you know this pain personally.

For some, these wounds are fresh; for others, they were inflicted years ago but still have a hold. The enemy loves to whisper lies: "Don't tell anyone, or they'll think differently about you" or "You deserved this." These are lies, and freedom starts with recognizing them as such.

Many of us try to find fulfillment in things that won't satisfy. As God said in Jeremiah 2:13, "My people have done two evil things. First, they've abandoned me, the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all."

Whether it's pornography, alcohol, drugs, anger, worry, or even something as "innocent" as caffeine (I had someone pray I wouldn't mention that one!), we've all got something that controls us more than we'd like to admit.

So how do we break free? Jesus tells us in John 8:36, "If the Son sets you free, you will be really free." This is crucial to understand: Freedom is not the absence of something; freedom is the presence of someone. That someone is Jesus.

Here's the best definition of freedom I've found: Freedom is the ability to act or react in life as the person I was created to be. Freedom has never been about our outward circumstances; it's about becoming who we were created to be in the middle of our circumstances.

True freedom means you don't have to respond to every argument you're invited to. You don't have to take the bait when someone tries to provoke you. You're free to walk away, to respond as the person God created you to be.

1. Change Your Focus

What I seek first will prioritize every other area of my life. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:33 to "seek first the kingdom of God, his righteousness." When we seek God above all else, everything else begins to take proper shape in our lives.

Think about it: if you seek first relief from pain, you give that pain the ability to organize your life. If you seek first freedom from your past, the past keeps inserting itself into your present. But when you seek God's kingdom first, He begins to order everything else according to His design.

2. Recover Your Identity

Freedom flows out of knowing and understanding who you are in Christ. No person can consistently behave in a way that's inconsistent with how they perceive themselves.

I think we're about to see a revival of people getting set free in their identities - people discovering who God says they are instead of believing the enemy's lies. And when someone walks through our doors confused about their identity, our job isn't condemnation; it's love and compassion that will set them free.

I want to give you something practical. Begin each day by reminding yourself of these truths:
I am completely accepted - "I am a child of God" (John 1:12)
I am totally secure - "I can live free from condemnation because I belong to Jesus" (Romans 8:1)
I am deeply confident - "I am God's masterpiece, His work of art" (Ephesians 2:10)
I am who God says I am - "Through Christ, I am more than a conqueror" (Romans 8:37)

Stop rehearsing the lies others have spoken over you. Stop letting a teacher, an ex-spouse, or even a parent's words define you. You are defined by what God says about you.

Here's what I want you to understand: You are not defined by what someone else says about you or by what you've done in the past. That's what you did, but that's not who you are. God says you're His son, His daughter.

As Dr. Neal Anderson wisely noted, "The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity."

If you're struggling with wounds from your past, if you're battling an addiction, if you're enslaved to shame - whatever the enemy has told you about yourself, recognize it as a lie. You didn't deserve the abuse. You can find freedom. You can break free from what's been holding you back.

It's time to break the chains and walk in the freedom Christ died to give you. You were meant to run wild and live free!

This is Week 1 of our "Run Wild, Live Free" series. If this message spoke to you, I'd love to hear from you. And if you're ready to take the next step in your freedom journey, don't hesitate to reach out. Freedom is possible, and it starts with recognizing where you are and believing what God says about who you are.

It's 2 AM and you're staring at the ceiling again. That familiar weight sits on your chest—not physical pain, but something deeper. You can't name it, can't shake it, can't explain it to anyone who asks "What's wrong?" That subtle yet persistent feeling of hopelessness or sadness follows you like a shadow, and you wonder if you're losing your mind.

Sound familiar? You're not alone.

The Rising Crisis: By the Numbers
Before COVID-19 hit, anxiety disorder was the most common mental illness in the US, affecting 40 million adults. But according to Boston University, depression in America has tripled since then, climbing to 32.8% by 2022—affecting one in every three adults.

Behind these numbers are real faces, real families, real pain.

The absolute worst part about depression is that even though you know you're depressed, you're unable to stop yourself from getting worse. Our nation is experiencing a mental health crisis far worse than COVID-19 ever was, with rising rates attributed largely to opioid use and social media.

? NEED HELP NOW?
If you're having thoughts of suicide, please reach out immediately:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-NAMI

The Silent Epidemic Among Us
As a pastor, I'm seeing more and more people with this deep seed of a lack of hope. This thinking that things will never change, that this is just the way it's going to be. This feeling that something's not right, even if you can't pinpoint exactly what's wrong.

Have you ever felt this way?
Warning Signs to Watch For:

• Persistent sadness or hopelessness
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in sleep patterns or appetite
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Thoughts of death or suicide

When Success Can't Save You
No one is immune to depression's grip. No one in this room, no one reading this is above having thoughts of ending it all. You could be sitting beside someone right now who has considered it over the past week.

Depression doesn't respect fame, fortune, or talent. We've seen countless successful people lose their battles with this invisible enemy.

Chris Cornell of Soundgarden once said in 1996, "Mild depression... one minute it seems mild. And the next minute they're in a hotel room with a rope around their neck." Tragically, that's exactly how his life ended in 2017—eleven years after making that prophetic statement.

Robin Williams was one of the funniest people alive, telling jokes and cracking everybody up on the outside—the life of the party. Yet on August 11, 2014, he ended his own life. As he once wisely said, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind, always."

These weren't weak people. They were gifted, talented, loved by millions. But depression doesn't discriminate.

What lies has depression whispered to you?

What the Bible Really Says About Mental Health
The church has done a terrible job addressing mental health. When I was growing up, you didn't dare talk about having those dark thoughts. The thinking was: if you're a Christian, you should have the mind of Christ, and Christians don't battle mental health. If you claim you do, you better check your relationship with Jesus.

But I don't know where we got this unbiblical idea.

I speak not from a place of theoretical knowledge, but from personal experience with depression's grip. My transparency in addressing this topic is meant to break down the walls of shame that too often surround mental health in church communities.

When you read the Bible, you see some of the heroes of our faith were struggling deeply. One of the things I love about Scripture is their transparency with where they were emotionally and mentally.

Consider these biblical examples:

Elijah - One minute he's challenging a whole nation on Mount Carmel, and the next minute he's under a tree wanting to die (1 Kings 19:4).
Job - Though he didn't take his own life, he prayed that God would take it for him (Job 3:11).
David - The only man God referred to as "a man after my own heart" wrote in Psalm 31:9-10: "I've cried my eyes out. I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away groan by groan. My years fade out in sighs."
Jonah - Even after his miraculous experience with the whale, he sat under a plant and asked God to take his life (Jonah 4:8).
The sons of Korah wrote in Psalm 42:5, "Why are you so depressed? And why are you sinking in despair?" (The Passion Translation). They were asking themselves, "Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled?"

Which of these biblical characters' struggles resonates most with your experience?

These weren't weak people—they were chosen by God, yet they struggled with the same darkness many of us face.

Three Deadly Lies vs. God's Truth
When you're battling depression, the enemy whispers these lies:

Lie #1: Things will never change.

God's Truth: Isaiah 43:18-19 - "Forget about what's happened. Don't keep going over old history, but be alert. Be present. I am about to do something brand new. It's bursting out. Don't you see it?"

Stop thinking that it's always going to be this way. Open your eyes to what God is trying to do.

Lie #2: Suicide will end the pain.

God's Truth: The pain doesn't end—it transfers to the people who love you. It does more damage and causes more pain to your family and friends than you could begin to imagine.

Lie #3: Nobody cares.

God's Truth: People care. I care. And God cares more than you can imagine. Romans 5:8 tells us, "Christ proved God's passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly."

John 3:16 in The Message says: "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his son, his one and only son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed. By believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life."

Your Next Steps Forward
Depression and mental health do not have to have the final say in your life. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow."

Depression doesn't have to have the final say in your life.

God has moved into the neighborhood of your mind, making his home with you. He'll wipe every tear from your eyes. Death is gone for good. Tears gone, crying gone, pain gone.

If you're struggling with depression:

1. Be transparent - One of the best ways to get through depression is to be real about it. Open up to someone you trust.
2. Recognize the spiritual battle - Be aware that you have a very real enemy, but also that Jesus has already defeated everything that comes against you.
3. Seek professional help - If you're dealing with depression or mental illness, don't do it alone. Get professional help alongside your spiritual journey.
4. Remember God's promise - "I am making everything new" (Revelation 21:5). God is taking your worry, depression, fear, and suicidal thoughts and making everything new.

Additional Resources
Books on Faith and Mental Health:

• "Darkness Is My Only Companion" by Kathryn Greene-McCreight
• "When the Darkness Will Not Lift" by John Piper
• "The Noonday Demon" by Andrew Solomon

Professional Help:

• Psychology Today Therapist Finder
• Focus on the Family Counseling Services
• American Association of Christian Counselors

Online Support:

• To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Support Groups
• Mental Health America Resources

A Final Word of Hope
There are people reading this who are struggling right now. I don't know if it's biological, situational, relational, circumstantial, or spiritual. But here's the thing—when you're in that place, you don't care what the cause is. You just want relief.

That relief, that hope, that healing—it's available. God hasn't forgotten you in your darkness. He's moving into your neighborhood, and He's not leaving.

There is hope, no matter how dark it seems. God has moved into your neighborhood, and He's claiming it as His own.

If this post resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need to hear they're not alone. And if you're struggling right now, please reach out—to a friend, a counselor, your pastor, or a crisis line. Your story isn't over.

Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts, please seek immediate professional help.

Have you ever found yourself counting rows on an airplane, mentally preparing your exit strategy while the person in front of you fumbles with their bag? Or perhaps you've put on your "Sunday face" – smiling and saying, "I'm blessed and highly favored" – while inside, turmoil is brewing. Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere.

Understanding Worry and Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as "a state of apprehension or nervousness often about something impending or anticipated." Worry allows our minds to dwell on difficulties or troubles, creating a state of uncertainty over actual or potential problems. The truth is, everyone reading this is carrying at least one care – and these cares are as real as the chair you're sitting in.

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul writes from a Roman prison, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

That word "guard" is significant. The Greek word Paul uses is a military term referring to a sentinel or guard. It means the peace of God will post sentries around your heart and mind, preventing a hostile takeover. The peace of God will jump into action and protect your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace Is Not the Absence of Something

In John 16:33, Jesus tells His disciples, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Here's what we need to understand: Peace isn't the absence of something; it's the presence of someone.

Society tells us if we could just get rid of this payment, this health issue, these marriage problems, then we could have peace. But Jesus says, "In ME you may have peace." Peace is not about removing problems; it's about adding Jesus to your situation.

Shalom: Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken

The peace Jesus offers is the Hebrew concept of "shalom" – completeness, wholeness. As one theologian defines it: "nothing missing, nothing broken." Because of what Jesus did, we can be whole and complete regardless of our circumstances.

Eugene Peterson paraphrases John 16:33 beautifully: "I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace." Shalom means living in a place of mental, emotional, and spiritual health – having inner strength even when circumstances should make you feel uncertain or fearful.

Life May Be Uncertain, But Jesus Is Not

Jesus didn't tell His disciples, "Take heart, I've conquered the world, and if I can do it, you can too." That would have been discouraging! Instead, He said, "I have overcome the world." Jesus faced every enemy possible and conquered them completely.

Satan and this world gave Jesus their best shot. He took the torture, the ridicule, the beatings. He went to the cross, died, and was placed in a borrowed tomb. Three days later, the stone was rolled away, and Jesus walked out bearing the battle scars of a warrior, saying, "I've conquered this world."

This truth sustained pastor Rick Warren through one of life's most devastating trials. After losing his son Matthew to suicide, Warren shared something profound: "I never questioned my faith in God, but I did question God's plan." Even in the face of unthinkable loss – when every human instinct cries out for answers – Warren chose to anchor himself in who God is rather than demanding to understand God's ways. This is what it looks like to trust the character of Christ even when His plan remains mysterious.

Putting It Into Practice

If you're struggling with anxiety and worry today, here are three practical steps:
Do your part – Take responsibility for what's within your control. If it's a relationship issue, go apologize even if you think you're right. If it's health-related, start eating better or walking. If it's financial, create a budget and watch your spending.
Give God what you can't do – Trust Him with the things beyond your control. You can't heal that person, change their mind, or control the outcome of every situation.
Trust God no matter what – Whether the situation turns out the way you want or not, choose to trust Him. This doesn't mean pretending everything is fine or suppressing legitimate grief and disappointment. It means choosing to believe that God's character remains good even when His ways are unclear.

Jesus said, "I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace" (John 16:33). Not in job security, not in a health report, not in a relationship or finances – there is only one place you can find and experience shalom peace, and that is in Him.

Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

In Luke 8:26-39, Jesus encounters a man living alone in a graveyard, tormented by demons. At first glance, this might not seem like a typical Father's Day text. But as I studied this passage, I realized it reveals profound truths about the challenges men face today and how Jesus responds to our deepest needs.

This man was isolated, rejected, filled with shame, deceived about his worth, had lost his identity, and was carrying an immense weight. Sound familiar?

Despite being more connected through technology than any generation before us, men are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. The statistics are sobering: 15% of men claim they have no close friends—a 12% increase since 1990.

Men are naturally less likely to reach out or maintain close bonds, which creates a dangerous cycle leading to isolation and depression. As I shared in my sermon, "Isolation is a death sentence for anyone, but especially men."

I believe this is a spiritual attack. Just as lions isolate their prey before attacking, the enemy wants to separate men from community to destroy them more easily.

Rejection is one of the most powerful weapons used against men. When a man feels rejected—whether through a breakup, job loss, or being passed over for a promotion—it often leads to self-imposed isolation.

We've all experienced rejection, and for many men, those wounds cut deep and linger for years, shaping how we view ourselves and our worth. The pain becomes a filter through which we interpret future relationships and opportunities.

Like the man in the graveyard who was naked and ashamed, many men carry hidden shame. It might be shame over past mistakes, addictions, or feeling like we've failed as husbands or fathers. The tragic reality is that most men deal with this shame in complete silence, which only amplifies its power over us.

The enemy whispers devastating lies: "Nobody understands you. Nobody really gets you. You don't fit in anywhere." These deceptions keep us trapped in cycles of isolation and shame. We start believing that if people really knew us, they'd reject us, so we keep everything bottled up inside.

Somewhere between the isolation, rejection, shame, and deception, many men forget who they truly are. Like the man who could only identify himself as "Legion," we begin to define ourselves by our failures, disappointments, or simply by our job titles. But these identities are fragile and can be stripped away in an instant.

Here's something fascinating about the man in our Bible story—some scholars suggest he was acting as a scapegoat, carrying the spiritual burden of his entire community. While that may not be literally true for us, it reflects something profound about men: we often feel responsible for carrying the weight of our families and communities.

Most men don't mind carrying this weight for people they love. We just want the people we're carrying it for to see us—to recognize the load we bear and the sacrifices we make.

The beautiful truth is that Jesus doesn't leave this man in his broken state. Instead, He offers three things every man desperately needs:

Acceptance: Jesus accepts this man exactly as he is, in all his brokenness and mess. No performance required, no cleanup needed first.

Freedom: When people return to find this man, he's dressed and in his right mind. Jesus had given him freedom to be the man he was created to be, not the distorted version shaped by trauma and lies.

Purpose: "Return home and tell how much God has done for you" (Luke 8:39). Jesus gives this man a mission—to share his story and the difference God has made in his life.

Men, I want to challenge you with three steps:

Remember who you are: You are a son of God, loved unconditionally. Your worth isn't based on your performance, your bank account, or what others think of you.

Break the silence: Don't suffer alone. Reach out and connect with other men. We need each other more than we realize, and vulnerability is not weakness—it's courage.

Share your story: Tell someone this week about what God has done in your life. Your experiences and testimony can make a huge impact on another man who's struggling.

I encourage you to speak life into the men around you. Notice and appreciate even the small things they do. Your words of affirmation and recognition can be healing balm to wounds you may not even know exist.

What if we could create communities where men find acceptance, freedom, and purpose in Christ? Where isolation is replaced with brotherhood, shame is met with grace, and burdens are shared rather than carried alone?

Jesus did something remarkable with 12 ordinary men—disciples who later turned the world upside down. I'm not trying to turn the world upside down, but I am hoping we can turn our communities upside down, one man at a time.

The man in the graveyard went from being the town's biggest problem to its greatest testimony. What might God do through your story?

Are you ready to step out of isolation and into the purpose God has for you?

-PK
Lead Pastor

Have you ever thought of grief as a gift? It may sound strange, but in the midst of our deepest sorrows, grief can be a pathway to healing and a reminder of God's nearness. As someone who has recently walked through the valley of loss, I want to share some reflections on the silent gift of grief.

Two weeks ago, my wife and I received devastating news. Our son Zion texted us late one night, asking for prayer because his wife's water had broken at only 27 weeks pregnant. Hours later, we got the call that no grandparent ever wants to receive - our granddaughter had passed away shortly after an emergency C-section.

In the days that followed, we cried with our son and daughter-in-law, sat with them, listened to them, and tried our best to console them. We attended our granddaughter's funeral and helped dig her tiny grave. To say that grief has been with our family is an understatement. It has been filled with prayers and questions.

As I've processed this loss, I've been reminded that no one is immune to grief in this life. Jesus himself told us in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble." The Greek word used there means "affliction, anguish, pressure, distress or oppression." We will all face seasons of profound loss and sorrow.

But here's an important truth I want you to grasp: If you don't talk it out, you will end up taking it out on yourself or someone that you love.

Grief as a Gift

So why should we look at grief as a gift? Let me offer three reasons:

1. Grief reminds us to prioritize things
Grief causes us to reevaluate what truly matters in this fleeting life. It reminds us that tomorrow is not promised, so we need to make the most of each day we're given.

2. Embracing grief gives you a pathway to healing
Our bodies were created with built-in outlets to process sorrow. When we embrace sadness and allow our bodies to express it in healthy ways, it puts us on the road to healing.

3. Grief gives us the opportunity to see how close God really is
Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." In our grief, we have the chance to experience God's nearness in a profound way.

The Power of Processing Pain Together

One of the most important factors in how we navigate grief is who we allow to walk alongside us. A study on trauma survivors found that the number one indicator of those who came through trauma thriving, with more joy and peace, was the people in their lives - friends, family, pastors - who were willing to process the pain with them.

I witnessed this firsthand as friends and family rallied around my son and daughter-in-law in their darkest moments. They spoke life, offered comfort, and reminded them of God's goodness even in the midst of unexplainable loss.

Jesus Weeps With Us

We see a beautiful picture of this in John 11, when Jesus arrives after the death of his friend Lazarus. Even though he knows he's about to raise Lazarus from the dead, the Bible tells us that "Jesus wept" (John 11:35).

Why did Jesus cry, knowing the story wasn't over? I believe it's because he saw the devastation that sin and death had brought into the world he loved. He wept with Mary and Martha in their grief.

This tells us something profound - just because we know God will ultimately make all things right doesn't mean we don't grieve. We still cry. We still mourn. And Jesus weeps right alongside us.

Allowing Ourselves to Feel

Here's a crucial truth: God can't heal what you're unwilling to feel. Some of you have experienced losses that you've never fully processed. You've numbed yourself or hardened your heart as a defense mechanism. But until we allow ourselves to feel the full weight of our grief, our healing will be stunted.

God is calling you to draw near to him in your sadness so that he can grieve right alongside you. As 2 Corinthians 1:3 tells us, he is the "Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." The word for compassion here literally means "to suffer alongside of or suffer together with someone."

Putting It Into Practice

If you're walking through grief right now, here are some practical steps you can take:

1. Allow yourself to feel. Don't rush past the pain or try to numb it. Bring your raw emotions to God.

2. Talk it out. Find trusted friends, family members, or a counselor who can help you process your grief in healthy ways.

3. Draw near to God. He promises to be close to the brokenhearted. Pour out your heart to him, even your questions and anger.

4. Remember it's a process. Grief comes in waves and takes time. Be patient with yourself.

5. Look for glimpses of grace. Even in our darkest valleys, God is present and working. Ask him to open your eyes to see his hand.

As you navigate the silent journey of grief, may you experience the comfort and nearness of the God who weeps with us. Though the pain is real, he promises to walk with us every step of the way.

-PK
Lead Pastor

I woke up this morning with that familiar weight in my chest. You know the one - it's that nagging voice that whispers things like "You're not enough" or "God's probably tired of dealing with you" or "If people really knew what you were thinking, they'd run."

Maybe it's just me, but I doubt it. I think we all fight this battle between our ears, this constant wrestling match with our thoughts about God and how He sees us.

It got me thinking about something that happened in my early days of ministry. I was probably trying too hard to impress God (and everyone else, if I'm being honest). I had this mental scorecard going - prayer time, check. Bible reading, check. Good deed for the day, check. I was exhausting myself trying to earn something I already had.

When "Bless Your Heart" Goes Wrong

You know, we've got this phrase here in the South that's gotten a bad rap: "Bless your heart." Half the time when someone says it, they're really saying "You're an idiot" in the nicest way possible. It's become our polite way of throwing shade.

But what if I told you that God actually wants to bless your heart? Not in the sarcastic Southern way, but in the truest, deepest sense of the word?

The God Who Kneels

Here's something that'll mess with your theology a little bit: The Hebrew word for "bless" in the Old Testament can literally mean "to kneel." Now usually, we think of us kneeling before God - and we should. But this word suggests something beautiful and mind-bending.

What if God's posture toward you isn't standing over you with His arms crossed, tapping His foot, waiting for you to get your act together? What if His posture is actually kneeling down to your level, looking you in the eye, and speaking words of blessing over your life?

I think about my grandkids when they're having one of those moments - you know, when they're upset or scared. I don't stand over them and lecture. I get down on their level. I look them in the eye. I speak softly. That's what love does.

That's what God does.

You Don't Have to Chase God

Here's the thing that's been rattling around in my head all week: We spend so much energy trying to get God's attention, trying to earn His favor, trying to convince Him to bless us. But what if He's already leaning in? What if He's already for you?

I was reading through Scripture this week, and it hit me - from Genesis to Revelation, God is pursuing His people. He's rescuing, restoring, blessing, protecting. He's bragging about Job behind his back. He's singing over His children with joy. He's wiping away tears and making all things new.

That's not the picture of a God we have to convince to care about us. That's the picture of a God who can't help but love us.

The Face That Shines
There's this ancient blessing that talks about God making His face shine upon us. I used to think that was just pretty poetry, but I think it's more than that. I think it's describing what happens when someone you love walks into the room.

Denise and I have been married for decades, but I still light up when she comes home. My face literally changes when I see her. That's what the blessing is talking about - God's face lighting up when He thinks about you.

Not because you've been good. Not because you've earned it. But because you're His.

What This Means for Your Week

So here's what I want you to know as you go through your week: That battle between your ears? It's real, but it's not the whole story. The voice that tells you God is distant or disappointed? That's not His voice.

His voice is the one that says, "I've got your back. I'm smiling when I think about you. My heart toward you is blessing, not cursing. Peace, not anxiety. Wholeness, not brokenness."

You don't have to perform for that. You don't have to earn it. You just have to receive it.
So the next time someone says "bless your heart" - whether they mean it or not - just smile and think, "That's exactly what God wants to do." Because it is.

His heart toward you is blessing. Always has been. Always will be.

Three Ways to Live This Out
1. Start Your Day With God's Voice, Not the World's: Before you check your phone, before you scroll through social media, before you let the day's anxiety creep in - spend five minutes letting God speak His heart over you. Read that blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 out loud. Let it be the first voice you hear, not the last.
2. Practice Receiving: This one's harder than it sounds. When someone compliments you, when something good happens, when you catch a break - don't immediately deflect or minimize it. Just say "thank you" and recognize it as God's blessing. You don't have to earn every good thing that comes your way.
3. Fight the Battle with Truth: When that voice between your ears starts up with the lies - and it will - have some truth ready. Write down God's heart toward you. Keep it handy. Speak it out loud. The battle is real, but you don't have to fight it unarmed.

Some battles are worth fighting. Some voices are worth listening to. Make sure you know the difference.

Have you ever felt like you're constantly running from the storms of life? Like no matter how fast you try to escape, the dark clouds of past trauma keep catching up with you? You're not alone. As humans, we all face traumatic experiences that can leave lasting scars on our hearts and minds. But what if I told you there's a better way to deal with these storms – a way that leads to healing and freedom?

The Universality of Trauma

Let's face it: trauma is a part of the human experience. The American Psychological Association defines trauma as "an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster." Research shows that 60-75% of American adults will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. That's a staggering number, isn't it?

But here's the thing – trauma doesn't have to be a life sentence. Just because it's a fact of life doesn't mean it has to define your future. As Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV) reminds us:
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

God is in the business of making things new, including our wounded hearts and minds.

The Danger of Avoiding Trauma

When we experience trauma, our natural instinct is often to run away from it. We try to bury the pain, pretend it never happened, or distract ourselves with other things. But here's the hard truth: the greatest trauma in our lives is not the event that happened – it's continuing to live in that event.

Think about the Israelites after they were freed from slavery in Egypt. They were just 30 or 40 days away from the Promised Land, but instead of embracing God's promises, they let their fear and past trauma hold them back. They even considered returning to slavery because it felt more comfortable than facing the unknown!

Numbers 13:31-33 tells us:
"But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.' So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, 'The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height... and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.'"

Can you relate to this? Have you ever let past hurts or fears keep you from stepping into the good things God has for you?

The Buffalo Mentality: Charging into the Storm

So how do we break free from the cycle of running from our trauma? We need to adopt what I like to call the "buffalo mentality." Let me explain.

In Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains, you can find both buffalo and cows. When a storm approaches from the west, cows instinctively try to run east to escape it. The problem is, they're not fast enough. They end up running alongside the storm, prolonging their suffering.

Buffalo, on the other hand, do something remarkable. They wait for the storm to reach the mountain crest, then turn and charge directly into it. By running through the storm, they minimize their time in the difficult conditions.

We have a choice in how we respond to the storms of life. We can be like the cows, constantly trying to outrun our problems and traumas, or we can be like the buffalo and face them head-on.

Isaiah 43:2 promises us:
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you."

God doesn't promise to take away all our storms, but He does promise to be with us as we go through them.

Practical Steps for Facing Your Trauma

So how do we put this buffalo mentality into practice? Here are some steps you can take:

1. Acknowledge your trauma: Don't try to bury or ignore it. Bring it into the light.

2. Cry out to God: Pour out your heart to Him. As Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

3. Find a trusted confidant: Share your story with someone who will listen without judgment and point you towards healing.

4. Seek professional help if needed: There's no shame in talking to a counselor or therapist who can provide specialized support.

5. Take small steps forward: You don't have to face everything at once. Start with one aspect of your trauma and work through it with God's help.

6. Practice gratitude: Even in the midst of pain, try to find things to be thankful for. Gratitude can shift our perspective and open our eyes to God's presence in our lives.

Remember, healing is a process. It takes time, and there may be setbacks along the way. But with God by your side and the courage to face your storms, you can experience the freedom and peace He has for you.

Don't let trauma rob you of the life God has promised you. It's time to turn around, face that storm, and charge through it with the strength and courage that only comes from our mighty God.

What storm are you facing today? Are you ready to stop running and start charging through it with God's help? The choice is yours. Will you be a cow or a buffalo?

Next Steps:
1. Identify one area of trauma or challenge you've been avoiding.
2. Spend time in prayer, asking God for the courage to face it.
3. Share your decision to "charge the storm" with a trusted friend or family member who can support and encourage you.
4. Take one concrete step this week towards addressing that challenge, no matter how small it may seem.

Remember, you're not alone in this journey. God is with you, and He's cheering you on as you take these brave steps forward. Let's face our storms together, knowing that on the other side lies the freedom and peace we've been longing for.

-Pastor Kasey
Associate Pastor


 

Have you ever felt like you were about to burst from the pressure of life? Maybe it's the stress of providing for your family, the weight of a difficult relationship, or the anxiety of an uncertain future. We've all been there. As your pastor, I want to share with you three powerful truths that have helped me navigate the pressure cooker of life and ministry.

The Pressure is Real

Let's be honest - life can be overwhelming. The Apostle Paul, one of the greatest heroes of our faith, knew this all too well. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, he writes:

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself."

Paul doesn't sugarcoat it. He admits they were crushed beyond their ability to endure, completely overwhelmed and ready to give up. Can you relate? I know I can. As a pastor, I often feel the pressure of delivering the right message, responding correctly to people's needs, and carrying the vision for our church. It can be intense.

But here's the good news - pressure doesn't have to defeat us. In fact, it can make us stronger if we approach it with the right perspective. Let me share three things you need to preach to yourself when you feel the pressure mounting.

1. This Ain't My First Rodeo

When pressure hits, it's easy to forget that we've been here before. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 1:10:

"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us."

Think back to the times God has brought you through difficult situations in the past. Remember David facing Goliath? He drew strength from remembering God's past deliverances:

"The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37).

Different problem, same God. He's brought you through before, and He can do it again.

2. I'm Not That Important

Now, don't get me wrong - you are important to God. But sometimes we try to carry weights we were never meant to bear. Paul realized this, saying:

"But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead" (2 Corinthians 1:9).

We often wear ourselves out trying to control everything, fix everyone, and carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. But here's the liberating truth - the world will keep spinning without you. God is still on the throne whether you get everything done or not.

Peter encourages us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Let go of the burdens you weren't meant to carry and trust God with the outcomes.

3. I'm Better Under Pressure

This might sound counterintuitive, but pressure can actually produce something beautiful in us. Paul writes in Romans 5:3-4:

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Think about it - some of the most precious things in life only come through pressure. Diamonds are formed under intense heat and pressure. The oil from an olive only comes when it's pressed. In the same way, pressure can squeeze out of us what God has put in us.

Remember, God often doesn't deliver us from pressure, but through it. He used Daniel's time in the lion's den and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's fiery furnace experience to reveal Himself to godless nations. Joseph's years of slavery and imprisonment prepared him to save his family and an entire country.

What if the pressure you're feeling right now is God's way of producing something powerful in you?

Putting It Into Practice

The next time you feel overwhelmed by the pressures of life, try these steps:

1. Remember God's past faithfulness. Make a list of times He's brought you through difficult situations before.

2. Identify any burdens you're carrying that aren't yours to bear. Pray and intentionally release them to God.

3. Ask God what He might be trying to produce in you through this pressure. Journal your thoughts and stay open to His work in your life.

4. Share your struggle with a trusted friend or prayer partner. Sometimes just voicing our pressures can relieve some of the weight.

Remember, you're not alone in this. We're all facing pressures of various kinds. But with God's help and the right perspective, we can do more than just survive - we can thrive under pressure.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Let's embrace the pressure, knowing that God is at work in us, making us stronger and more like Him every day.

-PK
Lead Pastor

Have you ever poured your heart out to God, only to be met with silence? You're not alone. As a pastor, I've wrestled with this question countless times, both personally and alongside members of my congregation. Today, I want to share some thoughts on what to do when it seems like God isn't answering our prayers.

The Struggle is Real

Let's be honest: unanswered prayers can shake our faith to the core. We've all been there. Maybe you've prayed for healing, for a relationship to be restored, or for a financial breakthrough. You know God can do it, so why isn't He?

I remember praying fervently for my dad's healing when he was diagnosed with cancer. Our family, our church, and believers across the country joined us in prayer. We stood on God's promises, believing for a miracle. But in August 2008, my dad passed away.

How do we reconcile what we know about God's power and promises with the painful reality of unanswered prayers?

A Biblical Example: The Shunammite Woman

One of my favorite stories in the Bible deals with this very issue. In 2 Kings 4, we meet a woman who had given up on her dream of having a child. The prophet Elisha promises her a son, and miraculously, she conceives. But a few years later, tragedy strikes – the child dies suddenly.

This woman's response is remarkable. She doesn't give up or lose faith. Instead, she takes action. She goes straight to Elisha, essentially saying, "This was your idea. I had given up on this prayer years ago. Then you showed up. Now, you need to do something about it."

What can we learn from her example?

1. It's okay to be honest with God
The Shunammite woman didn't hide her pain or anger. She confronted Elisha directly. God is big enough to handle our questions and our hurt.

2. Don't let go of your faith
Even in her distress, this woman held onto hope. She believed God could still do something, even in an impossible situation.

3. Take your unanswered prayers back to God
The woman literally picked up her dead son and took him back to the man of God. Sometimes, we need to "return to sender" – bringing our disappointments and unanswered prayers right back to God's doorstep.

A Personal Journey

I've had to wrestle with these truths in my own life. After losing my dad to cancer and experiencing the heartbreak of losing a child, I've had to ask myself: Does my belief cease when my prayers aren't answered the way I want?

Here's what I've learned: My experiences don't shape my trust in Jesus. My trust in Jesus shapes my experiences.

In other words, the difficult circumstances we face – the unanswered prayers, the losses, the disappointments – they don't define our relationship with God. Instead, our trust in who God is should shape how we respond to those experiences.

Jesus is Enough

Hebrews 11:13 tells us that even the giants of faith "all died in faith, not having received the promises." Some prayers may not be answered in our lifetime. But that doesn't mean God isn't listening or that He doesn't care.

The truth is, Jesus Himself is the sum and substance of all God's promises. When we're struggling with unanswered prayers, we need to remember that Jesus is enough. He is our source, our strength, our provider, our healer – even when circumstances don't change.

Putting It Into Practice

So, what do we do when faced with the silence of unanswered prayer?

1. Be honest with God about your feelings
2. Hold onto your faith, even when it's hard
3. Bring your disappointments back to God in prayer
4. Remember that Jesus is enough, regardless of circumstances
5. Trust that God's perspective is bigger than ours – some prayers may be answered in ways or timelines we don't expect

Remember, you're not alone in this struggle. Even the greatest heroes of faith experienced unanswered prayers. But they held onto their trust in God, and so can we. Let's keep bringing our requests to God, believing that He hears us and that His love for us never fails – even in the silence.

Hey church fam! Easter weekend was FIRE! Almost a thousand people showed up between Friday and Sunday, with 37 people coming to know Jesus for the first time and 16 recommitting their lives to Him. That's not about numbers—it's about lives being changed by Jesus Christ.

You know what drew people to Jesus this Easter? His suffering. We got to see just a glimpse of what Jesus went through on the cross, and it connected with people because, let's be real, we ALL suffer too.

Suffering Is Inevitable, Misery Is Optional

Let's talk about Job. This dude was blameless, upright, feared God, and had everything going for him—family, property, respect. Then Satan shows up and challenges God, saying Job only loves God because life is good. God allows Satan to test Job, and Job loses EVERYTHING—his cattle, his children, his health.

But here's the kicker: Job refused to give up faith in God. Even when his wife told him to "curse God and die," Job held tight.

Some of y'all are going through it right now. I wonder sometimes if I'm gonna have Job-like faith when stuff hits the fan. Sometimes I get it right; other times people around me will tell you I blow it.

Bad Theology Makes People Suffer More

What makes me angry is when I see Christians post stupid stuff on social media when tragedy strikes. Like when tornadoes hit Oklahoma and some preacher tweets, "Judgment has come." Man, that's bad theology!

God isn't sitting up there waiting to smite us. He's not blasting evil everywhere. If He did, where would He stop? Pretty soon I wouldn't be here, and you wouldn't be here either.
God got our attention through love, not pain. He had to take the pain on Himself to do it. Remember when Jesus went to raise Lazarus? When He saw Mary and Martha weeping, He didn't lecture them or get mad that they questioned Him. He WEPT with them.

How You Suffer Shows Who You Really Are

People who are truly suffering don't live in misery. But those who are miserable make the people around them suffer.
You're either gonna be someone who suffers with humility or someone who lives in misery. And how we suffer connects us to each other. It can either help someone toward their promise or keep them in their pain.
Remember this: In our sorrow, we can see God moving. It doesn't take away the suffering, but it reminds us that God's love is with us. We can stand up in the face of tragedy and not just get by, but THRIVE.

Life Application:

1. Check your circle - Do you have people who lift you up through pain or keep you in it?
2. Be silent - Sometimes the best thing to do for someone who's suffering is just sit with them.
3. Ask "how" not "why" - Don't focus on why you're suffering; focus on how you're going to suffer well.
4. Turn your suffering into testimony - Your story of overcoming can be hope for someone else.

Jesus never promised a life without pain. He promised us peace and that we would overcome. So let's suffer well, church. Let's show the world who we really believe in by how we get back up.

Pastor Kasey Goins
Associate Pastor