S.O.A.P. Journaling

We have delicate root systems, which we need to protect from the noise and stuff of life.
3 reasons why Christians aren't in the Word regularly:
1. They don't know how.
2. They don't see a need.
3. They don't have time. They don't see enough value in taking time in the Word.

The MOTIVATION: Jn 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
When we're not connected to Christ, we will inevitably wither. The Father's main tool for pruning us is the Word of God. Satan wants to keep us from the Word of God. To wither, you just have to do nothing. We need to actively and intentionally connect with Christ through the Word.
When we're connected with Christ, we prosper. Ps 1:1-3 "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers."

The MODEL: Lk 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."; Mk 1:35 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."; Mt 14:23 "After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone"; Lk 6:12 "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."; Lk 5:16 "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

The METHOD: SOAP journaling
Scripture: Read and write it down!
Observation: Why was it written? To whom was this originally written? How does this fit with the verses before and after it? What is God intending to communicate through this text?
Application: What does this mean today? What would the application of this verse look like in my life? What is God saying to me?
Prayer: Be honest with God.
-Leave the first three pages of the journal open for a table of contents, make titles for each day.

Just start. Pray before you begin. Be self aware, understand your tendencies. Have a routine. Consider reading together with a group. Don't look for a feeling or a "wow" moment every time. Don't get overwhelmed, start slow. Use outside sources (a good study Bible, www.gotquestions.org, www.bible.org). Keep going! (Refuse condemnation and guilt)

Because of Bethlehem: We Have Peace

Isa 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Lk 2:12-14 "This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
1. Because of Bethlehem we can have peace with God. Mt 1:21; Rom 5:1; Col 1:15-22
2. Because of Bethlehem we can have peace in our heart. Col 3:15; Isa 26:3. Keep your eyes on Jesus; Jn 16:33. Lean in to Jesus for peace.
3. Because of Bethlehem we can have peace for eternity. Peace can come from having the proper eternal perspective. Jesus gave us a glimpse into eternity Jn 14:1-3, 26-27 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." We are called to live an eternal perspective. Rev 19:13-16, 20:1-3, 7-10, 21:1-7

Because of Bethlehem: We Worship

Worship is the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration of a deity. Worship is the only logical response to Bethlehem. Lk 2:9-14, 20, 28-29, 36-38; Mt 2:1-2, 7-12.
1. God desires our worship. Jn 4:23
2. The church should be all about worship. Acts 2:46-47, 3:6-8, 4:18-21, 32-35. We often worship the wrong god. Our focus ends up not being on God.
Things about worship that are important:
1. We worship verbally. Heb 13:15; Ps 47:1, 66:1
2. Worship demonstrably (with demonstration - shout, raise hands, on our knees, clap, dance) Ps 141:2, 63:4, 95:6; 2 Sam 6:14; Heb 10-24-25
3. Worship when it's tough. Ps 42:5

Because Of Bethlehem: Contentment

We have believed the lie that what we do, what we have, or who we are with will bring contentment.
The only way we will ever experience true contentment is through a relationship with Jesus that affects our life everyday.
Because of Bethlehem we can be content. Jn 10:10; Phil 4:10-13
1. Contentment is not based on our circumstances. Phil 4:11-12
2. Contentment is a learned behavior. Phil 4:11-12 "I've learned to be content." Discontentment starts at a very young age, it's a part of our sin nature. 1 Tim 6:6-10 "godliness with contentment is great gain..." 1 Tim 4:7-8 "train yourself to be godly..." Make a choice to take time everyday to train yourself in godliness, read the Word of God, pray.
3. Contentment is found only in Jesus. Phil 4:13 "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Secure Hope

1 Pet 1:3-5
Hope: a joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. Peace that what is behind me is secure so I can have peace in looking forward.
Mercy: God's grace in action towards a hopeless being. Lam 3:22
New birth: it's no longer about us, it's about His Will in our lives. 2 Cor 5:17
Living Hope: we can walk through our lives in hope. It's not based on our circumstances.
Resurrection - Game Changer!! Jesus' resurrection secures our future resurrection.
We have something awesome to look forward to, our inheritance.
There is nothing that can get in between the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Our Hope and inheritance is being protected by God's power.
The same faith that saved us, secures us.
Jesus is my rock solid foundation and always will be. Lk 24:19-21, Jn 21:7
Go as fast as I can to the feet of Jesus!!!

Philippians: Giving Thanks

Phil 4:4-9
The prescription for happiness and joy starts with thanksgiving.
1. Declare: Every good thing that I have is a gift from God. Jas 1:17 Don't let the gifts I've been given become the norm, and then start searching for something else to make me happy.
2. Choose thankfulness by not letting what we want rob us from the gifts we have.
3. Make a conscious effort to realize every gift God has given us.
Our circumstances don't need to change for us to be happy, our perspective needs to change.

Philippians: Unity Among Believers

Phil 4:2-3
Everywhere we go in life, we will have to deal with conflict. Conflict - a difference in opinion or purpose that frustrates someone's goals or desires.
- Conflict avoiders (peace fakers)
- Conflict aggressors (peace breakers)
- Conflict agitators (peace manipulators) Prov 26:20-22
- Peacemakers - seek to resolve their differences and restore their relationships. Mt 5:9; Jas 3:18
1. Glorify God. Ask: How can I please and honor God in this situation? 1 Cor 10:31
2. Get the log out of your own eye. Ask: How can I show Jesus' work in me by taking responsibility for my contribution to this conflict? Mt 7:5
3. Go and be reconciled. Ask: How can I demonstrate the forgiveness of God and encourage a reasonable solution? Mt 5:24; 18:15-17.
- Pray (a lot)!
- Quit placing unrealistic expectations on people. People can only offend you if you allow them to offend you.
- Seek God's wisdom (through prayer and His Word).
- Seek wise counsel.
- Don't let people fool you or play on your emotions. Prov 18:17. Your input should always exceed your output.
- Pray some more!
1 Pet 2:12 "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Philippians: Press On

Phil 3:10-14
1. Our goal is being like Jesus. v13. Rom 8:28-29. Every day, with everything we have, we want to become more like Jesus
2. We must forget what is behind. v13. One of our greatest hindrances to becoming more like Jesus is our past. Satan reminds us of that all of the time. It doesn't matter what our past contains, we are loved by God, forgiven, righteous, and a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Jesus changes everything about us. We need to forget our past failures and successes, and pursue the spiritual prize. "The clearest vision belongs to those who forget the past."
3. We must press on. v14. Run in such a way as to get the prize.
4. There's work to be done. v12. Paul said he hadn't even arrived at the finished line. Continue to work toward the prize. All of our work should include and be all about Jesus. Don't let Jesus get pushed to the back burner, make it all about Him! You are not going to become more like Jesus accidentally, it has to be intentional. You will be constantly frustrated at how much progress you make in a day, but if you keep pressing on, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much progress you make in a year or two or three...

Philippians: Shine!

Phil 2:12-30
1. Shine it up! v15 Because of Jesus, we should be different (look different than those in the world).
2. Work it out! v12 "work out your salvation in fear and trembling." This is not working for your salvation, that had already been done. Eph 2:8-9 Justification - the gift of being saved by Jesus, Sanctification - the process of becoming more like Jesus (practicing/using the gift of salvation you've been given), Glorification - being glorified in heaven. Rom 8:28-31
3. God is in control. v13 We don't have to do this alone, we are constantly leaning into God in order to be changed.
4. It's impossible to shine when you're full of whine. Phil 2:14 No grumbling, arguing or complaining. Num 14:1-4. v17-18
5. Shine. v15

Philippians: Others First

Acts 2:42-47 We need to be that kind of church.
Phil 4:2-3 There was a division in the Philippian church.
Phil 2:1-11
v1 Therefore... Paul is pointing back to Phil 1:27 "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ." If - better words would be since or because.
1. We are to be unified. v2 Paul's joy would be if the church would act as one.
2. We are to be humble. v3 value others above ourselves. Let's quit trying to impress each other.
3. We are to be servants. v4 don't look to my own interests, but look to the interests of others. Actively look for ways to serve others. The greatest path to humility is to serve others.
4. We are to be like Jesus. v5-11 humble, servant, obedient.

Philippians: To Live Is Christ

Phil 1:12-26
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
Philippians 1:21 NIV
How do we magnify Jesus with our lives?
1. Trust Him.
2. Live for Him.
Gal 2:20; Phil 3:7-10; 1 Cor 10:31
How do we magnify Jesus in death?
1. Love Him more than life itself. Treasure Him more than anything. Phil 1:23

Philippians 1:1-6

Acts 16: Paul's experience in Philippi.
Philippians is a letter of encouragement to the church in Philippi.
Phil 1:1-6. v6 "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Confidence- the feeling or belief that someone can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
1. Our confidence must not come from ourselves or others. We can be confident in who we are in Christ, but not in our own flesh. It's not a tag team between me and Christ, but it's Christ in me.
2. Our confidence must not come from our circumstances. If our focus is solely on the external, we will miss what God wants to do in the internal. If we focus on Him, we will be blessed with more fruits of the Spirit (joy, peace)
3. Our confidence must not come from our incomplete perspective. We can't always see what God is doing in our lives. 2 Cor 4:16-18; Heb 4:18
4. Our confidence must come from the finished work of Jesus Christ alone. Where does my confidence lie? Is it in Jesus alone? Ps 62:1

Whole Heart: A Heart to Follow

Our hearts were never designed to be followed, but to be lead by the only heart worth following.
Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Prov 28:26 KJV; Mt 15:18-19
David - a man after gods heart. Acts 13:22
1. Fully Dependent on God. Ps 51:5. We are sinful and must depend on God for salvation and forgiveness. Our sin deforms and deceives us. Ps 16:2 The good in me is the God in me. Our dependence on God is directly connected to our understanding of who God is and who we are before Him.
2. Faithfully Obedient to God. Blessing flows out of obedience. Acts 13:22 David followed God in the big and small things, his obedience stemmed from his love for God. Ps 18:1, 103:2-2. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey my commands."
3. Fearfully Repentant before God. Repentance: a change of mind that results in a change of action. Come before God with a heart that wants to change and become more like God. Don't make excuses for my sin. Ps 51:1-10. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. How we feel about our sin is one of the greatest indicators of how near or far our hearts are from God. Ps 139:23-24

Whole Heart: Guard Your Heart

Prov 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
1. The heart is extremely valuable. We guard things that are of great value. It's our responsibility to guard our own heart.
2. Guard against an unchanged heart. Mt 15:18 My heart should continually be changed by the amazing gift of Jesus' sacrifice for me. Cry out to Jesus to change my heart.
3. Guard against an impure heart. Check my heart and make sure it's pure, if there is anything impure, I need to get rid of it. Mt 5:8. Unpure can also mean unfocused. Jas 4:4,8; Ps 24:4. Ask for a pure heart!! Ps 51:10
4. Guard against a hard heart. Don't be closed off to the things of God. Heb 3:8-9. Marinate in the Word of God (don't wait for Him to have to beat your heart to make it soft).
5. Guard against a proud heart. Prov 18:12; Lk 18:10-14.
6. Guard against a wounded heart. There's a difference between guarding your heart and a guarded heart. Don't build a fence around your heart to keep others out, to try to avoid pain - you're just fencing yourself in. You will get hurt, but we can choose to let that make us better. Ps 147:3. Keep your heart open.
7. What's in your heart will flow from you. Prov 4:23; Mt 15:18; Jn 7:37

Whole Heart: Crushed

Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
If you don't get past the things that crush your heart, it weighs you down and continues to crush you. You have to learn to get rid of the baggage that holds you down.
1. You are not alone in your pain. Don't run away from God, run to Him. Ps 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
2. God cares for you in your pain. 1 Pet 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Heb 4:15-16 come before God through confidence in Jesus. Jonah 2:2, 5-6; Ps 34:8; Zeph 3:17. My Father God wants to take me as his child and hold me and let me know it's going to be okay.
3. God never wastes pain. Even as we struggle through pain, God will teach us lesson about Him and ourselves as we walk through that pain. 2 Cor 12:7-9, 1:3-4.
4. We can get past our pain. If you choose to get bitter, you will never get better. You will not be living and you will find your only friends will be other people who are bitter. We have to make a decision. Choose God, choose love, choose forgiveness, choose joy, choose life. Choose to be better with God's help. Ps 55:22; Mt 11:28;
5. Time will not heal all wounds, but all wounds require time to heal. Wounds are healed through time with the Lord. Continue to spend time with Him, and your wounds will continue to heal. Ps 30:10-12 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,  that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Be Bold by Brandon Johnson

Mt 26:55-56, 28:19-20; Acts 4:8-13, 18-20, 29-31.
"When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure." Viktor Frankl
Solution to fulfill the great commission is boldness: boldness is the opposite of fearfulness, always referenced about sharing the Word of God.
1. Boldness comes from believing in the resurrection of Jesus. Acts 4:10
2. Boldness comes from prayer. Acts 4:29-31. Kneeling before God will help you stand before anyone, prayerlessness will result in powerlessness. Eph 6:19-20
3. Boldness comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31, Eph 5:17-18
4. Boldness comes from receiving Christ's righteousness. Prov 28:1 Be as bold as a lion. Rom 8:1, 5:17.
If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

Strong And Courageous: Who Will You Choose?

Josh 24
v15 But as for me and my house, we are serving ____?
Why does God command us to serve Him? Because it's our purpose.
1. Serving God starts first with fearing God. v14, Prov 1:7. Fear=Reverence, awe, astonishment. If I've lost my healthy fear of God, what has replaced it??
2. Serving God requires complete surrender. v14, throw away your small "g" gods, serve Him wholeheartedly. Come back to the alter and lay down your idols. v15 you have to choose whom you will serve. Remember the faithfulness of God and everything He's done for me.
3. Serving God goes far beyond making a public declaration, it requires wholehearted action! v19  our faith will be shown through our actions. What small "g" gods do I need to throw away? 1 Cor 10:31 Do everything to the glory of God, hang on to this thought every moment of every day.
4. Serving God completes our joy. Acts 17:25. Only God and Jesus were made to complete us. We try to fill the void with other things, but it will never be able to be filled with anything but the Lord. Jn 6:67-69.

Strong And Courageous: A Man Named Caleb

Josh 14:6-15
1. Caleb refused to follow the crowd. v7-8. Num 13:31-32, 14:6-10a. Joshua and Caleb saw the size of their God, not the size of the people in the promised land. Following the majority in that day cost the people 40 years wandering in the desert and their lives. Prob 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
2. Caleb was wholehearted. v9; Num 14:20-24. Caleb continued to serve the Lord wholeheartedly throughout his life. Today is the day to start serving the lord wholeheartedly.
3. Caleb believed his best days were ahead. v10-12. Don't live in the past, look to the future! Spiritually speaking, there is no retirement, serve God with every breath He gives you!
4. Caleb walked by faith, not by sight. v12 Caleb was still trusting God to go ahead of him and get rid of the giants in the land.
5. Caleb was fighting for future generations. v6, Caleb didn't come alone. v9 your inheritance and that of your children.

Strong and Courageous: Discerning and Defeating

Josh 9
The Gibeonites were crafty, just like Satan. Satan wants to pull someone away from the Truth. In 14:6 Satan does everything he can to get us to live life on our own, apart from God.
1. Satan often deceives by preying on our enjoying and our pride.
-Emotions: v4-5, 2 Cor 11:3. Our emotions are indicators of something going on beneath the surface, they are not gods.1 Pet 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. 2 Cor 10:5.
-Pride: v8-10, included just enough truth to make them believe. Prov 8:13 God hates pride. Jas 4:6, Ps 10:4, Prov 26:12, Prov 3:7.
2. You can't fight the supernatural in the natural and expect to win. v14, Eph 6:13 (Message). There is one thing that we can control in our lives, and that is how close or far we are from the Lord. Seek God continually. Jas 4:8, Jer 29:13, Prov 3:5-6
3. God rewards those who seek Him. Heb 11:3. Seeking God "The conscious fixing and focusing our mind's attention and our heart's affection on God." Col 3:1, Rom 12:2. The more we recognize Jesus, the less we recognize self, the less we recognize self, the more Jesus can work in our lives.

How much of my life do I live without any regard to God?

How many of my daily activities do I go through without any reference to God?

Strong and Courageous: The Sin of Achan

Josh 7
1. Beware of buts. v1 "But the Israelites were unfaithful." We all need to beware of sin. Josh 6:18-19. Never is a believer in greater danger of a fall than after a victory. 1 Cor 10:12. Josh 8:26
2. Today's victory is not a promise of tomorrow's victory. v2-5 Every day we need to seek God.
3. Sin hinders our relationship with God. v12 God hates sin and takes it very seriously.
4. Sin must be dealt with. v10-13 We must stand up and deal with our sin.
5. There's no such thing as secret sin. v17-19 We can try to hide our sin from each other, but God knows all of our sin, no matter how big or small. We need to deal with our sin as soon as possible. Heb 4:13 Nothing is hidden from God. Prov 28:13
6. Beware of sin's pattern. v20-21 I saw... I coveted... I took. Adam and Eve and the apple, Jas 1:13-15 All sin ultimately leads to death.
7. Sin has great consequences. v22-26

Achan did what most of us would do. God has given me such grace and mercy in spite of my sin, but I still need to confess and come clean.

Strong and Courageous: Six is a Serious Number

Josh 5-6
"Be kind to everyone you meet, for everyone is fighting a great battle."
God often wants us to do other things before fighting the battle.
5:9 God says let's leave all the junk behind and start fresh.
5:10 The Israelites celebrated Passover to remember all that God had done for them.
5:12 God stopped the manna, he stopped spoon-feeding them, but gave them something much better. Jn 6:49-51
5:13-15 possibly the preincarnate Jesus. The first thing Joshua asked was "whose side are you on?" We spend a lot of time trying to get God on our side. What's most important is that Joshua quickly gets on Jesus' side (what message do you have for me?). Jesus says I'm not here to take sides, I'm here to take over. The most important thing is for us to follow Jesus every day. We are not using God to get our victory, God is using us to get His victory. We need to obey God, and realize that whenever we are with God, we are on Holy ground and worship God by having a vibrant, fresh, real encounter with the living God that will rattle or souls.
6:1-2 God spoke into the future, as if had already happened. Walk by faith, not by sight.
6:3:11 March around the city once a day for 6 days. Joshua told them not to talk. Do I spend most of my life at 6?? Not following God's instructions to do the 7th day. Am I giving up to early?? Don't lose faith at 6! Keep following God!
6:15-16 They shouted while the walls were still standing, such faith.. Have faith no matter what is happening, know that God has already won the battle.

Fearless Women: Nehamiah

Christy B.
Like Nehamiah:
1. We hear from the Lord. Neh 2:11-20.
2. What breaks his heart, breaks mine.
3. We pray. Neh 1:4
-Ask God for help.
-Confess.
-Remind God of what He had done before, His promises. 2 Tim 1:7
-Asked for specifics.
4. Dreams take time. Neh 2:1 He served while he waited. Get prepared, but don't stop serving.
5. We must be confident that the hand of God is on this ministry. No matter what attacks come our way, we need to look to God and be confident.
6. We will be attacked. Neh 2:10. You are going to displease people. Neh 4 enemies flew into a rage, mocked, made fun and threats. Neh 4:8 confusion. Tried to take them out. Enemies asked to meet with them - distractions. Public humiliation - rumors, lies. Do not engage in the attacks.
7. God's work is contagious! Communication is important. Neh 4:20.
8. God's work will get done!! Neh 6:15 The wall was rebuilt in 52 days.

Chez
Expect spiritual attacks, realize that they are affirmation and confirmation that we are on the right path. If we never experience opposition or attacks, we are not impacting eternity (the gospel).
1. Stand focused. Our fight is not with people, it's spiritual. Eph 6:10-20. Remain vertical - look up!
2. Stand faithful. Phil 4:23, Rom 8:28. Through God we are overcomers. He is bigger than our abilities or our weaknesses.
3. Stand firm. Attacks should strengthen us as we look up. 2 Cor 10:1-18
Attacks:
-Paul was addressing the rebellious minority.
-He had a humble approach.
-He focused on the spiritual battle.
-He redefined his role by the authority he was given by God.
-He boasted in Christ and not by comparing.
-There was no competition, wanted to extend the gospel further.
Criticism:
-understand the difference between constructive and destructive criticism.
-look beyond the criticism and see the critic.
-watch your own attitude toward the critic.
-stay in shape emotionally and spiritually.
-don't just see the critic, see the crowd.
-don't get defensive, try to learn from it.
-concentrate on your mission and change any mistakes.
Isa 14:12-15

Troy B.
Unity and teamwork
There can be a lot of impact from few members with unity and teamwork.
We are unified by the love of Jesus. Col 3:12-14, 1 Cor 1:10

Strong and Courageous: What Do These Stones Mean?

Josh 3-4
Josh 3:4 "Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."
Don't keep walking in circles, with God's power we can take new ground spiritually. It's important to spend time with God every morning.
1. God is always in the lead. Josh 3:1-4. I need to always put God first, don't get out in front of God. Whatever God had planned is better than anything I could think of. The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.
2. Get ready for God to do something big. Josh 3:5, consecrate means to set apart. Be ready - quit messing around with all the sinful things in our lives. Be holy because I am holy. 1 Pet 1:16. Be serious about the sin in my own life. Be expectant that God will show up big.
3. Get your feet wet. Josh 3:9-17. The priests carrying the ark had to put their feet in the water before God stopped the water of the Jordan. We need to step forward in faith, put works to our faith.
4. Never forget what God has done. Josh 4:1-7, 19-5:1. What we do now can be a testament about God for those in the future. Ps 78. God is still a miracle working God. Never doubt in the dark what you've seen in the light.

Strong and Courageous: The Scarlet Cord

Joshua 2
1. The crowd is not always right. Josh 2:1 Joshua sent 2 spies, not 12 like Moses sent. Following 10 of the 12 spies Moses sent had cost Israel many years of trouble.
2. Grab on to the scarlet cord. Josh 2:8-11. Rahab made a great statement of faith by saying, "for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below."
3. When your world is shaking, hang on to God. Josh 6:17 When Israel came to take Jericho and the walls fell down, but Rahab's house in the wall must have survived because of their promise to her, but it would have been shaking.
4. My story is not over! Rahab was a prostitute, but her story did not end there. She became an example of true faith. Don't buy into the lies about myself, believe in God and follow Him! Jas 2:25; Heb 11:31; Mt 1:5-6. No one is beyond God's grace. I am who God says I am!!!!

United We Stand

Eph 4:1-16
Unity - the state of being united or joined as a whole.
1. Unity starts with a common calling - Jesus. v1
2. Unity is achieved through a common characteristic - humility. v2-6. Jas 4:1-3
3. Unity is held together through a common connection - the Holy Spirit. v7
4. Unity is sparked by exercising a common catalyst - our individual gifts. v7-13. 1 Pet 4:10-11
5. Unity ultimately produces a common consequence - maturity. v14-16. Mature believers can sift out the junk. Ps 133:1-2.
*Unity, centered on Jesus, creates space for the Holy Spirit to bring about maturity in the life of believers.

Fear is a Liar: Worship - Our Greatest Weapon

Phil 4:4-9
Worship is our greatest weapon in the battle against fear and anxiety.
We would all like to be in control, but we are not in control. Mt 6:27
God is in control. Sovereignty describes God's perfect control and management of the universe. He is all-powerful. Col 1:15-19; Ps 139:1-2, 4, 16... (the sovereign God in charge of everything also takes the time to know us intimately)
If this is true, we should worship and trust Him in every situation.
Worship, don't worry. "We see the problems of the world and we bend our knees." -Lucado. If I'm truly worshipping him, there is no room for fear or anxiety. "It is possible to talk your soul into a place of hope." -Matt Redman. Gen 22:1-4; 2 Chron 20:11-12, 15, 18; Acts 16:22-25.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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.  Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."Phil 4:4‭-‬9

Fear is a Liar: Surrender Sincerely

2 Cor 1:4
Surrender - true surrender yields to Christ
1. Surrender is not partial. Prov 16:4. It's not a tug of war with God over control. So back and let Him lead.
2. Surrender takes faith. Prov 3:5-6. We don't need faith if we don't surrender, but we worry a lot more. Lk 12:25 yield to His authority. Heb 11:1, He is who He says He is and He's going to do what He says He's going to do.
3. Surrender asks questions. Mt 7:7-11. Keep asking God.
4. Surrender takes discipline. Mt 16:22. Let go. Give it all to God.

Fear is a Liar: The Battle of the Mind

2 Cor 10:3-5
1. There is a battle going on for our minds. v3. 2 Cor 4:4, Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers. 2 Cor 11:3, Satan leads believers astray.
2. The battle is spiritual. v4. Our weapons have divine power to demolish strongholds. Satan is always trying to deceive us with "what ifs." Fear, anxiety, resentment, unforgiveness, jealousy can all be strongholds in our lives. Internal battles can be the hardest ones. We can only win this battle spiritually, with strength from the Lord. We come together and worship and meet in smaller groups.
3. We must take every thought captive. v5. You'll never win the battle if you're not filling your mind with Jesus. We need to take inventory of what we are filling our minds with, and if Jesus is not at the top of the list, we need to make some changes. Col 3:2; Rom 8:5-7, 12:2; Phil 4:5-8. Study "Words to live by" by Craig Rochelle. What strongholds do you struggle with? What spiritual truths can demolish those strongholds?

Fear is a Liar: Because He is with us, we win!

Fear is not from God. The Devil is the father of lies.
The questions, "what if? where are you God?" lead us to fear, anxiety and depression.
God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, He will be on His throne.
Because He is with us, we win!
King David: the most fearful man that ever lived, also the most courageous man who ever lived. Ps 42:3
1. Your fear... Is normal. When it rains, God still reigns.
2. Your fear... Will be your platform. God will take your trouble and use it as a testimony for Him.
3. Your fear... Is a liar. Seek God. Fear will tell you who you are not, God is going to tell you who you are.
4. Your fear... Will make you question "Where is God?" He is with you. Ps 23

Fear is a Liar: Busyness

Lk 10:38-42
Busyness is an addiction.
Regular stillness is necessary for living the joyful life Jesus has promised us.
In the middle of joy there is no fear or anxiety. We must sit at the feet of Jesus.
1. Busyness without regular stillness can quickly distort our view of God. Busyness and anxiety are a cycle. If we're not careful, distractions become the new normal. Ps 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God..." God and Jesus modeled this for us. Get 2:2-3; Lk 5:16. Lk 10:40 Martha's distractions caused her to voice her anxious heart. The busier we become, the more intentional we must become at being still and know/remember that he is God.
2. We must get good at recognizing the difference between what is urgent and what is important. What have I made important that is not important? Learn to say no to things that aren't important. Mt 6:33 Seek God and Jesus first. Don't just operate on emotions. Give others permission to say no. v41-42 Choose what is better.
3. Service to God must not supersede worship of God. My cup needs to be filled regularly with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mt 12:28; Jn 16:33. We are called to do less and spend more time with God.
Jer 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Ps 46 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,  though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.  Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.  The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Fear is a Liar

2 Tim 1:7
4 types of fear:
-Fear of loss
-Fear of failure
-Fear of rejection
-Fear of the unknown
Max Lucado "Anxiety is a meteor shower of [10,000] 'what ifs'."
Fear is an emotion, not a sin. What are we going to do with the emotion of fear? Just because you have fear, fear doesn't have to have you.
1. Satan is a liar. Jn 8:44
2. Satan wants to mess you up. 1 Pet 5:7-9. You are not alone, we all struggle with different things.
3. God loves you, and that's a really good thing! Jn 3:16. God loves you so much, he laid His life down for you. Amen! Rom 8:31-39; 1 Jn 4:18
4. God is the answer to your "What ifs?" Mt 6:25-34; Ps 139:16; Ex 3:1-4:13.
5. God can be trusted. Prov 3:5-6; Ps 27:23-24, 34:4; 2 Tim 1:7

Snapshots: So What?

Heb 4:14-16
What?
Gen 1:1 "In the beginning, God" Jesus was in the beginning. Satan convinced Adam and Eve to break the one rule. We were separated from God and sin entered the world. We are born with a sin nature. Rom 3:23,6:23. Jesus sacrificed once and for all for our sin. He rose on the third day, appeared to 500 people, and ascended into heaven. 1 Cor 15:17-19
So what?
1. Jesus is better. v14 Hold on tightly to Jesus, he is better than anything or anyone else. Heb 8:1
2. Jesus understands. v15 Jesus was tested but did not sin. We have unlimited access to God through Jesus.
3. Jesus helps. v16 We can approach the throne of grace boldly because of what Jesus did for us.

Snapshots: Who is Jesus?

Mt 21:1-11
The same crowd that yelled "Hosanna," yelled "crucify him" one week later.

Who is Jesus not?
1. Jesus is not merely a superior human being. C. S. Lewis - Jesus is either Lord, Liar, or Lunatic. Liars usually crack under pressure, Jesus did not, even to the point of death on a cross. Lunatics don't speak words that pass the test of time like Jesus did. The only option is that Jesus is Lord!
2. Jesus is not a sentimental tradition. He is not something we pass down to our children. Mt 7:9,13. Sentimental Christians find comfort in tradition, but are resistant to real faith.
3. Jesus is not our spiritual "Sugar Daddy." He's not about just giving us what we want or being who we want him to be. Jn 6:26 If Jesus is only someone we turn to when we need something, we will be forever disappointed.
4. Jesus is not a superficial emotional experience. We need to have emotional intelligence, not just seek an emotional high once a week. Don't make spiritual decisions based on emotion, but based on the truth of Scripture. Jn 4:23; Eph 2:8. Don't miss the work that Christ is doing in it life because we are selling an emotional experience.
5. Jesus is not a standard that we are trying to attain. We don't have to be as good as Jesus, we can't. Rom 8 There is no condemnation in Jesus. People that believe they must attain a standard only follow Jesus out of drudgery.

Who is Jesus? Here's real, the son of the living God. The lamb of God, come to take away the sins if the world. Our Lord, Savior and friend. He is The Truth. Here's so much more than we give him credit for!

Snapshots: LOST

Lk 15
Jesus tells 3 parables (lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son) to answer the question of the Pharisees, "why does Jesus spend time with sinners?" v1-2.
1. Something of great value is lost. Jesus is saying that the sinners are of great value to God.
2. An intense search takes place. v4, 8, 20. Every person is valuable to God, and even when they are a long way off, God is searching and waiting for them.
3. A great celebration is thrown. v6-7, 9-10, 22-24. Ps 103:8-13.
4. Rules without relationship lead to rebellion. v25-32. The older brother represents the Pharisees. We don't enter into a relationship with Jesus by following the rules, only through the love and sacrifice of Jesus and our acceptance of his gift of salvation.

Snapshots: Radical Love

Lk 10:25-37 Radical Love
Love:
Storge - natural bond
Philia - friend bond
Eros - emotional/physical bond
Agape - unconditional "God" love
Radical: (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
One thing you can never be too radical about is love.
v25 the person was an "expert of the law" of the old testament, trying to trap Jesus.
v26 Jesus flips the question right back to him, knowing the person's motive.
1. Radical love ALWAYS starts with God. 1 Jn 4:19. We must understand who God is and who we are.
2. Radical love must involve action. v31-33, 1 Jn 3:18. The priest and the levite represent lifeless religion. The reason we pass by the needy and dying people in the world is either that we don't have compassion or the fact that our own agendas are our main focus. What areas have I made it more about myself that about God?
3. Radical love requires sacrifice...It goes above and beyond. v34-35. If I don't stop to help, what will happen to him?
4. Radical love is impossible without Jesus Christ. v36. Lk 6:31-33, 35-36. Where am I putting my time, money and resources? What is it doing for me?
Put yourself in that ditch, knowing that we are completely dead, spiritually bankrupt. Jesus is the one who passes by, picking us up, bringing us back to life, giving us a new life.

Snapshots: I was blind, but now I can see!

Jn 9
1. Don't play the blame game. v2, the disciples tried to blame the blindness on someone's sin. Life happens. We live in a broken world. Being angry and bitter over bad circumstances is unproductive.
2. Your crisis is a setup for God to show off. v3. God uses the bad stuff to show His power. Rom 8:28-29. God uses these things to make us more like Him.
3. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. v6, 2 Cor 5:7. Sometimes it takes a while for our circumstances to catch up with our faith.
4. Use what you have (Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself). v7, the man couldn't see, but he could hear and walk, so he obeyed.
5. Jesus makes us into new people. v8-9, people didn't recognize the blind man once he could see. An experience with Jesus will change you.
6. Don't let a bad church experience keep you from Jesus. v34
7. Three words that will change your life: Lord I believe. v38.

Snapshots: Twelve Baskets Full

Jn 6:1-14, Mk 6:45-52, Jn 6:22-29
1. Pass the test. Jn 6:5-6. When Jesus asks us a question, it's not because He doesn't know what to do, it's for us to learn to trust Him and look too see what He will do. They should have said: it's humanly impossible, but Jesus, you can do anything, and I can't wait to see what you are going to do.
2. Don't miss your chance to get in on what God is doing. Jesus didn't need the five loaves and two fish (lunchable) to do this miracle, but He used it. Miracles happen in the mundane, everyday stuff. We are to take what God has given us and use it for Kingdom work. Be faithful. Don't be a spiritual hoarder!
3. Be thankful for what you have, no matter what it is! Jn 6:11
4. Jesus is the miracle worker. Jn 6:12
5. Don't forget the leftovers. Jn 6:13 Jesus could have made just the right amount of food, but he made enough for the twelve disciples to each have a basket of leftover bread. Then in the boat, the disciples were afraid of the storm and then amazed that Jesus could calm the storm, instead of remembering the leftovers and trusting in Jesus. Never doubt in the storm what Jesus has shown you in the calm! Jesus wants us to remember who He is and remember He takes care of us.
6. Miracles are cool, but believe in Jesus. Jn 6:29. Don't just look to Him for the miracles, but all the time.

Snapshots: Come and See

Lk 4:1-42
1. Life is often full of pain. v16-18 this woman was in pain, had been through many divorces. Jn 16:33.
2. Pain leads to isolation. Instead of running to Jesus, the only one that could help us, we run the other way. The woman came to draw water at noon, when no one else would be there. She didn't come when others would be there. v16
3. We have no secrets from Jesus. v16. He knows everything about me, and still loves me! 💗
4. It is possible to be religious and totally messed up. v19, she tries to change the subject from her failure. We are so good at being religious and not very good at being real.
5. Jesus will meet you and I at our greatest point of pain. v26; Lk 19:10; Jn 3:17
6. Only Jesus satisfies. v13-15. We need to stop chasing after things we think will satisfy our soul, and run straight to Jesus! When we do that, our lives will be changed. He will meet us right where we are and satisfy us.
7. Jesus will use your story to help others. v28-29, 41.

Snapshots: Through the Roof

Lk 5:17-26
1. The greatest thing that can ever happen to us is to have our sins forgiven by Jesus. v20, 24. This wasn't something Jesus said lightly, He knew he would be dying for our sins. Rom 5:8; Col 2:13-14; 2 Cor 5:21
2. Jesus was and is God. v21. Phil 2:6-8; John 3:16
3. Faith matters. v20. We are reconciled to God through Jesus, but our faith matters.
4. There's good religion (focuses on what God has already done) and bad religion (focuses on what man can do). v17. The Pharisees were so wrapped up in religion they missed the Messiah. Jas 1:27
5. Whatever is going on in your world this morning, Jesus cares. v24. We praise God not only for what He has already done, but what He's yet to do.
6. When Jesus shows up, praise breaks out! v25-26.

Snapshots: Scroll Drop

Lk 4:14-30
1. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor,  v18. Poor- spiritually bankrupt, destitute. Lk 18:9-14. Good news- we don't have to be good enough, do enough. Jesus did it all for us and died and rose again to give us eternal life.
2. Jesus came to set prisoners free, v18. Col 2:13-15. He set us free from the penalty of sin and death.
3. Jesus came to restore sight to the blind, v18. Satan has blinded us to the freedom and glory of being God's children. 2 Cor 4:1-4.
4. Jesus came to set the oppressed free, v18. Oppressed- those who have been beaten down by life, overwhelmed. Mt 11:28-29.
5. Jesus came to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, v19. (The year of jubilee) It was a fresh start for people, a second chance with God.
6. Jesus is not into religion or politics, v22-30. The Jews were not the heros or benefactors of the stories Jesus shared. He spoke openly, not concerned about how the people felt about what he said. He spoke Truth.
7. Jesus turns "someday" into "today," v21. Come experience rest and peace today.

How to be generous

1 Tim 6:17-19
Generous- free in giving or sharing.
Generosity is directing more of our money towards God and others while spending less on ourselves.
1. Generous people give sacrificially. 2 Cor 8:1-4 Macedonians give out of poverty.
2. Generous people give strategically. 2 Cor 9:7.
- Give your best. Mal 1:6-10
- Give a percentage. Mal 3:8-11. God says, "Test me on this."
- Give, save, spend.
3. Generous people give cheerfully. 2 Cor 9:7