Faith

1 Kings 18:16-19:18

1. When you find yourself in a valley, don't forget your mountaintop experiences. We can't make it on emotion alone, we need to rely on God. 

2. God is always ready and willing to gently restore us. 1 Kings 19:5-9

3. After a spiritual encounter with God, Satan WILL show up. 1 Kings 19:9-10 "I am the only one left" - a lie that Satan uses against us. 1 Kings 18:13. Don't run and isolate yourself, lean on the church community. You are not alone. Rom 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

4. God often comes in the quiet, DON'T MISS IT! 1 Kings 19:11-18. God reminds us of who He is, how good He is, and how faithful He is.

Peace

Jesus came to bring us 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 2:13-14 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.”

How we can have peace:

1. I can have peace because God is in control. Mt 1:18-21; Jn 14:27

2. I can have peace because my sins are forgiven. Rom 5:1

3. I can have peace because God specializes in the impossible. Lk 1:37

A Heart Of Generosity

2 Cor 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (Jesus' life and the gift of salvation)

Having a heart of generosity is a sign that your confession of faith is genuine.

2 Cor 9:6-15 

1. We are to give generously. v6. Mal 3:10

2. We are to give cheerfully. v7. Have a plan, think about what you are going to give. You will never be generous if you don't have a plan for being generous. Generosity is not about the size of the gift. God doesn't want generosity from us, he wants

3. God will continue to give you what you need to continue to be generous. v8, 11. When God supplies us with what we need, it's not so we can have all we want.

4. Generosity points people to God. v11-12. 

5. Generosity proves your faith in Jesus is real. v13. Our lives as followers of Jesus are to be radically different. 2 Cor 5:17.

6. Jesus is the most generous gift ever given.

Hey Siri, Is Jesus The Only Way?

How can you claim that Jesus is the only way? All major religions (even atheism) make an exclusive claim. Christianity is the most inclusive and easiest religion because you don't have to do anything except accept the gift. Acts 2:21, Rom 10:13, Jn 3:16. (Life boat example)

The main areas that at Jesus apart from every other religious leader:

1. His purpose. Jesus' purpose was completely different than every other leader's purpose. Lk 19:10, Mt 20:28 Jesus is the only religious leader that provided a viable solution to sin. Jn 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Rom 10:1-2 How good is good enough? There's no standard we can meet to be good enough.

2. His prophecies fulfilled. Jesus is the only religious leader that had fulfilled prophecy. He fulfilled over 250 prophecies.

3. His power. Jesus displayed power in a way that no other religious leader did. 1 Cor 15:13-15, Rev 1:17-18. No other religious leader can claim life after death. 2 Cor 4:4.

Hey Siri, Why is there suffering in this world?

Truth:

1. God has a purpose for your pain. Even when you are hurting, God is still working. Jas 1:2-4. God will use your pain to advance his Kingdom.

2. God is present in your pain. Isa 41:10. Sometimes God uses pain to show us what we need - Him and Him alone.

3. There is power from our pain. 

Welcome Home: Celebrate the Father's Love for us

Lk 15

1. This story is about us. Isa 53:6 "We all like sheep have gone astray."

2. We must all come to our senses. We need to run to our Father.

3. This story is about a Prodigal God. Prodigal means having or giving on a radical, lavish scale. In this story, the one who gives on a radical, lavish scale is the Father. The Father ran toward the son to protect him, because the culture's response would have been to stop the son and keep him from coming to the father. The Father kept the son from getting what he did deserve, and have him grace which he didn't deserve.

4. Our relationship with God is based upon identity, not following rules. God loves us because we are his children, we need to love him as our Father no matter what.

5. There's no such thing as cheap grace. Grace doesn't mean we can do whatever we want. Lk 23:32-33. 

6. If you don't like celebrations, you won't like Heaven. Lk 15:10. Heaven will have good food, loud music, dancing, and Jesus! 

Welcome Home: A Party You Don't Deserve

Lk 15:1-24
We serve a God who loves to give people what they don't deserve. ♥️
Ways that we see the radical love of God:
1. The Father looks for the mess. v20 The father was searching for his son even after the son was gone for a long time.
2. The Father runs toward the mess. v20 God chooses to become undignified for us to restore dignity back to us because he loves us. 2 Cor 5:21. God's love for us is scandalous.
3. The Father embraces the mess. v20
4. The Father celebrates the mess. v22-24 He celebrates us just the way we are, even though we don't deserve it. Praise God!