NCC Larkspur
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591 episodes
The world doesn't need more convincing intellectually speaking, it needs Hope! Nothing brings Hope like our own personal stories of God's redemption in our lives. Don't try to hide those broken places, they are the very things the world needs to see!
There is a correlation between celebration and forgiveness. Or at least there should be because that is the way God has ordained it. Is there somebody that you need to forgive? Or is there something that you need forgiveness for? Celebrate that, even if there are tears and it's hard and emotional. Celebrate the joy that can be found in forgiveness.
As followers of Jesus we are called to take off our old self and put on a new one.
We are exploring what transformations, what it looks like, and how we take hold of it. What did God do in Pentecost and the early church and how do we put that into practice today?
The idea that we are called Saints as followers of Christ not because of what we do, or what we face, but because of Whose we are. Today we reorient ourselves around the idea of transformation. As Saints we care about our our own transformation and how it fits into the larger design of what God wants His church to be, a transformational agent.
Our lowest points are transformational. They are the very things that shape us if we are willing to do the work. The things that the enemy wants to use to destroy us are the very things that God wants to redeem, to use in His ministry.
What part of your old self have you not taken off yet? Until you take off the old self, you can't put on the new one and your new self in Christ is a beautiful thing!
What are the things God has grown in you through your relationships?
Transformation is a lifelong pursuit, salvation is a one time point of accepting and surrendering, and then there is this forever process of dying to self....Looking back on your journey of faith, what has come to life? What has come to death?
Following Jesus isn't just for a moment, it's an ongoing process. We don't just say yes to Jesus once, we have to say yes to Jesus over and over again in all the small ways.
What does joy mean to you? We struggle with this question. Joy can be an emotion just like love but often it is a choice, a commitment. Joy isn't dependent on the actions of ourself or others. Joy comes from being in a right relationship with our Father God, regardless of our circumstances.
Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament and to invite us into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Intelligence is knowledge, wisdom is how you apply it. It is not enough that we are biblically literate, we must also be biblically obedient. Building the wise foundation takes time and intentionality. Nobody accidentally builds their house upon or "in" the rock.
Kingdom living starts in the heart. Our old selves must be uprooted and a new self planted in God. Our focus should not be on our fruit but on the depths of our roots!
There is a difference between discerning and judging. "When we condemn another, we are declaring that they have no worth - they do not matter to God or to us."
As followers of Jesus we are challenged to do things differently, to live differently. We can trust God with every aspect of our lives. He will provide for our every need. His is the only approval we need to seek.
A deep desire to be seen is what fuels social media. We want someone, anyone to notice us and approve of us. As we look at this weeks text, Jesus pushes on prayer and the importance of both a hidden life and a shared one. Prayer holds the key to our search for significance.
How do you handle conflict with people who you don't like? As followers of Jesus we are called not only to love our neighbors but to love our enemies as well.
Righteousness isn't about what you do but about the state of your heart. Jesus is less concerned about us doing good then He is about us being good.
So what if Jesus was serious about His followers being the salt and light in the world? if we are salt then we can preserve the world and help prevent rot by bringing out the good in the world around us. If we are light then "Our light will shine before men" and will elicit a response. It is easy to view the world as our "enemy" but the world is not our enemy - it needs us!
What if the underlying malady afflicting Christians today isn't that we take Jesus too seriously, but that we've failed to take Him seriously enough?
God is good, loving, gracious and just. He can be trusted as a stable refuge, even when life is hard and chaotic.
What does it mean to be a good neighbor? Often we define neighbor more by who it's not then by who it is. People grow through relational connectedness. Being a good neighbor is about being with one another in the "moments", not fixing or approving, just being present. That is where true transformation happens.
What kind of neighbor are you? How as followers of Jesus do we love our neighbors well? Living life together and supporting one another is an important part of walking out our faith.
The word "Witness" is a noun, not a verb. It means that it is more about who we are, not what we say. As followers of Jesus we are called to His witness to the world. This isn't about trying to be better but about loving God in such a way that we reflect something different to the world.
Prayer is intended to be a dialogue, not a monologue. It is intended to be transformational, not transactional. When you speak to the Lord do you also listen for His response?
How are you about giving and receiving gifts? As we get older we often start to have a harder time receiving gifts. What gifts do you need to receive? Do you need freedom, forgiveness, reconciliation, joy, peace, hope? Jesus brings all those gifts and more, all we have to do is call His name.
Hope is desire with the expectation of obtainment. But what are we putting our hope in? Hope isn't a feeling that comes over us, it's a choice. Hope is a choice to wait for the Lord. Jesus is our hope!
We live in one of the wealthiest counties, in one of the richest nations in the world. The problem isn't having wealth, it's in hoarding wealth. James isn't talking about how much you have but what you do with what you have and where your heart is.
How do you define joy? Is your joy defined by an illusion of control? Christian joy, biblical joy, is a profound decision of faith and hope in the power of Jesus' own life and love.
