Anxious-less Principle #3 ::: Don’t Confuse Your Self-Worth With Your Net-Worth
Sermons

Anxious-less Principle #3 ::: Don’t Confuse Your Self-Worth With Your Net-Worth

In the Bible, it is not wrong for us to own things but it is very wrong for things to own us. Oftentimes, in our cultural context, we compartmentalize the spiritual and the material in different spheres but in the biblical worldview, God demands our undivided devotion and affections. Money can be a touchy subject when we isolate this part of our life from our spiritual life. God reveals that, for him to be Lord, he must be Lord of all or not at all. We cannot serve God and money at the same time. When we don’t surrender our possessions to God, we end up surrendering our life to our possessions and in turn they end up becoming our god.

Anxious-less Principle #2 ::: Watch Where You Are Going – Purpose
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Anxious-less Principle #2 ::: Watch Where You Are Going – Purpose

Proverbs 29:18 says “where there is no vision the people cast off restraint.” A visionless life is a life driven by the capricious and disorderly forces chaotic forces of this world. Jesus’ antidote for the purposelessness of the unintentional life and the anxieties that it breeds is a life of single-minded commitment to God’s revealed word. God brings hope to the heart that believes his promises.

Anxious-less Principle #1 ::: Invest Eternally and Securely
Sermons

Anxious-less Principle #1 ::: Invest Eternally and Securely

Anxiety feeds on perceived threats. When someone or something we care about are in danger whether in real life or in our imagination, the possibilities of these threats can send our blood pressure through the roof and sometimes place us in spiraling descent cycles of unhealthy and risky habits and behaviors. The antidote to an anxiety-controlled heart, Jesus tells us, is to make sure our ultimate heart’s affections are not controlled by the temporary and insecure nature of worldly treasures. Only when we invest our lives in God’s eternal purposes because our heart is set on him, we can experience the peace and security that only he provides. Afterall, wherever our treasure is, our heart will be also. When God is our treasure, our heart is his.

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Reconciling, Countercultural, Reviled Ones
Sermons

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Reconciling, Countercultural, Reviled Ones

The Kingdom comes to shake the world and rid it of everything that is contrary to God’s righteousness. Even though God’s people are sent as messengers of peace (shalom), they are persecuted and reviled for the world has chosen to reject God’s word and with his word, God’s blessing. Nevertheless, God promises everlasting joy to those who are sent to shake the world with God’s countercultural message. The world may be able to kill us but it can never take our life away.

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Famished Ones, Gracious Ones, Authentic Ones
Sermons

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Famished Ones, Gracious Ones, Authentic Ones

In the Kingdom of God being comes before doing. As we saw in the first three beatitudes, God must break our pride before he bestows his blessing and, in it, we discover our true happiness through the new life of his forgiveness. Once our relationship with God is restored, God gives us a new hunger for his life, and a new disposition to bless those who are still hurting. As we are remade in his likeness, we receive a new vision for life springing from a pure heart that sees God and is transformed into his likeness.

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Empty, yielded, grounded
Sermons

The Pursuit of Happiness::: Empty, yielded, grounded

God must break us before he can bless us. Coming to him in humility to receive by grace what we cannot earn with our personal effort is the beginning of the gospel and the entryway of the Kingdom. In the first three beatitudes Jesus crushes the pride of this world and replaces it with the all-sufficient provision of God’s grace.

Turning Points ::: From Now to Forever
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Turning Points ::: From Now to Forever

Hope is all about perseverance. The goal of this long obedience in the same
direction is to be found faithful both individually and in community. In spite of
spiritual opposition, anxiety, and potential pitfalls, God has called the church to
remain faithful, hopeful and loving. Starting on the leadership, believers must
carry on the mission of God until Christ returns and rewards everyone according
to his work.

Turning Points ::: Pressing Forward
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Turning Points ::: Pressing Forward

In this life suffering is not optional. The cause of our suffering, however, may be something we can determine. When we suffer for doing evil, suffering is simply the inevitable result of evil. When we suffer for the sake of righteousness, however, we become Christ-like counter cultural members of God’s household. God has not promised us to keep us from suffering but God has promised us to keep us through it all.

Turning Points ::: The Glory of Our Suffering
Sermons

Turning Points ::: The Glory of Our Suffering

One of the most challenging things for a Christian is facing injustice when we are
trying to live for Christ. In situations like this, followers of Jesus may feel
tempted to retaliate or pay others in kind. In these verses, Peter reminds us evil
cannot be overcome by evil. In our struggle with injustice, Christian witness is the
answer to the problems that only God can solve.