Don't be Discouraged - Pastor Ty

A lot of times we find ourselves feeling down and out about our situations and circumstances. It's so important that we keep a guard over our heart and mind to protect it from doubt and unbelief and negative thinking...aka "stinkin thinkin." If we begin to feel sorry for ourselves, we can miss the will of God in that moment. 

I Thessalonians 5:18 - Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  

Its never going to be easy BUT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENS YOU!  Yeah, there are going to be times when we are disappointed. But we must be careful not to allow the enemy to keep us meditating on what's not happening for us and what's not going our way. The enemy wants to steal our faith and the opportunity that we have to exercise our faith. You are a champion! More than a conqueror! The enemy will try to invade your head with doubts about all you know to be TRUE & RIGHT. Be strategic about what you listen to. Victory is yours. Everything is going to be ok and remember that every SETBACK is a SETUP for a COMEBACK. Don't be discouraged but thank God in faith that nothing the enemy does can work as long as we keep resisting him and believing Gods plan and purpose will prevail in our lives!  Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be STRONG (bold) and COURAGEOUS. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with YOU wherever you go."

Be the Best for His Glory - Pastor Reeves

Have you ever heard the saying “living your life with excellence and worth doesn't come easy?” Bearing the cross can be a difficult process. If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all of our efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is “gloriously” difficult sometimes, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome.

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus. The bible says we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it! If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will only reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

It’s crazy to say this but I thank God He gives us difficult things to do! Because in moments of difficulty we grow, we change but it is up to us to see or make a difference. Remember His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. The bible says in Hebrews 2:10 that Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” , and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.

Take a moment this week to read and study Matthew 7:13-14

"Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . ." Matthew 7:13-14

Teach My Hands - Pastor Kristin

I was listening to a sermon the other day when the minister taught this verse.  Psalm 144:1 “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight” This verse has just rolled over and over in my heart.  It made me think about what the Lord asked Moses in Exodus 4:2 “so the Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A rod."  Moses was to simply use what he had to do mighty things for the Lord.     

David learned by experience that God would teach him to use what was in his had to do great things whether it was a slingshot or an instrument.  I know David understood what Paul would later write in 2 Corinthians 10:4 “for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” And even when are hands are empty we can lift them to the Lord in worship or clap them in praise and began to war in the spirit.

The BIG Picture - Pastor Reeves

"We know that all things work together for good to those who love God" Romans 8:28

If you think about it; it’s only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignty controls his or her circumstances. We take our circumstances for granted so many times by saying “God is in control” but not really believing it. We act as if the things that happen were completely controlled by people. To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, Jesus Christ. God may cause our circumstances to suddenly fall apart, which may bring the realization of our unfaithfulness to Him for not recognizing that He had ordained the situation. We never saw what He was trying to accomplish. This is where the test of our faithfulness comes. If we will just learn to worship God even during the difficult circumstances, He will change them for the better very quickly if He so chooses.

Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don’t ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient or offended when we talk about their faithfulness to Jesus. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son. CHANGE… It’s my life motto!

Ever Feel Stuck? - Pastor Ty

Ever feel stuck? Don't feel like you can finish? "I want to challenge you today not to give up but just take one more step. Don't allow your mindset to be average or or your heart to be lukewarm." Revelation 3:16. It's distasteful to God when we stop short or don't go all the way through the test.


God wants us to live a life full of Him! Enthusiasm- is God within! Die to yourself and obey God! I challenge you to take your eyes off your circumstances an put them on Jesus and know that He has overcome the world and he will bring you out of where you may feel stuck. "Keep a teachable heart and while you are waiting on God know that you are preparing for his best! There is no place worst to live than thinking there is no point to your life." Hebrews 6:11


Go all the way through! If you want to experience the promises of God. You have to go all the way through with Him and trust His plan. We can learn from the bad decisions of the family of Abraham, Genesis 11:31 "but they settled for another place..."

Don't settle for anything that gives temporary gain. There might be pain in waiting but remember that God has great gain in the near future. Life and death have been set in front of you, Now Choose Life! We honor God by going all the way with Him and trusting His plan. He gave us the Holy Spirit to go all the way through our trial. I love the quote, "I can have the pain of discipline today or have have the pain of regret tomorrow."

I end on this thought, Jeremiah 29:11 God said he has a plan for you, and it's a good one, so the bottom line is nothing else matters. 

Live life today with purpose and on purpose with faith trusting in God, and when you don't know His plan, trust that God does and take one more step. 

Preparation, Pace, Providence - Pastor Sean

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psalm 130:5 NIV)

A few days ago I happened upon a video of a young surfer taking on a gigantic wave.  He rode it for over a minute until finally reaching shore.  In the middle of my watching the event, it struck my that he had to be in the right place at the right time to "catch the wave."  He didn't cause the wave or produce it's power, but was able to seize the momentum of the natural propulsion because of correct timing.

I think that is similar to how God works in our lives.

If you've ever observed something that seems to have happened quickly or fast, it may be more in the eye of the beholder than actually true.  For example, watching a house be built from the ground up can sometimes seem like a very rapid process.  But remember, the plans had to be drawn, building site selected, materials purchased, and workers chosen before any of what seems quick could even begin.

Before you ever get in a hurry for what God will do,  reflect on what He is doing.  He prepares, moves at His pace, for us to encounter His providence.

In Isaiah chapter 30 God warns against making our own plans, in comparison to His.  James writes about the same thing (James 4:13-15) when we say what and where we are going to do we miss the point.  God is who declares His will for our life, and in his timing. 

Think of many in scripture who moved ahead of God's preparation.  Abraham and Sarah produced Ishmael.  Joseph spoke before he was supposed to.  Moses attempted to deliver before his time.  In each of these examples getting ahead of Gods timing resulted in further waiting, but that too God used as preparation for His plan.   The key is to be in the right place and the wait for the right time.  Then God's momentum begins pushing toward the completion of His will.

Today, be patient and know God is for you...He is preparing you at His pace in His providence.

Work at Resting - Pastor Kristin

Hebrews teaches a principle that at first glance may seem confusing but is one of the most important truths to our relationship with Christ.    So many times our walk with the Lord is focused on yielding but this chapter is about us going after something aggressively.  This is how different translations word it.  We must labor, strive, be diligent, do our best, and keep at it.  And what is it that we should be so diligent to go after … rest.  It seems like an oxymoron but we have to strive to rest. 

Hebrews 4:11 (kjv) "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

So how do we enter into the rest?  Believing daily God meets our every need.  I love how the amplified Bible puts it…

Hebrews 4:2 "For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; ^[neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe). ³For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest, in accordance with His declaration that those [who did not believe] should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although [His] works had been completed and prepared [and waiting for all who would believe] from the foundation of the world."

We have to work at resting in God’s complete and prepared work for our lives. Many times there will be things that will make us feel unsure but we have to push past the uncertainties into the rest of God. 

Before my life began

I was in Your hand

For every provision You already paid the price

I have been put into the all sufficiency of Christ

What can keep me from entering in?

Is it weakness or sin?

No only my unbelief

Can be the thief

I will not let doubt have a voice

Resting in You is my choice