Watch/Listen
Topic: Transformation
Shattered Beauty
When we read the Gospels, some of the words of Jesus may seem a little unrealistic to us. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus actually speaks about people not being worried about how they shall get the things that they need to live, like food and clothing. Many of us spend a significant amount of time trying to secure the things that we need to survive. So when we see Jesus’ words, we find it hard to believe that he could really mean what he said. Perhaps the reason that we have such a hard time with Jesus’ words is because we are not truly understanding what he was saying. Read More
The Crown of Beauty
This weekend, we started our “Beautiful Life” series! Sometimes, the state of the world can make life look so ugly, but God is a beautiful God that wants us to understand that life was meant to be enjoyed as beautiful. God wants to give us “beauty” in exchange for the “ashes” of our everyday existence and give us crowns that let us know who we were created to be in God. Read More
Living “Under the Influence”
Jesus’ kingdom-bringing life was so powerful because Jesus was continually being guided by the Holy Spirit. In the same way, it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus’ followers can demonstrate the beauty of God’s kingdom. As we seek to remove “clutter” from our busy lives, we can experience more and more of the Holy Spirit’s transforming influence daily. Read More
Being Beautiful
There are various opinions about what it means to be a Christian. One thing that does not get mentioned often is the idea of being “beautiful.” The truth is that the Kingdom of God is a reality of beauty. And Jesus, who is the King of that Kingdom, is also beautiful. When Kingdom reality is lived out by people who … Read More
The Foundation of Wisdom
Jesus is the perfect, sinless human being who models what human existence in God’s kingdom should look like. He demonstrates a life of increasing growth and learning in the ways of God. Jesus lived a life where he learned from his life experiences and gained insights into what life is really all about…all to God’s glory. As we live like Jesus, we are to have lives where we, too, increase in growing in wisdom. Read More
The Gospel of Groundhog
Jesus grew in wisdom and he impressed the teachers of the law with his insight when he was only twelve years old. This wisdom and insight was not based upon a reservoir of head-knowledge. He was not impressing people with the facts he had stored up from studying. Instead he was demonstrating insight into life. He had understanding and he grew in this understanding. God wants to use a difficult marriage or a frustrating work environment to teach us something. While he is not the source of these troubles, he is wise enough to know how he can take advantage of trials to refine us and give us wisdom. Read More
Lessons from Anna II: The Heart of Worship
Worship is the essence of the Christian life. Anna, an example for us today, lived a life that was characterized by worship. She worshipped God night and day. To worship God is to simply behold and express the beauty of Jesus Christ, and to be transformed by this beauty. God’s love was expressed most clearly at Calvary, when he gave his Son as a ransom for our sins, so that we could be free and have a relationship with him. Worship is speaking, singing and living in this reality and then being transformed by it. Read More
A Piercing Sword
For disciples of Christ, the Word of God cuts and divides. God sees us for who we really are, and his desire is to mold and shape us into this person. God desires to carve away and remove anything that is sinful in our lives. He wants us to grow and may place new convictions on our hearts in the process. Our job as followers of Jesus is to humble ourselves, repent, and allow God to mold and shape us. Read More
Offensive Good News
The message that Simeon gives Mary has a heavy, ominous tone, as he predicted that Jesus would actually cause many to fall and that people would speak against him. This prophetic message establishes the fact that the good news of the Gospel is much more than set of encouraging thoughts or beliefs, but in fact it is offensive in nature. It offends because it challenges the lives of those who hear it to live a different way. Read More
Sanctified Emotions
The definition of something being “sanctified” means that it is separated (set apart) unto God for His exclusive use. God desires our entire being to be sanctified and conformed to His will. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Our intellect, will and behavior are aspects of our being that we can learn to surrender to God. But, there is also another part of our being, one that is given very little attention to within teachings on sanctification; our emotions. Read More
