We live in a world filled with both blessing and trouble. Jesus doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life, but He does promise to be with us and redeem what is hard for good.

Matthew 7:9-11

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; Perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything...with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

One of the loudest messages in our world today is “You can find meaning in more.” But our experience keeps telling us that it’s never enough, and more is always one more accomplishment, or trip, or raise, away. In contrast, the apostle Paul tells us that great gain is found in a very unexpected place - godliness with contentment. The message explores how we can move away from a life of always consuming more, towards a life of contentment and generosity, where the greatest gain is found.

Luke 12:13-15

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 17

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Days turn into months and years and decades - and it’s possible to grow older without changing or maturing. Perhaps there is a better version of yourself and of your life that you can envision. But what would it actually take to arrive there in the future?

2 Peter 1:3-11

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, a make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,

and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Our words are powerful. They can reflect what is happening inside of us, which means they can also be evidence of how God is transforming us! And our words can help transform others. How can we use our words this summer to encourage people around us?

Ephesians 4:17-29

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

That, however, is not the way of life you learned

when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

“In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

and do not give the devil a foothold.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Proverbs 18:21

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Matthew 12:34

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Proverbs 16:24

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Everyone that puts their hope in Jesus Christ is given a spiritual gift, that is, a divine enablement to do certain things really well. God expects us to use these gifts for His purposes in the world. This message explores how God expects his followers to use these gifts to be a vital part of a local church and how this commitment to serve adds meaning to our lives.

Romans 12:1-8

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,

So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Luke 12:48

Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!

Luke 6:38

Give away your life; you’ll find a life given back, but not merely given back – given back with bonus and blessing.

Mark 8:35

Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

We are living in a culture of radical individualism that has led to a loneliness epidemic. This message explores a “live-able” solution to this problem that God had given to us.

Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

This message explores four commitments we can make that have the potential to flood every moment of our lives with meaning.

Follow Me.

Jesus, Luke 9:59

But he replied, “Lord first let me go and bury my father.”

Luke 9:59

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

Luke 9:61

Let the dead bury their own dead but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Jesus, Luke 9:60

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you … If you…though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Jesus, Matthew 7:7, 11

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Jesus replied, blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in Heaven… And, I tell you this that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Matthew 16:13-18

Our thoughts are powerful. They change our perspective, impact our decisions, and influence our habits. Ultimately, our lives are always moving in the direction of our thoughts. Are you excited about the direction your thoughts are taking you?

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.