Memorial Day Weekend

Faith is a spiritual gift? I thought that was just something we were all supposed to have? What, exactly, is this gift, and how do I know if I have it?

These are the first two gifts Paul lists for us in 1 Corinthians 12. Are these your gifts? How do you know? How do they work out in your life? Aren’t we all supposed to be people of wisdom?

Our gifts are given to us by God through the Holy Spirit. But how and when do we receive these gifts?

God has expressed His love by creating a unique gift just for you.

It all comes down to this: Return on Investment. That is what Jesus shows us in this very heavy story that he tells in Matthew 25.

We like to believe that being “in Christ” gives us complete freedom… Independence… Autonomy. But that isn’t what Jesus says. When he talks about serving one of two masters, both options still include a master! Is that right? Am I freed from sin into another form of slavery? Has my perceived freedom been a lie all along?

What does Jesus actually say about being a follower of his? Is it really about some once-and-for-all declaration, or does Jesus point to a difference between those who “say it,” but don’t “live it?”

Some Christians are “sweet…” They are kind, generous, loving. But some are “sour.” They are mean, judgmental, and generally unhappy. What is the difference? It’s the same Jesus, right? What is the ingredient that turns a “sour” Christian “sweet?”

If we are going to do great, BOLD things as Jesus promised, it will require BOLD obedience on our part. How can we live in bold obedience?

Those early disciples prayed some bold, earth-shaking prayers. But not us. We pray weak, chicken prayers. In fact, I think we have been conditioned to using weak prayer language when speaking to God. What has happened to us, and how can we pray bold prayers?

Jesus’ ministry was bold. In the face of the religious structure of the day, Jesus’ life changed everything. And he tells his disciples “you will do greater things.” Is that true? Are we living bold, world-changing lives as Jesus called us to? Or do we keep our faith quiet. What will it take for us to become BOLD?

As our election cycle really heats up, it seems that the liberals on the left ask some very compelling questions about conservatives… They make the case that liberal politics better align with Jesus’ teaching than conservative politics. Is that true? What does Scripture tell us about this?

The way God deals with us is to replace our old nature with His new nature. That means even if you think you “don’t have the gift of mercy,” God is transforming you into a new person… Increasingly remaking you into His image. Mercy is who HE is, and it is who you are becoming.

On Valentine’s Day, we tend to think a lot about love. Jesus did, also… But his definition of love might be a little different than ours. Jesus was insistent that love is a verb, and that we are to show love in ways that we possibly had never considered.