Today's message is simple - Follow Jesus, don't do anything else. - Pastor Jason Pilgrim

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. - Matthew 6:19-21
Pastor Jason Pilgrim

Many people think “If I can just get more money, my problems will go away.” “If I can just get some more money, things will be easier.” “If I can just get more money, I won’t have to worry anymore.” Money can buy you a bed, but it can’t buy you sleep. Money can buy you a quiet vacation, but it can’t buy you peace. Money can buy you medicine, but it can’t buy you health. Money can buy you amusements, but it can’t buy you joy. Money has limitations. My prayer is that we learn not to hold onto and grasp something which cannot save us. Money is great, it has a lot of benefits… But its limitations are so much greater. Money can’t buy you a Savior. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

Deep within every person is a longing for righteousness and justice. We want things in the world, at least our little corner of it, to be at peace. We want to eradicate human trafficking, racism, hunger, homelessness, abuse. We long for the day when all people can coexist in a world with no war, violence, murder or hatred. Where everyone is valued as an image-bearer of God and no one is marginalized. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

The principles inside the Bible are timeless and relevant for any Christ-follower at any point in history. But they were originally written to people who lived thousands of years ago across an ocean. Our instincts and understanding are completely different from the people the scriptures were written to. We can’t take a surface reading of the scriptures and then try to directly apply it because, while the scriptures are for us, they were not written TO us. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

Jesus intended His Kingdom to advance and grow through humility. Jesus intended His Kingdom to advance and grow through peace. Jesus intended His Kingdom to advance and grow through righteousness. And He determines what’s righteous and not us. There are those who see all the negative talk surrounding the idea of Christian Nationalism as persecution. “We’re suffering persecution for God and our country.” But this Christian Nationalism is not righteous, and this is not what Jesus was talking about when He spoke these words. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

Is Christianity Good? So the behaviors and moral values the bible calls a result of having the Holy Spirit in our life is a standard of ethical behavior and moral values for a completely secular entity. The bible has set a standard for human rights unlike any other belief system, entity, or organization ever. So even though there’s a lot of negative, there is so much positive. Christianity, as a religion isn’t perfect because people aren’t perfect. - Pastor Ryan Martinez

When I look back at all the times I have had to wait, I can see that God’s timing is the best timing and it’s always perfect. From waiting to get married, to when God fulfilled the promise of bringing us here. God has perfect timing; I have seen the hand of God provide the way in the middle of what often looked like a red sea, impossible to part. – Pastor Ryan Martinez

Now, am I saying it’s not a big deal when we go through difficult things? No, absolutely not. The things we go through in life matter and God is concerned for us. That’s why The apostle Peter tells us to cast our cares on Him… because He cares for us. But for true disciples, difficult things shouldn’t lead us away from God, because true disciples don’t have a “plan B”. Where else would we go? - Pastor Ryan Martinez

Jesus has been slowly revealing Himself as Messiah through performing miracles, His command of scripture, and His gift of prophecy. And then in John 5, Jesus is having a conversation with the Pharisees and He kicks it up a notch… He not only claims that He’s the Messiah, He makes the claim that He is God. And then after that we read about Jesus proving that no matter the situation, He will provide for His people. Jesus fed arguably close to 20,000 people with 7 loaves of bread and 2 fish. If there are still doubts that Jesus is who He says He is, the evidence is starting to mount. – Pastor Ryan Martinez