Bridgewater Montrose’s Podcast

Jesus flips the world’s definition of success upside down. He says the good, successful life is one where we are poor, humble, and pure. It’s possible to be successful externally but still hear from Jesus, “I never knew you, get away from me.” Real success is found in building God’s kingdom, not yours. When we seek His kingdom first, we also get all of the other things that we need.

We all want “the good life,” and we chase it through things like more money, a better relationship, and being liked. All of us are chasing something. The question is - do we know what we are chasing and why? 

Extraordinary Success

Ordinary religion operates like a club: Following the rules is what gets you in and keeps you in. Jesus’ relationship with the rules kills the ordinary religious scorecard. Instead of a club, God created a family. Keeping the rules didn’t get you into your family, nor does it kick you out. Instead, God’s commands point us toward something even more important than conforming to the rules – loving God and others. 

Children dream of slaying dragons or befriending them. But somewhere in the journey to adulthood, we scale back our visions for greatness and settle for an ordinary life... and then, boring mediocrity. But the Creator of this Universe didn’t make you to be ordinary. Jesus didn’t die on the cross in the hope that you would someday reach the heights of ordinary-ness. Let’s let our 2-dimentional dream of normal die and follow Jesus to the extraordinary life He calls us to. An ordinary church and life is about me, “my people” and my successful commandment-keeping. It is a museum for like-minded saints. Jesus condemns this ordinary church and life in the strongest of language. Instead, he challenges us to be an extraordinary that pursues the despised and loves Jesus more than our way or our rules. Jesus wants a messy-hospital-church for the hurting and hungry and not a beautiful-casket-church concealing the spiritually self-centered and dead.

Before He left, Jesus gave His church a single, unmistakable command: make disciples. It's easy to let good things — programs, groups, routines — quietly become the point, when they were only ever meant to fuel the real mission. This year, we're refusing to be busy without being on assignment, and chasing after the one job that actually matters: helping more people find and follow Jesus.

At the end of Esther 7 everything seems fixed, but there are three chapters left! A new law had to be written, preparations made and then the Jews had to unite and fight for their survival. God’s deliverance still required obedience. But even after that, it wasn’t over. The last phase of God’s victory is setting up a system to remember it. When will you habitually celebrate God’s victories in your life? Joy truly is the serious business of heaven.

It is the plot of endless stories, because we never tire of it. The situation is dark. All hope is lost... but then out of some impossible scenario, the hero shows up and wins the day. The tables are turned. That is the story of Esther 6-7. But how did it happen? Eventually, God always wins. But Esther shows us several tips of how to make sure we are on the Lord’s side. 

In our modern age of fear and anxiety we desperately need to have the courage of Esther. How was she able to confront the two most powerful men in the largest empire on earth – alone!? Esther 4-5 reveals four secrets to great courage that will embolden you to overcome the fears in your life today.

What do you do when it seems like God doesn’t show up and evil is winning? Don’t mistake God’s silence for His absence. Like Esther we must trust and obey God even when everything seems hopeless. Evil often takes the lead, but God’s side succeeds.