You were not meant to go it alone. We aren't built to be loners. God created us for connection. And he was always meant to be smack dab in the middle of every relationship. We are told repeatedly to just DO for one another. Love one another, encourage one another, instruct one another, and so on. Here's the thing: we cannot fulfill these commands if we do not have these type of relationships. It is imperative that we seek out those connections, and not just for ourselves.

"Emmanuel." We usually restrict our use of that name around Christmas. The name means: "God with us." When our Father sent Jesus to this earth, he put a plan in motion: a plan to have a relationship with YOU. God has never been content with you knowing that he exists. He wants you to know him and for you to walk together. Re:Connect with him today.

The Church is supposed to be a family. We want to welcome you into our family time, not just when we gather together on Sundays, but every time we interact with another person. It's not enough to attend to church. We need to reach out to those who are in need and bring them into our family time. We don't want you to content to hang out in the foyer. And our intimacy with you shouldn't stop in the living room. We want to give you kitchen privileges!

We wrap up our WYBIGB series today. "When you believe in God, but...you don't trust him." Worry can paralyze us. We get too concerned about what might happen and we forget that God is in control. And we forget how much he really loves us. Don't be a worrier. Be a warrior!

You know what power we have if we have a relationship with Christ? Because of our belief in Him, we are given 24/7 access to the God of the universe. When Jesus walked this earth, he taught us how to pray. And yet, we don't do it, for a variety of reasons.

Finances. Such a touchy subject to bring up in most circumstances. Churches in particular are criticized for bringing up money. But Jesus was concerned about money. He didn't need it. He just knew that people tend to become fascinated with it, even to the point of pursuing it instead of God. Where you spend your money is a great litmus test on what you value. So, are you a giver? If not, what is holding you back. Doc Pattison, our preaching minister, has got a challenge for you, one that comes straight from God. Test and see what God does for you when you give everything to Him.

We've all been guilty of coming up with lines we shouldn't cross, then we cross them anyway. What if identifying the line wasn't really the point? Jesus taught about freedom from sin. He wants us to be from what all of that entails. Our worry, guilt and shame over such things can be debilitating. When Jesus spoke about lust in his sermon on the mount, he started a few phrases with: "You've heard it said..." Society, family, friends, religion, peers all give us a line we shouldn't cross. But Jesus says, "I want you to live free." It doesn't mean we go on sinning freely. It means we kill that desire within us because He has shown us a better way. It is up to you to decide to follow that way, or just keep living like you're living. The question is: how has that worked out for you in the past?

How's your heart? Is it full of joy? Peace? Love and mercy? Most of us can say we have some measure of love within us. We are certainly capable of it. But God calls us to love everybody. Everybody. Sounds impossible! It is, apart from Christ. He has called us to a higher standard. He wants us to not let anger rule over us. All too often, we let our "micro-aggressions" take over. And then, we just seem angry all the time.

Also, it was Sunglasses Sunday. Which is kinda weird.

Jesus said we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world. If the people in our lives are truly in darkness, why aren't we doing everything in our power to bring them to the light? Join us as we continue our series: When You Believe in God, But...

Today's message comes from a famous sermon Jesus preached. He spoke about people who were blessed and happy. We focused today on a particular set of "happy" people: those who are pure in heart. Jesus said they were happy and blessed because they will get to see God. What an awesome reward! Most of us can admit that our hearts are far from pure. We need to align it with Jesus' heart so we get to see our Father.