We look at Matthew, the first book of the Gospel, and see believers as the Salt and Light of the world. With that knowledge, we can narrow it down to these three things:

1. Believers are called

2. People need Jesus

3. People want Jesus.

In Malachi, God gives believers a couple of reminders of who they are and their duty to remain faithful. So, who are we, and how do we remain faithful, not only to God but even to our spouses?

On Sunday, Greg focused on four major ideas from Jonah’s story:

We can’t outrun or ever get to a place too far that God can’t or won’t reach us.

God’s grace and mercy is more than we can imagine. God is not an angry father waiting to smite us, but rather a loving Father who sent His best for restoration with humanity.

Our own tendency is to justify ourselves while wanting to see others condemned. We must extend the same grace and mercy we have received.

Take life in stride. God is present when we are running… when we obey… when we are frustrated and angry. Rom. 8:38 “And I a convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love…”

Joel prophesies about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to come, and nearly 800 years later, in Acts 2 - the Day of Pentecost, Peter references Joel’s prophecy.

The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to draw people to Jesus, empower us to love God and others, and be our Advocate.

We are called to live a Spirit-filled life, but are we aware of Him and submitting to His voice?

Three takeaways from Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den:

Your faithfulness will impact more people than you think or realize. Daniel’s faith resulted in a king mandating Daniel’s God was first, above all.

Your prayer for others matters. Daniel’s faith and reputation led the king to fast and pray for Daniel. People in our lives matter, and our prayers for them matter, as well.

When things get difficult, get alone and pray. No matter when times are good, bad, easy, or busy - it’s important for us to get alone, spend time with Him, and listen.

One of the things we as believers seem to care the most about is fitting in. We fail to remember that the very faith we subscribe to calls us out.

We are a people that are called to be different, because we serve someone different.

We serve a God who gave up everything because of love. If we are living out of that love, we will love differently. Fitting into the kingdom of God, not the world we see.

Lamenting is not irreverent. But human and God created humans.

Lamenting can lead us to the place where we find hope. Hope in God.

Take time today to be powerfully honest with your thoughts, feelings, emotions, concerns, and fear with our Father.

We dive into Jeremiah and see a nation that has found itself far from God. But that is the whole reason Jeremiah was sent to bring a nation back to the Father.

Jeremiah would prophesy and warn the people for twenty-plus years, but their hearts were so hard and full-on other things that the warnings would not be headed.

Can we look at this nation of Israel and see ourselves in it? Are we a church that is too hard and full to hear and heed the things of God?

If so, where do we go from here?

If we could look at our hearts, the center of who we really are, what would we see? Would we find a sensitive, compassionate, empathetic heart? Or would it be hardened, calloused, cynical?

The god of this world wants to infect our hearts with the issues of life, and if we don’t guard our hearts, these issues can impact the core of who we are in a negative way.

But Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit so that He may “create in us a clean heart.” We pray that your heart is renewed and purified as you walk with Him on a daily basis.

Who me? Yes, you!

We all have a story, testimony, or witness about God's goodness. Come and hear what Isaiah says about being a witness. It begins with community.