What does a healthy, ready, Christ-centered church truly look like? This message walks us through the DNA of a church prepared for the return of Jesus.

In this final section of 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Justin unpacks Paul’s rapid-fire commands that reveal the DNA of a healthy church. These closing verses show what a mature, unified, Spirit-led, Christ-rooted community looks like. Paul reminds a young, brave church that their strength does not come from themselves but from the God who faithfully completes what He begins.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:12 to 5:28, we see a blueprint for churches that honor leadership, care well for one another, walk in Spirit-formed rhythms, remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and trust God’s sanctifying work. This is what it means to become a church ready for the return of Jesus.

Message Outline:
I. Healthy Churches Honor Spiritual Leadership (5:12-13)
Paul teaches that honor creates unity and peace as leaders labor, guide, and correct while the church supports, esteems, and protects unity.

II. Healthy Churches Care Well for One Another (5:14-15)
The church is a family called to warn the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, show patience to all, reject revenge, and pursue goodness.

III. Healthy Churches Cultivate Spirit-Formed Rhythms (5:16-18)
Rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in everything are not slogans; they are supernatural rhythms formed by the Spirit.

IV. Healthy Churches Stay Sensitive to the Spirit (5:19-22)
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test everything. Hold fast to what is good. Stay far from every form of evil.

V. Healthy Churches Trust God’s Shaping Work and Live Rooted (5:23-28)
God sanctifies completely. He transforms, preserves, restores, and finishes the work He begins. We live rooted in prayer, Scripture, affection, and grace.
This chapter closes with a powerful reminder that everything begins and ends in grace. Grace starts the story, shapes the story, and will finish the story.

Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:12 to 5:28 NKJV


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

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A powerful message from Pastor Justin on what it means to be a church that Heaven talks about and how true generosity reflects the heart of Jesus.

In this message, Pastor Justin teaches from 2 Corinthians 8:1 through 9 and shows us what it means to become a church that Heaven talks about. A generous church is a healthy church, and Paul’s teaching gives us the clearest picture in the New Testament of how grace fuels genuine generosity.

The Corinthian church was eager to give, but Paul challenged them to finish what they started. By pointing them to the Macedonian believers, he revealed how God’s grace transforms the heart, shapes our attitude, and opens our hands even in hardship. Their example shows that Christian generosity begins with grace, grows through trials, and is expressed through joyful and intentional giving.

Pastor Justin walks us through the grace of a generous church, the giving of a generous church, and the godliness of a generous church. From proportional, sacrificial, and freewill giving to the privilege of serving the Lord’s people, this message reminds us that generosity begins with surrender to Jesus. He is our model, our motive, and our means. When Jesus has our hearts, generosity will naturally follow.

If you want to grow in faith, deepen your surrender, and reflect the generosity of Jesus, this message will challenge and strengthen you.



ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst

Living Ready | 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 NLT | Week 4

Because He’s coming, we live ready.

This week's handout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZnNkj8F14rO9ujk60uz2M7_fsMU4riFr/view?usp=sharing

In this powerful message, Pastor Justin walks through 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11, showing how believers can live with both hope and holiness as we await the return of Christ. Paul reminds the church that our confidence in the future is anchored in the resurrection of Jesus. Because He rose, we can face death and the unknown with faith, courage, and expectation.

Message Outline
I. The Comfort of Hope (4:13–18)
II. The Call to Readiness (5:1–11)
III. The Culture of Readiness

Last week we learned what it means to live a life that pleases God. This week, Paul shifts from holy living to hopeful living. The Thessalonian believers were concerned about those who had died before Christ’s return, but Paul writes to bring comfort and clarity.

We grieve, but not without hope. We wait, but not without purpose. We live, but not without readiness.

Key Truths
– Hope anchors the grieving heart.
– Faith lifts the waiting soul.
– Encouragement is how we wait well.
– You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.

A church that stands strong is a church that stays ready. Hope produces holiness. Faith produces focus. Love produces endurance.

Watch this message to be reminded that Jesus is coming again and to discover how to live ready every day until He does.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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FORWARD IN FAITH | The Test of Trust | Malachi 3:6–12 NKJV

Intro:
Tests don’t punish - they prove readiness for promotion.
When God’s preparing His people for more, He always brings a test of faith. Before God promotes, He proves. Before He trusts us with what’s next, He tests us with what’s now.
In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks one of the most important principles in Scripture; the Test of Trust. God’s not after your money… He’s after your heart. And the way we handle our time, talent, and treasure reveals what we truly trust.

Key Passage: Malachi 3:6-12 NKJV

Main Idea: The tithe isn’t a payment; it’s a posture. A test of trust that unlocks God’s provision, protection, and presence.

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Message Highlights:
    1.    The Test of Trust: God doesn’t use tests to punish us but to prepare us.
    2.    Tithing is About Ownership: When you settle who owns it all, you settle who gets first.
    3.    The Truth That Sets Us Free: Tithing isn’t bribery or bondage; it’s worship.
    4.    The Blessing of the Tithe: Provision, presence, productivity, protection, and public witness.

“If we can trust God with Heaven, we can trust Him with ten percent.”

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We tithe because it:
Provides for His house • Proves our trust • Positions us for blessing •
Connects our money to His mission • Cultivates gratitude • Breaks greed • Builds faith • Brings God first place in everything we do.

The tithe is simply where trust begins; not where giving ends.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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Everybody’s trying to please somebody… but what if the goal isn’t to please them—it’s to please Him? When you live for God’s “Well done,” you stop chasing everyone else’s “good job.”

This Is The Bible: The Letters
1 Thessalonians — The Church That Stands Strong
Week #3 | “A Life Pleasing to God” | 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12 (NLT)

Everybody’s trying to please somebody, chasing approval, attention, and applause. But Paul reminds us: the goal of the Christian life isn’t to please them; it’s to please Him. When you live for God’s “Well done,” you stop chasing everyone else’s “Good job.”

In this message, Pastor Justin teaches from 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12, showing what a life that truly pleases God looks like: pure, loving, steady, and strong. In a culture that mocks purity and treats holiness as optional, God calls His people to walk differently.

🔹 Message Breakdown:
1️⃣ The Call to Please God - Pursue what pleases Him, not people.
2️⃣ The Command to Be Pure - Stay holy in a culture that’s not.
3️⃣ The Challenge to Walk in Love - Love deeply, even when it’s difficult.
4️⃣ The Charge to Live with Dignity - Work quietly, walk loudly, and let your faith speak through your life.

Because you can’t stand strong for God if you’re walking like the world,
and you can’t please God publicly if you dishonor Him privately.

Key Line:
A church that stands strong must walk holy.

Prayer:
“Lord, make us pure in heart, steadfast in love, faithful in work, and holy in every way.”


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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“Every miracle, every breakthrough, every move of God, starts the same way… on our knees.” 
Ephesians 3:14–21,  When God Moves.

When God moves, everything changes. 

This week’s message from Pastor Justin reminds us that every story of revival, every miracle we’ve witnessed, and every soul transformed was first birthed in prayer.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 isn’t just words, it’s a blueprint for how God moves when His people pray. Before He moves through us, He moves us to our knees.

SERMON OUTLINE:
I. God Moves When We Surrender - Prayer isn’t about position; it’s about submission.
II. God Strengthens Our Foundation - Strength, stability, sight, and saturation all begin in His presence.
III. God Deserves the Glory - Every answered prayer points back to one purpose: His glory alone.

Key Verse:
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20–21

THE BIG IDEA:
Revival isn’t a moment, it’s a movement.
The same God who sent the rain is still growing the harvest. 
So remember, rejoice, and renew, because He’s not done yet.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst

Week #2 - 1 Thessalonians 2–3 - “Ministry That Stands”

In a culture driven by idols, power, and pleasure, Paul wrote to a young church that dared to live differently. The Thessalonian believers were born in the fire of persecution and raised in the furnace of faith, and through his letter, Paul shows us what it takes to build a ministry that stands.

In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks the anatomy of lasting ministry:
→ The Motives of Ministry; Why we serve.
→ The Methods of Ministry; How we serve.
→ The Mark of Ministry; What proves our service is real.
→ The Mission of Ministry; What keeps us serving.

Paul reminds us that ministry isn’t measured by applause, but by endurance.
When motives stay pure, methods stay loving, and faith stays firm; the mission thrives.

Key Takeaways:
• Faithfulness endures even when no one applauds.
• The courage to serve comes from calling, not crowds.
• Flattery builds fans, but truth builds faith.
• Suffering isn’t failure, it’s fellowship with Christ.
• The greatest reward of ministry is seeing others stand firm in Jesus.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst

We live in a generation addicted to proof; data before devotion, evidence before obedience, sight before surrender. But Jesus turns that upside down: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

In this message, Pastor Justin teaches what it means to live a lifestyle of faith that keeps moving even when you can’t see the outcome. Through Thomas’ encounter with Jesus, we discover that real faith doesn’t demand proof, it produces peace.

MESSAGE OUTLINE
I. FAITH WITHOUT SEEING IS BLESSED
• Faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6)
• Faith positions you for peace (Romans 5:1)
• Faith produces enduring joy (1 Peter 1:8)

II. TESTIMONY ENABLES FAITH
• Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17)
• Faith multiplies in community (Acts 4:33)
• Faith overcomes through testimony (Revelation 12:11)

III. FAITH EQUIPS US WITH HOPE
• Faith anchors hope (Hebrews 11:1)
• Faith sustains hope in suffering (Romans 5:3–5)
• Faith secures hope for the future (Romans 15:13)

KEY TRUTH:
Faith reveals trust in God’s character.
Faith transfers the weight of control from your hands to His.
Faith celebrates the promise before it’s visible.

Challenge:
Meditate on God’s promises.
Learn from testimonies of faith.
Live out your faith boldly, because your unseen trust speaks louder than visible proof.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst

Welcome to our brand-new study through 1 Thessalonians, one of Paul’s earliest letters, and one of his most encouraging. Written to a young church facing pressure, persecution, and uncertainty, this chapter reveals what it means to be grounded in faith, growing in love, and glowing with hope in a world that needs real faith.

⸻

📖 SERMON OVERVIEW

In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul celebrates a church that didn’t just hear the gospel, they embodied it. Their faith worked, their love served, and their hope endured.
Here’s the blueprint for a church (and believer) that stands strong in every season:

OUTLINE:
I. A FAITHFUL CHURCH: Faith acts. Gratitude fuels faithfulness.
II. A CHOSEN CHURCH: Loved, chosen, and called by God before we ever performed for Him.
III. A SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH: The Gospel doesn’t just inform, it transforms.
IV. A PROCLAIMING CHURCH: The Word of the Lord echoed from their lives into the world.
V. A HOPEFUL CHURCH: They turned from idols to serve the living God and wait for Christ’s return.

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💡 KEY TRUTHS
    •    Faith works: Conviction that acts.
    •    Love serves: Compassion that costs.
    •    Hope endures: Confidence that lasts.
    •    Grace precedes peace: You can’t have peace until you’ve received grace.
    •    When the Spirit fills a church, the world starts hearing about it.

⸻

🙌 APPLICATION

A church grounded in faith doesn’t drift, it stands.
A church chosen by love doesn’t perform, it belongs.
A church filled with the Spirit doesn’t hide, it shines.
A church anchored in hope doesn’t fear, it endures.

Faith acts. Love serves. Hope endures.
That’s the kind of church, and believer, Jesus is coming back for.


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst

When Doubt Meets Jesus | John 20:19-29 NKJV
One moment with Jesus can turn doubt into devotion. In this message, Pastor Justin shows how Thomas’ encounter with Christ moved him from questioning to declaring, “My Lord and my God!”

Discover how:
• Encountering Jesus transforms doubt into worship.
• Surrendered doubt strengthens faith.
• Faith becomes a personal commitment.
Because when it comes to Jesus, there is no neutral.
Thomas made his choice. What will yours be?

#John20 #FaithOverDoubt #EncounterJesus #PastorJustin 

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👇 FULL MESSAGE DESCRIPTION 👇

Unseen - Week 3 | John 20:19-29 NKJV
“When Doubt Meets Jesus”

Every encounter with Jesus demands a response. In John 20, Thomas goes from “Unless I see…” to “My Lord and my God!”, proof that one moment with Jesus can turn doubt into devotion.

In this message, Pastor Justin explores three powerful truths about what happens when we encounter Jesus:

1️⃣ Encountering Jesus Transforms Doubt into Worship - When you see Him clearly, doubt doesn’t stand a chance.
2️⃣ Doubt Can Deepen Faith When Surrendered to Christ - A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.
3️⃣ Faith Is a Personal Commitment - “My Lord and my God” isn’t just belief; it’s belonging.

We’ll also discover three ways to respond to Jesus today:
    •    Demonstrate your hunger through worship.
    •    Determine to pursue Him daily.
    •    Declare your faith personally.

Because when it comes to Jesus; there is no neutral.
Thomas made his decision. What will yours be?


ABOUT DISCOVER LIFE CHURCH SIKESTON

Discover Life Church wants to provide you all the tools to Reach One More for Christ. Our hope is that your faith journey will include joining us at Discover Life Church in Sikeston, Missouri. 

Find videos and more about us at https://dlc.life/sikeston-location

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dlc.sikeston/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dlc.sikeston/

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#discoverlifechurch #justinpobst