Escape urself Podcast

Thriving in Babylon…are we prepared for what we are facing?

If we are trying to face this world alone, the answer is no. The only way we can survive any battle is with the strength of God on our side. But with all of the voices out there trying to influence you, who are you listening to? Think of who or what it is that most influences you, does that person, company, organization base their opinions, advice, instruction and actions first upon the ways of God or the ways of man? How can I be prepared for what the world is throwing at me?

If you are searching, then this world will work as hard as it can to leave you confused at best deceived at worst. God has a plan and you are a part of it. Seek Him and His plan will begin to be revealed to you. If you are a believer in Jesus then it is a matter of faith. Do we trust God? Will we obey God, no matter what? This week our hope is to encourage you to evaluate your faith. Is it genuine? What qualities do I need to have to survive in this world?

As we face this world together, with Christ and with each other, hang in there! God has not forgotten us! He has not forgotten you. He has a plan. He has placed each of us here in this moment for a very specific reason. He is preparing us to thrive in modern-day Babylon. To reach out to a lost and dying world with His love through our life.

Thriving in Babylon…

No, I don’t think God is asking any of us to move to Iraq this week. Although it is supposed to be partly sunny and 70 on Sunday there! This week we will begin looking at how we can do more than just survive the times in which we live. There is a man in the Old Testament who was captured and taken into exile at the prime of his life. He had done nothing wrong. His people, his nation had forgotten God and he found himself caught up in the aftermath. Thankfully, very few of us have ever been forced into captivity. God has blessed us with an incredible nation, an incredible free nation. However, if you are a follower of Jesus and you are striving to become more and more like Him, then the world around you is beginning to look more and more like a foreign land. As we watch the decisions that are being made, the agendas and ideals that are being promoted, we are seeing the differences between man’s ways and God’s.

But God has chosen this time, this culture, this location for you and I to live. So many people talk about the “good old days” or spend their time worrying about the future. Neither of which we have any control over. We have this moment, this day, this time to live. But God did not call us just to exist in these times. If we are followers of Jesus, then God has given us access to abundant life! How do we tap into that with everything that is going on around us? How do we keep from getting discouraged? How do we fight in a way that brings glory and honor to God? How can we TRIVE in modern-day Babylon?

When we realize we are in the presence of God we are called to worship…

When we realize we are in the presence of God can choose to worship…

When we realize we are in the presence of God we all will worship…one day.

In this life, we have the freedom to choose to love Jesus. Our prayer is that everyone who reads these words will come to love Jesus as soon as possible. God can use any means to lead you in His direction, we must only choose to follow. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend.

When we begin to love Jesus and realize all He has done for us, then our natural response should be to worship. When we realize we are in the presence of God, then our natural response should be to worship. Yet, Jesus shares with us a sad story of a group of men who experienced all of these things. Men whose lives were radically changed and yet choose not to worship. How could that be? Are we at risk of doing the same today?

God created us to worship. Each of us will choose what it is that we will worship but we all will worship something. God’s desire is for us to seek Him and worship Him alone. God revealed these desires long ago to the Hebrew nation as He led them out of Egypt. He gave them direction for how to worship Him. From the simplicity of the first four commandments to the intricate details of the tabernacle and the temple, God gave us a design. The question then becomes, why were God’s instructions so complex and detailed? What was His purpose in this design?

We worship in a very different way from the ancient Jews. This change began with the words of Jesus from John 4:23 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” What does this mean? What do you worship? How do you worship? 

Worship is not an experience it is a realization that I am in the presence of God. When we realize that we are gathering together in the presence of the Lord Almighty, our response should be to worship. He is not just the Creator of the universe; He is your creator. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. He created you on purpose for a purpose. As we gather, He reveals His presence to us. How do we respond? We worship!

This week we will focus on why we worship. In uncertain times like these, we need truth, we need absolutes, we need a Savior. So many worship God but truly do not know why. It might just be something they have always done. We must know the why so we can share it with others.  Thank you for joining us for this week's message!

2020 is over but will never be forgotten. The events of the year have changed so much about life. However, this past year has also reminded us of our need for the truth. For our need to acknowledge there is something greater at work in this world than what we might be able to see or what we are told by those around us. For some, this last year has pulled them away from God, for others it has driven them closer than they have ever been. In either case, there is a reality that we all will face. We were created to worship. Everyone will worship something.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at why we worship, how, where, even when we should worship, exactly who it is that we worship and we will close the series out with a Sunday morning dedicated to uniting in one form of worship of our God. Then throughout 2021 we want to join together as the Bride of Christ and fill our lives with worship. We want to challenge each other to live and love in such a way that brings others into a relationship with the Jesus we are worshiping.

This is a new year, a fresh start. God has given each of us a new opportunity to meet with Him. To experience His love in a personal way. No matter where you are in a relationship with Jesus, we pray that God might send you our way to worship in this new year.

All I want for Christmas is…a something to believe in.

Here we are, 2020 is all but over! I pray that your Christmas celebration went really, really well. As the New Year begins, what are you looking for in your life? The Christmas season brings so much each year but what do you believe? Do you believe in Jesus, the Son of God? This is truly the greatest gift of Christmas. When we share the true story of not just Christmas but the events that occur afterward and the reality that all of it from Jesus’ birth, to His death, to his resurrection, to His ultimate return one day is done for each of us who believe! It is a very compelling story, we want to help you realize that the true reason behind Christmas was and is you!

God all I want for Christmas is something to believe in… Does the world really want something to believe in? Honestly, it might not seem like it. We have constructed a world, a way of life that does not seem to “need” anything. We can take care of it, handle it on our own. Worst case scenario, at least we can order it on Amazon. We don’t need anything. Until we do.

What do you believe in? God, great! Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Nothing, that’s ok. Please give us an opportunity to share with you the love of Jesus. Maybe you believe in a little of everything? That is what the world is offering. We would love a chance to share with you another way to live this life.

Each year we press pause on the crazy schedule of Christmas and meet as a family of believers to celebrate the incredible reality behind the holiday.   We pray that this simple time of reflection and focus reminds us all what God did for each of us through the gift of His Son Jesus.   Thank you for joining us!

All I want for Christmas is…a new beginning.

What if every one of us could start over? What if each one of us was allowed a new beginning? Think of all the movies made, the books written, the stories told of those that wanted, needed and some even received a new beginning. It just might be a God infused cry into the heart of mankind. Since all sin and fall short of the Glory of God and no one is perfect, we are constantly seeking redemption. So many are in pursuit of a fresh start for an untold number of different reasons. Some good, some bad but the pursuit remains. One of the greatest fears I have moving forward is that many will give up the pursuit. They will become overwhelmed with the burden of this last year and as a result, they become too fearful to try to escape or too anxious to try anything new or too depressed to believe that joy can even be a reality in their life once again.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ then there is no valley too low for Jesus to carry you out of. There is no obstacle too big for Jesus to carry you over. There is no expanse too wide that he cannot carry you across. But you have to let Him pick you up!

Beyond that, there is a deeper commitment you have made. If you are a believer, then you must go to those that are on the brink of losing hope. Right now, we must go to them and offer the hope that we are celebrating the birth of our Savior! The fresh start, the new beginning that is available to them as a result of what began at Christmas and ended with an empty tomb.

How many out there today are crying out “All I want for Christmas is a new beginning?” But they just don’t know where to start. If that is you or someone you know it would be a blessing if you joined us this Sunday.

Sorry for the delay everyone!  Tis been an interesting week in the Howell household.   Things seem to be going very well now but prayers are always appreciated!  I pray that you were able to join the 1st week of the Christmas series...All I want for Christmas is...

Week 2 begins with some announcements, sorry about that!  We had some tech. difficulties with the live stream on Sunday.  But hey you can catch up on what is going on at Berea!   This week...All I want for Christmas is some Good News...

Each year at this time we get to refocus our eyes on the origin of our faith.  The incredible plan that God put in place from before the creation of man.  A plan that brought the hope of redemption, the hope of forgiveness, the hope of everlasting life and an eternity with our creator.    A magnificent plan, a glorious plan that was carried out in the most humble, most unspectacular, inconsequential, seemingly irrelevant way it possibly could be.

Everything about God’s gift to us should have been swept under the thick rug of the history of the Jewish people.  But it wasn’t.  God chose the irrelevant to give us the greatest revelation.  He chose the unspectacular to put His elaborate plan for all mankind into action!  He chose a humble beginning in a stable with a young virgin and a carpenter to bring the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords to His Earth!

All I want for Christmas is…some good news!

This week we will be discussing the greatest news ever received by humanity!  We live in a world that does not believe in Good news.  A world that does not share good news.  A world that actually works to suppresses good news.  After all, good news doesn’t make money.  But God has given us something to share that is so good we cannot hold it in any longer!