FEARLESS

When Jesus walked through the earth He did so with the intention of being an example for how to live life with the Spirit. The fruit of our spirit is not something that just appears during times of trouble but cultivated daily so that people around us will be able to have access to someone that has joy, peace, kindness, faithfulness and so forth. Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians that there is a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit and all of us Christians should try our best to live by the spirit and not by the flesh. When we think about faithfulness it can be broken down into a simple equation of Faithfulness being a result of character, stewardship and longevity. These three things being different from those that are out there in the world will help people identify that we carry the faithful love of Jesus. 1. Character is not something that is a front but it is who you are in every aspect of our lives, both seen and unseen. It's what allows us to live life with integrity. 2. Stewardship requires us to act in obedience and not in comparison. Each of us has been given a portion and we are expected to multiply that portion based on our time, talent and treasure. 3. Longevity requires us to see things through consistently over an extended period of time. It's being able to tap into a supernatural source to go through life without burning out. We are not called to be perfect and we should never allow that to discourage us but everyday of this life we should be trying to look more like Jesus. We are called to live a life that is not easily discredited and the good news is that we can. So what does the fruit of faithfulness look like in our lives? Maybe it's us just making it into church through tough circumstances, maybe it's worshiping God through some painful moments. Jesus is faithful to us despite our unfaithfulness and He has given us the ability to do the same!Application: Is there an area of your character, how you steward or your ability to endure that can be worked on today? Prayer: Father, I long to be a faithful follower of your will and your word. I understand that it is easy to give into our flesh and ask for things that we want but more than the desires of my flesh I long to live a life that is worthy of you. Help me endure in faithfulness and help me develop my character, become a good steward of these resources and to have longevity in this race! In Jesus name Amen

Many times in the Bible we have examples of Jesus was walking through life and walking through crowds. It's not that he was lazy but he was trying to model a lifestyle where we get to work out of a place of patience and rest. When we pray, "God I want all that you have for me." Do we consider what that statement means? We like to think that if things are good they are from God but there are moments that God allows opposition to slow us down. Opposition can feel like it was sent to destroy us but in fact the Lord allows those things to develop us. Instead of being angry at God we need to start getting a perspective that the attack is a compliment that we are going in the right direction in life. Patience encourages us to: 1. Be faithful in what we're doing. 2. To trust God especially when we don't understand. 3. To pursue God and operate out of a place of rest. If we can be present and wait for what God has for us we will find that a lifestyle of rest in Jesus which will ultimately yield the greatest form of trust. When we continue to rush through life it shows our lack of contentment but God is longing to change all of that. Our situations can be a lot but it does not give us the permission to doubt and curse God, instead through patience we can praise Him every step of the way.

Application: How do we begin to trust God when the waiting has been more than just one night? Do we understand that God is not done with us yet? Prayer: Father I pray that you give me patience to go through this life. I understand that in this season you are developing me and making me whole. I long to trust you without doubts plaguing me and I pray that I will fix my eyes solely on you and not the things of this life! In jesus name, amen!

Jesus walks through the garden of our lives and he reaches in to see if there is fruit. Sometimes we advertise that we are fruit bearing believers but when the Lord looks for it, He might not find anything. God prunes us because that is a part of Him extending His grace towards us. God is constantly trying to remind us of how far we have come, especially if we've allowed life to make us stingy with our praise and generosity! God didn't need Mary's worship just like He doesn't need one more voice to fill the choir of heaven, but He honored Mary because she understood what time it was and who it was that she was honoring. If everything in this life belongs to God, there is absolutely nothing that did not come from the generosity of God including the breath in our lungs. With this resource all He is asking is that we take care of His bride and we as believers will take care of what he loves the most for the following reasons:

1) How much we've been loved will determine how much we love. 2) It's not that we don't have a seed to sow, it's that most of us are sowing it in the wrong place. 3) God doesn't want our money, He is only after our hearts!Stewardship is all a test and God is looking for people that are willing to trust him with taking care of their lives. If we sow our seed in the right soil it produces a tree that produces fruit that continue to carry seeds. When we sow something it gives it the potential to bear fruit that will continue to bless us in the future. So if we want more seed in our lives, let's begin to sow what we have into God and all that He loves. Our God did not hold back when He gave all of heaven to save us so in return, let's become a group of people that give him everything!

There comes a point in life when we realize that we cannot control anyone other than ourselves and we need to develop our weaknesses into strengths. If our self control starts in our minds then we need to become masters of what thought patterns are cycling through them and by living out the fruit of the spirit, its evidence will convict those around us! Sometimes the things we choose to do might not be sinful but we do need to ask the question if it was helpful or beneficial. We need to live to a standard that raises the people around us also to a new level. We need to look at every area of our lives when it comes to discipline because everything we have been given is for others and not for us. 1. Self control and discipline is a way we get to honor God. 2. Discipline in one area will bleed into other areas. 3. There are consequences to a lack of self control and can cost you your call We need to take ownership and authority over our minds, our mouths and our actions. If we are more concerned about what people see instead of what God sees we have completely missed the point. If we continue to live a life that pleases our sinful nature eventually it ends up feeling right. But the Bible doesn't tell us to follow our flesh, it asks us to crucify it and we need to be people who pursue that discipline till the end. Jesus himself displayed the greatest moment of self control by dying on the cross for us and He did so that we have a model to look at as we are on this journey! Application: What are some areas that you lack self control that you need to be made obedient to Christ? Prayer: Father I ask that you help me self control and discipline. I long to please you in every area of my life so I ask that you help me strengthen and work on my weaknesses so that I continue to look like you!

God loves us for who we are and not what we can give him. He loves us even when we don't produce but sometimes we get distraught over the problems that are inside of us and we, just like Hannah, can have everything we want and still be unhappy. When we don't love the person God created us to be we will never be satisfied. We think material and earthly things bring value to who we are but all the Lord is wanting us to do is be at perfect peace with who we are.Here's why we need to press into God now more than ever: 1) If we live life vertically focusing on God, it will be our best year. 2) Whatever we lost we didn't need. 3) If we focus on what isn't perfect, we miss what is good.

Pastor Christy Johnson preaches a message "Kingdom Scales: Worth The Weight".

When we ask God to use our lives, what we don't realize we are asking for is for the Lord to prepare us. We are going to have to go through some moments of pressing and pruning which end up being quite painful but instead of complaining when those things happen let's aim to become people of prayer! The weight of God's glory on our lives might not happen easily but it will happen faithfully and that glory will always be worth the wait. We cannot abort the assignment because on the other side of our faithfulness we will experience the beautiful birth of something impactful.

Pastor Jeremy Johnson preaches a message "MAGNIFY" and explains when we MAGNIFY God instead of the problem, you're able to get a kingdom perspective.

Read: Matthew 5: 14-16 | Proverbs 23:7 | John 7:22 | 2 Timothy 2 As we continue to dive deeper into our walk with God we realize that Church is not a hiding place but a rallying place to get fired up for the next mission Our only objective in life is that people discover Jesus so how we represent Him is going to be more effective out in the world that inside the walls of the church. In order to complete this mission we have to stand on the truth that we are both kings in ruling but also kings in waiting, so as we are expectant to God to take us to that "next big thing" we can still influence the atmosphere of where we are at. Here are some things to think about as we continue to reflect the light of Christ: 1 Sometimes our lack of promotion is just a season of preparation. 2 To bring glory means to excel in whatever it is we do and that excellence will speak to people. 3 We have to be overt and covert at the same time. It's our mandate to change this city and to change this country for the Lord. A city on a hill cannot be hidden the word says, which means that if each of us collectively shine the light that has been given us, together we make a massive impact on the darkness that surrounds us. We often feel ineffective because we are isolated but look around you and see that you have been placed in a body that is running this race alongside you! Application - Where are you positioned: a job, your family, your friends. How can you begin to bring that unique light into their lives? Prayer - Father help me reflect the light of Jesus on to those around me. I pray that I will excel in all the skills you have given me and in that process that I will bring you utmost glory. Help me see this season of preparation as the training grounds for what you have in store for the future! In Jesus Name!

Our dreams can never know the power of resurrection unless they experience some sort of death. All of us want to live but very few of us want our dreams to die and in this walk we find that if they die they actually go into His hands and in His hands there is resurrection power. In order to share in his blessings we have to choose to share in his suffering! It's his humanity that draws us closer to him but it's his divinity that transforms the humanity in us and this transformation is the "process" that we all go through. The process is painful but here are somethings that we can take heart in knowing: Even Jesus prayed to forfeit the process before the promise, but in that prayer He chose God's way! The pain will only affect one person but the process will birth something that will impact the lives of many. Jesus passed the test because He knew that God was ordering His steps. He clung to trust even when pain was imminent. All of us must go to the wilderness alone and it's there that we will get prepared and tested. The enemy will test us with our own promises without a process. The cost of the process is worth everything, just like the pain of labor is worth the baby in the end. So know that the steps give you the strength to hold the promise in the end. Jesus defeated the devil on the mountain but He fought the flesh in the garden. The ultimate fight is with ourselves but He shows us that the flesh can be conquered! Application -How can you begin to give God worship through the steps your on? Can you choose God's way over your way today? Prayer - Father, the process has been painful. But I long to join in the suffering of Christ so that I may know the joy at the end. I worship and honour you for being God. Thank you for holding my life in your hands and for never giving into prayers that would help me cut corners in life. I give you my dreams and life knowing full well that you will lead me every step of the way. Amen