Family Sunday - March 29, 2026 by Forward Church Sermons

God is not the source of trials or temptation—He is the one who gives wisdom, strength, and a way through what we face in a broken world. When we see Him clearly, prayer becomes confident, faith becomes steady, and our hearts rest in His goodness.

Through the Spirit and the finished work of Christ, believers can know the things God has already freely given and pray with confidence where His will is clearly revealed. In areas where Scripture has not specified the details—such as personal plans, timing, or direction—we humbly seek His guidance, trusting His grace and leadership along the way.

Since God already knows our needs and desires to give good things to His children, prayer begins by hearing and believing what He has spoken. Faith is born through the Word, and as we receive God’s promises into our hearts, His living Word shapes our thoughts, guards our hearts, and produces the fruit of His will in our lives.

Because our Father already knows what we need, prayer is not informing Him or persuading Him — it is partnering with Him. As righteous sons and daughters, we bear one another’s burdens and pray for one another boldly and confidently, expecting healing and restoration in a hurting world.

In this conversation, Justin Merrill explores the profound themes of grace, identity, and the nature of God through the lens of the parable of the Prodigal Son. He emphasizes that the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son collectively reveal God's relentless pursuit of humanity and His desire for restoration. The discussion highlights the contrasting perspectives of the younger and elder sons, illustrating how both can misunderstand the Father's heart. Ultimately, the message centers on the unconditional love and acceptance that God offers to all, regardless of their past or performance, inviting listeners to embrace their identity as beloved children of God.

Perfect love is not flawless love — it is mature love, and mature love casts out fear. When we try to love from insecurity, survival instinct, or a need to be completed by someone else, fear filters what we give and receive. But as we allow God’s love for us—revealed fully in Christ—to mature in us, we become whole in Him and are finally free to love others without fear.

This message reveals the New Covenant reality that the anointing is not a special experience or office, but Christ in you, the indwelling Spirit given in full measure to every believer. Church offices exist to serve, not to exercise lordship, and spiritual gifts are diverse expressions of the same Spirit working in all, not evidence of different anointings. When we rest in Christ and commit to loving God and people, fruit is borne naturally through abiding, not striving.

When James and John sought authority and position, Jesus rebuked them and redefined greatness, declaring that His kingdom does not operate through lording power but through self-giving love and service. In Christ, authority is not a hierarchy to climb but a life to give, flowing from union with Him and expressed by loving one another rather than ruling over one another.

Clint Byars

Lead Pastor | Forward Church

Phone: 770-824-3434

Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

Websites: www.forward.church | www.clintbyars.com

Membership: https://www.clintbyars.com/membership

God makes His presence and voice known in an atmosphere of love. Jesus defines His commandments not as rules to perform, but as living in the love the Father has for us and letting that love flow back to God and toward others. As we receive God’s love, abide in it, and love one another, we experience His manifested presence, His joy, and clear fellowship with Him.