Grace Church Weekend Messages

In this message titled "Saving & Investing," Rick Long, Lead Pastor at Grace Church CO, explores how Christians can manage their finances in a way that honors God and reflects a legacy of generosity.

Key Principles of Financial Stewardship:
Godly Perspective on Legacy: Rick emphasizes that God thinks in terms of generations (0:07:44). He challenges believers to ask themselves, "What legacy am I leaving for future generations?" (0:05:51) instead of focusing solely on current consumption.
Trading Short-Term for Long-Term: A core theme is shifting focus from immediate satisfaction to long-term impact (0:19:00). He uses the example of Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37), who sold his land to support the early church, illustrating an investment that continued to produce fruit long after his time (0:49:08).
The Deception of Hoarding: Rick warns against the spiritual trap of hoarding, noting that money cannot provide security; only God can (0:36:42). He encourages keeping "hands open" to manage resources wisely rather than accumulating them out of fear (0:38:51).
Generosity as an Inheritance: He teaches that the greatest legacy a parent can leave their children is the pattern of generosity (0:45:17). He encourages the congregation to "plant something today" that will provide shade for others in the future (0:56:34).
Reflective Questions:
Am I accumulating resources because I need them to feel safe? (0:39:08)
Am I preparing the next generation to manage what comes after me? (0:57:17)
Am I investing in things that last forever? (0:57:25)

0:00:00 Intro
0:00:46 Managing Our Finances God’s Way
0:05:51 What legacy am I leaving?
0:07:44 God thinks in terms of generations
0:19:00 Trade short-term for long-term perspective
0:30:00 Guard against the deception of hoarding
0:39:34 Plan an inheritance that outlives my life
0:47:34 Invest in resources that are inflation-proof
0:57:17 Three final questions to reflect on

In this message (0:02:46), Pastor Rick Long of Grace Church continues his series on managing finances God's way, emphasizing that the primary reason people struggle with debt is that they lack a solid, proactive financial plan. He draws wisdom from the story of Joseph in the Bible to outline a biblical approach to spending and preparation.
Everything we have is a gift from God—and how we manage it matters. God wants more for us than financial stress and worry; He wants us to experience freedom. Join us for this 7-week series "Managing Our Finances God's Way as we discover practical, biblical principles for contentment, spending, saving, debt, and giving so we can faithfully manage what God has entrusted to us and experience greater financial freedom as we live lives of
Key principles for godly financial management:

Live in reality, not fantasy: Many people stay in debt because they avoid looking at their actual numbers, pay only minimums on credit cards, or fail to save for emergencies (0:05:13 - 0:08:45). Joseph prepared for both the abundant years and the famine, showing that God's provisions don't eliminate the need for careful planning (0:15:43 - 0:17:01).
Put God’s priorities first: A godly plan involves setting aside your tithe and savings before spending on wants, rather than treating them as leftovers (0:24:38 - 0:31:25).
Practice saying "not now": Financial freedom requires self-control to defer gratification, choosing to wait rather than using debt to fund impulsive purchases (0:38:48 - 0:43:32).
Create financial breathing room: Just as Joseph stored grain, we should create margin between our income and expenses so that emergencies become manageable expenses and opportunities become possibilities (0:43:34 - 0:48:37).
Use resources for something bigger than wants: God entrusts us with resources to accomplish His mission. By managing what is currently in our hands, we can support ministries, help families in need, and share the gospel (0:48:42 - 0:56:25).
Pastor Long concludes by sharing the ultimate financial metaphor: that we are all spiritually "bankrupt" by sin, but through Jesus Christ, our debt is paid and we are reconciled to God (0:56:28 - 1:00:08).

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0:00 - Introduction and Announcements
1:42 - Managing Finances God’s Way
3:34 - Why People Stay in Debt
9:57 - Biblical Principles of Planning
15:43 - Living in Reality, Not Fantasy
24:38 - Putting God’s Priorities First
38:48 - Practicing "Not Now"
43:34 - Creating Financial Breathing Room
48:42 - Using Resources for a Higher Purpose
57:58 - The Gift of Salvation

This video, titled Dedicate it All to God by Rick Long at Grace Church CO, explores the concept of surrender as a spiritual discipline.

Everything we have is a gift from God—and how we manage it matters. God wants more for us than financial stress and worry; He wants us to experience freedom. Join us for this 7-week series "Managing Our Finances God's Way as we discover practical, biblical principles for contentment, spending, saving, debt, and giving so we can faithfully manage what God has entrusted to us and experience greater financial freedom as we live lives of

Video highlights include:

Celebrating Achievement: The message begins by celebrating the Forge Christian High School boys' golf team for winning their first state championship (0:40 - 7:02).
Core Theme of Surrender: Rick Long teaches that while many believe God owns everything, true surrender involves letting God take control of our plans, finances, and future (9:14 - 11:51).
The Story of Abraham and Isaac: The speaker uses the biblical account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 as a model for this type of surrender (13:10 - 22:00, 49:29 - 54:34).
Five Principles of Surrender:
Identify what you are most afraid to surrender (18:59 - 30:00).
Obey God before knowing the outcome (30:03 - 39:24).
Release the need to control the outcome (39:25 - 49:28).
Allow God to redirect your plans (49:29 - 53:25).
Leave the results in God's hands (53:26 - 57:36).
The Connection to Christ: Rick Long draws a parallel between the mountain of Moriah in the Old Testament and the location of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, explaining that Isaac acts as a foreshadowing of the sacrifice made by the son of God (58:27 - 1:02:07).

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0:00 Introduction to Grace Church
0:40 Celebrating Forge Christian High School
8:52 Alignment Series: Who is in Control?
11:06 Definition of Surrender
13:10 The Story of Abraham and Isaac
18:59 Principle 1: Identify What You Fear to Surrender
30:03 Principle 2: Obey Before You Know the Outcome
39:25 Principle 3: Release the Need to Control
49:29 Principle 4: Allow God to Redirect Your Plans
53:26 Principle 5: Leave the Results in God's Hands
58:27 The Connection to Christ and Calvary
1:02:07 Call to Salvation and Final Prayer

This video, titled The Big Picture, features Rick Long, a Lead Elder at Grace Church, presenting the first installment of a 7-week series titled "Managing Our Finances God’s Way." The primary goal of the session is to shift the perspective of the congregation from financial stress to financial freedom by rooting money management in biblical principles.

Key takeaways discussed include:

God as the Source: True financial freedom begins when we recognize that God is the source of all our resources (0:20:17 - 0:22:17). We are encouraged to move away from the mindset of "I earned this" and embrace gratitude for the ability God provides to earn (0:22:17 - 0:25:17).
Surrendering Ownership: A crucial step to freedom is acknowledging that we are merely managers, not the owners, of God's possessions (0:27:00 - 0:34:00). Managing money involves aligning our spending and saving with God’s purposes (0:45:17 - 0:52:00).
Contentment: The speaker emphasizes that "enough" should be defined by God, as greed and the constant desire for more keep us from true contentment (0:35:00 - 0:41:17).
Choosing a Master: Financial choices reflect who or what we serve. The message stresses that we cannot serve both God and money, urging the congregation to make God their ultimate master (0:56:42 - 0:59:51).
Additionally, the video includes a segment showcasing the Samaritan's Purse ministry, highlighting how generous giving and stewardship impact lives globally, such as in the Peruvian Amazon (0:52:25 - 0:55:00).

Everything we have is a gift from God—and how we manage it matters. God wants more for us than financial stress and worry; He wants us to experience freedom. Join us for this 7-week series "Managing Our Finances God's Way as we discover practical, biblical principles for contentment, spending, saving, debt, and giving so we can faithfully manage what God has entrusted to us and experience greater financial freedom as we live lives of generosity.

If you want to give through Grace Church you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/grace-alone?src=hpp&r=monthly

To Learn more about Grace Church go to https://gracechurchco.com/
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:25 The Reality of Debt
0:11:06 The Principle of the Pairs
0:20:17 God as the Source
0:27:00 Surrendering Ownership
0:35:00 The Meaning of Contentment
0:45:17 Aligning with God’s Purposes
0:52:25 Samaritan's Purse Ministry
0:56:42 Choosing Your Master
1:01:12 Dedicate Before You Manage
1:05:26 Closing

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To Learn more about Grace Church go to https://gracechurchco.com/

The Hurry Problem is a 5-week journey to help you slow down and reconnect with God and others. Learn how to replace stress and distraction with rest, rhythm, and intentional living—because life is better with less rush and more presence.

In this message, Pastor Rick Long concludes a 5-week series titled "The Hurry Problem" by emphasizing the importance of intentionally creating margin in life to make room for what matters most: God, His purposes, and people. He warns against living a life dictated by the "urgent" and highlights that true flourishing requires slowing down.

Key Principles for Making Margin (Using the acronym MARGIN):
M - Make God's Presence Your First Priority: (16:32) Cultivate a daily habit of starting with God (23:45) and scheduling uninterrupted time with Him.
A - Allow Your Soul to be Renewed: (24:47) Develop weekly rhythms of rest and refuse to view busyness as a status symbol (31:51).
R - Resist the Rush for More: (32:27) Recognize that "more" will never satisfy the soul. Pastor Rick shares the story of Stanley Tam (35:32) as an example of living with an open-handed, kingdom-focused mindset.
G - Give Generously: (40:34) Understand that all resources belong to God. Generosity is not about capital campaigns but living a lifestyle of contribution over consumption (44:41).
I - Invest in What Outlives You: (46:42) Focus on things with eternal value, such as mentoring the next generation (48:43).
N - Notice People More Than Your Schedule: (51:02) Hurried people often overlook others. Pastor Rick encourages viewing others with compassion, encouraging them with sincerity, and serving with humility (54:11-55:15).
The message concludes by inviting viewers to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and commit to changing their patterns to live a life of purpose rather than constant chaos.

0:00 Introduction and Welcome
0:40 The Hurry Problem Series Conclusion
2:47 Making Room for What Matters Most
4:15 Dictated by the Urgent
8:27 The Theory of Margin (Howard McCluskey)
13:52 Defining Margin
15:15 M - Make God's Presence Your First Priority
24:47 A - Allow Your Soul to be Renewed
32:27 R - Resist the Rush for More
35:32 The Story of Stanley Tam
40:34 G - Give Generously
46:42 I - Invest in What Outlives You
51:02 N - Notice People More Than Your Schedule
56:14 Summary and Challenge
58:59 Invitation to Salvation

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The Hurry Problem is a 5-week journey to help you slow down and reconnect with God and others. Learn how to replace stress and distraction with rest, rhythm, and intentional living—because life is better with less rush and more presence.

This video, led by Jacob Knox, the Pastor of Grace Students at Grace Church, explores the concept of the Sabbath as a necessary, God-given rhythm to combat the modern "hurry" problem.

Key Takeaways on the Sabbath:
Definition: The Sabbath is more than just a day off; it is a divine gift of a weekly rhythm that restores our relationship with God, others, and ourselves (05:42).
God-Centered Living: It serves as a practical way to stop and remember that we are not God (10:25), allowing us to re-center our lives on His presence (36:34).
Practical Steps to Practice Sabbath:
Stop: Identify what is hardest to pause, set aside a specific time, and leave unfinished work for later (18:17 - 19:00).
Renew: Choose activities that genuinely refresh your spirit rather than drain you (27:00).
Slow Down: Use the time to enjoy God’s gifts, such as sharing a meal without rushing and expressing gratitude (28:08 - 36:00).
Re-center: Spend intentional, unhurried time in the Bible, prayer, and worship to rely on God's provision rather than self-reliance (46:17 - 47:17).
Throughout the message, Jacob Knox highlights that while some view the Sabbath as a list of legalistic rules, Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for humanity, prioritizing relationship over rigid requirements (20:34 - 23:34).

0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:45 Defining the Sabbath Problem
0:05:42 What is Sabbath?
0:10:25 Sabbath as Stopping
0:20:17 Sabbath as Renewing
0:28:17 Sabbath as Slowing Down
0:36:42 Sabbath as Re-centering
0:41:00 Worship Segment
0:43:51 The Goal of Abiding in God

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The Hurry Problem is a 5-week journey to help you slow down and reconnect with God and others. Learn how to replace stress and distraction with rest, rhythm, and intentional living—because life is better with less rush and more presence.

This video, led by Paul Faust, explores the "hurry problem" in modern life and the hidden costs it imposes on our well-being, relationships, and spiritual health (1:33).

Key takeaways from the message:

Defining the Hurry Problem: Paul explains that our culture is driven by excessive pace, demands, and constant connectivity via smartphones, leading to a mindset of constant busyness (3:24 - 5:51). He emphasizes that a full schedule does not have to be frantic (7:48).
The Pace of Jesus: The speaker highlights that Jesus lived with immense pressure, yet he modeled a life of peace by withdrawing often to pray and connect with God (9:23 - 13:30).
Building Presence: Drawing on the story of the woman who touched Jesus's robe in Mark 5 (24:15 - 28:15), the video teaches that being interruptible and prioritizing presence over productivity is essential. We are encouraged to remove distractions, focus fully on others, and value people as opportunities rather than interruptions (31:21 - 33:00).
Deepening Relationships: Real connections require time and attention, much like the relationship Jesus had with his disciples (35:50). We are urged to slow down our conversations and ask deeper, meaningful questions instead of sticking to surface-level interactions (39:38).
Joy and Resilience: Finally, the speaker notes that joy is relational and serves as the fuel for resilience and endurance (49:00 - 50:40). By connecting with God, we can experience peace that carries us through life's struggles, as modeled by Jesus enduring the cross (50:45 - 53:30).
The message concludes with an invitation to receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (59:08 - 1:02:50).

0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Welcome and Introduction
1:33 - Defining the Problem: The Hurry Problem
3:07 - What Drives Our Hurry?
7:46 - Full Doesn't Have to Mean Frantic
8:39 - The Pace of Jesus
12:21 - 1. Peace Replaces Anxiety
16:53 - A GPS Plan for Rest
19:15 - Song: Rest and Reset
23:45 - 2. Presence Replaces Distraction
35:10 - 3. Deeper Relationships Over Surface Connection
43:05 - 4. Spiritual Sensitivity Replaces Numbness
48:47 - 5. Joy Replaces Exhaustion
55:36 - Closing Blessing: Numbers 6
58:55 - How to Receive the Gift of Salvation
1:02:00 - Closing Prayer

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The Hurry Problem is a 5-week journey to help you slow down and reconnect with God and others. Learn how to replace stress and distraction with rest, rhythm, and intentional living—because life is better with less rush and more presence.

In this message, Pastor Rick Long of Grace Church addresses the pervasive problem of the "hurry trap"—a state of constant busyness that he identifies not just as a scheduling issue, but as a deep-seated spiritual problem (7:01). Drawing from the biblical story of Mary and Martha (9:51), he explains that while both sisters had good intentions, Martha became overwhelmed by her attempts to serve, while Mary chose the "one thing" that mattered most: sitting at the feet of Jesus (10:36, 18:27).

Pastor Rick offers five practical principles to help believers escape the cycle of hurry and find rest for their souls:

Abide before attempting to achieve: Prioritize your relationship with God through worship and prayer before checking your phone or starting your to-do list (17:27, 23:18).
Stop obsessing over every detail: Do not let the pursuit of perfection or urgent tasks distract you from being present and connected with people (25:55, 30:51).
Focus on the one thing that matters most: Continually evaluate your priorities, eliminate distractions, and elevate God and your relationships to the top of your list (32:29, 37:05).
Be fully present: Practice single-tasking, give others your full attention, and remember that life is short—be wise with your time (41:51, 46:07).
Create margin for connection: Build quiet moments into your day, observe a weekly Sabbath, and leave space for God to interrupt your plans (47:39, 52:10).
The message concludes with an invitation to find rest in Jesus, emphasizing his promise in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (54:43).

0:00 Welcome and Announcements
2:03 Escaping the Hurry Trap
7:06 Hurry is a Spiritual Problem
9:51 The Story of Mary and Martha
12:13 Five Ways Hurry Becomes a Problem
17:26 Principle 1: Abide Before Attempting to Achieve
25:56 Principle 2: Stop Obsessing Over Every Detail
32:29 Principle 3: Focus on the One Thing That Matters Most
41:51 Principle 4: Be Fully Present
47:38 Principle 5: Create Margin for Connection
54:43 Matthew 11;28-30 and Conclusion