In short - yes. You are, because He is. We discuss the 'Galatian Deception,' as well as how we have struggled ourselves to move beyond self qualification & disqualification to be able to stand more fully in the gift that He has given us.

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? ... Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?..."

Verses:

Galatians 3

Mark 7:13, "Making the word of God void through your traditions..."

Revelation 2:1-7

Luke 5:11, Prodigal Son

Joel 2:28 & Acts 2:17, "Pour out my Spirit on all flesh"

Romans 5:1

Hosea 6:6, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice"

Book Link:

https://www.amazon.com/He-Qualifies-you-Chad-Mansbridge/dp/0995386218

David asks in Psalm 15, "Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?"

He's asking about the character, behavior, and nature of the one who God will allow to be in His presence. Then Jesus come and fulfilled all that the Lord required, and is able to dwell in His presence forever... and thankfully, He turns around and shares it with us!

Verses:

Psalm 15:1-2

Ephesians 1:4, "Holy (Right) and Blameless in His sight forever in love"

John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"

Romans 10:9, "Believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Christ."

Isaiah 54:9-10, Covenant of Peace

Romans 9:32-35, Righteousness, the Stumbling Stone

Luke 15:11-32, Prodigal Son

"My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways." The Lord is looking for so much more than your meeting a 'behavior standard.' He's not interested in you 'checking the box' of how to be a follower, but in having your whole heart, that you may be sanctified through relationship with Him.

Verses:

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Psalm 16:9-11

Proverbs 23:26

Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do"

1 John 3:20, "for if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart"

Revelation 2:4

1 Samuel 16:7, "God does not look at outer appearance"

Jesus tells us explicitly that "no sign will be given to this generation, other than the sign of Jonah." What did he mean by that? What could the sign of Jonah be, either literally or as a metaphor? We discuss a few ideas of what this means and leave room for even more of His teaching to come in... what do you think it means?

Verses:

Matt 12:39, Matt 16:4

Luke 11:29

Book of Jonah

Isaiah 50:10

Romans 4:17

"Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the Book of Life."

It's easy for us to covet some of the power, signs and miracles we see from Jesus or in the days of the early church. And yet even Jesus taught his disciples about this, saying that the power they have is nothing compared to their names being written in the Lord's Book. To know Him, as He has known us, is truly the great gift of the New Covenant. Rejoice at this, that you may know Him!

Verses:

Luke 10:20

John 11:25, John 14:6 "I am Life" – Jesus

Revelation 20:12-13 & Daniel 7, "the books were opened, and the court sat in judgement"

1 Corinthians 13:12 "I shall know fully, even as I am fully known"

1 Corinthians 15:45 "Life-Giving Spirit"

Romans 11:17 "Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree have been grafted in"

Proverbs 20:27 tells us that, "The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord." We discuss not only what this means, but why it was so important that Jesus alludes to it twice in the Beatitudes alone! You really are the glory of God in a human body - and only your disbelief in that, your disqualifying yourself, is able to prevent it from being 'true' in the physical.

Verses:

Proverbs 20:27

Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 6:22

John 1 "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" / "God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him"

Matthew 25 the parable of the 10 virgins

Revelation 22:5 "and there will no longer be night, they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever"

Isaiah 6:8 "whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, 'Here am I. Send me.' "

Matt 17:1-8 Mount of Transfiguration

Numbers 13 the Twelve Spies

When you get on an airplane, you trust a pilot you've never met to take you hundreds of miles while thousands of feet in the sky in a metal tube. You trust a ship captain when you're on a cruise. You trust a fireman to save your life when you have no idea who they are...

Why do we struggle so much to trust God then? All of Scripture is filled with pronouncements of His trustworthiness, faithfulness, and steadfast love - and while it's easy to say we 'know' these things, but the act of trusting the Invisible God isn't always as easy in practice.

We discuss how to build trust, to let go of your expectations and attachments to how you might play God, and to surrender to the Best Pilot you could ever hope to have for your life.

Verses:

Isaiah 30:20

Romans 8:28

John 10:27

Psalm 46:10

Hosea 6:6, Matthew 9:13 & 12:7

John 3:16

We look deeper into Isaiah 41, verses 9 & 10, as we talk about what it means to recognize His care for you even in the midst of trials. Being reminded that He's chosen us long before we chose Him, and how Jesus said the same to His disciples (and now to us), helps us remain in or return to peace. He is committed to you!

Verses:

Isaiah 41:9-10

2 Peter 1:3

Matthew 20:1-16

John 15:16

Philippians 1:6

It can be difficult to walk through the changing of your heart beliefs. Opening old wounds, examining what you think of God and yourself - and why. We are reminded in Mark 1:11-13 the process that takes place when we receive a Word from the Lord: "And the Spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and with the wild beasts..."

To receive the word that "He wants us to flourish", then immediately go into the wilderness - seeing all the areas of my life where I don't believe that, with my circumstances and 'weaknesses' being used as evidence of the opposite of the Word He spoke... it's in this portion of the journey that we can have the deepest roots of our faith be set. We talk about how struggling with that, glimpsing the positive and the wisdom of His Ways, and having grace for yourself/others as you walk through it.

Verses:

Mark 1:11-12

Mark 4 Parable of the Sower

Proverbs 20:30

Proverbs 3:5-6

James 1:2-4

Galatians 6:2

Romans 5:3-5

1 Samuel 30:6

Growth Mindset Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322

It's easy to say we know God is good. It can be much more difficult to 'know' in the midst of turmoil, chaos, and even pain, that these things aren't happening to you - they are actually for you. It is a difficult truth to accept that adversity is, objectively speaking, both good and necessary for something to reach its full potential. Think of a tree that has survived a hundred years in a forest... what stories of trials, storms, and struggle can he tell? But also - what stories of beauty, grace, and glory? And even more so, what a glory it is to even behold a tree of such prominence...

Or a diamond? Or gold in a forge? Clay in the kiln?

This is what He knows to be true about you. That the 'acorn', His incorruptible seed mixed with your exact personality, gifts and desires, is growing into such a tremendous 'Oak of Righteousness'. So with patience and grace for ourselves and with Him, we can rest in knowing that this all is part of our story of glory. He's not waiting every time you make a mistake to 'punish' you - He is delighted as His child learns to take their first steps. Or tries to clean their room. Or attempts to ride a bike. And if you can learn to lean in, to "let the Spirit have its way with you," you will have considerably less pain, anger, and resentment of this 'meantime' of adversity.

Verses:

Psalm 92:13

Luke 6:35

Proverbs 30:15

Romans 3:23-26

2 Peter 1:3

Ezekiel 47:7