In this episode of the Jesus Famous Podcast, we will have a conversation about Pastor Nate’s article entitled “How Your Future Resurrection Can Impact Your Today". You can catch more episodes like this by subscribing to the Jesus Famous Podcast. If you’d like to read the entire article, then you can do so here.Link to full article:https://www.nateholdridge.com/blog/how-your-future-resurrection-can-impact-your-today-1-corinthians-15-58Link to Pastor Nate’s study of the Spirit-Fueled Life:https://www.calvary.com/series/spiritfueledlifenateholdridge.cominstagram.com/nateholdridge twitter.com/nholdridgecalvary.com

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert place.” (Acts 8:26)In the midst of a powerful outworking of God’s Spirit in Samaria, Philip was told to depart and go to Gaza. He was one of the first deacons, a spiritual man responsible for material things in the church, but by the time we see him here, he has become a preacher of the gospel. Persecution had struck the church in Jerusalem. People fled, so did Philip, and he went down to Samaria. God did amazing things through him, and the people there were receptive to the Lord and his message. Many were saved. God’s power was evident. But in the midst of this powerful outworking of God’s Spirit in Samaria, Philip was told to depart and go to Gaza.Luke, the author of Acts, adds this commentary: “this is a desert place.” In other words, uninhabited. God took Philip from the bustle of fruitfulness and placed him where no one lived. As the story unfolds, God’s plan becomes clear. A prominent Ethiopian official is headed back home after a time of searching for the truth in Jerusalem. In his chariot, he read the book of Isaiah, but without any understanding of the text. When Philip saw him he asked if he could teach the man. The Ethiopian obliged, and Philip proceeded to show him Christ from the passage, subsequently leading him to saving faith.But what are some lessons we can glean from this movement in Acts, this portion of Philip’s life?1. God’s leadership of our lives often defies human logicGod had something for Philip in the desert, but it took faith for the man to go. Joy and gladness and salvation, everything the early disciples (and current ones) could have hoped for, was occurring at a rapid rate in Samaria. But in the midst of the good times, God asked his man to move out to the desert. Sometimes God has something for you in the desert. Too often we feel led out only when times are bad, but what about when they are good? Philip allowed God to direct his life in ways which defied the human view of things.2. Some people are driven to Scripture in search for moreThe Ethiopian man was a eunuch, a servant of Queen Candace. He had gone to Jerusalem for something, perhaps to experience God, but he returned empty-handed. He knew he had not found what he was looking for, so he read the scroll of Isaiah. As he read, his heart longed to know the God who wrote it. People like this Ethiopian exist today. They are alone, reading the Bible, in search of a deeper and more meaningful life. They are yet unfulfilled, and God, by his Spirit, is ready to speak to them.3. We must obey the promptings of the SpiritPhilip was told to go to the desert by an angel. Once there, the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot” (8:29). We don't know how the Spirit spoke to Philip, but we do know the Spirit lived inside him. Perhaps he experienced a simple inner prompting, clear and precise, that he was to overtake the vehicle. He knew the Spirit was speaking to him, so he went. Believers today, in obeying the promptings of the Spirit, might be able to bring clarity and insight to those seeking the truth. Philip listened to the Spirit and this man was saved.4. We must provide guidance in the ScriptureThe man told Philip what he had been reading. The passage could not have been more perfect, an evidence of God’s providence. Not only was he in Isaiah, but the fifty-third chapter, which is one of the most explicit texts prophesying of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. God had set Philip up nicely, so with ease, he entered into dialogue with the man and “beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (35). Times will come in your life when you will be asked to open up the word of Christ to another. Much misinformation about the Bible is prevalent. Believers must equip themselves and, at times, bring a word of explanation to a seeker.5. The Scripture connects with people

In this episode of the Jesus Famous Podcast, we will have a conversation about Pastor Nate’s article entitled “The New You". You can catch more episodes like this by subscribing to the Jesus Famous Podcast. If you’d like to read the entire article, then you can do so here.Link to full article:https://www.nateholdridge.com/blog/the-new-you-truthful-and-free-of-anger-ephesians-425-27?rq=new%20younateholdridge.cominstagram.com/nateholdridge twitter.com/nholdridgecalvary.com

Breaking Into A Fresh Season With God (2 Chronicles 15:7)“But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7 ESV).King Asa was a good and godly king. He sought the Lord when trouble came upon the land, and he experienced firsthand the power of God in battle. After a trademark victory over the massive Ethiopian army, Asa was confronted by a prophet named Azariah. He told Asa to seek the Lord. “The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you,” Azariah said. He went on to describe past seasons in Israel’s history when they and their leadership wandered from God. Always, dark days followed, for “in those times there was no peace.” So, the prophet said, “Take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”Asa knew what Azariah meant. Quickly, he acted as the spiritual leader of Israel, bringing them into a fresh season of dependence upon the living God. He forged a path for Judah to seek the Lord. Perhaps, as we observe his story, our modern minds can glean a thing or two about how to seek God today.1. Took Courage“As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage…” (2 Chronicles 15:8 ESV).The prophet had told him to take courage, for boldness and conviction and power were all there for the taking, but Asa had to reach out and grab them. Take courage, the prophet said. Asa did. He became bold for the task. If we desire to seek the Lord we must also take courage. Set the alarm clock to give yourself some time for prayer. Set down the remote control to give yourself time for reading. Confront the lie that you will start next week, especially if you’ve said it a thousand times before. Take courage. Grab it and let the Spirit put it in the marrow of your soul. Tackle the project. Become bold for the task of seeking your God.2. Put Away Idols“…and put away the detestable idols…” (2 Chronicles 15:8 ESV).Before approaching the altar of God for worship, Asa knew there were idols in the land he had to destroy. He recognized Israel's worship was convoluted, intermingled with the gods of the nations around them. What a picture of our modern day! When a believer sets the priorities and convictions and status symbols of the world right next to God and his word, they have introduced modern idolatry. “Little children,” John wrote, “keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Cast out that which must be destroyed.3. Repaired The Altar“…and he repaired the altar of the LORD…” (2 Chronicles 15:8 ESV).With haste, Asa then repaired the altar. For them, the altar was the place they would daily interact with God. The worshipper would come and there, at the altar, offer sacrifice and praise unto God. For the altar to be in a state of disrepair meant they couldn’t even take the first step in seeking the Lord. The thousands of beautiful gifts God had for them would remain undiscovered as long as the altar lay in a state of disuse. To me, the sacrificial altar of Israel is representative of the relationship with God the cross of Christ has enabled. Cursed for us on his tree, Jesus made the way for us to enter into countless avenues of blessing from God. When I sit to engage with God, I feel enabled to do so by the blood of Jesus.4. Gathered People“And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin…They were gathered at Jerusalem…They sacrificed to the LORD on that day…And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD…” (2 Chronicles 15:9–12 ESV).Asa then rounded up the people of God for worship. They came and sacrificed and vowed to seek the LORD. They decided to be a generation which loved and pursued God. Sometimes the spiritual leader must gather. The church is to spread but is also to gather. We are to go into the highways and byways, as Jesus taught, and invite people to his great feast. We are to go into all the world with the aim of making disciples. We are to

My first Easter as pastor of Calvary Monterey I preached from John 20 and someone put some flowers in front of the pulpit —and that was as elaborate as it got back then. Nowadays, the run-up to Easter is tons of work, and the week itself is jam-packed with activity. Our Good Friday services have developed into a significant part of our church calendar, and Easter Sunday is our largest gathering of the year. I have learned a lot about myself and how I best work through such a busy and blessed time, so here is some advice I would give to other pastors.1. Keep Your Message SimpleIt is tempting to think your Easter message has to be the most powerful message you’ve ever delivered. You might also feel you need to be creative or especially engaging on that day. You might find yourself frustrated with finding your unique “angle” or “take” on the resurrection, one that will surprise or delight your hearers. But all these temptations and feelings ought to be resisted, for it never gets old to hear the straightforward message of Christ’s death, burial, and victorious resurrection. There are plenty of texts from which we can boldly declare Christ’s victory and the power of the empty tomb. Let us clearly and passionately tell everyone in attendance of how amazing Christ is for conquering sin and death. No flashiness required.2. Fight For MarginThe lead-up to Easter has a lot of additional pressures and responsibilities attached to it. For me, beyond the preparation of the Good Friday and Easter Sunday messages, there are a million little responsibilities I need to take care of that week. Some of them are for the church, while others are for my family. For instance, for years our family has hosted a Sunday afternoon Easter party at our home, sometimes with around fifty people in attendance. You can imagine the work connected to hosting that many people. Moreover, on top of all the responsibilities of the week, throw in that I have been known to change my Easter message on Saturday night, and the week quickly becomes a monster. Knowing this, I try to strip my calendar of absolutely everything that doesn’t need to be there that week. Margin and calendar flexibility are my friends the week running up to Easter.3. Be YourselfI am a pastor-teacher and, though I strive to do the work of an evangelist, have never felt myself to be a little Billy Graham. But when Easter rolls around, I can feel a pressure to become something that I’m not. Inevitably, this leads to feelings of inadequacy. I’ve even wondered if I should ask other people to teach instead me on Easter. But Easter is a time of great joy and rejoicing, and the people of the church would like to hear from their pastor on that great day. I have learned to be myself on that day, teaching and preaching as I usually would, with a special focus on the resurrection of Christ.4. Don’t Trip, EvangelizeOne thing I have never gotten comfortable with on Easter is the fact that the church will swell in size on that particular day. As I consider the swell, I know it is due to a few factors. For one, most of the regular church will attend on Easter, as people work hard to rearrange their calendar to get to the house on that day. So, a higher percentage of our church will be there. Secondly, they will sometimes invite others to attend services with them. Sometimes those folks know the Lord, and often they do not. Thirdly, there are bound to be people who have decided to attend church once or twice a year, and Easter is one of the days they visit. Finally, there will be some who do not know the Lord, but who have seen a flyer or an invite and actually come!The pastor in me wants to rejoice with the flock over the resurrection. The teacher in me wants to instruct the casual attendee on the importance of regular church engagement. The evangelist in me wants to share the gospel. And the prophetic part of me wants to rebuke those who have known better than to attend church once a year. However, I work hard

“No one will succeed by strength alone” (1 Samuel 2:9, NLT)Hannah had been childless for many years. In a society which saw infertility as a curse from God, Hannah fell into despair. She cried out to God, continually asking him for a son. Eventually, her heart became aligned with God’s. She vowed to give God her son if he blessed her with one. God had been looking for a new prophet for the nation, a judge for his people Israel, but could find none. He needed to start afresh, and Hannah’s womb would carry the future voice of the Lord for the nation. Samuel would be a firm and unswerving messenger for the living God.After Samuel’s birth, at some point early in his childhood, Hannah dedicated him to God. When she did so, she prayed. In her prayer, she praised God. Then she said, “No one will succeed by strength alone” (1 Samuel 2:9). She knew God had to be in the equation. She was not able to produce Samuel, and Samuel could not become a force for the Lord unless God helped them. They could not succeed by strength alone; they could not prevail with mere human might. They needed God.God must be in the equation. Recently, I was enraptured in a book by immensely brilliant Christian scholars. Their logic was incredible, and their research was vast. As they made their arguments, I was in awe, and greatly edified. I could feel my mind expanding. My brain grew a little. I was greatly encouraged. Then, almost as quickly, I became disheartened. How in the world will I ever recommunicate this, let alone remember this, I thought. I do not have the ability. I’m a mere mortal, not a world-class scholar.Then I remembered, I will not succeed by strength alone. I will not prevail through or because of my might, intelligence, intellect, memory, arguments, etc. God is in my equation. I am, by the blood of Christ, his child. Like Hannah, I must run to him and ask of him. I want to learn and read and grow, but I also need to rest in his ability for my life. He can take my simple faith and use it for his glory. I must trust him. I must remember his power.

“Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found.” (1 Samuel 9:19–20 ESV).Saul had no idea. God wanted him, having chosen him to become the first king of Israel. God had plans for Saul’s life, but Saul puttered along in search of his father’s lost donkeys. Eventually, Samuel interrupted Saul’s quest. He announced he had a prophetic word for Saul. He would announce to Saul all that was on his mind, and “as for the donkeys that were lost there days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found.”Samuel was the deliverer of God’s word, and when God communicates, it often happens just this way. Saul thought he wanted to know about the location of donkeys, but God knew he wanted to know about so much more, which is why Samuel could say, “I will tell you all that is on your mind.”When we approach Scripture, we often come the same way. We think there is an all-important truth or insight we need to hear from God about, but he knows our deeper longing. When you sit with your Bible open, pen in hand, you might think you know what you need to hear about, but God sees the more exact need. He knows what you lack.Who Am I?God seeks to answer the question of identity. You are not an accident. You are not a self-determinate being. You are a man or woman created in his image. You are loved by God. He wants to bring you into his family, to make you his child.Where Are My People?Everyone looks for a group, the people who are to make up his or her community. For the child of God, they are part of the community, the new humanity of the saints. We are called to find our family amongst God’s children, our fellow heirs with Christ.What Am I For?What purpose do I have in life? For what do I exist? God has a plan for each of us, and his divine will makes life worthwhile. To learn that our lives are meant to find satisfaction and joy through enjoying God is a delight for humanity.These, and questions like them, are God’s truest concern as we approach him with our smaller questions. It is not that he cannot be bothered with the small matters of life. His infinite nature makes handling those issues a breeze. However, for love’s sake, he longs to pull us past the donkeys and into the fuller meaning of life.

A few years into the new church age, Jerusalem was still its only location. It would take a decade or so for the gospel to break into the Gentile world, and the early years of the church were mainly spent growing and forming in the same city in which Christ died and was buried and rose and ascended. As the number of believers increased, so did the complexity of ministry. They awaited Christ’s return and had adopted a communal style of living. As they shared finances and resources in the church, they instituted a daily distribution of funds for those in need, including widows. Some widows were Jewish, but Hellenistic, Grecian Jews. Influenced by Greek culture and style, they were different. They felt they were neglected when the aforementioned daily distribution took place. Their complaint arose all the way to the apostles.The apostles responded to the complaint with the determination they ought not to leave the word of God to serve tables, but should instead give themselves to the word and prayer. Instead, the apostles thought, the church should select seven men of good repute, men full of the Holy Spirit, who would preside over the dolling out of financial matters. The people agreed, seven men were chosen, and the word of God increased in the church and community.Looking back, it was likely a crucial moment in the church’s life. Luke knew it, so he wrote of it. The Spirit knew it, so he helped the apostles. The danger was that the word-based messengers of the church would become embroiled in affairs which would keep them from the proclamation of God’s word, and that would be a fatal blow for the infant church. Fortunately, wisdom prevailed, and the word went forward. We stand today because of the apostles’ doctrine. We are glad they prioritized it.The entire moment, though, stands as a great example of growing pains for every generation of the church. When a church has eighty people, and the Spirit takes them up to 120, pain comes. When expansion occurs, the entire church feels the strains of growth. When complaints about ministry focus and philosophies arise, the tension, however small or significant, is real. Leaders and churches of all sizes and shapes, if they want to see the Spirit work in their midst, must prepare themselves for the inevitable challenges attached to growth. Here are seven lessons — I’m sure there are many more — we can glean from the Acts 6 story to help us endure church growing pains today.1. Expect DistractionsAt this point in the Acts story, the church had endured some opposition. The full-scale wrath of persecution had not yet unleashed, but conflict had already arisen for their work of gospel preaching and evangelization. The apostles had been detained, then arrested, and finally beaten for the gospel’s sake. The enemy of our souls had tried to stop the church through persecution, but they had responded with prayers asking God for boldness.Unsuccessful in stopping the church through persecution, Satan added the tactic of influencing church members toward compromise. Ananias and Saphira, during a season of hyper-generosity in the church, had colluded together as a married couple to deceive the church into thinking they were more generous than they truly were. It was classic hypocrisy, an attempt to appear to be something you are not. God struck them down as a divine warning to every subsequent generation that he sees and despises the hypocritical heart and spirit.Ineffective with persecution and compromise, Satan attempted another tactic — distraction. He would have loved nothing more than to see the apostles of Christ devote their lives to settling the complaints of the people and handling the smaller financial affairs of the church. He would have enjoyed watching these disciples, men who had lived and walked and talked with Jesus, spend their days counting coins and engaging in the distribution. The church’s love and charity were good, and the Devil would’ve been perfectly happy to drown the apost