Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. The Parable of the Persistent Widow is a story Jesus told to teach about prayer and justice.

What’s required for our prayers to be answered?

God’s Will: Pray according to God’s will. The Bible says, “We ask and do not receive because we ask wrongly to spend it on our own pleasures.” God is not a genie in a bottle granting wishes, we must seek His heart and plans.

God’s Timing: Even with faith and alignment with God’s will, the Bible teaches that nothing happens outside of the time God has appointed. Patience is crucial.

Your Faith: Without faith, it is impossible to please God. We must pray with faith that God hears us and will respond. As Christians, we are called to believe in faith, not just act morally.

Hope and Perseverance: Believing that God can and will do something is crucial. The hardest part of prayer is often continuing to pray persistently. Real faith involves keeping on praying, even when the answer seems delayed.

The story of the persistent widow in the Bible teaches us about perseverance in prayer. She overcame societal obstacles and continuously sought justice, showing that we need to actively participate in our prayers being answered. Remember, we are co-laborers with Christ, meaning our actions combined with God’s intervention can lead to miraculous outcomes. Be encouraged to keep praying and believing, as God often blesses those who wait and persevere the longest.

#KeepPraying #Parables #LiquidChurch

Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. You may have heard of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is a story Jesus told to teach about love and forgiveness.

This parable is about a young man who asks his father for his inheritance early, squanders it on reckless living, and ends up destitute. When he hits rock bottom, he decides to return home, hoping to be hired as a servant. Surprisingly, his father welcomes him back with open arms and throws a celebration, showing joy and forgiveness instead of anger.

What is the lesson here? No matter how far you’ve strayed from God or how badly you’ve messed up, God is always ready to welcome you back with open arms. He doesn’t judge you and he won’t punish you, rather he rejoices when a lost son or daughter returns home. This parable shows that God’s grace is abundant and freely given to all who repent and come home.

#ComeHome #Parables #LiquidChurch

Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. You may have heard of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. This is a story Jesus told to teach about compassion and kindness.

In this story, a Jewish man was traveling when he was attacked by robbers. He was left hurt on the side of the road. We learn that both a priest and a temple assistant saw him, but they didn't help. They walked right past the injured man. Then, a Samaritan, who was usually at odds with Jewish people, saw the man and felt compassion. He helped the injured man by treating his wounds, taking him to an inn to rest and recover, and even paying for his care.

Jesus used this story to show that a true neighbor is someone who HELPS OTHERS, no matter who they are. It teaches us that being kind and compassionate to everyone is important, even to those who are different from us. 

#LoveYourNeighbor #Parables #LiquidChurch

Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. In the “Parable of the Sower,” Jesus tells a story about a farmer planting seeds. 

As the farmer plants the seeds, some fall on a path, where they can't grow because the ground is hard. This represents people who don't listen to God. Other seeds fall on rocky ground, where they grow quickly but die because there's not enough soil. These are people who get excited about God but don't stick with their faith journey. Some seeds fall among thorns, where they grow but don't produce fruit because they're choked by the thorns. This represents people who are too busy or distracted by other things to focus on God. Finally, some seeds fall on good soil, where they grow strong and produce a lot of fruit. This represents people who listen to God and follow Him closely.

Jesus wants us to think about which type of soil we are. Do we listen to God and follow Him faithfully, or are we too distracted or uninterested? He wants us to be like the good soil, where our faith can grow strong and produce good things. So, the question is: are you listening to God?

#ListenToGod #Parables #LiquidChurch

Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. In the Parable of the Rich Man and the Beggar, Jesus shares a story about two men with different lives and what happens after they die. One is wealthy and lives luxuriously, while the other, named Lazarus, suffers daily. Surprisingly, after death, Lazarus goes to heaven, but the rich man goes to hell. This shocks people who thought wealth meant God's approval.

Jesus teaches that what comes after death isn't about being good or rich; it's about believing in Him. Heaven isn't earned by actions but received through trust in Jesus.The rich man's issue wasn't wealth but prioritizing it over God. Jesus warns against placing anything above God. The good news is Jesus offers hope to everyone. Trusting in him guarantees a place in heaven. Making Jesus the center of our lives is the wisest decision we can make.

#HeavenOrHell #Parables #LiquidChurch

Jesus often used parables—short stories with deeper spiritual meanings—to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. In "The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard," Jesus challenges conventional notions of fairness by illustrating God's boundless grace. Fairness is about what we deserve. Grace is a gift that we don’t deserve! God offers his radical love and forgiveness (His Grace) to everyone. This isn’t a merit based system. Salvation, a free gift through faith in Jesus, transcends human efforts.

Regardless of when one accepts grace, the reward remains the same: forgiveness, purpose, and eternal life. Grace liberates us from guilt, fear, and religious legalism. We are accepted despite our faults. Grace is not about our performance but about embracing God's generosity. In this narrative, we learn that EVERYONE is invited to experience God's limitless love. Grace, ultimately, is not something to be earned but joyfully received.

#GraceOfGod #Parables #LiquidChurch

The message from special guest, comedian Michael Jr., explores big ideas about God's love and how inviting Jesus into our lives can change everything. God's love is for everyone and it’s important to really understand that. Using simple stories, this message shows how listening to God, like following directions on a GPS, helps us find our way through life's ups and downs.

#OpenTheDoorToGod #LetJesusIn #LiquidChurch

There’s a segment of the church as a whole that we often forget about – singles. What’s fascinating is that singles make up nearly 50% of the church. Singles need to know they are valued and loved. Singles need to know that being single is a GIFT. That’s biblical! But, sometimes it feels more like a burden.

One key to being single is finding contentment. What we learn in the bible is that if you cannot be content in your present circumstances, you will not be content in any circumstances. You know what happens when two dissatisfied people get married? You have a dissatisfied married couple! Singleness can be a fruitful season and it gives you a benefit that being part of a couple cannot – it gives you the distinct benefit of being able to be laser focused on devotion to God. 

Watch this message from Pastor Zach Taylor and discover the two ways you can practice devotion to God while single.

#BenefitsOfBeingSingle #SingleAndSatisfied #LiquidChurch

If you have a broken relationship, you can fix it through reconciliation, forgiveness, and honest conversation. We’re not saying it’s going to be easy. Building healthy relationships requires work, intentionality, and lots of patience.

Relational conflict is a normal part of life and each relationship has a cycle in which they operate. The cycle starts with closeness and a deep connection. But with every relationship comes a rupture, which is a conflict or misunderstanding. After that, the relationship must go into repair mode. 

The good news is, there are steps to take to go from the ruptured relationship to the repaired relationship. You need to pursue reconciliation, and take immediate actions to repair the damage. The second step is to practice forgiveness. The final step is to promote honest conversations.

Watch Dr. David Ireland’s message on how to repair relationships in practical steps.

#RepairRelationships #PracticeForgiveness #LiquidChurch

To make love last in a marriage, you must fight fair! Dr. John Gottman, a relationship expert, studied couples for years and found four red flags when it comes to conflict. They are: criticizing each other, feeling contempt (that's like disrespect), getting defensive, and shutting down (also known as stonewalling). These are the ingredients that build resentment and often lead to divorce. We have to learn what not to do in order to learn how to fight fair. 

There are also three green flags, or healthy habits that couples should use in their relationships: be quick to listen, slow to speak (talk less), and slow to anger. And here's a helpful trick: when someone's upset, ask them whether they need a solution or just someone to listen, so you know the best way to respond. Now, let's talk about anger. It's okay to feel mad sometimes, but it's important to deal with it calmly. And remember that forgiveness is like a superpower in relationships – it helps you move past the tough stuff.

Watch Pastor Lucas and his wife, Colleen give practical tips on how to avoid relationship disasters and instead become a relationship master. 

#RelationshipDisasters #FightFair #LiquidChurch