We can look at the walls that have been built around us to keep us from moving forward with God’s plan for our lives, for our relationships, for our families, and they may seem impenetrable and impossible. But when we listen to God, do what He says, and in that give praise to Him, the walls will come down and they will come down completely....

There are influences in our life – our genetics, experiences, relationship with others, self-image, comparisons made. But at some point we come to grips with the reality that one or more of these influencers has got it wrong and that God has it right. It’s a moment of Full Disclosure when the complete truth regarding our very life, existence, and identity is revealed by the One who created us. Now it’s up to us to accept it...

When we are told to guard something, it says what about that something we are to guard? It says that it is valuable, it is worth guarding, it will be attacked, threatened. It can be taken from you. So how do we guard our heart? David said it best to his son Solomon in 1 Kings 2: 3 “observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements..”

We are relational beings made in the image of a relational God. We have all chosen people to share life with – some who have stuck with us through the good and the bad. Others who have come in and out of our life adding to just a few pages of our story in a positive or seemingly negative way. It's important that we choose wisely who you will allow to speak into your life. Choose wisely those you consider companions...

When was the last time you really had to trust God and did things His way? When was the last time you granted forgiveness, real forgiveness, and didn’t pick up your bitterness again? When was the last time you humbled yourself?

The more you trust Him, the more trust He returns. The more you give Him, the more He gives you to give again. The more humility you show, the more he lifts you up....

Jesus said "narrow is the path that leads to life and only a few find it." Truth is, the majority of people, the crowd, has chosen the wrong path. But there are a few people, the wise ones, who take the road less traveled, the narrow path. A small and brave group willing to separate from the crowd and embark on a different kind of journey. This is what it is to follow Jesus – to take the path less traveled and find life...

Jesus said "narrow is the path that leads to life and only a few find it." Truth is, the majority of people, the crowd, has chosen the wrong path. But there are a few people, the wise ones, who take the road less traveled, the narrow path. A small and brave group willing to separate from the crowd and embark on a different kind of journey. This is what it is to follow Jesus – to take the path less traveled and find life...

The Word of God (the Bible), however, makes some claims about itself that are very important for us to understand today, especially in a world that thinks it knows better than the Bible. Proverbs 30:5-6 will be our main focus this weekend. There are several lessons that we can glean from these two verses – lessons that are important for us as we seek to trust in the Word of God when it seems like more and more are not.

The title of this week’s message, “Lessons Learned – Value Money”, may throw you off at first glance. Isn’t money described as the “root of all evil”? Doesn’t wealth get in the way of our relationship with God? What about the Rich young Ruler?

Yet throughout the Bible God choses to use the value of commodities such as grain, fruit, wine, even money, as a measure of our trust in Him.

Paul concludes in Eph 5:15 “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” In other words, take your knowledge of Christ and apply it to your everyday lives and be especially aware of your conduct. There is evil all around us, and we are to engage every opportunity to draw people from darkness into the light...