In the ninth part of Midtown's Questions Series, Randy discusses money and tithing. Normally, a church may point out exactly how much we should give. But Randy shows us that giving is more about living in His kingdom instead of focusing only on what money can buy. In Mark 8:36, Christ asks “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” In this message, Randy provides three things that can help turn our hearts in His direction. A change in perspective, relationship, and resource. He is at the core, and He calls us to be a generous people—-not necessarily because of what money can bring for those we give it to, but to bring us closer to experiencing life with His heart, a generous heart, and to live in His kingdom.

Why do we fear? A simple question we seem to easily know the answer to. Yet Jesus asked the disciples the question before calming the seas as if fearing didn't make sense. In the eighth part of Midtown's Questions Series, Randy tells us that faith is not in itself the source of power. Jesus is. He has the power to change everything in our lives. He has the authority to use it. The position. And the will to do so. What does your storm look like? Even when we were sinners, Christ stepped into our storm and forgave us all our sins. Now, fear becomes an invitation to step into Him. We're made to go out to sea and step into the storm. He's willing to change our lives.

It's easy to love those who love us. But loving people when they don't is another matter all together. In Part 7 of Midtown's Questions Series, Luke 6:32-36, Jesus points out that loving our enemies (or those who are out to harm us) is the best moment in which to love. But it's easy to identify enemies when they are obviously our adversaries. What about the times when we feel like our friends, family, or others close to us are our enemies as well? Whether in a disagreement with someone we love, our parents are coming down on us, or our boss seems have it out for us today, Randy challenges us to love our neighbors in those times as well.

In Jesus' story from Luke 10, a priest and church worker passed a man who'd been beaten near death and robbed. Yet a person, who religious people typically despised, saw him in need, took him to a rural hotel nearby and paid for all his care. Normally, we look at the person in need as someone other than ourselves. But, we are all in need and in need of mercy. Joel discusses two characteristics of mercy. That we ourselves have been given mercy from God. And that mercy travels to where we are. We all need help. And we need it from Him, which we already have. And we need it from one another.

We often condemn others for who they are or the choices they make. But at the same time, we ourselves have the same kind of issues or deeper ones in other areas. Often we belittle others to take attention away from our own problems, or we use the opportunity to show how we think we're better. Sometimes, because we think we don't struggle as much in a particular area, we think it's our duty to fix someone who does. In part five of Midtown's Questions Series, Randy shows us Jesus' question as to why are we looking at the speck in someone else's eye when there's a plank in our own. All of us fall short from being good enough to get to heaven. Therefore, none of us can boast. We are righteous because He is righteous. Through His gift to us, we can join with others knowing we all are imperfect and then live in His Love with one another.

Do we sometimes get so used to our addictions or the habitual behaviors we know aren't good for us that we are unable to see there's something better for us? Or do we accept this behavior as normal because so many other people do the same thing? Or do we accept it since we cannot see any help available in this world? Just as a physician tends to the sick, so also Jesus came to us. But, for a multitude of reasons, we sometimes don't want to be healed. By Peter's example, Jesus said that if we don't let Him help us, we have no part with Him in that way. In message four of Midtown's Questions Series, we learn more about how God loves us as we are and wants us to come to Him as we are.

Often life crowds us—-keeping us from seeing Him. When asked how to handle things beyond our abilities, we still tend to look within our own means to handle them. Just before Christ feeds 5,000 men and their families, He asks His disciples, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Although we try almost continually, we can't seem to find fulfillment for our own hunger—-whether via relationships, addictions, or any other humanly pursuit we pine after. In part three of Midtown's Questions Series, Randy points out that God has provided a beautiful and feast-worthy table for us that can truly fill our seemingly insatiable hunger for more.