Summary:

God doesn't leave us alone to figure out faith by ourselves. He gives us His Word and places us in a spiritual family where each person has gifts that benefit everyone else . This teaching explores how we need spiritual companions in our journey and the powerful practice of praying for one another. Using biblical examples, including the lesser-known Epaphras who prayed fervently for others' stability in faith, we discover that humility and recognizing our need for others is essential as we grow spiritually. Learn practical ways to intercede for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Question:

When you think about your closest spiritual companions, how often do you actually pray for their faith to remain strong and stable, and what specific things could you pray for them this week?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

This week begins a three-week journey of prayer for those in our spiritual circles. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul reminds us that God desires all people to be saved and come to know the truth. Spiritual wanderers are those separated from God - perhaps searching, indifferent, or even hostile to faith. Yet Scripture calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Remember, people aren't the enemy; they're deceived by the enemy and need the truth. We're launching a practical prayer plan: set your phone alarm for 2 PM daily to pray for three people - a spiritual wanderer, companion, and leader. Using the simple three circles gospel illustration (brokenness, God's design, and restoration through Jesus), we can share hope with wanderers who need to hear that Jesus took their punishment and offers restoration through repentance and faith.

If you discovered today that someone had been faithfully praying for you at 2 PM every day before you came to faith, how would that change your willingness to commit to praying daily for the spiritual wanderers God has placed in your life?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

The church faces urgent needs for volunteers and future leaders. Children's ministry desperately needs workers to teach young hearts how Bible stories point to Jesus and share the gospel message. This vital work shapes eternity. Yet many pull back from service during trials, claiming other priorities. But suffering well brings glory to God and points others to Christ. We must ask: How can I serve God through this trial? America's churches face a leadership crisis with 85% of pastors retiring soon and few replacements in seminaries. Churches need to prepare now by raising up 100 biblically equipped leaders in the next decade.

When life gets hard and trials come, do you run toward serving God's people or away from His church? Consider how your response to suffering could become your most powerful testimony of faith.

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

The spiritual battle is real, and every Christian must be prepared. In this powerful message from Ephesians 6, we discover that our struggle isn't against people but against spiritual forces of darkness. Paul equips believers with God's armor - truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and Scripture - showing us how to stand firm in daily spiritual warfare. The key takeaway? When demonic influence is removed from someone's life, it must be replaced with the Holy Spirit through the gospel, or they may end up worse than before. This isn't just theology - it's practical wisdom for inviting neighbors to follow Jesus and speaking gospel truth in everyday life.

As you think about the spiritual battles in your own life, how might you be trying to fight evil influences with human strength instead of putting on God's full armor and sharing the gospel with those around you?

The church is more than a building where people gather - it's the gospel made visible to the world. This sermon challenges believers to examine their role in God's family and how they function within the body of Christ. While churches often focus on reaching the lost, we must not neglect those already in our fellowship. Jesus commands us to love one another, and we're called to be instruments of His love, not just recipients. The Great Commission calls us to make disciples, not merely converts. Building a church where biblical faith matures into genuine discipleship is far more challenging than simply attracting seekers.

What specific gift or ability has God given you that could strengthen your local church family, and are you actively using it to build up other believers rather than keeping it dormant on the sidelines?

The Book of Revelation unveils God's final plan through dramatic visions of judgment and redemption. From the seven seals, trumpets, and bowls that intensify God's righteous wrath during the tribulation, to Christ's thousand-year reign fulfilling ancient promises to Abraham and David, Scripture reveals our eternal destiny. The beast and false prophet face defeat at Armageddon, while Satan and all whose names aren't written in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire. Yet for believers, a glorious new heaven and earth await—our eternal home with Jesus.

As you consider these powerful images of God's justice and mercy, what practical steps can you take today to ensure your name is written in the Book of Life, and how might this eternal perspective change the way you face your current struggles and temptations?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

The Christian life is not meant to be walked alone—it's designed for community! Join us as we explore what it truly means to walk with Jesus, discovering that this journey is exclusively for those who have believed in their hearts and confessed with their mouths that Jesus is Lord. We'll examine how the epistles were written to bodies of believers, not individuals, emphasizing that our faith journey is about doing life together. Starting with the foundational truth of Genesis 1:1—"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth"—we'll see how accepting this first verse makes everything else in Scripture accessible and believable

Since the epistles were written to communities of believers rather than individuals, how might your spiritual growth and understanding of Scripture change if you approached Bible reading and application as a collective journey rather than a purely personal pursuit?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

We were dead in our sins, following the world's ways and enslaved to our desires—but God doesn't leave us in that hopeless state! Discover the power of salvation through Ephesians 2:1-10, one of Scripture's clearest presentations of the gospel. Learn how God's grace alone, received through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, brings us from spiritual death to eternal life. This foundational teaching unpacks why we desperately need salvation and how God freely provides it—not through our efforts, but as His gracious gift that declares us righteous in Christ.

Since Scripture teaches that we were spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves, how does understanding the depth of our need for salvation change the way you view God's grace and your response to others who may still be walking in spiritual darkness?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

What does the Bible teach us about humanity? Join us as we explore the profound truths of biblical anthropology through Psalm 8. Discover why studying mankind is essential to systematic theology and how understanding our identity as God's image-bearers transforms everything. We'll examine how being made in God's likeness means we're inherently relational beings, created to reflect His triune nature. Through God-centered education that encompasses His Word, His works, and His wisdom, we can better understand our purpose and calling to glorify Him in every area of life.

Since we are made in the image of a relational, triune God, how might recognizing this truth reshape the way you approach your relationships with others and your understanding of community within the church?

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Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠

Join us as we continue our "What We Believe" series, exploring core doctrines foundational to our faith and practice as Christ followers. Through systematic theology, we examine what Scripture teaches about each doctrine, allowing God's Word to shape our beliefs rather than forcing Scripture to fit our feelings. After covering the Bible, one true God, and Jesus Christ in previous weeks, today we focus on the Holy Spirit's vital role in bringing clarity to our lives, particularly through understanding Scripture. Discover how the Spirit equips believers for every good work and transforms biblical truth from mere information into life-changing revelation.

How might your approach to reading Scripture change if you actively invited the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's truth before opening your Bible?

To learn more, visit ⁠lakelandneighborhood.church⁠

To support us financially, ⁠click here.⁠

Music: On Our Own Again by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠