Special Guest: Matt Overfelt

God delights in your happiness, but your happiness is not God’s highest purpose for your life.

God wants you to experience happiness, but not at the expense of holiness.

[…] Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

- 1 Peter 1:14-16

Two problems with our pursuit of happiness:

When we prioritize happiness over holiness, we almost always rationalize sin.

“The sin that is most destructive in your life right now is the one you are most defensive about.” (Tim Keller)

God delights in your happiness, but not at the expense of your holiness.

Holiness and happiness are not opposing values.

True holiness leads to lasting happiness.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. […] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me […] Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

- Psalm 51:1-2, 10, and 12

Lasting happiness is found in a WHO, not a WHAT.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” […] Lord, you alone are my portioning my cup; you make my lot secure […] You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

- Psalm 16:2, 5, and 11

You can’t self-help your way to happiness. Lasting happiness is never a WHAT, it is always a WHO.

Where are you pursuing happiness over holiness?

God can only give happiness by giving himself. You can only gain happiness by gaining God.

Without Christ, You Are Not Enough

Colossians 2:8-10

When you believe you’re enough, you won’t seek the One who is.

Romans 3:10-12

To fully treasure what you have “in Christ,” you need to remember what you were without Him.

Remembering my darkness/brokenness/sinfulness…

Reminds me of God’s goodness/kindness/forgiveness.

Ephesians 2:1-5

2 Corinthians 3:4-5

In what area of your life are you relying on yourself instead of God?

What is God calling you to do about it?

Special guest Speaker: Josh McCullough

John 4:1-42 (NIV)

John 4:27-38 (NIV)

When we're all about "me, myself, and I," we miss out on the full picture of what God is doing.

So how can we be a church that is not focused on just our own needs?

But rather see and be aligned with what God is trying to do in and through us?

1. Self-Centeredness Creates Spiritual Blind Spots.

In what areas of your life has self-centeredness blinded you to seeing what God is doing?

2. Alignment with the Holy Spirit Brings Clarity.

John 4:7-15 (NIV)

3. Humility Unlocks a Heavenly View.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

John 4:35 (NIV)

John 4:28-30 (NIV)

In what areas of your life do you need humility to unlock a Heavenly view?

What is truth?

The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of Truth listens to me. "What is truth?" retorted Pilate.

John 18:37- 38

Truth is absolute, constant, and true for everyone, everywhere, all the time.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

Proverbs 14:12

Just because something seems right... Doesn't make it true.

1. Just because you believe something, doesn’t make it true.

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"

Jeremiah 17:9

Preach the word of God… Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

2 Timothy 4:2-4

God’s truth doesn’t change, Based on our ability to stomach it.

What we want to hear is often different from what we need to hear.

2. Truth isn’t just something we believe; truth is someone we follow.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

If Jesus' truth is different from what you believe, then die to "your truth" and live according to the truth.

"What is the truth?" retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, "I find no basis for a charge against [Jesus]. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" They shouted back, "No, not [Jesus]! Give us Barabbas!"

John 18:38-40

Truth isn’t just something we believe — Truth is a person!

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32

Listen as four students share their hearts and message for the world!

Special Guest RichRel from World Vision

DIVINE SHIFT

How many times have you heard from God clearly… like Noah build this ark clear.

THE SHIFTS:

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. “ ~Mother TeresaThe

FREEDOM to CHOOSE

The Truth Will Set You Free

John 8:31-38

FREEDOM DEFINED

FREEDOM in CHRIST

LUKE 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor.  (Physical & Spiritual)

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and  (Soul & Spiritual)

recovering of sight to the blind,  (Physical)

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,   (Physical & Soul)

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Spiritual Freedom From It All)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you"

Matthew 5:38-42 NIV

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore off the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberius), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

John 6:1-13

People are drawn toward those who are generous, not repelled by them.

"People are often unreasonable and self centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway."

- Mother Teresa

Generosity is not about position or skill. It’s about your heart.

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have

Ephesians 4:1

It's not about a title, it's about a towel.

It's not about a mic, it's about the mop.

If you are too big to serve, then you are too small to

“A scared world needs a fearless church”

- A.W. Tozer

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am

Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

Matthew 8:1-3

“I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christianity”

- Gandhi

TO CONNECT WITH REVO

TO CONNECT WITH REVO