As we close this series, we're really excited to share the story of his faithfulness through the lives and story of the Brophy's.

If we are going to overcome evil with good, we need to give blessing. Even if this is extremely hard to do, we need to choose to do what is hard, what is difficult, because this is what God has called us to. This is what it means to follow Jesus. This is what being a disciple of Jesus looks like. Paul tells us in Romans 12:14, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse". In Romans 12:17 he says, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil". In Romans 12:19 he tells us, "Do not take revenge." Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:9, "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called..." The question is what are you prepared to do? What are you willing to do because you are a true disciple of Jesus, one who has left the crowd in order to follow Jesus, one who when Jesus asks, "are you going to leave me to?", responds like Peter, "where else are we going to go Jesus?" Will you 4GIVE? Take some time this week to fill out your 4GIVE "commitment card". This is between you and your Heavenly Father, between you and your Sustainer, your Provider, Your Lord & Savior. Write down 2 names and a number, your first steps in overcoming evil with good.

In a world that is often chaotic, dark, angry and hostile, how do we as followers of Jesus keep ourselves from being overcome by evil? That's the question we're asking as we near the end of our series 4GIVE. Paul challenges us that the only way to overcome evil is with good. We need to actively and aggressively triumph over evil with good, and that's not easy, but that's what Jesus is asking us to do. The reality is that's what Jesus first did for us. We love because he first loved us. We give because he first gave to us. We give forgiveness because Jesus first gave forgiveness to us. Instead of sending us away, Jesus has sent away the sins we have committed against him. Will we now do the same for others? Will we give forgiveness to those who have sinned against us? We as believers in Jesus should be the most gracious and forgiving people around. To triumph over evil, we must learn to forgive. We must understand how God has forgiven us. We must choose to forgive. We must practice forgiveness.

If we are going to overcome evil with good, not only do we need to give "unmerited & undeserved grace & favor", but we need to give financially. We need to give generously, cheerfully, willingly, exceedingly, expectantly! We get to partner with God in what He is doing, and we should see that as an amazing honor and privilege. We shouldn't give financially out of coercion. We should give excitedly, expectantly knowing God is going to use our financial offerings to further his kingdom, his plans, his desires in this world. If we as Jesus' disciples fail to give, think about how that enables & empowers darkness and evil to spread. What happens if ministries and individuals who are doing good and triumphing over evil, are essentially starved out of ministry for lack of funding and resources? As individuals, couples, families, we need to take some time to "decide" in our hearts what we will commit to give. This is a commitment. This is a conscious decision of the will, not a spontaneous emotional response.

In 2019, will you and I be overcome by evil, or will you and I choose to overcome evil with good? The reality is if we remain passive, docile, ambivalent or asleep, odds are we will be triumphed over by evil. Darkness will be victorious over us. Our lives will be defeated by negativity and depression. Our world will get darker over the remaining 356 days of 2019. But what if we choose to actively and aggressively overcome evil with good? What if we refuse to be victims of darkness and instead choose to be victors over darkness? How might our lives and our world get lighter and brighter over the next 356 days of 2019? If that's going to happen, if we're going to overcome evil with good, then we as Jesus' disciples need to learn to 4GIVE. We need to choose to give the world, and when I say world I mean people, 4 very difficult and very hard things to give. The first of which is unmerited & undeserved grace & favor. The only reason we can give unmerited & undeserved grace & favor is because we have been given unmerited & undeserved grace & favor by God. Grace isn't easy to give, especially in a world full of annoying self-involved people. Grace is what this world needs, and grace is what our heavenly Father is asking us to give.

The crowds have been following Jesus for months now, but how many in the crowds have truly put their hope and faith in Jesus? Like we talked about this past Sunday, how many are truly reaching out to Jesus in a way where "power" is going out from him like with the bleeding woman? How many are desperate enough the seek Jesus with everything they've got, like Jairus? How many have ears to hear? How many are the good soil? In a similar way, how many in the rush of Christmas are actually tapping into the true significance of Christmas? Do we have receptive hears to receive the gift that God has given us?

If a nonbeliever were to ask you what is the big whoop with Christmas, how would you answer them? At Christmas we celebrate that the light of the world stepped down into our darkness. God became flesh and moved into the neighborhood. "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel." Out of his great love for us, God came to us. God crossed "the Great Divide" that existed between us and Him. There was no mountain he wouldn't climb over, no sea he wouldn't cross, no storm that could stop him, no wall or barrier that could keep him away from us! He came to us who were trapped in darkness, enslaved in the Devil's territory. Just like Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee for a demon-possessed Gentile who called himself Legion, so Jesus has crossed the Great Divide for us. That is something worth celebrating!

It's so much more than just a week at the beach. Beach Camp with RISING Students is a life changing experience.

A peak into the lasting impact of Super Start Conference.