River of Life Church Sauk Centre (Audio)

Today, we’re honored to have our guest speaker, Chris Pruett, with us. He reminds us of a powerful truth: it's easier to raise a generation than to change one. In a world where everyone is competing for influence over our kids—and over us—it's more important than ever that our kids know who they can trust and where they truly belong. And that place is with Jesus.

Many of us have the desire to grow closer to God, but also experience the frustration  when our efforts fall short. Rather than relying just on our own strength, we need to train our mind, body, and spirit to pursue God intentionally and partner with Him. By practicing spiritual disciplines daily, we can develop a deeper relationship with God—much like an athlete training for a marathon, preparing for what is ahead.

What you believe shapes the way you think, and your repeated actions shape your behavior. If you truly want lasting change in your life, you need to address both. Simply thinking or knowing the right things isn’t enough—it’s about putting what you know into practice.

Most of us try to avoid discomfort at all costs. We have heated and cooled seats in our cars, we rarely go hungry, and we pretty much never have to go without. But have you ever thought about how all this comfort might be holding us back? The truth is, if we're always staying in our comfort zones and avoiding challenges, we’re not really growing. The Bible reminds us that it’s through the struggles and trials in life that our character is shaped and our faith gets stronger.

Community is essential for our spiritual growth, but it’s about more than just showing up to church on Sundays! We need real, intentional relationships that help us heal from our past and draw closer to God. It’s in those deeper connections where we find support, encouragement, and a place to grow.

How do we live like Jesus? How do we actually do what he did? As the church, we are called to not only follow Jesus in spirit but we are called continue his work on earth as it is in heaven. This means healing the sick, praying for the lost, opening up our homes and our lives to those far from God. The end goal is to do what he did.

Today we explore how the world around us influences who we become, often without us realizing it. From where we live to the people we spend time with, these factors shape us. But Romans 12 reminds us not to conform to the patterns of the world, but to be transformed by renewing our minds. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong journey of surrender.

If we want to become like Jesus or do the things that he did, we first need to be with him. This is the baseline for following Jesus.

In this message, we kick off our new series, "Practicing the Way," inspired by John Mark Comer's book with the same title. We’ll unpack what it really means to FOLLOW Jesus as His apprentice.

We’ll explore Jesus' call to be with Him, become like Him, and do what He did, and how this ancient practice still applies to our lives today. Join us to learn how to live more closely with Jesus and grow in His ways!

How do you stand up in a culture you don’t agree with? Today we looked at three examples in the book of Daniel where people did just that. Taking a stand against evil may look different that we think.