Where do we find our stability and growth as Christians in the church?

Most often, we'd respond to this question with the correct answer, which is that our stability and growth come from God. But in practice, like the members of the church at Corinth, we too often look for our main stability through human means, primarily through the human leaders and ministers in the church who are with us wherever we choose to worship.

But as we see in the writings of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3, and in the story of Jesus asking his disciples in Matthew 16, "Who do you say that I am?", our chief foundation for stability and growth must come from Jesus Christ. And not just Christ, specifically, but from our faith and confession in the crucified and risen Christ.

Only when our lives are founded upon the rock of this heavenly confession, can Christians and the church ever hope to grow strong and prosper. Human leaders and ministers are definitely a vital part of God's church, but they shouldn't be the source of our ultimate peace and hope as we look to the future.

The word "single" certainly seems to be parallel with the word "alone."

Whether you're single as a young person, whether you've never married as an older person but still want to be, whether you've lost a spouse to death, separation, or divorce, or whether you look at your singleness as a lifetime calling––being single can certainly leave a hole in your life that you constantly want filled.

How can a single person view their aloneness, their feeling of lack, their place in the church and God's Kingdom, their desire for wholeness and completion that seems to come only from marriage and romantic relationships? Is there anything they can do to remedy these problems for however long they're single?

This message attempts to answer these questions, both for the single person, but also for the church who is called to love, value, and support single people in their desire for purpose and relationship.

The word "single" certainly seems to be parallel with the word "alone."

Whether you're single as a young person, whether you've never married as an older person but still want to be, whether you've lost a spouse to death, separation, or divorce, or whether you look at your singleness as a lifetime calling––being single can certainly leave a hole in your life that you constantly want filled.

How can a single person view their aloneness, their feeling of lack, their place in the church and God's Kingdom, their desire for wholeness and completion that seems to come only from marriage and romantic relationships? Is there anything they can do to remedy these problems for however long they're single?

This message attempts to answer these questions, both for the single person, but also for the church who is called to love, value, and support single people in their desire for purpose and relationship.

Some people are just fine being single. They are perfectly content with their place in life and frankly, don't want to be patronized or felt sorry for based on their marital status.

For others though, being single certainly has its challenges.

For those who want to be married, there is a longing for that future spouse. For those single due to tragic events like the death of a spouse, separation, or divorce, the pain can be even more acute. So, to hear that singleness might be called a gift could understandably seem a bit offensive.

This message looks biblically at the those who are single and in what way this place in life could be considered a gift.

God gives us many things. both directly and within our life circumstances. Is it possible that your place as a single person can be considered a gift to him, to yourself, and to others?

Arriving at this truth, if accepted, may be eternally liberating.

Some people are just fine being single. They are perfectly content with their place in life and frankly, don't want to be patronized or felt sorry for based on their marital status.

For others though, being single certainly has its challenges.

For those who want to be married, there is a longing for that future spouse. For those single due to tragic events like the death of a spouse, separation, or divorce, the pain can be even more acute. So, to hear that singleness might be called a gift could understandably seem a bit offensive.

This message looks biblically at the those who are single and in what way this place in life could be considered a gift.

God gives us many things. both directly and within our life circumstances. Is it possible that your place as a single person can be considered a gift to him, to yourself, and to others?

Arriving at this truth, if accepted, may be eternally liberating.

As we saw last week, advancements in technology certainly have made a positive impact on our lives in many ways. But, as discussed, they can also have negative impacts.

As we consider the world of technology, specifically our use of the internet, social media, online streaming, the amount of time we spend obsessed with national news, politicians, and celebrities, we should realize that, while there may not be anything inherently wrong with these things, they do have immense power to control our thoughts, emotions, and actions. It is important to realize that these areas reflect a "secondhand" version of life, and can distract us from focusing and living in the world right in front of us.

Like with anything man-made, the goal isn't necessarily to remove technology from our lives, but to understand what it is, its power, and to use it as a tool as a child in God's Kingdom rather than being used by it.

Let's be careful not to live life in the shadow of the good treasures around us that deserve a primary place in our hearts and actions.

As we saw last week, advancements in technology certainly have made a positive impact on our lives in many ways. But, as discussed, they can also have negative impacts.

As we consider the world of technology, specifically our use of the internet, social media, online streaming, the amount of time we spend obsessed with national news, politicians, and celebrities, we should realize that, while there may not be anything inherently wrong with these things, they do have immense power to control our thoughts, emotions, and actions. It is important to realize that these areas reflect a "secondhand" version of life, and can distract us from focusing and living in the world right in front of us.

Like with anything man-made, the goal isn't necessarily to remove technology from our lives, but to understand what it is, its power, and to use it as a tool as a child in God's Kingdom rather than being used by it.

Let's be careful not to live life in the shadow of the good treasures around us that deserve a primary place in our hearts and actions.

In the last 100 years or more, mankind has made advancements in technology to improve the efficiency and quality of our lives. Ironically, while the relatively recent invention of the internet, smart phones, and social media have brought us many positives, it has also turned out to be one of the most effective distribution machines for a significant negative: the temptation to envy what others have, and the distraction that everyone else is living a better life than we are.

Social media affects many if not most people these days, for good or ill. But whether we use it or not, we should understand that God wants us to live our lives with "no filter": he wants us to be honest about our sin and weaknesses, humble and grateful for his love and salvation, and intentional to display our lives in such a way as to build others up and lead others to him.

How can we use platforms like social media in such away that we can minimize our envy and maximize our love and influence? Answering that is the objective of this message.

In the last 100 years or more, mankind has made advancements in technology to improve the efficiency and quality of our lives. Ironically, while the relatively recent invention of the internet, smart phones, and social media have brought us many positives, it has also turned out to be one of the most effective distribution machines for a significant negative: the temptation to envy what others have, and the distraction that everyone else is living a better life than we are.

Social media affects many if not most people these days, for good or ill. But whether we use it or not, we should understand that God wants us to live our lives with "no filter": he wants us to be honest about our sin and weaknesses, humble and grateful for his love and salvation, and intentional to display our lives in such a way as to build others up and lead others to him.

How can we use platforms like social media in such away that we can minimize our envy and maximize our love and influence? Answering that is the objective of this message.

Most of us understand that it is unhealthy to envy others, to be jealous or to spend our time desiring or "coveting" what others have. However, a close examination of Scripture and the biblical stories shows us that envy is perhaps a far more serious sin than we've ever imagined. At the very least it can lead to dysfunction in our relationships, but it can sometimes lead even to violence and death!

In the most common and practical sense, however, the problem with envy is that it distracts us from taking responsibility for our own lives, and it's often a red flag that we're not trusting in God's purpose for us and for his creation. We're not trusting in his wisdom in creating us, his providence over our future, and ultimately, his love for us and for our ultimate welfare as part of his eternal plan.

Consider the power envy may have over your life. And then consider ways you can use it as an opportunity to trust in God's sovereign will and plan for you and your future.