Storyside Church

The Middle 

 

 

When you feel like quitting, remember why you started. 

 

 

“You will never see the end, if you give up in the middle.” 

 

 

 

Ezekiel 37

 

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 

 

2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 

 

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 

 

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 

 

5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 

 

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 

 

 

 

Have you ever felt like you were in the middle of a valley?  

 

 

Can these bones live?

 

 

I’m going to make it out of the middle...

“Happy New You” 

 

Faith sees through the fog.

— Corrie Ten Boom

 

 

Mark 10

 

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 

 

47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

 

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

 

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 

 

50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

 

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

 

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

 

 

What do you want me to do for you?

 

 

 

Luke 8

 

42 ...As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 

 

43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 

 

44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

 

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

 

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

 

48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

 

 

Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength.

— Dwight L. Moody

 

 

 

Mark 2

 

3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 

 

4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 

 

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

 

11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

 

 

Positive Friends 

 

Persistent Faith

 

Presence of God 

 

 

 

Mathew 9

 

32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 

 

33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

 

 

Who is in the crowd today?

There Is More | Part 5

 

 

Colossians 3 

8 But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. 

9 And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.

10 Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.

 

 

Change 

 

The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation. 

— Adrian Rogers

 

 

1 Corinthians 16:13 — Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 

 

Courage 

 

 

 

Philippians 2

 

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 

 

God will tell you the way to go, but then you have to do the walking. 

— Joyce Meyer

 

 

Character 

 

 

2 Thessalonians 1

3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 

4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

 

Commitment 

 

Change 

Courage 

Character 

Commitment

More Thankful

 

Psalm 34:3 — Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

 

Psalm 34:3 — Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

 

Magnify: To enlarge, to increase in significance. 

 

Luke 17

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 

12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 

13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 

16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 

18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 

19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

 

 

Everything can change when Jesus enters the equation. 

 

Distance 

 

Have you ever dealt with distance?

 

Have you ever felt distance?

 

Have you ever felt far from God?  

 

Romans 5:12 — Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

 

Acts 2:39 — For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

 

Ephesians 2:17 — And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

 

Ephesians 2:13 — But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 

What is causing you to be distant?  

 

Have mercy on us!  

 

God's mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of its light, or make space too narrow, than diminish the great mercy of God.

— Charles Spurgeon

 

If you knew where I came from...

 

Colossians 2 

6 You received Christ Jesus as Lord. So keep on living your lives in him. 

7 Have your roots in him. Build yourselves up in him. Grow strong in what you believe, just as you were taught. Be more thankful than ever before.

There Is More | Week 3

Having A “There Is More” Mindset

1 Kings 18

 

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.”

 

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.

 

43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. 

 

44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” 

 

45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.

 

NOTHING

 

 

The importance of the prophetic. 

 

The importance of posture. 

 

The importance of prayer. 

 

To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.

— Billy Graham

 

 

The importance of patience. 

 

 

Romans 8:25 — But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

 

 

The importance of persistence. 

 

The importance of preparation.  

 

The importance of heaven’s outpouring. 

 

There Is More!

There Is More | Week 2

LUKE 18

 

18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

 

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 

 

20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.

 

21 The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

 

22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still ONE THING you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 

23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

 

 

ACTS 20

 

35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is MORE blessed to give than to receive.'

 

 

Everything

Kole = the whole

 

Kalal = to complete, perfect

 

 

Everything | Something

 

 

What is your something?

 

 

Every gift is meant to be given.

 

 

 

Give Talent

 

 

1 PETER 4

 

10 God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show God’s loving-favor.

 

 

Your talent is God’s gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to God.

- Leo Buscaglia

 

 

 

Give Time

 

 

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.

- Rick Warren

 

 

 

Give Treasure

 

 

Matthew 6

 

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

 

I never would had been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithe my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.

- John D Rockefeller

 

 

 

Give Grace

 

 

Grace is giving someone what you, yourself don’t even deserve.

 

 

 

Give Thanks

 

 

1 Thessalonians 5

 

18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

 

 

Give Holiness

 

 

1 Peter 1

 

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.“

 

 

DON’T MISS OUT ON MORE

There Is More

 

2 Kings 4

 

1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

 

2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

 

3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 

 

4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

 

5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

 

7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

 

Good people can go through tough times. 

 

Have you ever felt like you were running out?

 

Where do you go when you’re in trouble?

 

When we are focused on what we don’t have, we often lose sight of what we do have. 

 

Don’t underestimate what you have left. 

Are there things that you are leaving open that should be closed?  

 

Collaborative Rooms

 

Faith-Filled Rooms 

 

Poured Out Rooms 

 

Oil Filled Rooms

 

Luke 4

 

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,

 

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

 

Good News 

Freedom 

Recovery 

Favor 

 

Resolute Rooms

 

Romans 8:28 — And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 

Hebrews 10:35 — So don’t lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward.