Storyside Church

Biological 

Psychological 

Social 

Spiritual 

Even strong people struggle some times.  

Cognitive Security

We built walls to protect our cities, developed locks to secure our homes, and created firewalls to guard our data. But what about protecting our minds?

Seasons

Exposure

Threats 

Impulses 

Isolation 

Insecurities 

1 Kings 19

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 

3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Impulses (Impulsive)

Are you running from something or to something?

What can cause me to be reactionary? 

KJV — And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

CJB — On seeing that, he got up and fled for his life. When he arrived in Be’er-Sheva, in Y’hudah, he left his servant there. 

Isolation

According to the Surgeon General we are facing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation.

Without normal and predictable sleep patterns, sunlight, and relationships, the human mind begins to breakdown. 

Before God dealt with sin, He dealt with solitude. 

— Chris Hodges 

Matthew 26:37-38 

He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Insecurity / Comparisons 

Comparison is the death of joy. 

— Mark Twain 

Social comparisons can often trigger anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, particularly when you feel you fall short. 

Self-Rating — We define our self-worth based on what we have or what is currently happening in our life.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 — It is better to be satisfied with the few things you have than to always be struggling to get more.

The Curse Of Comparison

Comparison is the crush of conformity from one side and competition from the other – it’s trying to simultaneously fit in and stand out. Comparison says, ‘Be like everyone else, but better.’

— Brené Brown

Social media platforms — especially image-based platforms like Instagram — have very harmful effects on teen mental health, especially for teens struggling with body image, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Social media algorithms can lead “vulnerable teens into a dangerous spiral of negative social comparison.”

— Harvard Study 

Galatians 6:4 — Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

Sound Mind Steps:

Impulsive — Breathe / Time / Rest 

Isolation — Connect / Community 

Insecurities — Who am I in Christ? 

Seasons of Life

Exposure / Experiences

Threats / Tomorrow 

1 Kings 18:1 — After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”

1 Kings 18:21-22

And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.

1 Kings 18

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 

40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

I Kings 18:45-46 

After a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds. The wind began to blow, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came to Elijah. He used his belt to hold up the bottom of his robe away from his feet. Then he ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1 Kings 19

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 

3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Biological

Psychological 

Social 

Spiritual 

I was crying and I was emotionally out of control. I called off of work, and I came in and talked to you. You shared some other stories that you were aware of and encouraged me to check into it.  

I went to the emergency room and they made sure that I wasn’t having any thoughts to harm myself. 

We made an appointment with my doctor and they found that my thyroid was under active, and diagnosed it as Hashimoto’s disease. The doctor prescribed a thyroid medication and I have been good since. 

— Julie 

Jeremiah 20:14 — Curse the day that I was born! Don’t bless the day my mother had me.

Job 3:11 — Why didn’t I die when I was born? Why didn’t I die as I came from my mother’s womb?

Even strong people struggle some times.  

Seasons of Life 

Highs 

Lows

The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.' 

— Billy Graham 

How do we handle our highs? 

How do we live with our lows? 

Exposure / Experiences 

What have you watched in your life? 

What have you walked through in your life? 

Threats / Tomorrow 

No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can seemingly bear. 

— George Macdonald 

Matthew 6:33-34 

What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.

If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.

— Author Scott Adams

1 Kings 19:5 — Then Elijah lay down under the tree and slept. Suddenly an angel came to him and touched him. The angel said, “Get up and eat.”

2 Timothy 1:7 — For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Pith’owm

Exaiphnēs

Acts 7:58-59

Then they cast him (Stephen) out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Acts 8:1 — And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Acts 9

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 

2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 

4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 

5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 

6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 

7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 

8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 

9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 

11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 

12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 

16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized. 

Acts 22:16 — What are you waiting for? Get up! Be baptized, and wash away your sins by praying to the Lord. 

Acts 22:4 — I made trouble for everyone who followed the Lord's Way, and I even had some of them killed. I had others arrested and put in jail. I didn't care if they were men or women.

God stops Saul. 

Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone — except God.

God speaks to Saul.

Only God can change the heart of someone who is in rebellion against Him. No matter how logical our arguments or how fervent our appeals, our words will accomplish nothing unless God's Spirit prepares the way. 

— Billy Graham 

God saves Saul. 

Can anyone see that Saul isn’t the same person anymore? 

1 Corinthians 6

9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,

10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

We should never underestimate what God can do between one day and the next.

If everything’s important, nothing’s important. If everything’s a priority, nothing’s a priority.

— Craig Groeschel 

  You must have a strategy or a plan.

  Keep your goals a priority in your life.

  Addition / Subtraction

  Calendar / Schedule 

62% 

“My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me: and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”

Who we are influenced by really matters. 

How they influence us really matters. 

What am I called to influence? 

Who am I called to influence? 

Deuteronomy 7

1 The Lord your God will bring you into the land. You are entering that land to own it. As you go in, he will force out these nations: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These seven nations are stronger than you. 

2 The Lord your God will hand these nations over to you. You will defeat them. You must destroy them completely. Do not make a peace treaty with them. Do not show them any mercy. 

3 Do not marry any of them. Don’t let your daughters marry their sons. And don’t let your sons marry their daughters. 

4 Those people will turn your children away from me. Your children will begin serving other gods. The Lord will be very angry with you. And he will quickly destroy you. 

5 This is what you must do to those people: Tear down their altars. Smash their holy stone pillars. Cut down their Asherah idols and burn their idols in the fire. 

6 You are holy people. You belong to the Lord your God. He has chosen you from all the people on earth. You are his very own.

The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 

You are not strong enough on your own. 

You must ________________________. 

This radical, complete destruction was important because of the depraved nature of the worship of the Canaanites, who worshipped male and female gods of sex and who presented their children for human sacrifice.

Asherah was also the name of the mother goddess of the Canaanite pantheon, the deity responsible for fertility and the productivity of soil, animals, and humankind. Prominent in its services was sacred prostitution involving priests and priestesses who represented the male and female deities. 

Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown.

2 Corinthians 6:14 — Don’t develop partnerships with those who are not followers of Jesus’ teachings. For what real connection can exist between righteousness and rebellion? How can light participate in darkness?

Those people will turn your children…

If we never have headaches through rebuking our children, we shall have plenty of heartaches when they grow up.

— Charles H. Spurgeon

The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.

— G.K. Chesterton

Where does God want to take me?  

On my own, I am not enough. 

We will defeat them.

What is a must for me in 2026?

I’m fighting for more than just myself. 

What comes to your mind when I say Christmas time?

“We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of Him who made it."

Celebrate Christ’s Birth

Celebrate Christ’s Death 

Romans 12:18 — If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

As much as it depends on ME. 

The Gift of Serving

Philippians 2:4 — Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too.

Romans 12:13 — When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

1 Peter 4:10 — God has shown you his grace in many different ways. So be good servants and use whatever gift he has given you in a way that will best serve each other.

The Gift of Presence 

6 Days / Month 

70 Days / Annually 

Places don’t matter to people any more. Places aren't the point. People are only ever half present where they are these days. They always have at least one foot in the great digital nowhere.

The Gift of Grace

The Gift of Flexibility

Hold your plans loosely so you can hold people tightly. 

The Gift of Forgiveness

Mark 11:25 — And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Colossians 3:12 — Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3 — So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

The GIFT of SERVING

The GIFT of PRESENCE 

The GIFT of GRACE 

The GIFT of FLEXIBILITY 

The GIFT of FORGIVENESS 

Ephesians 5:19-20

Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Always Thankful 

We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary. 

— Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Gratitude is the memory of the heart. We give thanks not because life is easy, but because God is good.

The world is full of God’s wonders, but only the grateful see them.

— G.K. Chesterton

Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer.

— John Wesley

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Philippians 4:4 — Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.

Philippians 4:4 — Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Always Rejoice

(Joy) 

2 Corinthians 9:8 — And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Always Generous 

“When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.”

Earn all you can. 

Save all you can

Give all you can.

Luke 18:1 — One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Always Pray 

Never Give Up 

Acts 24:16 — So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Acts 24:16 — And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offense toward God, and toward men.

Always Clear (Offense) 

People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense.

— John Wesley 

Towards God 

Towards Men 

Matthew 11:6 — And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.

It’s a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher. 

— George Whitefield 

Diapontos — Constantly/Continual 

Be Slow To Anger — James 1:19 

Overlook Offense — Proverbs 19:11 

Keep No Record Of Wrongs — I Corinthians 13:5 

Forbear/Forgive — Colossians 3:13 

The Benefit Of The Doubt — Luke 23 

Surreal how many folks are hunting for things to be offended by. How about we start a "benefit of the doubt" movement?

— Author Scott Sauls 

1 Corinthians 15:58 — So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

Always Give Yourself Fully 

10 Minutes 

Always Thankful

Always Rejoice

Always Generous

Always Prayerful

Always Clear (Offense) 

Always Fully Following

Matthew 28:20 — Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20

So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.

Psalm 139 

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.

Broken Places 

Psalm 34:18 — The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18 — If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

Empty Places 

1 Kings 19:3-4 

When Elijah heard this, he was afraid. So he ran away to save his life. He took his servant with him, and they went to Beersheba in Judah. Then Elijah left his servant in Beersheba and walked for a whole day into the desert. Then he sat down under a bush and asked to die. He said, “I have had enough, Lord! Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.”

Unworthy Places

Luke 15:17-19

The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, ‘All my father’s hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat. I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.’

Impossible Places

Luke 1:37 — For nothing will be impossible with God.

We have a God who delights in impossibilities.

— Billy Sunday 

Intimidating Places

Daniel 3

13 King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, 

14 “I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. 

15 Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me.”

16 The three men replied, “Your Majesty, we don't need to defend ourselves. 

17 The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace. 

18 But even if he doesn't, we still won't worship your gods and the gold statue you have set up.”

Daniel 3:24-25 

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste and spoke and said unto his counsellors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

The best of all is, God is with us.

— John Wesley 

“I’m thankful for — The Church”

The Church is a place where broken people find a perfect Savior.

Matthew 16:18-19

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

1 Timothy 3:14-15

I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Mathew 18:20 — Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.

Acts 2:44-46

All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God.

Acts 4:31 — And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

1 Corinthians 11:18 — For, in the first place, when you come together as a church…

1 Corinthians 11:20 — When you come together…

1 Corinthians 11:23 — So then, my brothers, when you come together…

1 Corinthians 14:23 — If, therefore, the whole church comes together…

1 Corinthians 14:26 — What then, brothers? When you come together…

Acts 14:27 — When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Acts 15:30 — So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Ephesians 5:19 — When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart.

Colossians 3:16 — Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and strengthen each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Hebrews 10 

21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 

22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Let Us — The Presence Of God 

The presence of God is the central fact of Christianity. At the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to push in to conscious awareness of His presence.

— A.W. Tozer 

To be in the presence of God is to be where we were created to be.

— R.C. Sproul 

The presence of God is the sweetest treasure we can know on earth.

— John Piper 

Nearness to God brings likeness to God. The more you see God, the more of God will be seen in you.

— Charles Spurgeon 

You’ll get through this. Not because you’re strong, but because God’s presence is stronger than your storm.

— Max Lucado 

There is nothing impossible when you are in the presence of God.

— Smith Wigglesworth 

Let Us — Hold Tight / Hold Fast 

Colossians 2:6-7

You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful.

Let Us — Love / Good Works 

Let Us — Assemble / Meet 

The Church is the dearest place on earth. If I had never joined a church till I found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all.

— Charles Spurgeon 

The Gift Of God

John 3:16 — For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 — God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Matthew 1:21 — She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

The Gift Of Salvation 

Chata

Hamartia

James 4:17 — So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Proverbs 5:21-23

The Lord clearly sees everything you do. He watches where you go. The sins of the wicked will trap them. Those sins will be like ropes holding them back. Evil people will die because they refuse to be disciplined. They will be trapped by their own desires.

Isaiah 59:2 — It is your sins that separate you from your God. He turns away from you when he sees them.

Separation

Romans 3:23 — For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Shortcoming

John 8:34 — Jesus said, The truth is, everyone who sins is a slave—a slave to sin.

Sin’s Slavery 

James 1:15 — When a person is carried away with desire, lured by lust, and when desire becomes the focus and takes control, it gives birth to sin. When sin becomes fully grown, it produces death.

John 8:24 — I told you that you would die in your sins. Yes, if you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins. 

The sin of today is the sorrow of tomorrow.

— Billy Sunday 

Sin is a deadly thing; it is worse than poverty, worse than disease, worse than any worldly misfortune. Sin may promise pleasure, but it delivers only pain and regret. All sin is a desertion of God. Every sin is a turning away from God and a running after something else instead of Him.

— Charles Spurgeon 

Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

— Billy Graham 

Romans 5:8 — But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10:8 — For salvation that comes from trusting Christ, which is what we preach— is already within easy reach of each of us; in fact, it is as near as our own hearts and mouths. 

Acts 4:12 — Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save anyone. We must be saved through him!

1 John 1:8-9 — If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.

Romans 10:9-10 — If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17 — When anyone belongs to Christ, they become a new person. Their old way of life has gone. Their new life has begun!

Colossians 1

20 It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him—all things in heaven and on earth—for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood. 

21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies and hated him and were separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. 

Celebrated Cracks 

The Golden Repair