Sunday Sermons

I Love My Church! - Week 1

Loving What Jesus Built

Matthew 16:13- 18

Church is not something that should be tolerated. Church is something that should be celebrated 

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi… He asked his disciples who do people say the Son of man is? Matthew 16:13

The nickname of Caesarea Philippi was the gates of hell

When you step back into your workplace tomorrow or when you step back into school and you think “I can't talk about Jesus because there are too many messy people around”- that's actually the place to begin the conversation, because Jesus began the conversation about himself in an environment full of messy people. 

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matthew 16:14-18

Gates are not on offensive weapon, gates are a defensive weapon

A promise is only as good as the person making the promise

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” Matthew 28:5-7
 

We can believe the promises of Jesus because of the resurrection.

Worry - Week #6

Overcoming Worry

Philippians 4:6-7
 

• Sovereign = Rules and Reigns Supreme
   

For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.” Daniel 4:17
 

“‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. Daniel 4:25

You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’ Daniel 4:32

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. Daniel 4:34

He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them. Daniel 5:21

We tend to worry most when we fail to recognize 
that He is The Most High God:

1. In the world
 

• The Cross is evidence that even in our most tragic circumstances, God is still in control
   

2.  When Jesus isn’t sovereign in my world
 

• Worry left unchecked leads to anxiety
   

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

• Too many people are looking for relief instead of peace
• What we escape to will one day be what we need to escape from

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

• Prayer is passing it off to God

Worry - Week #5

A Little Help from My Friends

Daniel 2:1-18
 

• God’s Power + God’s People = Overcoming Worry in My Life

• By myself, I can be overwhelmed. But together nothing can overwhelm us
   

One night during the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep. 2 He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, Daniel 2:1-2
 

• Control is the biggest illusion in the universe

he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.” 4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.” 5 But the king said to the astrologers, “I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble! 6 But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!” 7 They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.” 8 The king replied, “I know what you are doing! You’re stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say, 9 ‘If you don’t tell me the dream, you are doomed.’ So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.” 10 The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! 11 The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” 12 The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. 13 And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends. 14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. 15 He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. 16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant. 17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:3-18

4 TYPES OF FRIENDS

1. The “superior” friend

2. The “superficial” friend

3. The “slanderous” friend

4. The supernatural friend

That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. Daniel 2:19
 

1/1000

2/10,000
 

How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, Deuteronomy 32:30

• In what area of my life do I need to put my pride aside and actually ask for help?

Don't Waste Your Worry
2 Chronicles 20:1-22

Worry is wasted when it drives us away from God, but it becomes useful when it drives us toward God.

1. Worry shows up when the problem is real

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. -2 Chronicles 20:1

2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 
-2 Chronicles 20:2

Because sometimes the most life-altering moments don’t come from who said it… but from what was said.

Many times, what shakes us isn’t the battle itself—but the news about it.

2. Worry Becomes Waste When You Don't Know Where to Take It

3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 
-2 Chronicles 20:3

Fear may be involuntary. But where you take your fear is a choice.

Before anything changed outside, something changed inside.

Worry becomes wasted when I spend all my energy trying to control something only God can control.

4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. -2 Chronicles 20:4

What they found together before God is still how God meets us when we stop carrying things alone.

3. Don’t waste your worry forgetting God’s faithfulness

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. -2 Chronicles 20:5-6

Pressure is where perspective gets reset

7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’ -2 Chronicles 20:7-9

• Remembrance builds confidence that worry cannot survive.

10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. -2 Chronicles 20:10-11

• Faith doesn’t deny the problem—it refuses to let the problem speak first.

12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”-2 Chronicles 20:12

• The turning point is when the focus is no longer what we can face—but who we must look to.”

4. Worry becomes heavy when you carry what God never gave you

15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” -2 Chronicles 20:15-17

• Trust begins when I stop trying to be God—and start trusting God to be God.

5. Worry is not wasted when it leads you to movement

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”-2 Chronicles 20:18-20

• Surrender doesn’t stop the story—it starts the movement.

21After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 22As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. -2 Chronicles 20:21-22

• Worry becomes waste when it keeps you stuck.

• But worry becomes faith when it moves you forward.

Worry - Week #3

Angels Worry? No Way!

Daniel 6:19-22

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  Hebrews 13:2

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:19-22

ANGELS ARE OBSESSED WITH THREE THINGS:

1. The Presence of God

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4

• Jesus, help me to be more aware of your presence

2.  The Purposes of God

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Isaiah 6:5-7

• God forgives our sin and takes our pain

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” 
I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

3. The Power of God

That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. 2 Kings 19:35

They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:12

Worry - Week #2

Worship > Worry

Daniel 3:4-30

• Worry will limit us

a. emotionally

b. physically

c. spiritually

• It is impossible to worry when I worship


• Worship is when we take all of our thoughts and all of our heart, and we focus it on the person and the work of Jesus Christ. 

Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 But some of the astrologers[e] went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:4-12

• There is no intimacy without intentionality


• The enemy will always give us a chance to compromise

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” Daniel 3:13-15

• The enemy wants us to focus on fear, which always leads to worry

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” 19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. 25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:16-30

Worry - Week #1
The Next Right Thing
Daniel 1:1-20

NO MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN MY PAST...

During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. Daniel 1:1-5

• Anytime the enemy offers us something, there are always strings attached

They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. Daniel 1:6-7

...WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING BAD I DID...

...OR WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING BAD THAT WAS DONE TO ME...

... I WILL CHOOSE TO TRUST IN GOD AND DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING.

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. Daniel 1:8-14

• Daniel made a personal decision to trust in the power of God


• In Christ I am enough, and I have what it takes

At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Daniel 1:15-20

• What is the next right thing for me?

Wounded and Weary Week #7

Worshipping Through the Hurt

Psalm 55:1-23

But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:14

Five qualities that, even though you’re a man or woman after God’s own heart, you may have to wrestle with:

1. Being overwhelmed

Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! 2 Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. 3 My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down.  Psalm 55:1-3

2. A desire to escape

My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. 5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking. 6 Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! 7 I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. 8 How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred. Psalm 55:4-8

• What you escape to may eventually become what you need to escapefrom

3. Feelings of Despair

Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. 10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. 11 Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets. Psalm 55:9-11

• Despair makes us less aware that God is right there with us
  

4. Anger

It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them.  Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. 14 What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God. 15 Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them. Psalm 55:12-15

5. Hope

But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. 19 God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God. 20 As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. 21 His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers! 22 Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. 23 But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me. Psalm 55:16-23

• It’s not our circumstances that have to change, it’s our perspective

Wounded and Weary - Week 5 - May 17, 2026

Falling Asleep in the Window

Acts 20:7-12

7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps.

-Acts 20:7–8

• Convenience gathers crowds. Commitment builds disciples.

1. ASSUMPTION MAKES US TAKE GOD’S PRESENCE FOR GRANTED

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. -Hebrews 2:1

• What used to be hunger - turns into habit.

“You don’t love me or each other as you did at first.” -Revelation 2:4

• Assumption doesn’t just change what you believe—it changes how you engage.

2. THE WINDOW IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE

9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. -Acts 20:9

• The window gave him access without surrender.

Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. -James 1:8

• The enemy doesn’t always try to remove you from church… sometimes he just wants you comfortable in the window.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. -Matthew 6:21

• Whatever consistently has your attention eventually shapes your affection.

3. WHAT YOU KEEP IGNORING WILL EVENTUALLY OVERCOME YOU

Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below -Acts 20:10

• The longer you ignore conviction, the quieter conviction becomes.

“Wake up, sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” -Ephesians 5:14

• Small compromises grow quietly before they collapse loudly.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil… -1 Peter 5:8

4. YOUR LOWEST MOMENT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE YOUR LAST MOMENT

Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘he’s alive!’ -Acts 20:10

• Jesus meets people in broken places, not just perfect places.

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. -Psalm 37:23–24

• Falling is not the same thing as being abandoned.

If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path… -Galatians 6:1

• Restoration begins when we stop hiding and start responding.

Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved. -Acts 20:12

Wounded and Weary - Week #3

The Process of Healing

Ezekiel 37:1-10

3 types of pain:

1. Physical

2. Emotional

3. Spiritual

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  Ezekiel 37:1-2
 

2 options of why the bones were there:

1. Because of something they did
 

2. Because of something that was done to them

2 Key words:

a. Forgotten

b. Useless

He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Ezekiel 37:3-4

God’s Word always brings life

God's word always builds up, it never tears down

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:5-6

Odds of being struck by lightning = 1 in 700 thousand

Odds of getting attacked by a shark = 1 in 11.5 million

Odds of winning the lottery = 1 in 175 million

Odds of being born = 1 in 400 trillion
 

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Ezekiel 37:7-8

Healing is a process 
 

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. Ezekiel 37:9-10

What needs to happen for us to enter the healing process?

1. We need to understand that God sees us where we are

2. We need to understand that God wants to bring healing into our lives

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16